Chapter 64

The wind scattered around me like a storm waiting to be tamed. I had traveled barefoot across miles, through towns and forests alike. I didn't have time to change out of the now-tattered white prisoner clothes Konoha made me wear for the three years they locked me up.

I stood at the southeast gate of Takigakure.

The last time I was here, this place wasn't that guarded. I assumed the same now as I slipped past the gates and merged into the crowd of civilians returning from the farms nearby. The Taki shinobi in charge just swept his eyes over us, arms crossed. I took that as my cue to move—slipping past like a snake.

So why am I here?

Well, I simply had to make sure my foster family was still alive. I kept them in the dark for so long—but they literally knew nothing about me. Especially okaa-san. She doesn't even know I'm from that clan.

If Konoha brandished my name and face across the five great nations, I doubted Takigakure would treat my family kindly. Not after raising someone like me. Whether they were aware of who I was or not, people don't forgive easily. They'd call them traitors.

Climbing the stairs toward the cliff felt harder than it should have. My feet ached like they wanted me to stop walking. Like they already knew what I was about to find. Maybe I didn't have to see it. But... a part of me still hoped. Still clung to that stupid sliver of hope that they were spared.

The moment I arrived, my eyes landed on the sakura tree—it still stood, blooming. Pink petals danced down from its branches with grace. My gaze shifted to the house nearby.

Or rather, to where it should have been.

There was nothing.

Literally nothing.

Just trails of scorched earth. Like the home of the people who saved me had been erased from existence.

My head tipped forward, my unruly hair falling over my eyes.

What did I expect?

A miracle? Mercy? That the world would spare one small corner just for me?

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to feel anything—but the emptiness swelled so wide inside me, it swallowed everything else. The hollow always came after the anger, after the grief. It was the part that never left. The part that let me move without guilt. The part that let me kill.

Several chakra signatures closed in—eight directions, two per. They were prepared.

"I didn't expect you to come back here," a voice called out. A man.

I lifted my eyes from his shoes to his face.

"Tohru-chi?" I murmured. My voice came out... weak.

"Konoha was right. They predicted you'd return," he said, holding a paper between his fingers. His gaze sharpened. "Though I wished you hadn't."

"I didn't think Takigakure would get so cozy with Konoha after all this time," I smirked, though my eye twitched.

Annoyance?

"Times changed, Lhexi. We have to cling to a strong village like Konoha to survive." He tilted his head.

His curly black hair bounced slightly with the motion. His green eyes no longer looked at me with admiration. Just coldness. Disgust. The last time I saw him was during the Chunin Exams. For me, it felt like months. For them... three years.

"Even if it means killing your own?" I asked, voice low. "Did Konoha order you to kill them?"

His face twitched.

"Even if it meant killing one of us, Lhexi—or should I say Ryuugaime Asuna?" He paused, eyes lingering on my golden ones. "Takeda-ojii-san was a splendid shinobi. He contributed a lot to this village in his prime. We didn't forget that. And your mom... she was liked by everyone."

I looked down, eyes on the grass. "Then I hope you gave them painless deaths."

"Painless?" His voice was low. Mocking. "From a mass-murderer, I didn't expect concern. They saved and raised a curse. So we simply gave them what they deserved."

I stayed silent, assessing the shinobi around me. Eight points. All Jounin-level.

"Konoha thought your family might know others like you. So we were ordered to extract information. We tied them down. I used my Frost Release," he said, frost curling over his fingers. "Your mother died when I froze her from the inside."

"Hm." I muttered, eyes half-lidded. "She wasn't a shinobi. Wouldn't survive that."

"Takeda-ojii-san, though—he lasted. I pierced all his tenketsu with ice needles. He didn't flinch. I even pulled out all his fingernails and guess what—he never said a word about you. Died of blood loss." He grinned. "For an old man, he had fight."

"He always complained about his knees, but refused to use a cane," I said, a smile pulling at my lips. "Said it'd ruin his image to the neighborhood grandmas. He still remained stubborn until the end."

Tohru pulled out a kunai and pointed it at me. "You know they died because of you. If they hadn't taken you in—none of this would've happened."

I raised my chin, looking down at him. "I see."

"That's all you have to say?" he shouted, fists shaking. "They raised you! Aren't you the least bit sorry for what you made us do to them?!"

"You followed Konoha's orders and killed them," I tilted my head. "Why are you blaming me?"

"It was all because of you...!" His voice cracked. "You should've died with your clan! Why did you have to survive?! Why did you have to drag them into this curse?!"

"Tohru-chi," I said with a soft smile. "Thank you."

He flinched. "What... are you getting at?"

"After my clan was wiped out, I didn't want to let anyone get close again. I didn't want friends. Or a family." I scratched the back of my head. "But when Eichiru-jii-chan and mom took me in, I was grateful. Truly grateful. And when I met you and Fuu, I thought... maybe I could live like a normal kid again."

I smiled faintly.

"I didn't expect to be given a second chance. I'm sorry I hid so much. But that's why I did. I was scared. Scared that you'd treat me like everyone else who feared my clan."

He gritted his teeth. His kunai lowered.

"Y-you could've hidden your identity... You could've lived in peace... Why did you have to choose revenge...? Lhexi... why...?"

I took a step toward him. He dug his fingers into his face.

The others flinched, watching me closely. Tohru hadn't given the signal to attack.

My eyes stung, but my lips kept their twitching smile.

"I also wished you didn't do that," I said, stopping a meter away. He looked up.

This time, I covered my eyes.

"Lhexi... I—"

"I know. Konoha forced your hand, didn't they?" I sighed. "If you didn't follow orders, they would've called you a Ryuugaime sympathizer."

He clicked his tongue.

"But thanks to you... and thanks to my family's sacrifice..."

I lowered my hand and brushed my hair back.

"I received a new power."

The Seiryuugan activated. The three rings spun, one seal breaking with a heavy pulse. A shockwave burst outward. The Jounin staggered.

"Haah... so this is how to break them. Chichiue was right." I giggled softly feeling power surging through my veins. Then glanced at Tohru, who looked stunned.

"Now then! Who should I test this new power on first?"

His eyes widened. He raised his hand to signal the attack—but I flicked my finger.

His fingers dropped to the ground.

"Captain!" one of the Jounin shouted.

I blinked at them, bored. Then smiled.

"You've got caring subordinates, huh, Tohru-chi?"

He leapt back, clutching his bleeding hand, hurriedly wrapping it with bandages.

I walked toward him as several shinobi lunged at me all at once. But my gaze never left Tohru—his eyes flickering with a fear and rage I doubt even he could understand.

I clasped my fingers together, a wild grin pulling at my lips.

My first time wielding the evolved Seiryuugan's second seal alongside my Ice Release.

Hidden Art: Black Purge.

"Kakusareta Geijutsu: Burakkupāji."

Two rings of the Seiryuugan pulsed, glowing with chilling force as I flooded chakra into my arms. Frost erupted from my skin, devouring the ground and thickening the air itself. The Jounin froze midair—suspended, helpless—as though time had fractured around them.

I drew the humidity around us, forcing it into droplets that hovered like beads of glass.

Then I let them drop.

Each droplet sharpened into several spikes.

And in the same breath, the Jounin were impaled—pierced through like porcupines, blood mist blooming through the frozen stillness.

I didn't kill them.

Not yet.

I let my golden eyes flash at my childhood friend, slowly siphoning his chakra with the Seiryuugan. Not enough to kill—just enough to bring him to his knees.

The pull was steady, instinctive now. I didn't even need to think about it. His energy flowed into me like water through cracked stone. He had once been part of my life. Now, he was fuel. That was the reality of it.

I lowered myself to a squat in front of him. He was breathing hard, shoulders trembling with every inhale. He tried forming hand signs—probably a summoning—but I reached out and touched his hands.

They froze instantly. My smile didn't leave my face. I couldn't seem to wipe it off, no matter how tired I felt. It clung there like the last shred of composure I had left. If I stopped smiling... I might start crying. And I didn't have the luxury of that anymore.

"We have similar Release, right, Tohru-chi?" I asked, feigning lightness. "It's a shame we had to end up like this."

It's a shame you didn't choose me.

"Kill me already, Lhexi," he muttered. His eyes stared at the ground, resigned.

I blinked, slow. Not surprised, not moved. Just... disappointed.

"I expected more from you," I said. "When I first met you, I knew you'd grow into a powerful shinobi. You had so much potential. What happened to that little boy?"

The one who used to chase me through the rice fields, who used to say he'd protect me from bullies. The one who cried when I got sick.

He chuckled dryly, humorless. "When the village found out my friend was a Ryuugaime... what do you think happened?"

He sat down on the scorched earth. The same ground where my home used to be. Where we used to sit and throw pebbles at birds and call it training.

"Konoha made an offer. Said they'd propose to the Fire Daimyo about sharing resources with us... if we gave them custody of your family."

I followed suit, sitting beside him. My legs folded automatically, like I was still that kid waiting for okaa-san to bring out barley tea. But everything smelled like ash now.

"You could've taken the deal," I said quietly. "You would've gotten what you needed. They would've died either way."

So why do I still hate you for it?

"I'm sorry," he said. His voice was so soft, I almost didn't catch it. "For killing them."

I didn't look away. I just watched him—his face older, sharper, wearier than the boy I once knew. There was no warmth in his eyes. Just absence. And maybe I recognized it because it matched my own.

I turned my gaze to the sakura tree beside us, still standing tall amid the ashes.

Mocking me with its survival. Mocking them for dying beneath it.

"We used to sit here all day," I murmured, brushing my fingers against the scorched earth beneath us. "While you covered the flowers I collected in frost."

"They were going to wilt anyway," he replied, and I caught the faintest twitch of a smile on his lips. "You had this weird obsession with gathering plants that were already halfway to dying."

I let out a soft laugh through my nose. "Maybe I liked pretty things that didn't last."

Because then I'd never have to expect them to stay.

He hummed, the sound more memory than voice. "That sounds about right."

The wind rustled the branches above us, a few petals falling gently between us like awkward peace offerings.

I stared at them, watching one land on my knee and melt into water.

"What do you think would've happened... if I stayed?" I asked quietly. "If I hadn't gone through with my revenge?"

If I had let the past go. If I had chosen them—over blood, over justice, over the truth. Would they have chosen me back?

He tilted his head back and looked up at the tree. I could still hear the Jounin behind us groaning in pain—forgotten now. Like so many things in my life.

"Hmm..." He gave a thoughtful grunt before smirking. "Honestly? Probably nothing special. Fuu would've kept following you around like a lost puppy. And me? I'd be stuck playing your grumpy personal guard."

I smiled to myself. That... sounded right. Familiar. Like a dream I had once, and forgot the moment I woke up.

"Speaking of..." I started, my voice softer. "Where is Fuu?"

"She went on a mission," he answered. "She's supposed to be back today."

"All by herself?" I asked, blinking. "You know she has a habit of attracting trouble like it's a hobby."

"She's with capable shinobi," he said, then added with a shrug, "Ish."

"Oh. That's... mildly reassuring." I sighed, but a corner of my mouth lifted. Just a bit.

It felt strange to smile. But stranger not to.

Silence settled between us again—comfortable and heavy at the same time.

"Lhexi..." he said after a while.

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask something? As your old buddy."

"What?"

"Spare the village," he said.

I turned my head toward him. His eyes were still closed, but his voice didn't waver.

"That's all?" I asked.

"Yeah."

I removed the ice from his hands, my fingers trailing lightly across the same ones I had cut from him moments ago.

He didn't speak.

He just walked—slowly, deliberately—toward the sakura tree. His posture was heavy, like every step took effort. I watched as he knelt before it and bowed low, his forehead touching the earth.

Once.

Twice.

A third time.

He stayed there, seated on his knees, unmoving. Like he was paying his final respects.

That's when I noticed them—two unmarked stones at the base of the tree.

So this was where they buried them, huh?

He reached into his pouch and pulled out a kunai.

I didn't stop him.

I just stood there, watching his back.

He brought the blade to his stomach and, without hesitation, sliced across his abdomen in one clean motion. His hands dropped. His body followed. And he slumped forward onto the ground in silence.

I stood up from where I sat, brushing the ash from my palms. That's when I noticed it—

a lone cherry blossom, still pink, but lightly dusted with frost.

I picked it up.

For a moment, I just stared at it resting in my palm. Then I enveloped it in ice... and crushed it between my fingers.

"Spare the village, huh?" I murmured to no one in particular, glancing at the unconscious Jounin scattered across the clearing.

The frost still clung to their limbs, crystals spreading slowly like veins across their skin. I could've ended them. I still could. The Seiryuugan was still active—its second ring pulsing faintly in the edge of my vision like a heartbeat I'd long since stopped trusting.

But I didn't move.

My hand remained curled around the crushed blossom, the melted petals sticking to my palm in a pale smear. They reminded me of blood. Or maybe I just wanted them to. Sometimes, I confused the two.

My breath fogged in the air. I barely noticed how cold it had become.

Tohru's body lay still by the tree. His blood seeped into the roots of the sakura, darkening the soil. I could smell iron and ash. He didn't scream. He didn't beg. He just... knelt. And bled. And died like a shinobi should.

Was that what I wanted?

No. What I wanted didn't exist anymore. It had burned away in Konoha's fire. Or maybe I let it burn. That part was harder to answer.

I walked over to the tree—knees heavy, steps slow. Not because I was injured, but because the weight was all inside. The kind of heaviness that didn't go away with rest. I stood there for a while, just... staring down at Tohru's still form.

His head rested inches from one of the unmarked stones. I wondered which one was Eichiru-jii's. Which one was Okaa-san's. They deserved proper markers. Names. Something. But Takigakure wouldn't honor traitors.

I sank to my knees beside them, brushing my fingers through the dirt where the stones met the grass. They were still warm from the sun. It felt wrong. The world should've gone cold when they died.

But the sun didn't care.

Just like I shouldn't.

"I didn't want this," I whispered. The words were meant for me. Or maybe for them. My hand tightened on the grass, fingers digging into soil until the dirt pushed under my nails.

..........

The sky over the village was clear—too clear. Even with the dome around it that flickered blue every now and then. A lone hawk cut through the blue, its wings stretched wide as it spiraled down into the heart of the village. The shinobi at the watchtower raised his head just in time to catch the flash of its talons, the scroll clasped tightly between them.

It landed on the perch, sharp eyes fixed on him. The message was urgent—he could tell by the red string binding the scroll.

His fingers barely touched the parchment before he turned on his heel and bolted.

He sprinted through the village streets, dodging carts, civilians, and passing shinobi, his sandals scraping against rooftops as he vaulted up toward the Hokage's Tower.

He didn't stop until he reached the outer hall—where he nearly collided with someone leaning lazily against the wall.

"Oi," Shikamaru grumbled, his tone dry as ever. He tucked his left arm behind his back—habitual now that it was gone. "What's with the noise?"

The younger shinobi huffed and bowed slightly, holding out the scroll. "Message Sir. From Takigakure. Priority one."

Shikamaru's brows furrowed. With a sharp nod, he took the scroll with his remaining hand and scanned the wax seal. He didn't break it.

"Troublesome..." he muttered under his breath as he turned toward Tsunade's office door.

He pushed it open without knocking.

The Godaime Hokage was halfway through a mountain of medical reports when the doors slammed open.

"I know I said not to barge in unless someone was dying," Tsunade growled without looking up. "So unless you're dead or bleeding—"

"Better," Shikamaru interrupted. "You'll want to read this."

Tsunade glanced up, narrowed her eyes, and took the scroll from his hand. She recognized the seal immediately. As she unrolled it, her expression turned stone-cold.

Her voice dropped as she read aloud:

"To the Godaime Hokage of the Hidden Leaf—

The Village Hidden in the Waterfalls has ceased to exist.

As of dawn today, the valley is gone.

There are no survivors."

"There is no doubt that the one known as Ryuugaime Asuna was seen near the eastern perimeter prior to the incident."

"We believe she is responsible that Takigakure has been wiped off the map."

Silence followed. Even the wind outside seemed to hold its breath.

Tsunade lowered the letter slowly. "Asuna..." she said under her breath. "It hasn't even been a week since her escape."

Shikamaru crossed his arms. "She erased the village that raised her. Well we have already gotten all the intel we needed."

"There's been no word from the tracking squad?" Tsunade asked, glancing toward the windows.

Shikamaru shook his head. "They haven't checked in since crossing the border. We're assuming they have encountered Asuna along the way. They're either dead or still in pursuit."

Tsunade tapped her finger on the desk, once, twice, like the idea of standing still was unbearable. "When does Naruto return from Mt. Myōboku?"

"About a week," Shikamaru replied. "He's still finishing the final phase of his training. We haven't sent him news of Asuna yet. He won't focus if he hears anything about her."

Tsunade nodded tightly. "Keep it that way for now."

She stood, pushing back her chair.

"Call in Team Kakashi and Kyuuji. I want them briefed. And find Sasuke."

Shikamaru's brow raised. "You want to pull Sasuke off ANBU duty?"

Tsunade gave him a hard look. "That's right. Effective immediately. He's to coordinate with the Clan Heads on securing the village perimeters. Besides, apart from me, he's the only one who can handle those old geezers."

Shikamaru nodded. "I'll let him know."

Tsunade turned to the window, the scroll still in hand, her eyes narrowing at the horizon.

"Geez, say Shikamaru," she said quietly. "Do you think I should have let Kakashi kill her back then?"

Shikamaru didn't look up from the file that he was holding and simply shrugged. "Then we would be making enemies with the other two of his students."

"Sasuke and Naruto...huh?" Tsunade thought to himself. "Now that I think about it, all of Kakashi's students are monsters in their own fields."

..........

The sterile hum of hospital lights buzzed overhead, barely masking the quiet shuffle of cards being dealt atop Sakura's paperwork-littered desk. A plate of half-eaten onigiri sat beside a stack of surgery reports, which was forgotten for now. The air smelled faintly of antiseptic, exhaustion... and mischief.

Kakashi sat cross-legged in her desk chair, sleeves rolled up, a book tucked into the crook of his arm even as he flicked cards with the other. His mask was slightly crooked—likely from laughing at his own jokes.

Sasuke leaned against the windowsill, arms crossed, glancing down at his cards with a kind of bored intensity. He wasn't losing. But he wasn't winning either, and that annoyed him.

And Kyuuji... Kyuuji sat calmly on the arm of Sakura's couch, posture flawless, his pale fingers holding his cards like he wasn't even trying. His expression never changed.

Sakura, meanwhile, was slumped on the couch beneath him, an arm flung over her eyes, her lab coat half-unbuttoned and stained with something red that was probably not ketchup.

"This is my office," she mumbled, voice muffled. "This is supposed to be a place of work."

"You're not working right now," Kakashi pointed out cheerfully, snapping a protein bar in half and offering a piece to Kyuuji.

"You stole that from my cabinet," she grumbled.

"Borrowed," Kakashi corrected. "You always complain about us eating soldier pills every time yet, you get mad when we actually eat something healthy and tasty."

"That's because you're eating my rations," she deadpanned.

"You should thank me for consuming them before they expire. We shouldn't waste food you know," he said, pulling another bar from the desk drawer like he had done this countless times behind Sakura.

Kyuuji, who had quietly accepted the bar, said nothing. He took a slow bite, glanced down at Sasuke's hand of cards, then back at his own. His eyes narrowed—barely.

"Kyuuji," Sasuke said flatly, "you're cheating."

"I'm not," Kyuuji replied, voice calm and unreadable. "You're just predictable."

Kakashi barked a laugh.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "He always wins. Even when I know I've got the upper hand, he folds like he read my cards three moves ago."

"That's because he did," Kakashi said, flipping a card and setting it down with a smug flourish. "You've been underestimating Kyuuji for three years, Sasuke. Isn't it about time you learned?"

Sasuke's eye twitched. "I haven't underestimated him. He just has that annoying energy where he doesn't talk but somehow still wins every argument."

Kyuuji blinked slowly, unfazed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Sakura groaned louder from beneath her sleeve. "You three are the worst. Do you know how many patients I had to operate on today? Do you know how many organs I've touched? I haven't eaten in twelve hours and Kakashi-sensei is stealing my emergency rations to fuel your idiotic little poker tournament."

"You could join us," Kakashi offered. "I saved a seat. Kyuuji was going to teach us a new variation—"

"Shut up or I'll dissect all of you," Sakura warned with a scalpel in hand.

Kakashi hummed, unbothered. Sasuke glanced out the window like he'd rather be ambushed by rogue ninja than be caught lounging here. Kyuuji continued eating in silence.

After a beat, Sasuke murmured, "So... what's for dinner?"

"You are buying," Sakura muttered.

Kakashi brightened. "Oh, excellent! I vote yakitori. Or maybe soba."

"Rice balls," Kyuuji added calmly.

"I'm not buying for everyone," Sasuke grumbled.

"You're the youngest," Kakashi said.

"You owe me for the last mission," Kyuuji said at the same time.

Sasuke let out a sigh so long and deep, Sakura briefly mistook it for chakra exhaustion. He stood up and reached for his wallet, muttering something under his breath about teamwork abuse.

He was halfway out the door, wallet in hand, when a knock came from the other side of the door. The knob turned and Kyuuji glanced at the female standing in the doorway. Her expression was grim and urgency written all over her face, unlike her usual energetic and annoyed persona.

"Ino?" Sakura sat up instinctively, blanket falling to the floor. "What—"

"Tsunade-sama's calling for all of you," she said without pause. "It's about Asuna."

Then came silence before it was followed by the sound of Kakashi stacking the cards neatly.

Ino sighed before she continued as she decided to brief them to it instead of letting the silence fill the air. "She was last sighted along the borders of Takigakure. She leveled it by the way."

Kyuuji stopped eating. Kakashi clenches his fist before he places it flat on the table. Sasuke crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. Sakura was the first to open her mouth.

"She what--?"

"Like I said, she erased it. According to the report, she destroyed the entire village of Takigakure," Ino added as she shakes her head, baffled by the same info she just spilled out.

"Any survivors?" Sasuke asked in that cool and serious tone of his.

Ino's lips pressed into a thin line. "There were none so far. Tsunade-sama have already dispatched another team of trackers to survey the area."

"Hm?" Kakashi looked up at the three ninjas who looked at him simultaneously. His single visible eye creased into a smile. "Is there something on my face?"

Sakura pointed at Kakashi like she was accusing him of something. "You predicted it days ago in front of Tsunade-sama. I remember you clearly saying along the lines—Oh she might head for Takigakure, could be interesting—and turns out you're right. And you're what—bored?! "

"I'm literally not, I'm also surprised you know," he mumbles down his breath as he leaned his back on Sakura's office chair. "I was expecting her to do something stupid. Though she went a little over dramatic this time."

"Overdramatic? Sensei she literally erased a village just now when she shouldn't be able to! I mean... she was barely functioning when she escaped. That prison should've drained everything out of her. It would take a long time for her to fully recover."

"Takigakure might not be a major power," Kyuuji added, more to himself than anyone else. "But it still houses at least a thousand shinobi. They have a number of decent Jōnin an entire infrastructure."

Kakashi tapped his fingers against the table, a habit he unknowingly developed over the years whenever he was debating to himself.

"Kyuuji," Kakashi sighed. "This is why I told you to secure the safety of her foster family. She might be a little crazy but, I doubt she won't easily forget those who have been kind to her. Now that she knows they were killed because of her, she's going to be even more driven by her revenge. But it's not like I can blame you for that."

Kyuuji's eyes remained on his cards, but his grip tightened slightly. "They didn't even listen properly to my proposal. They were adamant about keeping them as leverage. And when I tried to take them anyway, they were already dead. It seems they didn't want any traitors alive."

"Well, this situation..." Kakashi hummed to himself. "It is Konoha's fault to begin with."

Sasuke remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor.

"Look, guys," Sasuke finally spoke up, his voice even, his expression unreadable. "I think I'll take a pass on dinner. I've got some things to think about."

"You okay?" Ino asked, her voice gentle despite the tension in the room.

Sasuke looked up, his eyes meeting each of theirs briefly. "I'm fine. Just need some air. You all go ahead. I'll catch up after I clear my head."

"But we're a team," Sakura protested, her hand reaching out to him. "We should go together—"

"We are going together," Kakashi interrupted, rising from his chair. "But first, we should probably get our orders from Tsunade-sama. And Sasuke's right. She'll need him to handle the clan heads. They're probably already at each other's throats over this."

Sasuke nodded, his grip on his cards tightening even more. He knew it was true. He had seen it coming. The clan heads would be vultures fighting over the last piece of meat on a carcass. They'd need someone to keep them in line, to remind them that the village came first.

And that someone was him.

"I'll be right back," he said, and before anyone could protest, he was out the door.

Kakashi sighed, watching him go. "Sakura, you should know by now, when Sasuke says he needs air, he really needs a smoke break. And I told him not to do it in here."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "He doesn't smoke, Kakashi-sensei."

"I know," Kakashi said with a smirk. "But it's always fun to watch him glare at me for it. It's like he's trying to burn a hole in my head with his eyes every time I say it. It keeps me young."

Kyuuji looked up from his cards, his gaze unamused. "That's not healthy, Kakashi-san. For either of you."

But the room was already empty. The only sound was the rustle of the cards in Kyuuji's hand as he stood, placing them neatly on the desk.

"Let's go," he said, his tone serious. "We're going to need him to keep this from turning into a full-blown war. And I'd prefer to eat my dinner without worrying about who's trying to kill whom."