Chapter 44: Liking Someone
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Hearing that lazy voice from behind, Asuka's body stiffened. He slowly turned toward the doorway, meeting a pair of clear, amber eyes.
"Pakura. You're back already? Weren't you supposed to take him to the hospital?"
After a brief pause, Asuka casually set the item in his hand on the floor. Looking at Pakura's smiling face, he shrugged.
"After everything that happened last night, I was just trying to save you from losing even more property."
"I see."
Pakura walked past him to her table. After giving it a glance, she said calmly,
"So that's why you tried to carry off my antique table?"
Asuka immediately raised both hands in surrender.
"Hey, I wasn't trying to steal it. I was just planning to bring it back after you were done dealing with the village's affairs."
"Really?"
Pakura looked at him suspiciously. On the way to the hospital, Yashamaru had told her this guy had been sitting on the roof with a huge bundle, looking exactly like someone preparing to run away.
"Pakura!"
Not wanting to dwell on the subject, Asuka quickly changed it.
"The person I saved yesterday... was she Rasa's wife?"
"Yes."
Pakura nodded. Before she could continue, Asuka asked,
"Is Elder Chiyo dead? Why didn't she help yesterday? Ordinary Medical Ninja couldn't have treated that condition, but Elder Chiyo definitely could. If she's really gone, I should at least pay my respects."
"Heh... you really know how to talk."
Seeing the sorrowful expression on his face, Pakura let out a cold laugh.
What a terrible actor.
She tossed her ninja tools onto the table, lay down on the bed, stared at the yellowed ceiling, and murmured,
"Thank you."
"What did you say?"
Asuka, who had been about to sneak away, froze. Scratching his ear, he turned toward Pakura, whose graceful figure was stretched out across the bed.
"I didn't catch that."
Skipping over the words of gratitude, Pakura closed her eyes, gathered her thoughts, and explained again.
"Elder Chiyo exhausted her chakra and is recovering. If it weren't for you... Karura wouldn't have survived last night."
The moment she finished speaking, the bed suddenly dipped.
She slowly opened her eyes.
The ceiling had been replaced by Asuka's face.
His knees rested against the edge of the bed as he leaned over, staring directly into her eyes.
After several moments, Pakura could no longer endure the eye contact. Turning her face away, she asked irritably,
"What do you want now?"
"Look."
Asuka held out his left hand, raised a finger, and spoke with complete seriousness.
"I saved the Kazekage's wife. What rank of mission do you think that is?"
"I'd say at least an S-rank."
"And S-rank missions come with enormous risks... and enormous rewards."
"I took the risk."
"So where's my reward?"
"Even if we're allies, allies should still settle their accounts properly, right?"
Pakura's cheek twitched.
Not wanting to look at him anymore, she grabbed a pillow and buried her face beneath it.
"I'll treat you to lunch."
"One meal?"
"What were you expecting?"
"I'm a little dissatisfied. I burned through an entire night's worth of chakra and got nothing."
"And judging by your reaction, you're pretty close to her."
"So shouldn't you compensate me somehow?"
Hearing the disappointment in his voice, Pakura lowered the pillow and looked at him speechlessly.
At such close range, Asuka suddenly found himself staring at her beautiful face.
His heartbeat quickened.
His throat went dry.
Gulp.
An absurd thought suddenly crossed his mind.
[Just one kiss... I probably won't get beaten to death, right?]
At that moment, Pakura pointed toward the table.
"There's an A-rank Fire Release Ninjutsu scro—"
Before she could finish, she saw Asuka suddenly lunge forward.
A warm, soft sensation brushed against her cheek.
By the time she realized what had happened, Asuka was already pulling away.
"..."
Silence.
After several long seconds, Pakura slowly sat up.
Her expression was completely blank.
Yet the pressure radiating from her body continued to climb.
"Uh... I'm going out for a bit."
"Someone might've accepted all the D-rank missions already."
Realizing disaster was imminent, Asuka immediately leaped onto the windowsill.
With a Body Flicker, he landed on the rooftop outside and disappeared after only a few bounds.
Won't even pay compensation... and still wants to mooch off my chakra.
Shameless.
---
Hidden Sand Village Hospital
Asuka landed from the rooftop, straightened his clothes, and headed toward the entrance.
"Hello!"
A child with painted markings on his face suddenly ran out of the hospital.
Panting heavily, he came to a stop in front of Asuka.
"Th-thank you..."
Looking at the out-of-breath boy, Asuka pulled a lollipop from his pocket and handed it over. Then he unwrapped another for himself.
"Kid, who are you?"
"Huh?"
The boy accepted the candy hesitantly, slipped it into his pocket instead of eating it, then looked up at him gratefully.
"My name is Kankurō."
"Thank you for saving my mother."
Asuka nodded.
"You don't need to thank me. Your mother simply had a strong will to live."
Seeing Kankurō standing there awkwardly, unsure what to say, Asuka continued,
"Just remember that your mother's determination was the biggest reason she survived."
"I only played a small part."
"..."
Kankurō lowered his head.
The conversation came to an awkward halt.
Seeing the boy still standing there in silence, Asuka stepped closer and crouched down.
"I'll accept your thanks."
"But next time, pick somewhere with fewer people."
"After all, I'm a Konoha ninja."
"And in all of Hidden Sand, only a handful of people know I saved your mother."
"Don't create unnecessary trouble for yourself."
Hearing that, Kankurō's eyes lit up.
"Mother's awake."
"She wants to thank you personally."
Asuka scratched his head awkwardly.
"Next time."
"I'm very busy today."
"Um..."
Kankurō hurried after him.
"Can you teach me Medical Ninjutsu?"
"You're a kid who can't even use chakra. Why do you want to learn that?"
"I want to save people."
"If you really want to become a Medical Ninja..."
"When you get home, buy two chickens."
"Slit their throats."
"Then bandage them and stop the bleeding."
"If they survive, cut them again."
"If they die..."
"Stew them for your mother tonight."
Kankurō blinked.
"Is... is that the test for becoming a Medical Ninja?"
"Exactly."
"When dead chickens start piling up at your house, remember to give some away to the village ninja."
"It'll earn you some goodwill."
"For example..."
"You could bring a few to Pakura's house."
---
Meanwhile...
Inside a hidden cave in the Land of Grass.
"Lord Madara!"
"Lord Madara!"
Hearing the repeated calls, Uchiha Madara slowly opened his eyes and looked at Spiral White Zetsu.
"Lord Madara, this... this..."
White Zetsu carefully presented two items before him while vividly recounting, in Asuka's tone, their glorious origins.
Uchiha Luosifen?
I invented it?
Madara frowned at the pungent-smelling bowl of noodles.
When had he ever created something this bizarre?
And this White Zetsu, grown from Hashirama's cells, seemed to have inherited Hashirama's defective brain as well, constantly adding unnecessary embellishments.
"Noodles filled with love?"
There was no need to think.
Uchiha Madara would never give food such an embarrassing name.
"Lord Madara."
"Would you like to try some?"
"They say this bowl of noodles allows the Uchiha Clan to experience 'love' once again."
"Hmph."
"Worthless food."
"Stop wasting your time following Uchiha Asuka around like an idiot."
Madara snorted.
Even so, his wrinkled hand still reached for the steaming bowl.
His hand trembled slightly as he lifted the noodles and took a cautious bite.
Cough! Cough!
He immediately erupted into a fit of violent coughing.
"Lord Madara! Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine."
Adjusting his posture, Madara continued eating.
He refused to believe he would choke to death over a bowl of noodles.
Besides...
He genuinely wanted to know how this dish was supposed to awaken the "love" buried deep within an Uchiha.
After finishing the bowl, he leaned back against the stone seat and said with utter disdain,
"It's a lie."
"This tastes even worse than ordinary food."
"And this old man isn't some glutton."
"Don't bring me this kind of thing again."
"Lord Madara, this Uchiha Honey Mustard Fried Chicken is delicious too."
"No."
"Not eating."
"Lord Madara, will you eat after you've had a bowel movement?"
"Idiot."
"Don't ask something so disgusting right after someone finishes eating."
Asuka had no idea that White Zetsu was keeping tabs on him around the clock.
After all, receiving personal surveillance was a privilege reserved for those who had caught the attention of Uchiha Madara or Uchiha Obito.
His relationship with either of them wasn't exactly close.
---
"Hmm..."
Opening the front door, Asuka cautiously peeked into the living room.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he quietly slipped inside on tiptoe.
He had just returned after visiting Elder Chiyo.
Even so, he'd spent quite a while wandering the streets before coming home, unsure whether he should actually go back.
Pakura wouldn't hit me... right?
Well, if she does, I deserve it.
Who told me to lose my head and kiss her?
With that thought, he gently closed the door behind him.
Bang!
The instant the door shut, loud metallic clangs rang out from the kitchen.
Peeking through the glass door, Asuka could see a silhouette furiously stir-frying something, as though venting all her frustration into the pan.
"Hey."
"Take it easy."
"You're going to smash the wok."
The kitchen instantly fell silent.
A second later, the glass door slid open.
Pakura stood there holding a spatula, staring expressionlessly at Asuka.
"You're back?"
"Yeah."
He nodded, set the things he was carrying on the floor, then glanced at the spatula in her hand.
"How about I—"
"No need."
Bang!
The kitchen door slammed shut again.
This time, the banging was quieter.
The flames, however, grew noticeably larger.
From outside, it almost looked as though the kitchen had caught fire.
She's got quite the temper...
---
Once the dishes had been set on the table, Pakura sat down across from Asuka.
She glanced at him.
He still hadn't picked up his chopsticks.
"Eat."
"And... thank you."
"Well..."
Seeing him hesitate, Pakura assumed he was worried her cooking tasted awful.
The corner of her eye twitched.
Without another word, she picked up a mouthful of food, chewed, swallowed, and scoffed.
"Food is scarce in the village."
"I wouldn't waste it."
Watching Pakura, who had looked ready to burn down the kitchen only moments ago, suddenly return to her usual calm demeanor, Asuka absentmindedly poked at his rice.
"Are you alright?"
Pakura's chopsticks paused.
After taking another bite of rice, she replied,
"I'll probably be heading to the front lines in a few days."
"Iwagakure has been unusually active lately."
Asuka blinked.
Then he asked again,
"Are you really alright?"
Her chewing stopped.
She narrowed her eyes.
"If you have any intelligence on Iwagakure, you can share it."
"We're allies now."
"Sigh..."
Ignoring the question entirely, Asuka let out a long sigh.
"I have a story."
[It's about a young ninja with a Bloodline Limit... who died without ever experiencing love.]
A Bloodline Limit?
Never experienced love?
He really knows how to say things...
Before Asuka could continue, Pakura had already inserted herself into the story.
Her expression darkened.
A blazing fireball appeared in her palm.
She casually tossed it up and down before pointing it toward the dishes on the table.
"Don't force me to hit you during the happiest part of my day."
"And if you ever do something like that again..."
"I'll really be angry."
"Okay."
Asuka wasn't greedy.
He immediately nodded with a grin and enthusiastically began praising the food.
Even so...
Sneaking a glance at Pakura, he sighed inwardly.
She's too loyal to the village.
Even if I told her she'd eventually be sacrificed by Sunagakure...
She'd probably think I was trying to drive a wedge between her and the village.
With that thought, Asuka picked up another dish.
"Be careful."
Pakura's chopsticks paused once again before resuming.
"I understand."
---
That afternoon...
The desert sky was cloudless.
The blazing sun scorched the earth, driving the temperature to an unbearable level.
Supporting Karura, Kankurō slowly walked with her outside the hospital.
Pointing toward Asuka, who was reclining beneath a patch of shade with a medical textbook in hand, Kankurō asked,
"Mother..."
"Big Brother seems kind of depressed."
Following his finger, Karura looked over at Asuka and gently shook her head.
"Medical Ninjutsu is difficult."
"Perhaps he's run into something he can't understand."
"Hey."
Asuka lowered the book onto his lap and looked sideways at the pair discussing him.
"You two are talking awfully loudly behind someone's back."
Hearing that, Karura smiled as Kankurō helped her over.
"Asuka-kun."
"Have you run into a difficult problem?"
"Hmm?"
Asuka shifted farther into the shade, making room for her.
"There are indeed a few things I don't understand."
Karura tilted her head curiously.
"This humble one would like to hear them."
"When the Fourth Hokage was fourteen..."
"He rescued his future wife from Cloud ninja."
"After that, they fell in love."
"I was only seven back then."
"Every day I went into the forest to practice ninjutsu, I'd hear the two of them saying unbearably sweet things to each other."
"Now the Fourth Hokage is twenty-four."
"He already has a son."
"But I still don't even have a girlfriend."
"So I've been feeling a little melancholic."
Karura blinked in surprise.
"You don't have a girlfriend?"
Asuka scratched his head.
"Isn't that normal?"
Karura gently shook her head.
Recalling her own life at eighteen, she answered softly,
"That depends on the person."
"When this humble one was eighteen..."
"Temari had already been born."
"In times of war, the average lifespan of a ninja is only around thirty."
"They say that during the Warring States Era, surviving past thirty was considered a miracle."
"If Asuka-kun is already eighteen..."
"Then more than half of your life as a ninja has already passed."
She smiled warmly, like an older sister chatting about everyday life.
"Do you have someone you like?"
The moment those words left her mouth...
She saw Asuka's eyes settle directly on her.
Karura's heart skipped a beat.
Before she could react, however, his gaze drifted past her.
Turning around, she saw Temari happily skipping toward them.
Karura's heart immediately tightened again.
Somewhat awkwardly, she asked,
"The person you like..."
"She's from Sunagakure?"
Asuka glanced at the approaching Temari before gazing off into the distance.
"She wasn't before."
"But now..."
"I'm not so sure."
Karura instinctively pulled Temari closer into her arms.
"Then..."
"Why do you like her?"
Asuka took two lollipops from his pocket and handed one to each child.
Then he gently tugged on Temari's braid.
"It all started with her looks."
Karura looked at her daughter's adorable little face.
She sniffed softly.
"So..."
"Did you save this humble one because of her too?"
"No."
"I didn't even know you."
"I only saved you because your brother, Yashamaru, called me 'Teacher' and bowed to me dozens of times."
"Phew..."
Karura quietly let out a sigh of relief.
She looked at Temari.
Then at Asuka.
I absolutely won't approve of this marriage.
He's too old.
He's only a few years younger than me.
Naturally, Asuka had no idea what she was thinking.
He truly was feeling melancholic.
After kissing Pakura earlier that day...
He realized the heart he'd kept single for so many years had finally started beating for someone.
For years, the ideal girlfriend in his mind had always been:
Tsunade's figure.
Uzumaki Kushina's hair.
Uchiha Mikoto's gentleness.
Inuzuka Tsume's wildness.
Kurenai Yūhi's crimson eyes.
Combined with the intelligence of the Nara Clan.
And because of those impossible standards...
He had remained single for eighteen straight years.