"Kiyosuke, I'm leaving Konoha."
That was the first thing Asuma said when he saw Kiyosuke that morning.
Kiyosuke was completely stunned.
What happened? Why would Asuma leave Konoha? What about Kurenai?
"Did you not get enough sleep?" Kiyosuke asked.
"No! I'm wide awake. You're the one who looks half-asleep," Asuma replied, exasperated, staring at Kiyosuke in his pajamas, still clutching his blanket.
"Oh, so you do know what time it is? It's seven thirty in the morning. I'm on break! Can't I sleep in a little?" Kiyosuke shouted, holding up his alarm clock.
"Sorry!"
"Just give me a minute."
He got up, changed, washed up, and made himself a bowl of instant noodles—with two eggs added!
"So, what's going on this time?"
"For the village, the Hokage isn't the most important thing!" Asuma blurted out without context.
Kiyosuke pieced it together. Judging by Asuma's age, he must be in his rebellious phase. He probably had a fight with Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Tell me... are you really planning to leave?"
"That's right. I've been chosen to serve as one of the guards for the Daimyō. I'll be heading to the capital of the Land of Fire to protect him," Asuma explained.
Originally, Hiruzen had planned to send the ANBU to protect the Daimyō, but due to the assassination attempt orchestrated by Danzō, the plan was temporarily shelved. Now, they were selecting shinobi from the village to send to the capital instead.
"So you're going to... slurpslurp... leave Konoha... slurp... and have you thought about... slurp... Kurenai?"
"Kurenai? What about her?"
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking... once you're gone, there'll be a vacancy at her side. And if some handsome, kind guy comes along—one that's exactly her type—well... heh heh."
"Ah..."
Asuma was left speechless. He clenched his teeth and muttered, "Then I'll wish her happiness."
Kiyosuke: ???
What the hell? That's your reaction? No way. Based on how into Kurenai you usually are, you'd never just walk away like this. What's going on?
Then Asuma said, "That guy you mentioned... there's probably only one in Konoha. You, Kiyosuke. If it's you, I know you'll make her happy. I'll give you two my blessing."
Kiyosuke paused mid-bite, then gave Asuma a thumbs-up, finished the last of his noodles in a few big gulps, wiped his mouth, and slapped Asuma on the head.
"You bastard! What kind of person do you think I am? If I had feelings for Kurenai, do you think you'd even have a chance? She's already my girlfriend! What do you take me for?!"
"Ah, I..." Asuma scratched his head awkwardly. "Sorry, I just..."
His mind was a mess.
Kiyosuke let him go and said,
"I don't care what you and your old man argued about. But if you're really leaving Konoha, you'd better say goodbye to Kurenai properly. Be honest about how you feel. Don't come back later and find she's raising a kid, and you never even told her you liked her."
"You... you mean confess?"
"What else?" Kiyosuke sat down, crossed his arms, and rested his chin on them, eyes deep and serious.
"Asuma, remember this. My dates are already scheduled years ahead."
Asuma opened his mouth to argue, but the moment he tried, he realized... damn, that actually makes sense. This guy was flirting with girls even during the Chūnin Exams. A true role model!
Maybe with his guidance, things might actually work out between him and Kurenai...
"If this works, Kiyosuke, you'll be my savior. You can officiate our wedding!"
You haven't even confessed yet, and you're already planning the wedding?
Well, whatever. Let's help the guy out.
"You're really going to the capital of the Land of Fire?"
"Yes! I've already made up my mind! Not even the old man can stop me! I said what I said!" Asuma declared, pounding his chest.
Kiyosuke gave it some thought. This guy would eventually become one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, bearing the Fire Emblem—he clearly had potential. If he wanted to go, then let him. After all, it wasn't like Kiyosuke was the one marrying Kurenai in the end.
This was the path he chose. Even if he had to do it in tears, he had to walk it himself.
Asuma, the son of the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, admired his father deeply but also had a complicated relationship with him. He didn't want to follow the path his father had mapped out. He wanted to see the world beyond Konoha, to understand the difference between Hokage and Daimyō.
"Let's go. Head home, change into something more presentable, and go find Kurenai."
"Confess right away?"
"Of course," Kiyosuke said as if it were obvious. "You've known each other for a long time. She sees you as a comrade. Deep down, she might not even consider you a potential romantic partner. So you need to confess first—change her impression of you. Even if you leave, she'll remember. And over time, friendship might turn into love."
Wow. I'm learning so much. So this is what it's like to be the kind of guy who can get girls during the Chūnin Exams?
Asuma mentally cursed himself. How did he go all this time without learning from this guy? What else had he missed out on?
"Hey, hey, what's with that look?!"
"I'm looking at you like you're a womanizer! Kiyosuke, you're totally gonna end up like Jiraiya-sama one day!"
"Don't lump me in with that pervert!" Kiyosuke shouted.
"By the way, isn't your date from Sunagakure? Is she really going to come?"
"No idea," Kiyosuke said with a grin. "Who knows? If she wants to, I'll be there for her. If not, I won't force her."
He wondered if Pakura was still alive. But he hadn't heard anything about Sunagakure and Kirigakure holding grudges after the Third Great Ninja War.
He shook his head and stopped dwelling on it.
Kiyosuke said, "You go on ahead. Change into something a bit more formal. I'll head to the flower shop and get you some flowers. I'll also ask Kurenai out for you."
"Really?"
"What, you don't trust me?"
"I do."
Asuma rushed home, beaming as he changed his clothes. Biwako, who was at home recovering, gave her son a puzzled look.
"Asuma, where are you going? You just changed clothes this morning. Why are you changing again? It's hard to keep up with the laundry."
"Mom, I'm going to get you a daughter-in-law. Gotta run—she's waiting for me!"
Biwako: ???
"Daughter-in-law? Has he really reached that age already?"
Kiyosuke arrived at a flower shop and asked, "Do you have roses? I need them for a confession."
"Yes, we do," the shopkeeper—a woman holding her newborn—replied with a smile. She picked up a bouquet of roses. "These are perfect."
"Oh, not bad." He took the bouquet, paid for it, and sent a shadow clone to go find Kurenai.
Kurenai was arranging flowers at home when the clone arrived. She looked up in surprise.
"Kiyosuke? Is something wrong?"
"It's important," the shadow clone said solemnly. "I like a girl, and I'm going to confess today. Kurenai, could you help me out? Come with me and be my wingwoman. Is that okay?"