"Ren-sensei, if we pass the preliminary round, will there be a reward?"
"No."
"That's so unfair!"
"I'm the teacher; what I say goes."
"Ugh!" Ino puffed her cheeks, frustrated.
The four of them walked down the dimly lit hallway toward their quarters when three figures appeared from around the corner ahead.
It's them… Ino and Shikamaru recognized the group immediately.
It was Team Neji: Hyuga Neji with his unmistakable Byakugan, Rock Lee in his bright green bodysuit and intense eyes, and a young girl with twin buns on her head.
The two teams weren't particularly close, so neither greeted the other as they passed.
Tenten looked off to the side, quietly following her teammates.
As the three of them walked by, Ren stopped and called out, "Tenten."
She froze, her whole body stiffening as if rooted in place.
Ren turned toward her. "Are you not even going to say hello?"
"…Ren-san," she whispered, barely audible.
Ren-san? Ino raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
Ren watched her for a moment before simply saying, "Good luck with the exam."
"…Thank you."
Ren continued walking with Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji, leaving Tenten standing there, taking a deep breath as she resumed walking, staying silent.
Neji and Lee noticed but chose not to comment, following her lead.
"Ren-sensei, do you know that girl?" Ino asked.
"She's the younger sister of a neighbor," he replied.
"Oh, I see," Ino nodded.
"That was Neji, right?" Shikamaru chimed in. "If I end up facing him in the preliminary, it's going to be a loss for sure."
Ren cast him a sideways glance, and Shikamaru quickly added, "Kidding! I'll give it my best."
They arrived at the lodging area, with three adjacent rooms allocated to them.
"This is your stop," Ren said. "Get some rest."
As he turned to leave, Ino called after him, "Ren-sensei, where are you going?"
He didn't reply, simply continuing down the hallway.
"Come on, let's go to bed," Shikamaru yawned, looking weary. "It's late."
Ren walked off, considering his next moves.
Tenten's opponent seems to be that Sand ninja, Temari… the skill gap is pretty wide, and she tends to hit hard...
Ren reached a room and opened the door.
The person inside jumped slightly but relaxed upon seeing him.
"Dinner," he said, placing a food container on the table.
Karin looked at the container, glanced at him, and eventually gave in to her hunger, sitting down to eat.
Ren took a seat nearby, watching her eat in silence.
Midway through her meal, Karin suddenly started coughing, her face stricken with discomfort as she clutched her chest.
Without a word, Ren pulled a small scroll from his belt and unsealed a bottle of water, handing it to her.
"Thank you," she said, taking a sip and letting out a sigh of relief.
Once she finished eating, she moved quietly back to the bed, watching him collect the container.
"Wait," she called out as he turned to leave.
"I… don't even know your name," she said softly, standing by the bed, her voice cautious.
"Ren."
"What do you… want me to do?" she asked, biting her lip.
During her time here, she had thought about countless possibilities. She assumed he had an interest in her unique chakra abilities or her lineage in the Uzumaki clan, or perhaps… something darker.
While only twelve, Karin had witnessed the horrors of the world far more than most young ninjas. She had seen the brutality of war, death, and the worst sides of human nature.
If she could live, she would. Whatever was asked of her, she could endure. In a world like this, survival was all that mattered, especially since she had no one left.
"Nothing," Ren said softly.
Karin blinked in surprise.
Ren approached her and reached out his hand.
Karin froze, closing her eyes out of instinct, preparing for the worst. But all he did was remove the Grass Village forehead protector from her brow.
"Just live well."
He left with the food container and the forehead protector, closing the door quietly behind him.
Karin stood motionless for a moment, feeling strangely empty despite having steeled herself for the worst.
She opened her eyes, staring at the closed door, then slumped back down onto the bed, a mix of relief and confusion in her heart.
...
A knock on the door awoke Ren later that night.
He opened it to find Tenten standing there, hands clasped behind her back and her head lowered.
"Ren-san," she murmured, "I... can't sleep."
"Come in," he said, stepping aside.
Tenten sat on a chair, and Ren grabbed a nearby glass of water, taking a sip.
A cool breeze drifted through the open window, carrying the scent of the forest outside.
"She's not staying with you?" Tenten asked.
"Hm."
"…"
Silence settled between them.
Tenten looked down at her lap, fidgeting with her hands.
"When… did you two start seeing each other?" she asked quietly.
"A long time ago. I don't remember," he replied, leaning back on the bed.
"Do you… like her a lot?"
Ren gazed out the window for a moment before replying, "I suppose so."
"I also…" Tenten took a deep breath, her voice trembling.
"I really… like…"
"Tenten," Ren cut her off gently.
"You're too young. You don't understand."
"…"
Tenten clenched her fists, looking down. "How… could I not understand?"
"I'm the one who's always been by your side…"
"Why… her?"
Silly girl, Ren sighed internally.
"This kind of thing… wait until you're older before you think about it," he said calmly.
Tenten looked up, searching his face. He looked as calm and composed as ever.
Even after she had opened her heart to him, he remained unmoved.
"If I grow up… will you leave her for me?" she asked.
"When you grow up… you won't think this way anymore," Ren replied.
Silence hung in the air.
She watched him, the moonlight casting soft shadows across his face, illuminating his sharp features and lending him an ethereal, distant beauty.
If I just grow up… will that be enough?
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