I Want to Use You

Su Yu's home.

Tsunade had sent people to clean the place.

Nothing in the rooms had been disturbed, and everything was neat and tidy.

Su Yu had prepared a room for Temari.

Temari thanked him, sounding a little shy.

"It's getting late. I'll go make dinner. Stay in your room and don't wander off. I'll come get you when dinner's ready," Su Yu told Temari.

"I... I can help," Temari said softly.

"You're a guest. I'll take care of this," Su Yu refused.

"All right. If you need help, just come get me anytime," Temari said, looking at Su Yu.

Su Yu nodded and left.

Temari watched him go, then closed the door.

Su Yu didn't start making dinner right away. Instead, he returned to his room and activated his Byakugan.

As he'd expected, several Anbu Ninja were already stationed nearby.

Tsunade had already put Temari through one dangerous experience.

The Anbu Ninja were there to protect her in secret, just in case.

She knew Su Yu would notice them, so the Anbu Ninja weren't hiding. Anyone who paid a little attention could spot them.

It also served to intimidate Danzo.

The information and records on Su Yu had all been stored in the Hokage Office.

Danzo didn't know much about Su Yu, nor did he realize how dangerous his presence was.

If Danzo knew that Su Yu had caused him to take the blame for several things, he'd probably send everyone in Root to attack him.

Tsunade was protecting Su Yu, and not many people knew about him. Most of them were Jonin in the Hokage's faction.

They only knew that Su Yu had joined the Hokage Direct Squad. They didn't know its core secrets.

Danzo wasn't stupid. Even if he knew Temari was staying here, he wouldn't come and attack them.

If Root were caught operating in Konoha, its funding and manpower would probably be cut in half.

Tsunade was deeply wary of Danzo.

Danzo was walking on thin ice, and his standing was getting worse by the day.

Beneath Konoha.

Danzo listened to his subordinate's report without saying a word.

Temari had arrived in Konoha, which meant the three men he'd sent were probably all dead.

He knew nothing about what had happened or where their bodies were.

"According to our informants, Temari is with a young man. Anbu Ninja are watching them from nearby," the subordinate continued.

"Who is this young man?" Danzo asked.

"He's probably Su Yu. He passed the Anbu Chunin exam, then disappeared before the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, returned to Konoha. He's suspected of having obtained a Summoning Beast from one of the Three Great Sage Lands," the subordinate replied after thinking it over.

They could still get their hands on this kind of basic information.

"I see. Now I understand," Danzo said, a glimmer of realization in his eyes.

The subordinate looked confused. Danzo's two personal guards exchanged glances, neither of them understanding what he meant.

"Tsunade was persuaded to return by this man. If I'm not mistaken, the Summoning Beast he obtained came from Shikkotsu Forest. That would give him a connection to Tsunade. Before the Third Hokage died, he named this Su Yu as a new member of the Hokage's faction and made him one of Tsunade's trusted aides." Danzo paced back and forth, beginning his analysis.

"Lord Danzo, should we capture him and bring him back? We could take control of him," one of his personal guards, Yamanaka Fu, asked.

"He's with Temari, so he may well be the one who saved her and killed Sai and the others. If you two can't capture him, we'll be openly breaking with Tsunade," Danzo said calmly.

"This subordinate failed to consider that," Yamanaka Fu said, lowering his head.

"If we get the chance, test his strength. I think he's a key figure. He might become the next Kakashi," Danzo said thoughtfully.

The three people in the room were all shocked by his words.

Kakashi was one of Konoha's most famous Jonin. He could fight almost anyone to a standstill. Even Root's elite Jonin might not be able to kill Kakashi—in fact, they might be the ones to die.

"Keep a close eye on Temari. When she leaves Konoha, try to ambush Su Yu and test his strength. Then leave at once," Danzo ordered.

"Yes." The subordinate answered and vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.

By the time Su Yu had finished preparing dinner,

the sun was already setting.

The two sat at a low table and ate.

Temari was amazed by Su Yu's cooking and thought the meal was excellent.

After dinner,

Su Yu cleared away the dishes, brought over some hot tea, and sat down at the low table. He took out the books he'd bought and started reading in front of Temari.

At first, Temari didn't notice. Then she happened to catch sight of the paper bag, and her face instantly turned bright red.

Su Yu acted as if he hadn't noticed and kept reading with a serious expression.

Temari sneaked glances at Su Yu, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Want to read it together?" Su Yu suddenly looked up.

"Huh?" Temari froze.

"You seem curious about this book. We can read it together," Su Yu said, his expression calm.

"N-no, that's not it. I... I just..." Temari was so embarrassed she didn't know what to say.

"Were you looking at me?" Su Yu asked.

"Mm." Temari nodded, not daring to look up at Su Yu.

Su Yu put the book down, stood, and came to sit beside Temari.

Then he took her small hand and slowly leaned closer to her.

"S-Su Yu..." Temari was flustered and didn't know what to do.

Su Yu stopped when he was less than a hand's breadth from her face.

Their eyes met.

Temari was shy and nervous, her heart pounding like a startled deer's.

Su Yu simply looked at her calmly.

After a long while,

"My heart isn't in Konoha. If you like me, I can help Sunagakure in secret. With my current strength, I can say without boasting that no ninja in Sunagakure is my match," Su Yu said.

"Y-you mean... w-we..."

"We can be good friends—the close kind. I can make you stronger and help secure Gaara's position," Su Yu said, looking at her.

"C-can't we be together?" Temari's eyes dimmed.

"Would you accept me having another girlfriend?" Su Yu asked in return.

"I... I..." Temari couldn't answer.

"To be honest, I want to use you. You'll benefit from it in the beginning. As for what happens later, you can refuse me then," Su Yu said, staring at Temari.

"What would I have to do for you? And what would you give me in return?" Temari hesitated for a moment, then met Su Yu's gaze.

"I want Sunagakure to help me gather information. I'll pay for every piece of information I need. You'll get money, a copy of Tsunade's medical ninja notes, a Sealing Jutsu from the Uzumaki Clan, and help from me and my squad," Su Yu offered generously.