The Shenyue Family's Two Brothers

"I didn't mean what happened during the sparring class today."

Hearing this, Rin Nohara's face flushed red.

So, she had misunderstood him.

"But Nebula, why don't you give it to him yourself?"

Nebula Kotetsu gave a wry smile. "Rin, you know how Obito feels about me."

"I'm afraid his fist would be flying my way before I could even get a word out."

Rin Nohara thought about it and realized he was probably right. She apologized for Obito, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Nebula. Obito can be quite rude sometimes."

"It's alright," Nebula Kotetsu said with a faint smile. "I know Obito is a good person at heart."

"So, Rin, please. Help me pass this to Obito. Tell him it's my apology."

This time, Rin Nohara did not refuse. She did not want Obito Uchiha and Nebula Kotetsu to be at odds; seeing either of them get hurt was not something she wanted.

Rin Nohara took the kunai and asked, "Is this the only reason you came?"

Nebula Kotetsu replied, "Yes."

Upon hearing this answer, Rin Nohara was surprised to find that she didn't feel happy at all.

"Oh... don't worry, Nebula. I'll pass it on."

Carrying an inexplicable sense of loss, Rin Nohara watched Nebula Kotetsu turn and walk away. Just as she was about to close the gate, a familiar voice suddenly called out from not far away.

"Rin."

Rin Nohara looked up.

It was Nebula Kotetsu.

She heard him speak.

"Rin."

"What I said today... I meant it."

"I like you."

"I like you... so, so much."

Rin Nohara's heart began to beat violently.

The young man stood in the night, more dazzling than the moonlight itself.

It wasn't until the creaking of a window sounded overhead, followed by her brother Shun Nohara's exasperated voice.

"Obito, you damn idiot..."

Nebula Kotetsu was gone.

Rin Nohara closed the gate and walked back, her steps unsteady. Ignoring her brother Shun Nohara's nagging, she went straight to her room.

She shut the door, threw herself onto the bed, and covered her head with the quilt.

She hoped that by doing this, she could quiet her noisy heart. Yet, Nebula Kotetsu's face remained firmly planted in her mind, refusing to budge.

Rin Nohara didn't understand.

Why?

It shouldn't be like this.

She had known Nebula Kotetsu for a long time.

Aside from his legendary, fairy-like handsome face, the thing that left the deepest impression on her was that he seemed to have had many ex-girlfriends.

She had once told herself that when looking for a boyfriend, she must never choose someone like that; she had to find someone with good character and a kind heart.

But why?

Why did her heart beat so fast when that face confessed to her so earnestly? Why couldn't she clear her mind?

Nebula Kotetsu, you really are a bad guy.

You mess up my head, and then you just walk away without a care.

After a long, long time, Rin Nohara freed her head from the quilt and turned over to lie on her back. Staring at the empty ceiling, she couldn't help but wonder.

Nebula Kotetsu, what are you doing right now?

Behind Konoha.

Nebula Kotetsu was watching the stars with his senior, Ririko.

The weather was nice today; the sky was full of stars, unobstructed by clouds, gorgeous and beautiful.

The two sat side by side on the ground with their knees pulled up. Nebula Kotetsu looked up at the stars.

Senior Ririko was looking at him.

Nebula Kotetsu asked her why she wasn't looking at the stars, and Ririko replied that he was better looking than the stars.

Nebula Kotetsu felt a bit disappointed.

Senior Ririko was two years ahead of Muto Ayaka and had once been in his same grade, but he had been held back for two years, and she was now serving in the Konoha Medical Department.

In his heart, the possibility of her suggesting a breakup was much higher than it was with Muto Ayaka, yet even now, she had shown no intention of doing so.

"Are you not very happy?" Ririko seemed to have sensed something.

"Yeah." Nebula Kotetsu nodded. "It's graduation season again, and you know me—the pressure is immense."

Ririko reached out and gently stroked his cheek.

"What's the big deal?"

"If it's too much, just don't be a ninja. Be a normal person."

"I can work and support you."

Nebula Kotetsu didn't respond.

Seeing this, Ririko leaned into his ear and whispered, "Don't think about these things."

"I brought you something good."

Nebula Kotetsu asked, "What good thing?"

Ririko smiled, then gripped the lapels of her coat with both hands and flipped them open.

In the hazy, starry night, her white medical uniform became a dazzling splash of color.

"Gulp." Nebula Kotetsu said, "That's it?"

Ririko replied, "Of course not."

As she spoke, she straightened her legs and pushed out the hem of her skirt.

Nebula Kotetsu's expression turned solemn.

Fishnets!

Senior Ririko was wearing fishnets!

A uniform under her coat, and fishnets under her uniform.

"Senior, you really do have one trick after another."

Ririko smiled triumphantly, and then, she began to fish.

The fish didn't die, but the net was already torn; Ririko was destined to come up empty-handed.

By the time Nebula Kotetsu returned home, it was already 11:00 PM.

The Kotetsu family estate was not small, featuring several rooms inside and out, along with a decent-sized courtyard. It was all property earned by his father, a Special Jōnin, before he passed away.

However, following the successive deaths of his parents in battle, the Kotetsu family had declined, and now only he and Kotetsu Hagane lived in the large house.

Opening the front door, a light was still on in the spacious living room, and a conspicuous thermos sat on the dining table.

Nebula Kotetsu walked over and opened it; inside the thermos was chicken soup that was still warm.

A sense of warmth welled up in his heart. Nebula Kotetsu set the soup aside for the moment and headed up the stairs to the second floor.

As expected, the light inside was still on.

Nebula Kotetsu opened the door to find a boy much younger than him hunched over the desk, writing and drawing in a notebook.

His younger brother, Kotetsu Hagane.

He asked with concern, "It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll sleep in a bit," Kotetsu Hagane said without turning his head.

Nebula Kotetsu said, "Studying isn't something you have to rush."

"A Jōnin isn't made in a day."

"Sleep early and wake up early, take care of your health—only then can you be a good ninja."

Kotetsu Hagane's voice was muffled as he replied, "I know."

"I'll sleep in a minute."

Nebula Kotetsu frowned slightly.

Something was wrong.

As brothers who spent every day together, even though Kotetsu Hagane hadn't shown any outward signs of distress, he could still sense that the boy was different from usual.

He walked behind Kotetsu Hagane and said, "Turn around."

Kotetsu Hagane didn't move.

Nebula Kotetsu had no choice but to take action himself, turning Kotetsu Hagane's body around. At just one glance, his face darkened.

The boy had sharp, heroic brows and fair skin; while he couldn't compare to the "public enemy of all men" face of Nebula Kotetsu, he was still handsome and refined in his own right.

Yet at this moment, that handsome face was dotted with bruises.

Nebula Kotetsu asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"

Kotetsu Hagane replied, "None of your business."

Nebula Kotetsu countered, "You won't say? If you don't tell me, I'll go ask your teacher tomorrow."

Helpless and knowing his brother's tendency to follow through on his words, Kotetsu Hagane had no choice but to answer, "It was that guy, Sarutobi Taiga."

Nebula Kotetsu continued, "Someone from the Sarutobi clan? Why did he hit you?"

Hearing this, Kotetsu Hagane lifted his bruised face and looked at Nebula Kotetsu with a blank expression.

"He said you stole his brother's girlfriend."

"So, during the sparring session, he 'accidentally' went a bit too hard."

Nebula Kotetsu: "..."