Spring had arrived early, and the temperature had begun to warm. People were already shedding their winter coats and switching to spring attire.
Tenten sat by the window at her desk, staring absentmindedly at the new buds sprouting on the tree outside.
The classroom was noisy, with students gathered in small groups, chatting and playing.
"Tenten, what are you daydreaming about?" her seatmate asked, giving her a light tap.
"Ah, it's nothing," Tenten replied with a smile, snapping back to reality.
Lately, Brother Ren had been really busy. He wasn't home after school, and he hadn't been able to spend time with her… Tenten sighed inwardly.
It had been a while since they went out shopping and eating together, which left Tenten feeling a bit down.
"Oh, are you looking at that guy?" her seatmate teased with a knowing smile.
The other girls nearby started giggling as if they were all in on a secret.
What are they talking about? Tenten thought, feeling puzzled. She glanced out the window again and saw a group of younger students playing on the field. Among them, one boy with black hair stood out.
His name was… Uchiha Sasuke.
Even though he was in the grade below, he was quite popular with the girls because of his looks. Tenten had even heard that someone in her class had confessed to him but was rejected.
He seemed similar to Neji—handsome, top of the class, and hard to approach.
"No, you've got it wrong," Tenten said, feeling a little helpless.
Sure, Sasuke had that distant, cold attitude, but Tenten thought Brother Ren was much cooler.
And besides, there weren't any clingy admirers around Brother Ren.
It was almost like he belonged to her alone.
When she looked at Sasuke again, he just seemed like a little kid, though admittedly a good-looking one.
"I wonder who's stronger, him or Neji?"
"Of course, Neji's stronger! We're in the grade above, after all!"
"I think Sasuke's cuter."
"No way, Neji's better!"
The girls next to her started to argue, but Tenten had no interest in joining in. To her, their bickering was just noisy.
Kids… What do they even know about liking someone? she thought, feeling a bit superior.
After school.
Tenten returned home alone and noticed that the windows at Ren's house across the street were open—he was back. Without even going inside her own home, she rushed over to Ren's door and knocked.
"Brother Ren."
Ren opened the door, his expression calm, casting her a brief glance before turning and heading back inside.
"Why are you home so early today?" Tenten asked as she followed him inside, noticing the shoes Ren had casually kicked off by the door. She bent down to neatly arrange them.
"The mission ended early," Ren said, lying down on his bed.
Seeing him like this, Tenten hesitated to ask if he could take her out.
"Brother Ren, are you tired?"
He didn't respond, and Tenten didn't press further. Instead, she quietly climbed onto the bed beside him, lying on her side and watching him silently.
The window was wide open, allowing a chilly breeze to blow through the room. Ren's Anbu gear was discarded carelessly on the floor, with his mask and sword placed haphazardly on the table.
The bedsheets seemed freshly changed, and she could still catch a faint scent of laundry soap—the same scent she associated with Ren. The clothes she had borrowed from him last time still hung in her own closet; she had never returned them.
As she gazed at Ren's profile, Tenten was lost in thought. But a sudden gust of cold wind snapped her out of it, causing her to shiver.
Ren glanced at her, then used his foot to pull the blanket over her.
"It's almost dinner time. Aren't you going home?" Ren asked quietly.
Tenten pulled the blanket up, covering half her face. "I don't want to go back and eat. Brother Ren, let's go out and eat instead."
"But your mom worked hard to make that dinner," Ren responded.
"Oh, what about you?" she asked.
"I'm not hungry."
Tenten puffed out her cheeks and looked at Ren. "No way!"
"You should come to my house for dinner," she insisted.
"No," Ren replied flatly.
Feeling a bit upset, Tenten sat up on the bed and tugged at Ren's arm. "Brother Ren!"
"I already said I'm not hungry," Ren said, a little exasperated as he placed his hand on her head.
"I'm tired, I need to sleep."
Seeing she couldn't move Ren, Tenten stood there with her arms akimbo, frustrated and glaring at him. "Fine, I don't care anymore!" she huffed, brushing off his hand, and climbed off the bed.
As she reached the door, she angrily kicked aside the shoes she had neatly arranged earlier.
Bang!
The door swung open and then slammed shut with force.
"You're quite heartless, you know. The little girl really wanted you to join her," a teasing voice suddenly echoed in the quiet room.
Ren turned toward the sound and saw a familiar figure sitting on the windowsill.
"Playing the role of the caring older brother isn't that difficult, is it?" Shisui leaped in through the window and sat down on a chair, grinning.
Ren looked at him expressionlessly.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Shisui asked, feigning innocence. "I just returned to the village, and the first thing I did was come to see you."
Ren, uninterested in small talk, cut straight to the point. "How are things with the Mist?"
"They've calmed down," Shisui said with a smile.
"I told you not to go too hard on them," Ren said.
"It was my mission," Shisui replied, raising his hands as if to say he had no choice. "And they are enemies, after all."
Ren coldly stared at him.
"Don't worry, I didn't wipe them out entirely," Shisui said with a sigh under Ren's intense gaze. "But things should settle down for a while… though…"
"But what?" Ren prompted.
"You need to tell me why you had me hold back. After all, I trust you unconditionally, don't I deserve an explanation?" Shisui asked.
Ren sat up, leaning against the headboard, and spoke slowly. "The Uchiha clan's recent actions are increasingly signaling a coup."
Shisui's expression turned serious as he pondered for a moment before speaking. "I've heard that too. Someone sent me a message while I was at the border."
"What's your plan to deal with it?" Ren asked.
Shisui remained silent for a moment. "I won't let the coup happen."
"So, you're going with the same old method," Ren said, his tone neutral.
"I plan to ask the Hokage for some special privileges," Shisui explained, taking a deep breath. "We must prevent the coup from happening. No matter who wins, it will cause irreversible damage to the village."
"If other nations take advantage of the situation, we could end up in another war."
"You're right," Ren said. "But given the current state of the Uchiha, your approach will only delay the coup temporarily. The villagers' hostility, the higher-ups' suspicion, and the clan's own stubborn attitude will only lead to a new leader, and the Uchiha will end up repeating the same cycle."
"I understand that," Shisui said, frustration creeping into his voice. "You've told me this many times before, but what other choice do we have?"
"I can only rely on the time bought by Kotoamatsukami to try and change things. It's not entirely hopeless; there's still a chance."
Ren gazed at Shisui silently before speaking again. "Have the Uchiha relinquish their control over the Police Force."
Shisui was taken aback and frowned. "I've thought about that too, but the clan leader would never agree to it."
"They're on the verge of rebellion, so they would never willingly give up that power," Shisui added.
"You can make it happen," Ren said calmly.
Shisui looked thoughtful, understanding what Ren was implying.
"But without a valid reason, how would the clan react? Going against the will of the majority would put even the clan leader in a difficult position," Shisui reasoned.
"We can create an opportunity," Ren said. "A reason for the Uchiha to step down from the Police Force voluntarily."
"What kind of opportunity?" Shisui asked, surprised.
"The Mist Village has always had their eyes on Konoha," Ren replied, finally bringing up the subject Shisui had asked about earlier.
"So why not let them succeed?"
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