Escape from Konoha.

Ayane asked with a smile.

"You can give it a try."

Seeing Ruri's guarded expression, Ayane also became troubled.

Ruri, however, thoroughly enjoyed Ayane's helpless expression towards her, feeling a surge of satisfaction.

"Alright, you can go now if there's nothing else. I'm sorry I can't prepare lunch for you because I'm short of food at home lately."

Liuli started to shoo people away, her tone anything but polite.

"..."

Ayane scratched her head and gave a wry smile.

"Aren't you leaving yet? I already told you, I won't be preparing lunch for you."

"No, it's because Shiraishi-kun gave me a very important observation task. Let's meet at our usual spot at 2 PM this afternoon, and I'll hand over the important observation data to him."

"Just give it to me, and I'll pass it on to him for you. There's no need to meet outside."

"I have that document somewhere else, and I don't have it with me right now. Besides, I can only feel at ease if I hand it over to Shiraishi-kun in person."

Ayane said in a calm and unhurried tone.

Liuli frowned in dissatisfaction.

"You should know how important my Byakugan is to Shiraishi-kun's research. So, please pass this message on to him. I'm counting on you, Ruri."

Ayane smiled slightly, turned around, and left without any hesitation.

Watching Ayane leave until her figure completely disappeared from sight, Ruri finally looked away and let out a calm sigh.

There's no need to get angry over such a trivial matter.

Yes, it's just a trivial matter, there's absolutely no need to take it to heart...

But what is this sudden surge of anger in my heart?

No matter how you look at it, it's that guy's fault.

--noon.

While Shiraishi and Ruri were having a meal together, Shiraishi overheard Ayane talking to him earlier, saying she had important observation data to give him.

"I see. I did ask her for a favor before, but I didn't expect it to be resolved so quickly. As expected of Byakugan, she's really been a great help."

Shiraishi sighed.

But noticing Ruri's increasingly unsettling and terrifying gaze, and her face seemingly turning completely dark, Shiraishi immediately changed his tune:

"Well, actually that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is the research funding and materials that you, Ruri, provide me. That's the key. The Byakugan isn't as effective as I thought."

After listening to Shiraishi's flustered explanation, Ruri's gaze finally softened.

Then, Shiraishi noticed the light blue kimono Ruri was wearing, the very one he had bought for her the day before.

Shiraishi's expression then became somewhat subtle.

During meals, they would intentionally or unintentionally avoid the topic, pretending that nothing was wrong.

"I didn't wear this for you."

When Ruri noticed that Shiraishi had noticed the kimono she was wearing, she was afraid that Shiraishi would misunderstand something, so she began to explain.

"what?"

Shiraishi stopped eating and looked over in surprise.

"Don't flatter yourself, it's just a coincidence that I like the style and color of this dress."

"..."

"Besides, I'm only wearing it now; I won't wear it for the New Year. I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"..."

I didn't say anything.

However, hearing that I wouldn't be wearing this kimono during the New Year did leave me with a sense of emptiness.

Seeing that Liuli had turned her head slightly away and wasn't looking directly at him, was she... embarrassed?

I thought I felt embarrassed when I handed her the kimono yesterday, but I guess Ruri felt pretty embarrassed too.

Thinking about it this way, I felt much less irritable last night and this morning.

"Ok, I know."

"Good to know. I'm full."

Under Shiraishi's strange gaze, Ruri put down her bowl and chopsticks, and walked out of the room with graceful, even steps.

After closing the door, Liuli leaned against it, lowered her head, and her hair could only partially cover her facial expression, not completely.

Her ears were already bright red.

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Enriching the Country and Strengthening the Military

Around 2 PM.

As agreed, Shiraishi went to meet Ayane.

The so-called 'old place' refers to Shiraishi's original home, the house that was only cleaned a few times a year.

"You're right on time, Shiraishi-kun."

At the entrance downstairs in the apartment building, Ayane saw Shiraishi arrive on time and stood there with a slight smile.

"Didn't you say we'd meet at 2 o'clock?"

That's right.

"Then what do you want with me? I don't recall giving you any important observation tasks lately. So, why did you deliberately deceive Liuli to call me out? Has something happened?"

Ayane could use the excuse of an observation mission to fool Ruri, but she couldn't fool him.

Shiraishi knew better than anyone whether or not he had assigned Ayane an important observation task.

Although Ayane was assigned many observation tasks before, that was because the experiment was in its early stages and many things did require observation with a critical eye.

The research is now on the right track, and ordinary experiments don't require the use of eye rolls. However, if you don't understand something, you don't know how to use eye rolls to observe it.

Therefore, he believed that Ayane had something else to ask him, rather than the so-called observation mission.

"Can't I call you out if there's nothing wrong?"

"It's not like that, it's just that it suddenly feels strange."

"I happen to be free today, so I'd like to invite you to go shopping together."

Did you two happen to meet at the same time?

Shiraishi made a sarcastic remark.

I just went shopping with Liuli yesterday afternoon, and I'm going to do it again today.

If the two of them need to go shopping again sometime, the three of them can just go together to save time.

"what?"

Ayane glanced at Shiraishi with a puzzled look.

"No, it's nothing, I was just venting."

"If this is disturbing you, Shiraishi-kun, you can leave me alone. After all, work is more important."

Ayane winked at Shiraishi and smiled knowingly.

"No need, things have been going well at work lately. And I haven't been that busy. I'm fine on my end."

If I were to go back right now because of work, it would be incredibly hurtful.

Besides, there are a few temporary assistants in the lab. As long as you strictly follow the experimental steps they give and carry out the experiment slowly, there shouldn't be any mistakes.

"Really? That would be wonderful."

"But is there anything you want to buy?"

"Yes, lately I don't know why, but I always feel a tightness in my chest, like the clothes underneath are about to burst open."

Ayane tugged at her collar, completely unconcerned about saying these things in front of Shiraishi.

"Don't suddenly say things like that in front of me, or I might take it seriously."

Honestly, none of them give him any peace of mind.

Shiraishi sighed helplessly.

"So, shall we examine this place thoroughly, inside and out, Dr. Shiraishi?"

Ayane gently brushed her bangs aside, her smile pure and captivating.

When she said those words, she didn't seem to realize how shocking they were to a boy.

To some extent, Shiraishi believed that Ayane was more dangerous than Ruri.

It's all because I set a terrible example for her when she was little.

They're already starting to learn bad habits quite well.

When he first met Ayane, she was a simple-minded and adorable girl.

But ever since that incident, although the other person still appears innocent and harmless on the outside, their inner nature... has long been rotten to the core.

If I had known this would happen, I should have educated her in a different way.

It's too late to regret it now.

"No."

Shiraishi felt his heart pound uncontrollably for a moment, and he temporarily withdrew his gaze from Ayane, gently adjusting his breathing.

If you judge her as frivolous and casual based on her words, you will definitely suffer the consequences.

This woman, just like me, is skilled at disguise and deception.