Double-Moon Grand Canyon, beneath the Divine Tree.
Hanabi and Xingyue, Kimimaro and Tayuya—the newcomers and old-timers sat facing each other and chatted.
As they talked merrily, Hanabi, at just the age to be curious about romance, gossiped, "I've always wondered, are Big Brother and Big Sister lovers?"
"Cough, cough!" Kimimaro choked on his flower tea, and an embarrassed blush surfaced on his handsome face.
To hide his awkwardness, he brushed a lock of silver hair from his forehead and averted his gaze.
Seeing his expression, Hanabi pursed her little lips and said meaningfully, "Eh? Eh? There's something going on, isn't there?"
Beside them, Tayuya held her teacup in both hands and answered graciously, "Yes, we've been together for a long time."
Kimimaro reproached her, "Tayuya, why are you telling the younger ones about this?"
Tayuya set down her teacup. "What does it matter? They aren't that young anymore."
"Ah, you all keep talking. I'm going for a walk." Kimimaro rose from his seat, though he awkwardly stepped out with the wrong foot first.
"Cough, then I'll excuse myself too." Xingyue put down his tea. He was shy by nature, and this sort of topic made him uncomfortable.
After the two nuisances left, Hanabi propped her little cheeks in her hands and asked eagerly, "Hey, Sister Tayuya, how did you two get together? In a place so cut off from the world, did you watch each other every day and gradually fall in love?"
Tayuya said, "That was part of it, perhaps, but Kimimaro and I had known each other long before that, during Konoha's Chunin Ninja Exams."
Hanabi exclaimed, "Wow! You were in the Chunin Ninja Exams too?"
Tayuya asked curiously, "Eh? Why do you say that?"
Hanabi tucked her legs beneath her, placed her little hands on her knees,