Undercurrents Stir

The Hokage Office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen listened to the Anbu's report.

"Lord Danzo left Konoha not long ago. He said he was going out to carry out a mission."

A complicated look flashed through Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes, but he quickly composed himself. He nodded and said gently, "Understood. Go get some rest."

After the Anbu left, Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, lit his pipe, and muttered to himself, "Danzo, I'm the Hokage."

He had just survived an assassination attempt, so he was unusually sensitive to matters like this.

He called to the Anbu nearby. "Keep Danzo under surveillance. Report his every move to me."

The Anbu acknowledged the order, then vanished from the Hokage Office in a flash.

Only Sarutobi Hiruzen remained in the Hokage Office, his expression hidden behind a veil of smoke.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Yan was out shopping with Kurenai, looking utterly dejected.

Perhaps shopping was an innate talent of women.

Kurenai clung to Uchiha Yan's arm as she dragged him all over the place.

Without meaning to, her ample chest had pressed around his arm.

Kurenai acted as if she hadn't noticed, but her bright red ears betrayed what she was really thinking.

Just then, Kurenai suddenly stopped. Her delicate face took on a serious expression, as if she were pondering something.

Uchiha Yan looked at her lovely profile and asked in confusion, "Kurenai, what's wrong?"

"I'm thinking about something," she said gravely.

Her serious tone piqued Uchiha Yan's curiosity.

He looked at Kurenai and asked, "What is it?"

Their gazes met, and she suddenly leaned close to Uchiha Yan's face.

They were now very close.

Uchiha Yan could even feel Kurenai's warm breath and the faint floral scent on her.

Then Kurenai spoke slowly, enunciating every word. "I'm thinking about what we should eat later."

Only then did Uchiha Yan realize she was looking at him with a triumphant grin.

Her eyes were full of laughter.

Just as Kurenai was basking in her smugness, a sudden pain shot through her forehead.

She cried out and looked up at Uchiha Yan pitifully.

Uchiha Yan withdrew his hand, satisfied. The crisp sound meant he'd landed a good flick.

But when he saw Kurenai's resentful look, he shivered.

Her eyes had already begun to glisten with tears.

Even though he knew she was only putting on an act,

Uchiha Yan could only hurriedly raise his free hand and say, "How about I treat you to dinner?"

At that, Kurenai narrowed her eyes, and her resentment disappeared.

"Now you're talking. You don't have to treat me. Come on, let's buy groceries and cook at home."

The sudden change in her mood made Uchiha Yan think that women really were born actresses.

The two returned home.

Kurenai gathered her long hair, which had been hanging over her shoulders, and tied it into a simple bun.

Her fair neck was left exposed.

Then she went into her room. When she came back out, she had changed into a V-neck house dress that showed off her delicate collarbones.

She went into the kitchen. A little while later, she called out, "Yan, come in for a second."

Uchiha Yan heard her and walked into the kitchen.

Sensing him enter, Kurenai said without turning around, "Help me wipe off my sweat."

Uchiha Yan had no choice but to pick up a tissue and wipe the sweat from Kurenai's forehead.

Kurenai lifted her chin. "Wipe my neck too. It's so hot in the kitchen that I'm sweating all over."

Uchiha Yan swallowed. Standing behind Kurenai, he could see her delicate collarbones and the shadow of the enticing cleavage below.

He gently wiped her slender neck.

The corners of Kurenai's mouth curved into a pretty smile. "All done. Thanks for the effort."

Only then did Uchiha Yan put the tissue down and leave the kitchen.

As she heard his footsteps gradually recede, Kurenai pouted and muttered, "You blockhead."

The moment the words left her mouth, a teasing voice sounded beside her ear. "Who are you calling a blockhead?"

Kurenai jumped, then turned around.

Uchiha Yan was standing behind her with a mischievous grin.

Kurenai turned to face him and gave him a light punch, pouting playfully. "Are you trying to scare me to death?"

Uchiha Yan moved closer, his expression teasing. "I just remembered something."

Kurenai gazed at him with ruby-red eyes and tilted her head. "What is it?"

He gently lifted her smooth chin. "You keep saying your cat can do a backflip, but I've never seen it."

Faced with Uchiha Yan's teasing, Kurenai wasn't angry at all.

Instead, her eyes were full of the relief of seeing him finally grow up.

She naturally slipped one arm around Uchiha Yan's neck and stroked his chest with the other. "At night, my cat does backflips in the bedroom. Would you like to..."

Just as the mood between them turned intimate, a burnt smell suddenly drifted over.

Kurenai's expression changed. She gently pushed Uchiha Yan away and muttered, "Oh no, this is all your fault. The beef is going to burn."

As she spoke, she pushed Uchiha Yan out of the kitchen.

Only after making sure he wasn't about to sneak back in did she breathe a sigh of relief.

Kurenai gave her full chest a light pat, setting it rippling.

Covering her flushed face, she muttered to herself, "Kurenai, you were really out of your mind just now."

At the dining table, Uchiha Yan and Kurenai sat side by side.

Uchiha Yan picked up a piece of beef. It was a little burnt, but that didn't affect the overall taste.

Kurenai picked up a slice of salmon and held it to Uchiha Yan's lips. "Try this."

Uchiha Yan looked at the salmon's evenly distributed streaks of fat and thick layer of fatty flesh, then opened his mouth and tasted it.

Mm, it really did taste pretty good, though Uchiha Yan still wasn't used to eating it raw.

He gave his honest opinion. "It tastes good."

After that, Kurenai barely ate anything herself.

She kept feeding Uchiha Yan instead.

Uchiha Yan didn't refuse any of it and ate most of the food.