Chapter Thirteen: Spinning Several Times

Not only was I being disliked, but I dragged Brother You into it as well. Sigh, am I really that... Naruto's mood sank. He felt Higashino You grasp his hand and turned to look at him.

"Brother You..." His voice was barely audible, but then he realized that Higashino You's gaze wasn't on him.

Higashino You was staring at the shopkeeper, his expression icy, more cold than indifferent, his free right hand reaching into his pocket.

The middle-aged shopkeeper grew anxious; Higashino You's chilly demeanor seemed to lower the temperature around them, and now he was reaching into his pocket—for a weapon? Was he about to cause trouble?

Naruto was puzzled, too. He remembered that what Higashino You kept in that pocket was... leaves?

Just then, Higashino You pulled something out of his pocket.

Without even glancing at what he held, he tossed it directly at the shopkeeper.

Startled, the shopkeeper instinctively tried to dodge, but when he saw what was being thrown, he stopped abruptly and reached out to catch it.

Despite his flustered movements, he managed to catch what Higashino You had thrown and held it in his arms.

It was a stack of bills.

"Do you still want to throw us out now?"

The shopkeeper's face was filled with astonishment, his mind unable to keep up with the situation, momentarily forgetting to respond.

So Higashino You pulled out another stack of bills and tossed them over.

"And now?"

This time, the shopkeeper snapped to his senses and hurriedly replied, "No, no, I won't."

Higashino You glanced at Naruto, who was still dazed.

He turned back to the shopkeeper. "Apologize to him."

"Huh?"

Higashino You gave him no time to hesitate, tossing yet another stack of money his way. "Apologize to him."

"I'm sorry!" Clutching several bundles of cash, the shopkeeper bowed deeply to Naruto, his tone embarrassingly sincere.

Naruto remained stunned. The situation had changed so quickly, he couldn't quite process it.

Higashino You looked at Naruto and asked, "Have you forgiven him?"

"Uh..."

Seeing Naruto didn't answer, Higashino You tossed another stack of money at the shopkeeper. "He hasn't forgiven you yet. Apologize again."

"I'm sorry."

Finally, Naruto snapped out of it and hurriedly said, "No, it's fine, I already forgive you."

The shopkeeper straightened up, a little disappointed. If only he could keep apologizing—a stack of money for each apology; he'd even kneel and bow if needed.

As he was thinking this, Higashino You tossed him two more stacks.

"From now on, when you see him, greet him with a smile, understand? I can pay you, but I can also pay others to give you trouble."

"Understood, understood!" The shopkeeper responded at once, his face breaking into an eager smile.

Seeing the smile, Naruto felt as if it was all unreal. Was it really so easy to make someone greet him with a smile?

He looked at Higashino You. What was so difficult for him seemed to become easy in Higashino You's hands.

Moreover, having someone step up for him when he was hated—this was a feeling he had never experienced before.

At that moment, Higashino You took the last bundle of money from his pocket, along with a list, and handed them both to the shopkeeper.

"Bring out everything you have from this list. Take the money from here, and keep the rest as change."

"Of course, of course!" The shopkeeper agreed repeatedly, then hurried off with the list to gather the items.

Naruto stood dazed for a while before finally coming back to himself. He looked at Higashino You.

"Brother You, those bills just now... wasn't your pocket filled with—?"

"Shh." Higashino You made a silencing gesture. "We'll talk about it when we get back."

"Okay," Naruto replied, setting aside his curiosity for now.

Not long after, the shopkeeper returned with everything Higashino You had requested.

Higashino You checked the goods. Together with what they'd bought earlier, everything on the list was now acquired.

"All right, let's go," Higashino You said, leading Naruto out.

The shopkeeper sent them off enthusiastically from behind, "Take care! Come again soon!"

Neither Higashino You nor Naruto responded, both carrying their large bundles as they hurried home.

On the empty street, Naruto finally couldn't hold back his question.

"Brother You, about those bills?"

"Mm, I transformed them from leaves." As Higashino You spoke, he shifted his packages to his left hand, freeing his right. He plucked a leaf, and under Naruto's curious gaze, used his Transformation skill to turn it into a stack of money.

"That's amazing!" Naruto's eyes sparkled. "Brother You, how did you do that? With this trick, you could have unlimited money!"

"It only lasts for a while. After a day or two, they'll turn back into leaves."

"Huh? Then what do we do? Won't that uncle find out?"

"I'll handle it," Higashino You said simply, offering no further explanation. Naruto didn't press him; to him, if Higashino You said he could handle it, then he surely could.

Unconsciously, Naruto had come to trust Higashino You deeply.

At that moment, Naruto couldn't help but recall what had just happened. In the past, when people hated him, not only did no one stand up for him, but they'd join in the hatred.

But now, Higashino You not only didn't dislike him, but actually stood up for him when others did. Everything felt different.

He also thought of how Higashino You had blocked that punch for him yesterday, and how he'd taught those bullies a lesson.

"Brother You."

"Yes?"

"You're amazing!"

"Not that much," Higashino You replied coolly, then changed the money in his hand back to a leaf and casually tossed it to the roadside.

The leaf spun in the breeze, drifting gently to the ground, as Higashino You and Naruto walked on into the distance.