Tsunade's Plans
Night fell more quietly than usual over Tanzaku Town.
The casinos lit the red lanterns outside their doors one by one. At a distant street corner, the wind scattered the broken laughter and curses of a few drunks. A bottle clinked sharply against the stone pavement, and then all was still.
The private booking at Sparrow Manor Casino had not ended, but the atmosphere inside was nothing like it had been that afternoon.
Shizune huddled in a chair in the corner, holding Tonton. Her fingers absently tugged at Tonton's ears as her gaze darted between the two people ahead of her.
Lady Tsunade was leaning against Sōji's chest!
Against his chest?
Shizune thought she might be seeing things. She had known Lady Tsunade for over a decade, yet she had never seen her rest so quietly against anyone.
And there was something about the way she held herself—a kind of ease Shizune had never seen in her before. It was as though a string drawn tight for too long had finally been held gently at both ends and no longer needed to strain to its limit.
For a moment, Shizune's feelings grew complicated.
She knew Sōji was not a bad person, but she also knew he was anything but ordinary.
He had too many secrets, too much about him that no one could see through. Yet Lady Tsunade had let her guard down completely around him.
Shizune shook her head and pushed those tangled thoughts aside for now. She would pretend she had seen nothing.
Unfortunately, she failed.
"Huh?"
A startled cry slipped out of Shizune's throat. Tsunade sprang out of Sōji's arms like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her cheeks flushed and her movement so fast it left an afterimage.
Sōji did not move