Nohara Rin's eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if she were struggling to surface from a long, heavy dream.
She had been caught in Shinji's Genjutsu, and her memories afterward became hazy and fragmented. She only vaguely remembered the Ninja Crow with the Sharingan suddenly rushing toward her, then abruptly vanishing. The last image frozen in her vision was Shinji's figure.
"Shinji!?"
Her eyes snapped open, and she instinctively sat bolt upright, scrambling to sit up as she frantically searched for any sign of him.
"Awake?"
The familiar, gentle voice sounded beside her ear, and Rin's tense body instantly relaxed. His jacket was still draped over her shoulders, its comforting scent enveloping her, bringing a quiet warmth to her heart.
Shinji walked over and sat down beside her, gently patting her back with his right hand. "It's all over now."
Rin silently hugged her knees, leaning closer to him, and asked softly, "Shinji, can I ask… what exactly happened?"
For some time now, Shinji had been persistently asking her to teach him Medical Ninjutsu, even going so far as to go to great lengths to obtain the Sharingan.
She looked up at him, blinking, quietly waiting for an answer.
Shinji frowned slightly, feeling a headache coming on. He really didn't know how to answer this question.
He couldn't just bluntly tell her that she had already been dragged into a massive conspiracy, could he? Without any evidence, she'd probably insist on taking him for a mental health check.
Shinji felt both amused and exasperated.
Rin gently bit her lower lip, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on him, filled only with pure anticipation and trust.
In the end, Shinji couldn't withstand that look. He gently took her hand.
"Rin, do you remember when my Sharingan first awakened? You were right there with me."
"Mm-hmm."
"During that awakening, I accidentally saw some images. About your future… filled with danger."
He held her hand, his grip unconsciously tightening slightly.
"I can't be sure if that future will definitely come to pass."
"But I didn't dare take the risk, and I couldn't figure out exactly what would put you in danger."
"All I could do was try to find a way to give you a protective charm."
Shinji gazed into her eyes, his tone utterly solemn:
"That's all I can tell you."
A moment later.
"So that's how it was?"
Nohara Rin murmured softly. She didn't know what her future held, but the thought of Shinji doing everything he could, facing unknown dangers for her sake, filled her heart with warmth.
"Thank you, Shinji."
She tilted her head gently, resting it against his shoulder, and whispered, "I'm not worth you going to such lengths for me."
"What do you mean, not worth it!"
Shinji reached out, firmly wrapping his arm around her waist, his gaze serious. "Rin, don't you understand how I feel?"
He took a deep breath, enunciating each word clearly:
"I really like you. I want you to be my girlfriend."
Rin's mind went blank with a buzzing sound.
It wasn't that she didn't understand; she had just been too shy to break through that thin layer between them. She never expected Shinji to say it so directly, so solemnly.
"Shinji, you—!"
She looked up at him, her eyes flustered, then instinctively lowered her head, trying to avoid his intense gaze.
But Shinji didn't give her a chance to escape. With a firm grip, he swept her up into his arms.
"Ah!"
Rin suddenly lost her balance and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, her entire face flushing bright red.
The base was so quiet that only their breaths could be heard.
Shinji looked down at the blushing girl in his arms, his heart unable to remain calm any longer.
He leaned in slightly closer.
Rin didn't pull away, only her eyelashes fluttered gently, her breathing growing uneven.
The next moment, Shinji raised his hand, gently brushing aside the stray hairs on her forehead. His palm rested softly against the side of her neck as he lowered his head and kissed her lips.
It was light, soft, filled with cautious exploration.
Rin's heart skipped a beat. Her hands clutched tightly at his sleeves, but she didn't retreat an inch. She closed her eyes gently, allowing this sense of security and tenderness to envelop her.
After a long while, their lips parted.
Shinji instinctively licked his lips lightly, looking down at the girl in his arms with a smile in his eyes. "Rin, it seems you've agreed to be with me."
Buried in his embrace, Rin gasped for breath, feeling as if she had used up all her courage in this one moment.
She looked up, glaring at him with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. "You're such a bad guy. I've already let you do this, and you're still teasing me on purpose."
The soft lights of the base reflected on her flushed cheeks, making it impossible to look away.
"Rin,"
Shinji's voice grew even softer, suppressing the emotions surging within him. "One more time?"
Nohara Rin nodded.
She tilted her head back slightly and closed her eyes.
Unable to hold back any longer, Shinji leaned down and kissed her deeply.
Gently parting her lips, their tongues intertwined like two small fish.
Rin let out a soft murmur, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and responding to him with her whole being.
After confirming their feelings, Rin became exceptionally soft and accepting, offering all her shyness and trust to him without reservation.
In the evening.
Shinji walked Rin to her doorstep, where the two stood quietly, about to part ways.
"Wait for me to return from my mission."
Shinji raised his hand, gently stroking her cheek.
Nohara Rin's eyes were filled with reluctance. They had just confirmed their feelings, and now her lover was about to leave on a mission. She carefully straightened the corner of his clothes, stood on her tiptoes, and quickly planted a light kiss on the corner of his mouth.
"I'll head inside now," she said, clasping her hands behind her back, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. "I'll wait for you to come back."
With that, she turned and, still blushing, hurried inside.
Shinji raised his hand, lightly touching the spot where she had kissed him, warmth spreading through his heart.
"I must complete the mission as soon as possible."
…
Returning to his own place, Shinji finished washing up and sat down on the sofa.
With a thought, he summoned the System Panel.
In the message bar, several new notifications awaited him.
Without hesitation, he opened them one by one.
[Nohara Rin has completed the second stage of Conquest. Bond Relationship established.]
[Bond Relationship detected: Lovers]
[Player has received the second-tier Point Reward: 250,000 Points]
[Third-tier Check-in Reward has been unlocked. Maintaining the romantic relationship will accumulate check-in days.]
[Nohara Rin: Current check-in days: 1]
[When check-in days reach one month, an additional Point Reward will be granted. When check-in days reach six months, 1 A-rank Gift Box will be awarded.]
[If either party declares the termination of the romantic relationship, or if either party's feelings deteriorate or vanish, it will be considered as the end of the romantic relationship, and the consecutive check-in days will be reset.]
"Finally, the romantic relationship is officially established."
Shinji's gaze paused, falling on the last rule, lost in thought.
"So, if one party loses feelings for the other, the relationship ends?"
This System is clearly guarding against him becoming a heartless scumbag.
He didn't mind, though. He genuinely wanted to provide a stable and warm home for every girl he cared about.
Shinji silently closed the System, looked up at the ceiling, and murmured to himself:
"I still have to keep working hard."