"Hehe, such a rare chance to travel far, of course I can't miss it!"
"So I just tagged along!"
Naruto said with an innocent expression, pulling over a gloomy-looking Sasuke next to him: "No matter how strong the enemy is, Sasuke and I will definitely defeat them!"
Takumi couldn't help but roll his eyes.
'Wow, with your two's strength, it'd be a blessing if you didn't hold us back.'
"Alright then, now that you're here, be careful."
"Don't fall into the enemy's hands."
...
As time passed.
The escort team continued towards the Land of Snow.
And they didn't stay idle on the journey.
The film crew shot scenes along the way, making the new movie as they traveled.
"Good, very good! Excellent, Yukie-san!"
The director excitedly held his megaphone, watching the beautiful Koyuki on the monitor.
When acting, Koyuki could always smoothly express the emotions and expressions the director required.
So there was almost never a 'cut' called due to her performance.
The cut is mostly because of props or weather.
This made the filming progress very smooth.
But after the cameras stopped, Takumi keenly observed the panic in Koyuki's eyes.
This was normal.
Judging by the shooting schedule, they would reach the Land of Snow in a few days.
That place was like a nightmare for Koyuki.
The closer she got, the more anxious she became.
Because there, enemies who wanted her dead awaited.
"What's wrong? You don't look too well?"
Takumi approached, asking softly.
"None of your business."
Koyuki glanced at Takumi and quickly left.
"My apologies, Fujikaze-san is feeling unwell, please forgive her." Sandayu bowed and apologized profusely nearby, then hurriedly chased after her.
Takumi squinted, knowing this woman who had spent half her life running was about to start her escape again.
Sure enough, an hour later.
The set was ready, but Koyuki was missing.
"Milady! Milady! Where are you?!"
Sandayu looked panicked and distraught, shouting anxiously.
"This is bad."
Kakashi looked helpless. "The escort target actually disappeared, and we didn't even notice."
He looked at Sakura and Ino. "Weren't you supposed to stay by her side?"
Sakura and Ino exchanged glances, looking pained: "After filming, Yukie-san went into her room and didn't come out."
"We couldn't just barge in. She probably escaped then?"
"Byakugan!" Hinata immediately activated her Byakugan, wanting to use its powerful search ability to find Koyuki.
But soon, she saw Koyuki being carried back by Takumi over his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Takumi-kun found her and is bringing her back."
Hearing this, Kakashi immediately sighed in relief, then smiled and said, "Having him around is really reassuring."
"But it's my fault. Because the mission was too smooth, I also got a bit complacent."
"We're the ones at fault." Sakura and Ino, as the ones who failed to keep watch, lowered their heads in shame.
"But thankfully, Takumi found her."
Their eyes sparkled with admiration.
"As expected of Takumi-kun! We just realized the target was missing, and he already found her!"
"I heard you found Mis... milady, is that right?" Sandayu hurried over anxiously.
"Yes, Takumi found her, bringing her back now." Kakashi said with a smile.
"Great, great..." Sandayu sighed in relief, swaying a bit, almost sitting on the ground.
Meanwhile, Takumi carried Koyuki over his shoulder, her rear resting on it, swaggering back towards the group.
"Although I don't know why you ran, and I don't particularly want to know, because it's not related to my duty,"
"But your actions only cause trouble for others, with no benefit."
Takumi naturally knew why Koyuki ran.
But he could only pretend not to know now.
Because as someone born and raised in Konoha, he had no way of knowing about events in the Land of Snow.
Even Kakashi, who was present at the time, didn't recognize Koyuki.
Let alone him, who couldn't possibly know.
"Hmph, you just don't understand..."
Koyuki pressed her cheek against Takumi's back.
She couldn't figure out how Takumi found her even after she ran into the mountains.
'Are these Shinobi all so perceptive?'
"Milady! Great! It's wonderful you're safe!" Sandayu wept with joy, wanting to hug Koyuki but hesitating, not daring to reach out.
Because he knew Koyuki's true identity.
Given his status, hugging the Princess of Land of Snow would be presumptuous.
"Hmph, such meddlesome people."
Koyuki didn't appreciate it, instead snorted coldly and returned to her private car.
"So rude. I used to like the characters she played."
Naruto grumbled discontentedly, squinting at the departing Koyuki.
"Naruto, don't speak ill of the employer."
Kakashi reprimanded him, then looked at Takumi. "Takumi, thanks this time."
"But how did you find her?"
Clearly, Kakashi was puzzled why Takumi reacted so quickly.
They just discovered Koyuki had run, and Takumi already brought her back.
"I noticed earlier she seemed uneasy. Although I don't know why, it made me pay attention."
Takumi gave his prepared reason: "So I kept watch outside her car, and she actually ran."
"Uneasy?"
Kakashi pondered. "Anyway, well done. Go rest a bit. Leave surveillance to Naruto and Sasuke."
Takumi nodded, then jumped onto a tree, closing his eyes to rest.
Because Takumi caught her, Koyuki temporarily gave up on escaping.
After obediently finishing the scenes here, everyone boarded the carriages to continue.
However, just as dawn broke, Sakura ran out shouting: "Th-that woman, she, she ran again!"
"What?!"
The group quickly came out to search.
Hinata immediately activated her Byakugan, searching everywhere.
"Found her!"
After just a few minutes, Hinata pointed into the distance and shouted.
"It's Takumi-kun, bringing her back!"
In the distance, in the forest.
"Let go! Let me go!"
Koyuki shouted and struggled wildly.
But Takumi carried her firmly over his shoulder, so she couldn't move.
"You, how did you find me again?!"
"I ran away last night, so how could you still find me!"
Koyuki felt like crying but had no tears.
She had run all night, covering dozens of kilometers, yet got caught again!
Are they playing with her?!
Running all night is exhausting!
But all that effort was for nothing!
"Takumi, well done."
Kakashi looked somewhat speechlessly at Koyuki.
Such a difficult employer… it's his first time encountering one.
The group packed up and headed to the next filming location.
However, upon reaching the next destination, just as everyone prepared to rest, they found Koyuki was missing yet again.
"Sorry."
Sasuke's face was grim.
He and Naruto had been watching but didn't notice when Koyuki disappeared.
"I'll go find her now!"
Naruto said, turning to run.
But Kakashi grabbed him.
"Relax, Takumi already found her."
Kakashi pointed at Hinata using her Byakugan. "But you were indeed careless. Be more attentive in the future."
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei."
Naruto hung his head.
Sasuke's expression eased a bit but still looked unpleasant.