While Uchiha Obito and Black Zetsu were putting on a tragic love movie.
On the other side of Konoha, Asuma and Yuhi Kurenai sat in a lavishly decorated shop enjoying some desserts.
"Sigh... I really don't know when there will be a result?"
Asuma handed a dessert to Yuhi Kurenai, sipped his drink, and muttered to himself with a troubled expression.
It had been a week since he knelt and apologized to his father, pleading to be placed in the same class as Aomi.
So far, there had been no news!
At the time, his Hokage father told him to go home and wait for news, saying this matter wasn't easy to handle, it needed some coordination and all that, but was only trying based on his face value, advising him not to get his hopes up...
The still somewhat naive Asuma really thought this matter was difficult to handle, after all, Aomi is an Uchiha!
Perhaps they needed to get the consent of the two advisors and the Hokage Assistant?
The fact that the Hokage's son and an Uchiha were in the same class was indeed a topic of much sensitivity...
What Asuma didn't know was that, whether it was the Konoha Advisors or Hokage Assistant, despite their seeming face value and authority, when Sarutobi Hiruzen really wanted to do something, they were no different from regular Genin.
No one could interfere with what Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to do in Konoha...
Shimura Danzo's dramatic door-slamming could only make noise, while Sarutobi Hiruzen's table slam had the whole village listening to him!
As early as the day after Asuma spoke, Sarutobi Hiruzen had already arranged this matter with Jiraiya and Tsunade.
They simply hadn't told him yet, as Sarutobi Hiruzen was teasing Asuma, using small tactics to educate this rebellious youngest son a bit.
Clearly, facing his shrewd and cunning Hokage father, Asuma, the son of the Hokage, was still too immature.
"Asuma, what result are you talking about?"
Yuhi Kurenai widened her bright red eyes, blissfully took a bite of dessert, and looked at Asuma's hesitant side face with a glimmer in her eyes.
In the past, Asuma's rebellious demeanor, even Yuhi Kurenai, as a child, felt he was just putting on a show.
But recently, not only had Asuma's skills advanced rapidly, outpacing even the Chunin level with his Fire Release, but his conversations had gained more depth, and the melancholy in his brows grew more authentic, carrying an indescribable allure.
Lately, one phrase Asuma often liked to say to Yuhi Kurenai was: "Kurenai, you need to think more..."
Although Yuhi Kurenai didn't know what she was supposed to think about, she surprisingly found this phrase to be very profound, embodying an unknowable wisdom.
Asuma seemed not to hear Yuhi Kurenai's confusion, pulling out a cigarette and lighting up.
He was thinking, if he couldn't be in the same class as Aomi, what on earth would he do?
Could it be that changing Konoha was so difficult, that two like-minded young people had to be separated from the start!
A moment later, the anxious Asuma took a deep drag on his cigarette and murmured, "Aomi, oh, Aomi..."
Meanwhile, Yuhi Kurenai, who had been waiting for Asuma to respond, couldn't hold it any longer.
We're on a date here!
What do you mean by murmuring about Uchiha Aomi like that!
Aren't you taking me seriously!
"Asuma! Are you even listening to me!" Yuhi Kurenai angrily nudged Asuma's arm and said fiercely:
"You're still talking about Aomi, I'm Yuhi Kurenai, not Uchiha Aomi!"
Only then did Asuma snap out of it, apologetically smiling at Yuhi Kurenai, yet his eyes were full of weariness.
These days, as per Aomi's instructions, Asuma had been deeply contemplating at home, using his brain at high intensity to think about Konoha's future, where would he find the time to indulge in matters of love?
He was just waiting for the news about class allocation recently; otherwise, he'd probably be training with Aomi, not wasting time here eating desserts!
"I'm thinking about whether Aomi and I can be in the same class..."
Asuma shook his head and slowly said, "Even though I asked my father, this matter seems difficult to handle."
Yuhi Kurenai widened her eyes: "Didn't you say before that we'd join the same class after graduating?"
Asuma chuckled, a small flame ignited in his hand, as he tried to mimic the gesture Aomi used to ignite a fire dragon.
Moments later, a vague Konoha emblem indeed rose from Asuma's fingers.
Although the form was far from Aomi's level, it was enough to shock Yuhi Kurenai, a Ninja School student.
Yuhi Kurenai stared, stunned by the sight of Asuma illuminated by the firelight.
"Kurenai, it's not that I don't want to be in the same class with you..."
Asuma gazed at the flaming Konoha emblem in his hand, his voice becoming solemn: "But there are always some important things I have to do, so I must let go of certain things..."
Yuhi Kurenai blinked her eyes.
She always felt that Asuma seemed so different now, and now had an indescribable charm compared to before.
If before, her interaction with Asuma was partly due to his identity as the son of the Hokage, now she truly felt interest and a liking for Asuma himself...
Asuma looked at Yuhi Kurenai's inexplicable expression and sighed inwardly.
In this vast Konoha, even Yuhi Kurenai beside him couldn't understand his heart!
Only Aomi had seen the real knot in his heart, and was his only like-minded companion...
At this moment, the strongest Genjutsu in the Hokage world: bonds!
Was taking root deep within Asuma's heart, growing uncontrollably...
"Hey kid, dad wants you to come over, he says there's news about your matter!"
At this moment, Sarutobi Shinnosuke walked in from the doorway with a grin, winking at Asuma: "Hey, why are you smoking such expensive cigarettes? Not allowed to smoke, confiscated!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke expertly saw the cigarettes in Asuma's pocket, casually taking them for his own, with very practiced hands.
Asuma's face immediately fell, whispering: "The Head of Konoha's Anbu not only skips work but also strongarms a kid's stuff, I think this village is doomed, doomed..."
But then, Asuma's face broke into a joyful smile.
Having news likely meant Sarutobi Hiruzen had agreed to his request?
That meant he could be in the same class as Aomi!
Asuma suddenly stood up, just about to jog to the Hokage Building, when he remembered Yuhi Kurenai beside him.
Yuhi Kurenai was looking at Asuma with a resentful gaze, but her eyes carried an odd sparkle.
"Forgive me, Kurenai."
"Next time, I'll spend some proper time with you."
Asuma tapped her forehead, turned around, and started running, his steps light and even skipping a little.
Yuhi Kurenai stared, stunned at Asuma's retreating figure.
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Shinnosuke shrugged beside her: "This kid, always so impatient..."