"It's not supposed to be funny." Shisui said, "I mean something more serious, understand?"
Itachi asked, "Any other requirements?"
"Make it more stimulating." Shisui said.
Then it couldn't possibly be serious anymore.
Itachi told a dirty joke.
It didn't matter what they talked about, as long as they talked.
But Shisui looked at Itachi in surprise, as though they were meeting for the first time.
His little brother had grown up. He was no longer innocent.
The Konoha Military Police Force wasn't as closed-off as the Ninja Magistrate's circle. It came into contact with all kinds of people, so changes were only natural.
As long as they didn't bring up blind dates, everything would be fine.
He raised his wine cup gloomily and downed it in one gulp. The clear, bitter liquor slid down his throat, and he let out a long, satisfied sigh.
As the two brothers toasted and drank, time unknowingly crept into the dead of night. There weren't many customers left in the shop, and it had grown somewhat deserted.
Shisui toyed with the peanuts with his chopsticks, still somewhat unwilling to give up.
"Itachi, who's in charge of the clan's archives?"
"What are you really trying to investigate?" Itachi countered instead of answering directly.
After a moment of silence, Shisui said in a low voice, "The darkness hidden beneath the city's peaceful surface."
"There's no need to investigate. The clan has no records." Itachi said, "The clan has always recorded only the good side of things. It never mentions the bad side."
Just as I thought.
Shisui sighed.
This is too difficult.
"However, darkness isn't completely inaccessible." Itachi said, "The Anbu directly under the Hokage-sama should have relevant records."
"I know." Shisui said, "But the Anbu's composition is complicated, and Her Highness doesn't trust them."
Realizing