"Fool... Why is your wound open again? You're really a stubborn woman, aren't you?" Aoki whispered in my ear, and it instantly made my heart race. His voice was filled with concern, yet also a hint of teasing, as if he didn't want to make me feel pressured.
"Uh! Get away!" I tried to pull away from Aoki, but he held me tightly, not giving me a chance to resist. In that embrace, I felt an incredible sense of protection, but also a warm intoxication.
In the end, I surrendered and allowed myself to be held by Aoki. It felt as if the world became calmer, even though everything around us was still chaotic.
"Don't do anything stupid again and make your wound open up, do you understand?" Aoki said, his eyes looking at me with clear concern.
"... I understand." I replied softly, averting my gaze, feeling embarrassed yet also comfortable in Aoki's embrace that didn't want to let me go.
...
...
...
Blood slowly seeped from Mei's left shoulder, soaking her sleeve that was starting to darken and dripping onto the ground like an odd chime in the stillness of the night.
Aoki stared at the wound, feeling something grip his chest. There was a sharp sensation behind Aoki's ribs, not physical pain, but a kind of inner pressure that crushed mercilessly.
Where Aoki gripped his own fingers, he noticed his heartbeat was slightly irregular. For some reason, seeing Mei hurt like that made Aoki uneasy. Not just because of the physical wound... but because Mei was the only reason Aoki was still standing in this blood-soaked forest.
But as Aoki's gaze lifted, when his eyes met Mei's face—the anxiety wavered, melted, transforming into something else.
Mei averted her gaze with a faint blush on her cheeks. Her face was slightly bowed, but for a moment, Mei's eyes stole a glance at Aoki—then quickly looked away again.
The moonlight fell perfectly on Mei's face, illuminating her slightly tousled long hair that still reflected a silvery sheen. There was a hint of shyness that made her look much younger, softer... more human.
Aoki stood still, frozen in sudden admiration that came without permission. A small smile formed at the corner of Aoki's lips, something he couldn't hold back, like a reflex born from something warm in his chest.
"Why does Mei look so... sweet?" Aoki thought. "Blushing like that, even after bleeding, after almost being killed... Mei can still blush."
Suddenly, Aoki laughed inwardly. Not a happy laugh. More like astonishment at himself.
"I think... I'm starting to like Mei." Aoki's thoughts spun, that sentence emerged without Aoki being able to deny it. "I realize I'm a jerk. I'm a man who even struggles to understand what true love is."
Shadows of the past flashed in Aoki's mind—Shizune with her gentle gaze and warm concern...
Kurisu, full of confidence yet hiding embarrassment behind her stubborn demeanor...
Akarin, the mysterious woman with a sharp smile and an alluring mature aura, the woman who would one day become the mother of Karin. But even Karin wasn't here yet... not born... not conceived.
And now Mei.
The girl who was technically betrothed to Aoki. Not out of love, not by fate, but because of an agreement. And strangely, Aoki felt... comfortable.
"I know Mei likes me," Aoki murmured to himself. "Mei's gaze can't lie. Even her hesitant appearance and shy expression feel honest."
Where Aoki took a deep breath. The night air felt a bit colder now, mixed with the scent of blood, wet earth, and the remnants of jutsu explosions.
The forest around them was filled with the shadows of tall trees standing still like stone statues.
------------------------------
[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?]
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