c23: The Hero in the Dream
"Good afternoon, honored guests!"
"Next, we will be attending to you two personally."
Before long, two young women appeared from the inner corridor both wearing the traditional dark Uchiha kimono marked with the clan crest.
They were twin sisters the elder named Uchiha Rei, and the younger Uchiha Yuki.
Known within the clan for their synchronised genjutsu technique, the two often assisted at the Dream Experience Hall.
Smiling politely, Rei asked, "What kind of dream would you like today, Miss Mitarashi?"
Anko tilted her head, thinking seriously for a moment before replying with her usual cheeky grin.
"Hmm… I want a dream where I strike it rich piles of money, endless dango, maybe even a mansion! Let me dream like a millionaire."
The Mitarashi clan, after all, was one of Konoha's smaller families barely a hundred members, with little influence or wealth.
Even though Anko was technically from a shinobi family, she still had to take on dangerous missions constantly to make ends meet.
No wonder her dreams were often filled with fantasies of sudden wealth.
"Understood," said Rei gently. "I can tell you've just returned from a mission your shoulders are stiff, and your chakra flow is slightly imbalanced. Before we begin, let me help you relax your body."
Her soft hands began to move with practiced rhythm, applying precise pressure to the muscles around Anko's neck and back.
The technique was clearly refined through training each motion perfectly balanced, the strength neither too light nor too heavy, the pace neither too fast nor too slow.
Anko's fatigue melted away almost instantly.
She exhaled, eyes half-lidded, her tense body relaxing completely.
No wonder this place is expensive, she thought dreamily. The service really is perfect.
And as her mind drifted between wakefulness and sleep, Rei subtly wove gentle chakra threads through her fingertips activating a soothing genjutsu pattern that guided Anko into a peaceful slumber.
Within moments, Anko's breathing steadied, her consciousness sinking smoothly into the crafted dreamscape.
---
"Miss Yūhi, what kind of dream would you like?" asked Uchiha Yuki, turning to Kurenai.
Kurenai hesitated for a moment, her cheeks faintly pink.
"I'd like… to be rescued by a hero. Just once in my dream."
Her voice dropped to a whisper, and she averted her eyes shyly.
Yuki smiled knowingly. "A romantic scenario, then. Is this hero someone real? Could you describe him for me?"
For a moment, Kurenai said nothing. Then, her crimson eyes flicked toward the entrance and she raised her hand.
"That's him," she murmured softly.
Yuki turned her head to look.
At the entrance, a young man had just stepped inside the hall.
He was slender and composed, his expression calm yet confident. His hair was black and slightly tousled, and his gaze was deep eyes like polished obsidian, reflecting both intellect and mystery.
Though youthful, his demeanor carried the stillness of someone far beyond his years. A faint smile rested on his lips, as if he already understood everything around him.
Yuki's eyes widened slightly, her lips parting in surprise.
That man was none other than Uchiha Chiya, patriarch of the modern Uchiha and creator of the Dream Experience Hall itself the very foundation of the clan's current prosperity.
Because this hall was not merely a business.
It was the Uchiha's new face proof that under Chiya's leadership, the clan could thrive again, not through rebellion or war… but through intelligence, innovation, and the power of dreams.
Because the Dream Experience Hall had become the Uchiha clan's most prosperous business,
Chiya often made time to personally observe the store's operations even amidst his heavy clan duties.
On this particular day, Yūhi Kurenai happened to notice him by chance.
At first, she merely glanced at him across the room but once her gaze lingered, she found herself unable to look away.
Though Chiya was still young, his calm composure, quiet confidence, and air of maturity gave him an unusual charm.
That steady, controlled aura so different from most men of his age made him stand out instantly.
In contrast, Sarutobi Asuma, who had been casually pursuing her for months, was already in his mid-twenties, rugged and broad-shouldered, with a perpetual hint of stubble on his chin.
That rough maturity gave its own kind of contrast but to Kurenai, it lacked the quiet grace she saw in Chiya.
And though she had long been admired by others, Kurenai herself was reserved by nature.
She wasn't bold enough to speak her heart aloud even a fleeting glance toward Chiya made her pulse race.
Her heart thumped erratically, and she tried to calm herself, pretending to be focused on the décor.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Yuki, noticing the pink flush across Kurenai's cheeks and her restless gaze, instantly understood what was happening.
The young Uchiha girl smiled knowingly and whispered, "Wait here for a moment."
Then she quietly walked over to Chiya, bowed slightly, and murmured a few words beside him.
Under Kurenai's astonished gaze, Chiya turned, his expression thoughtful, and began walking straight toward her.
Her breath caught.
Each step he took seemed to echo louder than the next.
When he finally stopped before her, Chiya knelt slightly, eyes calm yet warm.
"Miss Yūhi," he said with a faint smile, "this may be a Dream Hall… but if the dream you want can exist in reality, then why waste chakra and ryo to live it inside an illusion?"
Kurenai froze. Her face flared crimson.
Her mind went completely blank.
W-what does he mean?
Is he… confessing?
Her thoughts tangled wildly. Should she accept? Deny? Laugh? Say something?
Before she could decide, her body moved on its own her hand reaching hesitantly forward.
When her fingers brushed his, warmth spread through her entire being.
At that moment, the famed genjutsu specialist of Konoha usually calm and collected could only smile shyly as she let him take her hand.
Watching Chiya and Kurenai leave the hall side by side, Uchiha Yuki smiled softly. Her expression was almost motherly full of amusement and quiet satisfaction.
---
An hour later, Mitarashi Anko stirred awake from her luxurious dream.
"What a crazy dream that was…" she muttered, stretching lazily and yawning.
Turning her head, she realized the seat beside her was already occupied by someone new.
"Tch. That girl ditched me again," Anko complained, puffing her cheeks. "Didn't even wait till I woke up! Typical Kurenai…"
She stood up and headed for the exit but before she could take a step, a polite attendant blocked her path.
"Excuse me, miss. Your total comes to ten thousand ryō."
Anko blinked. "Eh? Wait, wait I've got an invitation! Doesn't that mean I get a discount?"
"Yes, please show your invitation and sign here," the attendant replied politely.
"Uh… about that," Anko said sheepishly. "The invitation's actually with my friend. Mind if I check in tomorrow after she returns it?"
The attendant's pleasant expression darkened immediately. "You guess?"
"…Then I'll wait," Anko said weakly, scratching her head. "Guess I'm not escaping, huh?"
Resigned, she summoned a small snake and whispered instructions, sending it off to find Kurenai.
By the time the hall was closing, Kurenai finally arrived flushed, breathless, and visibly flustered.
Anko spun toward her, ready to launch into a full rant but the words froze in her throat.
Kurenai was clinging shyly to Chiya's arm, her face still pink, lips faintly swollen, her usual composed expression replaced by a soft, dreamy glow.
Anko's jaw dropped.
"T-this, You were gone for one hour!" she stammered. "What the hell happened?!"
Her eyes darted between the two of them, disbelief plastered across her face.
Did that quiet girl actually… hand herself over already?!
---