Not long after Hyuga Sho left...
"Deputy Head~."
Nohara Rin was brought back by Yūhi Kurenai.
Not Kakashi.
Yūhi Kurenai.
Asuma's farewell celebration had been a lively affair.
Hyuga Sho had naturally attended the banquet that evening.
After all, he was the only man who could understand Asuma.
Well, that was what Asuma alone believed.
After listening to Asuma's bold declarations that he would venture into the shinobi world and make a name for himself, Hyuga Sho had returned early.
Now.
Nohara Rin's return signaled that the banquet had ended.
Originally.
Kakashi had wanted to walk Nohara Rin home.
But Nohara Rin had feared that Hyuga Sho would misunderstand.
So she had turned Kakashi down outright.
In the end... Yūhi Kurenai had come with her.
With her lover leaving, Yūhi Kurenai was probably the most heartbroken of all.
Perhaps Yūhi Kurenai would even fall into a slump because of it.
Twenty years old...
Yūhi Kurenai still hadn't been promoted to jonin.
That was pretty bad.
Among their former classmates.
The current jonin were Hyuga Sho, Hyuga Mami, Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Tekka, Might Guy, and Asuma.
Six jonin.
Yet Yūhi Kurenai, whose strength ranked just below those six.
Was still only a special jonin.
That clearly suggested that Yūhi Kurenai's talent... fell short of Hyuga Sho's and the others'.
Or had romance held back her training?
If that was the reason, though, why was Asuma a jonin?
Even Might Guy had become a jonin.
"Mm..."
Hyuga Sho nodded. As Nohara Rin approached, he whispered something in her ear.
Nohara Rin's lovely eyes suddenly widened.
Then, with slightly trembling steps, she headed deeper down the corridor...
"..."
Yūhi Kurenai blinked, puzzled.
"Thank you for bringing Rin back... Yūhi Kurenai..."
Hyuga Sho's calm words drew Yūhi Kurenai's attention back to him.
Twenty years