He really just asked casually.
In his expectation, at Shisui's age, he was born in Uchiha and had a quiet personality. In addition, he had just arrived at Kumogakure soon, and most of the new friends he met were boys of the same age like Killer B, who had crossed paths due to strength competition.
He was even ready to ask a few questions about the other person's strength, character or family background.
But now...
Shisui What is going on with this rare, somewhat unspeakable silence?
Could it be... really a girl?
Shaoyu leaned back on the chair again, picked up the tea cup at hand, and concealed the slight curve in the corner of his mouth that was about to rise.
Interesting. It seems that his Ou Doudou is not only growing in strength and mind, but also in some aspects... he is starting to learn without a teacher?
But my dear Ou Doudou, I always thought you liked a young lady like Itachi...
"Girl," Shaoyu's tone returned to normal, as if he just heard an ordinary answer.
"What's your name? How do we know you?"
Shisui seemed to be relieved because he told the girl the answer, and his expression became more natural. He briefly told about meeting Samui in the evening and sending her home.
Including the story of Samui being afraid of the dark and crying, sending her back by herself, meeting her parents and politely refusing to stay for dinner.
The narrative is clear and organized, completely in line with his usual style.
Shaoyu listened quietly, nodding occasionally. It turned out to be such a small thing to help others.
But combined with the strange moment just now Shisui...
Wait a minute...
Who?
Samui?
Shaoyu looked at Shisui in surprise.
His dear Ou Doudou is so blessed.
Kumogakure's village beauty.
And there are still very few white people among so many people.
He paused, looked at Shisui's side face as he started to eat seriously again, and added as if unintentionally, with a faint smile in his voice that only he understood.
"But, my Ou Doudou... when did you start having to hesitate to answer the question 'boy or girl'?"
Shaoyu shook the teacup gently, his golden vertical pupils narrowed slightly under the dense heat, and his tone was unique to his brother, a subtle tone that mixed ridicule and insight.
"Could it be that... I suddenly found that besides practicing and defeating Killer B, I also started to care a little about other things?"
Shisui's movement of picking up vegetables froze again, and the base of his ears, which had just returned to normal, turned red again at a speed visible to the naked eye.
He stuffed a big mouthful of rice into his mouth and muttered vaguely.
"Brother... let's eat. The food is getting cold."
Seeing his brother's embarrassment and pretending to be calm, Uchiha Shaoyu finally laughed softly and stopped asking any more questions.
He picked up the chopsticks again, feeling a little happier than before.
Well, it seems that in addition to strength and scheming, I may also need to pay a little attention to how to guide this genius brother to face the softer and more complicated "issues" that belong to his youth.
After all, the future of Uchiha cannot rely solely on Sharingan and Kunai.
"Love".
It's also very important.
Land of Rain The continuous rain seems to have become sparse and relaxed a little with the official end of the war. Although the sky is still mostly lead-grey, at least it is no longer soaked in the smell of blood and gun smoke.
Konoha Camp began to be evacuated in an orderly manner, the bodies of the wounded and the dead were transported back to the country, and the troops evacuated in batches from this land that has left too many painful memories.
Before the war ended, Jiraiya picked up three children.
Nagato, Yahiko, Konan.
Orochimaru proposed to kill them, but Jiraiya rejected it.
He saw the Rinnegan of Nagato and determined that Nagato was the Child of Prophecy in the Great Toad Sage prophecy, the savior.
Finally, Tsunade and Orochimaru followed the main force of Konoha on their return journey.
Tsunade needs to go back and face the pain of losing a loved one and the challenge of rebuilding the medical system.
Orochimaru will have to go back to face the power game and his inner desire for eternal life and truth.
And Jiraiya chose to stay.
He wrote a long letter to Teacher Sarutobi, explaining the situation and asking for permission to stay in Land of Rain for a period of time to settle and teach the three children he picked up.
His reason was simply sympathy.
Sarutobi Hiruzen Seeing that the war was over, he ignored his disciple.
Therefore, at the border of Land of Rain, which was gradually becoming empty, a relatively intact abandoned hut was simply repaired by Jiraiya and became a temporary residence.
The abandoned hut located on the edge of the border forest of Land of Rain finally looked like a "home" thanks to Jiraiya's clumsy but energetic renovation.
The leaky roof was blocked with newly cut wood and thick tarpaulin, the broken window lattice was nailed with wooden boards, and a simple but practical stove was built with stones indoors, covered with dry thatch and old blankets Jiraiya picked up from the evacuated Konoha camp.
Although it is still crude, it can at least protect it from wind and rain, and resist the damp and chill that Land of Rain is everywhere.
Teaching starts with the most basic survival skills.
Jiraiya is not the meticulous type, but he has his methods.
Physical training is even more simple and crude.
When the sky was just dawning and the rain had not yet become dense, he roared at the three sleepy children, running around the forest glade, leaping frog, and doing his own unique Toad Exercise.
Yahiko always rushes to the front and refuses to stop even when he is panting from exhaustion.
Konan gritted his teeth and persisted silently, his face turning red from holding back.
Nagato is the weakest, often falling behind and running out of breath, but Jiraiya never allows him to stop, and just follows leisurely behind.
Chakra refining is a top priority, especially for Nagato.
Jiraiya found that the amount of chakra in Nagato's body was extremely large, but extremely chaotic and difficult to control, like an active volcano that might erupt at any time, while Nagato's spirit was like a fragile dam.
Rough guidance will only be counterproductive.
This also made him believe that Nagato was the savior Great Toad Sage said.
For Yahiko and Konan, Jiraiya adopts a more conventional but more basic approach.
The days passed by Tenten amidst the sounds of rain, training, laughter, and the occasional cry of frustration.
The faces of the three war orphans gradually gained some flesh, the panic in their eyes was replaced by concentration and hope, and their frail bodies began to become strong.
And Jiraiya, the hero who claimed to write Make-Out Paradise, also unknowingly placed some of his unfinished dreams and expectations on them while getting along with these three children.