Baring Their Hearts

The two of them hurried toward the Hidden Leaf Village with Asuma. Time was short and the mission urgent; they didn't want to waste any more time.

Josuke hadn't expected Ino to stay here. Wasn't he a rogue ninja?

"You shouldn't be here."

Josuke put on a cold front, hoping to make Ino leave.

But if that were enough to hold Ino back, she wouldn't be Ino.

When she learned that Josuke had gone rogue, Ino had cried, grown weary, and been hurt, but she still refused to believe he'd defected of his own accord.

There had to be some reason behind it. As long as she hadn't asked him herself, she couldn't accept any other explanation. Josuke had to have had his reasons.

Even if he hadn't—if he'd simply gone rogue—Ino was prepared to defect alongside him.

Now, even if everything Josuke told her was a lie, Ino was willing to believe him.

That was how girls in love were: they believed in and loved their beloved, their unattainable ideal, without reservation.

"You had your reasons, didn't you?"

Ino pressed her lips together and asked in a quiet voice.

The sky was growing dim. The battle had left Ino looking a little disheveled, but it couldn't hide her beauty. A gentle breeze stirred her hair.

A faint fragrance lingered in the air.

Josuke said nothing. He didn't know how to face Ino. In her eyes, he must have become the worst person in the world.

I'm sorry, Ino. I really am.

"Josuke..."

Ino edged closer and closer to him.

She was just about to touch him.

Don't do this, Ino... Josuke closed his eyes. He didn't want her caught up in this conflict. It was better not to make trouble where there was none.

He didn't want Ino to come any closer. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold himself back.

But Ino had no intention of doing what he wanted. They'd grown up together, and she knew Josuke's personality and what kind of person he was. How could she not?

Their friends in the Konoha 12 had all seen how close they were. All it would take was breaking through that final barrier between them...

"Don't... Ino."

Josuke spoke softly, his voice full of helplessness.

The brave girl still took that final step. She opened her arms and hugged Josuke.

At that moment, silence said more than words ever could.

In the end, he'd lost, hadn't he?

Josuke gave in. If this was how it had to be, then so be it.

He opened his arms and wrapped them around Ino's slender waist. She had a slim figure, her curves just beginning to show—and now she was his.

As he gently drew Ino into his embrace, Josuke felt as though time and space around them had stopped, frozen forever in that moment.

After a long while, Josuke finally let her go.

"I'm sorry, Ino."

He brushed a strand of hair aside, and Josuke seemed ready to do something.

Ino shook her head. She'd known Josuke must have had some unspoken reason. Otherwise, why would he have become a rogue ninja?

"Mm, I don't blame you. All these days you've been gone... I've missed you so much..."

Nestled in Josuke's arms, Ino poured out all the hurt she'd kept inside for so many days to the person before her—the one who made her feel safe, the one she'd thought about day and night.

"I feel the same..."

Ino's hurt tugged at Josuke's heart, too. If only he'd been stronger, he wouldn't have had to resort to this. As things stood, he probably wasn't even strong enough to take Danzo down with him.

How could he protect the one he loved?

"Wait for me, okay? There are things that mean I can't stay in the Hidden Leaf anymore... But I'll never do anything to hurt the village or you. Will you believe me?"

Josuke's words were like a calming pill, finally easing Ino's anxious heart.

Ino had no way of knowing whether Josuke's words were true, but she chose to believe him unconditionally. Even if they were lies, she'd believe him without hesitation.

"Mm, I believe you."

There was no need to say more. That was all that mattered.

The heavy atmosphere finally lifted. They couldn't stay here much longer, so Josuke escorted Ino back to the area near the Hidden Leaf's gates.

The Hidden Leaf Village was just visible in the distance.

The Hidden Leaf Village, huh?

He wondered if the Uchiha Compound had already been seized by those despicable capitalists in the Konoha High Command.

As the village drew nearer, Ino couldn't feel happy at all. It meant she was about to part from Josuke┭┮﹏┭┮.

Josuke could tell what was on Ino's mind, and he comforted her softly.

"All right now~ It's not like I'll never come back. I'll come see you when I get the chance, okay?"

She was still unhappy, but since Josuke had said that, Ino believed him.

"Then! I'm off!"

Before Josuke could react, she stole a kiss on his cheek. Then, as if she'd done something wrong, she ran off without looking back.

Josuke froze.

He touched the spot she'd kissed and broke into a fond smile.

The gravely injured Asuma was brought to Tsunade. His injuries made her break into a cold sweat. His heart had been destroyed, yet he was still clinging to life.

And his heart was slowly repairing itself.

It made no sense, but this wasn't the time to dwell on that. Saving his life came first.

As she worked, Tsunade asked Shikamaru how Asuma had been injured.

After hearing about Josuke from Shikamaru, she frowned. Why would a rogue ninja show such kindness? Or did Josuke have some unspoken reason of his own?

For some reason, the first person Tsunade thought of was that bastard Danzo.

She decided not to think about it. Treating the patient was what mattered. Tsunade continued working on Asuma, but as soon as she began, she was startled.

The chakra inside Asuma was vanishing at a visible rate, all of it gathering around his heart to repair it.

Tsunade couldn't stop this transformation, but one thing was certain: Asuma was probably out of danger.

However, he would likely lose all his chakra and become an ordinary person. She didn't know whether that was what Asuma wanted.

Asuma's grave injuries miraculously became minor ones. Tsunade hadn't even needed to operate before his condition had mostly recovered. His external wounds weren't serious either.

All he needed was rest.

This mission had served as a warning to everyone. The Immortal Duo had also become targets for the people of the Hidden Leaf to hunt down.

Before long, Tsunade came out, looking a little tired. She told everyone about Asuma's condition: his life was no longer in danger.

Only when they heard that Asuma was safe did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief.

As long as he was all right, that was what mattered. Nothing was more important than being alive. Kurenai, too, felt her anxious heart finally settle, despite her large belly.