The sand-bath house sat in Sand Village's eastern district, one of the village's most high-end places to unwind.
And the sand here wasn't ordinary sand.
It was fine white sand collected specifically from deep in the desert.
It was sifted, washed, and dried again and again.
Then it was spread over specially made stone platforms and heated from below with charcoal.
The temperature was kept at around 131 degrees Fahrenheit, about fifty-five Celsius.
A little warmer than body temperature, but not hot enough to burn skin.
Once you lay down in it, warmth wrapped in from every direction.
It was the kind of comfort that made people forget they were still breathing.
Teizawa stepped into the sand-bath house.
He showed a special membership card.
It was something he'd had Yukata prepare in advance.
A private VIP suite.
No interruptions, excellent privacy, and…
A perfect view of the hallway outside.
"This way, please."
A server led him respectfully through the corridor and into a suite in an ideal location.
Teizawa lay back into the warm sand and let out a satisfied sigh.
Then he tilted his head slightly and listened through the thin partition to the neighboring suite.
Sakura and Ino were there.
The two of them were clearly a little stiff at first.
They looked around, whispering to each other under their breath.
A server politely explained the sand-bath rules and precautions.
Then withdrew.
Only the two of them remained.
"Sakura, this place… is so fancy!" Ino's voice carried through the partition, surprised. "It's way more luxurious than I imagined!"
"Yeah…" Sakura sounded surprised too.
She'd thought a "sand bath" meant digging a hole in the ground and burying yourself.
She hadn't expected private suites.
A refined changing room.
Dedicated service.
"Um… do we have to take off our clothes?" Ino's voice turned shy and awkward.
"P-probably… otherwise how do you get into the sand…" Sakura replied.
"T-then turn around…"
"Why don't you turn around!"
The two of them bickered and shoved at each other, their voices clear through the partition.
Teizawa lay in the sand, the curve of his mouth slowly deepening.
Interesting.
On the other side, the rustle of fabric, soft urging, an occasional little yelp, and muffled laughter drifted through.
Then came two long sighs, almost at the same time.
"Ah… this feels amazing…" Ino's voice went loose and lazy, the sound of real relief. "This sand is so warm. It's like I'm being wrapped up from all sides…"
"Mm…" Sakura's voice softened too. The heat melted the fatigue out of her bit by bit, until even speaking felt like effort. "It's… way more comfortable than I thought…"
Teizawa lay in his own suite, listening, the smile on his face growing deeper.
He lifted a hand and tapped the partition lightly.
Knock, knock.
The voices on the other side cut off instantly.
"Who is it?" Ino's tone snapped sharp with alertness.
Sakura clearly tensed too.
Teizawa spoke unhurriedly, his voice carrying a relaxed, faintly amused warmth.
"The guest next door. Don't be nervous. I just wanted to say…"
He paused, then added, "If the sand feels too hot at first, don't fight it. Breathe slow and let your body adjust. It gets better in a minute."
There was silence for a few seconds.
Then Ino muttered under her breath, quieter now.
"Huh… this person's kind of nice."
Sakura didn't respond, but the soft shifting sounds returned, like they were settling into a more comfortable position.
Teizawa smiled and didn't say anything else.
He simply lay there, listening to their occasional murmured conversation.
Letting the warm sand cradle his whole body.
People really knew how to live here, he thought.
This was what a life was supposed to feel like.
From the angle of his suite, he didn't need to do anything reckless or inappropriate.
He only needed to wait for the plan to unfold the clean way.
He wasn't here to "steal a look."
He was here to take control of the situation.
Those two young kunoichi, worn down by grief and exhaustion, had come with no guard up at all.
The heat eased their muscles.
Their breathing steadied.
And the tension in their voices faded, little by little.
Time slipped by.
The two of them grew quieter and quieter, lulled into rare calm.
Teizawa listened for a long while, until his patience began to itch.
Just listening wasn't enough.
If he wanted to pull them closer, he needed a reason they couldn't refuse.
He turned his head toward the door.
Someone was already there.
A tall kunoichi with a cool, sharp aura.
Today she wore a fitted Sand uniform that outlined a clean waistline and a strong posture.
She had been stationed outside the suite the whole time, keeping anyone from approaching.
As if she sensed his gaze, she tilted her head slightly.
Their eyes met.
Teizawa lifted his hand and snapped his fingers once.
The sound was crisp in the quiet sand-bath house.
The kunoichi's pupils tightened slightly, then she bowed her head and moved without a word.
She went to make arrangements.
Teizawa let his attention drift back to Sakura and Ino.
Since they'd come to a sand-bath house at all, they might as well experience the full service.
A massage, done properly, by professionals, with consent and courtesy.
And if it just happened to leave a deep impression of Sand Village, and of the "mysterious man" pulling strings behind the scenes…
Well.
That would be even better.
Teizawa's smile deepened.
After all, he really was a legitimate massage expert.
(End of Chapter)
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