Chapter 28 "What are you looking at?" "Your waist..."
Naruto did not tell Sasuke that he had been caught in Itachi's genjutsu and that Itachi had revealed his address. A few days later, they set off for the Land of Waves.
On the way, Naruto was unusually silent because he seemed to be preoccupied with something. Sasuke, his comrade, noticed this and asked, "You seem strange. What happened?"
As they talked, they found a shady spot under a tree to sit and rest. Naruto hesitated, then said, "I..."
"Is it related to the mission?" Sasuke guessed.
"No." Naruto sighed. "If, and I mean if, Sasuke, what kind of action from a friend would constitute betrayal?"
Upon hearing this question, Sasuke's expression turned serious. He said, "That depends on the situation. It requires considering many factors. But I think if it really is betrayal, the other party must be in great pain."
Yes, he is very uneasy right now, even to the point of being in pain, and his conscience is constantly being tormented.
Can he even be considered Sasuke's friend? What he's doing... it's practically betraying his friend. Naruto took a deep breath and decided to confess to Sasuke, "Actually—" His hands clenched tightly. Sasuke looked over, and he made up his mind to continue, "I met Aki when I was on a mission before."
"What? You mean back then, wait, that mission you gave out before, was it the solo mission?" Sasuke suddenly remembered, it was the mission to deal with the mountain bandits, and Naruto started acting strangely after that. So everything was traceable?
"Why didn't you just tell me directly?" He had barely asked the question when he suddenly realized something. He said, "Never mind, I guess she must have told you not to tell me, right?"
Sasuke didn't mean to blame Naruto in his words, after all, Naruto was also caught in the middle in this matter. Sasuke said, "Naruto, this is far from being a betrayal, you don't need to blame yourself."
That's because he hadn't told Sasuke half of what he was going to say. He hadn't told Sasuke that he still had her address, but Sasuke had already decided on the matter himself. He seemed to have missed his chance to explain. He stared blankly at Sasuke, who said, "So what did she say to you when you met?"
"Ah... um, I asked her why she didn't go back to Konoha, and she said she didn't want to go back, and told me not to interfere with her decision. I was thinking that I should have tried to persuade her a bit more at that time, but I..." Naruto got himself into a dead end again as he spoke.
"I understand." Sasuke ended the topic. No, it should be said that he seemed to have ended it on the surface, but in reality, he kept thinking about it. He even dreamed about you when he was sleeping at night. He dreamed that you were sitting in the living room, waving to him and softly calling his name. But when he approached you, his brother suddenly appeared.
In this dream, his brother is like a villain. He holds your hand and says softly, "I will marry Mingxi, and then we will be a real family."
A real family...
But—
In his dream, Sasuke wanted to say something, but it was too late. He seemed unable to do anything and could only watch helplessly as you intertwined your fingers, the white kimono obscuring your profile.
No, wait—!
He was startled awake, and Naruto, who was sitting beside him keeping watch, asked curiously, "Are you alright?"
"It was just a dream." Sasuke sat up, wiping the fine beads of sweat from his forehead. Naruto said, "It must have been a nightmare, but dreams are all just dreams."
Sasuke stared at the fire beside him, but dreams are also a projection of the subconscious. If it wasn't something that happened in the real world, how could he have such a dream?
And... he once thought you were really going to marry his brother.
Sasuke opened his water glass, took a sip, and mumbled an indistinct "Mmm..."
But that was just wishful thinking.
"Naruto." Sasuke called Naruto's name again, and the latter looked over. He continued, "How did Aki look back then?"
"Hmm, very good. Oh, by the way, there seems to be a very handsome boy next to her. Judging by appearances alone, I would have thought he was a girl." If Naruto hadn't heard Haku's voice, he would definitely have mistaken Haku for a girl.
"A man?"
"Yes, um, he has black hair just like Sasuke! Except he has long black hair." Naruto racked his brains to recall the scene, trying to provide as much useful information as possible.
But to his surprise, Sasuke's expression worsened after hearing these words. After a long while, he said, "Let me take the night watch from now on. You go and rest."
In the latter half of the night, Sasuke was pondering the relationship between you and the man beside you, but because he had too little information at the moment, all his thinking was just speculation.
As the night passed and the sky gradually turned a pale white, it was dawn, and they should continue their journey.
They finally arrived in the Land of Waves three days later. Their mission was to capture fugitives who had fled to the Land of Waves. Before coming, Naruto and Sasuke subconsciously thought that such a small country as the Land of Waves must be somewhat backward in development. But after actually arriving there, they realized that their previous views were too shallow.
"Is this... the Land of Waves?" Naruto stood on the street of the capital of the Land of Waves, looking at the rows of houses and the high-rise buildings everywhere. The streets were clean and tidy, and even the people on the street were dressed in fashionable clothes.
Ah, it seems like Konoha is the one lagging behind. Naruto scratched his head awkwardly. "So, I'm the one who's ignorant, huh? Haha, haha—"
Sasuke didn't forget that they were here on a mission. The local official met with them in the city center, and as they walked, she explained the current situation to them, "Actually, we initially wanted to arrest these criminals ourselves, but they are all wandering ninjas, and ordinary police officers can't handle them. Moreover, they are very cunning, so we had no choice but to ask Konoha for help."
Upon hearing this, Naruto immediately patted his chest, indicating that he would definitely bring these fugitives to justice.
"I'm relieved to hear what you've said, Ninja. By the way, you two must be tired from your journey. Why don't you have some tea and rest? My subordinates will bring you the relevant documents. You can read them while you drink your tea. If you have any questions, just ask me."
As they spoke, the person in charge led Sasuke and Naruto to the police station. Her subordinates had already prepared tea and documents, and the two of them sat in the conference room to look at the documents.
Sasuke was engrossed in reading the documents, while Naruto took several sips of tea, remarking, "This really quenches my thirst—"
"Would you like another drink?" the officer asked.
"Oh? That's too much trouble for you. Please have another one, thank you!" Naruto said cheerfully.
The police officer, carrying a teapot, encountered the person in charge on the way out of the meeting room. She said, "Record their every move and report it to Lord Mingxi later."
The officer nodded. "Okay."
*
You quickly drafted a task for Deidara, which was mostly related to mining. Not only mining, you also wanted him to mine oil, since he told you that his clay spiders could explore deep underground, which would save a lot of manpower and resources in the early exploration.
Of course, you had considered asking the Hyuga clan to help with the oil drilling, but they kept making excuses when they heard about your task, as if everyone was after their disdain.
Honestly, you're not interested in their Byakugan. In terms of aesthetics, you still think the Sharingan is more attractive. The Byakugan always gives you the feeling of being challenged.
Now that you have suitable employees (and more importantly, you don't have to spend any money), you can put that Hyuga clan behind you.
Surprisingly, you now have a better option.
You hand this task list to Deidara and say, "I'll leave the rest to you."
During the time you've imprisoned him here, the food has been so good that his complexion has become much rosier. He said, "So many missions? Are you kidding me?"
You said with a smile, "Yes, the more capable you are, the more responsibility you bear."
Deidara felt that something was off about what he was saying, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He said, "These tasks can't be completed in a short time."
That's how employees who enjoy intense competition are; before you even say anything, they've already started pushing themselves to their limits.
"I didn't expect you to finish it in a short time." But you're still happy to see others working hard and competing against each other.
Deidara pursed his lips, his gaze falling on the first task: to develop a new mine. You really treat him like a subordinate, considering he's a member of Akatsuki after all.
It's a bit embarrassing for me to work for you like this.
He said, "Hmph—whether I work for you after I leave or not will depend on my mood."
"If you have time, come back and visit often. I would love to have you back." You weren't angered by his words; instead, you invited him to come over more often when he had time.
Feeling utterly powerless, like punching cotton, he said, "I hate you."
I admire you.
"Pfft, who would believe that? You probably say that to anyone you can use, right? That white-haired guy from last time, smiling all the time, was he your lover too? You really have a lot of lovers." Deidara didn't know why his thoughts started to wander. He said, "Hey, who was that white-haired guy from last time?"
Which one?
"That guy with glasses who looks sinister and cunning." He felt the other person looked familiar; perhaps he had seen him somewhere before?
"This is my personal privacy, and I'm afraid I can't tell you."
"What personal privacy? It's infuriating!" Deidara said. "Is he your lover?"
You suddenly chuckled, "Huh? Hahaha... So that's what you care about? Hmm, lover, I'm very picky about lovers, you know, I have high standards, not just anyone can be my lover."
Deidara was skeptical. He took the task list and left. When he passed by your residence after completing the first task, he hesitated for a very rare moment.
Should I come see you? Didn't you say you'd welcome him when you left last time? So it shouldn't be considered a disturbance, right?
Thinking this, Deidara went to the balcony outside your room and saw that familiar figure.
Wait a minute—why is another Akatsuki member in your room? And why is he hugging you? He's practically acting like he's being affectionate. Deidara stood frozen in place. The man named Tobi slowly raised his head. Because you were facing away from the balcony, he was the first to notice Deidara.
Through the mask, Deidara's gaze met the other's cold eyes.
"Ha, so what's going on now?" Deidara squeezed out a single syllable from his throat.
"Do you have any other guests?" Obito asked.
You followed his gaze and saw Deidara standing blankly on the balcony. You calmly pulled your collar up, walked towards the balcony, opened the door, and asked as if nothing had happened, "Oh, it's Deidara. Would you like to come in and sit down? I'll have the kitchen prepare some midnight snacks."
He should have refused at that point, but you had already instructed your people to prepare a late-night snack, and you even grabbed his wrist and led him to the room.
A faint scent of incense filled the bedroom. Deidara finally found his voice and asked, "What's your relationship? He... he's your lover?"
"Well... it's not that important. By the way, what kind of late-night snack would you like?"
"This isn't the time to discuss what to eat for supper!" Deidara said irritably. "Didn't you say you were picky about your lovers? Why did you choose such a weirdo as your lover?"
In reality, he himself is seen as an oddball by others, but that doesn't stop Deidara from asking you a question in return.
"Sigh, it really hurts me to hear you say that, senpai. Love is all about first impressions, you know. If you're a perfect match, you'll be a couple." Obito spoke in a tone that seemed particularly affected to you.
"No way, you can clamp it like that?" You looked at Obito in surprise, not only in exaggerated tone but also in exaggerated body language.
I never knew he had such a talent for comedy.
The more exaggerated Obito's performance, the more bewildered Deidara looked at you.
They're practically writing "What kind of taste do you have?" all over their faces.
It doesn't feel good to have your taste questioned. You can say, "Everyone's taste is different."
After saying that, you reached out and pressed Obito down to stop his exaggerated performance. Then, you changed the subject and asked, "Deidara, since you're here, you must have already completed some mission, right?"
Deidara's eyes never left Obito. He curled his lip and said, "This isn't important to you either, is it?"
"You can't say that. I really acknowledge Deidara's strength, so why don't you tell me about your mission experiences?"
"Are you sure you want me to talk? Wouldn't that be disturbing you guys?" The words were directed at Obito, who crossed his arms and said, "Senpai, that's so mean. I thought we were already friends."
Since this guy knows you, Deidara is starting to suspect that Tobi betrayed him back then, otherwise how could you have seized his weakness and shot him down?
Thinking about this, Deidara became more and more suspicious of Afei, and eventually even concluded that he was the traitor.
Deidara said, "You're the traitor, aren't you?"
Obito was still playing dumb, "What traitor? I don't really understand. Hey, I'm just an ordinary high school girl who's fallen in love right now."
As if disgusted by his deliberate tone, Deidara frowned, and at that moment, he changed the subject, "Alright, shall we go to the next room and talk slowly, or do you want to talk here?"
That's strange. Why are you treating him so well? Isn't that weirdo the one who's your lover? Or is he someone you prioritize over your lover?
...Isn't it a bit presumptuous of me to think that way?
However, judging from your expression and actions, it doesn't seem fake. You genuinely want to hear him talk about the mission, even though you yourself find the mission process boring and there's nothing to talk about. But doing so might annoy that guy, so Deidara agreed, "Let's do it here."
"Okay, then please leave for a bit." You nodded to Obito, who was still engrossed in his role-playing. He dragged out his words, "Eh—Is Aki going to abandon me? I'll really be sad, you know. After all, once a high school girl's heart is broken, it's very hard to repair."
That's enough. Stop getting too caught up in this weird high school girl role. You gave Obito a look, and he wasn't stupid. He knew this was a sign that you were getting impatient, so he waved his sleeve and left with an exaggerated sob.
It's impressive that he could hold back his laughter, you thought as you watched Obito leave.
Alright, now that Obito's gone, you can listen to Deidara's mission experience. You gesture for him to sit down; the late-night snack wontons prepared in the kitchen are on their way. You sit opposite Deidara and ask, "Are you tired from carrying out missions?"
"This little task is no challenge for me at all, hmm!"
As a boss, you like subordinates who aren't afraid of hardship or difficulty. You smile and say, "You're really amazing."
Deidara, who was just smugly looking at you, glanced at you furtively and said, "So, who's stronger, him or me?"
"You are all doing well."
"Your answer is so boring. There aren't that many 'everything is good' kinds of things in the world. In the ninja world, strength is obvious at a glance." I haven't even realized why I need your approval and affirmation. I just feel that doing so will make me happier. In the end, I'm still a child. I think that I can get what I want by gaining the upper hand in comparison.
"You said it yourself, this is the world of ninjas. I am not a ninja. In my world, the standards of judgment are in my own hands." As you spoke, the wontons you had just ordered were delivered to the room. They were topped with glistening oil droplets, and small clumps of seaweed were stretched out in the clear broth, with a layer of scallions on top.
The wonton wrappers are very thin, and the meat filling inside has a hazy pink hue after cooking.
You remember when you were in middle school, there would always be a bowl of wontons waiting for you when you got home after evening self-study.
Deidara said, "I didn't come here for a midnight snack," but he kept scooping up one wonton after another with his spoon.
"Is it tasty?"
"Hmm...it's so-so, hmm!" He pursed his lips again as he spoke. Well, it really was quite delicious.
But isn't this getting off-topic? This feeling has resurfaced, this feeling of being led by the nose, but what makes him even more uneasy is that he doesn't seem to dislike it that much.
That's terrible.
Deidara said, "What is your purpose in contacting the Akatsuki members? As a businessman, are you really only content to be a businessman? You wouldn't... want to rule the world, would you?"
Sigh, can't you have a little imagination? Why do you keep talking about ruling the world? You're just bound to a big capitalist system, not a system for ruling the world. You say, "No, I don't have any such thoughts."
"But you should know the Akatsuki's goal." He started to let his mind wander again. He thought, you probably approached them to stop their plans. After all, a businessman like you certainly wouldn't want the world to end.
Seemingly having found the real answer, Deidara suddenly realized, and like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he bristled, "I knew it—I knew you weren't up to any good!"
What did he find out that made him so agitated? You said, "Huh? I'm just an honest and law-abiding businessman."
"Don't you feel like laughing when you say the word 'honest and upright'?" He felt that you were completely unrelated to that word; you were more like its antonym.
"Why are you so sure I'll be interested in your plans? Even if you really want to destroy the world, I won't interfere." After all, this world is rotten to the core. If you were in your past life and suddenly encountered a group of people who wanted to destroy the world, you wouldn't even remain neutral like you are now; you would join them directly.
It seems like your emotions have become much more stable throughout your life.
You are so strange, so complicated. Deidara can't see through you, can't figure you out. He stared at you for a long time, and couldn't help but mutter to himself, "What is your heart made of?"
"My heart is made of flesh and blood too." You skip the topic and casually ask him if he needs anything. "I can provide you with any weapons or equipment, don't be shy." After all, he's paying for it himself.
"No, I don't want anything." Deidara stood up. He thought it best to leave quickly; if they continued talking, he would only become more curious about him, and then he really wouldn't be able to leave.
After Deidara left, you turned off the main light in the room, leaving only a bedside lamp on. You crawled into bed, and before long, another dog appeared in your bed. Undoubtedly, it was an uninvited guest, readily crawling into your side.
She asked quietly, "You two seemed to be having a good time chatting?"
Feeling incredibly sleepy, you didn't bother with Obito and didn't respond. Seeing that you didn't react, he started nagging again, which annoyed you so much that you rolled over and covered his mouth with your hand to shut him up. He stared at you with wide eyes.
With physical silencing, it's finally a bit quieter, you think.
Until Obito's lips touched your palm, like a kiss, you pulled your hand back and asked irritably, "What exactly do you want? If you disturb my sleep again, just leave."
Obito said, "Is it because of the Akatsuki organization? Are you interested in the Akatsuki organization or in me?"
“I’m interested in sleeping,” you said without thinking. You were already being good-natured by answering his question, but he still pressed his advantage. Although he didn’t say anything more, his burning gaze was hard to ignore. You sighed, “Why do you want to ask this? You know perfectly well that people’s hearts are the most fickle things.”
"That's for you, isn't it?" Others aren't so easily swayed, like him.
"Say whatever you want."
He probably didn't sleep well last night, because he looked deep in thought when you woke up. But it doesn't matter, the most important thing is that you get enough rest.
Obito said, "I have already delivered your batch of goods to the buyers."
Rather than the resentful Obito who constantly asks if you like him, you definitely prefer to talk about serious matters with him. You nodded. The goods you asked Obito to transport were relatively precious raw materials. If they were transported by ordinary means, they would most likely be robbed by your competitors along the way. That's how straightforward and unpretentious business warfare is in this world.
If you want to destroy an opponent, you might as well kill or set fire to their factory. Your factory was maliciously set on fire several times. Luckily, you had the foresight to install smoke detectors and a dedicated monitoring system. Otherwise, your losses would have been much more severe.
After washing up, you sit on the sofa reading documents and occasionally checking the system panel. You recently discovered that the system has a charity module, and that doing charity can also legally avoid taxes, so you immediately decided to set up a foundation. However, the foundation is still in the preparation stage, after all, setting up a foundation requires contacting various forces.
Other industries are fine, but because of the frequent wars in this world, no matter how careful you are, your industries will inevitably be affected by the war.
Can't the world be a little more peaceful? You sighed, but then you thought that even in your previous life, peace had not been achieved; some areas were still ravaged by war, so your idea was basically wishful thinking.
Not long after you sat down, Obito came over. You ruffled his hair, your voice still a little hoarse from just waking up, "Don't disturb my work."
"A foundation?" He caught a glimpse of the cover of your document. "What foundation?"
"A charitable foundation, specifically including living assistance and educational subsidies for orphans. Of course, this is only one aspect; new content will be added later, such as protecting farmers' rights, since food harvests are very important." There are also other industries; you can imagine how vast the framework of this foundation can be. "Oh right, and the rights of ninjas too."
"The rights of ninjas?" Obito asked in surprise. "You mean to protect ninjas?"
"Yes, as far as I know, each village has different standards for classifying ninja strength, and the process for accepting missions is different. This can cause confusion for clients when they issue missions. I think we should establish a unified standard, include all the information of all ninjas on one platform, and let the platform reasonably allocate missions, combined with a scoring system to improve work efficiency."
Of course, you will have to charge some fees when you set up this platform.
“Villages won’t easily upload their ninja information to the platform; that would be tantamount to leaking intelligence.”
"I know, I know all about intelligence secrets and prioritizing the village," you said casually, ruffling his hair as you did so. His hair tends to get frizzy and looks like a bird's nest when he wakes up.
So this is just a concept. You let go of Obito and push him to the other side, saying, "Don't get so close, you're blocking my light."
Obito responded and distanced himself from you. He got up and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for you, but Haku had already almost finished. When he saw Obito arrive, he said politely, "I'm sorry, I didn't prepare any for you, but there are still ingredients in the kitchen, so you can prepare your own."
As he spoke, he picked up the tray and walked out of the kitchen into your room. Along with breakfast, he also brought news from the Land of Waves. You poked a hole in the paper-wrapped shumai with your chopsticks, and glistening meat juices oozed out. After dipping it in vinegar, you said, "Is this news from the Land of Waves?"
"Yes, it's said that two Konoha ninjas went to the Land of Waves on a mission, and the local officials felt it was necessary to report to you." Haku had already seen the message, and it was indeed necessary to report it. After all, the ones who went to the Land of Waves on a mission were none other than Sasuke and Naruto, and the former had a close relationship with you.
You scooped up a spoonful of tofu pudding, saw the names on the note, and weren't particularly surprised. "Oh, it's Sasuke and Naruto. They're going to the Land of Waves to catch criminals..."
Aside from that, there wasn't any other particular reaction. You seemed indifferent, but Haku was more concerned about it than you were. He said, "Did that ninja named Naruto tell Sasuke your address in the Land of Waves?"
Even if you tell them, it won't be a big problem, right? After all, you're not in the Land of Waves now, but in the Land of Earth, which is such a long distance away. And even if they do come knocking on your door, they won't be as troublesome as Itachi. That guy is the most troublesome.
"It's okay, don't worry." You comforted Bai in return. His brows were furrowed, while you were leisurely eating shumai. The meat filling was mixed with fresh spring bamboo shoots, which were chopped very finely. The fragrance of the bamboo shoots neutralized the original greasiness of the meat filling. You ate a whole basket of shumai in one go.
"Sigh, Bai always worries about this and that, she'll age quickly if she does that," you reminded her.
"Aki, you think too highly of them." In reality, how kind can someone who can truly become a ninja really be?
You said, "Alright, now let's think about the foundation. I've read all the documents you gave me. I plan to build a school in the name of the foundation near the orphanage, with everything from primary to higher education. As for the location, let's choose the Land of Water."
That's where I grew up too, "I'll have to trouble you to negotiate with the local officials then."
Let him negotiate, that's fine. The only thing that worries him is, once he's gone, who will take care of you and who will protect you?
Haku expressed his concerns to you, and you said, "Of course someone will take Haku's place, like Zabuza." He should be on vacation after completing his mission last time. He should be back to work for you once he's relaxed enough. You're not going to pay someone to do nothing.
"Anyway, we'll see each other again soon."
But come to think of it, this does seem to be the first time you parted ways with Haku after leaving Konoha, no wonder he was so sad.
"It's only been a short time, do you really think you're a child who never grows up?" Obito appeared at the door at some point, his tone unfriendly. You waved for Haku to leave first, and then handed another new work assignment to Obito. He grabbed your wrist and asked, "Besides this, is there nothing else you want to say to me? You really treat me like a tool."
...Did he actually find out? Even if he's a tool, Obito is a very useful and free tool, but saying that directly would be a bit hurtful. So, you should compromise and say to him in a more tactful way, "I did that because I trusted Obito."
Obito pursed his lips. How could he not see through your lie? But your lie was so convincing. He accepted the job assignment with slight annoyance, but this time he was going to state his conditions. He said, "I have a condition."
No way, why is he starting to make conditions? You two never used to talk about conditions before. You looked at him in surprise, your eyes silently asking: How did you change?
Obito said, "There's a place you have to go with me."
...Given that he is an Uchiha, and that you two are lovers, and that the Uchiha clan is always entangled in emotional entanglements, you instinctively refuse; you don't want to be locked up.
Isn't this a management novel script you're using?
The plot of the "little black room" is clearly outdated.
Hearing that you rejected him without hesitation, Obito said, "I haven't even finished telling you where you're going and you've already rejected me?"
"Excuse me, then tell me where exactly are we going?"
Surely we're not going somewhere no one can find us?
"Didn't you know that the Land of Earth is having a festival recently?"
I don't know, who cares about these things? You're already tired enough dealing with documents every day, and now you have to handle foundation matters too. Not everyone can do big things seemingly leisurely like the villains in shonen manga. You certainly can't.
"Why didn't you make it clear when you invited me to the celebration?"
"So, where did you think I was going to take you?"
"That's hard to say." You Uchiha people have some opinions on this.
Although you misunderstood Obito just now, and even almost imagined him as a criminal suspect, he was just sincerely inviting you to the festival. No matter how you look at it, you wronged him. You feel a little guilty, but not much, just a tiny bit.
"It's just a celebration, okay, I'll go with you then." You reluctantly accepted his invitation.
"What's with that forced look on your face? You'd be happier if it were any other man, right?" He started listing the men he thought you were interested in. "That brat Deidara or Itachi? I heard that Shisui of the Body Flicker also likes you. It seems like you've won the hearts of many."
Your response would be to pat his cheek to bring him to his senses, and if he continues to act crazy like this, you really won't be going to the celebration.
Fortunately, Obito restrained himself and said, "Never mind."
What do you mean by "forget it"? It just means you're too lazy to argue with him.
Even when attending a celebration, you dress very casually, in a gray tracksuit, with a loose-fitting gray hoodie made of comfortable and breathable material. Apart from looking a bit like a street hustler with the hood on, you have no flaws.
In contrast, Obito's attire was much more flamboyant. He changed out of his usual black robe and put on a navy blue suit. If you looked closely, you would find that the suit seemed to have a built-in waist-cinching design, especially the side waist design, which was openwork. Once he moved, you could see the skin under the clothes faintly.
You scratched your head, wondering where these clothes came from. You were genuinely puzzled.
"What are you looking at?" he asked.
"Look at your waist." You stretched out your finger, and it seemed to touch his skin through the openwork design. Your finger was a little cold, so much so that at the moment of touch, you vaguely felt his skin tremble slightly.
"It's quite fun," you chuckled. "This outfit has a really nice design."
Obito grasped your hand. "Okay, let's set off now."
Celebrations are obviously lively events, and liveliness also means a mixed bag of people. Looking at the crowds on the streets, you can't help but think that in your past life you only had time to travel during statutory holidays. But while you have time, everyone else does too, so every time you travel during a holiday, you're always surrounded by crowds, and gradually you become too lazy to go out.
You chose a street with fewer people, but that's only relatively speaking. You still have to be careful of your surroundings when you walk. You glanced at Obito wearing a mask, and he looked back at you. His eyes seemed to be asking silently: What's wrong?
After wandering around for a short while, you dragged Obito to a restaurant and went straight to the quietest private room. The soundproofing in the room was excellent, so it wasn't so noisy anymore. You breathed a sigh of relief, sat down on the sofa in the room, held the menu in your hand, and waved to Obito, "What do you want to eat? Order for yourself."
"Is this how you handle festivals? Did you treat it this way when you attended festivals with Itachi before?"
"No, he's dressed prettier than you." You said with a grin, trying to annoy him. Obito knew you were doing it on purpose; he wasn't so easily provoked. He said, "Then didn't you abandon him too?"
This shop also sells red bean cakes. You ordered one and said, "You like red bean cakes, right?"
"Yes, but don't change the subject."
"Let me see if I should choose something else..." you muttered to yourself. Obito pulled you into his arms, finally getting your attention. You sighed, "Don't you get tired of always comparing yourself to others? Everyone is a unique individual, and you are unique to me too, so please stop doing that."
Obito takes off his mask and rests his chin on your shoulder. Only now, only in front of you, can he relax a little. He has entrusted a part of himself to you, but your attitude makes him uneasy. After all, you are so capricious, and you can abandon anyone without hesitation, including him.
You ordered a few more dishes, and Obito watched quietly as his breath brushed past your ear. He seemed to be constantly uneasy, a feeling typical of the Uchiha clan.
"Sake or plum wine?" you asked again.
Sake.
"oh."
Alright, dinner is ready. You put down the menu and let the waiter in. When he came in, he saw Obito burying his face in the crook of your neck. Fortunately, people who work in hotels like this are generally well-informed and won't make a fuss. At most, they'll just say a few words behind your back.
After the waiter left, you patted Obito on the shoulder and said, "Have you leaned on him enough?"
Obito remained silent and motionless.
Your patience has its limits. Just when you were about to explode, he finally moved his position, but only slightly. The effect of creating distance was negligible.
"How long will you stay here?" he asked. You hadn't decided yet, but you vaguely remembered that you had a charity gala to attend soon. It was called a charity gala, but it was just a social networking event under the guise of charity. Although it sounded boring, you had to attend the gala so that the foundation could be established smoothly.
"It won't be long, I guess they'll be leaving soon."
Sometimes you might wonder if Obito has a skin hunger disorder, but given that most ninjas in this world are not in a normal mental state, it's understandable that he might have some kind of illness.
You hadn't been chatting for long when the waiter brought the sake and fruit slices you ordered to the private room, along with some complimentary bread rolls. You spread a layer of butter on the bread and heard Obito say again, "I thought you were going back to the Land of Waves."
You paused in spreading butter, turned your head to look at him, and Obito said with a half-smile, "The Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki has run off to the Land of Waves, as you should know. Our Akatsuki's current plan is to capture Jinchuriki and extract the Tailed Beast from their bodies."
"Really?" You remember there are nine tailed beasts in this world, so it must be very difficult for them to capture them.
"Yes, and once the Tailed Beast is extracted, the Jinchuriki will also die." When he mentioned "die," his tone rose slightly, as if he was observing your expression and trying to figure out your attitude towards Naruto.
"Ah... I'll die." You said in a monotone tone.
Obito wanted to say something more, but you stuffed a piece of bread covered in butter into his mouth, successfully silencing him and interrupting what he was about to say. You said, "Eat some buttered bread. I think you're hungry. Have you had breakfast?" He probably hadn't, otherwise he wouldn't be so emotionally unstable.
You definitely did this on purpose, interrupting the conversation. So, that Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is still a bit special to you, isn't he? Obito took a sip of sake. The aroma of butter combined with the taste of sake created a strange flavor that made him frown. Just then, the red bean cake arrived, and you used the same trick to shut him up with it.
Now it's finally a bit quieter.
Meanwhile, at that very moment, Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki mentioned by Obito, was diligently searching for criminals in the capital of the Land of Waves.
"Hey—stop right there—!" Naruto yelled at the criminal who had run onto the roof. Sasuke's helpless voice came through the radio, saying, "Naruto, don't yell so loudly. The criminal won't stop just because you shout, and it's too noisy."
Because of Sasuke's reminder, Naruto temporarily controlled his volume, but when he saw the criminal falling from the sky at the next street corner, he couldn't help but shout at the top of his lungs, "Stop!"
Sasuke on the other end could only sigh helplessly. Oh well, Naruto's personality is just like that anyway, and he can't change it anytime soon.
Sasuke said to Naruto over the radio, "Stop him, I'll block his escape route."
As they spoke, they cornered the criminal in the alley. Naruto stretched his arms and chuckled twice. "Finally, you're not running away anymore, are you? You were really giving us a headache by running away the whole time."
The grotesque criminal scoffed, scanning Naruto and Sasuke from head to toe, and said in a low voice, "Two annoying brats."
"Ah, yes, but it's us two brats who's going to arrest you!" With that, Naruto quickly tied the criminal up, carried him to the police station, and said to the officer in charge with a smile, "Officer, we've apprehended the criminal!"
The person in charge said, "Thank you so much. Oh, and this is your reward for this mission. Please check it." As she spoke, she handed two envelopes containing thick wads of cash to Naruto and Sasuke.
Naruto said, "There's no need to count them. Hmm, I believe the number the officer gave us is accurate!"
"Are you two leaving now?" The person in charge glanced at the sky outside the window. Night had fallen and the sky was gradually darkening. She said, "There are no more ships leaving here at this time. I estimate you'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"Oh, it's alright. We were planning to leave tomorrow anyway."
"Really? Then you can enjoy the nightlife here. By the way, the souvenir shop is at the end of this street." The person in charge also thoughtfully told them where to buy souvenirs and local specialties.
After saying this, Naruto and Sasuke came out of the police station. Naruto was still marveling at how friendly the people were, saying, "It feels like living here is pretty good."
I unintentionally revealed my true feelings: If you lived here, your life must be very easy and comfortable, right?
Sasuke said, "This place isn't ordinary. Do you see that?" Sasuke pointed in a direction, and Naruto looked in the direction he was pointing. It was a... lighthouse?
"What? A lighthouse?"
“Look more closely,” Sasuke said again.
Naruto looked at it carefully for a long time, but he still didn't quite understand. "What is it? Stop keeping me in suspense and just tell me what it is."
Sasuke said, "That's a military base."
"Huh?"
"You should know what a military base means, right?"
"I know."
“That’s good. The fact that such a small country has a complete military base can only mean one thing—” Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly, “that someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes.”
You sneezed, far away in the Land of Earth.
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