161: Chapter 161 The Long Journey HomeThe light slanted in through the cracks in the cave.
Kurenai Yuhi awoke.
My body felt as if it had been run over by a heavy carriage several times, and every joint was protesting.
Aches and pains, an unspeakable aches and pains.
She propped herself up and sat up.The thin blanket slipped off, and the morning chill in the mountains made her shiver.She instinctively hugged her arms tightly.
Then the blurry, dreamlike images from last night kept replaying in my mind.
Pink smoke.enemy ninja.
Kai's figure descending from the sky.and this cave.
Her face turned deathly pale instantly, then quickly flushed red again.
"Hmm."
She buried her face in the blanket, her ears burning as if they were on fire, unwilling to face reality.
She secretly looked at the bruises and welts on her body, her lips trembling.
It's not a dream.
It really isn't a dream.
"Hong, you're awake?"
Kai walked in carrying a glass of water wrapped in a large leaf.Seeing that Hong had already sat up, a relieved smile immediately appeared on his face: "How are you feeling?Still uncomfortable?"
Hong quickly pulled the blanket up higher to cover herself.
"It's.it's alright."
Hong's breathing became labored, and she avoided looking at Kai.
That's ridiculous.
That's absolutely absurd.
Although not everyone in Konoha knew that she and Asuma had mutual feelings for each other, their close friends could all tell at least a little.
Although Asuma is usually carefree, he has always taken good care of her, and there is an unspoken understanding between them.
But now.
Hong closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"That.mission."
She spoke with difficulty, her head buried in the blanket, and asked in a muffled voice, "What about the convoy."
"I've already taken care of it."
Kai sat down opposite her and handed her a glass of water."I sent the ninja turtles back to the village to report the news overnight.Before dawn, another Jonin team came to take over.The rest of the road is safe, nothing will happen."
Kai thought for a moment and then added, "I also wiped out all the rogue ninjas who attacked the convoy; not a single one escaped."
Hong took the water and drank it in small sips; she was indeed very thirsty and urgently needed to replenish her fluids.
The ice water slid down her throat, slightly relieving the heat and panic in her heart.
The cave was eerily quiet.
The only sounds were their breathing and the occasional chirping of birds outside.
"I..."
Hong opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.
An apology?Gratitude?Or.
She didn't say anything in the end, but just lowered her head and sipped water.
Kai didn't say anything either.
He sat there cross-legged, his hands on his knees, his eyes fixed on the ground, his expression tense.
Kai is usually either full of enthusiasm or laughing like an idiot; he rarely has a quiet moment like this.
Hong secretly glanced at him.
His muscles were clearly defined, and he had some stubble on his chin.
Because of last night's battle and the subsequent.commotion, his green bodysuit was torn in some places.
Her face flushed even more.
She quickly looked away.
"Um.I need to get dressed."
Hong whispered, "Could you.turn around?"
"Oh!Oh!Okay!"
Kai seemed to wake up suddenly, hurriedly got up from the ground, turned around, and stood straight with his back to Hong.
"I, I won't peek!"
Hong bit her lip, slowly lifted the blanket, and picked up the clothes scattered around her.
She endured the soreness and put on her clothes one by one.
The chainmail was torn in some places, but it was still wearable.
Her headband was nowhere to be found, and her hair was a mess, hanging loosely over her shoulders.
It was five minutes later when she finally got dressed.
"Okay, all done."
Kai turned around.
Their eyes met, then quickly looked away.
"Can you walk?Or should I."
"Need not!"
Hong immediately refused, her tone a little urgent, "I can walk by myself."
"Then.shall we go back to the village?" Kai asked tentatively.
Red dot nods.
The journey back to Konoha will take about two hours.
These two hours were probably the most agonizing two hours of Hong's life.
Kai walked ahead, and she followed two steps behind.
The two maintained a subtle distance, neither too close nor too far.
No one spoke; only the sound of scattered footsteps echoed along the mountain path.
Hong lowered her head, looking at her toes.
Her mind was a mess.
One moment it's Asma's face, always with a slightly roguish grin, and the next it's Kai's strong back as he stood in front of her last night.
One moment it's about the little things Asma did to take care of her when they went on missions together.
A few moments later, Kai carried her out of danger several times, his body temperature giving her a sense of security.
"What am I doing."
Hong asked herself this question over and over again in her heart.
She and Asma clearly had feelings for each other, but they were just one step away from confessing their feelings.
Although neither of them formally confessed their feelings, the emotions they felt were genuine.
But now.
How should she face Asma?
Should I be honest?Should I say I'm sorry, that something happened between Kai and me, so we can't be together anymore?
What would Asma think?
How will they view her?
And Kai.
Hong secretly raised her eyes to look at the figure in front of her.
Kai walked steadily, consciously controlling his steps so that she could keep up.
His back was broad, like a wall that could block all wind and rain.
But does she.have those kinds of feelings for him?
Hong didn't know.
"careful."
Kai suddenly stopped, turned around, and reached out to help her.
Hong then realized that she had been distracted and almost tripped over a protruding stone.
"Thanks..."
Kai held her hand; it was a large, warm hand with thick calluses from years of physical training.
After Kai steadied her, he immediately let go of her hand, looking somewhat flustered and at a loss.
"The road ahead is difficult to walk on, watch your step."
After he finished speaking, he turned around and continued walking forward.
Hong watched his retreating figure, her heart pounding.My chest is pounding.
That's so embarrassing!
This road seems to stretch on forever.
finally...
When the gates of Konoha finally came into view, Kurenai almost collapsed at the gate.
Immediately afterward, her heart jumped again.
How will she face other people in the future?
How should we deal with Asma?
How do I face those familiar gazes?
"red."
Kai suddenly spoke and stopped walking.
He turned around, looked at Hong, and his expression was serious.
"I'm so sorry about what happened last night."
Kai said in a low voice, "I know that wasn't your intention, it was that smoke.I won't force you to do anything, and I won't tell anyone."
"You can pretend nothing happened if you want."
A struggle flashed in his eyes, and he clenched his fists to encourage himself.
"But if you.if you're willing to give me a chance."
"I..."
Hong opened her mouth, then fell silent.
What should she say?
I don't know?I need time?Or.
"Let's go back first."
She managed to squeeze out just this one sentence.
Kai looked at her, his eyes dimmed for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.
"good."
He nodded and turned to walk towards the village gate.
Hong followed behind him, her mind in turmoil.
The two entered Konoha one after the other.
The village was already bustling with activity in the morning, with wisps of smoke rising from the breakfast stalls and ninjas chatting idly in twos and threes by the roadside.
Many people cast curious glances at Kai and Hong when they saw them return together.
These two rarely act alone together.
Hong lowered her head and quickened her pace.
All she wants now is to get home as soon as possible, lock herself away, and think things through.
But what you fear most is what happens most often.
Just as they reached the vicinity of Ichiraku Ramen, Hong caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.
Kakashi.
The silver-haired Jonin was leaning against a telephone pole, holding his ever-present copy of "Icha Icha Paradise," engrossed in reading it.
He noticed the two of them and looked up.
His gaze first fell on Kai, and he nodded as a greeting.
Then my gaze shifted to red.
Kakashi blinked his eyes outside his mask.
His gaze moved from her flushed face to her slightly disheveled hair, then to her trembling legs, and finally settled on the way she walked.
Ordinary people might not be able to tell.
But who is Kakashi?
Konoha's top technician, an experienced Jonin, and a veteran reader of "Icha Icha Paradise".
He understands it all too well.
His eyes widened immediately.
The love paradise almost slipped from my hands.
Kai?
red?
These two people?
Kakashi's brain raced in that instant, mentally replaying seven or eight versions of everything that might have happened last night, each version more shocking than the last.
He always thought Kai was a stereotypical straight man, with nothing on his mind but muscles and youth.
Asuma has been pursuing Kurenai for so long, and although he's been dragging his feet and hasn't officially confessed yet, everyone except Guy can see the spark between them.
result...
But Kai, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, actually beat me to it?
Kakashi's expression shifted from shock to disbelief, then to bewilderment as if he had misread it, before finally settling on a sigh of disbelief that the world was too crazy.
The whole process took only two seconds.
Hong was now truly ripe; she almost fainted.
She saw the change in Kakashi's eyes, saw the book "Make-Out Paradise" almost fall to the ground, and saw Kakashi's hesitant expression.
My brain is buzzing.
My suicidal thoughts reached their peak.
She wished she could bury herself immediately and then erect a tombstone.
"I am dead.If you need anything, burn some paper money."
"Kakashi.Good morning."
Kai clearly noticed Kakashi's unusual behavior, scratched his head, and didn't realize the problem for the time being.
Good morning.
Kakashi smiled and spoke, his tone strangely calm.
That bastard!He figured it out!He absolutely figured it out!
"Well, you guys chat, I'll head back now!"
Hong roared inwardly, hastily uttered a reply, and hurriedly turned and left.
But because she was walking too fast, her physical discomfort caused her to stumble and almost fall.
Kai instinctively reached out to help, but Hong glared at him and stopped him.
"Get out!Don't follow me!"
After saying that, she quickened her pace almost as if she were fleeing, and staggered towards home in an even more awkward posture.
Kai and Kakashi were left standing there, looking at each other in bewilderment.
Kai watched Hong's departing figure, his face full of worry.
Kakashi slowly closed the Icha Icha Paradise app, walked over to Guy, and patted him on the shoulder.
"Kai".
"ah?"
"you..."
Kakashi asked cautiously, "Last night.must have been tough?"
"fine!"
Kai immediately replied, "Although there are many enemies, they are no match for my Blue Beast of Konoha."
"I wasn't talking about fighting."
Kakashi interrupted him.
Kai paused for two seconds, then suddenly realized what was happening.
"Kakashi!What are you saying?I, Kurenai and I just."
"Just what?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"But.but."
Kai stammered for a long time, and finally slumped his shoulders in dejection.
"I don't know what to do."
He whispered, his face blank, "Hong.she seems really angry.Was I wrong?"
Kakashi looked at him and sighed softly.
"Kai".
"Um?"
Give her some time.
Kakashi said, "Give yourself some time too.These things.can't be rushed."
He glanced at Kai, who was still in a daze, and said nothing more.
Reopening the Intimate Paradise app, Chao Kai waved his hand and wandered away.
Kai stood there, looking in the direction where Red had disappeared.Thinking back to everything that happened last night, my heart felt like it had been turned upside down.
He didn't know what would happen next, or what choice the Reds would make.
He had never been afraid of any danger before, but now, for the first time, he felt extremely panicked.
———
Meanwhile, on the Konoha side, several Jonin were entangled in a delicate emotional situation.
At the headquarters of the Tianqi Chamber of Commerce, a beautifully sealed invitation has been placed in the mailbox.
With a light tap of its fingertip, the lark sent swift falcons silently swooping down, carrying the letter box, and transforming into bolts of lightning that pierced the clouds, flying off in all directions.
Shizune rubbed Tuntun's tummy, glanced at the calendar, and pondered silently.There were only twenty days left until the academy's founding ceremony.
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