Kurenai Yuhi just wanted to get drunk.
That afternoon, she had a huge argument with Asuma.
It started because of Uchiha Kuro's words—but more importantly, because Asuma proved those words right.
"Even someone like you, with so many wives, still knows how to respect women… yet Asuma is monitoring me?"
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes unfocused, her voice thick with alcohol.
Uchiha Kuro sat there helplessly.
As someone who had been dragged here halfway down the street, he didn't particularly feel like talking…
Of course, Kurenai didn't need his answer anyway.
"What gives him the right to monitor me?"
"We're not even together, and yet he's always trying to control me… Why? Just because I talk to a male colleague, I have to report to someone who isn't even my boyfriend?"
"I know what happened too—those colleagues who talked to me before… they all got 'promoted' into useless positions. Isn't that just sidelining them?"
"How is that fair to my friends?"
"He's relying on being the Hokage's son to act however he wants… Did he ever consider how I feel?"
She rambled loudly, clearly drunk beyond restraint—even blurting out things like "Hokage's son" without thinking.
Uchiha Kuro sighed softly and formed a hand seal, casting a small illusion to block out her voice from others.
This kind of "rich brat chasing a girl" drama… wasn't something that should spread too widely.
Still, he knew she was probably telling the truth.
After all, despite Asuma chasing Kurenai for years, it wasn't until much later that they actually got together.
Clearly, their relationship before that wasn't smooth—there were even underlying conflicts.
Looking at Kurenai, full of frustration, Uchiha Kuro took a sip of wine and tried to comfort her.
"It's fine. If it doesn't work, just reject him clearly."
"If only it were that easy…"
Kurenai let out a bitter laugh and downed another cup.
"I've already rejected him. But he's the Hokage's only son—how can I really slap him in the face?"
"And if I don't say it harshly, he just doesn't understand!"
Then came another wave of complaints.
Because of Asuma, all her teammates were women—her superiors didn't dare assign any male partners to her.
On missions, she would "coincidentally" run into him again and again.
It even felt like her squad leader deliberately arranged missions to match his location.
The more she spoke, the more she drank.
The more she drank, the more she spoke.
It was obvious she had been holding all this in for a long time—so much so that even Uchiha Kuro, whom she'd randomly grabbed, became her emotional outlet.
"…Fine. Drink, then."
Uchiha Kuro sighed.
"Just so happens I've been a bit overworked lately—my back's sore. I'll treat this as a day off."
He picked up his cup and drank along with her.
After all, when a beautiful woman is this upset… the least he could do was keep her company.
…
The next morning.
Bright sunlight streamed into the room.
Uchiha Kuro frowned slightly, squinting as he turned over in bed.
As he rolled, he felt something beside him.
That wasn't unusual—he usually felt something when he turned over.
But today felt… different.
"AHHH!!!"
A sharp scream pierced the air.
Uchiha Kuro jolted awake.
Opening his eyes, he saw Kurenai, clutching the blanket tightly around her bare body, staring at him in shock.
"Oh… it's Kurenai. What's the big dea—"
Wait.
Uchiha Kuro instantly snapped fully awake.
Kurenai's scream died down as well.
The two stared at each other.
"You… why are you here…?"
"I don't know. What about you?"
"I don't know either…"
"What happened last night?"
Uchiha Kuro tried to piece together his memories.
Last night, Kurenai had vented endlessly about Asuma, and he had just accompanied her with a few drinks.
He hadn't drunk much—or at least, that's what he thought.
But he forgot one thing—
He had been avoiding alcohol for a long time due to "family planning."
His tolerance had dropped.
So…
He got drunk too.
And once drunk, he went all out—cursing Asuma alongside her, even ranting about the Third Hokage on behalf of the Uchiha.
All his pent-up stress about the clan, about almost abandoning everything… it all poured out.
The more they cursed, the more they drank.
The more they drank…
Uchiha Kuro quietly lifted the blanket a little.
On the bedsheet, faint bloodstains bloomed like scattered plum blossoms.
Though he tried to be subtle, Kurenai saw it too.
Her face instantly flushed with anger and embarrassment. She grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.
"It's all your fault! All your fault!"
"This was my—"
"Wait!"
Uchiha Kuro caught the pillow and interrupted her.
"If I remember correctly… wasn't it you who shouted something like, 'Damn Asuma! I'd rather give myself to Uchiha Kuro than to you!'… and then jumped on me?"
Kurenai froze.
Her eyes went blank as she stared at him.
That…
…did sound like something she would say.
But still—
"I don't care! It's your fault anyway!"