The streets were bustling with people, and the sounds of commotion rose and fell.
The three members of Team 8 walked side by side down the crowded street.
Mamoru asked, his hands clasped behind his head, a little bored, "Where has Kurenai been lately? Why does it feel like it's just the three of us acting together recently?"
Hinata gently answered his question, "Kurenai-sensei went to perform other missions."
Shino's voice came from high up in his collar, his tone as steady as ever. "Kurenai-sensei has been gone for several days. Are you just now remembering to ask?"
"Alright, today..."
Mamoru nodded, about to say something more, but was interrupted by the sudden commotion of the crowd on the street.
The once orderly street suddenly lost its rhythm. People surged in unison towards the same direction, and whispers spread like ripples in water.
"I heard someone's going to commit suicide at the theater."
"Really?"
"Now? Hurry up and go see what's happening."
...
The three stopped in unison, catching the key information from the noisy hum of the crowd.
Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "What the hell?"
Hinata repeated with some uncertainty, "It seems... they're saying someone is committing suicide at the theater."
Shino confirmed simultaneously, pushing up his sunglasses. "At the theater."
Mamoru immediately perked up, taking the lead. "Let's check it out."
...
In front of the Konoha Theater, onlookers had already gathered, three layers deep and discussing animatedly. The three of them squeezed through the crowd to a forward position.
Mamoru looked up and saw a dejected man sitting on the edge of the theater roof, his legs dangling in the air, a very dangerous situation.
"I heard it's for a woman."
"I saw him before, holding a bouquet of flowers, probably for someone."
"It looks like a failed romance, unable to accept reality for a while. So young, what a pity."
...
All sorts of discussions surged around them like a tide, some gloating, some expressing regret, and some purely watching the show.
Mamoru listened to the words being passed around and roughly guessed the whole story.
He took a deep breath and shouted loudly towards the rooftop, "Brother! Listen to my advice! A simp is unacceptable!"
This shout was earth-shattering. Instantly, all the eyes of the surrounding onlookers swished and focused on Mamoru. Their small group immediately became the center of attention.
Hinata's face flushed red, so embarrassed she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. She carefully reached out and gently tugged on Mamoru's sleeve, hoping he would tone it down.
Shino, meanwhile, subtly cleared his throat to cover his embarrassment, while unconsciously adjusting the sunglasses on his nose again.
"Who's down there? What's all the shouting about?" A head poked out from the other end of the rooftop, her tone displeased.
"Yo, Tenten!" Mamoru recognized the person and raised his hand in greeting.
"Mamoru!?" Tenten's serious expression instantly turned to surprise when she saw an acquaintance, waving her hands frantically. "Mamoru! I'm here!"
Mamoru casually waved back at her.
"Waaah... Waaah..."
Unexpectedly, the man on the rooftop who was about to jump became even more agitated upon seeing this interaction, crying louder.
"Tenten, we're still on a mission." Tenten was pulled back by Neji, along with his helpless reminder.
"I... I know." Tenten responded softly.
"Ne-Neji-nii-san?" Hinata's pupils constricted the moment she saw Neji, subconsciously muttering to herself in a voice so low only she could hear.
"Is there a mission like this in the requests?" Mamoru withdrew his gaze, turning to Shino beside him with a hint of surprise.
"Not very clear." Shino's answer was still concise.
Time passed minute by minute, and the negotiations on the rooftop seemed to have reached a stalemate.
Neji stood not far from the edge of the rooftop, persuading, "Calm down. Jumping down like this has no meaning. She won't know how much you've sacrificed for her."
"Yes, everything is meaningless now, my youth... it's over." The man sitting on the edge of the rooftop had an ashen face and empty eyes.
"You're not even afraid of death, so why are you afraid of giving up?" Tenten also joined the persuasion.
"Wrong! You're completely wrong! Terribly wrong! Youth isn't over! It's always there!" Lee's voice was loud and passionate.
"Wrong?" The man seemed touched by this resolute tone, turning his head in confusion.
"Don't give up! Burn your youth! She will definitely change her mind!" Lee clenched his fists, tears welling up as he encouraged.
"Burn... youth..."
A glimmer of light seemed to flash in the man's eyes, but it vanished in an instant.
He lowered his head even more despondently. "No, youth... it doesn't exist at all..."
"It does exist!" Lee excitedly took a step forward. "I'll prove to you that youth is everywhere!"
"Lee, calm down." Neji reminded him.
"Yeah, this isn't the time for jokes." Tenten felt a hint of unease.
"Neji, Tenten, I am very calm right now." Lee said, then strode to the edge of the building. "I'll now demonstrate the consequences of jumping, so he can understand that youth is more important than anything."
Before he finished speaking, Lee actually leaped.
This sudden action caught the other two members of Team Three off guard.
At this critical moment, a figure flashed by quickly, and with a dull thud, Lee was kicked back onto the rooftop.
"Lee, is there something wrong with your head?" Mamoru's voice followed, he had appeared on the rooftop at some unknown point.
"Mamoru!" Tenten exclaimed in surprise.
Mamoru stood steadily on the edge of the rooftop, his gaze sweeping over the few people present. "What's the situation?"
Tenten quickly explained, "The Police Force is short-handed, so they urgently assigned this mission to our team to persuade him to give up the idea of suicide."
"I see." Mamoru nodded, looking at the emotionally broken man. "Reason for suicide?"
Tenten briefly explained the reason, "He fell in love with a Kunoichi, but she said she already had someone she liked and rejected him."
"Why are you trying to stop me! Let me die! If I can't be with her, what's the point of living!" The young man heard the conversation and started crying out emotionally again.
"Tsk, can't we get a more original plot?" Mamoru commented unceremoniously. "To put it bluntly, she just wasn't into him."
Hearing Mamoru's blunt words, the young man seemed to have his most painful wound poked, and he looked up, crying even more heartbreakingly.
"Hey, don't be so blunt." Tenten gave Mamoru a somewhat reproachful look.
"Neji can't handle him either?" Mamoru turned to the Byakugan user beside him.
Neji frowned slightly, admitting, "Regarding these emotional problems, I don't really understand them, so the negotiations aren't going very smoothly."
Mamoru secretly complained in his heart, 'Letting a few half-grown kids handle complex emotional disputes... The person who assigned this mission is a genius.'