Asuma: It Was All My Fault

The next day, at noon.

The dismissal bell rang, and everyone in the classroom cheered as they rushed toward the cafeteria. But a few people gathered around Soseki instead.

"Hm? Are you planning to come with me to visit Mizuki in the hospital too?" Soseki asked, looking at them.

"I found out that guy got beaten up because of me." Asuma scratched his head awkwardly. "No matter what, I should go visit him."

Shizune clasped her hands into little fists in front of her chest. "I'm worried about Mizuki too."

When Soseki looked at her, Red Eye's gaze wandered. "You're all leaving. It'd be pretty boring if I stayed at school by myself."

"Alright, then. Let's go together."

On the way, seeing that Soseki seemed somewhat subdued, Asuma assumed he was worried about what had happened yesterday. He casually patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Soseki. If the Uchiha come looking for trouble with you, I'll... I'll go home and tattle to the old man!"

Soseki smiled at that. With Asuma's chuunibyou tsundere personality, being willing to ask the Third Hokage for help on his behalf meant he had gone through quite a struggle.

"That isn't what I'm worried about." Soseki shook his head and pressed his lips together in silence for a moment. "When I gave Mizuki preliminary treatment yesterday, I discovered... his injuries might be serious."

Asuma asked in confusion, "Really? Didn't he seem to be recovering pretty well yesterday?"

Soseki merely sighed. "I hope I'm wrong."

The hospital was not far away, and before long, they arrived at its entrance.

Then, under Soseki's lead, they easily found Mizuki's ward.

"Mizuki, we came to vis—" Asuma called out familiarly, but before he could finish, the sight before him startled him.

Mizuki lay stiffly on the hospital bed, his eyes vacant. He showed no reaction at all to their arrival.

Like a salted fish that had lost all its dreams.

"Mizuki, what's wrong, Mizuki?" Asuma cried out in shock. "Oh no, Mizuki is dead!"

Thud!

"Ah? Who hit me?" Asuma shouted, clutching his head.

"Little brother, don't say things like that carelessly!" A young nurse stood behind Asuma with her hands on her hips.

"Huh? Mizuki isn't dead?"

"He's breathing just fine. How could he be dead?"

"Then he..."

However, the young nurse had no intention of answering him anymore. Instead, she turned to Soseki and carefully chose her words. "Little Soseki, this classmate you brought in... he may not be able to study with you anymore."

Asuma asked in alarm, "Wait, what do you mean?"

The young nurse sighed. "He has lost his qualifications to become a ninja. Though perhaps that is a good thing. He can live out an ordinary life without having to worry about dying on some mission."

"Damn it, how could this happen?!" Asuma slammed his fist into the wall.

Under normal circumstances, he would not have been this upset.

But now he "knew" that Mizuki had become like this entirely because of him!

Although he had not caused all this intentionally, he still felt that he owed Mizuki.

The more emotional Red Eye and Shizune had already begun crying softly. Though neither of them had interacted much with Mizuki, seeing a familiar classmate reduced to this state still hurt.

Asuma was feeling miserable when he suddenly caught sight of Soseki's solemn expression. A spark of realization flashed through his mind. "Soseki, you have a way, don't you?"

At Asuma's words, a trace of hope also lit up in Mizuki's eyes as he lay on the bed.

If it was him, maybe he really could do something!

"Perhaps. But..." Soseki frowned, seemingly unable to decide. "Sister Yumiko wasn't wrong either. The ninja world is dangerous to begin with. If..."

"No, please, give me one chance!"

Hearing that dry, rough voice, everyone was overjoyed.

"Mizuki, you're finally al—ptui, you finally woke up?"

"Mizuki, are you alright?"

Mizuki did not respond. He merely stared straight at Soseki. "I have no family, no friends. I don't want to lose even the last part of myself!"

"You're wrong. We're all your friends." Soseki shook his head and looked at Mizuki with "sincerity." "But if you insist, I can give it a try."

Asuma asked from the side, "What exactly do we need to do, Soseki?"

"With Mizuki's current condition, if he still wants to become a ninja, he needs surgery. And in Leaf Village, there is only one person capable of performing this operation!"

"I know! Lord Tsunade!"

"I ran into Lord Tsunade at the hospital a few days ago." Soseki nodded, then sighed. "If I had known this would happen, I would have asked where Lord Tsunade lived."

Asuma rubbed his chin. "The old man should know where Lord Tsunade lives. I'll go back and ask him right away."

At that moment, Shizune timidly raised her right hand. "Actually, Lord Tsunade is living with me right now."

"That's great!" Asuma first shouted excitedly, then asked in confusion, "But Shizune, why are you living with Lord Tsunade? Could it be... you're Lord Tsunade's illegitimate daughter?"

"Of course not!" Shizune explained indignantly, blushing. "Lord Tsunade was my uncle's lover. After my uncle passed away, she stayed at my home to take care of me."

"Oh, so that's how it is. Great, then let's hurry and find Lord Tsunade so she can save Mizuki."

However, Shizune did not move. Instead, she appeared hesitant. "Actually, Lord Tsunade hasn't performed surgery in a very long time."

Red Eye asked in confusion, "Is there simply no surgery worthy of Lord Tsunade's attention?"

Shizune shook her head. Lord Tsunade's hemophobia was kept secret, so she did not know how to explain it.

Seeing this, Soseki stepped in to smooth things over. "Asuma, Red Eye, you don't need to be involved in what comes next."

Asuma was deeply dissatisfied. "Huh? Why?"

Soseki spread his hands helplessly and casually made up an excuse. "What comes next may involve confidentiality regulations that only Medical Ninjas can participate in."

Hearing that, the two could only agree. "Alright, then. Remember to let us know if there's any news."

Just then, Mizuki, lying on the bed, suddenly spoke up. "Please... please take me with you! At least let me know whether I still have any chance of becoming a ninja!"

Soseki looked at Shizune and asked, "Is that alright?"

Shizune hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "If he's only going as a patient, it should be fine."