Teizawa gently pushed open Ino's door.
A warm breath of air mixed with heated sand and a faint floral fragrance drifted toward him.
The private room was not large, but it was arranged even more delicately than Sakura's. Incense burned in the corner, and several landscape paintings of the Land of Wind hung on the walls. Most eye-catching of all was the sand bath in the center, clearly built with special care. Fine white sand had been spread in a thick layer, and warmed from below, it gave off an irresistibly lazy, soothing heat.
At that moment, a graceful figure was lying there in contentment.
Ino was wearing a thin yukata. The fabric was so light it was nearly transparent, damply clinging to her body and outlining every breathtaking curve. Her golden hair was spread across the sand, making her pretty face look even more radiant. Her eyes were half-closed, and a satisfied smile rested on her lips. She was clearly enjoying this rare moment of peace.
The corner of Teizawa's mouth lifted slightly.
He lightened his steps and walked soundlessly to the edge of the sand bath.
Then...
He suddenly bent down and covered her eyes with both hands.
"Guess who I am?"
He kept his voice low, teasing.
"Ah!"
Ino jumped in fright, nearly springing out of the sand.
But the very next second, she recognized him from that familiar scent and touch.
"Quit it!"
She slapped his hands away and turned to glare at him.
There was not the slightest trace of anger in her eyes. Instead, they carried a soft, shy complaint.
"You scared me to death!"
Teizawa smiled and sat down beside her.
But very quickly, he noticed that something about her felt off.
She was smiling, yes, but there was something strained about it.
And in those eyes, there was unmistakably a hint of loneliness.
"What's wrong?"
Teizawa's voice softened as he reached out and stroked her gently.
Ino did not struggle.
Instead, she obediently leaned into his arms and buried her face against his chest.
After a few seconds of silence, her muffled voice drifted up.
"Kakashi-sensei said... our exchange study is almost over."
Teizawa's movement paused slightly.
"We'll be leaving... very soon."
Her voice dropped even lower, unable to hide the reluctance in it.
Teizawa was silent for a moment.
Then he smiled.
He lifted her chin so that she had to look at him.
There was already a faint shimmer of moisture in her eyes.
"What is it?" he asked softly, his tone tinged with amusement. "You can't bear to leave me?"
Ino's face instantly flushed red.
"I can not!"
She turned her head away, flustered.
But the slight tremble in her voice gave her away.
"Wh... who says I can't bear to leave you..."
The smile in Teizawa's eyes deepened.
He said nothing.
He only pulled her a little tighter into his arms.
The warm sand wrapped around them both. The scent of incense lingered at the tip of their noses. In the quiet private room, only their breathing and heartbeats seemed to remain.
After a long while, Ino's voice sounded again, light as a dream.
"After I leave... will you miss me?"
Teizawa lowered his head and looked at her.
That pretty face was full of the unique anxiety and hope of a young woman in love.
He did not answer.
Instead, his hand started wandering.
"Hey!"
Ino's face turned scarlet at once, and she hurriedly tried to push him away.
"What are you doing?!"
Teizawa lowered his head and whispered by her ear, "Since you're leaving soon..."
His voice was low and intimate.
"A moment like this is worth more than gold. We shouldn't waste it."
"You... don't... mmph..."
The rest of her words were sealed away.
Sunlight slipped in through the gap in the curtains, scattering mottled patterns across the floor.
In the sand bath, the two figures tangled together.
All the reluctance, all the loneliness, all those complicated feelings neither of them could clearly put into words, melted in that moment into silent warmth and tenderness.
...
By the time it was over, Ino lay limp in the sand, gasping for breath.
Her face was so red it looked ready to drip blood.
Her whole body was damp with sweat, and she did not even have the strength to move a finger.
Teizawa lay beside her, one arm around her waist, the other idly brushing through her hair.
"So now..."
Ino's voice was weak and full of plaintive resentment.
"I really don't want to leave anymore..."
Teizawa smiled.
He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Then don't go."
Ino froze for a second, then shook her head.
"I can't... I have to go back..."
Her voice grew softer and softer until it turned into a murmur.
"But I will... miss you..."
Teizawa said nothing.
He only held her more tightly.
Outside, the sunlight was perfect.
This afternoon belonged to them.
...
Meanwhile, by the window of another room, Kakashi sat with a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in his hand.
But his exposed eye was not focused on the page at all.
His brow was faintly furrowed.
Clearly, his mind was nowhere near Jiraiya's so-called masterpiece.
Guy was pacing back and forth across the room.
That anxious look was completely unlike his usual image of youthful passion and burning energy.
Every so often he glanced out the window, his thick brows drawn tight, his eyes full of confusion and unease.
"Kakashi..."
At last, he could not help asking.
"What do you think that Kazekage is trying to do?"
Kakashi did not answer immediately.
Instead, he recalled the scene from earlier, when Kankuro had come to deliver the message.
"Kakashi-san, Guy-san."
Kankuro had stood at the doorway, his expression complicated.
"Lord Kazekage asked me to inform you that tomorrow he will be accompanying you to Konoha."
Kakashi had frozen on the spot.
"Accompanying us?"
"Yes."
Kankuro nodded.
"And traveling with him will be the Four-Tails jinchuriki who was just captured."
Kakashi's pupil contracted slightly.
The Four-Tails jinchuriki. Roshi. One of Iwagakure's strategic weapons.
That Kazekage was planning to bring something like that to Konoha?
"This is..."
Kakashi had chosen his words carefully.
"Lord Kazekage's intention?"
Kankuro had given a bitter smile.
"When it comes to Lord Kazekage's intentions, all we can do is carry them out."
After saying that, he had left, leaving behind only a room full of stunned silence and unease.
...
Now, an hour had already passed.
Kakashi still had not figured out Teizawa's purpose.
But he understood one thing very clearly.
Trouble was coming.
"Kakashi, what do we do now?"
Guy's voice pulled him back to the present.
Kakashi put down his book and looked out the window.
The setting sun was slowly sinking below the horizon, dyeing all of Sunagakure in gold and crimson.
"This matter..."
He spoke slowly, his tone heavy.
"We have to notify Lord Hokage in advance."
Guy froze for a second.
"You mean... using that?"
Kakashi nodded.
He stood, walked to the center of the room, and formed hand seals with both hands.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
With a puff of smoke, a ninja hound wearing a Konoha forehead protector appeared in the room.
It was Kakashi's most commonly used messenger dog, Pakkun, a small but exceptionally capable pug.
"Kakashi, what is it this time?"
Pakkun sat on the floor, looking up at him with a puzzled expression.
Kakashi crouched down, his face serious.
"Pakkun, go back to Konoha immediately and deliver this message to Lord Hokage."
He paused, then said each word distinctly.
"Sunagakure's Kazekage, Teizawa, will travel with us to Konoha tomorrow. His accompanying personnel include..."
His voice dropped even lower.
"The Four-Tails jinchuriki who was just captured."
Pakkun's eyes widened.
"The Four-Tails jinchuriki? The one from Iwagakure?"
"Yes."
Kakashi nodded.
"Tell Lord Hokage that this trip of the Kazekage's... is probably not that simple."
Pakkun was silent for a second, then nodded firmly.
"Understood!"
With another puff, he vanished from the room.
Kakashi stood back up and returned to the window.
Guy stepped closer, frowning.
"Kakashi, what do you think that Kazekage is really after?"
Kakashi stayed silent for a long time.
Long enough that Guy thought he might not answer at all.
Then...
"I don't know," Kakashi said quietly.
"But no matter what he wants..."
He paused, his gaze resting on the golden-red village outside.
"Konoha has to be ready."
(End of Chapter)
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