So Rin Nohara drank her soup while Nebula Kotetsu watched.
As he watched, Rin's face began to redden again.
"Why are you staring at me?"
Nebula Kotetsu said, "Sorry, I got distracted."
Rin thought, You looked completely entranced. That didn't seem like getting distracted.
Never mind. I won't call you out on it.
After drinking a little less than half, Rin said she was full. At Nebula Kotetsu's urging, she drank a bit more, but then refused to have another drop.
Not wanting it to go to waste, Nebula Kotetsu took the thermos and, using the spoon Rin had used, drank the soup one spoonful at a time.
Rin wanted to ask why he hadn't brought another spoon, but she didn't.
Apparently deciding that was too slow, Nebula Kotetsu finally picked up the thermos and drained it in one go.
Rin: ...
So why had he used a spoon just now?
After finishing the soup, the two of them talked for a while about Medical Ninjutsu. Rin naturally brought up the team assignments after graduation that day.
"Nebula."
"How are things going with your team after today's assignments?"
"Who's your leader?"
She and Obito had left early, so she didn't know about the verbal clash with Asuma Sarutobi afterward.
Nebula Kotetsu said, "It's all right."
"Kurenai's a pretty quiet person."
"Asuma... He doesn't say much, but he's actually pretty full of himself."
Rin asked with concern, "Are you getting along badly?"
Nebula Kotetsu smiled. "It's actually all right."
As the system continued assigning missions, though, maybe the bad blood was still to come.
"Our jonin leader is pretty great, though."
"She's the Uchiha clan leader's wife."
"The clan leader's wife?" Curiosity showed in Rin's eyes. "I hear she's beautiful. Is that true?"
"Is she?" Nebula Kotetsu pretended not to have paid much attention. "She's all right, I guess."
"I think she's pretty ordinary."
"Maybe some people like that type. But Rin, I think you're the prettiest."
Rin blushed. "...D-don't say things like that."
Nebula Kotetsu said, "Enough about me. Tell me about you."
He asked as if it were an afterthought, "How's your team? Do you have a new teammate?"
Rin said, "Yeah."
"The teachers assigned a new teammate to Obito and me."
"You'll never guess who it is."
"Kakashi Hatake! The one everyone was talking about a few years ago—the one who graduated early and made Chunin at such a young age."
"Kakashi Hatake?" Nebula Kotetsu said. "Yeah, I've heard of him. What's he like?"
Rin said, "He's all right."
"He's just kind of cold."
"But I think something must have happened to him. I can tell he's probably a good person, too."
Nebula Kotetsu nodded without saying anything.
"Also, you definitely know our jonin leader."
Nebula Kotetsu obligingly asked, "Who is it?"
Rin said, "Minato Namikaze."
"He's Lord Jiraiya of the Sannin's student, and the Bloody Habanero's boyfriend."
"Oh, him," Nebula Kotetsu said, as if it had just clicked. "I know who he is. I hear he's really strong."
Minato Namikaze hadn't yet earned the title of "Yellow Flash," but his impressive abilities and sunny looks had already made him well known in Konoha.
He was one of Konoha's most outstanding young shinobi.
"He's not just strong," Rin said, looking full of admiration. "Minato-sensei is really kind, too. He even smiles when he talks."
Nebula Kotetsu said, "Right, right."
Minato Namikaze really was easy to get along with.
Hopefully the shinobi from other villages would feel the same way in the future.
They talked for a long time about all sorts of things, and night fell.
Nebula Kotetsu walked Rin home. As they said goodbye at her door, Rin suddenly said, "Nebula."
"When we get the chance, I'll introduce you to Kakashi and Minato-sensei."
"Huh?" Nebula Kotetsu was taken aback. "Why?"
Wasn't it nice enough to have quiet dates in the little bamboo house every day?
Rin said, "You're my 'good friend,' so of course I want you to meet more of my friends."
Otherwise, she felt it wasn't quite right for the two of them to always spend time alone in the bamboo house.
Thinking of Obito Uchiha's exasperated expression, Nebula Kotetsu didn't refuse. He smiled and said, "Sure."
"Whenever you have time, come find me."
He watched Rin close the door and enter her house, then glanced at the open second-floor window before finally turning to leave.
"Go! Go! Go!" Morning had come to Konoha.
Might Guy's workouts were more punctual than the village roosters.
Lately, though, he'd been making a lot more noise, as if he were hopped up on stimulants.
It was because he finally had someone to train with!
Even though Nebula Kotetsu often couldn't keep up with his pace, it still made Might Guy incredibly happy. He couldn't help shouting with joy as they ran in the morning.
"Nebula, keep it up!"
"Brighter than the rising sun—that's our youth!"
A short distance behind him, Nebula Kotetsu was so out of breath he couldn't speak.
He felt like he was running ahead while his soul chased after him. One wrong step, and his own soul might kick him to the ground.
The good news was that his body was handling things much better than before.
Before, his body had been telling him, Move again!? Do that one more time and I'll die on you.
Now it was saying, All right, all right, so this is how you want to play? Let's see which of us gives out first!
He gritted his teeth and pressed on, finally making it from the dark of night to the first light of dawn.
After saying goodbye to Might Guy, who was still bursting with energy, he struggled back home. He secretly changed out of his green jumpsuit and put on his regular clothes. After eating breakfast under the worried gaze of Kotetsu Hagane and resting for a while, he headed toward the Uchiha Clan Compound.
At the time, the Uchiha Clan Compound had not yet been driven to the edge of the village for a second time. It lay not far from the center of the village and occupied a vast area.
If Konoha's real estate market had had any future, that land alone would have been worth a fortune.
Uchiha clan members guarded the compound's spacious, impressive entrance. When they saw Nebula Kotetsu, they were startled at first.
Damn, he's handsome!
Then the guard questioned him. "Who are you? What brings you to the Uchiha?"
Nebula Kotetsu answered, "I'm a Genin who just graduated this year. Mikoto Uchiha is my team leader."
"Oh," the guard said, his attitude changing. "Lady Mikoto told us about you. Please follow me."
"Thank you," Nebula Kotetsu said. "Have my other two teammates arrived? If not, I'll wait here for them."
After learning that the other two hadn't arrived yet, Nebula Kotetsu waited at the entrance. Before long, Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi arrived together.
When she saw Nebula Kotetsu, Kurenai greeted him politely. He nodded in response. As for Asuma Sarutobi... the two of them simply looked away from each other.
Before you continue