[Big Annoucement!]
[Hi, everyone!! months since I talked directly here xD, not really the best talker (maybe because I spend all day reading...) anyway! as how prices of everything is going up and everyday life is getting expensive I decided to reduce the price of my sub on P@tr30n.
I don't want to make my readers stop having a good time so this is the least I can do.
To coushion a little the lost of money I added a tier for people that want to support me and have access to the polls for new fanfics and incoming events. Just a 1 buck one xD.
The next event will be a poll to pick one of my fanfic to get 10 extra chapters!
Thanks for your support!]
Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains.
It cast a trail of broken light across the floor.
Kurenai slowly opened her eyes, still half-asleep.
Instinctively, she reached out to the space beside her.
Empty.
Cold.
That person was already gone.
She froze for a few seconds, then slowly sat up.
The silk blanket slipped from her shoulders, exposing smooth, snow-white skin.
The sunlight fell across her body,
but it could not shine into those complicated eyes of hers.
"He left…"
She murmured so softly it was almost impossible to hear.
The room was quiet, with only the occasional birdsong drifting in from outside.
A familiar scent still lingered in the air.
It reminded her that everything that had happened last night was not a dream.
Shaking her head, she could barely believe herself.
"I've really gone crazy…"
Yes.
Crazy.
She had clearly hated him in her heart.
She had clearly sworn that if she ever saw him again, she would kill him.
She had clearly told herself countless times…
that man was a devil, the one who had ruined her life.
But when he appeared outside the window, when he said, "I missed you,"
when she saw those deep eyes…
her body had made its choice before her reason could.
The moment that man drew near,
all her defenses had collapsed. She had been utterly routed, defeated beyond repair.
"How could I…"
Kurenai lowered her head and buried her face in her hands.
Then she remembered what she had been like last night… and her cheeks turned burning hot in an instant.
No.
It should not have been like that.
She told herself over and over again in her heart.
You hate him.
You should hate him.
But another voice was asking:
If you really hated him, why had your body been so honest?
If you really hated him, why had part of you secretly rejoiced when he came?
If you really hated him, why had you felt so safe in his arms?
She could not answer a single one of those questions.
She stayed silent for a long time.
Long enough for that thin line of sunlight to spread into a patch of light.
Long enough for the birdsong outside to gradually grow sparse.
At last, Kurenai lifted her head.
Her crimson eyes were full of turmoil.
"Could it be…"
She spoke softly, uncertainty in her voice, along with panic, and a possibility she herself did not want to admit.
"Have I really… fallen for him?"
The moment the question left her mouth, even she was startled.
Fallen for him?
For the man who had taken her purity, imprisoned her for a month, and turned her into what she was now?
How was that possible?
But then how was she supposed to explain those uncontrollable heartbeats, those moments of peace that only came when she was in his arms?
Kurenai slowly placed a hand over her chest.
Her heartbeat there was still irregular.
Suddenly, she remembered that moment last night.
When he had pulled her into his arms,
her first thought had not been to struggle.
It had been attachment.
It had been…
I can finally smell this scent again.
That thought made her whole body go cold.
"Could it be…"
Her voice dropped even lower, so faint it was almost inaudible.
"Have I already… been shaped by him?"
The room gave no answer.
Only the sunlight quietly spilled down, shining on her pale face.
Kurenai sat there for a long time.
Long enough for her body to start feeling stiff.
Only then did she slowly rise and walk into the bathroom.
Hot water rushed down over her, washing away the traces of last night.
But it could not wash away the turmoil in her heart.
She looked at the woman in the mirror, cheeks flushed, eyes dazed…
and suddenly found her unfamiliar.
Was that really her?
Was she still the proud Kurenai she once had been?
She closed her eyes and let the hot water run over her cheeks.
She could no longer tell whether it was water, or tears.
…
At the same time, the atmosphere inside the Hokage's office was strange.
Tsunade sat in the seat of honor, her hands clasped before her chin.
She wore that signature expression of authority.
Behind her, Shizune held Tonton in her arms, staring warily at the door.
Shikaku Nara stood to one side.
A polite smile rested on his face.
Koharu Utatane leaned on her cane, her eyes half-closed with drowsiness.
Then the door was pushed open.
A figure strode in.
The dark-gold robe he wore shimmered brilliantly in the morning light.
"Lady Hokage…"
Teizawa spread his arms wide, a brilliant smile on his face.
"We finally meet!"
His enthusiasm was like a wave of heat crashing straight at them.
It made the entire office feel several degrees warmer.
One of Tsunade's brows twitched slightly.
What was this supposed to be?
She had seen leaders of different nations meet plenty of times before.
Either it was solemn and formal, or polite and distant, or openly hostile.
But she had never seen anyone walk in and open their arms for a hug the moment they entered.
Was she supposed to hug him or not?
Her brain began spinning at high speed.
As Hokage…
As someone who had lived as long as she had… what kind of scene had she not witnessed before?
But this kind of scene… this really was a first.
And not just for her. Everyone in the office was stunned.
Shizune's mouth fell open into an O.
The smile froze on Shikaku's face.
Koharu nearly dropped her cane.
And in that brief moment while Tsunade was still stunned…
Teizawa had already rushed up in front of her, arms spread wide,
and enthusiastically… hugged her.
"Mm…"
Tsunade's whole body went rigid.
As for Teizawa…
a faint fragrance rushed into his nose.
Unable to help himself, he inhaled a few more times.
"So fragrant…"
"…"
Tsunade's expression shifted from bewilderment to shock, from shock to a rising blush, and from a blush to…
pure fury.
"Boom!"
In the very next second, Teizawa was launched like a cannonball fired from the barrel…
straight out from in front of Tsunade!
"Bang!"
He smashed hard into the wall, his entire body embedded in it.
Cracks spread out around him like a spiderweb.
The office fell utterly silent.
Shizune's mouth hung wide open.
Tonton leaped out of her arms and scrambled into a corner, trembling.
Shikaku's jaw nearly hit the floor.
Koharu's cane finally slipped from her hand and clattered to the ground.
"Lord Kazekage!"
Someone cried out in alarm, but no one knew whether they should step forward.
Tsunade's monstrous strength was famous!
With one punch like that, forget a person.
Even a bull would have died on the spot!
What if she had seriously injured the Kazekage?
If that triggered a diplomatic crisis…
Tsunade lowered her fist, and the blush on her face flashed away.
She glanced down at her chest, then at the human-shaped hole in the wall.
A strange feeling rose in her heart.
Honestly…
had she just been harassed by some brat?
She had lived for most of her life.
What storms had she not weathered?
But this feeling now was really a little…
hard to describe.
"Cough, cough, cough…"
A fit of violent coughing came from the wall.
Teizawa pulled himself out of it.
He landed on the floor and dusted himself off.
There was still a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.
But he was still wearing that same radiant smile.
"Hahahaha…"
He burst out laughing and gave her a thumbs-up.
"As expected of Lady Hokage! You're strong as hell!"
The corner of Tsunade's mouth twitched.
This guy…
was he sick in the head?
But for some reason, looking at that battered yet beaming face of his,
the anger in her heart mysteriously faded a little.
"Hmph."
She turned her head aside and gave a cold snort.
"If you dare pull something like that again, one punch won't be the end of it."
Teizawa nodded with a grin.
"Understood, understood! Lady Hokage's lesson is absolutely correct!"
He rubbed his chest, where the blow was still throbbing with pain.
That really hurt…
But… he secretly glanced at the rise and fall of Tsunade's chest.
The smile at his lips deepened.
Worth it.
The atmosphere in the office remained strange and delicate.
Shikaku looked at Teizawa, then at Tsunade.
He suddenly felt… that this Kazekage was even harder to deal with than he had imagined…
(End of Chapter)
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