NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 0003: Don’t Speak, Kiss Me
Chapter 0003: Don't Speak, Kiss Me
"Are you serious?" Sarutobi Asuma glared at me, putting emphasis on each word he spoke.
"Of course, wasn’t this what we agreed on earlier?" I responded with a calm smile, completely nonchalant.
I kept staring at the system’s notification in between that said my chakra training had been increased by ten days. I could feel a tiny surge of power within me however, despite the notification, I couldn’t think that this was right.
Though none of the three options were appealing, compared to the shocking impact the first and third choices would bring, the second option seemed a bit safer.
But I was not completely sure that I would win, for I had hardly tested the rewards and everything else, but you know… I knew that something like Hokage style would definitely be strong.
Even if I lost, running around naked at this age wasn’t entirely unacceptable…
No wait, did I just think I’ll lose?
My eyes became unknowingly sharp as I muttered within, ‘Nah, I’d win. I’ll win!’
"Very well, I look forward to your performance," Asuma nodded, saying nothing more before turning to leave.
I looked the other way, towards my sister before saying, “Let’s go home.”
"Ah? Uh, sure, sure..." Kurenai finally seemed to snap out of her daze, nodding absentmindedly.
The evening sky gradually deepened as dusk painted the horizon.
On Konoha's long street, a boy and a girl walked side by side, the breeze lightly ruffling their hair—a scene that might have seemed quite harmonious.
Harmonious, my foot!
I sneaked a glance at my older sister. She was staring at me with an unusually strange look that made me feel immense pressure. I was uncomfortable... "Uh, if you’ve got something to say, just say it."
"You're acting weird," Kurenai squinted, her lips parting slightly as she spoke. "You’re nothing like you were before."
“What happened?”
Of course, I wasn’t the same! Not after getting this ridiculous and perverted system! And Not after reincarnating into this weird side-character… or background character perhaps?
I groaned inwardly but outwardly said, "Is that so? Maybe... I’ve just grown up."
“A Seven year old? Grown up?”, she almost clicked her tongue.
"What kind of 'growing up' makes you come up with such strange goals?" Kurenai retorted, her lips twitching. "And by the way, what kind of novels have you been reading lately?"
"Oh, that..." I thought for a moment, trying to find a good reason when I got a good idea, "I found it in Father’s bookshelf. It’s called Icha Icha Paradise!"
“Icha Icha Paradise?” Kurenai furrowed her brow. “Just hearing the name makes it sound like a bad influence. You’re banned from reading that kind of thing! Do you understand?!”
You sound less like my sister and more like an overly strict mom! I rubbed my temples, nodding obediently. “Alright...”
I thought I was out of fire with that. The harmony was returning… returning slowly… slowly… until this fucker intervened again!
Ding!
[New options generated!]
[Host, choose one of the following options:]
[-> Option one: “If I don't read novels, should I be looking at my sister's panties instead?”]
[-> Option two: "Actually, I'd prefer lying on the bed and watching with my dear sister."]
[-> Option three: "Don't say a word, just kiss me!"]
[Notice: The host needs to say them out loudly and not simply think to himself in his mind. On failure, the host will need to blurt out all of the three options.]
“…”
Smack.
Without hesitation, I slapped his own forehead. “Um, Big Sister…”
“What is it?”
“Don’t say a word, just kiss me!”
“…”
Bang.
With a muffled thud, the punch landed squarely on my forehead. Yūhi Kurenai, fuming, said, "I don’t recall ever teaching you to be such a pervert!" With that, she turned on her feet and walked away.
‘Ah, ah, ah, ah, maybe I should just start over!’ I felt my future dimmed with despair. This cursed system was out to ruin me!
[Congratulations, host. You have completed the task. Taijutsu skill training has increased by ten days.]
A strong explosive but sensation spread through my every cell. Although I had never trained the body before, I had obtained the basic Taijutsu of Konoha just today. I was unfamiliar with it but upon receiving the reward, I suddenly gained an additional ten days of training which caused this weird surge of energy and experience in my mind.
However, this boost in power wasn’t what I had hoped for! The fact that it was achieved at the cost of my dignity… Ugh, it’s impossible to be happy about it.
“Hmm?”
Yūhi Kurenai, who had been walking ahead, turned around and saw her brother’s pained expression. Her heart tightened.
‘Did I really hurt him with that punch? It shouldn’t be that bad…’
Besides, even if she did hurt me, what did it matter? I was the one who said “kiss me” first. How could such a thing ever happen between an older sister and her younger brother?
‘But, seeing him look so pitiful…’
Kurenai walked over to me, extended her small hand, and gently rubbed my forehead. “Let’s forget about it this time. Just promise me you won’t say such things to your sister again.”
I was momentarily stunned by her gesture.
When I came to my senses, I nearly felt like crying from the gratitude. It was because of having such a gentle, kind, and caring sister that I was driven to improve my strength to protect her.
Despite haing reincarnated into this unfortunate body, he was grateful for having someone that loved him so much. Something that he had never received in his previous life… he was happy.
‘But, dear sister… those things, I really didn’t want to say them. Please believe me!’
Kurenai, however, was unaware of my desperate inner cries and was instead thinking about another matter. “By the way, Hiroto, you added that extra condition to the bet with Asuma yourself, didn’t you?” Her tone was more of a statement than a question.
“Yes,” I nodded and said, “I didn’t want that short-lived guy—uh, I mean, that guy—continuing to bother you. If I win, he should be too embarrassed to speak to you again.”
Kurenai appreciated her brother’s effort to protect her, but her concern remained. “You’ve been weak before, and you’ve only recently started to gather chakra. No matter how talented you are, you can’t possibly be Asuma’s opponent. He may be a rogue, but he’s still very strong.”
“Don’t worry, sis. I’ll win. Uh, probably…”
“‘Probably’? Now you’re making me even more worried!”
Under the setting sun, the shadows of the brother and sister stretched long, very long.
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