This Child Has Fallen for Him

"Miss Kurenai, you've come to visit Yakumo again today."

The person greeted Kurenai Yuhi.

"Mm. I came today under the Third Hokage's orders. Please take us to see Yakumo."

"Oh, under the Third Hokage's orders? All right, please follow me. Miss Yakumo is in the studio right now!"

When the person heard that they were acting on the Third Hokage's orders, he froze for a moment and glanced at Narak, but he did not say anything. Instead, he willingly led the two of them upstairs!

"How has Yakumo been lately?"

On the stairs, Kurenai asked the medical team member.

"Ah, about the same. Miss Yakumo has a seal you left in her soul, so her mental state is fairly stable. It's just that her physical condition is truly terrible. She's only doing a little better because she's resting every day and not undergoing any strenuous training."

The medical team member sighed. Clearly, they were helpless when it came to Kurama Yakumo's physical condition.

"We're here. Miss Yakumo is inside. I'll take my leave first. Call me if you need anything!"

The person brought Narak and Kurenai to the door of a room before taking his leave.

Kurenai reached out to push open the door, but hesitated and lowered her hand again. She turned to look at Narak. "Narak-kun, are you really confident?"

"Miss Kurenai, we've already come this far. There's no use worrying any more. Besides, if I weren't confident enough, I wouldn't risk Miss Yakumo's safety!"

Seeing the certainty on Narak's face, Kurenai bit her lip and finally made up her mind.

"Creak..."

Kurenai turned the doorknob and pushed open the wooden door. The old door let out a harsh scraping sound.

The two entered the room. Kurama Yakumo was currently painting with her back to the door, seemingly indifferent to their arrival.

Narak looked around. The studio walls were covered with Kurama Yakumo's paintings.

Narak took a rough look at them. Some depicted gloomy houses that looked like haunted mansions in the dead of night; others showed shattered walls and ruins after a war; still others showed corpses strewn across the floors of sealed rooms. Every one of them was filled with a dark, oppressive atmosphere.

"Yakumo, I've come to see you again!"

Kurenai called softly to Yakumo's back.

However, Kurama Yakumo seemed not to hear her. She ignored Kurenai's call and continued painting.

At that moment, Narak stepped forward and said, "Miss Yakumo, hello. We meet again!"

Hearing Narak's voice, Kurama Yakumo's painting hand paused. She slowly turned her head and saw Narak standing behind her with a broad grin.

At that moment, Kurama Yakumo felt as if she had returned to her childhood, like when her father caught her doing something bad. She became so uneasy that she could hardly sit still.

It was as though her extremely rude behavior of ignoring Kurenai had been discovered by Narak, making it a grave matter.

"Na... Narak-kun, why are you here?"

Kurama Yakumo spoke timidly.

"Ah, I happened to meet Miss Kurenai Yuhi today and learned from her that she was coming to visit you. I had such a pleasant conversation with you yesterday that I decided to come along without asking. Sorry for the intrusion. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not. I'm very happy that you came, Narak-kun!"

Looking at Narak's brilliant smile, Kurama Yakumo's face flushed with embarrassment.

Kurenai Yuhi, standing to the side, did not mind Yakumo's coldness toward her. After all, this was hardly the first time she had received such treatment.

At that moment, she watched Narak and Yakumo with a strange grin. She did not say anything, but her expression conveyed everything she wanted to say.

Yakumo also noticed the amusement on Kurenai's face, which left her even more flustered.

Narak deliberately glanced at the paintings displayed in the studio. "Sigh, Miss Yakumo, why are all your paintings so gloomy and dark? They make people uncomfortable. They're nothing like the one you painted yesterday!"

"These... These are just things I drew randomly. I don't actually like them either. I was just about to sort them out and burn them all!"

Kurama Yakumo explained hurriedly, seemingly afraid that Narak would misunderstand her because of them.

"Oh, is that so? I was wondering. These paintings don't look like Miss Yakumo's style at all. After all, you seem so bright and sunny to me!"

Hearing Narak's praise, Yakumo quickly covered her flushed cheeks. "Really? So that's how you see me, Narak-kun?"

Kurenai Yuhi's gaze at Narak had completely changed. It held both astonishment and deep contempt.

This boy is already so good at flirting with girls at such a young age. He can toss out compliments without even thinking. Hmph, he'll definitely be a womanizer when he grows up!

Narak could not be bothered with Kurenai's thoughts. He simply chatted with Yakumo, making the young girl beam with delight. The smile never left her face.

Kurenai silently sighed. "Sigh, this silly girl has completely fallen for him!"

Narak, who was chatting with Yakumo, saw that the atmosphere had been warmed up enough and deliberately changed the subject.

"Look at us. I was having such a good time chatting with Miss Yakumo that I nearly forgot about Miss Kurenai's actual business."

"Miss Kurenai, didn't you say you were worried about Miss Yakumo's health and had come especially to visit her?"

Kurama Yakumo glanced at Kurenai and said flatly, "My health is perfectly fine. There's no need to trouble yourself, Teacher Kurenai. If there's nothing else, please leave. I want to chat with Narak-kun a little longer!"

Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward again, Narak hurriedly said, "Miss Yakumo, I heard that your health has been poor since childhood. Teacher Kurenai is only concerned about you. Since she's already here, let her take a look."

"Besides, I'll let you in on a secret: I'm very skilled at medicine too. Later, Teacher Kurenai and I can examine you together. Maybe I'll be able to help!"

"Didn't you say earlier that you wanted to become a powerful ninja? If we can cure your physical condition, perhaps that wish will come true."

Narak patiently coaxed and persuaded her from the side.

Kurama Yakumo bit her lower lip tightly. She was deeply resistant to Kurenai Yuhi. After all, in her own understanding, Kurenai and the Third Hokage had killed her parents and had even been trying to kill her.

Yet she could not bring herself to refuse the man before her, whom she had met only twice. Instinctively, she wanted to draw closer to him and spend more time with him. Being with Narak made her feel happy and safe, filling her with a sense of peace she could not put into words.

At last, after a long inner struggle, her affection for Narak overcame her hatred of Kurenai Yuhi.

Kurama Yakumo slowly said, "All right, then. Teacher Kurenai, sorry for the trouble!"

Seeing that Yakumo had finally agreed, Narak gave Kurenai a subtle signal with his eyes, and Kurenai replied that she understood.

Since the studio was quite spacious, none of them went anywhere else.

Yakumo lay down directly in the open space at the center. Kurenai Yuhi sat cross-legged directly in front of her head, placed one hand against her forehead, and began examining her physical condition.