Atop the mast—
A girl stood upon the crossbeam, head tilted up toward the boy lounging on the round plank fixed at the mast's peak.
For now,
the storm had yet to break.
Only a fierce wind swept in from the southeast, whipping the girl's hair into disarray. She raised a hand to press down her long chestnut-red locks. After a moment of silence, curiosity finally overcame her restraint.
"Kyoichi, what did Grandfather say to you?"
"…You've been staring at me all this time just to ask that?"
Lying spread-eagle on the plank,
Kyoichi gave a helpless sigh.
"Your grandfather's temper isn't exactly gentle."
Terumī Mei fixed him with a look.
"Don't be fooled by how kindly he acts around Great-Grandfather Dazen. That's only because their bond runs deep. With us juniors, he never shows a smile… even Cousin Ryūsei is like a mouse before a cat whenever he sees him."
"Ryūsei?"
"Kirigumo Ryūsei—my cousin, Grandfather's blood grandson."
"He's on the front lines as well?"
"He is… Don't change the subject, Kyoichi. What did Grandfather say to you?"
The girl's grip tightened.
She refused to be led astray, clinging stubbornly to her question.
"…You want to know that badly?"
"That's right."
"Curiosity kills the cat. As shinobi, we should learn to restrain it…"
"Elder Genji taught me that curiosity is what drives people to grow."
"…Hah."
Kyoichi exhaled, exasperated. Such a stubborn girl.
"Masakazu-sama didn't say much. He only asked me to look after you during the mission."
"That's all?"
"What else would it be?"
"…But after he finished talking with you, the way he looked at me was strange. Are you sure he didn't say anything else?" Mei's suspicious gaze pinned him.
"If you don't believe me, just ask Masakazu-sama directly."
Unruffled, Kyoichi sat steady as bedrock despite the raging wind.
Mei studied him for a long while but found no flaw. At last, she scrunched her nose in frustration.
"Fine. Once we're back in the village, I'll ask Grandfather myself. Kyoichi, you'd better not be lying to me. If I find out you're hiding something, then I'll—"
"You'll what?"
Kyoichi cut her off bluntly.
"I'll… I'll…"
Her lips pouted, but no words came out.
Because really—
even if Kyoichi were hiding something, it wasn't grounds for her to throw a tantrum.
"…Sorry, Kyoichi."
Mei muttered softly.
She wasn't unreasonable by nature. Straightforward and fair, she quickly lowered her head to apologize.
"My curiosity did go a little too far."
"Mm."
Kyoichi smiled.
"I forgive you."
Then, he added:
"And truly, Masakazu-sama said nothing else. Only that 'a forced melon is never sweet'—that he won't meddle in your personal affairs, and that I'll have to put in the effort myself."
"Eh?"
Mei blinked in confusion.
Her personal affairs?
What could that mean… Life's great matters are nothing more than career and family, birth and death. The latter was far away. Her career was her own responsibility. That left only… marriage?
"…Ridiculous!!"
She shook her head with disdain.
"I've no interest in that sort of thing."
Then, tilting her face toward the darkening skies, she said:
"Kyoichi, the storm's almost here. You'd best head back to the cabin. I'm going down first."
With that, she strode quickly down the mast—
and if one's eyesight was sharp enough, one could glimpse the tips of her ears, hidden beneath chestnut-red hair, glowing bright red.
---
Kirigumo Masakazu stood on the deck, staring at the northern horizon. The two departing ships had long vanished from view, yet still he remained rooted in place. Even when Ao approached, he did not stir, eyes locked on the sea.
"Masakazu-sama… is this really wise?"
Ao came to stand beside him.
"What do you mean?"
"You've seen it too, haven't you? That Koeda Kyoichi harbors thoughts toward Mei he shouldn't."
"What do you mean by 'shouldn't'?"
Masakazu finally withdrew his gaze and turned toward Ao.
"Mei is a prodigy favored by Genji. She may well become Kirigakure's first female Mizukage. And the Koeda clan are nothing but traitors."
"…So, Ao, in your view, Mei can only choose from among 'our own,' excluding the Koeda?"
"Exactly."
Ao nodded solemnly.
Masakazu's lips curled into a mocking smile.
"Your abilities are decent, but your breadth of mind and vision still need work. Surely this is your own opinion Genji would never say such words."
"Masakazu-sama, you—"
"If you believe Mei is destined to be our village's first female Mizukage, then how dare you presume to meddle in a Mizukage's private affairs? Or do you imagine that even as Mizukage she'd be nothing but someone's puppet? Mei is no ignorant child. Her future is not for us old men to arrange, much less for you to dictate."
Masakazu's eyes grew cold.
"Such foolish words—once is enough. Never again. If you're dissatisfied, then by all means, tell Genji when we return. See if he agrees with you."
"And another thing: once the Koeda clan joined Kirigakure, they became our people. Don't you dare call them traitors again. Otherwise, even Genji… would not forgive you."
Ao's face paled.
For a long while he was speechless.
At last, he forced out:
"Masakazu-sama, what I said came from the heart—for the sake of the village. I bear no selfish intent…"
"It's only because I know you mean no malice that I bother speaking gently with you. Were it anyone else, you'd have seen how I'd deal with them."
Masakazu gave a cold laugh.
"Ao, don't forget—our Kirigakure lives by the law of the strong. And that Koeda Kyoichi boy is a genuine powerhouse… Mei may not even be able to outmatch him."
"What?"
Ao's face changed drastically.
"That's impossible!"
"You think Mei lost to Kyoichi in sparring simply because she's two years younger?"
"Of course. Before the age of twenty, even a single year's difference is immense—especially for a genius like Mei…"
"You young men don't yet understand the weight of Hanzō of the Salamander."
Masakazu let out a long sigh.