Chapter 45 Itachi said, "Then we're going the same way..."

Being sick is always a tough time, whether in this life or the last. The only difference might be that in the last life you could at least use your phone to pass the time, but in this world, let alone a phone, even a landline hasn't been invented yet. That's when you start to really miss the technology products from your last life.

Reading can be a way to relieve boredom, and even a way to fall asleep, especially highly specialized books. For example, the book you're holding right now is about chakra analysis. If you read too much of it, you'll feel like a Muggle who has stumbled into a spell theory class. Although you can understand the meaning of each sentence, because you don't possess chakra, reading this kind of thing will only feel very abstract.

When the pharmacist came to deliver your medicine, he found you still reading. He said seriously, "There should be a limit to reading. If you keep reading like this, Aki, your eyes will hurt, won't they?"

He's quite nosy. You have good genes in this body, so you won't be nearsighted, and your teeth don't show any signs of decay. More than your beauty, you're most satisfied with your good eyesight and your good teeth.

Kabuto placed the tray he was carrying on the bedside table. On the tray was a small dish containing a few pills, and next to it was a glass of warm water. It was time to take the medicine again. He was grateful that the world already had medicine capsules; otherwise, making you swallow these terribly bitter pills would be worse than killing you.

After swallowing the pill with two sips of warm water, you asked in surprise, "Is your vacation still not over? Orochimaru actually gave you such a long vacation?"

Actually, no. Orochimaru had sent a letter earlier asking when he would return to the lab. As Orochimaru's right-hand man, Kabuto Yakushi found it difficult to conduct experiments without him. Unusually, Kabuto refused Orochimaru's request. Of course, he refused very tactfully, saying that he was worried about Kabuto's sudden illness and that he could only leave with peace of mind after Kabuto recovered.

Hearing this, you can't help but say, "Wait a minute—aren't you using me as a reason to ask for leave?"

Kabuto smiled, his eyes crinkling, and said, "Ah...you can't say that, can you? After all, I didn't want to leave because I was really worried about Aki. These are my honest thoughts."

You didn't want to become his shield, so you took another sip of water and solemnly told him, "It's just a cold, not a terminal illness."

The pharmacist leans over your bedside, looks up, and after taking off his glasses, he seems to know which angle he looks best from. Of course, how could a smart person like him not understand his own advantages?

He looked up with a gentle expression. You still felt a slight headache, which was unavoidable. For the past two days, you've been experiencing repeated cycles of fever, with the fever subsiding and then returning.

Just to be on the safe side, Bai has been staying by your side these past few days, checking your temperature every hour. You think he's overreacting, but he doesn't think so; he even feels it's what he should do.

That night you slept fitfully, perhaps because of the fever. In your half-awake state, you saw Bai Anjing watching you, with what looked like tears glistening in her eyes.

Is he crying because he's so worried? You asked, "Bai? Are you crying?"

When you opened your mouth, your voice was so hoarse that even you felt like a stranger to yourself. This voice made Bai even more upset. He said, "No, I'm not crying. I'm just sad. Why does Mingxi have to go through such painful things?"

It's just a cold, but they're all acting like it's a major crisis. You might want to laugh a little, but with your hoarse voice right now, you'd better not.

You reach out your hand, and Bai leans in, his cheek pressed against your palm. The temperature of your palm is slightly higher than his body temperature. You say, "Bai feels icy cold to the touch."

He said, "Then Mingxi, you can hold me and don't let go."

You ended up just gently hugging him until your temperature finally went down in the middle of the night, and then you finally returned to normal.

The first thing you do after recovering is to eat a sundae. You choose a quiet time to go to the palace restaurant for your sundae. This sundae is bigger than your two fists. The bottom is a moist chocolate brownie base, topped with several scoops of vanilla ice cream. You can even taste the vanilla seeds. In the middle, there is a layer of mixed fruit, such as strawberries and honeydew melon, and it seems there are also a few blueberries and raspberries. The taste is on the sour side, but the cream on top balances the sourness perfectly.

You're sitting in a spot where the sun shines just right, eating a sundae. Halfway through, as you start scooping out the chocolate brownie at the bottom with your spoon, you realize you're not quite full anymore. Just then, Kabuto Yakushi comes to say goodbye. He's finally leaving. Seeing you eating ice cream, he says, "You're eating a sundae right after you've recovered from your illness... Aki, you're really reckless."

Indeed, if you can't eat what you want to eat or do what you want to do, it feels like living life all over again wouldn't be very meaningful. You push the sundae you're eating halfway aside.

Kabuto said, "Are you having trouble eating? Perhaps I can help?"

As he spoke, he naturally took your spoon and ate the rest of the brownie, bite by bite. Towards the end, his expression became subtle, and he said, "It seems a little too sweet..."

Since you've already eaten all the refreshing fruit, all that's left is chocolate brownies and cream, how can it not be greasy?

Finally, he said, "I'm leaving now. Mingxi, is there anything you want to say to me?"

Looking at the sundae glass that he had eaten clean, you said, "I'll add a few more desserts to the staff cafeteria in the lab building, and add a legendary sundae."

Under his expectant gaze, is this all you've said?

Hearing this wasn't exactly disappointment, since it showed you cared; it was just a slight sense of loss. He then asked, "Anything else?"

Besides that... you thought for a moment and said, "See you next time."

Kabuto hooked his finger around your little finger. "Really? Aki, are you looking forward to our next meeting? Hearing you say that... I'm so happy."

"If you're happy, then be happy. But what's with hooking your little finger around his?" You stared at his palm for a while, then noticed the very faint scar, barely noticeable under the light unless you looked closely. You said, "Really? Then you can leave now, right?"

You could see the wavering in his expression; he hesitated, carefully choosing his words, and asked, "I hope you can hug me one more time, just one." He emphasized the number of hugs, perhaps because being rejected by you so many times before had left him with some psychological scars.

You stand up and hug him. Kabuto talks about how, when you were in the orphanage, even though the director always took great care of everyone, they could barely meet the most basic needs of food and clothing, let alone other emotional needs.

So, as we grow up and become adults, the emotional needs that were previously missing resurface.

I want to be close to you, I want to be embraced by you, just to fill the emotional black hole in my heart.

*

After seeing Kabuto off, your life returned to normal. You gradually finished dealing with the work that had piled up due to your illness. Not long after you finished dealing with these documents, an owl suddenly appeared by your window. It looked very different from ordinary owls, especially its eyes.

Its eyes were exceptionally sharp and intelligent. You opened the window, and the owl immediately flew in. It had a letter tied to its back with the Konoha mark on it. You could tell at a glance that it was the summoning beast that you had asked Shikamaru to bind last time. He was quite efficient.

You take the letter from the owl, and the owl tilts its head, suddenly speaking in a human voice, "Were you sick the other day?"

Hmm? How did it figure that out? You open the letter and ask the owl as you read it, "How did you know?"

"It's not hard to see that you still have some illness in you. Although your body has recovered, the illness won't disappear so easily."

Who would have thought that an owl, a spirit beast, would be so intelligent? You nodded and said, "Congratulations on getting it right. I was indeed sick."

As you were reading the letter, you heard the owl say again, "Take care of your health, or Shikamaru will be very worried about you."

You shifted your gaze to it and asked, "Did Shikamaru tell you to do this?"

The owl stopped talking, pretending not to understand what you said, and even avoided eye contact. You couldn't help but find it a little funny, so you just laughed it off. You wrote another letter to Konoha, explaining your next plan, and tied the reply to the owl's back. You couldn't help but stroke its head; it was fluffy. It said, "Then I'm off."

You've heard before that summoning beasts often share some similarities with their owners' personalities. That summoning beast just now reminded you of Shikamaru, with its identical lazy demeanor. But being lazy doesn't mean being unserious; on the contrary, it should be said that it's very serious and responsible.

The owl flew over valleys and plains, through mist and rain, and finally returned to Konoha, to its master. At that moment, Shikamaru was playing chess with his teacher, Asuma. Asuma looked up and said to Shikamaru, "Your summoning beast is back." As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes slightly, "It seems to have returned with a full load."

Asuma noticed the letters on the owl's back, and it seemed there was more than one. When the owl landed in Shikamaru's arms, he saw that besides the letters, there was also a small jar on the owl's back. He opened it and found that it contained tea leaves. The owl said, "This is a return gift she prepared. She said it's the latest batch of tender tea leaves."

Asuma seemed thoughtful, and said, "Shikamaru, have you gotten along so well with her?"

Fearing that his teacher might misunderstand him, Shikamaru hurriedly explained, "That's not how it is. My relationship with her is just a normal working relationship. No, she uses me to contact Konoha, so I'm just a conduit for her."

The key to success is self-awareness. Shikamaru has a clear understanding of himself, knows his own limitations, and knows what role he plays in the current situation. In short, he is definitely not someone you are flirting with.

"Please stop making wild guesses." In his anxiety, Shikamaru blurted out a string of polite words, showing how worried he was. Asuma laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'll pretend I didn't see anything, and I won't tell anyone else about this."

Being gossiped about is no pleasant experience, and Shikamaru doesn't want to become someone who's constantly in the spotlight.

Because that would be really troublesome...

The owl added, "Even though you don't say it, I always feel that she treats you very specially."

Why is even the spirit beast talking nonsense? Shikamaru turned his head to the other side as if he had heard something surprising. The tea canister in his hand emitted a faint tea fragrance, which made him even more embarrassed. He said, "It was just a gift."

The owl fell silent, flapped its wings, and stood to the side preening its feathers, occasionally glancing at Shikamaru. The latter's attention was focused on the letter you had written. In the letter, you explained your next plan in great detail, which made Shikamaru somewhat doubtful. Would you really reveal your entire plan to him?

As a shrewd businessman, you shouldn't trust others so easily, right? Besides, as you know, your correspondence will be sent to the Hokage, which means that whatever you discuss, whether it's about serious matters or just idle chatter, will be seen by the Hokage.

And at the end of the letter, you wished him well. Shikamaru looked at your few words of greeting and seemed to be deep in thought. He was wondering if it would cause other problems if the Hokage saw it.

But if it's the Hokage... he probably wouldn't be so gossipy, right? At most, he'd ask him about the mission. That's right, he believed the Hokage definitely wouldn't be so gossipy.

Standing up with this thought in mind, Teacher Asuma said, "Aren't we going to finish this game?"

Shikamaru said, "There's no need to play anymore, because in the end you'll lose anyway, Sensei."

"What an arrogant brat," Asuma thought to himself. "Fine, a closer look at the game reveals that he has no chance of winning. So let's leave it at this move. It'll save us the money for a meal." Asuma said, "I'm going to the Hokage Building anyway, why don't we go together?"

Shikamaru nodded and walked alongside his teacher. On the way to the Hokage Building, Asuma asked again, "By the way, what did she say to you before you left?"

When you heard that he was leaving, you even called Shikamaru to your study and chatted with him for a while. As for what the conversation was about, Shikamaru has not told anyone to this day. Even now, when his teacher asks him, he just shakes his head and says, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't answer that question."

Asuma didn't intend to press the matter further; he had only asked casually in the first place. "Is that so... But I trust Shikamaru's judgment. You know what you're doing."

Hearing his teacher say that, Shikamaru's expression gradually darkened. His thoughts drifted back to that afternoon when he talked to you. When you saw him arrive, you, sitting behind your desk, gave him a slight nod, without any intention of getting up to greet him. You watched him sit down in front of you and then said, "Tell me about Naruto's recent situation."

Huh? You suddenly asked him about Naruto, and Shikamaru looked surprised, as if he didn't understand what you meant, so you had to repeat yourself, saying, "Naruto? Shikamaru, don't you know him? I remember he was your classmate, right?"

How could he not remember? Of course he knows, and he and Naruto have a very good relationship.

"May I ask why you're trying to find out about him?"

"What intelligence? Isn't that a bit too harsh? I'm just concerned about Naruto." As you spoke, you pushed the snacks and tea toward him. "Naruto is always seeking recognition from others, but recognition is an ephemeral thing. If you keep chasing after something as illusory as a bubble, then when the bubble bursts, there will be nothing left."

Shikamaru was still a little confused. He asked, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Finally, after all that buildup, you say, "The Akatsuki will start capturing Jinchuriki to extract the Tailed Beasts from their bodies as weapons. Don't ask me how I know this, just stop me when I say it."

This question contained a lot of information. First, how did you obtain this intelligence? Second, how did you verify the authenticity of this intelligence? Both of these points are indispensable, and it is by no means easy to do both. Therefore, Shikamaru's expression immediately became serious. He said, "You have been in contact with members of the Akatsuki?"

You've not only met him, you've even slept with him, but you didn't say it out loud, lest you scare the young ninja in front of you. You said vaguely, "More or less, I know him a little bit."

You're obscuring the main point, and the clever ninja noticed it immediately. However, he didn't expose your lie because it's incredibly difficult to get a businessman like you to tell the truth. Besides, the fact that you were willing to tell him these things is enough to prove that you care about Naruto.

Speaking of which, are you and Naruto really that close? Shikamaru only remembers that after Naruto graduated from the Ninja Academy, he was assigned to a team with Sasuke and Sakura. Perhaps that's when you gradually became familiar with each other?

It has to be said that Naruto was really lucky to be on the same team as Sasuke Uchiha, which naturally increased his opportunities to interact with him, and gradually turned him from a teammate of a younger brother into a friend.

No wonder that after you left Konoha, not only the Uchiha were disappointed, but also Naruto Uzumaki. During that time, Naruto was always thinking about why you left. He thought that you might have run away because you were forced into marriage. He even questioned Itachi Uchiha about why he treated you that way. Of course, he was ignored by Itachi.

Uchiha Itachi was such an arrogant guy that he wouldn't take anyone else seriously. Don't be fooled by his usual politeness; it was just a facade to hide his arrogance.

My thoughts seem to have wandered off. Anyway, Naruto cares about you a lot. Shikamaru originally thought that Naruto's feelings were one-sided and would not be reciprocated, but after hearing what you just said, he suddenly realized that you care about Naruto even more than he thought.

How can one describe his feelings at that time? He had a mixed feeling, and reason reminded him that he was being too presumptuous. However, reason is not always effective.

Later you added, "Of course, don't tell Naruto that I mentioned him to you."

"Why--?"

You shrug, your expression calm, and say, "Because it will be troublesome. Naruto is such a stubborn kid, he just likes to get stuck on things. What if he comes looking for me again after hearing this news? That would really bother me."

"But, didn't you say that just now because you care about him? Then why don't you want to see him?" Shikamaru was a smart man, but even he couldn't understand some emotional issues. He didn't understand why you cared about Naruto but didn't want to see him. Wasn't that a contradiction?

As expected, he still can't understand your thoughts.

You said, "These two things are not contradictory, are they? And don't you know Naruto's personality?" He'd probably be so sad that he'd cry as soon as he saw you, and then he'd take you back to Konoha. When it comes to talking to himself, you always felt that he was on par with, or even better than, Uchiha Itachi.

Shikamaru remained silent for a moment, then indicated that he understood.

Then, back to the present, he had already told the Hokage this news, and now he was going to deliver new information to her.

Upon arriving at the Hokage Building, while going upstairs, they unexpectedly encountered Itachi Uchiha, the same Itachi who had just flashed through Shikamaru's memories. Itachi politely bowed slightly to greet Shikamaru and his teacher Asuma.

Despite Itachi's impeccable facade, Shikamaru could still sense his scrutiny. Did Itachi know something? Did he get some information from somewhere? Was that why he was looking at him like that?

There are no secrets in this world, so even if Itachi Uchiha really knew something, Shikamaru wouldn't find it strange.

Shikamaru accidentally met Itachi Uchiha's gaze. Itachi's eyes were pitch black, and anyone familiar with the Uchiha clan would instinctively become wary upon seeing their eyes. Shikamaru was no exception; his nerves were on edge. Itachi seemed to sense his tension, smiled at him, and said, "Are you also here to see the Hokage?"

Shikamaru said, "Yes."

Is he also here to see the Hokage? Is it about the Uchiha clan? He's currently the vice-captain of the Konoha Police Force, and he'll become the captain after his father steps down, and then the head of the Uchiha clan.

Isn't that how it is in large families?

Uchiha Itachi said, "Then we're going the same way anyway."