Chapter 31 Do you like this body? ...

Your fingers, hooked by his, tickled. You met his eyes, which were innocent and adorable, at least to you, they seemed harmless. When he looked at you, his eyes were always filled with a shimmering smile. It was because they were genuine, a true expression of his feelings, that his eyes were like natural diamonds hidden in glass, impossible to ignore.

Anyway, you can't ignore it. He only used a little force, and your intertwined fingers became the trigger for you to move closer to him.

To be honest, the locker room isn't small, but it's inevitable that two people will feel cramped when they walk in. The crampedness you're referring to isn't spatial, but rather emotional and atmospheric.

Using a simple process of elimination, if you don't feel awkward, then the answer is that Bai is feeling helpless, even though he's the one who pulled you into the locker room.

You reach out and brush his long hair to one side, revealing a section of the back of his neck. His skin is fair and delicate, with a tuft of short, wispy hairs covering it. You say, "Weren't we going to change clothes?"

"Ah...yes." Bai seemed to come back to his senses. Unlike your calm and collected demeanor, Bai couldn't help but feel a little nervous. His fingers untied his belt.

The first layer to peel away is the outermost dark blue outer cedar. From the outside in, the color gradually fades until only the purest white remains.

The layers of clothes that had been removed huddled together, rubbing against his ankles.

He hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped out of that circle, stood in front of you, face to face, and wanted to ask you if you were satisfied with yourself.

Do you like this body? It was made for you.

But I didn't ask, because it seemed like you really were just there to help.

He slips on a beautiful fishtail skirt, his back to you, and smooth ribbons thread through the small holes at the back of the skirt, overlapping and overlapping again, finally tying a bow at the tailbone.

You were still adjusting his skirt when he took your hand. You looked at him with a questioning gaze, "Did I tie it too tight?"

"No," Bai said. "Does Mingxi like me now?"

"I like it." It's like dressing up a doll, playing a real-life dress-up game, of course I like it.

With his long white hair still hanging over his shoulders, he said, "So, Mingxi really doesn't want to do anything to me?"

You look into each other's eyes. After being in the enclosed space for so long, a faint blush appears on both of your cheeks. He leans closer, his breath shallow, and his proximity brings a fragrance.

It's just a kiss, you don't think it will take much time.

Bai knows the meaning of kissing. He's seen you kiss other men, and you say it's just for fun, that he's different, but what's so different about him? What's wrong with him wanting to be kissed by you too?

Whether you're treated as a pastime or abandoned, at least right now you're holding his cheeks and kissing him gently, as if he were something fragile.

People live for certain moments, and so does he.

He loves the cramped dressing room; if only it were smaller, he could naturally stick close to you.

The bow tied at his waist came undone as his back rubbed against the wall.

"Don't hold your breath, breathe." You pinched his cheek, but he was too dizzy to hear anything. His hand instinctively grabbed yours.

He thought it wouldn't matter if he died right now, because he was so happy.

You tied the bow for him again, and the blush on his face didn't go away for a while, but it didn't matter, since there was still some time before the dance that night.

With a click, you opened the dressing room door and pulled Bai out of the room. You led him to the dressing table, picked up the wooden comb on the table, and combed his hair from head to toe. His hair was in very good condition, fluffy and smooth, so it didn't need any special care. Even just letting his hair down looked good.

But you still ask him, "Should I tie my hair up? Or braid it?"

At this stage, it's more like dressing up a doll.

Seeing you excitedly open the dressing box, which was filled with all kinds of hair accessories, hair ties, and headbands, he said softly, "I'm fine with anything."

You put his long hair up in a bun and added a few small, delicate pearl hair clips. After the hair was up, his ears would look empty, so you chose a pair of diamond ear clips. The cut and polished diamonds could shine brightly even in the dim light.

As a complement, you'll also wear a diamond necklace. Stand behind him and put the necklace on him, then put your hands on his shoulders and say, "Mmm, it's really beautiful!"

You look at your fair profile in the mirror; this is what natural beauty looks like—you're beautiful even without makeup.

Holding Haku's hand, she walked out of the inner room and said to Zabuza, who was waiting outside, "How is my masterpiece? Isn't it beautiful?"

Zabuza said calmly, "Is this another one of your twisted sense of humor?"

"This is a perfectly legitimate hobby of mine, and no one has been harmed in the process. I think you're just envious," you said with a grin.

What is there for him to envy? Is he envious of being dressed up like a doll by you? Envious of you holding his hand? Or envious of him being able to be alone with you?

Okay, he had to admit that he was indeed a little envious, but only a little. And he absolutely could not show his envy, because if he did, you would have something to use against him. You always liked to see others embarrassed, and his embarrassment would only become a tool for you to increase your sense of accomplishment.

He deliberately acted cold and aloof, as if he didn't care about anything, like an outsider, and said, "You seem quite confident in yourself."

You nod and say, "Yes, confidence is a good thing."

Seeing that it was getting late, Zabuza said, "How much longer are you going to dawdle here?"

You glanced up at the clock on the wall; it was indeed getting late. You said to Bai, "Let's go to the banquet hall then."

As you were leaving, Kimimaro, who lived next door, also opened his door. He was wearing a simple white shirt and black undershirt. He wasn't used to this attire, and his fingers were unconsciously adjusting his collar. It was no coincidence that you and he happened to bump into each other. He had heard the noise next door, timed it perfectly, opened his door, and then ran into you.

"Looks like you're going to the ball too?"

Kimimaro lowered his hand. "Yes." This is also for Lord Orochimaru's cause. As Lord Orochimaru's subordinate, he should shoulder his responsibilities. He will definitely dig out useful information from you.

He thought this was the beginning of your conversation, but it ended there. After you finished speaking, you nodded to him and then pulled the boy in the skirt next to you away.

...The boy in the skirt, so you like this style? Kimimaro fell into deep thought.

"I advise you not to test things too much. You won't get the results you want, and you'll likely suffer losses." In the end, you might even lose everything.

However, judging from Kimimaro's expression, he wouldn't listen to what Zabuza said, and the consequences were obvious. Zabuza didn't say anything more, but just quietly observed everything.

The banquet hall is on the third floor. You go up the stairs to the third floor. The ball should be about to start. You remember when you first arrived at the sanatorium, the person in charge asked you if you wanted to give a speech for the ball that night. You said that if you could make it, you should be able to make it now. But you have to think about what you should say when you go on stage to give your speech.

You didn't think about it too much because, based on your experience, no one really listens to speeches at banquets. After all, people come to events for other reasons, not just to listen to lectures. So you didn't take it too seriously. You figured you'd just say a few words and that everyone there would be perceptive enough to avoid awkward silences.

As you approach the entrance to the banquet hall, some of the guests who spotted you first will walk towards you, exchanging pleasantries with you in a way that's almost exaggeratedly radiant. Your expression remains unchanged as you calmly respond to their greetings and occasionally inquire about their recent situation.

"I heard that the tea exports from the tea-producing country have doubled again, is that right?" you said.

"We have to thank Lord Mingxi for this. The tea in the country was already unsaleable. If it weren't for Lord Mingxi's promotion, the country's financial pressure would probably be even greater."

Whether in this life or the last, the sales volume of a product is directly proportional to the amount of advertising. What you are doing is not just promoting tea from other countries, but more importantly, developing more tea-related products, including not only food but also tea-flavored daily necessities and even health products. Of course, most of these are just promotional gimmicks.

Overall, it achieved the desired effect. You helped boost sales, the nobles of the country made money, and everyone was happy. As a result, many of the nobles agreed to your requests, since they did not conflict with their interests.

That's just how people are; they become exceptionally tolerant and easy to talk to when it doesn't concern their own interests.

One of your requests is to build air-raid shelters and safe houses underground in the Land of Tea, because given the current situation, a major war could break out any day, and you don't want to die in a bombing.

Actually, you also built air-raid shelters and safe houses in the Land of Waves, and there is even a military base there, but as the saying goes, a cunning rabbit has three burrows, so it's always good to have a few more ways out.

The topic seems to have gone off track; you're here to attend the ball.

"Let's end this topic," you thought, but then the other person said, "By the way, the daughter of the daimyo of the Land of Tea will be getting married soon. I wonder if you, Lord Aki, would be so kind as to attend the wedding?"

Ah... I want you to attend a wedding? You're not very interested in weddings. In your past life, you were always troubled by the amount of money you had to give as wedding gifts to everyone around you. I didn't expect that this kind of trouble would continue into this life. Sending a gift is enough. Let's forget about you attending. You don't have that much free time, and you don't want to be a mascot at someone's wedding.

"I'm so sorry, I had other things to do at the time. How about this, I'll have someone deliver the wedding gift. Consider it my token of my affection. I sincerely wish the newlyweds a happy and fulfilling life together." The clichés I used to say often in my past life are finally coming in handy.

Fortunately, the nobleman didn't make things difficult for you. The host of the ball said as soon as he saw you, "It seems that our Lord Mingxi also wants to say something to our guests."

Oh right, there's also a speaking segment. You walk onto the stage, take the microphone from the host, and say, "When I decided to build this sanatorium, I never expected it to be so popular. To be honest, everything has exceeded my expectations. I have to thank my many partners for this. We have a mutually beneficial relationship, and I think this model will continue."

As soon as he finished speaking, the guests in the audience applauded. You know, even if you talk nonsense, they will still applaud, because the atmosphere is right, and the content of the speech itself is not important.

As you step off the stage, you walk to Shiro's side. Kimimaro, who is standing to the side, looks at you quietly as your red skirt sways and dances to the rhythm of the music, like a burning flame.

He didn't understand why Kabuto was so infatuated with you. In his opinion, as Orochimaru's assistant, being able to serve Lord Orochimaru was the happiest thing in the world. But... why?

"That's because you haven't met Kimimaro yet. Once you observe her up close, you'll naturally be moved by her." Kabuto Yakushi said this suddenly while examining Kimimaro's body.

“I’m not like you.” He was loyal to Lord Orochimaru and would not forget his true self like Kabuto Yakushi.

Unexpectedly, Kabuto laughed upon hearing this, but it wasn't a friendly laugh. Kimimaro stared at his smile for a long time, reading another meaning in it: You're celebrating too soon.

He didn't believe Kabuto's words; he only believed in his own loyalty to Lord Orochimaru.

Kimimaro still holds onto his original belief that he and Kabuto are not on the same path. He will not be moved by you. He may approach you and try to extract information from you, but he will not truly fall for you.

The ball of flame spun gracefully in the center of the dance floor, circling again and again until it finally reached him.

With the lingering sway of her fiery red skirt, you ask him, "Want to dance? Can you dance?"

Two questions, one I didn't know how to answer, and the other I was quite certain about.

The most magnificent flames he had ever seen were during the Kaguya clan's attack on the ninja village, when the raging fire almost burned through the night. Flames are always accompanied by blood and pain, but not yours.

The flame named after you is warm and touching. Before he could answer, you had already taken his hand. What should he do? Orochimaru taught him how to dislocate an enemy's arm in the blink of an eye, but this is a battle, not a dance.

"Don't worry, I'll teach you."

He wasn't worried at all, Kimimaro thought to himself.

He was led into the dance floor by you, like a drop of water flowing into the ocean. You guided him, and the fiery red hem of your skirt brushed against his calves, giving him the illusion that he was surrounded by flames. Would he be swallowed by the flames?

The process must have been painful, but unexpectedly, all you gave him was an excessively fast heartbeat and a burning, flushed cheek; no other pain existed.

He was completely puzzled. Why was this happening? He actually... didn't seem to dislike your touch. What was going on?

"You do have some talent for dancing, you see, you didn't step on my foot even once," you praised.

What he wanted wasn't your praise. Kimimaro, whose mood had been floating on clouds since the beginning, seemed to suddenly come back to his senses, and his expression was completely unnatural.

"No matter how much she acted like she liked you before, she'll still ditch you when she finds something that interests her," Zabuza said from the corner.

The latter's expression was indifferent. He said, "I know, that's just the kind of person Mingxi is. I have no right to change her, and neither do you." All they can do is change themselves to adapt to you. This process of change is natural for Haku, but it's not so easy for Zabuza. He instinctively resists change, but as Kabuto Yakushi said, he will be unconsciously attracted to you.

Humans are such complex creatures, otherwise they wouldn't exhibit behaviors like moths to a flame.

The song finally ended. A fine layer of sweat appeared on your forehead. You let go of his hand and walked towards the white sky outside the dance floor. Kimimaro was left behind. His heartbeat gradually returned to normal. It was just a dance. It was over, so he told himself.

But his gaze still followed you until you reached Bai. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from your forehead, and you seemed to say something to him, which made him laugh.

What did you say to him again? Kimimaro couldn't help but feel curious, but he suppressed it, as he couldn't show it too obviously yet.

Zabuza took in Kimimaro's changing expression. See? Just as he said, the final outcome is always the same.

After wiping your sweat, you said to Zabuza, "Are you going to dance too? Standing here all the time must be boring, right? Have you ever learned to dance? It shouldn't be difficult for you, right?"

When you say this to Zabuza, you're already mentally prepared to be rejected. Who knows, he might reject you in a fit of anger?

However, he agreed very readily, saying, "Sure."

You paused, then asked, "Have you changed your personality?"

"You've changed your mind?" he asked you in return.

"Tch, no, it's just dancing, come on—" You hold his hand. Zabuza is nervous. You're complaining that his hands aren't smooth enough and his skin isn't delicate enough. "Your style of dress is worrying enough, but how come your hands are so rough? I suggest you do more hand masks, otherwise the feel is not good."

Is this something you should say to a ninja? A ninja's hands are for fighting, not for you to judge them like that. Zabuza said, "You're dreaming."

However, he did later put gloves on his hands and occasionally applied hand cream, though these were things he did when you weren't looking.

"Your words are really unpleasant to hear. Can't you say something nicer?"

"That's impossible."

Then, in a fit of annoyance, you shake your head to the rhythm of the music, flicking your long hair across his face, then turn around with a mischievous smile, asking, "Does it hurt?"

The ill-tempered brat, Zabuza, scoffed, "It doesn't hurt."

“One day—” you take a few steps toward him, keeping time with the music, “I will teach you how to say nice things.”

Zabuza took a few steps back in cooperation. From beginning to end, you held his wrist. You were the one leading the dance, just like your relationship, where you were always in a dominant position.

He hadn't learned how to say things that would please people, after all, why should a ninja try to please others?

Ninjas are swords and blades, but not people, so how can we expect swords and blades to actively please others?

But at that moment, Zabuza remembered what Haku had said: "We have no right to change her; we are being changed by her."

Is he being changed by you too? Although I hate to admit it, it seems so. He is being changed by you. You forced him to reveal many of his preferences. Before this, he had never considered his own preferences. Isn't that a kind of change in itself?

Looking down, I saw your chin slightly raised, your long hair cascading down your back swaying with your dance steps, a strand or two drifting to his side, lightly brushing against his cheek, like a dragonfly skimming the water.

Next, you led him around and around, and he didn't even realize that the corners of his lips were turning up until the music ended, until you poked his cheek and said, "You had a lot of fun dancing too."

Upon hearing this, his lips immediately fell, while you smiled even more broadly, "How stingy."

He doesn't want to be laughed at by you.

After dancing a few dances, you felt a bit tired. Yes, this was the most exercise you'd done in a while. You're not usually a very active person. There's nothing you can do about it; it was like that in your past life, and it's still the same in this one. Habits are hard to change. Besides, with your physique, no matter how much you train, you can't compare to a ninja with exceptional talent.

That's right, this world is all about talent. If you don't do things where the input and output are disproportionate, you might as well put that energy into other things. That's making good use of your time, right? You think there's nothing wrong with that?

Although Haku was worried, he wouldn't say it outright. Zabuza, on the other hand, was more direct and even had to pretend he wasn't concerned. He said, "What if you encounter danger in the future if you continue like this?"

"Run away!"

"What if we can't escape?" Zabuza asked earnestly.

"Then we'll just wait to die." You shrug and say, what else can you do? Unexpectedly, Zabuza gets angry when he hears you say that. He says, "I thought a heartless businessman like you valued your life."

"I do value my life, but you said it was an extreme situation, what else can I do?" You blink. Anyway, you've already died once, and practice makes perfect. Dying again won't be unfamiliar to you.

Zabuza, however, unexpectedly looked worried.

But what is he worried about? Is he worried that your joke will come true? You don't care at all, and you can even laugh about it. You tell him, "I suggest you don't think too much about it."

Whether your suggestion worked or not, you're not sure. Anyway, you had a good time that night and returned to your suite with cheerful steps, humming your favorite song.

As soon as you got back to the suite, you threw your shoes aside. Although the shoes you were wearing were just flats with a slight heel, they were still a bit tiring after wearing them for a long time. You walked barefoot on the floor, making almost no noise. You asked Zabuza to help run the bathwater, while you pulled Shiro back to the room.

Even the most beautiful dress becomes restrictive after wearing it for a long time. Your dress is relatively good, but if you glance at your white back, you can easily see the red marks left by the waistband.

Stand behind him, unravel the ribbons, and tell him not to dress like that next time.

"Why is that? Mingxi, weren't you happy just now? Why are you unhappy now?" Bai keenly sensed your emotional change. His every move was guided by your emotions. Now that you were feeling down, he instinctively asked you what was wrong.

You've only untied half of the ribbon when the marks your fingertips leave are incredibly jarring on your fair skin. You don't think they look good at all. You say, "Because they've left marks."

"Ah...it's okay, it doesn't hurt at all, I don't feel anything." Bai turned to comfort you.

You pursed your lips, knowing he was lying the moment you heard him. You untied all the ribbons, found a loose set of loungewear, and handed it to Bai, saying, "You should wear this."

Bai took the clothes, not caring about himself, only concerned about why your mood had changed. He asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you can go wash up now."

"Would you like me to help you bathe?"

Okay, you do feel like washing your hair today, and it would be great if someone could wash it for you. You thought for a moment, then nodded, "Then you can wash my hair for me."

"good."

Zabuza, standing outside the bathroom door, saw Haku follow you into the bathroom with a puzzled expression. He asked, "What do you mean by this?"

What else could it mean? Of course, it means a bathing area. You ask confidently, "So, do you want to join?"

Zabuza snorted coldly and said, "I don't want to serve you."

Come on, he's served you more than once, and he's still being stubborn.

The bathtub in the bathroom has a built-in thermostat, so you don't have to worry about the water getting cold while you're soaking. You casually take off your clothes and step into the bathtub.

Shiro sat down next to you, carrying shampoo and hair oil. You leaned against the edge of the bathtub, the herbal bath salts dissolving in the water. Speaking of which, these bath salts were recommended by Kabuto Yakushi, who supposedly developed them. If you ask me, Kabuto should just start his own business; following Orochimaru is really hindering his future development.

That's what they say, but if he were to offer to work for you, you would immediately refuse. The reason is simple: you can't figure out what Kabuto is thinking. If you get angry with him, he might slap you and then kiss your hand instead, which would be really bad.

But his talent is undeniable. Most of the health products in the sanatorium were developed by him. These kinds of products are so easy to use to make money off the nobles. After all, the higher the position and the more power a person has, the more afraid of death they are, and the more money they have. They will buy these products even if they are just a gimmick.

You tilt your head back, the shower water wetting your hair. Bai's movements are meticulous, making sure not to let any water droplets get into your eyes.

The lights embedded in the bathroom ceiling are warm yellow, creating a cozy atmosphere. You close your eyes, temporarily losing your sight, and your sense of hearing and smell become even more acute. You hear Bai opening the shampoo cap, and then the scent of roses wafts to your nose.

The rich, rose-scented foam enveloped your long hair, and the corners of your lips turned up slightly. As you washed away the foam, you opened your eyes and saw Bai looking down. He was wearing a pair of diamond earrings on his earlobes, which sparkled. You reached out and touched his earlobe. He didn't pull away and let you touch him. He even lowered his head a little more to make it easier for you to touch him.

The hair oil also has a rose scent, which is much stronger than the shampoo. You'll feel like you're drowning in the rose fragrance.

Finally, he dried your hair and said, "All done."

You yawned. Quite a few things had happened today, and a bath had even woken you up from your drowsiness. You just wanted to lie down and sleep right now.

"Not yet," Bai reminded you. "You need to dry your hair first."

Hmm... After drying your hair, tears of reason welled up in your eyes. Wearing a bathrobe, you walked back to your room. As Haku passed by Zabuza, he said to him, "I'll clean up the bathroom later. You should go and rest."

Logically speaking, such a large sanatorium should have dedicated cleaning staff, not to mention the top-tier suites. Bai simply didn't want others to touch the things you had used, which could be considered a bit of his selfishness.

From the moment Bai started blow-drying your hair until it was completely dry, you counted that you yawned seven times in total. By the end, your cheeks were a little sore from yawning so much.

Bai had just turned off the hairdryer when you collapsed onto the bed. Bai's voice seemed to drift from the sky, so ethereal, as he said, "Won't it be uncomfortable to sleep in a bathrobe like this?"

You untie the ties and emerge from the bathrobe like a sleek fish.

Lying on her side, her smooth back facing the white.

He bent down and picked up the bathrobe, which still smelled of roses. Before leaving, he turned the air conditioner in the room to 26 degrees Celsius, turned off all the lights, and went back to the bathroom to clean.

It was more than half an hour later when the cleaning was finished, and it was already late at night.

Bai carried your clothes to the laundry room, which was on the same floor. He wasn't surprised to run into Kimimaro, since there were only a few people living on that floor.

Kimimaro gave a perfunctory nod as a greeting and then asked, "Do you dislike me?"

"No." How could he possibly feel dislike towards someone he didn't even care about? He was overthinking things.

How did you meet her?

"No comment." With that, Haku walked away from Kimimaro.

Kimimaro gazed thoughtfully at the door of your suite.

Kimimaro wasn't the only one with mixed feelings on such a night; Sasuke, who had just returned from the Uchiha gathering, was also there. He walked side by side with his brother Itachi, their shadows stretched long in the moonlight.

"Sasuke." Itachi suddenly called out Sasuke's name.

"What?" Sasuke responded as if waking from a dream.

"You seem like a different person since you came back from the Land of Waves. Did something happen?"

Should he tell his brother? Should he tell him that he and Naruto found your address in the Land of Waves? Although they didn't see you, it means he's one step closer to you.

Brother... he would be so happy to hear this news, right? But for some reason, he hesitated and wavered. He suddenly remembered that during the time when you were about to leave Konoha, your conversation with him revealed your aversion to marriage. So if your brother hadn't proposed to you, you wouldn't have left without hesitation, would you?

After much thought, he felt that it was probably his brother's fault. He had always admired his brother since childhood and thought that whatever he did was right. But in this matter, he found it hard to say that it was right. After all, marriage requires mutual affection, right?

Since you left, it means you didn't actually like your brother that much.

"……nothing."

"Sasuke, have you reached the age where you have your own secrets?" Itachi said with a sigh. "Indeed, you can't be considered a child anymore."

Is his brother happy for him? Or is he sad?

Sasuke whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Why did Sasuke apologize to me? It can't be helped, can it? I'll get used to it." Itachi reached out to touch Sasuke's hair, but when his gaze fell on Sasuke's complicated profile, the smile on Itachi's face gradually faded. It seemed that he was hiding something more than just an ordinary secret.

"Sasuke, are you feeling uneasy?"

"No... I was just thinking that you never told Mingxi about the wedding. Everyone was the same... excitedly preparing for the wedding, but Mingxi, as the main character, was one of the last to find out, so that's why she left."

She finally said it, after holding it in for so long, her tone sharp as if she were questioning someone.

No, it shouldn't be like this. In his mind, he was at least going to talk to his brother about this calmly. How did it turn into accusations?

"Is that so? So that's what Sasuke thinks." Itachi said nonchalantly. "But you may have misunderstood something. Aki and I are indeed of one mind."

Really? Sasuke, who had always trusted his brother implicitly, had to question his words.

Is his understanding of mutual understanding the same as what his brother said?

"but……"

"Alright, Sasuke, you don't need to think about it anymore. As for your mission in the Land of Waves, I also know about it." He said casually. Just when Sasuke thought this little episode was over, Itachi added, "I even went to the villa you visited beforehand."

What?

So he was... from the very beginning?

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly as Itachi's hand landed on his head. "It's a real shame we didn't meet Aki there, but how should I put it? It's precisely because we didn't see her that I felt relieved. Otherwise, wouldn't it seem like she favored Naruto even more?"

"Brother, you already knew?"

"Yes, I've learned a little bit about it."

No wonder Naruto's expression was so strange when he saw his brother after returning from this mission. He must have used some means to get the address from Naruto.

Sasuke could roughly guess the specific methods used.

"Sasuke, I understand that you consider Aki to be family, which is why you're so worried about her. I feel the same way, which is why I did all this. Can you understand me?"

...How should we understand this? When he first heard that you were getting married, he had the idea of ​​opposing it. His brother is certainly a good person, but... he's just not suitable for you. As for who is the right person for you, he doesn't know either. He feels that no one is good enough for you.

"I think what you did was somewhat inappropriate, brother."

"Um?"

“Mingxi doesn’t like being tied down by any relationships. If your brother does that, it will only backfire,” Sasuke said.

Then came a deathly silence. Itachi continued walking forward. The night fog obscured the moon, and their shadows became hazy. His voice drifted to Sasuke's ear. He said, "Sasuke, what kind of breakfast do you want for tomorrow morning?"

She skipped the topic and, acting as if nothing had happened, asked him about tomorrow's breakfast.

Sasuke said, "...I'm fine with anything."

"Ah, then let's eat natto."

"This is the only one that's not allowed—!"

Itachi laughed and said, "Just kidding. Yeah, I'll definitely prepare Sasuke's favorite breakfast."

My brother is still the same brother, but something seems to have changed.

It's something that can't be spoken of, hidden in the details, and hard to capture. Intuition tells him it's best not to delve into it too much, and just let things be as they are.

As he and his brother walked to their front door, through the entryway, and past the living room, his gaze fell upon the white roses that had turned into dried flowers. They had been bought to prepare for the wedding, and now they had gone from fresh flowers to dried flowers.

The pure white petals withered, and he turned his gaze away, walking back to his room. On the way, he passed by your room. Your mother, Mikoto, would occasionally sit on the edge of your bed, stroking the bedding, as if reminiscing about the time you used to live here.

“Because I’ve always wanted a daughter. When I was pregnant with Sasuke, I prayed that it would be a daughter, so… when Aki came to our house, I knew she must be a gift from heaven.” Mikoto once said this to Sasuke.

You are not a gift; you are simply here because your parents have died.

You've always been... living under someone else's roof. Sasuke suddenly realized this, and he treated you like family. But what about you? Perhaps you still miss your old home?

Thinking about this, Sasuke seemed to understand why you did what you did.

He opened the door and went into his bedroom. The room was dark, but the bright moonlight fell on the desk, illuminating the photo of you and me.

Are you happy living away from home? You must be feeling much freer and more at ease since leaving your brother.

As long as you are happy... it doesn't seem to matter if I can't see you.

It's not that he doesn't care at all; if he could, he would still like to see you again, even if it's just to hear you call his name.

*

Because you drank two glasses of red wine the night before, you slept until the sun was high in the sky. When you woke up, you stretched, put on a nightgown, and drew back the curtains. The dazzling sunlight poured down, making you instinctively close your eyes.

You knew it was getting late.

After washing up and having a simple breakfast, you left most of your work to Shiro. You had other things to do, which naturally involved picking some fresh fruit in the orchard behind the sanatorium. Shiro and Zabuza were doing the work for you, and you went out by yourself with a small basket. To make it easier to pick the fruit, you wore a casual suit and sneakers, making it light and convenient for you to walk.

You had barely stepped out of your room when you ran into Kimimaro. He seemed to have been waiting for you on purpose, and he was even pretending that it was a chance encounter, which was a little funny. You said, "What a coincidence! Do you want to go out for a walk?"

You didn't mean to make things difficult for him. You saw how hard he tried to get close to you and please you, just to get some useful information out of you.

No wonder there's always a market for the "pretty but dumb spy" genre. This is just my personal opinion, but it's certainly pleasing to the eye to have such a beautiful spy circling around you.

"Where are you going?" Kimimaro asked. You can't even act properly! You pouted. "To the orchard. The grapes there should be ripe. Do you like grapes?"

"It's alright." Kimimaro didn't have any particular favorite foods, and his attitude towards all food was just okay.

"Then you should give it a try; you definitely won't be disappointed."

"I won't be disappointed, because I never had any hope in the first place."

Forget it... There are plenty of chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) sufferers in this world. You've already gotten used to their sudden, dramatic pronouncements. You said "Oh."

On the way to the orchard, Kimimaro tried to strike up a conversation with you, but all attempts failed. How can we extract any useful information from you now? It seems we'll have to use some special methods on you?

"The grapes here are also very suitable for making wine. You can take two bottles back for your Lord Orochimaru."

Giving your boss alcohol and cigarettes is the perfect gift.

The social customs and interpersonal relationships from the previous life have been carried over to this life.

Kimimaro hadn't even thought of this, so you said, "Look at you, you keep saying you're loyal to Lord Orochimaru, but you haven't even thought of bringing him a souvenir while you're on vacation here? Wine would be perfect."

Was it really a case of him not considering things thoroughly? Kimimaro couldn't help but begin to doubt himself. He said, "I understand..."

You sensed the scorching sun before you left home, so you wore a sun hat to block out most of the blinding sunlight. Kimimaro, who was beside you, was a tough guy; he didn't react at all to walking under such a strong sun, and his pale skin became even whiter under the sunlight.

They're practically like walking light bulbs.

You pull down the brim of your sun hat to block out the light reflected from it.

Finally arriving at the orchard, you adjusted the angle of your sun hat to reveal the upper half of your face. Most of the orchard was covered with grape trellises, with emerald green vines winding around them, and bunches of green grapes hanging down from them. As you walked under the vines, your hat became too cumbersome, so you took it off and turned around. Kimimaro stood behind you, looking somewhat bewildered.

You ask him, "Have you ever picked grapes?"

"No."

"So this is your first time picking grapes? Here—just cut them with scissors, don't pull or tug them so you don't damage the vines." You hand him a pair of scissors.

He copied you and cut several bunches of grapes and put them into a bamboo basket.

"Won't you try some?" you said, picking a few plump grapes and handing them to him.

Everything he's doing now is to get closer to you, he told himself in his heart. Then he peeled a green grape, took a bite, and found it juicy and sweet and sour. He pursed his lips and quietly ate the grape.

Aren't you going to say something?

"Should I... say something?" Kimimaro asked, puzzled, which elicited a casual smile from you. You said, "Didn't your Lord Orochimaru teach you these things?"

His tone sounded like he was mocking Lord Orochimaru. He said, "I will not allow anyone to disrespect Lord Orochimaru."

"What? I have great respect for you. Maybe there's some misunderstanding between us?" You shrug, looking genuinely helpless.

Kimimaro looked at your sincere expression, your pupils becoming even more crystal clear in the sunlight. His gaze lingered on you for a few seconds, and in those few seconds, you realized that he didn't seem to hate you as much as you thought. You said, "I can teach you anything that Orochimaru didn't teach you."

"I don't need it." Kimimaro said so decisively just a second ago, but the next second he said, "The grapes from earlier... were quite delicious."

Another hypocrite. You nodded. "It can also be used to make desserts, but I might need your help, okay?"

This couldn't be better; he'll have more time to spend with you, which means he can glean more information from your words and actions.

After thinking for a moment, Kimimaro said, "Alright, I'll help."

Everything is for Lord Orochimaru.

After lingering in the orchard for a while, you also picked some fresh cucumbers and pumpkins from the nearby vegetable garden, which you can use to make pumpkin pie in the afternoon.

When you return to the suite, Haku and Zabuza have already finished their work, and Haku has an extra letter in his hand. Haku says, "It was sent by Deidara."

The envelope clearly states that only you can open it; anyone else who opens it will be injured by the explosion, which is very much in line with Deidara's style.

You take the letter from the white hand. The pure white envelope has a special texture to it, unlike an ordinary envelope. It seems to contain some clay. The moment you open the envelope, a white spider crawls out of it, comes close to your hand to examine it carefully, and only after confirming that you are the recipient does it fall to the envelope opening with a thud and turn into a lump of ordinary clay.

Pull out the letter, and the first sentence is: How did you leave the Land of Earth?

The second sentence was: Seeing this letter means I've found your address, and we will meet again.

Bai didn't know what was written in the letter, but he guessed from your expression that it was something trivial, but... you smiled.