Chapter 2: The Banana Peel of Destiny and the Orange Jumpsuit Mishap part-2
His momentum carried him forward, but his feet stayed behind. He became a flying orange projectile.
(He is falling. He is falling right toward me!)
I tried to lean back, but my chair leg was stuck in a groove in the floorboard. I was trapped.
Naruto flailed his arms in the air, trying to grab onto something to steady himself. Unfortunately, the only thing within reach was me. His hand slapped onto my shoulder, pulling me forward just as he crashed downward.
It happened in slow motion. I fell out of my chair. Naruto landed on top of me. We hit the wooden floor with a loud thud.
But it was not a simple fall. No, the "Lucky Pervert System" had orchestrated a masterpiece of misunderstanding.
I was lying on my back. Naruto was straddling my waist. His face was buried in the crook of my neck, and—most horrifically—his right hand had somehow slipped under my hoodie and was resting firmly on my stomach, tangling with the mesh armor in a way that looked incredibly inappropriate.
The entire classroom went dead silent.
"N-Naruto?" Sakura Haruno gasped from the front row.
"What a loser," Sasuke Uchiha muttered, though he looked strangely fixated on the scene.
I could feel Naruto's hot breath on my neck. He stiffened, realizing he was landing on a soft human rather than the hard floor. He lifted his head. Our noses were touching. His blue eyes were wide with shock.
"Uh... hi, Hinata," Naruto said, his face turning as red as a tomato. "I... uh... my hand is stuck."
(He... he is on top of me. In front of the whole class. And his hand... his hand is...)
My face felt like it was on fire. I felt steam actually rising from the top of my head. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might explode out of my chest.
"Aaah... aaah..." I squeaked.
[Ding!]
[Critical Embarrassment Detected!]
[Achievement Unlocked: "First Contact." You have successfully been tackled by the Protagonist in a suggestive manner.]
[Reward: 500 Shy Points.]
[Status Update: Your blood pressure is dangerously high. It is hilarious.]
"Naruto!" Iruka roared, marching up the stairs. "Get off of her this instant! What do you think you are doing assaulting a classmate?!"
Naruto scrambled backward, tripping over his own feet again and crashing into Kiba Inuzuka's desk. "It was an accident! I swear! The floor attacked me!"
I lay there on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. My eyes were spinning in spirals. My soul was trying to leave my body to find a new planet where orange jumpsuits did not exist.
(This is my life now. I am going to die of shame. Again.)
"Hinata, are you alright?" Iruka asked, looking down at me with concern.
I sat up slowly. I tried to speak. I tried to say, "I am fine, Iruka Sensei."
Instead, my face turned a dark shade of purple. "N... N... Naruto-kun..."
And then, strictly following the script of my new life, my eyes rolled back into my head, and I fainted dead away.
[Ding!]
[Host has fainted from shyness. Additional 50 Shy Points awarded. Current Shy Points: 550.]
[Would you like to browse the shop while you are unconscious? We have a sale on "Unbreakable Elastic Waistbands" today.]
(Go away!) I screamed internally as the darkness took me again. This was going to be a very long life.
...........
When I woke up, I was in the infirmary. The smell of antiseptic was strong. I sat up, clutching the white blanket to my chest.
"Oh, you are awake," the nurse said kindly. "You had quite a shock, dear. fainting like that."
I nodded mutely. I checked my clothes. Everything was in place. Thank goodness.
"Can I... can I go home?" I whispered.
"Yes, classes are over for the day," the nurse said. "But be careful on your way out. The floors seem slippery today."
I slid off the bed and walked out of the Academy building. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the village of Konoha. It was beautiful, but I was too busy scanning the perimeter for potential hazards.
(Okay, Hinata. You just need to walk home to the Hyuga compound. Do not look at anyone. Do not talk to anyone. If you see a man, run the other way.)
I turned the corner, heading toward the residential district.
"Hey! Wait up!"
My blood ran cold. I knew that voice.
I turned around slowly. Naruto was running toward me, holding something in his hand. He looked guilty.
"I wanted to apologize for earlier," Naruto said, stopping in front of me. He was scratching his cheek nervously. "I really did not mean to fall on you like that. It was super uncool."
He held out a small carton of milk. "Here. I bought this as an apology gift. It is strawberry flavor."
(He is apologizing. He is actually really sweet. Maybe this System won't be so bad if it helps me talk to him...)
"T-Thank you, Naruto-kun," I whispered, reaching out my hand to take the milk.
[Ding!]
[System Alert: The target is within range. Activating Rito Effect Level 1.]
(No! Wait! Stop!)
Naruto went to place the milk carton in my hand. But as he leaned forward, a small pebble—a pebble that definitely was not there a second ago—rolled under his sandal.
"Whoa!"
Naruto lurched forward. His hand squeezed the milk carton reflexively.
Splat.
A jet of pink strawberry milk exploded out of the carton. It did not hit the ground. It did not hit Naruto.
It sprayed directly onto the front of my white mesh shirt.
The cold liquid soaked instantly, turning the white fabric transparent and sticking it to my skin.
Naruto froze. I froze.
He was staring at my chest. I was staring at his horrified face.
"I... I..." Naruto stammered. "I am so sorry! I am cursed! I swear I am cursed!"
My face went from pale to red to nuclear meltdown in three seconds.