"You won't mind, right?"
Aoyama Ryuyun felt a little sorry for Shinku Yuhi at that moment. How did this warm little cotton jacket suddenly turn so un-warm?
Kurenai Yuhi had originally wanted to speak more with her Liu Yun-gege.
But then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Anko was still gazing dreamily at Aoyama Ryuyun.
"Um, Anko! Weren't you saying earlier you were busy and had to leave? Then I won't keep you!"
"Huh?"
Anko, still half-dazed while admiring Aoyama Ryuyun, blinked in confusion when she heard that.
Then she turned toward him blankly, as though she'd misheard.
"What's going on?" her expression seemed to say.
"You should go back first," Kurenai added, trying to sound considerate.
Her face was full of concern, as though she were truly worried for her friend—but Anko wasn't so easily fooled.
"You really are my good sister," she said flatly, rolling her eyes.
Before Ryuyun returned, Kurenai had always called her along every time she came to help clean.
Now that he was back, she was being dismissed without hesitation.
So this is what you meant by 'best friends forever,' huh?
"Ah—haha!" Kurenai laughed awkwardly, scratching her cheek.
If there were outsiders around, she really wouldn't dare show how much she missed Aoyama Ryuyun.
"Alright, alright! I get it!"
Anko sighed dramatically, throwing up her hands. Despite her irritation, she couldn't really stay mad.
"Hehe! Thanks for your help these past few days, Anko!"
"Tch!"
Anko forced a smile. I helped you clean every day, and all I get is a 'thanks'? My life is truly tragic.
"Senior Liu Yun, I'll be going now!"
"Mm."
Aoyama Ryuyun simply nodded, saying nothing more.
Once Anko had left, he turned to Kurenai with a faint, amused smile.
"Alright, now it's just us."
Kurenai froze for half a second, then grinned sheepishly.
"Hehe, I just wanted to be alone with Liu Yun-gege."
Aoyama Ryuyun chuckled softly. Truth be told, during his time on the front lines, he had missed this little girl too.
"Go heat up some water. I'll take a bath after my training."
"Mm-hm!"
Kurenai nodded quickly and hurried off to prepare it.
Meanwhile, Ryuyun removed the two swords strapped across his back—Withered Wood and Sakura Ju.
"Wait a second."
"Hm?" Kurenai turned.
"Find a sword stand and put these two blades on it."
He didn't train with those weapons unless absolutely necessary. They were treasures.
"These two ninja swords are...?"
Holding them carefully, Kurenai examined the blades, puzzled. She wasn't trained in kenjutsu, but even she could sense the chilling pressure emanating from them.
"These are the ones I mentioned before—Withered Wood and Sakura Ju," Aoyama Ryuyun said, already drawing two standard practice swords from the rack to begin his nightly regimen.
"Withered Wood and Sakura Ju…" Kurenai murmured, repeating the names softly. She didn't know their origins or power, but she understood one thing—these swords were important to him.
So she carefully set them onto two stands, side by side, then ran off to prepare his bath.
By the time everything was ready, night had already fallen.
Though she was reluctant to leave, Kurenai still had to return home.
Her father, Shinku Yuhi, was a strict man; she couldn't stay overnight at Aoyama Ryuyun's house.
Still, with him back in the village, she could visit him anytime.
That thought alone left her smiling all the way home.
---
Later that night, Aoyama Ryuyun sat cross-legged in the courtyard, his eyes reflecting the moonlight.
A few moments passed before Tsunade returned from her gathering.
She smelled faintly of alcohol—but not heavily so. She wasn't drunk.
"You performed well," Ryuyun remarked calmly.
Not being drunk earned her rare praise from him.
Tsunade snorted, rolling her eyes.
At the bar, she had been teased endlessly by Jiraiya.
He'd kept goading her, saying she didn't dare drink because she was afraid of Liu Yun at home.
Hmph! Even if it was true, she wasn't about to admit it.
So she'd punched Jiraiya straight into the wall.
"Really, what's so good about the moon? Look at me instead!" she said now, crossing her arms.
"Alright. Then I'll look at you."
"Tch! You only look because I told you to. How perfunctory!"
"..."
Aoyama Ryuyun stared at her, speechless.
"Are you looking for trouble?" he asked flatly.
Since when did Tsunade get this playful?
"Hahaha!"
She wasn't drunk, but clearly tipsy—just enough for her true personality to slip through.
Laughing like a mischievous girl, Tsunade ran back into the house.
Ryuyun watched her go, smiling faintly.
There was nothing to say.
---
The next morning—
"Why are you still here, woman?"
"None of your business!"
Sure enough, when Kurenai Yuhi and Tsunade met the next day, they started bickering immediately.
"Now that the war's over, the Ninja Academy should be reopening soon, right? You wouldn't be skipping class, would you?"
Tsunade folded her arms and gave her a suspicious look.
"What skipping classes!" Kurenai puffed her cheeks indignantly.
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