However, she obviously couldn't admit to such a thing.
So, Kushina shook her head, feigning a puzzled expression.
"What are you talking about? What did Mikoto do last night?"
Kenji and Kushina were practically an old married couple.
Therefore, Kenji immediately saw through Kushina's act.
However, he didn't intend to call her out on it.
Firstly, he hadn't suffered any real harm the night before; on the contrary, he'd benefited quite a bit.
Secondly, Konan was still in the dining room, and pursuing the matter would be awkward for everyone.
However, he couldn't just let this go unpunished.
So, Kenji secretly added this to his mental ledger, planning to find an opportunity for revenge in the future.
Then, Kenji nodded to Kushina, his expression unchanged.
And called out to Konan, who was devouring her food in the dining room:
"Konan, how about I walk you to school today?"
If Kushina had suggested it, Konan would have declined, saying that she was old enough and didn't need an escort.
But when Kenji proposed it, Konan's reaction was completely different.
"Thank you, Kazuki-nii-san~"
After agreeing, Konan visibly sped up her eating.
"Hurry up and eat, don't make me late for school."
Today was arguably the most enthusiastic Konan had ever been about going to school since she started her studies.
Soon, after a whirlwind of eating, Konan finished her breakfast.
And then, with quick, light steps, she came to the entrance, took out a pair of white, lace-trimmed ankle socks and put them on.
Then, she slipped her feet into her sneakers.
In fact, most ninjas preferred to wear sandals for their breathability and waterproofing, which was ideal for combat.
However, Kenji didn't share that preference.
Because if you wore sandals in certain environments, things like sewage would come into direct contact with your skin.
This was completely unacceptable to Kenji, who was somewhat of a germaphobe.
Influenced by him, Konan had also abandoned lightweight, all-terrain sandals in favor of sneakers that were better suited for running.
After putting on her shoes, Konan took a ninja tool pouch from the drawer above the shoe rack, hung it over her shoulder, and then casually grabbed a few kunai and put them inside.
Having done all this, Konan trotted to Kenji's side and looked up, giving him an innocent smile.
Kenji reached out and patted Konan's head, then took her left hand and slowly started walking toward the ninja academy.
Kenji's house wasn't too far, nor too close, from the ninja school.
For ordinary people, it might take half an hour to walk.
But a ninja could reach it in just a few minutes by leaping across rooftops.
Konan usually made the trip in under ten minutes. After all, she had walked this road for years, and nothing could capture her attention anymore.
However, today Konan's pace suddenly slowed.
At this moment, she desperately wished that this road could stretch on forever.
Because this was a rare opportunity to spend time alone with Kenji, without any interruptions.
However, Konan was a very disciplined person.
So, even though she cherished this feeling, she wouldn't deliberately take a longer route.
"Konan, how have things been going at school lately? Are any of the other students giving you trouble?"
Kenji asked casually, holding Konan's hand as they strolled along.
"It's alright, nothing special. And those little brats are nowhere near strong enough to bully me," Konan replied, a hint of pride in her voice. This was the confidence that came with being number one in both academics and practical skills.
Because Sakumo Hatake hadn't cosplayed as a teru teru bozu like in the original story. Instead, he was enjoying his retirement at home.
Therefore, Kakashi hadn't graduated from the ninja academy early to begin his eventful ninja career.
But even a genius like Kakashi was still no match for Konan, who had awakened the Paper Release kekkei genkai.
Moreover, Konan's ability to fly using wings made of paper made her virtually invincible at the genin level.
Originally, Konan had wanted to graduate early, tired of "playing house" at the ninja academy.
But Kenji had "persuaded" her by saying that if she became a ninja in the usual way, he would be her team leader.
Under this "temptation," Konan had ultimately compromised.
Kenji reached out and pinched Konan's cheek, teasing her:
"The way you say that, makes it sound like you're ancient if they're just little brats. You're not that old, why are you acting so mature?"
Hearing this, Konan looked up at Kenji, her eyes burning, and replied earnestly:
"I'm not a child anymore. Where I come from, girls my age can already get married."
Under Konan's intense gaze, Kenji unconsciously looked away.
He was at least somewhat aware of Konan's feelings for him.
After all, he wasn't a dense harem anime protagonist.
However, Kenji's remaining "conscience" wouldn't allow him to take advantage of Konan.
So, Kenji could only pat Konan's shoulder and respond with a heavy heart.
"Your most important task right now is studying. Don't think about all that other stuff. We'll talk about everything else when you're older."
"When I'm older, can I be like Kushina-nee-san?"
Konan asked, her bright eyes filled with anticipation as she looked up at Kenji.
"We'll talk about it when you're older. What if you meet someone you like later on?"
Hearing this, Konan suddenly stopped walking, and the smile on her face was instantly replaced by a coldness.
Looking at Konan's expression, as if she wanted to devour him, Kenji actually felt a flicker of panic.
Then, Konan waved her hand coldly, signaling Kenji to squat down.
Normally, Kenji would have taken the opportunity to tease Konan.
But under Konan's expressionless gaze, he obediently complied this time.
Konan reached out with both hands and slapped Kenji's cheeks, making a loud (pa) sound.
Then, she stared intently into Kenji's eyes, saying each word carefully:
"Even if it's Kazuki-nii-san saying that, I'll be very angry. The person Konan likes the most is Kazuki-nii-san, and I won't like anyone else. I hope Kazuki-nii-san always remembers that."
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