Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 192
Author's Note:
Hey guys!
Sorry for the late upload—I accidentally deleted all my files and had to rewrite the entire chapter from scratch. 😅
This one's about 4.6k words, so I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for being patient!
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare—"
Too late.
Kushina grinned wide and leaned in even closer, voice sing-song "Maybe it's finally time to give Jiraiya a chance~."
Tsunade almost choked on her drink. "Kushina!"
"What? He's been loyal! He's patient! He clearly worships the ground you walk on—plus, if you ask me, the whole 'pervy' thing is mostly a cover. Deep down, he's serious about you."
Tsunade's face was red—not from the heat. "He's a pain in my ass, that's what he is. He'd probably write a book about it the next morning."
Kushina laughed so hard she nearly slipped under the water. "Come on! You two are already like an old married couple anyway!"
"I will drown you, tomato," Tsunade threatened, though her lips twitched with a reluctant smile.
Kushina grinned, unfazed. "At least consider it. You're strong, beautiful, and you have the body to do so. You deserve more than just carrying the village on your back. You deserve someone who sees the woman, not just the Hokage."
Tsunade fell quiet again, looking down into the sake cup now resting in her lap. "…Maybe."
Kushina smiled softly, this time without teasing. "You've still got time, Tsuna-nee. Don't close that door forever."
Tsunade looked over, then raised her cup and sipped.
…
The morning sun slowly rose over the Hidden Leaf, casting a warm glow through the windows of the Uzumaki household.
Inside, Kaito stood in front of his full-body mirror, towel in hand. His red hair was damp, clinging to his forehead as he rubbed it dry. Shirtless and dressed only in a pair of loose sweatpants, he yawned and ran the towel one last time over his head.
Pulling the towel off, he stared at his reflection and tilted his head to the side.
"Umm… I think I gotta cut my hair soon. It's getting kinda long," he muttered to himself, brushing some strands away from his eyes.
He tossed the towel over the back of a chair, then walked over to the bed where his black T-shirt was laid out. Pulling it over his head while moving toward the door, he slid it open and stepped into the hallway.
He padded down the corridor and into the kitchen.
Kushina was already moving around with her usual energy, flipping pancakes with a grin on her face, humming a cheerful tune. Her red hair was tied up loosely, and she was wearing a pink apron over her house clothes.
Karin stood nearby, stirring a big bowl of pancake batter with a wooden spoon, her brows furrowed in focus.
"Good morning, Mom," Kaito said as he stepped into the kitchen, heading straight for the fridge. "Morning, Karin-chan."
Karin glanced up from the bowl she was mixing and gave him a smile. "Morning, Kaito."
"Morning, sweetheart!" Kushina called out brightly, flipping a pancake into the air with expert ease. "Sit down, breakfast is almost ready, ya know!"
Kaito opened the fridge and pulled out a cold carton of orange juice. He shut the door with his hip, walked over to the dish rack, and grabbed a clean cup. And he poured the juice,
Kaito leaned over slightly, eyes narrowing as he watched his mom at the stove.
"Wait a sec…" he muttered.
At first, he thought she was flipping okonomiyaki—but no, he knew those pancakes anywhere. They were tall, super fluffy, golden-brown, and the air smelled like warm vanilla.
'No way… those are her special soufflé pancakes.'
Kushina Uzumaki's extra special pancakes weren't something she made every day. These were saved for birthdays or big moments.
He raised an eyebrow. "Mom… what's the occasion?"
Kushina glanced over her shoulder, smiling sweetly. "Hm?"
Kaito crossed his arms, smirking. "You only make those for special stuff. So? Whose birthday did I forget, ya know?"
Kushina giggled and turned back to the stove, sliding another pancake onto the stack. "No occasion," she said, humming a little tune. "I just felt like we deserved something sweet today, ya know."
Kaito chuckled, shaking his head. "Heh… well, I'm not complaining. I'll take any excuse to eat your delicious pancakes, ya know!"
Just then, a knock echoed from the front door.
"That must be the others," Kushina said, flipping another pancake. "Kai-kun, be a dear and get the door, would you?"
"Yeah, don't worry, I'll get it, Mom," Kaito called, already halfway out of the kitchen with his mug in hand.
He stepped into the living room, crossing it with easy steps, and reached the front door. Sliding it open, he was greeted by three familiar faces.
"Good morning, guys. Come in—you're just in time, ya know. Mom's just finishing breakfast," he said with a smile, stepping aside to let them in.
"Good morning, Kaito-nii," Haku said politely with a small bow.
"Good morning, Kai-nii," Guren added with a grin.
"Good morning, Kaito-nii-sama," Kimimaro said with his usual quiet respect.
Haku looked up curiously. "Are we really not too early?"
Kaito chuckled and reached over to ruffle Haku's hair. "Nah, perfect timing, ya know. The pancakes are still warm."
The three followed him into the kitchen, the smell of vanilla and butter growing stronger with every step.
Kushina looked up from the stove and smiled brightly. "Good morning, you three!"
All three of them gave a small bow.
"Lady Kushina, Karin-chan, good morning," Haku greeted softly. "Thank you for having us over for breakfast."
"Good morning, Kushina-sama. Karin," Kimimaro added with a nod.
"Morning, Aunt Kushina, Karin-chan," Guren said casually with a bright smile.
Kushina sighed dramatically as she plated up a tall stack of pancakes. "How many times do I have to tell you two to stop being so formal? Be more like Guren-chan, ya know! She even calls me Aunt Kushina, ya know!"
Haku smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Lady Kushina," he said with another small bow.
Karin giggled, hearing their little exchange. "You should give up already, Aunt Kushina. They won't change."
Kushina let out a playful sigh. "Whatever. Come on, sit down and eat while they're hot, ya know!"
"Yes, ma'am," Haku and Kimimaro said at the same time, moving toward the table.
Guren was already sliding into her seat with a grin. "Smells amazing! Haven't had your pancakes since the last time we had a sleepover here."
Kaito chuckled as he set his mug down and took his seat. "Yeah, well, I'm still surprised she made them without it being a birthday."
Kushina turned from the stove, hands on her hips. "Can't a mom just spoil her family once in a while, ya know?"
She glanced at Karin next. "Karin-chan, come sit with them already, ya know."
"Coming!" Karin smiled and walked over, settling in at the table with a plate of pancakes in front of her.
Haku looked around and blinked. "Huh? Where's Naruto-kun?"
Guren snorted. "Where else? He's probably still drooling on his pillow."
Kushina let out another sigh as she grabbed a dish towel. "I don't know what I'm gonna do with that boy, ya know… I just woke him up a few minutes ago."
"I can go get him if you'd like, Lady Kushina," Haku offered politely, already starting to stand.
Kushina shook her head as she waved him back down. "No, no. You sit and eat. I'll handle Naruto-chan," she said, stepping out of the kitchen. "I swear, this kid…"
As she disappeared down the hall, Kaito leaned back in his chair with a grin. "Alright—who wants to bet we hear Naruto scream in a few minutes?"
"No point taking that bet when we already know the result, Kai-nii," Guren smirked.
Just as Guren finished speaking, a loud yell echoed through the house.
"AAAHHH!!"
Thud.
Then Naruto's voice rang out: "Hey! Why did you do that?!"
From down the hall, Kushina's voice answered, calm as ever. "I told you to wake up, ya know! That was an hour ago!"
Naruto shouted back, "Did you have to pour water on me?!"
"Who said I poured water on you?" Kushina replied innocently.
Another splash.
"AAAGHH!!" Naruto yelled again, voice full of betrayal. "Why did you do that again?!"
"Just showing you I didn't pour water on you," Kushina said matter-of-factly. "I blasted water at you. Now march your butt up and brush your teeth, ya know!"
Moments later, she walked back into the kitchen, dusting off her hands with a smug look on her face. "All sorted," she said with a satisfied grin, heading back over to the stove to flip another pancake.
A little while later, Naruto finally trudged into the kitchen, his hair damp and a towel hanging around his neck. His cheeks were still slightly puffed from sleep, and he looked like he was trying to hold onto the last bits of his pride.
He grumbled something under his breath and slumped down into the seat next to Kaito.
Kaito smiled. "Good morning, Naruto."
Naruto muttered again—something that could've been "morning" or just a tired growl—then shot a glare at Karin and Guren who were giggling into their hands.
Kushina reached over and set a loaded plate in front of Naruto, smiling like nothing had happened. "Here you go. I know you like these a lot, so I added a few extras just for you, ya know."
Naruto stared at the stack, grumbling something under his breath.
Kushina, who was walking back to the stove, paused mid-strid and turned around robotically with narrowed her eyes. "Huh? What was that?"
Naruto shrank slightly in his seat, eyes wide. "N-Nothing! I just said… I love your special pancakes so much, ya know!"
Her smile came back instantly. "Aww, thank you, sweetie." She walked over and gently placed another fluffy pancake on top of his already overflowing plate. "Here, have one more, ya know."
Naruto blinked at the mountain of food in front of him. "Uhh… thanks…"
Kaito leaned over, sprinkling whipped cream on his own stack, and whispered, "You're lucky she didn't drown you this time, ya know."
Naruto just groaned and picked up his fork, finally starting to eat.
A few minutes later, Kushina returned with another big plate stacked high. She moved around the table, giving each of them a few more pancakes.
"Eat up, ya know. You're all gonna need the energy for later."
Naruto, mid-bite, looked up. "Huh? Why? We're just sitting through Iruka-sensei's boring lectures again."
Kushina stopped, blinking. "Huh? Didn't I tell you guys yesterday?"
Naruto shook his head, frowning. "What are you talking about, Mom? You didn't say anything…"
She looked around the table. The others all shook their heads too.
Haku tilted his head slightly. "Ano… you only told us to make sure we came for breakfast, Lady Kushina."
"Huh. I could've sworn I told you guys yesterday, ya know…" Kushina said, tapping her chin with her spatula.
Naruto leaned forward, getting impatient. "Come on, just tell us already!"
Kushina clapped her hands together lightly. "Well, you won't be going to the academy today. All of you will be training with me, ya know."
Naruto blinked. "Training?" Then his face lit up. He jumped out of his seat with a loud, "Yatta! I don't have to go to the academy, ya know!" as he threw a fist in the air—his chair scraping loudly behind him.
Bonk!
"Oi! Watch it, Naruto!" Kushina said, smacking him lightly on the head. "You almost knocked over the whole table, ya know!"
"Ow! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head and grinning like a kid who knew he got away with it.
Kushina sighed but shook her head with a small smile. "Just don't do it again."
Naruto, clearly hyped, dropped back into his seat and started wolfing down his pancakes.
"Don't eat too fast, Naruto," Kushina chuckled. "You might choke—and my training's gonna be hard, ya know."
Naruto barely paused between bites. "Anything's better than the academy, ya know!"
Karin looked over curiously. "What's the occasion, Aunt Kushina? You usually make us go to the academy no matter what."
Before Kushina could answer, Naruto's head whipped around and he pointed at her in a panic. "Oi! Don't give her ideas! She might change her mind!"
Kushina reached over and ruffled his damp hair, laughing. "Relax, sweetie. I'm not changing my mind. Since I can use my chakra again, I wanna get back into shape, ya know? So I thought, why not train with you guys?"
Guren leaned over toward the others and whispered, "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"
Haku, Karin, and Kimimaro all nodded quietly in agreement.
Kaito just smiled and shook his head.
Kimimaro looked over. "Are you going to train with us too, Kaito-nii-sama?"
Kaito shook his head. "Not today. I've got to meet with Lady Tsunade—she summoned me first thing this morning."
Kushina paused at the stove, a slight frown forming as she looked over her shoulder. "Aww… I thought we could train together, ya know."
Kaito gave her a reassuring smile. "I might be able to join you later—if I'm not sent off on some mission, that is."
…
Later that morning, Kaito landed gracefully in front of the Hokage building, the wind gently lifting the ends of his red hair as he straightened up.
He gave his pants a quick brush to knock off any dust, then made his way up the stairs and stepped inside.
As he walked through the halls, a few shinobi and attendants greeted him in passing.
"Good morning, Kaito-sama!"
"Ah, it's you—Kaito-sama."
Kaito nodded politely, offering a faint smile. "Morning."
He headed toward Shizune's desk—but paused when he noticed she wasn't there.
Just a few feet away, standing calmly by the wall, was Hotaru.
Her long dark hair was tied neatly in a low ponytail, her face serene as always. She turned slightly as he approached, sensing his chakra.
Kaito gave a small wave. "Hey, Hotaru-chan. When did you get back from your mission?"
Hotaru smiled gently. "Good morning, Kai-kun. I got back about three days ago." She gave a small bow in greeting. "Sorry I haven't had the time to meet up with you. Father's been assigning me more clan duties lately."
"Ah, I see." Kaito nodded with understanding. "So the Hyūga clan's already roping you into the paperwork, huh?"
Hotaru chuckled softly. "It's… a lot more scrolls than I expected."
Kaito grinned. "Yeah, they never warn you about that part, ya know."
He leaned casually against the wall beside her, hands tucked into his pockets. "So, were you summoned by Lady Tsunade too?"
Hotaru nodded. "Yes. The message came early this morning."
Kaito let out a long sigh, tilting his head back. "Man… I think she's gonna assign us a mission or something. Probably another high-priority one, ya know."
He gave a tired laugh. "Every time she calls me in without warning, it's either paperwork or a mission that's way too troublesome, ya know."
Hotaru giggled softly, covering her mouth with one hand. "You sound just like Sensei."
Just then, footsteps echoed down the hall, and Shizune appeared from the opposite corridor. Spotting them, she smiled. "Ah, you're both here. Lady Tsunade is waiting for you in her office."
Kaito pushed himself off the wall and straightened up. "Ah, Shizune-san, good to see you. And congratulations, by the way—Mom told me you and Genma are engaged."
Hotaru's eyes lit up. "Ah, congratulations, Shizune-san!" she said warmly, following behind her.
Shizune blushed slightly and waved her hand. "Thank you… it's not fully finalized yet, but yes, we're engaged."
Kaito chuckled. "Well, just saying—Mom's already super excited. So, uh… expect something big, ya know. Knowing her, she'll probably go all-out."
Shizune laughed nervously. "Eh—I really hope Kushina-nee doesn't trouble herself too much."
They reached the office door, and Shizune gave it a gentle knock before opening it slightly. "My lady, Kaito and Hotaru are here."
From inside, they heard Tsunade's voice. "Let them in."
Shizune opened the door fully and stepped aside. "Well then, Lady Tsunade is waiting for you."
"Thanks," Kaito said with a nod as he and Hotaru stepped inside.
Shizune closed the door behind them.
Inside the Hokage's office, Tsunade stood near the tall window, calmly sipping her tea as she looked out over the village. Her blonde hair caught the morning light, and for a moment, she looked deep in thought.
She turned slightly as she heard the knock and Shizune's voice announcing, "Kaito and Hotaru are here."
"Let them in," Tsunade said, turning away from the window and walking over to her desk, where her shadow clone was busy working through paperwork.
Kaito strolled in casually, giving a wave. "Yo. You called?"
Hotaru stepped in beside him, bowing respectfully. "You summoned us, Lady Hokage?"
As she straightened and her eyes landed on Tsunade, she blinked in surprise and blurted out, "Huh? Did you… do something, Lady Tsunade? You look… different. Younger."
The words had barely left her mouth before she realized what she said. Her eyes widened, and she bowed quickly, flustered. "I'm so sorry! That was really rude of me—I didn't mean to say that. Please forgive me, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade let out a soft chuckle as she dispelled her clone with a wave of her hand. Taking a seat in her chair, she waved off Hotaru's apology.
"It's fine, hotaru. No offense taken. And as for why I look younger…" She tilted her head toward Kaito. "That's thanks to your boyfriend over there."
"Wh-what?!" Hotaru's face turned bright red. "B-boyfriend?!"
She blinked and turned to Kaito with a confused frown, clearly not understanding what Tsunade meant.
Kaito sighed and looked at Tsunade. "You know, you really should finish your sentence, or people might get the wrong idea, ya know."
Tsunade smirked, resting her chin in her hand. "The seal he used to heal Kushina had a little side effect—it restored the body to its prime condition. Apparently, that includes shaving off a few years."
Hotaru turned to Kaito, eyes wide in shock. "Wait… you managed to heal Aunt Kushina?"
Kaito grinned and gave her a nod.
In an instant, Hotaru squealed with joy and threw her arms around him. "That's great, Kai-kun! I know how long and hard you've been trying to heal her—I'm so happy for you!"
Kaito stiffened slightly, his face heating up as he felt Hotaru's very well-developed body press against him.
'Too close… way too close, ya know…'
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at her lips as she cleared her throat.
"Ahem."
Hotaru gasped and jumped back like she'd been burned, her face now completely red. "A-ah! I-I'm sorry! I was just… I'm just really happy for you," she mumbled, eyes fixed firmly on the ground, refusing to look at Kaito.
Kaito, still blushing, rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Hehe… thanks, Hotaru. That really means a lot."
Tsunade cleared her throat again, more loudly this time. "As amusing as it is to watch you two turn into tomatoes, I did call you here for a reason."
Both Kaito and Hotaru straightened up immediately, faces serious now.
Tsunade pulled a folder from the stack on her desk and handed it to them. "I'm assigning you both the task of organizing the upcoming Chūnin Exams."
Kaito blinked. "Huh? The Chūnin Exams? Wait—us?"
"Yes," Tsunade said, folding her arms. "It's Konoha's turn to host the exams, and I want you two to handle the planning. You're both capable, and I trust your judgment. Make sure everything goes smoothly."
Kaito narrowed his eyes slightly as he took the folder. "Alright… but why us in particular? I mean, there are plenty of chūnin or jōnin who'd jump at the chance. Heck, Kotetsu and Izumo would probably beg for it."
Tsunade sighed, resting her chin in her hand as she looked at Kaito. "I'm giving it to you because you need the experience. Handling logistics, responsibility, diplomatic guests… all of it. You need to get used to dealing with this kind of thing."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Why are you phrasing it like that? Sounds like you're grooming me for something. You're not planning to make me Hokage anytime soon, right? I'm only fourteen—I'll be fifteen in August! That's way too young to be Hokage."
Tsunade let out a tired sigh. "Not now, you idiot. Later—when you're ready."
She leaned back in her chair, her voice softening. "I think… by the time you're eighteen or nineteen, you'll be ready. And I'll need you to be. I'm getting old, Kaito. I'm tired. Someday, someone's going to have to take over."
Kaito's eyes widened. "What? That early?"
He flopped into the chair in front of her desk, stunned.
Tsunade smiled faintly at his reaction.
Kaito rubbed his face with both hands, still trying to process it. "I… I guess I don't have a choice, huh?"
Tsunade smirked. "Nope."
Knock knock.
The sound of a knock broke the moment. Tsunade glanced toward the door.
"Come in."
The door creaked open lazily, as if matching the personality of the man behind it. Shikaku Nara stepped inside, hands in his pockets, his usual tired expression in place.
"Sorry I'm late," he said with a sigh. "Had to sort through the academy's latest reports."
Tsunade waved it off. "No, you're just in time."
Shikaku walked in fully and handed over a stack of files to her. He gave Kaito and Hotaru a slight nod. "How've you two been, Kaito, Hotaru?"
Hotaru smiled and bowed politely. "It's been a while, Sensei."
Shikaku glanced at Kaito, who was still slumped in the chair with a dazed look on his face. He blinked. "What's wrong with him? He looks like he hasn't even noticed I'm here."
Hotaru giggled behind her hand. "Tsunade-sama just told him she wants him to become the Sixth Hokage when he's eighteen or nineteen. He's still in shock."
Shikaku raised an eyebrow and looked from Kaito to Tsunade. "That early, huh?"
Tsunade gave a slow nod. "Yeah. I'm getting tired. It's time the next generation starts stepping up. And honestly, the kid's already stronger than me."
At that, Kaito suddenly sprang up in his seat. "Wait, wait, wait! You're, like, twenty-seven or twenty-eight physically now, right?! Can't you stay Hokage a bit longer? At least until I'm—I don't know—twenty-one? And didn't you say you're gonna start learning senjutsu from Lady Katsuyu? That'll make you even stronger, right? Less dependent on the Hundred Healings…"
Shikaku raised a brow at That, but didn't say anything.
Tsunade let out a tired sigh. "Sure, I might look younger physically now, but that doesn't mean I'm not mentally exhausted. By the time you turn eighteen, I'll have been Hokage for eight years. That's fifty-two years old mentally. It wears on you, no matter how strong your body is."
Kaito slowly sat back down, his expression dazed again, mouth slightly open. "…Mental fatigue, huh…"
Hotaru reached out and gently rubbed his back in quiet support.
Tsunade turned back to Shikaku, brushing off the moment. "Anyway—what's in the report?"
Shikaku nodded, "Well, for the first time in Konoha's history, we've got a full one-hundred percent graduation rate. Every student passed. All of them are ready to become genin, pending jōnin assignment."
He gestured to the folder he'd handed over earlier. "Those are the jōnin I've shortlisted for team placement. Each one has the right experience and temperament."
Tsunade flipped through the names, scanning the list. "Kakashi's not on here?"
Shikaku nodded. "Yeah, I left him off. Kakashi's a valuable asset to Konoha, and I figured we'd hold him for one of the upcoming classes. With the way that generation's shaping up… we're gonna need someone like him."
Tsunade nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah… those two batches have some real talent. The kids Kaito rescued, that one kid Gai's taken a liking to, the Hyūga prodigy… and of course, all the clan heirs in that class."
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Shizune peeked in. "Lady Tsunade—Fugaku-sama is here."
Tsunade nodded. "Let him in."
This time, the door opened without hesitation.
Fugaku Uchiha stepped into the room. His face was calm, as always, but the tightness in his shoulders gave him away. He gave a curt nod to Tsunade, and a brief glance to the others.
Fugaku's voice was serious. "Lady Hokage. We've got a situation."
Tsunade's relaxed posture immediately shifted, her back straightening. "Go on."
Fugaku gave a sharp nod and explained, "We lost contact with one of the border patrol units stationed near the northeast ridge. A recovery team was dispatched. They found signs of a skirmish."
A brief silence followed.
Kaito sat up straighter, his easy expression fading as his eyes sharpened.
Shikaku frowned, arms crossing. "Sounds like an ambush."
Fugaku nodded. "That's our working theory. The area's been swept—no signs of the squad. No blood, no gear. Whoever did this knew how to cover their tracks."
Tsunade leaned back in her chair. "Any signs it was missing-nin?"
"Possibly," Fugaku replied. "But the level of coordination… it feels too clean. Too professional. Doesn't seem random."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. She turned slightly toward Shikaku. "Thoughts?"
Shikaku sighed and rubbed his chin. "If someone's testing our response time, this is exactly how they'd do it. Isolate a team, watch how we move. If we overreact, it shows we're nervous. If we do nothing, they'll assume we're weak."
Tsunade nodded slowly, then turned to Kaito, who had been silent but clearly deep in thought.
"What do you think?" she asked.
Kaito looked up. "...Want me to check it out?"
"No," Tsunade said immediately.
Kaito blinked. "Huh? Why not?"
Tsunade gave him a flat look. "Because the last time I sent you to 'check something out,' you came back with a caravan of refugees, kicked a Kage in the face, and nearly started a war with the Land of Water."
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "You expect me to do nothing while they're out there committing genocide? That's not the way I was raised, ya know…"
Tsunade's voice was firm. "You're a shinobi, Kaito."
Kaito raised an eyebrow and asked, "Yeah so what, why do people always act like being a shinobi makes us something different? It's just a profession. We're still human—that doesn't change. If there's something I can do about it, then I'm gonna do something about it."
The room went quiet.
Even Shikaku paused, watching him thoughtfully. Tsunade stared for a moment—then smirked faintly.
Fugaku cleared his throat. "If stealth is what you need, I suggest sending Shisui. He's the best we have for subtle recon."
Tsunade didn't even blink. She flicked her fingers once, and a masked ANBU dropped to one knee in front of them.
"Fetch Shisui Uchiha, Tokuma Hyūga, and Raidō Namiashi," she ordered. "Now."
With a silent flicker, the ANBU vanished.
Tsunade turned her gaze back to Kaito and Hotaru.
She let out a long breath. "As for you two—you're dismissed. The invitations for the Chūnin Exams have already gone out. From this point on, all the planning and coordination is your responsibility."
Hotaru bowed politely. "We'll do our best, Lady Hokage."
Kaito gave a small nod, eyes still slightly downcast. "Yeah…"
Without another word, Hotaru reached over, gently took Kaito's wrist, and pulled him along as they left the office.
The door clicked softly shut behind them.
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