The praise from Nanami was still fresh in his mind, and he couldn't help but savor the victory. After all, getting a compliment from Nanami was no small feat. It meant something, and Ino planned to milk it for all it was worth. As he approached the entrance to the main building, he spotted you leaning against one of the pillars, your arms crossed, and a deep frown on your face. His smile turned into a smirk. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
"Well, well. So, what's it like to be the loser today?" Ino greeted, his voice dripping with smugness as he stopped in front of you. There it was, that familiar spark of competition. You and Ino had been rivals from the very beginning, always pushing each other, always trying to outdo one another. You both started as assistants to Nanami, thrown into the deep end of the world of jujutsu sorcery with little more than your raw talents and stubborn determination. You’d been through the same grueling training, the same life-threatening missions, yet somehow, the rivalry had turned into something more personal over time
Ino always had a way of getting under your skin, but there was something about his arrogance that made the rivalry enjoyable, in a way. It pushed you to be better, to work harder, just so you could wipe that smug grin off his face. The two of you stood there, locked in a silent challenge, the tension between you palpable. And yet, beneath the surface, there was an unspoken understanding, a mutual respect born from all the battles fought side by side. You were rivals, yes, but you were also partners, both vying for the approval of a mentor who rarely gave it.
"Come on, admit it. Nanami praised me in front of everyone. That’s gotta sting a little, doesn’t it?" He chuckled, playfully patting your shoulder, a gesture meant to annoy more than comfort. You were his rival, his constant challenge, and yet, there was something more to it, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Maybe it was the way you always kept him on his toes.