Long Wait

"Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Chiba pushed open the Japanese-style door and looked at Yukina, who was waiting outside. He spoke with a hint of apology. As he spoke, a drop of water rolled down from his damp hair. He had clearly just finished bathing.

"No... it's..."

Hearing Chiba's voice, Yukina immediately turned around. There was obvious resentment on her face, but when she saw him dressed in white, his wet hair hanging down, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. The complaints at the tip of her tongue refused to come out, and a faint blush slowly crept across her cheeks.

It was five fifteen. Their agreed time had been five o'clock. He was already fifteen minutes late!

Seriously... If I'd known, I wouldn't have gone through another round of confirmation. It takes too much out of me, and there's always a period of weakness afterward. My body still can't fully handle it.

Today is Kakashi's day of becoming a Jonin, and it's also the day the new house is finished. I've already been selfish enough before this, always training, training, training, without caring at all about the new house. In the end, Hirohiko and the others even stopped letting me cook. They were probably a little angry. And lately, I've often come back injured. Even Kakashi sometimes frowned. Though they haven't shown it, they must have plenty of complaints in private.

Sigh...

I originally planned to honestly attend the celebration today, to show how much I valued the new house and Kakashi's promotion, and make up for the unpleasantness caused by my neglect these past days. But I still ended up late.

Now, no matter how they criticize or punish me, I can't argue back! Chiba, however, did not notice Yukina's unusual state at all. One thought after another