Filled with apprehension, Nagato trembled as he lay down in the tattoo chair...
Deep breaths... deep breaths... worst comes to worst, I can go to Konoha Hospital afterward and have them remove it... no big deal... whew... deep breaths... just keep breathing deeply...
Nagato closed his eyes and waited for death to descend. Thinking of the ridicule from his friends and the arguments with his family that awaited him, he couldn't stop a tear from trickling from the corner of his eye...
"Come on, Nagato, you're about to start a brand-new life! Cheer up!" Mei Terumi said with a cheerful smile from beside him.
"My bleak new life is about to begin. How am I supposed to cheer up?" Nagato kept his eyes closed, tears spilling helplessly from their corners.
With his eyes shut, Nagato saw nothing but darkness, as dim and hopeless as his future...
"All right, Young Man, don't be nervous. Tattoos are bound to hurt a little. You're a grown man. What's with all the blubbering? Have faith in my skills. When it comes to tattooing in Kirigakure, if I call myself the best, nobody dares call themselves second best." Kushimaru Kuriarare chuckled and patted Nagato's shoulder, brimming with confidence.
"Pick a design. What kind do you want?" Mei Terumi took the opportunity to sit beside Nagato with a catalog, opening it as she asked excitedly.
"Whatever... any design is fine." Nagato kept his eyes shut, utterly unresponsive, his voice sounding a little choked...
"Tch, what a boring man. Uncle Kushimaru Kuriarare, give him this one!" Mei Terumi huffed twice, then flipped through the catalog herself until she found a design that made her eyes light up.
"Sure. Just sit tight, Young Man. Don't move around while I'm tattooing you. If it turns out ugly, fixing it