"Why are you helping me?" the girl asked in a hesitant tone. "We just met for the first time... I even pointed a kunai at you. Why are you still helping me?"
Aoki raised an eyebrow, then suddenly smiled a little. A smile that couldn't be guessed whether it was serious or just a joke.
"... Maybe because you're beautiful."
The girl was shocked instantly. The girl's eyes widened, the girl's cheeks reddened like ripe tomatoes. "Y-You!"
Aoki laughed lightly, enjoying the girl's reaction. "Why? Are you blushing? Oh my..."
"N-no! I'm not!" the girl quickly denied, although it was clear that the girl's face was getting redder.
"Well, I just wanted to help someone who was hurt," Aoki continued, his voice a little more serious this time. "And I think you're an interesting person."
The girl bit her lip, not knowing what to say. For the first time since the journey began, the girl was silent for a long time.
Then, after a while, in a very soft voice, almost inaudible, the girl muttered, "...Even though you're not handsome, you're a good man..."
Aoki, who only caught part of the words, immediately smiled widely. "What? I'm handsome? Hahaha of course I'm handsome!"
The girl stared at Aoki with a sharp gaze. "No! I didn't say that!"
"No need to be shy," Aoki said with a mischievous smile. "I am indeed a handsome man. If you like me, I will be happy to try to get to know you better. Maybe we'll be compatible, and eventually get married. Hahaha!"
"I told you it's not! You're so stupid!" The girl turned her head the other way, where the girl tried to hide her still red face.
Aoki just chuckled, then continued on his way to the village in the middle of the forest, under the moonlight that still accompanied them.
"I told you it's not! Hemph!" The girl puffed out her cheeks, her eyes gleaming with annoyance as she looked away, as if she didn't want to see Aoki anymore. The moonlight that penetrated the gaps in the leaves in the dense forest reflected a faint shimmer on the girl's loose hair, adding a dramatic touch to the girl's sulking expression.
Aoki just stared at the girl for a moment before sighing, the corners of Aoki's lips slightly pulled up in a thin smile that seemed to show that Aoki was quite enjoying this interaction. "By the way, what's your name? I don't know who you are yet," Aoki said, Aoki's tone of voice sounded casual but contained a genuine curiosity. Aoki's gaze remained fixed on the girl, waiting for an answer.
"Hmm?" The girl blinked, her annoyed expression slowly melting into surprise. Only now did the girl realize that she hadn't introduced herself. "You're right..." the girl muttered softly, her voice softer than before.
Aoki shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Let me go first. My name is Aoki. Aoki Sora," Aoki said, with a firm and confident voice. After that, Aoki turned to a black-haired young man who was standing tall beside him. "The tall black-haired boy over there, that's Tetsu."
Tetsu, who had been silent with his arms crossed, raised one hand in a casual gesture. "Hello!" Tetsu greeted briefly, his lips forming a thin smile that was almost invisible in the dim light of the forest.
Aoki then shifted his gaze, towards a little girl with purple hair who had been silent from the start, the girl's eyes were calm, radiating a calmness that was hard to read. "And the quiet little girl over there, that's Ajisai."
Ajisai said nothing. Where Ajisai only nodded her head slowly, Ajisai's expression remained flat as before.
Aoki then looked at the girl who was still in his arms, where Aoki adjusted his grip on her arm to make it more comfortable. "So, what's your name?" Aoki asked, Aoki's eyes gleaming in the dark, trying to catch the girl's reaction.
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
________________________
[Note: 440+ latest chapters have been added! For Just 3$ You Get Access To Chapters Way Ahead,
Now you can access the chapters before Webnovel And Scribblehub by following,
Just become a patron on Patreon:
Patreon.com/Alex_Fabianoki]