Obito was incredibly conflicted at the moment.
Although this sculpture was the best he had ever made, there was no harm in comparison.
If it weren't for Kannazuki's sculpture, Obito might really have thought his own was beautiful.
But Obito's sculpture was made by imitating Kannazuki's sculpture.
With a comparison, even if Obito were blind, he would know his sculpture wasn't good-looking.
Rin Nohara, who had walked a short distance with Obito, asked, "Obito, what did you want to see me about?"
Obito trembled all over; what was coming would eventually come. He stopped, gathered his courage, and said, "Rin… I, I have something to give you."
Rin Nohara asked, puzzled, "Give me?"
Obito scratched his head and replied, "Because of Lady Kushina's matter, I missed your birthday, so today I want to give you your birthday present."
Rin Nohara suddenly understood and said with a smile, "Oh, that's what it was. I had forgotten."
Obito took a deep breath and handed the sculpture to Rin Nohara: "Rin, this is my gift to you. I hope you like it!"
Looking at the sculpture in Obito's hand, Rin Nohara was pleasantly surprised: "Wow, this sculpture is so beautiful!"
Obito gave a dry laugh: "Haha, really? As long as Rin likes it."
Obito still didn't have the courage to give her the sculpture he made, so he secretly took out the sculpture Kannazuki made and gave it to Rin Nohara as a gift.
Obito sighed silently in his heart. Sure enough, Rin Nohara really liked this sculpture. If he had given her the one he made, she definitely wouldn't have been so surprised.
"But Obito… you must have taken the wrong one, right?"
Hearing Rin Nohara's words, Obito was stunned: "Why do you say that?"
Rin Nohara showed Obito the bottom of the sculpture: "Because it's engraved with 'Obito, you big idiot, I despise you.' I don't think Obito, you would scold yourself, right?"
Obito's face was as ugly as if he had eaten dirt.
Was this guy Kannazuki a parasite in his stomach?
"Achoo!"
Kannazuki, who was doing research at home, sneezed hard.
Kannazuki rubbed his nose and muttered, "I wonder how that guy Obito is doing. Hmph, if he dares to give Rin the one I carved, he'll be in for it! Never mind, why am I worrying so much about him wooing a girl? I should focus on my Kannazuki first."
Kannazuki once again immersed himself wholeheartedly in his research.
Obito was very embarrassed now, not knowing how to explain to Rin Nohara.
After all, he had already given Rin Nohara the sculpture Kannazuki made. If he then gave his own to Rin Nohara, wouldn't he be exposed?
Rin Nohara would definitely guess that he couldn't bring himself to give her his own, which was why he gave her someone else's sculpture.
"I, I…"
Just as Obito was about to say that he had taken the wrong gift, Rin Nohara suddenly took a step to Obito's left and looked at Obito's left hand, which he had been keeping behind his back.
"Obito, the sculpture you want to give me must be in your left hand, right?"
Cold sweat broke out on Obito's back. He hadn't expected Rin Nohara to have already found out.
What to do, what to do?
Seeing Rin Nohara's expectant gaze, Obito really felt too embarrassed to take it out.
Now, Obito, caught in a difficult situation, could only give up. He took out the sculpture he had made, which he had been holding in his left hand.
Obito lowered his head and apologized: "I'm sorry, Rin, actually the one in your hand is Kannazuki's. I really wanted to carve a sculpture even better than Kannazuki's as a birthday gift for you, but I'm really too clumsy. No matter how I carve, I can't do it well, and I can only carve it like this. Let's forget about this one, I'll give you a different birthday gift."
Just as Obito was about to withdraw his hand, Rin Nohara suddenly grabbed Obito's hand and took the rather abstract sculpture from Obito's hand.
Rin Nohara looked into Obito's eyes very seriously and said, "Why apologize? This is a gift from you, Obito. Why change the gift? Although what you carved, Obito, is indeed not as good-looking as what Kannazuki carved, I just think what you carved, Obito, is more interesting. Compared to Kannazuki's, I prefer this sculpture you carved, Obito.
Obito, don't compare your weaknesses to others' strengths. You are actually very excellent, and I don't think Kannazuki's first carving could be better than yours. What you carved, Obito, is already very good."
Obito stared blankly at Rin Nohara, suddenly feeling his heart beat very fast.
"Achoo, achoo…"
Kannazuki sneezed several times in a row.
Kannazuki desperately rubbed his nose, looking at the Sand Iron scattered on the table because he couldn't control it due to sneezing, and grumbled, "What's going on? Who's speaking ill of me? Never mind, I don't know who's speaking ill of me, so I'll just assume it's Obito!"
Obito snapped out of his daze and quickly lowered his head, his face as red as a monkey's bottom.
"Is, is that so? As long as Rin likes it."
"Obito, can you hold these two sculptures for me? Keep your left hand free, please."
"Ah? Oh."
Obito, not understanding, held both sculptures in his right hand.
Then Rin Nohara took Obito's left hand on her own initiative.
Obito shivered as if he had been electrocuted, and his heart immediately soared.
Rin took his hand on her own initiative! Was this a dream?
"Obito, be careful when carving. Look at all the cuts on your left hand. You didn't even bother to treat them. Just wait a moment, it will be quick."
Rin Nohara took out ointment for external injuries from her ninja tool pouch and carefully applied it to the wounds on Obito's left hand.
Obito felt a little disappointed in his heart. So, she wasn't trying to hold his hand after all.
But this slight disappointment quickly vanished without a trace.
Does this not count as holding hands?
To him, Obito, this also counted as holding hands!
After Rin Nohara helped Obito apply the ointment, she bandaged it up.
"Alright, give it to me."
Obito handed the sculpture he had carved to Rin Nohara, but did not give her the one Kannazuki carved: "Rin, I'll take this one."
"Mm."
Rin Nohara nodded, as that one wasn't her gift after all.
Obito looked at the sculpture Kannazuki had carved in his hand, especially the phrase 'Obito, you big idiot, I despise you' at the bottom, and he pouted.
"Off you go!"
Obito directly threw the sculpture Kannazuki had carved far away.
After throwing it away, Obito felt refreshed and said with a smile to Rin Nohara, "Rin, I'll walk you home."
Rin Nohara looked subtly in the direction Obito had thrown the sculpture, praying in her heart that it wouldn't hit anyone. If it hit someone and they saw it was her sculpture, they might think she threw it.
"Ouch! Which scoundrel is littering?!"
Grandma Tomori, whom Obito always helped, fell on her bottom. The sculpture didn't hit Grandma Tomori, but rather the ground in front of her, but she was scared and fell.
Just then, Kakashi appeared and helped Grandma Tomori up: "Are you alright, Grandma Tomori?"
"It almost became serious. I don't know who is so unethical, just throwing things around."
Kakashi looked at the ground in front of him and saw Rin Nohara's sculpture, and his expression immediately became extremely strange.
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