At this moment, Konan felt that what Pakura had said was an insult to her.
She was someone who already had a loved one—how could she possibly have such disgusting thoughts about the Emperor?
Just hearing those vulgar and indecent words filled her with disgust.
Her emotions were in complete turmoil.
She had already been feeling down because of what had happened to her counterpart from the other world, and now she was even more frustrated.
She hurriedly walked out of the izakaya, striding quickly toward her home.
Pakura was clearly a decent person, so why had she suddenly said something like that today?
Did she really think Konan was someone who could joke about such things so casually?
Then she thought about Mei—how could Pakura mock her like that?
Mei had always kept her feelings for the Emperor hidden deep in her heart, never doing anything inappropriate in public.
She had even been worried about her own situation and had reminded Konan to be cautious.
In that moment, the image of these two friends in Konan's heart changed drastically.
She returned home alone, but she didn't know what to do.
She lay motionless on the sofa.
It wasn't until evening that Yahiko and Nagato arrived.
Seeing Konan lying there, they looked at each other in confusion.
"Konan?"
Konan barely lifted her head to look at them.
Her gaze lingered on Yahiko for a few seconds before she said, "I don't feel like cooking today. You two go eat outside."
Yahiko and Nagato exchanged glances, then leaned in with concern.
"Konan, did something happen?"
Konan let out a long breath and said, "It's nothing. I just don't feel like cooking."
How could she possibly tell them about this?
She could only keep it to herself and slowly digest it over time.
They knew each other's personalities well—normally, they wouldn't hide things from one another.
But seeing that Konan didn't want to talk about it, Yahiko and Nagato didn't press further.
"I'll cook dinner with Nagato. If there's anything you want to eat, just let us know," Yahiko said with a cheerful smile.
Konan pursed her lips and looked at the warm, bright smile on Yahiko's face, feeling a wave of warmth in her heart.
But then, she thought—if only the Yahiko from the other world were still there as well.
That way, she wouldn't have to suffer humiliation.
"Anything is fine. Just make whatever you like," she said before getting up and heading to her room.
"I'm going to change."
She had been lying on the couch all afternoon, and her body felt uncomfortable.
As Yahiko and Nagato busied themselves in the kitchen, Konan stayed in her room for a long time.
When she finally came out, she had changed into more comfortable home clothes.
Seeing the two of them bustling around the kitchen made her feel a little better.
By dinnertime, a bit of a smile had returned to her face.
After the meal, as they were cleaning up, Nagato, sensing the mood, tactfully excused himself and left first.
While washing the dishes, Konan suddenly said to Yahiko, "Over there… I mean, the other me… she's having a hard time adjusting to life here. If you have time, you should go check on her."
Yahiko hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is your bad mood today related to her?"
"…Don't ask. I don't want to talk about it."
Yahiko sighed and said, "Alright. I can go tomorrow. Should I go alone, or should we go together?"
Konan was silent for a moment before saying, "Go alone. I think… she really needs your support."
There was a bit of selfishness in her decision.
She hoped that the other version of herself, upon seeing Yahiko again, would rekindle her feelings for him—hoping that he could help her find strength in her heart once more.
Yahiko nodded lightly but, after thinking for a moment, added, "Konan, even though she's also you… she's not my— I mean, my feelings for her are just normal concern…"
Konan immediately shot him a sharp glance. "Of course, I know that. What, do you want both of us or something?"
Yahiko laughed awkwardly and quickly promised, "No way, I wouldn't even dare think about it!"
Konan fell into silence again before murmuring, "She's really pitiful."
Yahiko also grew silent, washing the plate in his hands without a word.
After a long pause, he finally said, "The future will get better."
The future…
Konan felt lost.
Would the future really be better?
She had no solution, and the thought of what was to come filled her heart with indescribable sorrow.
The next day.
After learning from Konan where the Hokage Konan lived, Yahiko prepared to visit her.
For a moment, he considered bringing a gift, but then felt it would be too formal, so he decided to go empty-handed.
He arrived at a quiet courtyard and noticed a lush tangerine tree growing by the fence.
Beneath it, a tall woman was watering the plants.
The woman had slightly tanned skin and wore revealing, alluring clothing that gave off a unique charm.
Noticing Yahiko outside, she glanced at him, then smiled and said, "You must be Lord Yahiko, correct?"
Yahiko was surprised. "You know me?"
The woman chuckled. "One of the empire's chief ministers—I often see you in the newspapers."
Yahiko returned a warm smile. "I'm here to see… Konan."
The woman replied, "Please, come in."
In the living room, there were three other women—one with orange hair, one with black hair, and Hokage Konan.
Each of them was stunningly beautiful, leaving Yahiko momentarily dazzled.
He hadn't expected Hokage Konan's housemates to be such breathtaking women and was also surprised at how she had ended up living with them.
He quickly realized that this wasn't the best place for a private conversation.
When Hokage Konan saw Yahiko, she froze for a moment before getting up from the sofa.
"You… why are you here?"
Robin introduced him to Nami and Hancock.
"This is Lord Yahiko, one of the Empire's chief ministers."
"Nice to meet you," Yahiko nodded slightly, then turned to Hokage Konan.
"I… heard that you've settled down here, so I came to check on you."
Nami and Hancock exchanged glances, greeting him briefly before turning their attention back to Konan, curiosity flickering in their eyes.
What's the relationship between Konan and this man?
After a brief moment of thought, Hokage Konan said, "Let's go outside and talk."
Yahiko agreed readily, as that was exactly what he had in mind.
The two of them left the room together.
As soon as the door closed, Nami flopped onto the sofa and eagerly asked, "So, what's the deal between that guy and Konan?"
Robin chuckled. "Who knows? Maybe they're just friends."
Nami frowned. "But isn't Konan from another world? How does she have friends here?"
Robin replied, "Not sure."
Hancock furrowed her brows. "This doesn't seem so simple. Isn't Konan one of His Majesty's people? Why is she involved with another man?"
Robin sighed and, instead of answering, left the room to continue tending to the artwork she was nurturing.
Meanwhile, after leaving the house, Hokage Konan and Yahiko found a quiet restaurant nearby and sat down.
"How do you feel about your new environment?" Yahiko was the first to speak after they settled in.
"It's fine. Everyone is nice," Hokage Konan replied calmly.
At this moment, she no longer felt the overwhelming emotions she had when she first saw him.
"That's good to hear," Yahiko said.
As he looked at Hokage Konan, whose demeanor was completely different from the one in his memories, he suddenly felt a strange sense of dissonance.
This person… was she really Konan to him?
Was he facing his Konan, or just a stranger?
A strange awkwardness crept up on him, and he said, "I wanted to come sooner, but work kept me busy, so I was delayed until now."
Hokage Konan seemed to catch on to something.
Her eyes flickered slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"There was no need to come all this way. You should focus on your work. You don't have to do anything for me—I came here to live on my own."
She knew that he had only come because the Konan from this world had urged him to, or at least given her approval.
Otherwise, Yahiko would have had too many reservations to make this visit.
The Konan from this world… she was probably like that—a person who had always idealized love.
To shift the conversation, she asked, "Robin mentioned earlier that you're a chief minister of the Empire?"
Yahiko smiled. "Ah, yes. His Majesty values me and gave me this opportunity."
Chief minister—just from the title, it was clear it was a high-ranking position.
Hokage Konan gave a small, knowing smile. "You seem to enjoy this role a lot."
Yahiko paused for a moment before replying, "Everything I once dreamed of has been realized by His Majesty. In the nation he built, my ideals have been extended. I hope I can accomplish something meaningful."
Ideals, huh…
Hokage Konan felt a pang of melancholy.
She thought back to the Akatsuki of the past.
Back then, everyone had come together because they shared the same beliefs.
They had followed Yahiko in an attempt to save Amegakure…
But the Akatsuki that came later had changed completely.
Hokage Konan said, "I believe you'll achieve it."
Yahiko smiled. "Thank you."
Hokage Konan smiled again. "Because you have people by your side who firmly support you."
Yahiko was momentarily stunned before replying, "I know… I've always known."
He turned to ask, "What about you? Have you thought about what you want to do?"
Hokage Konan said, "I don't have any specific plans for now. I just feel that my current daily life is quite nice—cooking, watering plants, watching TV, strolling around the city…"
She listed her daily routine in a soft, tranquil voice.
Yahiko could sense a unique serenity and warmth beneath her cool exterior.
"This kind of life is something I never experienced in the past twenty years. I want to take my time and savor it."
"…Congratulations," Yahiko blurted out after a moment of daze.
Hokage Konan was a bit surprised, then chuckled softly.
She rarely smiled, and only in front of this person would she do so.
"Yes, I suppose congratulations are in order. Congratulations to me—for gaining a new life."
Yahiko sighed. "Before coming here, I was worried that you might not be able to adjust to this new life."
Hokage Konan said, "The sudden shift to a slow-paced life was a bit unfamiliar at first, but it's not something I can't accept. In fact, I'm looking forward to the days ahead."
The two of them talked about many things.
Yahiko shared his future plans and details about his work, while Hokage Konan quietly listened and even offered some insightful suggestions.
Talking to her gave him the same sense of understanding that he felt with his Konan.
She was also Konan, but she was in her thirties—carrying a maturity and wisdom that his Konan did not yet possess.
It was… undeniably attractive.
As soon as that thought surfaced, Yahiko quickly pushed it away.
He already had his Konan.
And this woman… she was probably only opening up to him because he looked like someone she once cared for.
He shouldn't entertain inappropriate thoughts or taint the emotions between them.
Yahiko remained composed.
As they parted, he told Hokage Konan that if she ever needed anything in Konoha, she could come to him.
As a chief minister, his words carried weight in many situations.
Hokage Konan smiled as she bid him farewell.
She watched his figure disappear into the crowd before the smile on her face gradually faded.
Yahiko left with a feeling of relief.
He believed that this Konan would have a good life in this world, just as he believed in his own future.
He had to work even harder to realize his dreams and ambitions.
Hokage Konan stood still amidst the bustling street for a long time before finally leaving.
Her emotions were complicated.
She understood the goodwill Yahiko had shown when he came to see her, but that goodwill stemmed from the fact that they shared part of the same past, making him feel a certain sense of responsibility.
She, too, harbored goodwill toward them—she simply didn't want them to be entangled in her troubles anymore.
There was already another version of herself in this world, living the life she had once longed for.
That alone was enough for Hokage Konan.
She was content to remain a mere observer.
Besides, her current life wasn't so bad.
When she returned home, she happened to run into Samui, who was just heading out. She greeted her politely.
Samui didn't say much—she simply returned the greeting before leaving.
Robin had finished watering the plants and was now reading a magazine in the living room.
"Konan's back," Nami said with a playful smile upon seeing her.
"Yeah."
"What did you and your friend talk about?" Nami asked, eyes filled with curiosity.
"Just some everyday things. We haven't seen each other in a long time," Konan replied.
Nami leaned over the sofa, resting her chin on her hand with a mischievous grin.
"Really? It didn't seem that simple to me."
"You're overthinking it."
Hokage Konan's gaze shifted to Hancock, who had changed outfits and was admiring herself in front of a full-length mirror.
"Miss Hancock, are you going out?" she asked.
"No," Robin answered for her.
"His Majesty is coming tonight. She's deciding what to wear."
"His Majesty…" Hokage Konan's expression stiffened.
Robin glanced at her before returning to her magazine.
"Don't worry, His Majesty won't be staying the night. You can rest early if you'd like."
"..."
Hokage Konan looked at the three women again.
Robin remained leisurely engrossed in her magazine, Nami continued watching TV as if nothing was out of the ordinary, and Hancock seemed rather expectant about the evening's events.
Her heart was suddenly filled with an inexplicable sense of nervousness and unease.
The calmness and tranquility she had displayed earlier when facing Yahiko instantly vanished, though she did not let it show on her face.
His Majesty coming here… was completely different from when they were summoned to Miss Samui's place.
If something were to happen tonight…
She silently clenched her fists, Yahiko's smiling face from earlier flashing through her mind, but in the end, she let go powerlessly.
"I'm going back to my room," she said.
Robin and Nami watched as Hokage Konan walked back to her bedroom without saying anything.
After all, they had once experienced these same emotions.
With time, she would eventually change too.
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