Laughter is an expression of joy, a brain reward mechanism that triggers pleasurable sensations, an evolutionary tool for connecting with others and showing that everything is okay, and a pleasant way to share and socialize.
However, no matter how great the joy, being abruptly awakened first thing in the morning by laughter as wicked as it was maniacal was not the best way to share it.
Sakura, driven to distraction by Yashin's racket, immediately sat up in bed to hurl her pillow and whatever else she could get her hands on.
— You… brat. Are you crazy? Why all of a sudden…?
— Shānnarō! Do you want to die? Don't you know what time it is?
— Damn it, get your hands off the damn bed, you're going to break it. Do you want Mebuki to go crazy?
— Idiot, stop calling other people crazy. You're the only lunatic in this place.
— And that's coming from the nutcase who started throwing things at me out of nowhere.
— You… well, then, you shouldn't have started laughing like a lunatic while I was sleeping.
— Hmph… I'm in a good mood. Of course I have to laugh out loud. Besides, you should feel honored to be woken up by my glorious laughter. For a peasant like you, this is… Shit! Get your hands off the damn bed. What are you going to do if it actually breaks?
— I don't care, but today I have to teach you a lesson.
— Are you sure? If you bend over any further to pick that thing up, your butt's going to spill out of your shorts.
— You… you damn pervert, what are you saying now?
— What are you talking about? It's just a friendly reminder on my part. Or do you actually want to show it to me? I'm sorry, but no matter how round it is, given the childish underwear you're wearing, I'm not interested in seeing it.
— You… this time I'm really going to teach you a lesson.
Before Sakura could lift the bed by its base to check if the wood was sturdy enough, or if putting all her weight on one of its legs would be enough to break it, Yashin jumped off his own bed, on the other side of the room, before running to restrain the maniacal Haruno.
After pinning her arms down and struggling for a long time, the pink-haired finally gave up on her attempt at fratricide, though not before stomping on Yashin's feet with her bare soles.
The twins, exhausted by the unexpected morning workout, exchanged glances before agreeing to a truce to rest.
—So, why were you laughing like a lunatic?
—How clueless do you have to be not to have figured it out yet? Of course it's about my chakra. It's overflowing.
Despite the growing urge to bite the younger pink-haired and teach him some manners, Sakura was more curious to verify what he had just said.
So, without the slightest bit of tact, she stretched her bare foot toward his twin's bare chest on the other side of the bed.
—You… brat, what do you think…?
—Shut up and let me concentrate. I need to check if what you're saying is true or if you've already lost your mind.
Although Yashin wanted to fight back against the sudden lack of respect, the view he had from his position unconsciously made him shut his mouth.
The short, pink nails, the small toes, the gentle firmness that held him still, the elegant, long curve of her calf, and the thick thighs—which he'd struggle to wrap even both hands around—culminating in those overflowing shorts.
For her part, Sakura kept her eyes closed as she focused on gauging the amount of chakra in her brother's body.
Although she wasn't very skilled at it at first, practice makes perfect—or in this case, the master.
After having to monitor her brother's condition for several months after he fell ill, it was only natural that she could now assess his condition even in such a casual way as by the sole of her foot.
However, when she realized the extent of Yashin's chakra, she could no longer maintain her nonchalant demeanor. The increase, though meager compared to her own reserves or those of any other student, was still somewhat surprising in her brother's body; so she immediately opened her eyes as she tried to sit up. Nevertheless, her surprise was quickly dampened by the sight before her.
Yashin, his gaze hazy, was staring at the hem of her shorts.
But even more revealing than that was the growing bulge in his crotch.
In an instant, heat rushed to Sakura's face, as did the pressure from the foot that was holding Yashin down.
The pink-haired, feeling the discomfort of the pressure, finally snapped out of his trance.
—You… do you really think I won't crush it?
A chill ran down the younger pink-haired's spine as he felt his sister's foot slowly slide southward, straight toward his selfish, defenseless friend standing erect beneath his hakama.
In a panic, Yashin grabbed Sakura's ankle, stopping her from going any further.
—S-shit… don't do anything crazy, okay? This… this is just a natural physiological reaction. A good sign of my growth. No, no, wait. Stop using so much force. I was just joking. Actually, it's all because of my increased chakra reserves.
— … Hmph. If that thing stands up again in front of me, you can be sure I'll stomp it flat.
Although Yashin wanted to protest, the warm touch of Sakura's foot on his abdomen made him swallow his words.
It wasn't until Sakura pulled her leg back that the younger pink-haired let out a sigh.
Yes, he was fast and could escape most situations, especially now that his chakra reserves had grown; however, even he needed a little space to perform a shunshin, not to mention that he had both legs occupied trying to save Mebuki and Kizashi's future grandchildren.
More importantly, he didn't want to risk anything going wrong.
—I can't believe it. Why have you suddenly turned into a pervert?
However, now that the danger was no longer imminent, there was no reason to hold back any longer.
—Hmph… I wonder who the real pervert is. We're barely in our first year, and you already know about these things. In the end, you're the one with the dirty mind.
Despite his defiant expression and words, Yashin held out his hands, ready to grab Sakura's ankles at the slightest movement.
However, instead of taking offense, the older sister simply looked at her twin with puzzlement.
— Are you an idiot? In case you don't remember, sex education is part of the academy's curriculum, and setting aside the practical activities, I'm the top student in our grade. Why would knowing what that piece of crap you've got standing up is make me a pervert just like you?
In contrast to the silence that had settled outside, a mocking laugh—one he hadn't heard since he woke up—echoed in Yashin's mind.
In the end, the pink-haired, no matter how mature and well-read he might seem, was also a Haruno; he preferred violent solutions over dialogue. So without any warning or modesty, he grabbed Sakura by the ankles and flipped her over to spank her plump behind, teaching her not to confront her brother.
It wasn't until a frantic Mebuki, still in her pajamas, burst into the twins' room that they were finally forced to calm down.
…
At the breakfast table, the twins were still glaring at each other as if the other owed them money.
—So, how is it that your chakra reserves increased overnight?
Kizashi's casual question, meant to lighten the mood at the table, barely caused his youngest son to glance in his direction.
—Of course it's thanks to Mebu's cooking… I mean, Ka-san's. Besides tasting good, it's also good for my growth.
Except for the satisfied Mebuki at the head of the table, no one else bothered to give any thought to the vague excuse he had just blurted out.
Although Yashin had some theories on the matter, they were nothing more than guesswork.
There was no need to voice them and come across as a lunatic in front of people who wouldn't be able to understand him.
After all, how could they possibly conceive of the fact that arguing with oneself in a psychotic dream could increase someone's chakra levels?
The idea that Mebuki's food was to blame made more sense.
— I disagree. I must have helped too. Remember the herbs I bought a few days ago? I'm sure they were the main cause.
— Man, the weeds they ripped you off with were thrown in the trash that very afternoon. There's nothing to be proud of.
Although Mebuki and Sakura weren't cruel enough to spit that in the head of the household's face, from the looks they were giving Kizashi, it was obvious they were thinking the same thing.
— Y-you… you two. That was… out of line!
…
— You get it? Out-of-line.
The innocent expression on the middle-aged man's face, as he held the salt shaker in front of him, made everyone look away.
This time he had outdone himself. Even the voice inside Yashin, urging him to tear his father to pieces every time he made one of his bad jokes, had fallen silent.
— Hmm… it seems this joke is still too advanced for you.
The younger pink-haired's fingers clenched, but before he could reach out toward his father, a gentle nudge from his sister at his side diverted his attention.
—We should go. I don't want to be late again because of you.
Although Yashin wanted to protest—since he didn't remember doing anything wrong, and besides, he was only on his second helping of breakfast—Mebuki's authoritative voice and Sakura's subsequent tug, guiding him toward the exit, prevented him from saying anything.
—Sakura, where do you think you're going when you haven't even brushed your teeth or made your bed yet? What did I tell you about…? Wait. You two. I haven't finished…
Although the pink-haired wasn't happy about being dragged out of the house, once he was outside, he didn't really care all that much.
Arguing with his hormonal sister was a waste of time, so he might as well go to school early.
Using the time to swindle some money out of his friend Aburame for a new, useless bug wasn't a bad idea.
Excited by the idea, the pink-haired jumped toward his sister's back before she could react.
—You… What do you think you're doing?
—Take me to school. I feel weak.
—Why the hell didn't you feel weak when you were fighting me this morning?
Instead of answering the snide question, Yashin merely let out a low snort.
Fighting her?
What's the difference between that and facing Tsunade or the Third Hokage?
At least those two are old, so if Yashin gets lucky and they both get injured, he could pretend he accomplished something; on the other hand, Sakura…
The younger pink-haired boy wasn't shameless enough to boast that he could match his sister, more because of the fact that she might not go easy on him in their next fight than anything else. Likewise, accepting that he was weaker than the brat was even more impossible.
So, unable to move forward or backward, he clung tighter to Sakura's body before whispering in one of her sensitive ears to make her forget the matter and start walking.