The night breeze drifted softly over the rooftops of the Uchiha clan grounds, and Chiya slowly opened his eyes.
The steady breathing of Mikoto in his arms was especially clear in the quiet bedroom. She was curled up in the crook of his arm like a docile black cat.
Chiya gently drew back his slightly numb arm, his fingertips lingering for a moment along Mikoto's smooth back before he reluctantly tucked the corner of the blanket around her.
The instant he rose, Mikoto's lashes trembled faintly, but her eyes did not open in the end.
Before leaving, Chiya did not forget to lean down and press a light kiss to Mikoto's forehead.
Then he used the Body Flicker Jutsu, became a dark shadow, and vanished from the room.
In the courtyard, moonlight poured down like water.
A tall figure stood with her back to him beneath the cherry blossom tree, her golden ponytail swaying gently in the night breeze.
Even from behind, the bold and spirited air she was born with made it impossible to look away.
"You finally decided to come out?"
Tsunade did not turn around. Her voice carried a trace of coldness.
"I thought you were going to pretend to be asleep until morning."
Chiya had just started to open his mouth.
Tsunade suddenly spun around, her right fist wrapped in sharp chakra and shooting straight for his face.
Chiya stood in place without moving an inch, not even blinking.
When the fist was only an inch from the tip of his nose, the sharpness in Tsunade's eyes instantly melted. The chakra light on her fist quietly faded, and in the end it only rested lightly against his chest.
"Idiot."
Tsunade bit her lower lip, and tears glistened in her eyes.
"Why didn't you dodge?"
Chiya looked at the person before him. In the clear moonlight, her fair and delicate skin seemed to give off a pale glow, made all the more tender with the glimmer of tears at her eyes.
Chiya pulled her into his arms in one motion. A familiar fragrance immediately filled his senses.
He could feel the body in his arms go stiff in an instant.
Tsunade's hands hung in the air, as if she did not know where to put them.
This woman, one of those who struck fear into enemies on the battlefield, was now in front of Chiya like a girl who did not know what to do with herself.
"Because I knew it was you."
Chiya said softly into her ear. His warm breath brushed over the reddening tip of her ear.
Tsunade shoved him away hard. As she turned, her golden ponytail traced a graceful arc through the air.
"Come on."
"Follow me."
She dropped those words and body flickered onto the rooftop, disappearing into the night in a few bounds.
Chiya watched her retreating figure. 'An izakaya?'
He let out a quiet laugh and followed after her with the Body Flicker Jutsu.
The two figures moved through the moonlit night and came to a stop at last on top of the stone faces of the past Hokages carved into Konoha's great rock.
From here, all of Konoha village spread out below them.
The village at night was quiet and peaceful. Scattered lights glimmered like fallen stars, and the sign of Ichiraku Ramen in the distance still gave off its warm orange glow.
Patrol ninja passed through the streets now and then, and the lanterns hanging under the eaves swayed gently, casting warm halos of light.
The Ichiraku Ramen stall in the distance had not yet closed. The owner was wiping down the tables and chairs, preparing to wrap up the day's work.
Farther away, the lights in the Uchiha clan grounds were sparse. Members of the Guard Corps were still on duty, protecting the peace of the village.
Tsunade stood beside him. Her long golden hair drifted in the night wind, and her green robe rustled.
The traces of tears were still on her face. Her fair cheeks looked especially striking in the moonlight, and her brows held both resolve and worry, her eyes reflecting the countless lights of Konoha below.
"Where exactly did you go these past two years?"
She finally spoke. Her voice was low and controlled.
She casually pulled two flasks from her robe and tossed one to him.
Chiya did not answer right away.
He just tilted his head back and took a drink. The sharp liquid slid down his throat and left a burning trail.
"Loran."
He gave a short answer.
"The power of the Dragon Vein inside Loran went out of control. I was pulled into another place, and by the time I returned, two years had already passed."
Tsunade's fingers tightened slightly. The flask in her palm let out a faint creak.
"Do you know how worried I was these two years? I was afraid. I was afraid you might end up like..."
Her voice carried a suppressed fury.
She tilted her head back and took a long drink, swallowing back everything that had nearly come out.
Chiya turned to look at Tsunade from the side. In the moonlight, another glistening drop appeared at the corner of her eye.
He reached out and gently wiped across Tsunade's cheek.
"I'm sorry."
He said quietly.
Tsunade slapped his hand away sharply and glared at him.
"Don't give me that! You think one sorry is enough to..."
Before she finished, Chiya suddenly leaned close and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
Tsunade went still.
A moment later she stepped back sharply, her cheeks flushed deep red, both flustered and furious.
"You..."
But Chiya was smiling, warmth in his eyes.
"Tsunade, I am back. I will not make any of you worry again."
Tsunade gritted her teeth, but in the end only let out a cold snort and turned her face away.
"...Idiot."
The two fell silent again. Only the sound of the night wind rushing past the Hokage Rock remained.
After a long while, Tsunade spoke again. Her voice was low and serious.
"Konoha... may be facing war again."
Chiya's gaze sharpened, and he looked out into the distance.
"Yes, I know."
The fingers Tsunade had wrapped around her flask tightened slightly.
"Border clashes have been getting more and more frequent lately. Suna, Iwa, Kumo... even Kiri are all stirring.
The hospital has been seeing more and more injured. Three Chunin were brought in yesterday, and two of them could not be saved."
Her voice trembled faintly, clearly holding back tremendous anger and helplessness.
Chiya listened quietly, his gaze deep and still.
The Land of Fire, as the most prosperous nation in the ninja world, had the most favorable climate, the most fertile land, and the most abundant resources.
A place like this, how could it not invite envy?
Wars in the ninja world were, at their core, nothing more than struggles over resources and interests.
The First Ninja World War, the Second Ninja World War, and the Third that was about to erupt.
In essence, no difference.
"Chiya."
Tsunade suddenly turned her head and fixed her gaze on him with burning intensity.
"If war truly breaks out... I do not want anything to happen to you."
Her voice carried a rare trace of pleading.
"And your eyes... do not overuse them anymore."
Chiya was briefly taken aback, then smiled.
He reached out and ruffled her hair, and said quietly.
"Don't worry. My eyes... have no weakness anymore."
As those words fell, his eyes suddenly changed.
The crimson Mangekyō Sharingan emerged, its intricate pattern slowly rotating.
Tsunade stared, and her eyes widened without thinking.
"It looks different somehow?"
Chiya closed his eyes and opened them again. The Mangekyō had returned to ordinary dark irises.
"These two years, I was not sitting idle."
Tsunade stared at him, as if trying to read something from his expression.
But in the end, she only let out a sigh and leaned against his shoulder.
"Promise me you will not die."
She said quietly.
Chiya put his arm around her shoulder and laughed softly.
"Don't worry. With you here, I am not ready to die."
Tsunade gave a snort, but said nothing more to contradict him.
The night breeze was the same as always. Konoha's lights were the same as always.
In the quiet of that night, the two sat side by side, neither speaking another word.
But some promises no longer need words.
---
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