After thinking it over… maybe I shouldn't keep checking the comment boards anymore. One of my few little pleasures had been reading those snarky remarks, but lately… it's just too exhausting. Hm… if you must post something, keep it focused around Chapters Sixteen and Seventeen, all right? Of course, bonus updates won't change. That's that.
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Kakashi frowned as he watched Mitsuki Mui sitting beside him, nibbling casually on dumplings, grilled meat, pastries—washing it all down with sips of tea.
Not a hint of tension.
Not the slightest trace of a shinobi's bearing.And worse… no shred of honor at all.
Kakashi didn't go out often, but even so, whenever he walked the streets of Konoha, it was clear: if news came that the village had won, everyone—old and young alike—would be overjoyed.
And if they lost, the whole village sank into sorrow.
But Mui…
Victory or defeat—it never seemed to matter to her in the slightest.
In fact, Kakashi knew perfectly well that if Mui wanted to, she could already head to the front lines. Months ago, she had been strong enough to defeat him, and he himself could hold his own against most genin. Yet here she was, in the middle of wartime, with no thought whatsoever of contributing to Konoha's struggle.
That… he couldn't stand.
"You… don't you have any dreams?"
Kakashi's sharp gaze fixed on her.
"Dreams, huh…"
Mui popped a dumpling into her mouth, chewed, and answered lightly, "Nope. But I do have a life plan."
"Oh? And what's that?"
"Hold on. Shouldn't you go first? What's your dream?"
Mui polished off a skewer of grilled meat and pointed the stick toward him.
"My dream…"
Kakashi paused, then said firmly, "I… I want to become a shinobi like my father. Your turn."
"Is that so…"
Mui raised an eyebrow. "I don't have any lofty dream, but as for my plan… let's see. First, I'll finish the academy and graduate the normal way."
"Wait! Wait just a second! You mean normal graduation? Why? You've got incredible strength, you're a born genius! Why would you settle for something like that?"
"Eh, it's nothing," Mui replied with an easy smile. "It's just safer that way."
She sipped her tea and went on, "After that, I'll take missions and save money. I'm confident that before I even graduate, I'll have strength on par with a jōnin. Once I'm there, taking on genin and chūnin-level missions will let me earn what I need pretty quickly."
"Then I'll buy the little shop across from my house—the general goods store. I'll pay off the owner and have him set up somewhere else. And I'll retire from being a ninja. After that? I'll take a trip around the world, see the lands and cultures, then come back and run my own shop. Every day, just staying in the store. Sounds like a good life, doesn't it?"
"No… that kind of life is far too ordinary. That's the sort of path a failed genin might choose, someone with no other option. But you—you have overwhelming talent. Greater even than mine. Why would you want such a plain life? That's not the road meant for you."
"Maybe so…"
Mui only shrugged, unconcerned. "But I've never cared about big dreams like becoming Hokage. I just want to quietly grow stronger, to have enough power to protect my everyday life, and live peacefully. That's all. Mm… though if the academy ever needs a substitute teacher, I wouldn't mind filling in a few days. Assuming, of course, they actually want me."
"I see…"
Kakashi had no words. Mitsuki Mui's vision of life completely overturned his own. She was already so strong… by the time she graduated, she'd be at a jōnin's level. If she pushed herself even a little further, she could easily rise to the rank of Kage. And yet…
"…By the way, what kind of shop do you want to open?"
Kakashi relaxed slightly, tossing out the question without much thought. He didn't care whether she answered or not.
"Mm… I want to open an adult novelty shop. What do you think? Not bad, right?"
"Yeah, not ba—wait. What kind of shop?"
"An adult novelty shop," Mui said cheerfully.