Sisters * Crying and Fussing

Izuna leaped forward and grabbed the man by the back of his collar.

He fell down along with the girl.

In a moment of desperation, he yanked hard, pulling the girl back onto the bridge, but he himself was halfway over the railing, with only his feet hooked on the wooden edge.

Fortunately, Ban was quick-witted and grabbed his belt from behind, pulling him back.

The people around were all shocked by the scene and began to murmur amongst themselves.

The girl knelt on the bridge, her face pale, clearly still reeling from what had just happened.

Izuna sat on the ground, catching his breath, then suddenly turned to the girl and shouted with all his might, using every acting skill and volume he had ever mustered:

"Don't jump! You beautiful woman!"

People around. "... Huh?"

The girl, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, was stunned by what she heard.

Izuna continued, giving no one a chance to interrupt, "Woman! You will not lose to despair! Your beauty is far more beautiful than your despair!"

People around. "Eh..."

Hashirama, Madara, Tobirama:

Izuna! What are you doing?!

Izuna became more and more excited as he spoke, pointing at the girl and exclaiming with great emotion, "I guarantee it with my dignity as a man! Woman! No one can match your beauty!"

Look at that high nose! Look at that blond hair! Look at those beautiful, baby-like blue eyes! How beautiful!

"And she has a great figure! Beautiful breasts! Beautiful butt! She looks like a fairy who stepped out of a painting! No man could resist her!"

So don't be shy! Overcome despair in one breath!

The girl. "...?"

The atmosphere fell silent, and a crow flew overhead.

"Idiot--idiot--you're such an idiot--"

Tobirama finally couldn't take it anymore. "What are you saying?"

Izuna turned his head, his expression extremely serious. "I don't know either. But anyway, don't jump into the river!"

The onlookers stared at the young man with a mixture of stunned and admiration.

Someone clapped first, and then a burst of applause followed, with someone shouting, "Well said!"

The girl knelt there blankly, staring at Izuna had just uttered such outrageous remarks, unsure how to react.

Once the crowd had dispersed, she finally calmed down and began to tell her story.

Her original name wasn't Yūko; it was Teresa.

My hometown is in the north of the Land of Lightning, by the sea. Half the year is winter, and the other half is filled with sea fog and an iron-gray sky.

I can't remember how I was sold here.

All I remember is waking up with my wrists tied with rope, my mouth stuffed with rags, and two men haggling over a price in an accent I couldn't understand.

Later I learned that those were the words of the Land of Hot Water. They said, "This girl is nice, just a little thin. If she's raised, she can fetch a good price."

And that's how I became Courtesan.

Few people remember Teresa, so the shopkeeper named me Yūko.

I have no surname, no place of origin, and no one has ever asked me who I am.

The guests only know that I have blond hair and blue eyes that don't look like those of Land of Hot Water.

Sometimes they'll take a second look because of this, and sometimes they'll use it to negotiate a lower price.

In the end, I'm nothing more than a shell, an object that can still make money for them.

No one will truly pity me, and I've long since given up on that kind of thing after living like this for so long.

Until he met Mr. Sōichi.

What a gentle man he was! At that time, I was feeling troubled for some reason and sat sullenly in the cage.

Other customers didn't want to choose me at all when they saw me like this. They knew that if I didn't make money, I would be locked up in a lower place, but I was so upset at the time that I couldn't even smile.

It was at that moment that Mr. Sōichi called on me.

He said my eyes were beautiful and that he liked the Land of Lightning accent I used when I spoke.

Every time he comes, he stays a little longer.

Others would only touch me with their bodies, but he was willing to talk to me, asking if I missed home and if I had enough to eat in Pleasure Quarter.

By then, I had learned to smile at everyone, but when I smiled at him, I always felt that my smile looked terrible.

He said it was beautiful, like mist spreading across the sea.

After that, Mr. Sōichi booked all my time, and I only had to entertain him as a guest. That period felt like a dream.

I dared not ask him for anything; whatever he gave me, I accepted.

Once, I casually mentioned that when I was in my hometown, I longed for a kind of baked pancake filled with Anko paste, and the next day he sent someone to deliver it to me.

The pancake was still warm. I took a bite, and tears started streaming down my face.

Later, I became pregnant.

I was so scared I couldn't sleep all night. I was afraid he would be angry if he found out, afraid the shopkeeper would force me to take the medicine, and afraid I would implicate him.

I approached him tentatively, but he just smiled and said, "If that's the case, then I will definitely take responsibility. Just wait for me with peace of mind."

Even though I knew it might just be sweet talk, I still believed him.

I believe our child will be born, will have a name, and will grow up well. It doesn't matter if it's a girl or a boy, as long as the child is born, there is hope.

My belly wasn't showing much, so no one could tell. He didn't seem to have told anyone else that I was pregnant either, because no one from Rōchōya came to bother me.

I didn't dare ask too many questions, I just quietly counted the days, took apart the old clothes I didn't need, and wanted to sew some new clothes for the child.

I've never been a mother, but just seeing those tiny stitches makes my heart feel warm and cozy.

But when my water broke, the people at Rōchōya arrested me as if I were facing a formidable enemy.

They said I broke the rules, that a lowly woman like me could actually give birth to a child.

I was held down in the small room until the baby was born.

I couldn't even hear him cry a few times before they took him away.

I cried and begged them not to throw the child away, saying that this was the child Mr. Sōichi wanted.

They just laughed and said, "You? You dare say such things?" Then they threw me into the row of small huts at the very bottom of the Pleasure Quarter.

When I finally mustered enough strength to run out of that little room, the child was gone.

I walked along the Blackened Teeth Ditch for a long time. The water was so black that I couldn't see the bottom, and it was so quiet on both sides that I could only hear the wind.

I kept thinking, he's so small and soft, will he get cold when he gets wet, will he cry, will he still want to hold my fingers?

But I could never find him again.

I want to go and find Mr. Sōichi; I want to ask him for help.

But my child is gone, what can I offer in return?

A person like me has nothing but this body. Even the only connection between us was thrown into that dark ditch by them. What can I possibly expect from him?

My child is lost. Even if I regain my ability to entertain clients, he may never come back.

I sat by the river, took off my shoes, and felt that there was nothing left to wait for in this world, so I decided to end it all.

After listening, Izuna said, "..."

Tobirama: "..."

Hashirama: "..."

Madara silently turned his head and looked at Izuna.

"This story..."

Izuna and Hashirama simultaneously put their fingers to their lips. "Shh—shh!"

Madara shut his mouth, but he still mentally finished complaining. This story is so similar to the one Izuna told!

Tobirama, with Dead-Fish Eyes, said, "That's enough."

The woman didn't look at them; she just stood there, lost and dejected, by the bridge.

A river breeze blew by, lifting a few strands of her loose golden hair before letting them fall softly back onto her shoulder.

She kept her head down, her eyes glistening with moisture, as if looking at her soaked feet, or perhaps at nothing at all.

Izuna coughed and tentatively asked, "Your name is Yu... uh, or it sounds better to call you Teresa. Well, Teresa, let me ask you something."

Yūko slowly raised her head to look at him, her voice very soft. "What?"

You didn't tell him about this, did you?

A moment of helplessness flashed across Yūko's pale face.

She opened her mouth, then lowered her head again. "What's the point of telling him? The child is gone..."

"But you didn't tell him, did you?"

Yūko didn't speak; her silence itself was the answer.

Izuna exclaimed "Oh dear!" and suddenly switched to a familiar tone, as if she were a long-lost sister. "Sister!"

Yūko was clearly taken aback by being called "sister": "... Sister?"

"You need to understand one thing. People have to speak up for others to know what happened! Understand?" Izuna leaned closer, his tone serious. "If you don't tell him, how will he know what you've been through? If you don't ask, how will he know the child was born? Do you think he knows everything? He's not a god!"

Yūko clutched her sleeves helplessly. "But someone like me..."

"Never listen to others' slander against you." Izuna interrupted her, looking intently into her eyes. "Without your tacit approval, who could possibly look down on you?"

Yūko's eyes widened instantly.

"You are loved," Izuna said. "You can feel it yourself, otherwise you wouldn't be so heartbroken. You can have another child, but if you just die like this, are you sure your old flame won't be sad?"

Yūko's lips moved slightly, her voice almost carried away by the wind. "A man like him wouldn't be fooled by a woman..."

"Sister, don't jump to conclusions so easily." Izuna smiled and held out her hand. "How about this, I'll go with you to find him. If he really doesn't want you anymore, then we'll leave immediately. We won't stop you from jumping into the river or doing whatever you want. But if he cherishes you, then you can't continue like this."

Yūko looked at the hand, hesitated for a long time, and finally nodded gently.

Izuna's smile widened, "Then let's set off!"

He casually took off his Haori and draped it over her shoulders.

Yūko was taken aback. He looked at Izuna, only to find that Izuna had already stood up, her eyes clear as water.

He looked at her not like a man looking at a woman, but more like he was appreciating a painting.

That gaze finally calmed her down.

Hashirama, Madara, and Tobirama followed silently behind Izuna and the blonde woman.

Izuna was asking Teresa Sōichi questions with great interest, such as where she lived, how many people were in her family, and what she liked to eat.

Yūko was a little reserved at first, but under his familiar and outgoing manner, she found herself answering quite a few questions without even realizing it.

After receiving this information, Izuna became more certain that the gentleman would accept Yūko.

Madara walked at the very back, his gaze fixed on Izuna's retreating figure.

Madara kept staring at Izuna's back.

He knew how Izuna usually walked; he was always light and quick, unless he genuinely didn't want to go, in which case he would drag his feet.

But at this moment, Izuna walked very slowly, much more restrained than usual, as he was accommodating the pace of the woman beside him.

He recalled what Izuna had just said.

"Without your tacit approval, who would dare to look down on you?"

Ban couldn't bring himself to say such a thing.

He had seen women who, because they lacked Chakra or had difficulty condensing Chakra, married and gave birth until their deaths.

I've seen women who were forcibly taken to the edge of the battlefield and forced into sexual slavery as comfort women.

I have seen women who were trained to become Courtesans, maids, Shirabyōshi).

He had seen them kneeling in the mud with their heads down, seen them forcing smiles as they poured wine at banquets, and seen them being dragged away without daring to shout too loudly.

This applies not only to women, but also to men.

If you're not strong enough, you'll be bullied.

He never felt there was anything wrong with it.

That's just how the world works: the strong dominate the weak, and the victors dominate the vanquished.

Weakness itself is a sin; if one has no power to protect oneself, then one can only accept such a fate.

He'd seen too much of it; he disapproved of it, but he didn't care.

Because this is common sense, this is how the world works.

In this cruel world, those who lack ability will suffer the same tragic fate.

But what Izuna had just said made him suddenly realize that so-called common sense was not necessarily correct.

That's common sense, but is this really the only way for people to live?

Hashirama, walking to his right, suddenly whispered, "Izuna is right."

Ban glanced at him sideways.

Hashirama gazed at the two figures ahead, his expression unusually earnest. "Without your tacit approval, who could possibly look down on you? That's a good point; I like it."

Ban was speechless. "What's the difference between you saying anything and not saying anything at all?"

"What Izuna said made me think a lot," Hashirama remarked. "He even called Yūko' sister' instead of 'Miss' or 'Madam,' which instantly made them feel like family!"

Tobirama's thoughtful face instantly twisted into a grimace. "Can you please not learn this? It's too weird."

"Why? I think it's fine. We call other men 'brothers,' so why can't we call women 'sisters'?"

For Tobirama couldn't find any words to refute him. "Hmph, whatever."

Hashirama gazed at the backs of the two figures ahead. "I'm incredibly curious. How did someone in our time develop such thoughts? And what are we like in his world?"

Mokushō sneezed.

He rubbed his nose and kept walking.

Luotai, Enma, and Zhen Zheng were frantically surrounding the swaddled baby, their movements chaotic and frantic.

Because the child cried.

The cries were shrill and bright, like a small saw cutting into the nerves of the three people.

Enma to the swaddling clothes, sticking out her tongue and winking, making every funny face she could think of.

But our little baby wouldn't listen at all, and continued to cry his heart out, his little face soaked with tears.

"What's wrong?! Why are you so unhappy?!" Enma cried out, grabbing her hair in frustration.

Zhen gently rocked the swaddled baby, soothing him softly while glaring at Enma Zhen, "This guy's a lunatic, let's ignore him."

Who are you calling a lunatic?!

"Stop arguing!" Luotai snapped, lowering his voice. "The more you argue, the harder he cries, can't you see?"

Enma immediately shut her mouth, but couldn't help but lean closer to the baby and whisper, "Sweetie, look at me."

The baby responded with an even louder cry.

Zhen was getting anxious. "Why are you still crying? Are you sick? The way you stuck your tongue out just now was terrifying!"

"What nonsense are you talking about! Didn't we just come from the doctor's? If he were sick, the doctor would have told us!"

"He was born in that kind of place, soaked in water and exposed to cold winds, crying until his face turned blue. Do you really think he won't have any problems?"

Luotai sighed and rubbed his throbbing temples. "Let's go to the Hiroyama Family's stronghold first. They have hot water and clean cloths there. Crying any longer won't solve anything."

Enma and Zhen exchanged a glance, stopped bickering, and quickened their pace to follow Luotai.

Looking at these three hotheads, Mokushō couldn't help but sigh before disappearing from the spot.