Yakushi Nonō stood at a crossroads inside the Hyuga compound and gently pushed up the square-framed glasses on the bridge of her nose, looking around.
She wore simple black clothes with a white hood. A soft breeze lifted her gentle chestnut short hair.
This was her first time here. She didn't know the way, and she'd even forgotten to ask for the other person's address in advance.
What a mistake. I can't believe I made such a basic, low-level error.
"Sigh…"
Nonō couldn't help letting out a small sigh.
"Onee-san, what's wrong?"
A voice suddenly came from behind. Nonō turned and saw a smooth forehead that made the girl's identity clear at a glance—Hyuga Hinata, the main family's young lady.
Nonō smiled in greeting. "Hello, Hinata-sama."
"You know me?" Hinata looked surprised. She was sure she'd never seen this older sister before.
"Well, you are the Hyuga clan's young lady," Nonō explained.
"My name is Yakushi Nonō. I accepted a commission that requires me to find Hyuga Kiyonari. But it's my first time in the Hyuga compound, so I'm not sure where his house is. Do you know the way?"
"Kiyonari-kun?" Hinata froze slightly. "Actually… I was just about to go find him too."
"That's wonderful." Nonō pressed her palms together in a pleading gesture. "Can I go with you?"
"O-of course!" Hinata nodded quickly, then started leading the way.
Mm—this is cheating. She's practically like a mom.
After walking a bit, Nonō asked softly, "Hinata, are you close with Hyuga Kiyonari?"
Hinata's cheeks reddened slightly. "Mm."
Nonō nodded and added, "If Tsunade-sama took him as a student, then he must have something exceptional about him."
"Of course!" Hinata's voice actually became a bit more outgoing here, and she started describing him enthusiastically.
"Kiyonari-kun is amazing. He knows lots of things other people don't. He's gentle with others, and he's a—more talented genius than I am."
So his personality is easy enough to deal with, and his talent isn't bad… then completing this mission shouldn't be hard.
Nonō thought to herself, a small smile forming.
"We're here."
Hinata stopped, straightened her collar slightly, and then knocked on the door.
A moment later, the door opened.
"Hinata? And—" Kiyonari's gaze shifted to Nonō, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
Nonō dipped into a slight bow. "Hello, Hyuga Kiyonari. I'm Yakushi Nonō. I'm here at Tsunade-sama's request to carry out a commission."
"A commission?" Kiyonari looked mildly surprised. I didn't even know about this.
"Please come in."
Kiyonari stepped aside. His room was a single-occupant unit assigned by the clan—simple layout, visible at a glance as soon as you entered, similar to where Uzumaki Naruto lived. But Kiyonari's finances were much better now, and he'd added plenty of furniture, so it wasn't like he had nowhere to host guests.
Kiyonari handed two cups of hot tea to Nonō and Hinata, then sat down opposite them.
"Sorry for the poor hospitality," he said. "I live alone, so I'm not used to receiving guests."
"It's already very nice." Nonō lifted her cup, gently blew away the steam, and took a sip. "The tea tastes good."
Does it?
Kiyonari glanced down at the tea bag—cheap stuff the shopkeeper had tossed in for free when he bought something earlier.
He'd never expected it to be useful, so he'd shoved it away at the bottom of a box. He didn't even drink this himself.
Yet even Hinata was holding the cup and drinking in small sips—though her eyes kept sneaking toward him.
Could it be—was that shopkeeper actually a sincere guy?
Half doubtful, Kiyonari lifted his own "for-show" cup, brought it to his lips, and tried a sip.
His face instantly twisted.
"Bleh!"
Nonō set her cup down, her expression turning serious. "Alright, let me explain why I'm here."
"Two days ago, Tsunade-sama posted a commission in Konoha. The content of the commission was this: she hopes an experienced medical ninja can temporarily take her place and teach you the basics of medical ninjutsu."
Kiyonari's expression turned complicated again.
A substitute teacher?
Nonō also recalled the scene from two days ago. The bulletin board had been packed with people—almost every medic still in Konoha had gathered there—yet no one dared accept it.
"Tsunade-sama's student… what if I don't teach well?"
"I wouldn't dare take it. With my skill, even if I try my hardest, Tsunade-sama might still think it's the same as not teaching at all."
"Exactly…"
Voices like that came one after another, and Nonō had only been passing by. She hadn't planned to take the commission either, but her old spy instincts made her scan the mission sheet anyway—and her eyes instantly caught the number in the reward column.
Oh~ this lady has conquered me with money.
"Wait."
Kiyonari spotted the problem. Other people might not know Tsunade's financial situation, but how could he not know?
That gambling-addicted, booze-loving Tsunade-sensei—where would she get the money to pay a commission fee?
Nonō pulled out an envelope and handed it to him. "There's also a letter—written to you by Tsunade-sama. When I accepted the commission, the administrator told me to pick it up from the Hokage's office."
Kiyonari took the envelope and checked it carefully, confirming the seal was intact and showed no sign of having been opened.
Then he opened it and read, finally understanding everything.
It turned out the money Tsunade had won at the casino—money he'd enabled with correction points—she never intended to use it to pay off debts. She'd been saving it for her next trip to a casino, but after returning to Konoha she hadn't had anywhere to spend it.
Cold correction points had become warm money—and it was being spent on him.
"Hah…" Kiyonari closed the letter. "Then I'll be in your care, Nono-sensei."
Nonō smiled and nodded, then asked, "Before we begin, I need to understand your current progress. What has Tsunade-sama already taught you? What basic medical knowledge have you mastered?"
Kiyonari looked a bit awkward. He scratched his head, embarrassed. "Um… about medical ninjutsu…"
"Hm?" Nonō looked at him encouragingly. "It's fine—just tell me honestly. Even if you've only learned a little, I can design a plan based on your level."
Kiyonari was silent for a moment, then answered truthfully.
"Actually… my progress is… zero."
Even if he and Tsunade were master and student, it was a special situation—not the kind of direct, heir-to-the-art relationship. And since he was still young, Tsunade hadn't intended to teach him medical ninjutsu right away.
He just hadn't expected things to move so fast—she'd gone to the border.
~~~
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