Late at night.
Passion spent, on the edge of sleep.
Kurenai laid on Ren's chest, her breathing still uneven as she basked in the lingering sensations of their time together.
"Ren..."
"Let's have a child."
Ren's left arm encircled her as he looked at her flushed face, then glanced up at the dimly lit ceiling.
"Why think about kids without marriage?"
Hearing the word "marriage," Kurenai's fingers, which had been tracing light circles on Ren's chest, trembled slightly.
"Then... when will we get married?"
"Do you want to marry me?" Ren asked.
Kurenai didn't answer; she simply held him tighter.
"When I've taken care of everything," Ren said softly.
Kurenai lifted her head, her gaze questioning. "What do you mean?"
Ren placed his hand on her shoulder, encouraging her to rest against him again. "I won't keep you waiting long."
Kurenai didn't press further, though she had often thought about marriage. But since Ren hadn't brought it up, she never did, either.
"What should we name our child?" she murmured.
"I haven't thought about it."
"Think about it now."
"Too much trouble; you can choose," he said.
"Honestly!" Kurenai gave him a playful tap.
She resumed tracing circles on his chest, this time seriously pondering names.
After a moment of silence, Ren spoke. "You remember Uchiha Mikoto came by, right?"
Her train of thought interrupted, Kurenai blinked, then smiled. "You mean Mikoto? I told you she visited our house. She even invited us over, but with the Chunin Exams, we haven't had time. Let's visit after the second round."
"She certainly is enthusiastic," Ren remarked.
"Yes, Mikoto is incredibly warm. She's beautiful, with two outstanding sons—she's someone to admire," Kurenai said. "I'd love to be like her."
"Do you know why she visited us?" Ren asked, noticing Kurenai's lack of suspicion toward Mikoto.
Kurenai looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"The Hokage is already over seventy. The selection of the Fifth Hokage could come up any time," Ren said. "And as the head of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Fugaku will be a candidate."
Kurenai was even more confused. "But what does that have to do with us?"
"Do you remember who my students are?"
"…"
Kurenai was silent for a moment before realization dawned. She looked at Ren, astonished.
"Mikoto came to us to gain the support of the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans?"
Oh, Kurenai… Ren thought.
"The Ino-Shika-Cho trio would never support the Uchiha. Both Fugaku and Mikoto know that well."
"Then why…?" Kurenai was at a loss.
"Because of me," Ren sighed, then added calmly. "I'm considered the other candidate against Uchiha Fugaku."
"What…"
"Wait, what?!" Kurenai stared at him in shock, sitting up abruptly. The thin blanket slipped down, leaving her exposed in the dim light.
"Hokage candidate?" she stammered, stunned. "You… you mean you?"
Her expression was one of utter disbelief.
Ren met her gaze with a steady expression.
To Kurenai, it all seemed bizarre, even absurd.
"Ren… I'm not saying you're unqualified, but being a Hokage candidate… how could it be you?"
Ren was just an ordinary jonin with a reputation mainly for controversy. His strength might be impressive, but many strong shinobi lived in the village. And he was barely in his twenties, far younger than other qualified, seasoned shinobi like Kakashi, Asuma, or the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya and Tsunade.
Kurenai found herself thinking Ren's claims were baseless fantasies, but she hesitated to say so, fearing it might upset him.
"Why not me?" Ren asked.
Kurenai bit her lip, her worry showing.
"The clan heads don't want Uchiha Fugaku as the Fifth Hokage. They need someone to oppose him," Ren explained, his tone even. "The only thing I lack is renown."
He spoke with an expression so calm it startled Kurenai.
Could this be true…?
"But aren't Jiraiya or Tsunade more likely choices for the Fifth?" she asked.
"I'm not trying to become the Fifth Hokage right away. All I want is the title of candidate to secure influence in the village," Ren replied.
Even if Hiruzen survived Orochimaru's attack, how long could he hold power? Ren knew he needed to secure his future by preparing to govern in Hiruzen's absence.
"Ren…" Kurenai's eyes flickered with emotion as she studied him.
"Do you… really want to be Hokage?"
Ren shifted slightly, propping himself up against the pillow.
He reached out to touch Kurenai's face, and she placed her hand over his.
"I just believe that Konoha would be stronger if I led it," he said quietly, his gaze deep and unreadable. "Stronger and more prosperous than it's ever been."
"I would purge the corruption within and eliminate any outside threats."
Kurenai looked at him, silent for a long time.
"Since I became Shikamaru and his friends' teacher, the attitudes of the clan heads toward us have changed," he continued.
"They see me as a successor the Hokage intends to nurture, one of the future Hokage candidates."
"Uchiha Mikoto understands this well, which is why she came to connect with us as 'neighbors' despite the distance."
Kurenai hesitated, finally saying, "Mikoto doesn't seem the way you're describing her…"
"She is, after all, the wife of the Uchiha clan head," Ren replied coldly. "Do you think she's a simple housewife who knows nothing?"
Kurenai didn't argue further, resting her face against his chest and listening to the sound of his heartbeat.
"Ren…"
"No matter what you do, I'll support you."
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