Chapter 184 Come see me directly next time!

"So who exactly are you?" Haruko leaned closer to take a look.

"I...I..." The mechanical bird quickly came up with an excuse, then suddenly a brilliant idea struck it, "I really am a sacred bird that can grant your wishes!"

"Really?" Haruko's interest was piqued.

Seeing her bright, sparkling eyes, the mechanical bird answered shyly, "Yes, Haruko."

He can do anything Haruko wants!

Haruko picked up the mechanical bird like a precious treasure and exclaimed excitedly, "Let's destroy the world and see!"

"...Isn't that a bit inappropriate?" The mechanical bird broke out in a cold sweat.

Is Haruko really that antisocial?

Although he can do it, I always feel like it would betray the Haruko who loved life before!

Seeing that its words were vague, Haruko immediately lost interest. "What is this? It even said it could grant my wish."

The mechanical bird flapped its wings, trying to prove itself, "Does Haruko have any other wishes besides this?"

Haruko thought for a moment, then tentatively suggested, "How about world peace?"

"..."

One minute it's world destruction, the next it's world peace—what are you trying to do?!

Beiliuhu slammed his head against the control panel, tears streaming down his face.

He's so useless! He doesn't understand Haruko at all!

Seemingly sensing the mechanical bird's despair, Haruko maturely comforted it, "Don't be too discouraged. After all, this isn't something you can just do on a whim. At least this story teaches us not to make grand pronouncements."

"...Thank you so much."

"You're welcome!"

Without further troubling the mechanical bird, Haruko took it back to her bedroom, carefully tied it to the table, and made sure the window was locked before going to bed.

Goodnight, you little liar!

"...Goodnight, Haruko."

Using his mechanical eyes to capture Haruko's adorable sleeping face, Hiruko once again felt the reassurance he once had when he was by Haruko's side in the morning.

He lay down on the ground next to the control panel, staring intently at Haruko on the screen. For the first time since returning to the village, Hiruko felt sleepy.

Goodnight, Haruko.

The shimmering blue screen once again binds the two intersecting and reunited timelines together.

The two sleeping figures curled up symbolize redemption and being redeemed, the sun and the pursuer.

...

As the morning sun shone down, Haruko heard Uchiha Fugaku calling from outside the door and struggled to open her eyes.

Straightening up, Haruko groggily looked around, and when she caught sight of the scattered white lines on the corner of the table, she suddenly snapped awake.

Where did such a big bird go?!

She quickly got out of bed to check, but couldn't find it in the room. Haruko tentatively pushed the window, and the window, which should have been locked, opened without any obstruction.

It seems the bird flew away through the window, not only unlocking the lock but also closing the window behind it.

This bird is quite polite...

However, why do I always feel like someone is watching me?

This feeling persisted until the end of training and did not disappear. On her way back, Haruko suddenly tripped and fell.

"oops!"

Haruko's keen ears picked up the sound of flapping wings, and she immediately sent out white threads again to try to tie it up, but the mechanical bird dodged them with foresight.

"I didn't expect you to have become so smart!"

Seeing that the bird hadn't flown away and had perched on a tree not far from her, Haruko got up from the ground and dusted herself off.

The mechanical bird carefully scanned her body and found no injuries. It breathed a sigh of relief. "So you were lying to me. You found out about me all along?"

Haruko walked to the tree where it was, struggled to look up at it, and said proudly, "Of course!"

Considering her height, the mechanical bird flew directly to the foot of the tree and looked up at Haruko instead.

Haruko crouched down and asked, "Why didn't you come to see me?"

"Because there are always irrelevant people around you." The boy's voice, both lively and cold, was slightly eerie.

“But I’m all alone right now.” Haruko looked around to make sure no one was there, then looked back at it.

The mechanical bird moved closer to her. "So I've appeared now."

Haruko shook her head. "No, I'm asking why you yourself won't come to see me?"

Hiruko froze, and the mechanical bird he was controlling also froze in place. He came to a conclusion that he almost dared not even think about. Hiruko tentatively asked, "Do you know who I am?"

On the screen, Haruko, wearing a white veil, nodded, but a sly glint flashed in her innocent almond-shaped eyes.

"Of course! You're the handsome older brother that Jiraiya brought with him that day!"

Hiruko's hands trembled uncontrollably. So she knew that he was the one controlling the mechanical bird's foolish behavior!

First, he cautiously turned off the microphone, then Hiruko suddenly covered his head with both hands and let out a shameful scream in the room.

"Ugh! I embarrassed myself in front of Haruko!"

Seeing that the mechanical bird seemed stuck, Haruko poked it with her finger. "Are you shy?"

A faint blush rose to her face. Hiruko forced herself to calm down, turned on her microphone, and cautiously asked, "How did you know... the mechanical bird was me?"

"I will never forget your voice, and I will recognize it even if it changes."

Haruko's confident voice echoed in his ears, and Hiruko was stunned again. His hand on the control panel tightened slightly, and he was certain of the answer in his heart.

She is Haruko...

She is Haruko, the one who saved herself from the darkness...

Hiruko pressed her fist to her trembling mouth, trying to suppress her sobs.

He heard Haruko's gentle voice continue, "Come see me directly next time! I quite like you!"

After speaking, the mechanical bird stared blankly as the soft, graceful figure left.

The spring sunshine was bright, but it couldn't compare to her lingering for even a moment.

But thankfully, his only promise was to meet again next time.

＊

"Um... what does the Hokage want with me?" Haruko sat on the high stool specially made for her in the Hokage's office, feeling a little uneasy.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was grading the documents, smiled kindly at her and said, "Don't be nervous, Haruko. Just treat this as a trip and relax."

Play? Come play in the Naruto Room?

Haruko always thought she was very imaginative, but now she realizes that reality is much bolder than her wildest dreams.

Seeing that she was still pursing her lips, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had many years of experience taking care of children, rummaged through a drawer and handed her a few bags of snacks. "If you're bored, have something to eat. There will be more if you finish this."

Haruko was surprised to hear such a perk. She immediately changed her perception of Hiruzen Sarutobi from "the Hokage with strange quirks" to "the Hokage with strange quirks but who is good at coaxing children."

Although having snacks was better, there were only the two of them in the huge office. Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi constantly revising documents, Haruko couldn't help but sigh that even after being promoted to the position of Hokage, they were still just ordinary workers.

"Is the Hokage this busy every day?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled a few times. "Just call me Hiruzen. That's how it is with the Hokage; there's always work to do."

Haruko nodded in understanding. "Is Hiruzen's salary high?"

"Salary? It shouldn't be bad?" Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled his generous little savings.

"That's good enough." Haruko sighed and patted his shoulder. "You can never earn enough money. Enjoying retirement early is the happiest thing."

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed heartily, "You little girl, you see things quite clearly."

"But Fugaku is different."

Upon hearing Haruko mention her fierce Uchiha guardian, Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a childish "humph," and said, "How come he's different?"

Haruko said earnestly, "Because Fugaku has to work hard to earn money so I can support him in his old age."