Shiki already had a guess what was going on.
Poor Shinku… he must've suffered a lot these past few days.
And while Shiki was quietly pitying the man, Kurenai suddenly noticed that Anko was still staring at him with that sparkly, admiring look in her eyes.
"Uh—Anko!"
Kurenai immediately snapped at her. "Weren't you busy? Didn't you say you needed to leave early?"
"Ha?"
Anko blinked.
Then blinked again.
She looked between Kurenai and Shiki like her brain rebooted mid-sentence.
"…What? Did I hear that right?"
"You go back first," Kurenai said gently, way too gently, hands on Anko's shoulders like a saint.
If Shiki didn't know her, he'd think she was actually being caring.
Anko, however, knew exactly what this was.
"You're really my good friend, huh?"
She squinted.
Translation:
When Shiki wasn't home, you dragged me here EVERY DAY to help clean.
The moment he returns, you kick me out like yesterday's trash.
So much for "friends for life."
Kurenai gave the fakest innocent smile ever.
"Hehe… well… eheh…"
She couldn't exactly show how much she missed Shiki in front of Anko, so she tried to keep her cool… and failed spectacularly.
"Okay, I get it, I get it…" Anko sighed dramatically. "I know when I'm being chased out."
Shiki laughed softly.
"Hehe, thanks for keeping the place neat these days, Anko."
Anko turned her face away with a small "tch," but her ears turned red.
"Hmph. Shiki-san, I'll get going then."
"Mm."
Shiki nodded, and she headed out.
The moment Anko was gone, Shiki turned to Kurenai with an amused look.
"Okay. Now it's just the two of us."
Kurenai didn't even pretend to hide it.
"Hehe… I wanted some time alone with Shiki-nii."
Shiki didn't tease her.
Truthfully, after so long away at the front lines… he'd missed this girl too.
"Go heat some water. I'll bathe after training."
"Okay!"
Kurenai nodded instantly and ran off.
Shiki unstrapped Oto and Kogarashi from his waist.
"Wait," he said suddenly.
Kurenai paused mid-step. "Hm?"
"Find a sword stand and set these two blades on it properly."
Shiki never trained with them lying around.
Oto and Kogarashi weren't toys—he had to treat them with care.
Kurenai took the swords, confused but careful.
"What… are these two blades exactly?"
She didn't know swordsmanship, but even she could feel the cold aura coming from them. They weren't like any ordinary ninja blade.
"I told you before," Shiki said, pulling out two training swords. "Those are Oto and Kogarashi."
Kurenai repeated the names quietly.
"Oto and Kogarashi..."
She still didn't understand their significance, but she could tell they were precious.
So she placed them neatly on the sword stand and hurried inside to prepare the bath.
By the time everything was ready, the sky outside had already gone dark.
Kurenai would've loved to stay longer…
but she still went home.
Yuhi Shinku was waiting, and she couldn't sleep here every night.
Besides...Shiki wasn't going anywhere now.
From here on, Kurenai could visit whenever she wanted.
Shiki stayed seated in the courtyard, staring quietly at the moon.
Not long after, footsteps approached.
Tsunade had returned from drinking with Jiraiya and Orochimaru—cheeks a little red, but not stumbling.
"Well done," Shiki said without looking away from the sky. "Didn't get drunk."
Tsunade snorted proudly.
"You bet I didn't."
Jiraiya had been mocking her on the table earlier...
"Afraid of Shiki catching you drunk?"
Tsunade had nearly knocked his teeth out.
She flopped down across from Shiki, saw him still looking up, and rolled her eyes.
"Seriously… what's so interesting about the moon? Look at me."
"Alright. I'll look at you."
"Shiiiki," she groaned, "that's the most half-assed answer I've ever heard."
Shiki blinked at her.
"…Are you starting something?"
Tsunade grinned like a menace.
Yup. She was still a little drunk.
"Hahaha—"
She burst into a cute, sloppy giggle, then jogged toward the house.
Shiki just smiled and let her go.
Next Morning
"Why are you still here!"
"I can stand wherever I want!"
The moment Tsunade and Kurenai met, the sparks flew instantly.
School was reopening soon—finally and Kurenai refused to look embarrassed in front of Shiki.
Tsunade folded her arms, raising an eyebrow.
"With the war over, you aren't planning to skip class, right?"
"Skip what class!?"
Kurenai puffed up, cheeks red. "School starts tomorrow!"
Tsunade clicked her tongue and looked away.
Kurenai did the same.
They acted like rivals… but everyone knew the truth.
Tsunade had been secretly teaching Kurenai basic chakra control and a few simple jutsu.
If anything, their relationship was pretty good.
Shiki finished his morning training and stepped into the yard—just as Kurenai turned toward him.
"Shiki-nii!"
Her eyes shimmered. "Will you walk me to school tomorrow?"
"Huh? What about your dad?"
"Eh—if you take me, it's way cooler!"
She wasn't wrong.
Right now Shiki was basically the village's war hero.
Every kid in the Academy would talk about it for weeks.
Tsunade snorted.
This brat… already learning to flex.
Kurenai took a tiny step closer, hopeful.
"So… will you?"
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