He was awakened by those white lights that had been lurking, waiting to rouse and carry him away.
The air smelled of medicine, urine, and alcohol. He realized where he was: a place he hated, especially for eating.
A hospital.
Upon waking, he saw a tray laden with food, each dish beckoning him to devour it.
He began to eat desperately, mixing the food with the water he drank.
He saw a moth, captivated by the light, trying to land on the LED but failing.
For him, a moth was a reminder of his desire, so simple yet so distant.
A nurse passed by the door carrying a notebook and a pen.
She was surprised; the boy's face was covered in food, and the white sheets were stained everywhere.
He hadn't even bothered to look at her or say anything to her. He continued eating as if what was on his plate was the last meal of his life.
And she didn't blame him; she had seen the state he was in when he arrived. child
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So he decided to leave the room to let him eat.
Orochimaru was walking towards the hospital.
Tsunade, upon leaving the tower, went in search of Dan, Nawaki, and Shizune, while Jiraiya... was still Jiraiya, going to the hot springs to observe women.
For a long time, he had wondered about the meaning of life if in the end one ended up underground, eaten by worms, and drowning in darkness.
When he saw the child, he saw something different in him.
Anger. Furthermore, he didn't look at him like other children who dared each other to see who was braver for crossing his path.
He didn't look; he analyzed.
That feeling of finding something different from what he constantly saw was magnetic.
Upon entering the hospital, he asked for Kimimaro and was given the room number.
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Orochimaru passed through the door like Always without asking, without warning, and above all, with an icy stare.
"Why did you save me?"
Orochimaru smiled wildly. He was definitely right, and he hadn't been wrong.
"We'll find that out in time, Kimimaro."
That man was hiding something terrifying. He was two-faced, Kimimaro realized with that single answer.
He was waiting for something to happen.
"More food."
"You have a button to call the nurse."
Kimimaro looked at the black button on the left side of the bed.
"Are you a ninja?"
"Are you a ninja?" —Yes, although that doesn't matter much to you.
I took the last sip of water and then looked at him.
—I'm interested in knowing who the man is who saved me.
They both stopped talking; the conversation had died after both showed interest in not wanting to continue speaking.
The nurse had brought more food on a tray.
Like all the nurses and orderlies, she had a friendly face, trying to convey tranquility along with friendly gestures.
—Where am I?
—In the Leaf Village, known as Konoha.
So I was in a village, and apparently one of the best, judging by all the infrastructure and buildings.
—What do you plan to do next?
Orochimaru was about to leave and intended to hear the answer to his last question.
—We'll find out in time, won't we?
He left the room, carefully closing the door behind him.
He needed to recover.