"When they study Medical Ninjutsu, they feel life revive or fade away in their hands. For Chunin who are already over eighteen, reaching this age helps them better understand the value of life. Only then do they realize how much they should care about things they never thought about as Genin: their comrades, their village, and themselves..."
Hearing Sakuya's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help nodding.
"Sakuya, you always think of more than everyone else... just like Kagami back then."
Looking at Sakuya, Hiruzen seemed to return to the days when Tobirama Senju was still alive, and he, Kagami Uchiha, Shimura Danzō, and the others served in the Hokage Guard Platoon.
Back then, Kagami had been the same. He always thought a little further ahead than the rest of them.
Even Danzō, despite his hostility toward the Uchiha, had been forced to admit that Kagami was a comrade they could trust, the "strategist" of the Hokage Guard Platoon.
Sakuya now was just like Kagami had been back then.
A nostalgic smile spread across Hiruzen's face. "Sakuya, I understand your proposal. Once things settle down, Konoha will try to put it into practice."
"Thank you, Lord Hokage."
Sakuya nodded. "But when it's announced, could you say it was Tsunade's decision?"
"Oh?"
Surprise crossed Hiruzen's face. "Why?"
He asked with confusion, "Wouldn't becoming famous be a good thing for you?"
"Especially since this could earn you a reputation as a pioneer in the field of medical ninjas. If word reached the daimyo, you might even receive a title."
For example, Princess Tsunade's title was unique in the Shinobi World. Who wouldn't respectfully call her Princess Tsunade upon meeting her?
And yet Sakuya didn't want the credit. He wanted to give this tremendous honor to Tsunade.
"This was Tsunade's idea from the beginning."
Sakuya's expression remained calm as he spoke evenly. "I only added a few finishing touches and made some adjustments. It wouldn't be fair to take credit away from her as the 'author' just because I made a few additions."
He paused, his gaze settling on the autumn rain stretching beyond the window.
"Besides, Tsunade needs this credit right now..."
Hiruzen's eyes shifted slightly. "She needs it?"
"She does."
Sakuya turned to meet the Third Hokage's gaze and smiled faintly. "So does her younger brother."
"Nawaki?"
Hiruzen was taken aback, then quickly understood. A complicated emotion flashed through his eyes.
"No wonder Tsunade was so upset earlier... It was about Nawaki."
He paused, studying Sakuya with a little more scrutiny and meaning in his gaze.
"How did you know?"
"That blockhead wears everything on his face."
Sakuya's tone was mild, but a faint smile showed through.
"When Nawaki insisted on going to the Land of Fang that day, I understood everything from the way Tsunade looked at him."
Tsunade stood outside the door, her face bright red as she listened to every word Sakuya and Hiruzen said.
That guy... He really did know everything.
Her fingers tightened around the lunchbox.
She bit her lip, her cheeks burning. A sudden swirl of emotions rose within her: the embarrassment of having her feelings seen through, and something else she couldn't quite put into words...
She had only proposed a rough draft. Sakuya was the one who had truly refined it, and he knew it. Hiruzen knew it, too.
Yet he'd given her the credit anyway.
Tsunade unconsciously pressed a hand to her chest.
Her heart was beating so fast.
"All right, we'll do it your way. It's getting late. Get some rest. I'll be going now."
Hearing Hiruzen rise inside the hospital room, Tsunade darted into the empty room next door like a startled rabbit.
She pricked up her ears, leaning against the door as Hiruzen's footsteps gradually faded away. Only then did she lean against it, her expression complicated.
First the Land of Fang, saying things like that to me, and now this...
How could there be a Uchiha like him?
She felt a little restless.
The bold spirit she'd been born with seemed to have lost its way. It charged around inside her chest, unable to find an exit.
What was this feeling?
Tsunade didn't understand.
But she wasn't the sort to keep things bottled up.
Just as Hiruzen had said moments ago.
She was Princess Tsunade, the princess of the Land of Fire.
She was a woman determined to become the Fourth Hokage!
She couldn't back down when something happened.
She had to ask Sakuya directly and get the answer she wanted!
Tsunade stormed into Sakuya's hospital room.
Sakuya was leaning against the headboard, watching the rain outside. When he heard her open the door, he turned to look at her.
Every word she'd planned to say caught in her throat.
His handsome face was turned toward her, his dark eyes studying her. His black hair, left untrimmed during his hospital stay, had grown to his shoulders, yet it wasn't the least bit messy.
Honestly... why did he have to be so good-looking?
Tsunade was absolutely a sucker for handsome men.
She loved good-looking guys.
In the original story, a big part of why she accepted Dan Katō's confession was that he was a handsome man.
And now Tsunade had to admit it.
Uchiha Sakuya was the most handsome man she'd ever seen in her more than twenty years of life.
And he was still growing into his looks, still a slightly unripe flower bud. He would bloom into an even more beautiful sight someday.
She took a step back without meaning to.
No, this wasn't right.
She'd planned to talk things through with him. At the very least, she had to get a clear answer from him, didn't she?
Even a simple comment about what he liked about her would do.
Why was she standing here now, unable to... unable to say a single word?
She wasn't supposed to be like this.
"Good morning, Tsunade."
His voice was just as lovely, crisp and refreshing with a hint of sweetness, like freshly brewed Bamboo Green.
Th-this was unfair.
"Ahahaha... G-good morning."
She greeted Sakuya nervously, but the moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it.
What are you doing, Tsunade!
You're Princess Tsunade, the princess of the Land of Fire, and Konoha's future Hokage.
How could you go all soft just because Uchiha Sakuya said something ordinary?
You need to act tough, like his words don't affect you at all!
First, you have to...
"What did you bring? It smells delicious."
That one simple question from Sakuya instantly ruined every plan Tsunade had made.
"I-It's just that Nawaki wanted meat soup this morning, so this is what was left over. It's definitely not a restorative meal I got up early to make for you because I wanted to thank you for saving me, so don't get the wrong idea. I just brought some along for you, that's all!"
You're so useless, Tsunade!
Tsunade knew she was embarrassing herself, but she still wanted to keep her expression firm and act a little more aloof, a little more like the person she used to be.
But when she looked at Sakuya's handsome face and his dark eyes studying her, his voice was so gentle and pleasant to listen to—and there was something about it that made it impossible to focus on what she had in mind.
So she just couldn't help it.
How could she, when he was so good-looking?
When Tsunade realized this, she deflated like a punctured balloon.
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