The lemon juice was perfectly balanced—tart and refreshing. Hanekawa took a sip and glanced at Mei across the table.
"So? How is it?"
Mei set down her glass with deliberate casualness. "Just adequate."
Hanekawa smiled. He knew better. "Your cooking skills have improved. I should try your work next time."
Mei's expression froze solid. Her cooking was... well, it was a work in progress. The thought of Hanekawa tasting anything she'd made sent heat crawling up her neck. She'd probably die of embarrassment on the spot.
"Little maid," Hanekawa called out, setting down his glass.
"What?" Mei looked up, her eyes narrowing slightly at the nickname.
"When are you cooking for me? Tomorrow?"
"I don't have time!" She glared at him. "And stop calling me that!"
"You still owe me so much maid time." He picked up a fried shrimp, examining it with mock seriousness. "Might as well start paying it back."
"I—" Mei's lips pressed into a thin line. Finally, she bit out, "Fine. You can call me that."
"Did you forget something?" Hanekawa's eyes glinted with amusement. "You never told me how long your maid contract is extended."
"I... I haven't decided yet," Mei said, flustered. "I'll tell you when I figure it out!"
"Fair enough. I'm looking forward to it."
"Don't be!" The words burst out before she could stop them. Mei's face flushed crimson as she realized what she'd said.
Hanekawa let her stew in embarrassment for a moment before changing the subject. "Given Hidden Mist's current situation, you should become Mizukage soon."
Mei's shoulders relaxed slightly as she lowered her head. "I don't know. It depends on what the elders decide."
She looked up suddenly. "Why do you want me to be Mizukage so badly? You've mentioned it several times."
"Don't you think it would be fun?" Hanekawa asked innocently. "Having a little maid Mizukage?"
"You're a total pervert!" Mei rolled her eyes, but there was no real heat in it. "I won't let that happen."
"What? You don't want to be Mizukage?"
"Of course I do!" She pursed her lips. "But there's no way I'm your maid once I have the title!"
Hanekawa nodded thoughtfully. "I see."
"See what?" Mei asked suspiciously.
"Mizukage in public, maid in private."
Mei's entire face turned scarlet. Her chest heaved as she shot to her feet. "That is NOT what I meant! Go to hell, you pervert!"
"You look beautiful when you're angry," Hanekawa observed with a smile.
Mei's anger deflated like a punctured balloon. "D-don't think flattery will make me forgive you!"
But her voice had softened considerably.
"Where am I staying tonight?" Hanekawa glanced around her modest apartment. "Your place?"
"My house only has one room," Mei said, crossing her arms. "I've already arranged somewhere else for you."
"I'm too lazy to move." Hanekawa shook his head. "I'll stay here."
"I... there's not enough space..." Mei's voice trembled slightly.
"You take the sofa. I'll take the bed."
"You—!" Mei's hands clenched into fists.
"Tell you what," Hanekawa said with exaggerated generosity. "I won't make you suffer. We'll count the whole night as maid time."
Mei's eyes narrowed. "That's what you said?"
"Absolutely."
"Then you sleep in my room!" she declared, as if this somehow evened the score.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Hanekawa paused, a new thought crossing his face. "Since it's maid time... you'll need to wear the maid outfit."
Mei stared at him through gritted teeth. "Fine. I'll wear it."
After dinner, Hanekawa set down his chopsticks. "You wash the dishes."
Mei didn't argue. She gathered the plates and disappeared into the kitchen.
Hanekawa stood and surveyed her apartment—a modest one-bedroom with a living room and kitchen. Functional. Clean. The kind of place someone lived in alone.
In the original timeline, there was no mention of Mei's family. If she had parents or relatives, surely that would have been noted. The most likely explanation was that she was an orphan—hardly uncommon in a world where war was constant and missions were deadly.
He moved toward her bedroom and opened the door.
A faint floral scent greeted him. Everything was immaculate, organized with military precision. That fit her personality perfectly.
Then his eyes caught on the balcony.
He stared.
There was quite a lot of underwear hanging there.
"What are you doing?"
Mei appeared in the doorway. Her eyes followed his gaze to the balcony, and her entire body seemed to lose structural integrity. Her face went from pale to crimson in approximately half a second.
"I—" she managed before her survival instincts kicked in.
She rushed forward and physically shoved him out of the room, slamming the door behind him with enough force to rattle the frame.
Inside, Mei sat on the edge of her bed, her legs feeling distinctly unreliable. She covered her burning face with her hands.
What is wrong with me?
Her cheeks felt like they were on fire.
Hanekawa smiled to himself but decided mercy was the better part of valor. He headed to the bathroom for a shower instead.
---
The Land of Rain
Black Zetsu sat motionless in the underground base, its expression twisted with fury.
Ever since it and Uchiha Obito had joined forces with the Akatsuki, a critical problem had emerged: Nagato was far too obedient to Yahiko.
This was catastrophic for the plan.
Nagato was supposed to collect the nine tailed beasts and resurrect Uchiha Madara. As things stood, that was impossible.
Perhaps Yahiko needs to die, Black Zetsu mused darkly. If he fell to Konoha ninja, Nagato's grief would make him malleable. Desperate. Willing to embrace the Moon Eye Plan.
"Something's happened!"
A White Zetsu erupted from the ground.
"What is it? Obito?" Black Zetsu couldn't imagine what could go wrong. Obito had dual Kamui, Susanoo, and Wood Style. Only a handful of ninja in the entire world could challenge him—and even if they could, his space-time abilities guaranteed escape.
"Obito is dead."
The words hung in the air like a death knell.
"What did you say?" Black Zetsu stood abruptly, its form destabilizing. "How is that possible?"
"Hanekawa appeared in the Hidden Mist. He killed Obito."
Black Zetsu's mind reeled. Hanekawa. Of course it was Hanekawa.
"Did he escape?" it demanded.
"No. He's still there." White Zetsu's voice was grim. "He's learned the Flying Thunder God Technique."
The silence that followed was absolute.
Black Zetsu staggered backward, its entire existence suddenly feeling fragile. Over a decade of careful planning. Years of searching for the right executor. And it had all collapsed in two days.
The Moon Eye Project—the culmination of a thousand years of work—was crumbling.
Its two primary pieces—Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito—were both gone. Only Nagato remained, and he was barely half the chess piece either of them had been.
The only option was to force Nagato to perform the Outer Path — Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique and resurrect Uchiha Madara. But even resurrected, could Madara defeat Hanekawa? And the technique would cost Nagato his life.
Black Zetsu's form trembled with rage. It possessed the ability to kill Hanekawa instantly—but only at close range, and only once. With the Flying Thunder God Technique, getting close was nearly impossible.
What is this creature? Black Zetsu seethed. If Madara hadn't just died, I would swear Hanekawa was the reincarnation of Ashura himself.
It had no choice but to search for the next Indra reincarnation. But that would take years.
Years it didn't have.
---
Hanekawa emerged from the shower to find the living room empty. He lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes, beginning the slow work of restoring his chakra reserves. The battles with Obito and the Three-Tails had drained him significantly—especially the Wooden Man Technique.
As he refined his chakra, he channeled it into the Yin Seal on his forehead, letting the hours slip past.
Eventually, Mei emerged from her room.
She'd changed into the maid outfit.
She stood in the living room doorway, conflicted, watching Hanekawa's still form on the sofa. His breathing was slow and even. Was he actually asleep? Had the pervert actually shown restraint?
"What are you doing standing there?"
Mei jumped as Hanekawa's hand shot out.
She instinctively raised her left hand—
—and Hanekawa grabbed her thigh instead.
The sensation was electric. Heat flooded through her, spreading from the point of contact across her entire body.
"Stop!" Mei jerked away, her face burning. "Don't touch me!"
"Your legs are quite soft," Hanekawa observed, releasing her.
"Pervert!" Mei backpedaled, one hand clutching her skirt. She glared at him before spinning on her heel and retreating to her room, slamming the door.
Inside, she leaned against the wood, breathing hard. Don't think that little trick will change anything, she told herself firmly, even as her heart refused to cooperate.
She changed back into normal clothes and climbed into bed, exhaustion claiming her almost immediately. Between the day's battles and the emotional whiplash of Hanekawa's presence, sleep came easily.
---
Morning light filtered through the windows.
Mei's eyes fluttered open. She stretched, her body moving with unconscious grace, then froze as a delicious aroma reached her nose.
Cooking?
She dressed quickly and ventured into the living room. Hanekawa stood in the kitchen, and the smell coming from it was incredible.
"Go wash up," he said without looking at her. "Breakfast is ready."
"Oh." Mei turned toward the bathroom, then paused. Is this what living together is like?
She shook her head firmly and continued on.
When she returned, Hanekawa had prepared barbecued pork ramen. One bite and Mei's eyes widened. The broth was rich and complex, the noodles perfectly cooked, the pork tender and flavorful.
How is even ramen this good?
If this man would just stop being such a pervert, he'd be absolutely perfect.
"I need a favor," Hanekawa said, getting straight to business.
"What kind of favor?"
"Ice Release ninjutsu. I want to learn it."
Mei considered this. "Hidden Mist did have Ice Release users, but I haven't heard of any now. The Blood Mist era made it dangerous to have bloodline limits."
"There might be users in villages with heavy snowfall," Hanekawa suggested casually.
"I'll look into it," Mei agreed. Finding an Ice Release user would actually benefit the village—they needed strong ninja now more than ever.
Hanekawa reached into his pocket and tossed her a kunai. The surface was covered in intricate sealing marks.
"What is this?" Mei examined it carefully.
"A Flying Thunder God Kunai. Keep it."
Mei's head snapped up. "You know the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
"Yes."
She stared at him, momentarily speechless. The man was already absurdly powerful. Adding space-time ninjutsu to his arsenal made him practically invincible.
How does Konoha produce geniuses like this?
"I'm going to meet with the elders now," Mei said, pocketing the kunai. "If you need anything, just ask."
She headed toward Hidden Mist Hospital, where the jonin council was meeting. She had no idea what to expect.
What she found was shocking: the elders were announcing her as acting Mizukage.
---