Taming a Dog

At the age when young love was just beginning, Kurenai Yuhi's heart pounded so hard it felt ready to leap from her chest.

"Looks like you've put a lot of effort into preparing for our match."

Shimizu whispered softly in Kurenai Yuhi's ear.

The warmth of his breath brushed against her ear.

Kurenai Yuhi's cheeks flushed faintly before she could stop herself.

Kurenai Yuhi was a year older than Shimizu, and her figure had developed fairly well.

"Looks like you're not the one who's lacking."

Shimizu shook his head, then continued as Kurenai Yuhi looked at him in confusion:

"So the genjutsu used by Shinku Yuhi, the so-called genjutsu master, is this third-rate."

"What did you say?"

Kurenai Yuhi frowned and shoved Shimizu away.

The person she respected most was her father. He was her role model, and Shimizu had actually demeaned him like that.

Her crimson eyes seemed to grow even brighter with anger.

"I said the Yuhi Clan's genjutsu is trash."

Shimizu repeated himself, making Kurenai Yuhi tremble with rage.

She threw a punch at him, but Shimizu blocked it with ease.

Her genjutsu couldn't compare to Shimizu's, let alone her Taijutsu, which she'd slacked off on training.

"Hmph."

Kurenai Yuhi felt that changing into nice clothes to come see Shimizu today had been the worst decision of her life.

Shimizu was an arrogant bastard!

All the Uchiha were just like him.

Kurenai Yuhi pulled her hand free and turned to leave.

Shimizu didn't stop her. He watched as Kurenai Yuhi stormed off.

Just as Kurenai Yuhi was about to step out of the corridor, Shimizu's voice drifted slowly from deep within it.

"Kurenai Yuhi, tell me—if I go challenge your father to a duel tomorrow, humiliate him, and brand the Yuhi family's genjutsu as trash, I doubt your father would dare say a single word against it."

Shimizu's voice was like a demon's whisper.

At first, he'd only wanted Kurenai Yuhi to stop bothering him.

Now Shimizu had changed his mind. Perhaps Kurenai Yuhi could be a useful pawn. Through her, Shimizu could influence Asuma Sarutobi and gain control of some of the Sarutobi Clan's intelligence.

"What makes you think you can challenge my father? You think beating me means you can beat him?"

"This is what."

A pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan bloomed in silence, eerie and ominous, lending Shimizu's handsome features a touch of cold severity.

"Three-Tomoe Sharingan!"

Kurenai Yuhi's pupils contracted.

Suddenly, she understood everything.

No wonder Shimizu had dispelled her genjutsu so easily. He must have already used his Sharingan without her noticing.

To Shimizu, she must have been a complete clown this whole time.

"Kurenai Yuhi, you don't want your father to be humiliated, do you?"

At his words, Kurenai Yuhi's foot, already halfway forward, remained suspended, unable to come down.

Voices clamored in the distance, and bright lights spilled across the floor.

But the restroom corridor was silent, its dim light falling over Shimizu and Kurenai Yuhi.

After a long moment, Kurenai Yuhi turned to look at Shimizu, her gaze complicated.

She didn't know whether Three-Tomoe could defeat her father, but as far as she knew, Three-Tomoe was the highest level of the Sharingan.

Ninja who possessed Three-Tomoe were all incredibly powerful.

Uchiha Fugaku was one such example. He possessed those terrifying eyes and had earned the title "Wicked Eye Fugaku."

Kurenai Yuhi didn't dare take the risk. What if Shimizu really won?

Wouldn't her father's lifelong reputation be ruined because of her?

The swirling tomoe in the Sharingan made Kurenai Yuhi feel inexplicably uneasy.

Without realizing it, she stopped thinking of Shimizu as a Genin who was only just about to graduate and instead saw him as a powerful Uchiha ninja with Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Shimizu deliberately used the ocular power of his Sharingan to cast genjutsu, interfering with Kurenai Yuhi's thoughts and steering her toward the outcome he wanted.

"If you tell anyone what happened today, who knows what the consequences might be."

Shimizu walked toward Kurenai Yuhi one step at a time. She wanted to back away, but her feet felt rooted to the spot.

Kurenai Yuhi could no longer tell whether the pressure came from the Sharingan or from her worry about her father's reputation.

As Shimizu drew nearer, his Sharingan grew eerier, leaving Kurenai Yuhi almost unable to think clearly.

"As the victor, I think it's perfectly reasonable to claim a small reward."

Shimizu backed Kurenai Yuhi into an empty corner, the corners of his mouth lifting.

Faint rustling came from the corner of the restroom corridor.

Then came the broken sound of someone crying.

Before long, Shimizu returned to the barbecue table.

"Finally. What took you so long in the restroom?"

Asuma Sarutobi complained.

He'd been sitting there alone for ages, and everyone else had assumed he was eating three portions by himself. They'd been staring at him in surprise.

"My stomach was bothering me."

Shimizu smiled and took a sip of orange juice.

"Has Kurenai Yuhi not come back yet?"

"No. Girls are such a hassle. They take forever in the restroom."

Asuma Sarutobi glanced at the empty seat, wondering what Kurenai was doing.

"Maybe."

Shimizu said no more and quietly continued eating.

At some point, Kurenai Yuhi returned to the barbecue table.

Her clothes were slightly disheveled, and the hair at her temples looked damp with sweat, strands clumped together.

The corners of her eyes were faintly red, making her look pitiful.

"Kurenai, I didn't mean what I said."

Asuma Sarutobi noticed Shimizu looking behind him. Following his gaze, he saw Kurenai standing there.

Could she have heard what he'd said and felt hurt?

Asuma Sarutobi suddenly felt a headache coming on. He'd only blurted it out without thinking; he hadn't meant it.

He hurriedly explained to Kurenai that he hadn't meant what he said.

"Mm."

Kurenai Yuhi nodded faintly, returned to her seat, lowered her head, and began eating.

Asuma Sarutobi frantically tried to catch Shimizu's eye, hoping he had some way to help.

He'd finally gotten Kurenai to come out with him today, and she'd even changed into a new outfit for him. Had all his efforts just gone to waste?

Shimizu, the one who'd started it all, shook his head to show he couldn't help.

He drank another glass of orange juice, then told Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi to take their time eating while he went back first.

As he walked home, Shimizu felt refreshed. Having an outlet to vent had eased the anxiety he'd been carrying for so long.

"Not a bad view."

Shimizu recalled Kurenai Yuhi's little expression, caught between embarrassment and shyness, as she lifted the hem of her skirt.

Don't get the wrong idea. He hadn't done anything.

He'd only checked what the skirt was made of. That was all.

Shimizu was developing quickly, but he was still young, and there was little he could do about it.

To be safe, though, Shimizu had used the Three-Tomoe Sharingan to plant a Transcription Seal in Kurenai Yuhi's eyes while they were looking at each other.

If she ever tried to speak about what happened today, the memories would become hazy, and Kurenai Yuhi would think it had only been a dream.

Normally, this sealing technique required the Mangekyō Sharingan, but with the Byakugan's enhancement, Shimizu could use it while his Sharingan was still at the Three-Tomoe stage.

"I hope Kurenai Yuhi doesn't give up on becoming a ninja because of this."

The more important reason Shimizu had done this was to strike at Kurenai Yuhi's self-esteem.

It was like training a dog: only by establishing absolute authority could you make it obey your every word.