By the time Saiki finished his bath and returned, Nono'u was nowhere to be found.
"Sigh." He let out a dejected breath and sat cross-legged on his bed.
He began to circulate his energy, drawing the thin natural energy of the area into his meridians.
Scanning his interior and seeing the massive void where his Sage Chakra used to be, he felt a wave of anxiety. Without that energy, he was currently unable to fight at Kage-level.
He practiced for a while, realizing that since he had officially crossed the threshold of "Entering the Path," his Pre-natal Qi had stabilized and grown.
To recover his previous peak wouldn't take years anymore—six months of dedicated meditation should do it.
But until then, he had to be extremely frugal.
While Saiki was wallowing in his thoughts, Nono'u was having a crisis of her own.
She hadn't forgotten their conversation or that night. She was terrified Saiki was still harboring "dirty" intentions.
The truth was, Nono'u was conflicted. If she were truly capable of rejecting him, she wouldn't be hesitating now.
It was precisely because she didn't want to say no—yet knew it was "wrong"—that she was stuck in this mental loop.
Ultimately, the thought that Saiki might truly have something "important" to tell her won out. She tidied herself up and headed toward his room.
Regarding their "mistake," she was incredibly nervous. It was nearly midnight when she arrived.
The fact that she had changed into a fresh set of clothes beneath her loose habit spoke volumes about her internal struggle.
Just as Saiki was about to give up and go to sleep in disappointment, his senses picked up her approach.
Nono'u reached for the handle, but the door swung open from the inside before she could knock.
Saiki stood there, a look of genuine surprise and delight on his face. He acted as though he'd been waiting but was still thrilled she'd actually shown up.
"Sister Director! You're here!" His voice vibrated with excitement.
Nono'u looked at him, her eyes shimmering with a complex light. She whispered, "You said you had something important to say. I had some things to finish, so I'm a bit late."
In truth, she'd just been pacing in her room for an hour.
Saiki beamed. He stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. "Come in, Sister."
Seeing his radiant, happy face, Nono'u felt the heat rising in her cheeks again. She gave a small, forced "Mm" and stepped into the room.
Whether it was fate or her own subconscious acting up, she bypassed the chairs and sat directly on the edge of the bed. She looked at Saiki, waiting for him to speak.
Saiki was overjoyed. He walked over and sat close—very close—beside her.
Despite the thick fabric of her habit, Nono'u could feel the radiating heat from Saiki's body.
She wanted to pull away, but her mind told her she had to remain calm and act like the adult in the room.
After a long, internal battle, she managed to maintain a facade of composure. "So, Saiki. You called me here. What is this 'important thing'?"
Looking at her gentle, kind face, Saiki's plan for a subtle approach vanished. He blurted out the truth.
"Sister Director... I love you."
Nono'u froze. Once her brain processed the words, her face turned a deep, beautiful shade of crimson.
"Saiki... what on earth are you saying?!" she scolded, though her voice lacked any real bite.
Saiki looked into her eyes, his expression deathly serious.
"Sister, I mean it. I know what happened last time might have seemed like an accident. But it wasn't just an impulse. I... I couldn't control myself around you. My body was reacting to my heart. No, that's not right... I truly, deeply love you."
As he tried to explain his feelings while staring into her wide, shocked eyes, Saiki started to panic. His words became a jumbled, incoherent mess.
The mention of that night made Nono'u feel a surge of shame, but seeing him so flustered and desperate, her heart immediately softened.
"Saiki... it's okay. You don't have to be so tense. Let's not talk about that night anymore. Let's just forget it, okay?"
She reached out and gently stroked his cheek, her voice a soothing balm.
His panic intensified. The suggestion that they should "forget it" triggered a primal defensive reflex in him.
Saiki snatched her slender hand, gripping it tight. "Sister Director! Do you hate me now? You promised! You said when I came back, you'd accept me as your man!"
The strength of his grip told her exactly how terrified he was of losing her. Nono'u blushed again. "What are you talking about? I never promised any such thing!"
Compared to his aggressive, rogue-like behavior with Tsume, Saiki was completely neutralized by Nono'u's gentle denial.
He looked like a wounded child, his voice full of genuine hurt. "But you did! Sister Director, you promised to be my woman!"
Seeing his "pitiful" expression made Nono'u's chest ache.
She forced herself to remain firm. "Saiki, you have to understand. We are impossible. I don't blame you for last time, but you must forget it. You're still so young. You will find a girl your own age that you truly love. I'm old, Saiki. We aren't a match."
Saiki's eyes flared with a stubborn, defiant light. He squeezed her hand, refusing to let go as if she might vanish into thin air.
He looked her straight in the eye, each word heavy with conviction.
"I don't care about age! I don't care what anyone else thinks! All I know is that I love you and I want to be with you. I know I was wrong to force you last time, but it was because I love you so much. Please, trust me. I will take care of you."
Nono'u stared at him, her heart doing somersaults.
She had to admit, his words were incredibly moving. She had seen the lengths he would go to for her—he had literally declared war on the world to protect her.
But she also knew the reality. The age gap, their history, the political mess in Konoha... there were too many walls between them.
She let out a helpless sigh and tried to pull her hand back, but Saiki's grip was unbreakable.
She looked at him with a mix of affection and pity. "Saiki, listen to me. I love you too, but not like that. I'm your sister, your director. I want you to be happy. I want you to find a girl who fits your life."
Rejected again, a flash of despair crossed Saiki's eyes—only to be replaced by a dark, manic resolve.
In other matters, Saiki was a "salted fish" who would give up at the first sign of effort.
But when it came to his women? He was a relentless predator who refused to accept "No."
He knew Nono'u loved him. He could feel her heartbeat accelerating, see the moisture in her eyes. He knew she was lying to herself.
Saiki was a greedy bastard. He had already claimed Tsume and Tsunade, yet here he was playing the "true love" card with Nono'u. He was a scumbag through and through.
Therefore, Nono'u's "logical" rejection didn't stop him. It only made him more determined to break her resolve.
Without a word of warning, Saiki lunged forward and tackled Nono'u onto the bed.
In his past life, Saiki's only experience with women had been with professionals at "clubs" to satisfy his clients. He had zero clue how to actually woo a "good girl."
Against a woman like Nono'u, who prioritized his future over her own desires, his "oral persuasion" was a total failure.
Fortunately for him, the Shinobi World was a lawless land of ancient values and brutal power.
Otherwise, his behavior tonight would have landed him in a court of law for a very, very long time.
But here? He was just a boy taking what was his.