Chapter 299 Why Not Be a Little More Selfish
Tsunade's words opened up another perspective on Jiraiya's memories.
It's strange that some things seem normal or even mundane to me, but to others they are memories that are enviable and worthy of jealousy.
The more you recall it, the harder it is to ignore the pain you deliberately suppressed.
Jiraiya's carefree and easygoing nature gradually faded away, replaced by a weathered and composed demeanor born from the vicissitudes of life.
He murmured, "Yes, if only we could have discovered it sooner..."
Touched by the regret in his tone, Tsunade slowly lowered her eyelashes.
If only they had realized Haruko's good qualities sooner, instead of only belatedly waking up to their own mistakes after she disappeared...
Tsunade closed her eyes, concealing all her negative emotions.
When she looked up again, all that was visible was the brightness of her eyes and the smile on her red lips.
"Why not be brave for once? You only live once, and if you miss it, you'll really miss it."
Understanding the deeper meaning in her words, Jiraiya's surrounding sorrow dissipated completely. He wanted to regain his usual cheerful smile, but to no avail.
In the end, all he could manage was a bitter and helpless smile.
"If I were a few decades younger, perhaps I would be more courageous."
Jiraiya looked out the window, the warm sunlight streaming in making his eyes move.
Such a brilliant and beautiful radiance would warm the heart of anyone who is illuminated by it.
And then there's the forced sense of letting go.
“There is a gap of time between her and me.”
When they were young, Tsunade said that Haruko would never be interested in him, but deep down she hoped that Jiraiya and Haruko would be together.
They are both warm and loyal people, like two suns chasing and accompanying each other, revolving around one another.
Tsunade walked to his side and basked in the divine blessing with him.
"Yes, if only we were younger."
Even with the secret to eternal youth, Tsunade's tone couldn't help but tinge with melancholy as she faced the relentless passage of time.
Jiraiya let out a breath. "No one can stay young forever. We should be happy. Haruko being so young means we can see her many more times."
“That’s true,” Tsunade finally managed a genuine smile, “You’re not allowed to sneak off to see her again!”
"I didn't! This is the first time I've met her, don't you dare slander me!"
"Huh? Judging from the way you greeted each other, I thought you had already met before."
"I was just faking it, okay? I'm a grown adult, is it appropriate for me to cry in public?"
Jiraiya's banter did nothing to ease Tsunade's increasingly furrowed brows; she hadn't expected that this would be their first meeting.
The doubts that had been suppressed in her heart resurfaced, and Tsunade rubbed her chin.
He murmured, "Indeed, it wasn't my imagination."
Jiraiya was also puzzled and pressed, "What illusion?"
"Don't you think Haruko is a bit strange? After regaining her memories, Haruko should have come to see us first to check on us, but she didn't. Instead, she stayed with Naruto and the others."
Upon hearing her say that, Jiraiya also noticed something suspicious. "You mean..."
Tsunade's brows furrowed with unease as she looked out the window at the lush greenery of midsummer, its surface shimmering with the faint heat of summer.
Suddenly, a chill spread through my heart.
"I hope I'm just overthinking it."
...
The summer afternoon was sweltering, with a stifling heat permeating the air.
Haruko walked slowly down the alleyway.
The heat rising from the sun-baked floor tiles seeped into my skin, but it couldn't dispel the chill that seeped into my bones.
Gradually, she stopped walking.
His blank, dark eyes swept over the gray bricks on the ground, over the lush, intertwined leaves in the distance, and over the blazing sun hanging in the sky.
She only lowered her head when the intense light stung her eyes and forced her to close them.
The hazy world and the dazed state of consciousness overlapped under the sudden halo of light before my eyes.
Her body seemed to be getting weaker day by day.
Sometimes, after overusing her chakra, she would feel a void in her body, followed by weakness in her limbs.
Fortunately, it wasn't too serious, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to pretend to be normal in front of others.
According to Orochimaru's research, she can only slow down her decline with medication, which is a blessing in disguise. At least she doesn't have to worry about her life for the next two years.
But what about later?
If her life force is exhausted, will she really become an artificial human or be reincarnated using a corpse?
"Speaking of which..."
Haruko looked at her feet and muttered to herself, "It seems that from the beginning, my goal was simply to live a peaceful and stable life."
"If that's the case, why not be a little selfish?"
A familiar male voice sounded from behind her.
Haruko suddenly snapped out of her daze in the morning, and her movement as she turned to look at the scene revealed a hint of panic.
In the once deserted alley, Kakashi Hatake, dressed in a military green vest, suddenly appeared, his narrow eyes the only thing visible, quietly watching her.
"Kakashi-kun...Kakashi, what are you doing here?"
For some reason, Haruko was hesitant to make eye contact with him.
Her eyes blinked a few times before meeting his gaze, and she felt inwardly glad that she hadn't said too much.
Kakashi Hatake, dressed in a suit, didn't notice her unusual behavior and explained, "It's time for your shift to change."
The answer was understated.
“No, what I mean is…” Haruko’s hands, which were hanging at her sides, clenched nervously, “Did you come here specifically to see me?”
Catching her subtle movement, Kakashi Hatake said something completely unrelated.
"I think the cooling-off period can end now."
"What?"
Haruko was taken aback, not understanding what he said.
Kakashi Hatake didn't explain in detail. He took a step forward, walked up to Haruko Hayama, and looked down at her, clearly seeing her uncomfortable expression.
He asked again, "If you want a stable life, why not be a little selfish?"
The male voice, though deep and low, was close by without any oppressive aura, yet Haruko still felt panicked, as if she had been caught red-handed.
"I...I'm not..."
She stammered for a long time, not knowing what to say to escape the scrutinizing gaze.
The deep eyes that she regarded as a monstrous flood were clearly filled with gentleness when they looked at her.
Kakashi Hatake sighed and raised his large hand to pat her head.
It seemed he wanted to offer her some comfort in her uneasy state.
But what he said next, in a soft voice, made Haruko's whole body stiffen.
"You don't actually remember, do you?" Kakashi Hatake watched her reaction intently. "Or rather, your memory is incomplete; you still think of yourself as Haruko Hayama from Class 7."
Even though her heart was pounding as loudly as her ears could hear, Haruko didn't dare give herself away.
She maintained a smile as she looked up to meet those deep, unsettling eyes.
Pretending not to understand, he asked in confusion, "Kakashi, what are you talking about..."
******
The list of recipients of gratitude as of July 27, 2024:
grateful--
Sasuke and Naruto always deliver bubble tea together.
Chifuyu hugs me tight and sends me 2 likes, 2 flowers, and 2 love letters.
Bai Li herself, user 26652890, Uchiha Grace, flowers sent by Rurika Butterfly.
Ninety-nine Moon Chants, Mikhail, Emperor Alien of Yancheng Mountain Island, Uzumaki Rasengan, Otoko Yuta Poisonous Only, Heart Like Spring, Yaoyixin, Uchiha Yuexing, dkdk, Unforgettable Regret, Fang Jing Who Loves Osmanthus Pickled Cabbage, Three Good Squirrel, Muxue Shuyu, Red Circle Bird Your Later Knowledge, Neji ILOVeYOU, Yi Su Yuan, Smoke with the Moon, Forever Supporting the Writing Passerby A Teacher's Gift of Love Powered ×3
Why is this name like this? (Gift given with love x2)
Royal Villa knows no green, one bite of Xia Youjie, Wu Ziyun, He Yan, username 30239160, Ding Jun who loves honey-glazed chicken nuggets, I don't want to lose chicken, actually what I wanted to say was that username 19847887, user 96321 gave me this gift of "powered by love".
Thank you for the gifts! The author is so touched! Jiraiya is squatting like a dog ∠( 」∠)_
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
