Marine Headquarters residential district.
Walking side by side with Gion along the street, Senga curiously looked around at his surroundings.
All kinds of shops lined both sides of the street, most selling daily necessities. It was much like the shopping streets on Blue Star, with a slightly more modern feel than Konoha. Since this was a Marine base, the signs and decorations were predominantly blue and white.
"When you have time, you can come stroll around here by yourself. Buy some fruit or something and make yourself a little extra meal. That's the only way you'll grow taller," Gion said casually from beside him.
Senga was a little speechless. At sixteen, he was already nearly 1.9 meters tall, yet she still thought he was not tall enough?
But considering that Gion appeared to be over two meters tall herself, he understood. It was probably a local thing.
Seeing that Senga did not react, Gion thought he had taken her comment as her calling him short, so she quickly changed her tune.
"Actually, you don't need to grow too tall. Your current height is already plenty. Besides, you're only sixteen."
"Mm, I wasn't bothered by that. Sister Gion, that uncle over there has been staring at you."
Senga had noticed a sleazy-looking middle-aged man standing outside a tavern in brown casual clothes. The man had been looking in their direction for a while, so he spoke up to warn Gion.
"Huh?" Gion turned her head and immediately spotted the uncle Senga had mentioned.
It could not be helped. That so-called uncle was simply too conspicuous. Not conspicuous in the handsome way Senga was, but because he was ugly beyond belief.
With both hands in his pockets, his mouth crooked to one side and a cigarette dangling from his lips, he squinted his tiny eyes on his broad face. Even if he opened them, they probably would not be much bigger. He looked just like... Zhu Bajie from Blue Star!
"Oh, I know him. His name is Tokikake. He's pretty annoying, so you should stay away from him in the future."
Tokikake? That was Chaton, the man who would later become an Admiral candidate alongside Gion. Senga stroked his chin.
At that moment, Tokikake saw Gion glance his way and immediately shuffled over with his sleazy gait.
"Miss Gion, it has been a whole month since I last saw you. You are still as beautiful as ever. Please accept my eighty-eighth confession!" Tokikake came before Gion and Senga, somehow producing a bouquet of flowers before making his "heartfelt" confession.
Yet Gion did not even spare him a glance. She simply grabbed Senga's hand and prepared to leave.
"Hey, hey, Miss Gion, don't go! You haven't rejected me this time yet!" Tokikake hurried after them, desperately wanting to receive Gion's eighty-eighth rejection.
"I'm sick of rejecting you. Just give up already!" Gion said with a look of disgust.
"Why? Is it because I'm not handsome enough, or not outstanding enough?" Tokikake asked in disbelief, voicing the question he had buried deep in his heart.
Senga watched silently from the side, thinking, With your looks and behavior, where did you get the confidence to ask that?
Seeing that Gion could not be bothered to answer him, Tokikake lowered his head in disappointment. Then, he finally noticed Senga, who had been watching the show from the side.
"Huh? And this young man is?"
Now that Tokikake had finally noticed this onlooker, Senga stopped watching the drama and stepped forward to introduce himself.
"Hello. I'm a newcomer who just joined the Marines. My name is Uchiha Senga."
"Oh, hello. I'm Tokikake." After giving his own simple introduction, Tokikake thought, Where did this rookie come from? Gion is personally accompanying him, and he's so handsome! Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed through his mind.
Could it be? Gion had fallen for him?!
Thinking of the two walking shoulder to shoulder down the street earlier, Tokikake shuddered and froze in place. Seeing him suddenly act as if he had been struck by lightning, Senga was about to step forward to check on him when he abruptly raised his head, startling Senga.
Tokikake stared at Senga's face with extreme seriousness for a long while, so long that Senga thought he might want to challenge him to a duel after failing in love.
Then, Tokikake glanced back and forth between Gion and Senga a few times before taking a deep breath. In a tone as if he had seen through everything, he said,
"Fine, I understand! I wish you happiness, Gion!"
With that, he walked away without looking back, with a hint of dashing nonchalance.
"Where did all this water come from? Is it raining?" Senga looked at the puddle that had appeared where Tokikake had left, utterly confused.
"Don't mind him. He's figured it all out again." Gion was already immune to Tokikake's behavior and did not take it to heart at all.
"Oh." Senga shrugged and turned to leave with Gion.
When they reached a residential area, Gion pointed at a small building and said to Senga,
"That'll be your temporary residence for the next few days. Once you graduate, you'll be assigned permanent housing."
Then she pointed at the villa with a garden beside it.
"That's where Sister Tsuru and I live. If you need anything, come find me. I'll be at Headquarters for the next few days."
Senga nodded to show that he understood.
Seeing that Senga had no objections to his accommodation, Gion gave him a few final instructions before leaving.
Senga entered his small building as well, resting and gathering his strength while waiting for news from the Training Camp.
Before you continue