"Pfft!"
Ino was paying close attention to Jokichi's every move.
This tiny action didn't escape the girl's beautiful eyes, and she couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
"Hehehe..."
The silver-bell-like laughter was very pleasant, but it fell upon Jokichi's ears somewhat mockingly, making him feel annoyed.
After all, he had always ignored Ino, yet in the end, he was still moved by her body.
"Jokichi, Jokichi, I'm so happy!"
Ino covered her delicate mouth, trying to hold back her laughter.
But she was just so happy that not only did she fail to hold it in, she even squeezed out tears of joy.
"All these years, you've always ignored my feelings. I always thought I wasn't charming enough to catch your eye."
"Knowing now that you're moved by my body, I'm really so happy."
"..."
Jokichi fell silent.
Ino's words, although spoken with a smile, revealed the bitterness of secretly loving Jokichi all these years.
Moreover...
Are the girls in Naruto all this bold?
Normally, in this kind of situation, shouldn't the girl grab the guy, give him a good beating, and yell 'pervert' or something?
Even if it's a boy she likes, she should be a bit more reserved, blushing and covering her face while saying she hates him.
You laying it out so straightforwardly makes it even more awkward for me, damn it!
"Jokichi!"
Ino suddenly called his name.
Jokichi looked over and saw the girl looking at him with a resolute gaze.
His heart involuntarily skipped a beat, faintly sensing that something was about to happen.
"...What is it?"
"Since you have feelings for me, why have you been rejecting me? Am I not good enough, making you hate me?"
Ino was very bold and very straightforward, just like Sakura.
Facing the person she liked, she poured out her heart without hesitation.
Faced with Ino's unhesitating confession, Jokichi fell into silence.
After a long while, he finally opened his mouth to ask.
"Ino."
"Hmm?"
"You keep saying you like me, but do you know what liking someone is?"
"Liking is just liking! Is there any other meaning?"
"No, I mean the feeling. Do you know what the feeling of liking someone is?"
"The feeling..."
Ino frowned, pressing a finger to her lower lip in deep thought.
"I've never thought about this before, but if we're talking about the feeling of liking you, it's always been fresh in my memory."
"I feel very happy when I see you."
"I feel very lost when I can't see you."
"I feel very secure when you are by my side."
"When you're not by my side, you always involuntarily come to mind."
Ino stood up and twirled around in front of Jokichi.
"It sounds incredible, but as long as I'm by your side, my heart feels very sweet. Just being able to talk to you makes me feel fulfilled."
"If this isn't liking someone, then I don't think I'll ever have someone I like in my life!"
"Because, just like this, I feel unparalleled happiness. I really can't imagine a feeling happier than this."
"So, Jokichi..."
Ino smiled and reached out her right hand to him.
"Be my boyfriend. I'll let you experience the same happiness."
— Silence.
The reason Jokichi asked this question was simply because he felt Ino was only twelve.
Talking about love and liking all day long was just a child's passing whim.
She fundamentally didn't understand true love.
That was why he rejected her feelings time and time again.
However, Ino's answer was somewhat unexpected.
It wasn't a child's passing whim. She genuinely liked him and understood the feeling of loving someone.
If that was the case, Jokichi couldn't just casually reject her like before.
After all, casually rejecting someone who likes you would break their heart.
He needed to think carefully about the answer before giving a reply.
But Jokichi still found it incredible.
Although he didn't remember it with perfect clarity, he still had a general impression.
It seemed that even before starting school, Ino had already begun expressing her affection for him.
Although not as straightforward and bold as now, judging from her deliberate attempts to get close to him and her blushing face at his occasional cool actions...
Ino really did fall in love with him at the age of five.
Oh my god!
Knowing how to like someone at five!
Thinking back to my past life, at five I only knew how to spin tops!
Are the girls in this world all this precocious?
Wait...
If she fell in love with me at five and has been deliberately pursuing me, then...
Is Ino doing a shota-raising project?
Jokichi suddenly realized this problem and felt conflicted for a moment.
His original mood of pondering the answer was gone.
Other transmigrators raise lolis from a young age, while I'm being raised as a shota by a girl since childhood.
If I accept her love, wouldn't that mean she successfully raised me?
No, no, absolutely not.
Jokichi shook his head vigorously and looked at Ino with a firm gaze.
"No, I still can't accept your feelings."
"...Why!?"
Ino froze and immediately pressed for an answer, her eye sockets a bit moist.
Although she had been rejected thousands of times, this time was different.
While Jokichi had rejected her in the past, he had done so without thinking.
The meaning behind that wasn't necessarily that he didn't like her; it could also be that he just didn't want to date.
But now, the answer Jokichi arrived at after serious consideration was different.
This meant he truly didn't like her.
At the thought of this, crystal tears couldn't help but spill out.
"Why?"
Jokichi smiled coldly.
"Because I'm afraid of being reported!"
"Reported?"
Ino was stunned.
A crystal tear fell halfway through the air, only to be sniffled back up by her.
"Reported for what?"
"You're only twelve," Jokichi said. "I'm also only twelve. If we became boyfriend and girlfriend, people would report us for underage dating."
"So what if it's underage dating?"
Ino put her hands on her hips, acting like a fierce tigress.
"Let them report it. We'll date however we want, it's none of their business."
"It might be none of their business, but it affects me!"
Jokichi waved his hands repeatedly.
"If I get reported, I'm done for. Several of my friends got reported and disappeared."
"That tragic?"
"Mhm!"
Jokichi nodded vigorously.
"Let's wait a bit. Wait until you're sixteen. If you still love me then, I'll be your boyfriend."
At the end, he added in his heart: If this girl still likes me by then, I'll preemptively confess. That way, it won't count as being raised as a shota!
"No."
Ino shook her head in refusal, and then, under Jokichi's astonished gaze, issued a bold declaration.
"When that time comes, I'm going to marry you!"
"..."
Jokichi was speechless.
There isn't even a shadow of a start to this, and you're talking to me about marriage.
He sighed helplessly.
"We'll talk about it when the time comes!"
"Mhm!"
"Now, let me get some good rest!"
"Want a lap pillow?"
"Yes—I mean, no."
"Jokichi-kun, your words don't match your heart!"
"So annoying, don't disturb my rest. Hurry up and go out!"
"Then see you later!"
"Mhm!"