"Name… sure, no problem."
Aoba agreed very readily. Mainly because he also felt it was a bit awkward.
"Then from now on, just call me by my name too. Come to think of it, we haven't properly introduced ourselves yet. My name is Shirakumo Aoba, and she's Yamanaka Ino."
"Mm, Aoba… and Ino, hello. I'm Shion, the priestess of the Land of Demons. Please take care of me in the future."
Shion formally used their names and gave a slight bow, greeting them seriously.
"Shion, please take care of us too."
Faced with her seriousness, Aoba did not know what else to say, so he simply returned the polite phrase.
"Mm, Shion, please take care of us."
Ino also replied with a smile, but as she smiled, her eyes narrowed into thin slits.
A strange light flickered in the narrow gaps.
If she could not see through the other girl's intentions by now, then she would not have been the first among the girls who grew up with Aoba to successfully get him.
"Mm, then you two rest first. I'll go arrange for lunch."
After saying that, Shion did not linger and left the room with light steps.
"…"
Aoba glanced at the sky outside, which had only just begun to brighten. There was still a long time before noon.
He wanted to say there was no need to rush, but Shion's figure had already disappeared down the corridor.
Perhaps out of shyness, she had run off as soon as she left the room.
Helpless, Aoba turned to look at Ino behind him.
"Ino, it's still early. Do you want to—hm?"
"What kind of expression is that?"
He had originally wanted to ask if she wanted to sleep a little more. But when he turned around, he saw her holding her chest with both hands, keeping a straight face, trying hard to show a dignified side.
It was obvious she was copying Tsunade. Otherwise, she would not be holding them up.
The problem was, Ino could not really hold them up. And for a beautiful girl like her, trying to look imposing only made her look cute.
So when Aoba saw her expression, he could not help reaching out and pinching her slightly puffed, soft cheek.
"What are you doing?"
Ino resisted the urge to lean into his hand and swatted it away, puffing up as she said, "Can't you see I'm angry right now!"
Aoba pinched her again, "Then why are you angry?"
"Ugh… you're so annoying! Aoba, don't tell me you can't see that priestess has other intentions toward you!"
Seeing this, Ino stopped pretending to be serious and reached out to pinch his face instead.
Aoba let her rub his face however she liked, then pulled her into his arms and fell back onto the bed, saying innocently,
"But that's her having intentions toward me. What? Can I control her heart and make her not have intentions toward me?"
"Besides, you've seen it these past two days. I haven't even been alone with her. We barely even talked."
"…", Ino's hands paused.
Then she sat upright on his waist, resting her soft chin on her hand as she fell into thought.
It was true, just like Aoba said. From yesterday until now, he had never been alone with Shion. They had barely even met, and their conversations were polite and distant.
If there was any close contact, it was when Aoba had no choice but to carry her for a stretch while they were traveling.
This really did not seem like Aoba's fault.
'Honestly, Shion has already seen in her prophecy that I will marry Aoba. How can she still fall for him like this?'
'Aoba is just a little handsome, a little strong, and saved her life…'
"See? You know this can't be blamed on me now."
Aoba looked at the silent Ino with an innocent expression.
"Hmph!"
Ino snorted, puffing her cheeks as she glared at him, "What about you then? Do you also have other intentions toward that priestess?"
"Uh…"
Aoba opened his mouth slightly, but quickly said seriously, "Ino, I promise you, right now I absolutely have no other thoughts about her."
After all, they had only met for the first time yesterday afternoon. He was not going to have crooked thoughts about someone he had known for less than a day just because she was cute.
At the very least, they would have to spend some time together first.
"Really?"
Ino suddenly leaned close, her nose pressing against his as she stared into his eyes.
"Of course it's true."
If they kept asking and answering like this, the topic would never end.
Aoba wrapped an arm around her waist and simply kissed her.
After a long while, Ino pressed her hand against his chest and straightened up.
Her face was red as she looked down at the boy beneath her, her voice trembling slightly.
"You… didn't you go to see Yugao and the others last night? How… how are you like this again?"
"Ahem! Didn't that Moryo say just now that my desires are pretty strong?"
Aoba said this seriously, then added helplessly, "Besides, weren't you the one who couldn't keep your hands to yourself just now?"
He had already been very restrained, knowing that today was not suitable for Ino and not going any further.
Yet she had insisted on teasing him. Now look what happened.
"Gulp!"
Ino swallowed nervously, looking flustered and unsure what to do.
She suddenly regretted not bringing Sakura along.
Aoba could not help but laugh at her. He lifted her off him and said with a smile, "Alright, get some proper sleep. It'll calm down in a bit."
"Oh…"
Ino responded softly and quickly buried herself in his arms, too embarrassed to look.
But as time passed, she could not fall asleep at all.
After thinking for a while, she decisively slipped under the blanket.
As long as your mindset doesn't give up, there's always a way.
.
.
.
Soon it was noon.
The one who knocked on the door was not Shion, but the guard, Taruho.
After catching up on sleep in the morning, both Aoba and Ino were now full of energy.
Ino put her hands on her hips confidently and declared, "I'll be the one to make that priestess back off!"
Although Aoba had said he had no interest in the priestess for now, if Shion refused to give up and kept at it, she would definitely become their new sister.
Aoba could not help reaching out to pinch her cheeks a couple of times, laughing helplessly.
"Just don't scare her."
"As if."
Ino rolled her eyes at him, "I'm not going to scare her. I'm going to use my gentleness and good-wife skills to make that clueless priestess back off!"
As she said that, she instantly changed her expression, wrapping her arms around his and looking sweet and obedient.
She even rubbed against his arm like a clingy little cat.
Aoba: "…"
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