"Aoba, remember to come visit me in the Hidden Mist Village when you have time," Mei Terumi looped her arm around Aoba's neck, her eyes filled with deep reluctance to part.
"Mm, I will."
Aoba smiled faintly in response. The two of them leaned in closer and closer, and right in front of Tsunade and the others, they started making out.
Forget Tsunade, even Zabuza and Haku couldn't bear to watch anymore.
It wasn't like they didn't know Aoba often used Flying Thunder God to show up late at night to visit their Mizukage.
So seeing them act all clingy and lovey-dovey like this, the two of them couldn't help complaining inwardly.
Such a mushy couple, and to make things worse, they happened to be their Mizukage and her fiance. The whole village's reputation was going down the drain.
"All right, that's enough. We still have a long way to go."
Tsunade stepped forward and forcibly separated their lips, her face full of irritation, and it didn't look fake at all.
Mei Terumi licked the corner of her mouth, frowning slightly. Seeing Tsunade act so anxious, and thinking about how she'd also tried to stop her from getting intimate with Aoba the night before, Mei couldn't help but feel a bit suspicious.
She didn't say it aloud, though. Instead, she helped straighten Aoba's slightly disheveled clothes and gave a charming smile.
"Aoba, see you next time in the Mizukage's office."
Aoba smiled back and nodded, "If there's anything you need my help with, make sure to tell me."
He was actually a little worried that Mei Terumi might run into Pain while searching for the Six-Tails.
"Mm."
Watching the three of them gradually walk away, Mei Terumi touched her chin thoughtfully.
"Tell me, didn't Tsunade act a little strange just now?", She turned to Zabuza and Haku.
"Huh?", Both of them looked completely confused.
How were they supposed to know if the Hokage was acting strange?
They'd been too busy trying to look anywhere but at those two kissing, where would they have noticed Tsunade's behavior?
Mei Terumi's expression showed obvious disgust, "Sigh, if only you two were half as sharp as Aoba, I'd feel much more at ease as Mizukage."
"???"
The question marks on their foreheads multiplied.
"I'm so disappointed. As guards, you're supposed to pay attention to the people around you at all times."
Her tone was filled with dissatisfaction, and Zabuza and Haku could only take the scolding silently.
Then Mei's eyes suddenly lit up as she looked at Haku.
"This calls for punishment. How about… your punishment is to marry Zabuza?"
"Wh-what? Marry Lord Zabuza? Bu-but I'm a boy!"
Haku felt that their Mizukage's punishment was a little too extreme, but since it was a punishment, he couldn't exactly refuse.
It's just… he couldn't help feeling that he wasn't worthy of Lord Zabuza.
'Also… huh?'
'Why is Lord Zabuza blushing?'
"Hahahahahaha!"
Seeing both of their reactions, Mei Terumi burst out laughing.
She'd long suspected there was something between these two, ever since the first time they were captured by Aoba.
And after becoming Mizukage and watching how they interacted every day, her suspicions only deepened.
Even though Haku kept insisting he was a boy, with that face, there was absolutely no conviction in those words.
Besides, he always deliberately wrapped bandages around his neck to hide his Adam's apple, what other reason could there be for that?
As Mizukage, she didn't exactly encourage that sort of thing in the village… but she chose to respect it.
After all, they were her most capable subordinates.
"All right, all right, just kidding."
Once she stopped laughing, Mei didn't pursue the topic further.
Instead, she returned to her earlier thoughts about Tsunade's odd behavior.
She was starting to suspect that something was going on between Tsunade and Aoba.
Because back when she'd been in Konoha, even if she flirted with Aoba right in front of Tsunade, though Tsunade would get annoyed, she'd never step in to stop them. And she certainly hadn't shown the kind of jealous, sulking expression she did just now.
Sure, Tsunade and Aoba were supposed to be teacher and student, and there was a big age gap between them.
'But if it is that guy Aoba… then everything makes perfect sense.'
"Let's go. We should head back too."
After thinking it over for a bit, Mei Terumi didn't dwell on it any longer. She'd just interrogate him properly in bed next time.
"Yes, ma'am."
The three of them started on their way back toward the Hidden Mist Village.
"Um… Mizukage-sama, about that punishment, actually—"
———
Kurotsuchi already had roughly jonin-level strength, so Aoba's team was moving at a good pace.
By nightfall, the three of them had reached the Land of Waterfalls.
"Sensei, do you know where exactly the Hidden Waterfall Village is?", Aoba stopped, looking out at the dense forest ahead.
"The Hidden Waterfall Village is located in the Land of Waterfalls. Though it's surrounded by four major shinobi villages, its unique geography has allowed it to avoid invasion for generations."
Tsunade's answer was completely off-topic.
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?", Aoba's face was full of question marks.
Tsunade shot him a look, "It means I don't know either."
"Uh…", Aoba was speechless, "Then how are we supposed to find it?"
"I don't know the exact location, but the village is next to a waterfall. If we find that waterfall, there should be Waterfall shinobi stationed nearby," Tsunade replied.
"Then let's just follow the river upstream," Aoba sighed helplessly. For now, that was the only option.
The three of them took a short rest, then continued on their way.
Even though it was getting late, they were close enough to their destination that no one minded walking a bit farther.
"Come to think of it, Sensei, didn't Konoha ever get a mission to guard the Hidden Waterfall Village before?", Aoba asked as they walked.
"A mission to guard the Waterfall Village?"
Tsunade thought for a moment, "Not that I recall. Why do you ask? If you really want to know, I can have someone check the records when we get back."
"No need. I was just curious that even you don't know where it's located, that's all," Aoba waved his hands quickly.
Tsunade rolled her eyes and didn't think much of it. Konoha and Waterfall Village had a decent relationship, but they rarely interacted.
The Waterfall ninja also never liked revealing the village's location, everyone understood the old saying about how those who hold treasures invite trouble.
Still, even though Aoba said he didn't care, he couldn't help but wonder.
The story seemed to have shifted a little.
After all, in the anime, Team 7's escort mission for the Waterfall Village leader happened right after the Chunin Exams.
Following the river, the three soon came upon a large waterfall.
Water streamed down from a mist-shrouded mountain peak, blanketing the area in thick vapor and a loud, roaring sound.
Under the moonlight, the white cascade glimmered, almost like the Milky Way spilling from the heavens.
But the three of them clearly had no time to admire the scenery.
Because on the riverbank… lay two corpses.
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