Chapter 40 Even after this kiss ends, it will still be the same…
Later, you returned the glasses to Kabuto Yakushi, since you didn't really need them. When he took the glasses from you, he said thoughtfully, "I will seriously consider your suggestion, Aki."
Did you offer any suggestions? You just think he looks better without his glasses.
Bai walked over from the side entrance of the banquet hall and said, "Mingxi, the guest rooms are all ready. Here is the final version of the participant list. Please take a look."
You responded and took the list from Shiro's hand. As for Kabuto Yakushi, you temporarily put him out of your mind. Anyway, he's not a child anymore, and you don't need to watch over him the whole time. You took the list to the lounge next to the banquet hall and started looking at it from the first page until the last page.
Your gaze lingers on the section for Konoha's affiliated representatives. In the end, it was the Nara clan who came. You also think this choice is reasonable. You feel that other clans wouldn't be good at handling this kind of situation.
“I’ve investigated the Nara clan. The one attending the banquet is Nara Shikamaru, and his father is Nara Shikaku. They’re considered to be close to the power center of Konoha.” Haku had specifically investigated this clan beforehand. As you listened to him, Nara Shikamaru’s face appeared in your mind. The few times you saw him were at school, and it was after school when you went to pick up Sasuke from school. A few times when you couldn’t find Sasuke, you could only ask the children around you.
Unlike those children who are too shy to speak when they see you, Nara Shikamaru is one of the more mature ones among his peers. At least he won't stumble over his words when he sees you, so you habitually ask him about Sasuke's whereabouts.
And he won't let you down. He always points you in the right direction. To be honest, you've never really remembered his name. You only know that he's a member of the Nara family. That's easy to identify. Families in Konoha all have their own unique style of dress, and more particular families even have family crests. You confirmed that the child in front of you is a member of the Nara clan through these details.
Because you don't know his name, and mainly because you don't feel the need to remember it, you always refer to him as "the Nara family's child." In any case, this way of addressing him is never wrong, and it turns out that it is indeed true. When Nara Shikamaru hears you say this, he becomes a little lazy, but he still answers your questions patiently.
You stare at the document that Haku has compiled. That photo should be a recent picture of Nara Shikamaru, because he looks very different from the child you imagined. You feel that he looks much more mature than Naruto, who was born at the same age. Is this just your imagination?
After looking at the documents for a while, you put the folder aside, let out a long sigh, and asked, "Are you feeling tired? Do you need me to give you a massage?"
You lounge lazily on the recliner with your back to Bai and say, "Yes, a little bit. Thank you for your help."
"There's no such thing as trouble or inconvenience, as long as it serves Mingxi..."
While massaging her, Haku said softly, "Zabuza-san wrote a letter."
Ah... I almost forgot about Zabuza. That's what happens when you have too many employees. You can't remember that you have other employees for a while, especially since he returned to Kirigakure. You haven't received many letters from him since. You complained, "What? He only sent a letter now? There was no news before. Does he even respect me as his boss?"
He paused in his massage, carefully choosing his words, and said, "Actually, Mr. Zabuza also sent a letter before, but you were too busy at the time, so I didn't bother you."
That's what they say, but Bai did remind you and mentioned it to you, but you didn't react much, and then nothing happened.
"I see."
Well, that makes it seem like you're turning the tables on someone else. You remain silent for a few seconds.
But Bai said just the right thing to do: "There's nothing we can do about it. Mingxi, you have so many things to deal with every day, it's impossible for you to read every letter."
That's right, Bai is absolutely right, that's exactly how it is.
When it comes to the art of conversation, you have to look to Bai. You completely relax, and the consequence of relaxing too much is that you fall asleep. When you wake up, you've already been moved to a guest room. Bai probably brought you back to the guest room. You stare at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling of the guest room for a while, and then you hear a noise coming from outside the door.
The visitor was not Haku but Yakushi Kabuto. You responded and told him to open the door and come in. He brought in a handbook, saying it was a gift from Orochimaru after he received the fresh corpse you gave him last time.
Oh right, you almost forgot about this if he hadn't mentioned it. All the fresh corpses you packed up in the Land of Alcohol were sent to Orochimaru, and Kabuto Yakushi was undoubtedly the most direct beneficiary. He said, "Thanks to the corpses you gave us, Aki, our experiments have made another breakthrough."
Oh, really? These experimental geniuses are making groundbreaking progress all the time, so much so that you're not as excited as you were at the beginning when you heard him say that.
The reason is that their research capabilities are so strong that they directly raise your satisfaction threshold. You casually say, "Oh, that's pretty good."
"Sometimes I really want to hear you praise me, Mingxi. Although it is indeed our duty, but... I would be very happy if you could praise me."
Really? Is he some kind of childish kid? Your first reaction was almost to say something sarcastic, but then you thought about it again. After all, he is your business partner. Although his personality is a bit strange, it is still within your acceptable range. So you said, "You did a great job. I feel very at ease having a partner like you."
After saying that, you thought that was enough, right? But no, Kabuto was still staring at you intently, his eyes unblinking. Because he had taken off his glasses, you could see his long, thick eyelashes even more clearly. He had a delicate appearance, and if you weren't born into this world, you would always think that he would be a very popular senior on a university campus.
Unfortunately, he was born into this kind of world, and he also enjoyed conducting human experiments.
"Now that everything that needs to be said has been said, why are you still staring at me?" you retorted.
Kabuto pulled up a chair and sat down, his legs together and his hands neatly placed on his knees. A person's posture and movements can reveal a lot of information. For example, Kabuto was probably feeling uneasy, which is why he was acting this way, but at the same time, his upper body was slightly leaning towards you.
People unconsciously move closer to those they like, even if it's just a slight tilt.
Okay, you have to admit he does seem to like you, and you're not too surprised by that. People in this world often fall in love for no apparent reason. You haven't done anything wrong and they've already fallen for you. If this were in a movie or TV show, it would probably be criticized for having no emotional buildup.
"Please touch my hair again."
As he spoke, he moved a little closer, then lowered his head, his silvery-white hair brushing against you. You paused, then finally reached out and ruffled his hair with a mischievous grin.
You messed up his normally smooth hair, but the thing is, he wasn't angry. Instead, he smiled silently and said, "This is really... a source of happiness."
Is it possible to feel happy just because of this?
You said, "Then your standard for happiness is quite low."
"No, everyone has a different definition of happiness, and not everyone can find their own happiness. I guess I'd consider myself a lucky person," Kabuto Yakushi said, emphasizing each word.
You pick up the booklet the pharmacist brought, look down at it and ignore him. But when you look up, he smiles at you.
What's so funny?
You lower your head and continue to concentrate on reading the booklet. This booklet must have been compiled by Yakushi Kabuto himself, as you can recognize his handwriting. The booklet contains some important experimental data.
Once you've seen enough, you say, "Very good, I'm very satisfied with your progress."
Closing the booklet, Kabuto Yakushi brought up the orphanage again. You noticed that his attitude became particularly subtle when talking about the orphanage. Considering his childhood experiences in the orphanage, it's not hard to see that he has been influenced by those memories.
It's said that people need a lifetime to heal from an unhappy childhood. You weren't particularly unfortunate in your past life; you were just ordinary in every way. So it's hard for you to truly empathize with Kabuto. However, the joys and sorrows between people are inherently uncommon.
You couldn't be bothered to offer him emotional support. Instead, you pointed out the crux of the matter: "It seems like you've never truly moved on from the shadows of the past. Even though your body has grown up, your soul is still trapped in that corner of the orphanage."
"Maybe... but I always think, I wish I could have met you, Aki, when I was a child."
Forget about it. Even if you saw Kabuto Yakushi as a child, you wouldn't talk to him. If you did, he would become like a persistent leech.
"That's why I envy those children in the orphanage so much. They live under your protection, Mingxi, so carefree..."
You gave a perfunctory "uh-huh" and then sent Yakushi Kabuto away.
You spent two days in the capital of the Kingdom of Tea, and before you knew it, it was the day of the Foundation's celebration. You were dressed in a dark-colored suit, and when you weren't smiling, you looked composed and dignified. Of course, you would smile appropriately, especially when you saw someone you wanted to see.
"It's been a long time, Mr. Shikamaru." You walked up to Nara Shikamaru with the bag in your hand. As you approached, Nara Shikamaru thought to himself, "This is bad."
The more beautiful a woman is, the more dangerous she is. This is a principle that Nara Shikamaru has understood since childhood, which is why he tries to stay away from you as much as possible. But the situation is different now. It's not that he doesn't want to stay away from you, but that you took the initiative to come to him. As the host of this banquet, you are the focus of everyone's attention. And because you took the initiative to talk to him, Nara Shikamaru was also forced to become the focus of attention.
No, he wasn't the focus; he was the target of everyone's criticism. Those scrutinizing gazes were fixed on him, like thorns in his back. He pursed his lips and adjusted his breathing.
Whew, calm down, calm down a little, he kept telling himself.
He seemed to calm down a little, but the moment his eyes met yours, his heart started racing. All his previous efforts were in vain. He felt ashamed and annoyed, hating himself for his weak control over his emotions. Just one glance at you, and he was almost distracted?
"Do you... know that everyone around you is watching you?" After a long silence, Nara Shikamaru finally managed to utter this one sentence.
He's completely at a disadvantage. Remembering his father's instructions before he left, and the other task he had, how could he possibly find out your attitude in this situation? It's not him trying to find out about you; it should be you trying to find out about him.
Although he had mentally prepared himself, when he actually interacted with you, he found that his preparation was not very thorough and was quite weak... even his willpower was weak.
"I know." How could you not feel it? But isn't it only natural? After all, you are the founder of this foundation and the organizer of this event. It's only reasonable for people to pay attention to you, right?
Nara Shikamaru forced a smile and said, "You didn't come here just to exchange pleasantries, did you? So let's get straight to the point."
That's why you enjoy dealing with smart people. There's no need for all the preamble; the moment you open your mouth, they understand what you mean after just a few words.
“I’ve heard that the Nara clan is known for its intelligence, and your father also plays the role of strategist in the upper echelons of Konoha. You really are like father, like son.”
Why bring up so much irrelevant stuff? Are you implying that you've already investigated his family?
"That's quite possible," he said. "You could simply omit all that unnecessary groundwork."
"Yes, I really enjoy chatting with smart people like you."
Nara Shikamaru looked at your smiling profile, but not for too long, because staring at your face for too long would make him dizzy. Do you really enjoy chatting with him? I really didn't realize that before. You don't even remember his name, you only know his surname.
Forget it, you're probably just being polite now, so why should he get hung up on it because of a polite remark?
If Nara Shikamaru had kept his distance from you in the past, now that he has a mission to complete, he has no way to retreat. He said, "If we are going to talk about something important, this may not be the right place."
You nodded, realizing you were thinking the same thing as him. You said, "That's what I was thinking too. Please, then." With that, you gestured for him to follow you and led him to the lounge next to the banquet hall.
As Nara Shikamaru, who was following behind you, passed through the crowd, he heard whispers from others.
"Was that... a ninja from Konoha? Why did Lady Aki suddenly call him away?"
"Who knows? I've heard that those ninjas have a lot of tricks up their sleeves. I guess they used some kind of method to get to the top?"
"Ah... I knew it, but Lady Aki won't be fooled by someone like that."
This is getting more and more outrageous. Nara Shikamaru, with his excellent hearing as a ninja, heard everything those people were whispering about. He just wanted to talk to you about serious business, but he was misunderstood by others. He kept his distance from you to avoid being misunderstood in the first place.
"You look troubled?" You stood at the door of the lounge, turned around, and noticed that Nara Shikamaru's expression was indescribable. Well, someone as smart as him couldn't possibly be unaware of what those people would think if they saw you take him away. You said, "Shikamaru, do you care a lot about what other people think?"
"...No." You were just calling him Mr. Shikamaru, and now you're calling him Shikamaru. Does your way of address change that quickly?
"That's good, just treat those people as empty-headed." As you said this, you tapped your temple. "All they have here is money and other things. You are different from them."
You were just chatting happily with others while holding a wine glass, but then you turned around and said with a smile that they were all empty-headed. He couldn't help but wonder what you would say about them behind their backs after this encounter.
Never mind, he shouldn't be thinking about such things.
Once inside the lounge, lift a corner of the curtain by the French windows, letting in moonlight. Turn around and see Shikamaru still standing there. Say, "What are you still standing there for? Sit down."
He only sat down after receiving your instructions, and even after sitting down, his posture was uneasy. However, he had not forgotten the purpose of his visit: to test you... and find out your attitude towards Konoha.
"Don't you like the drinks at the banquet? You probably didn't drink, right? I think you're not old enough to drink alcohol yet." You said this with your back to him, standing next to the solid wood cabinet, opening a bottle of sparkling water. He caught the hissing sound of the bubbles, and then you turned around, walked to him, and handed him a glass of sparkling water.
"Thank you," he said softly.
You sat down opposite him. "So... how's Konoha doing lately? Why don't you tell me? Anyway, you've only come here for a few reasons, so there's no need to beat around the bush. You seem so nervous, so let me bring this up myself."
These were very thoughtful words, as if she genuinely cared about him, but at the same time, she completely took the initiative.
This is bad, very bad.
If our relationship were a game of chess, he would have been at a disadvantage for a long time.
Under your bright gaze, his throat tightened slightly. His clever mind told him that you treated everyone this way, but being looked at by you always gave him the illusion that he was unique.
This illusion is deadly.
His lips moved, but in the end he honestly began to talk about the recent situation in Konoha, in a very businesslike tone, though his eyes and expression were not so nonchalant.
"To be honest, I plan to build a few more factories in Konoha in the future. This will help boost the local economy. In addition, I will also strengthen the construction of other infrastructure. I have no ill intentions towards Konoha, because it is a place where I have lived for a long time. So, can you feel a little more at ease now?"
As soon as you finished speaking, you took another sip of the water. You were still gazing at him when Shikamaru said, "I understand."
His expression suggested he wanted to say something, so you asked, "Do you have any other questions?"
It was a trivial question, completely unrelated to the important matter. He hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "Naruto always says he wants to see you again, and Sasuke too—"
"Hey, are you their good friend?" she asked, slightly surprised and puzzled.
You really are... you don't care at all about things you're not interested in. Shikamaru should have known. You're just that kind of person, gentle yet indifferent.
"Yeah, you didn't know, did you? That's right, you didn't even know my name before, you only called me 'a child of the Nara family,' but I'm not the only child of the Nara family, your pronoun is not accurate at all."
He brought up things from the past without you even realizing it, as if he were dredging up old grievances. But the key point is that you weren't that close to him before.
You'd probably feel confused and even bewildered if he condemned you like that, right? Well, he's probably in a similar situation now.
What I just said—
"I'm sorry, I really didn't remember your name before. I apologize. I didn't expect to leave such a deep impression on you. It was definitely my fault." You apologized to him readily.
Huh?
Is that all the apology is for?
She apologized to him so casually and without any hesitation, which only made his inner conflict seem more pretentious.
Shouldn't you have directly refuted him? Adopt a superior attitude, looking down at him from a higher position, instead of what you're doing now.
Everything was beyond his expectations. He said, "Let's pretend I never said that."
"But I've already heard it, so it can't be said that I didn't say it. How about this, what do you want as an apology?"
You're acting like a businessman now, believing money can solve everything. He says, "I don't need your gift."
Ah, those ninjas really treat money like dirt. You nod, okay, that way we can save some money, but the next second Shikamaru says, "I want to know, did you really intend to marry Uchiha Itachi back then?"
What's going on? You've been away from the village for so long, why are these rumors still chasing after you? Looks like we need to find an opportunity to properly dispel these rumors. You said, "No, there isn't."
"Then what about you and Uchiha Itachi..."
"Oh, it's just that I slept with him a few times."
For Shikamaru, these words, spoken so frankly and openly, were incredibly shocking. It took him a long time to find his voice. So, they weren't lovers, just a purely physical relationship?
"I..." After he finds out this news, can he really get away unscathed?
"It's not a big deal, is it? I just use it as a spice in my life because I'm bored."
Describing the Uchiha clan as a seasoning is something only you could say.
Shikamaru took a sip of water to hide his nervousness.
A smart person's reaction to hearing something they shouldn't hear is to pretend they didn't hear anything, otherwise they'll definitely get themselves into trouble. Nara Shikamaru understands this principle well, but the current situation is that he has already heard what you said, which is terrible.
"Don't worry, I'm not the kind of person who would kill someone at the drop of a hat, and I think we'll definitely become good friends in the future." You seemed to see through Shikamaru's worries and comforted him very kindly.
However, this reassurance did not work. Instead, it made Shikamaru feel completely exposed to you, as if nothing could be hidden from you.
Shikamaru said, "That's not what I thought either."
"That's good. By the way, there's something else I'd like to talk to you about." As you spoke, you adjusted your posture. From the change in your posture, you could tell that your attitude was now more serious, which meant that what you were about to say was more important, perhaps even more important than the topics discussed earlier.
Shikamaru couldn't help but become serious and said, "Then please speak."
"There's no need to be so serious. It's just an idea right now. Just listen to it." You smiled at him as if to reassure him, but Shikamaru remained on high alert. You said, "To be honest, I think the current way ninjas accept and complete missions is too inefficient, and it can also lead to unnecessary casualties due to unreasonable mission allocation."
Therefore, I think we can establish a platform to put clients' tasks on the platform, which will improve the success rate of tasks. We can also establish a ninja rating system, rating ninjas based on their task completion performance. This is different from the genin, chunin, and jonin systems, because the former's evaluation standard is based on their own strength, while the latter focuses on the economic benefits the ninja can bring.
Later, you talked about other things one after another. Although you said from the beginning that this was just an idea, Shikamaru felt that your idea was already very complete, and even to the point that it could be implemented directly.
After you finished speaking, Shikamaru was silent for a while. The sparkling water in his hand had almost stopped bubbling. He said, "Are you sure it's okay for you to tell me all this? Besides, you should know that ninjas are equivalent to a country's military force." According to you, you're putting a country's military force in the open. How could those countries possibly agree to that?
Shikamaru thought this was too idealistic, but then he thought, if it were you, if you were the one promoting this idea, it might actually be possible to achieve it.
After all, you always plan ahead and are confident in everything you do.
Shikamaru's lips moved slightly, and he said, "Since you're saying this, you must have already figured out the role I'll play in this plan, right?"
"Yes."
It saves time and effort by not having to explain to him. You can happily ask him what he wants to eat.
"No... I'm not hungry right now." It should be said that he had no appetite because he was nervous. His mind was receiving too much information, so he couldn't even feel his own hunger.
"Oh," you replied. Since he had already said that, you brought the topic back, saying, "Indeed, I've already decided that Shikamaru can be a bridge between me and Konoha."
Huh? Him?
Why him? Shikamaru never considered himself a lucky person. He had a clear understanding of his own luck, not just luck, but also his life. However, his life, his destiny, started running wild in an unexpected direction the moment he met you, like a runaway horse that could not be held back.
"Why did you choose me? If it were the Uchiha, they would definitely have agreed without hesitation, right?" He mentioned the Uchiha, but didn't specify whether it was Itachi or Sasuke. In any case, those Uchiha would definitely help you.
Your answer was as straightforward as ever. You said, "Ah, because if it's the Uchiha, they're too easily swayed by emotions."
Am I acting on emotion...?
Indeed, what you said makes some sense. Even his father said that although the Uchiha are powerful, being influenced by emotions is a major weakness for them.
"But intense emotional fluctuations are also a source of power for the Uchiha. In short, there are advantages and disadvantages," his father concluded.
What you are saying now overlaps with what your father said.
"It seems you also have a clear understanding of the nature of the Uchiha clan," he said. "Then I understand."
If you're going to become a bridge between you and Konoha, then just that statement should prove that you have no ill intentions towards Konoha, and may even want to help Konoha, right?
After you finished talking about this topic, you remained silent for a long time. This silence made Shikamaru feel uneasy. Should he get up and leave now? Was he supposed to just sit there staring at you like that? It seemed like there was nothing between you two that you could talk about besides business. You must have investigated him beforehand, but investigation and actual interaction are different things.
"I heard you're good at chess?" you said, not giving Shikamaru a chance to refuse. You stood up and asked Haku to bring the chessboard. Shikamaru carefully observed the boy named Haku and concluded from his gestures that he was also a ninja. Seeing that Shikamaru had looked at Haku for a few more seconds, you said, "He is my personal assistant, and of course, he is also a ninja. Don't think he's weak just because he looks cute."
No… he didn’t think that way. As a ninja, he knew better than anyone the importance of not judging a book by its cover.
In battle, you can't let your guard down no matter how weak the enemy may seem, especially since he's your personal assistant. Someone who can become your personal assistant is definitely not simple.
"Is he a ninja from another village?"
“He doesn’t belong to any village; he belongs only to me.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Haku pushed open the door to the lounge again. He had a chessboard and a stack of food in his hands. You asked Haku to put the food next to Shikamaru. Without even looking up, he said, "Don't be nervous, have something to eat first."
Shikamaru quietly ate the meal Haku brought him, finding it tasteless. His mind was preoccupied with other serious matters: how would he report back to the Hokage when he returned to Konoha? Would his close relationship with Haku raise suspicions about his loyalty to Konoha?
There were just too many things to consider, and he could hardly swallow the food. You, sitting across from him, frowned and said, "Is this food really that bad?"
Shikamaru immediately waved his hand, "No, that's not true, it's my own problem." He quickly took the blame upon himself, put down his chopsticks, and looked up to meet your worried gaze.
Are you worried about him?
No, you've only known each other for a short time, and you're only so concerned about him because he still has some use to you, Shikamaru reminded himself over and over again. But your eyes were so deceptive that he couldn't help but be fooled by you, as if you really cared about him.
It's like your relationship is indeed very close.
"You put the chessboard away," Shikamaru asked, puzzled. "Why did you put it away?"
"Because you don't look very well, I don't want to play chess with someone who might faint at any moment."
That was too blunt. Shikamaru said, "Sorry to disappoint you."
"It's alright." You stood up and walked past Shikamaru. "I believe you will not disappoint me in the future."
Seeing that you were about to leave, Shikamaru also stood up to see you off. Only after you completely disappeared did Shikamaru breathe a sigh of relief. He raised his hand to wipe his forehead and found that it was covered with sweat.
Was he really that nervous just now? No wonder you were worried he might faint at any moment...
Well, he's done his best. Playing the game with you requires a good mindset, otherwise you might easily fall into your trap, and he might already be in one right now.
You return to the banquet center with your wine glass, where you still have to deal with other guests, exchange meaningless pleasantries, and then celebrate the future success of the foundation together.
You set your empty glass aside, and a blonde waiter passing by offers you another glass of juice. You're about to say you don't want juice, but upon closer inspection, you notice the blonde waiter has blue eyes. Hmm, he looks so familiar.
Seeing that you didn't immediately call out his name, Deidara said somewhat irritably, "Hey—we haven't seen each other for two days, have you forgotten about me?"
If you really forget about him, he'll be very angry—he means furious.
You picked up the glass of juice and pressed the cool glass against his cheek. "Why did you become a waiter? Do you really enjoy serving others?"
Deidara was just acting on a whim. Don't movies and TV shows often feature scenes where the protagonist surprises their lover? Disguising oneself as a waiter for one's lover is a classic trope. But why is your reaction so different from that in movies and TV shows?
Not surprised at all, she even gave him a playful smile.
Which step went wrong?
Deidara said, "Aren't you surprised? I, well, I suddenly turned into a waiter and appeared next to you. Logically, you should be startled, right?"
"Ah... should I be surprised?" you feign surprise. "Well, I am indeed surprised."
"Tch, just going through the motions. It's obvious he's just trying to appease him." Deidara put one hand on his hip. Just then, a guest dressed in fine clothes walked up to Deidara and whispered, "You're a waiter? Perfect, I need someone else's service. Don't worry, I won't treat you badly."
Deidara wasn't stupid, but he didn't react for a moment and paused for two seconds. Having lived a life of sword fights and violence as a rogue ninja, he knew that everyone who saw him was terrified. He just never expected that one day he would become someone else's prey.
And such a despicable person at that!
Seeing that Deidara was about to lash out in anger, you smiled and put your hand on the guest, saying, "Excuse me, he's here to serve me."
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The guest apologized hastily, his previous confident demeanor completely gone. He left in a hurry, as if fleeing in panic.
Deidara was still angry, and you said, "Shouldn't you be thanking me now?"
What? Thank you? Deidara's eyes widened. He said, "I could have handled that guy myself. I didn't need your help."
"But I can get rid of you with just one sentence, while you have to create a bomb here. If you compare them, you'll know which method is better."
Deidara stubbornly insisted, "Of course it's my method."
“Alright…” You took a sip of your juice and said to Deidara, “Did you know that there are many other ninjas from other villages attending this banquet?”
"Do you think I'd worry about that? I'm not a coward, hmm!" Deidara was very confident in his strength, and even if he was surrounded by other ninjas, he was confident he could escape.
He said, "Don't underestimate me, hmm!"
Without any hint of disdain, you said coolly, "Before others slip tips down your collar, I advise you to leave with me."
What tip? Deidara may be a rogue ninja, but he has very little experience in this area. You were too lazy to explain to him one by one, so you took his hand and walked towards your room.
Just then, Shikamaru, who had finished adjusting himself in the rest room, happened to see you pulling Deidara away.
You pulled a waiter-looking person away from the banquet hall.
So what will you do next? For the first time, Shikamaru was a little annoyed with his own clever mind, because he quickly came up with an answer, a rather bad one.
You led Deidara out of the banquet hall, but he was still bothered by what you had just said. He said, "What do you mean someone would slip a tip down my collar?"
"It means exactly what it says, probably because they think you can serve them well."
Deidara's cheeks flushed red, not from simple embarrassment, but from anger and embarrassment. He said, "Then I'll take care of those guys."
“That won’t do. Some people still need to invest in my foundation. You can’t kill my investors.”
Deidara was furious and shouted, "So you have no reaction at all to how they treat me?!"
No, doesn't he find it strange that he said that? Even you find it strange, and you say, "I'll teach them a lesson later."
"Tch, everything you do is for profit."
"Otherwise what? Because of ideals and beliefs?" you asked back, puzzled. "Besides, it's strange of you to say that. We're just partners."
"Then can't our relationship take it a step further?!" he blurted out, then suddenly realized he had said something terrible and hurriedly tried to take it back. "No, I meant..." But the result was that he only made things worse by trying to cover up his mistake.
Before you could answer, a figure suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor. It was Kabuto Yakushi. He walked towards you, stepping on the light and shadow. His gaze swept over Deidara casually, but it still made Deidara feel like he was being scrutinized. He said irritably, "It's you. What are you doing here instead of following your Lord Orochimaru?"
Orochimaru once joined the Akatsuki organization, stayed there for a while, and then left. The relationship between the Akatsuki organization and Orochimaru was not good, because Orochimaru joined the Akatsuki organization in the first place in order to use this force. So now Deidara doesn't give Kabuto a good look either. After all, Kabuto is a guy who follows Orochimaru. What good can he be?
"Well, of course I came to see Mingxi. Ah, didn't Mingxi tell you? Well, you two rarely see each other, and she probably wouldn't bother to tell you too much anyway, since you're still too naive."
Deidara rolled his eyes at Kabuto Yakushi. "When you call others childish, take a look at your own face first, you old man."
Kabuto's smile froze. This didn't seem to be the first time he had been attacked for his age. The last time he was said that... it seemed to be when Kimimaro mocked him like that.
What a childish brat, does he just like to make a big deal out of his age?
With a gloomy expression, Kabuto completely forgot that he was the one who brought up age first. It was like the boomerang had hit him hard, and now he finally felt the pain.
You stand aside and watch the show quietly.
Kabuto said, "I'm not like you; I'll only cause trouble for Aki."
That's what they say, but Yakushi Kabuto is clearly no pushover either.
So they're evenly matched this time, so neither should laugh at the other. You step in to mediate and say, "There's an open space outside; you can go there to fight."
That's right, so this is your way of mediating: if you disagree, just go and fight. If you want to fight, go outside and avoid seeing it.
As a result, the two who were just moments ago so aggressive and ready to fight suddenly went silent, as if nothing had happened.
Deidara said, "I don't want to fight this guy, it's pointless." Besides, he's Orochimaru's subordinate, so his moves are definitely treacherous and cunning. He wouldn't do something so pointless.
"Really? What do you think, Kabuto?" You turned to ask Kabuto for his opinion, and he said, "I also think it's unnecessary to take it to the point of violence."
See? This is the most effective way to mediate; the conflict is resolved just like that.
You nodded. "Great, it seems you two can still get along well."
Deidara glared at Kabuto Yakushi with annoyance. How could they possibly get along well?
Deidara said, "Are we just going to stand here like this forever?" Staring at each other like this? He didn't want to be stuck with Kabuto.
You gave Kabuto a look, signaling him to leave. He understood and tactfully left. After he left, Deidara asked, "What's your relationship with Orochimaru?"
"Cooperative relationship".
"You've got quite a few people working with you," Deidara said in a low voice, revealing a hint of dissatisfaction that he himself was unaware of.
"Yes, you're one of my partners too. But didn't you just say you wanted to take our relationship to the next level?"
I thought you had forgotten what he said, but you brought it up again. There were only two people present, and only one of them was particularly embarrassed. Excluding you, the only one who was embarrassed was Deidara. He even stammered and couldn't say a complete sentence.
He pursed his lips, his eyes darting around. He shouldn't have said that. Now it felt like you had caught him red-handed. He said, "Are you going to keep harping on what I said wrong?"
If you keep pressing him, he's going to explode. You say with a smile, "Okay, I won't mention it again."
This time, he took your hand first, and you walked ahead. After a moment of silence, he couldn't help but ask, "So, what are you thinking?"
He's still just a kid, so impatient. He said, "What do you think?"
"I'm not you, and I can't read minds, so how would I know what you're thinking?" But he always felt that you were deliberately toying with his mind.
"I can consider that, but you're still a member of Akatsuki, and maybe one day we'll be on opposite sides. What will you do then?" You posed a difficult question.
“You won’t let things get to this point. You’ll abandon me without hesitation before we become adversaries,” Deidara replied calmly.
He's quite self-aware, isn't he? You said, "It really is true, you guessed it all right, Deidara, you're pretty smart."
What kind of talk is that? It's like praising a pet for being smart. He was a little annoyed and said, "Then you'd better watch out, I'll get my revenge on you later!"
"How will you take revenge on me? Are you going to kill me?" You discussed your own life and death without seeming to care much, just like an detached bystander.
“That would be too easy on you, hmm!” Deidara said, staring at you with a serious expression. You met his gaze, and he saw his own reflection in your crystal-clear eyes.
He suddenly realized a terrible thought: the man who said he wanted to take revenge on you was actually thinking of kissing you when he looked into your eyes.
How terrifying! He took a half-step back in horror, yelling, "Stop staring at me!"
You blink curiously, and Deidara's cheeks begin to flush again. Finally, he moves closer to you, closing the distance between you, and says, "I said I wanted to get revenge on you, but all I could think about just now was kissing you."
He heard your soft laughter in his ear. Sure enough, you mocked him. He was both ashamed and angry, hating himself for being so weak. But the next second, you took his hand and pulled him towards you. His lips felt a warmth as you kissed them.
Huh?
All sounds and all thoughts disappeared; his mind went blank, and his head felt dizzy.
It will be the same after this kiss ends.
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