"Ryujin! Thank goodness… you're okay! You're really okay!"
The door burst open.
Before Ryujin could even react—
Tsunade rushed in.
And the moment she saw him—
Safe.
Unharmed.
Alive—
She lost control.
She threw herself into his arms, wrapping them tightly around his waist as if letting go meant losing him forever.
"I'm okay…"
Ryujin paused for a moment before letting out a soft sigh, his hand resting gently on her trembling shoulder.
"I'm here."
He had planned to go find her.
After all—
He knew exactly what she must be going through.
Losing someone you love—
He understood that pain.
But before he could move—
She had already come.
And now—
She clung to him like someone who had just been dragged back from the edge of despair.
Her face buried in his chest.
Her body trembling.
Only then—
Did Ryujin notice it.
A faint dampness.
He lowered his gaze.
…She was crying.
Silently.
No sobbing.
No sound.
Just quiet—
Shattered grief.
Her only remaining family—
Gone.
And the one person she could turn to—
Was him.
So when she saw him—
She broke.
Completely.
Ryujin didn't say anything.
He didn't try to stop her.
Instead—
He gently stroked her hair.
Let it out.
She needed this.
Even someone as strong as Tsunade—
Was still human.
Still a woman—
Who had just lost everything.
—
That day—
Ryujin canceled all clan matters.
Nothing else mattered.
Only her.
She cried.
And when the tears ran dry—
She drank.
Bottle after bottle.
Normally—
Ryujin would have stopped her.
But today—
He didn't.
Instead—
He sat beside her.
And drank with her.
Because sometimes—
Getting drunk—
Was the only escape.
"A drink to forget…"
Ryujin murmured quietly.
"To forget everything…"
Tsunade raised her cup again, her cheeks flushed red from both crying and alcohol.
"Thank you… Ryujin…"
"You're… really good to me…"
A faint smile appeared on her lips—
But her eyes—
Were still filled with pain.
Wine spilled from her cup, soaking into her clothes, clinging to her skin and outlining her figure.
But neither of them cared.
They just drank.
One cup—
Then another.
"Drink!"
"Drink!"
"Ryujin… tell me…"
"Why is there war…?"
"Why did Nawaki have to die…?"
"Why…?"
Her voice trembled.
She wasn't asking him.
She was asking the world.
And the world—
Had no answer.
War wasn't something one person could create.
Nor something one person could stop.
As long as humans existed—
So would conflict.
Today—
They grieved.
Tomorrow—
They would fight again.
That was the truth of this world.
Ryujin didn't try to explain.
Didn't offer empty comfort.
Because he knew—
There was no answer that could heal this.
So instead—
He chose a different path.
Strength.
Only by becoming strong enough—
Could he protect the people he cared about.
So that next time—
He wouldn't have to watch them die.
—
Cup after cup—
The alcohol hit harder.
Even Ryujin—
Began to feel it.
But he still retained a sliver of clarity.
And in that haze—
He became aware of something.
Tsunade—
Leaning closer.
Holding onto his arm.
Her body—
Warm.
Soft.
Dangerously close.
"…This is bad…"
For twenty years—
Since coming to this world—
Ryujin had barely interacted with women like this.
And now—
A beautiful woman.
Drunk.
Vulnerable.
Right beside him.
It was…
A dangerous situation.
"…Calm down…"
He shook his head slightly, trying to steady himself.
But the alcohol—
Was strong.
And Tsunade—
Was even more intoxicating.
Ryujin wasn't a saint.
He was a man.
And in this moment—
Half-drunk.
Half-lost.
His heartbeat began to quicken.
Thump.
Thump.
He looked at her.
Her flushed cheeks.
Her unfocused eyes.
Her presence—
So close—
It blurred the line between restraint and desire.
"…Damn it…"
He tried to steady himself.
But in the end—
Even he—
Couldn't remain completely composed.
The night—
Was far from over.
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