Kanako spoke, glancing around. After making sure no one was nearby, she secretly let herself enjoy the moment.
Then, as Nebula Kotetsu stared at her in surprise, she took his hand and said softly,
"Today, I'm going to comfort you."
Nebula Kotetsu: "?"
Comfort me?
Are you sure you're not just rewarding yourself?
Regardless of what Kanako was thinking, her concern for him seemed genuine, so Nebula Kotetsu let her do as she pleased.
Half an hour later, he walked her home. Before they parted, Kanako carefully straightened his clothes and wiped the dust from his face and body.
"All done, Nebula. Good night."
"See you the day after tomorrow."
"See you then."
The gate closed.
Nebula Kotetsu wandered around the streets for a while before arriving at the gate to the Nohara Household.
He had just raised his hand to knock when he hesitated.
What if Rin Nohara's big brother chews me out?
As he hesitated, the gate creaked open, and Rin Nohara's face appeared.
"Nebula, you're here... What happened to you?!"
Nebula Kotetsu smiled. "It's nothing. I had a little scuffle with someone and got banged up."
Rin Nohara: "That's awful."
"How could they be so rough during a friendly spar?"
"Wait here."
With that, she dashed upstairs, and soon the sound of things clattering and crashing filled the house, along with a young man's scolding.
"It's so late! You're still going out?"
"Couldn't you have gone earlier? It's almost dark!"
Rin Nohara called back, "Don't worry about it. I have something to do."
"Thump, thump, thump..." The footsteps drew closer.
Rin Nohara returned to Nebula Kotetsu with a bundle in her hands.
"Let's go."
She said this, grabbed Nebula Kotetsu by the sleeve, and led him away.
Before long, an angry man's voice rang out behind them.
After they'd walked down the street, Rin Nohara let go of Nebula Kotetsu's sleeve. A little embarrassed, she said, "My brother has a bit of a temper."
"I'm sorry."
Nebula Kotetsu said, "It's fine. I think your brother's great. He really cares about you."
"If I had a sister as cute as you, I'd be even more worried than he is."
Rin Nohara's face reddened. She lowered her head slightly and said nothing.
After a moment, she said, "Come on. Let's find somewhere to teach you Medical Ninjutsu."
"Sure," Nebula Kotetsu said. "I know a place. It's quiet and spacious, just right for it."
A little while later,
he brought Rin Nohara to the riverside bamboo hut he'd visited not long ago.
He found a lamp in the corner and lit it.
Night had fallen, but the lamplight was bright enough to read by.
Nebula Kotetsu said, "Let's get started."
"Okay," Rin Nohara replied.
She took out the notes she'd prepared earlier and glanced around.
The bamboo hut stood by the river, open on all sides, with a gentle breeze blowing through.
Beneath the hazy night sky, the place had a charm all its own.
Rin Nohara asked, "Nebula, do you come here often?"
Nebula Kotetsu: "..."
After thinking quickly for half a second, he replied, "No."
"I happened to pass by here a little while ago and noticed it."
"I thought right away that it would be a great place to study."
"Mm." Rin Nohara nodded without comment, though she thought to herself, It seems like an even better place for a date.
In the gentle lamplight, she watched Nebula Kotetsu's flawless profile as he earnestly studied her notes. For some reason, her heart suddenly began to race.
"Nebula," Rin Nohara suddenly said.
"What is it?" Nebula Kotetsu looked up.
Rin Nohara picked up the bundle she'd brought and said quietly, "I... should treat your bruises first."
"...Okay." Nebula Kotetsu certainly wasn't going to refuse.
Rin Nohara picked up a cotton swab with a pair of tweezers, moved a little closer to Nebula Kotetsu, and carefully dabbed his bruises and scrapes.
The evening breeze was gentle.
The lamplight was gentle, too.
Perhaps the young woman's touch was gentle as well.
Rin Nohara dabbed at his wounds bit by bit.
Her hand didn't seem as steady as usual, and her heart wouldn't stop pounding.
A little while later, she finished disinfecting the wounds and set aside the cotton swab and tweezers. As she reached for the ointment, she quietly tried to calm herself.
Why?
Why is my heart beating so fast?
I haven't even done anything.
Come on, Rin. You haven't done anything. There's no need to be nervous.
When she felt her heartbeat finally slow a little, Rin Nohara picked up the ointment and continued.
She dabbed some ointment onto her fingers and gently pressed it onto the bruises on Nebula Kotetsu's face. At the same time, wisps of chakra seeped from her fingertips into his skin.
A cool, soothing sensation spread as the bruises slowly faded beneath her gentle touch.
Nebula Kotetsu's face was right in front of her, gradually returning to its flawless state.
Too close.
Far too close.
So close she could claim him with the slightest reach, so close that if she just lowered her head...
Rin Nohara forced herself to look away and stop imagining things.
Nebula Kotetsu asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing," Rin Nohara said. "A bug flew into my eye."
Nebula Kotetsu quickly said, "Do you need me to help?"
Rin Nohara: "No, no. It's already flown away."
A moment later, Rin Nohara turned back. In the lamplight, her face seemed even lovelier.
Holding the ointment, she asked, "Anywhere else?"
Nebula Kotetsu paused.
But he clearly wasn't going to miss a chance to grow closer to her, so he answered at once, "My back, my hands, and my thighs."
Rin Nohara lowered her head.
Just as Nebula Kotetsu thought she might have changed her mind, Rin Nohara said, "I'll treat the wounds on your back."
"You can practice on the other places yourself."
Nebula Kotetsu: "Okay. Thank you, Rin."
Rin Nohara said nothing more.
Nebula Kotetsu turned around and showed her the bruises on his back.
He wasn't too thin or too heavy; his build was well-proportioned, and his skin was fair.
The bruises of various sizes were the only things marring his appearance.
Rin Nohara's face grew even redder.
When she picked up the ointment and rubbed it over Nebula Kotetsu's wounds, her face flushed as if it might drip blood.
The young woman's gentle fingertips moved across his back. The ointment left a cool, soothing sensation.
After a long while, Nebula Kotetsu felt the movements behind him finally stop.
He waited another good while before he heard Rin Nohara's voice.
"All done."
At her words, Nebula Kotetsu turned around.
Rin Nohara's expression seemed normal. If he hadn't clearly heard her heart pounding behind him, he would probably have thought she'd been focused solely on treating his wounds.
Rin Nohara placed the ointment in front of Nebula Kotetsu.
"Try doing it the way I did."
"Treat the other places yourself."
"Okay." Nebula Kotetsu didn't waste any words. He imitated Rin Nohara's motions and sequence, and before long, he'd treated all his bruises.
When he was done, he looked up at Rin Nohara and asked, "Rin, how did I do?"
"Ah... huh?" Rin Nohara, a little distracted, came back to herself. "V-very well."
"Nebula, you're a quick learner."
"Let's keep studying."
Before you continue