That night came with a heavy silence, as if the entire forest was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
The sky above them stretched wide, a deep dark without a cloud in sight, adorned with thousands of tiny twinkling stars, as if shyly peeking down below.
A thin crescent moon hung in the sky, its light dim, leaving a dominance of darkness that enveloped the tall trees and the lush foliage.
In the middle of the forest, a campfire flickered softly. This was no ordinary flame — it seemed to dance, spitting out wisps of smoke that curled with the cold, damp night breeze.
The small crackling sounds and the soft glow of the embers played like faint music, filling the emptiness of the night with warmth that contrasted against the chill in the air.
Four figures sat around the fire. Two of them—Tetsu and Ajisai—had drifted into dreams, their bodies sprawled out with steady breaths and faces calmer than during the day.
In the firelight, their faces appeared serene, shadows falling softly, concealing the fatigue that may have accumulated from their long journey. Wrapped in thick fabric, the two children seemed like figures untouched by the world.
However, on the other side, the atmosphere was different. Aoki was sitting with a slight hunch, his eyes fixed on the dim fire, as if searching for answers in the ever-changing flames.
Aoki's expression was now filled with anxiety, as if something was disturbing the peace in his heart, something he couldn't shake off no matter how hard he tried to close his eyes.
Next to Aoki, Mei sat upright, her body slightly leaning forward, her usually bright and assertive face now marked with subtle lines of worry.
Mei's smile had long vanished that night, replaced by a look of concern directed at Aoki. She knew something was weighing on Aoki's mind.
Aoki had tried to sleep repeatedly, but every time his eyelids began to feel heavy, his thoughts were instead filled with a restless noise that wouldn't subside.
The chaos in his mind was like a raging current, refusing to let Aoki drift off. Anxious, Aoki found himself trapped in a labyrinth of feelings he had long hidden, trying to understand and untangle his own emotional knots.
It had been several weeks since they left Misaki's hometown. Each village they passed was nothing more than a quiet, boring stopover, devoid of stories or laughter, just an unending journey toward a destination that was becoming clearer yet felt increasingly burdensome.
Aoki knew they would soon reach the port. The place where Mei would board a ship, leaving Aoki and the others far behind. And there, the farewell would be unavoidable.
But what haunted him more was the decision Aoki had yet to dare make: when and how to express the feelings that had been burning inside him, hidden behind laughter and unspoken words.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Mei's voice broke the night's silence with a tone full of curiosity.
Aoki jolted, then slowly turned to her. Mei's eyes looked at Aoki with a mix of emotions—confusion, curiosity, and a hint of concern.
"I..." Aoki stammered, searching for the right words, but it felt as if his mouth was locked by doubt.
Aoki was well aware of who he was—a jerk. He knew that some women liked him, and unknowingly, he reciprocated those feelings. But it was precisely because of this that when Aoki tried to express his own feelings, he felt extremely uncomfortable and trapped in a complicated struggle.
But Mei was different.
There was something about Mei that made Aoki both afraid and eager to stay close.
------------------------------
[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?]
________________________
[Note: 555+ latest chapters have been added! For Just 3$ You Get Access To Chapters Way Ahead,
Now you can access the chapters before Webnovel And Scribblehub by following,
Just become a patron on Patreon:
Pa*treon.com/Alex_Fabianoki]