Shizune walked briskly through the halls of the hospital, her mind preoccupied with the task at hand. In her hand was the file that represented Haruto Takeda's progress—the boy who had impressed her far more than she had expected. He had passed the test with flying colors, managing to demonstrate a level of control and discipline far beyond his years. Now, she needed Tsunade's signature to finalize the paperwork that would allow Haruto to volunteer at the hospital.
The arrangement was simple: Haruto would come three days a week after his academy classes and every Sunday for four hours, totaling around 16 hours per week. It wasn't a full-time apprenticeship, but it was more than enough time for him to learn the basics, help out where needed, and continue developing his skills in medical ninjutsu.
As she approached Tsunade's office, Shizune paused briefly outside the door, taking a breath. Tsunade-sama isn't going to care, she reminded herself. Tsunade had been distant lately, more focused on her own inner struggles than the workings of the hospital. The loss of her brother, Nawaki, and her lover, Dan, still weighed heavily on her. Even after all this time, Tsunade wasn't the same as she had been before those tragedies. She had retreated into herself, and if it weren't for the hospital and the sake, Shizune feared she might have left the village entirely.
Steeling herself, Shizune knocked on the door. A gruff voice answered.
"Come in."
Shizune stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her. Tsunade was sitting behind her desk, her posture slightly slouched, a bottle of sake nearby but untouched—for now. The weight of her grief always seemed to hang in the air around her, despite her best efforts to mask it. But Shizune knew better.
"Shizune," Tsunade greeted, her voice neutral. "What is it?"
Shizune stepped forward, holding up the file. "Tsunade-sama, I need your signature. There's a boy in the academy who's shown significant promise in medical ninjutsu, and he's passed the basic tests we set for him."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, barely glancing at the file. "A boy? At the academy?" She leaned back slightly, folding her arms. "Isn't it a little early for that kind of thing?"
Shizune nodded, handing over the file. "Normally, yes. But this one is different. His name is Haruto Takeda. He's been coming to the hospital every day during the break, working on his chakra control and medical techniques. He passed all the basic tests in less than two weeks, and his dedication is… remarkable."
Tsunade gave her a skeptical look as she took the file, flipping it open lazily. "Remarkable, huh?"
Shizune felt a flicker of frustration. She knew Tsunade was distracted, still caught up in her grief, but this boy was genuinely talented. "He's far more disciplined than most academy students. And his chakra control—it's advanced for someone his age. I really think he has potential."
Tsunade hummed noncommittally, scanning the notes in the file without much interest. "Are you sure you're not just letting your youthful feelings get in the way, Shizune?" Tsunade's lips curled into a small, teasing smile. "What, do you have a crush on him or something?"
Shizune flushed, taken aback by the comment. "Tsunade-sama, it's not like that at all. I just think he's someone worth keeping an eye on. He could become an excellent medical-nin one day."
Tsunade chuckled softly, her gaze drifting back to the file. "I'm just teasing, Shizune. Relax." She took a moment to actually read through Haruto's progress. The notes about his chakra control, his rapid improvement, and his dedication were all laid out in detail. It was impressive, but she didn't let it show.
"Interesting," she muttered, signing her name at the bottom of the form. She closed the file and handed it back to Shizune. "You've got your signature. He can volunteer three days a week, plus Sundays. But I'll be honest—I've seen a lot of promising students, and most of them don't turn out to be anything special. They burn out or lose interest. Keep an eye on him, but don't get too invested."
Shizune bit her lip, not entirely satisfied with Tsunade's dismissive tone, but she understood where it was coming from. Tsunade had seen too much loss, too much failure, and it had made her cynical. Still, Haruto was different. Shizune was certain of it.
"I will," Shizune said quietly, taking the file back. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her eyes drifting toward the untouched sake bottle. "Life moves on, Shizune," she muttered, almost to herself. "People die, people live. Especially in our world. Remember that."
Shizune nodded, though her heart ached for her mentor. Tsunade-sama's still broken, she thought. But there was nothing she could do to heal the wounds left by Nawaki and Dan's deaths. Time had passed, but it hadn't lessened the weight of their loss for Tsunade.
As she turned to leave, Tsunade glanced at the file one last time, her interest piqued, but only slightly. A promising boy with good chakra control. It wasn't enough to fully capture her attention—not yet, anyway. But maybe, just maybe, this Haruto Takeda would prove to be worth more than she expected.
"Keep me updated on his progress," Tsunade said as Shizune reached the door.
Shizune smiled softly, sensing the tiniest hint of genuine curiosity from her mentor. "I will, Tsunade-sama."
With that, Shizune left the office, closing the door behind her. As she walked down the hallway, she felt a sense of satisfaction. Haruto had earned his place here, and she had no doubt he would continue to impress.
Sixteen hours a week, she thought to herself. Haruto's going to make the most of it.
She smiled, confident that the hospital would soon have a new, dedicated volunteer—and perhaps someone truly special in the making.