TPMITWON Chapter 9: Pakura Agrees

A few seconds passed, and Souta began to feel increasingly nervous. "Damn... does Pakura believe me or not?!"

Pakura finally let out a long sigh and spoke in a cold tone. "... Hah... Do you think I'm stupid?"

Pakura's cold voice pierced Souta's ears like sharp shards of ice.

"No! That's not it!" Souta hurriedly protested, almost without thinking.

"Then what do you mean by what you said?" Pakura raised an eyebrow, her gaze filled with doubt and disbelief. "You know, right, that everyone who passes the entrance exam to the Academy must at least be able to understand and feel Chakra, even at a basic level?"

Pakura's tone was slightly sharper than before. "Yet you say you don't know anything at all? Do you think I'm stupid? Are you trying to fool me?"

Pakura now stepped closer, her expression growing colder.

Souta bit his lower lip. His body was tense, but he knew he couldn't panic. If he panicked more, Pakura would become even more suspicious.

In a split second, an idea popped into Souta's head.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and then spoke in a feigned casual tone to sound more relaxed.

"... I just... I just want to talk and be friends with you..." Souta's voice sounded softer this time. He tried to look at Pakura with sincere eyes, even though inside he felt very nervous.

"Besides, we live in the same apartment... Our rooms are also next to each other, isn't that obvious? I just want to be friends." Souta tried to smile, even though his heart was racing.

"This is a lie... this is just an excuse I made so Pakura wouldn't become more suspicious." Souta thought while forcing a bitter smile inside.

However, for now, that was the only thing Souta could do.

Pakura remained silent, her expression still hard to read. Souta held his breath, thinking, waiting for the girl's response. "Does Pakura believe...?"

The desert wind blew gently, carrying grains of sand swirling along the dusty streets of Sunagakure. The sun, nearly set, bathed the village in a golden orange light, casting long shadows from the characteristic dome-shaped buildings. In a somewhat quiet corner of the street, two children stood facing each other.

Pakura looked at Souta with a cynical expression, her arms crossed in front of her chest, and her body slightly leaning back as if to keep her distance. Pakura's sharp green eyes seemed to peel him apart.

"Hah... Do you really think that with your pretense I would help you?" Pakura said in a flat tone, but it clearly contained a piercing skepticism.

Souta was taken aback. The air around felt heavier, or maybe it was just the effect of Pakura's piercing gaze.

"... Huh?" That was the only sound that came out of Souta's mouth.

Pakura sighed deeply, her shoulders rising and falling slightly as if trying to suppress her irritation. She turned her face away, looking at the dusty road beside them before turning back to Souta, this time with a slight change in expression.

"I don't care what your reasons are," Pakura said, her voice softer but still cold. "If you really just want to understand how to feel Chakra and manage Chakra at a basic level, I can help you..."

Pakura paused for a moment, then her eyes glanced briefly at Souta before she let out a small sigh and added, "... But, occasionally, if you have some money, buy me food."

For a moment, only the sound of the wind could be heard. Fine grains of sand swirled past them, creating a silence that felt longer than it actually was.

Then, Souta's expression changed drastically. A wide smile spread across his face like a child who had just received their dream toy.

"Really?" Souta asked, his voice full of confusion. His eyes sparkled brightly, almost as if he had found new hope in life.