Sarutobi Asuma wolfed down his sausage in a few bites, acting as if nothing had happened.
Everyone knew Obito liked Rin. If Shimizu really ended up with Rin, wouldn't that just make things awkward?
"I'm telling you, don't go spreading rumors. If you don't believe me, let's go ask Rin right now."
Obito grabbed Sarutobi Asuma, determined to get to the bottom of this once and for all.
He wanted to strangle these rumors in their cradle.
"Just gossip, just gossip—don't take it seriously."
Sarutobi Asuma stopped in his tracks. He'd only heard that girls liked to gossip.
He'd specifically come over to tell Yuhi Kurenai, hoping to cheer her up with a little teasing.
But actually verifying it? That'd be way too much hassle.
If the rumor turned out to be false, wouldn't he just end up embarrassing himself in front of Kurenai?
As Sarutobi Asuma and Obito tugged at each other,Yuhi Kurenai furrowed her brows tightly.
It was true that Nohara Rin had been getting awfully close to Shimizu lately.
She'd known about it for a while now.
She'd just deliberately avoided thinking about it in that way.
"What are you guys talking about?"
From around the street corner, two figures suddenly appeared.
It was Hatake Kakashi and Nohara Rin.
Seeing the key players show up, Sarutobi Asuma instantly clammed up, claiming he had something to do and trying to slip away.
Obito yanked him back—want to leave? Not a chance!
Nohara Rin was going to be his woman, after all. How could there be rumors linking her to another guy?
Obito immediately spilled the whole story to Rin and Kakashi.
Rin's expression was a kaleidoscope—disgust, shock, and a flicker of shame. Her thoughts drifted to the twisted relationship she had with Shimizu.
At this point, no one else should know the true nature of her connection with Shimizu.
But she often went to Shimizu's house to deliver intel about cloning. Over time, people saw her constantly visiting him, and naturally, idle chatter started to spread.
It was utterly tiresome.
"Don't misunderstand my relationship with Shimizu."
Nohara Rin frowned slightly.
She couldn't control what others thought about this, but with Kakashi here, she had to set things straight.
She hadn't done anything with Shimizu anyway—her body was still pure, and it hadn't gone that far.
"Rin, she and Shimizu probably don't have anything going on. She just goes to him often to consult about medical ninjutsu."
Kakashi noticed the faint worry on Rin's face and stepped in as a witness to clarify things.
When he'd been training his swordsmanship, he'd visited Shimizu plenty of times himself.
He'd often seen Nohara Rin there, but she was always following Shimizu's training regimen, working hard to improve her medical ninjutsu.
Though he found this kind of petty gossip annoying, Kakashi didn't want a hardworking girl like her to be misunderstood.
With both the involved party and a witness clearing the air, Sarutobi Asuma's little rumor fell apart on its own.
He stammered awkwardly, "Then it must've been that Inuzuka kid spouting nonsense. I'll go deal with him."
Sarutobi Asuma brushed the matter off, eager to avoid further embarrassment.
Yuhi Kurenai sized up Nohara Rin for a moment. Compared to their days at the Ninja Academy, Rin now carried an extra air of refinement.
For some reason, it felt oddly familiar to her.
And for some reason, it stirred a pang of distaste.
It was like having a friend who always hung out with you, making you think you were special—only to realize later they treated everyone the same way.
"What am I even thinking?"
A wave of panic surged through Yuhi Kurenai's chest. What did it matter to her who that jerk Shimizu was involved with?
"Hmph. What a shameless flirt."
She had no doubt Shimizu was capable of something so low.
After all, during their first spar, Shimizu had said something outrageous that left her stunned.
Yuhi Kurenai's expression flickered wildly, her crimson eyes shimmering like a magic trick, swirling with a storm of emotions.
Nohara Rin quietly observed the now-silent Yuhi Kurenai, wondering if Kurenai had gone through something similar to her own experience.
She hesitated for a moment, debating whether to probe Kurenai a little.
But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Yuhi Kurenai turned and walked off without a word.
"Red, that's just how she is."
Sarutobi Asuma tossed his bamboo skewer carelessly to the ground.
Ever since graduation, Yuhi Kurenai's temper had gotten worse. She went around with a perpetually tense face, cold as frost.
Seeing her act the same way toward others somehow brought Asuma an odd sense of comfort.
But honestly, a Kurenai like this? She had a certain fire to her.
A grin tugged at Sarutobi Asuma's lips. Even roses came with thorns—only by conquering those prickly defenses could you savor the rarest fragrance.
His smile sent a shiver down Obito's spine. He couldn't figure out why this burly guy was grinning so weirdly.
"Rin, wanna see the new ninjutsu I've been working on?"
Obito turned to Rin, ignoring Asuma entirely.
"I've got something to do later."
Nohara Rin shook her head lightly.
Her gaze lingered on Yuhi Kurenai as she melted into the crowd and vanished in the distance.
Red—could she be someone who shared her same burden?
...
Today, the Uchiha compound felt lonelier than usual. The once-bustling streets were emptier now, with only fallen leaves tumbling in the wind.
Uchiha Fugaku had returned gravely injured.
It caused quite a stir within the Uchiha clan. Everyone was shocked that even the fearsome "Wicked-Eye Fugaku" could suffer such a wound.
"Lord Fugaku, take care of yourself and recover well."
The clan head had come back from the battlefield and was resting at home. As clan members, it was only natural to visit him.
Whether out of duty or sentiment, such interactions were expected.
Even the proud and aloof Uchiha understood the basics of human courtesy.
It's just that, at times, they didn't bother extending it to outsiders.
"Cough, cough… Yashiro, I'll need you to handle the Police Force for a while."
Fugaku knelt on the tatami mat, dressed in a blue-and-white hospital gown layered with a thick robe. A circle of clan members surrounded him.
He coughed twice, his gaze settling on Uchiha Yashiro seated across from him.
Yashiro was one of his most trusted confidants. Unable to return to the battlefield or manage the Konoha Police Force in his current state, Fugaku needed someone to step in—at least until he recovered.
"Yes, Lord Fugaku."
Uchiha Yashiro's already narrow eyes narrowed further, his expression solemn.
"Everyone, you can leave now."
Fugaku waved a hand.
Since returning from the hospital to recuperate, his energy had dwindled. He needed to focus on healing.
Seeing this, the others offered words of comfort, wishing him a speedy recovery.
Once everyone had left, Fugaku let out a sigh.
If he hadn't used the Mangekyō Sharingan that day to foresee that mysterious man, taking on hidden injuries in the process, he wouldn't have ended up so battered this time. In a worse scenario, he might not have even made it back alive.
"Cough, cough…"
Fugaku's coughs grew harsher, as if he might hack up blood.
"Fugaku, are you alright?"
Mikoto, standing nearby, asked with concern.
"Don't help me!"
Fugaku snapped suddenly.
He was a man of fierce pride, unwilling to show weakness in front of his wife.
Mikoto sighed, knowing his temperament well. She wisely mixed the medicine from the hospital into hot water and set it on the table for him.
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