"What… did you say?"
Asuma reflexively asked. Ren didn't respond, merely sitting there calmly.
The silence itself was an answer.
Clatter!
Asuma suddenly stood up, the chair behind him toppling over and hitting the floor with a loud noise.
The sound caught the attention of everyone in the restaurant, and for a brief moment, there was a pause.
"Sir?" A concerned server approached to check on them.
Asuma stared at Ren, eyes wide with disbelief, confusion, and helplessness.
The restaurant resumed its noisy hum, blending with the bustling chatter from the street outside.
"You… you and her…" Asuma started but trailed off, forgetting what he wanted to say.
The server picked up the fallen chair and set it back upright.
"Not sitting?" Ren asked coolly.
"…"
Asuma, still dazed, sank back into the chair.
Time passed slowly, and it felt as if their corner of the restaurant was isolated from the surrounding clamor.
Ren shifted his gaze away from Asuma, looking out the window at the busy street, the lights reflecting off his eyes, which seemed to shimmer with unreadable thoughts.
"When… did this happen?"
It was hard to tell how much time had passed, but Asuma's voice finally broke the silence.
"A few years ago. I don't remember exactly," Ren replied nonchalantly.
"…"
Asuma lifted his head to look at Ren, countless questions and accusations filling his mind, but seeing Ren's composed face made him swallow them all.
What could he say? What could he ask?
Asuma couldn't quite describe what he was feeling.
"Did you come here just to tell me this?"
Ren glanced at him. "You could say that."
"Why didn't she tell me herself?" Asuma asked, unable to suppress the question.
"Why would she need to tell you herself?" Ren countered calmly.
Asuma fell silent again.
Why indeed? He wasn't her significant other.
What right did he have…
He wanted nothing more than to face Kurenai and demand an explanation.
But deep down, he knew that even if he stood before her, he would likely be at a loss for words.
They'd known each other for over 20 years, yet Asuma realized now that he barely knew Kurenai at all. He couldn't fathom why she would choose Ren.
What was the reason for her rejection?
Asuma slumped in his chair.
There was no rage, just a hollow sense of loss.
Sadness, like ink, seeped through his heart, spreading slowly.
The image of Kurenai's smile replayed in his mind, followed by a vivid, painful vision of her in Ren's embrace.
It felt as if the world had suddenly died around him. He wanted to cry, but no tears came.
Ren stood up without another word and left the restaurant.
The vibrant street outside was as lively as ever, full of laughter and chatter.
Walking steadily, Ren made his way home and saw that the lights in his house were on again tonight.
He didn't use his key but knocked on the door.
After a moment, the door opened, revealing Kurenai in an apron.
"Welcome home," she said, surprised for a second before smiling.
"Didn't you bring your key? I'm in the middle of making dinner. I bought fish today."
Ren stepped inside and closed the door.
"Just wait a bit, dinner will be ready soon," Kurenai said, turning back toward the kitchen but was suddenly pulled into an embrace.
"Ah!"
He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, drawing her close.
"What… what's this about? I'm still cooking," Kurenai's voice softened, only making a token effort to resist.
She felt his gaze resting on her.
"…Ren, what's wrong?" she asked, looking up at him.
Ren's eyes lowered as he spoke, "Are you happy being with me?"
Kurenai felt her heart skip a beat, trembling slightly.
"Mm-hmm." She locked eyes with Ren.
"Mm-hmm!" She nodded earnestly.
A glimmer passed through Ren's eyes as his hand moved to her face, feeling the warmth of her skin.
This wasn't some simulated world, nor a game to complete.
This was a real, living world.
Everyone here felt joy, sorrow; every death brought grief to someone.
Their emotions were genuine, burning bright and true.
Yet he… since the death of his teammates, he hadn't viewed the people here as equals.
They were just characters to him.
That feeling deepened when Shisui was gone.
This was a hollow, nauseating game he had grown tired of. If this was a dream, he wanted to wake up.
"Ren…" Kurenai's hand gently clasped his.
The pot on the stove hissed and steamed, the clock on the table ticked, and a gentle breeze played through the open window as warm light bathed the room.
"We should…" Ren began.
"Get a bigger place."
Kurenai's eyes widened, becoming soft like water.
"Okay."
She said it softly, then seemed to remember something and pulled away quickly.
"My soup!"
She rushed back to the kitchen, tending to the bubbling pot and setting the food on the table.
Ren went to the bathroom, turning on the tap and splashing water on his face.
He stared at his reflection in the mirror—still calm and composed, unable to recall the look on his face when he had spoken to Kurenai earlier.
His mindset might be shifting, but his nature wouldn't change overnight.
"Ren, dinner's ready!"
He returned to the living room, seeing Kurenai setting out the dishes.
Without her forehead protector or shinobi uniform, she looked every bit the part of a homemaker.
"I made fish soup and unagi don," Kurenai said, smiling at Ren.
During the meal, Kurenai watched Ren eat and asked, "When you said we should get a bigger place, where should we move?"
"Where do you want to go?" Ren responded.
"I haven't really thought about it," Kurenai said, tapping her chopsticks in thought.
"Houses in the center of the village aren't that big, and those that are, people don't want to sell."
"But if we move to the outskirts, won't it be too out of the way? It'll be inconvenient for grocery shopping and errands."
"And the good ones aren't cheap either."
She was half-talking to Ren, half-muttering to herself.
"What do you think, Ren?"
"Money isn't an issue," Ren said without looking up, continuing to eat.
"Really? You have that much money?" Kurenai chuckled in surprise.
"It's enough."
"I've heard you have to consider location, layout, and lots of details when buying a house."
"Sounds complicated. Forget it."
"What! You can't just give up!" Kurenai puffed out her cheeks in protest.
"We'll look when we have time."
"Deal, then."
"…"
"Ren, let's get a dog. One of my students has one—it's so cute."
"I prefer cats."
"No way, we're getting a dog!"
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