A girl's first flutter

The smoke of battle had yet to clear, and embers still smoldered across the scorched earth.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and hot ash, as though the entire world had yet to recover from the battle's aftermath.

Shinichi swayed abruptly, his steps faltering.

"Shinichi!" Tsunade noticed something was wrong and hurriedly reached out.

But she was a moment too late—

Shinichi's body finally gave out. His consciousness plunged into darkness, and he collapsed forward, utterly limp.

Tsunade lunged forward and caught him. She wrapped both arms tightly around him, feeling his far-too-thin body and the blood and scorch marks that covered him.

"He... pushed himself far beyond his limits."

Tsunade's heart gave a violent tremor. She had never seen Shinichi like this.

The boy who was usually so laid-back, who wore a carefree smile no matter what he faced, was now covered in wounds, his breathing faint. He looked so battered that he might stop breathing at any moment.

Her heart clenched.

An unfamiliar emotion surged wildly inside her.

She held Shinichi tightly as everything that had just happened flashed through her mind—

He had risked his life to save her. Even exhausted, even pushed to his absolute limit in battle, he had refused to give up.

For her, this idiot had staked everything.

She pressed her cheek against Shinichi's cold forehead. Her heartbeat quickened uncontrollably, and even her cheek began to feel warm.

What... was this feeling?

She had never felt anything like it before, never felt this way about anyone.

She unconsciously bit her lip and looked down at the unconscious boy in her arms.

His eyelashes trembled faintly, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his face was frighteningly pale. Yet a trace of stubbornness remained in his expression.

Tsunade's heart twisted painfully. Something seemed to lodge in her throat, leaving her unable to speak.

She had grown up as the princess of the shinobi world, Hashirama Senju's granddaughter, blessed with extraordinary talent and noble status.

Yet now—

An Uchiha brat born on the very same day as her had risked his life to save her.

And this brat usually lazed in the sun on the banks of the Naka River, teasing her until she flew into a rage, even making her call him "Uncle"...

But now, his actions had proven that she could rely on him, that he would risk his life to protect her.

Tsunade's breathing grew slightly hurried. Her fingers tightened involuntarily, and she held him closer, as though afraid he might slip out of her arms.

—For the first time, her heart had been stirred.

She gently rested her face against Shinichi's forehead and murmured, her voice carrying a tenderness even she had not noticed:

"Idiot, why did you push yourself so hard...?"

Orochimaru stood nearby, watching them. A subtle gleam flickered through his golden, slit-pupiled eyes.

He lightly nudged the bridge of his nose, the corners of his mouth lifting into an ambiguous smile. "Tsunade, that expression doesn't look like simple concern..."

Tsunade flushed slightly at his words, then snapped her head up and glared at him. "Shut up!"

Even so, she did not release Shinichi. Instead, she held him a little tighter.

Right now, she did not want to concern herself with anything else or think about what was happening to her.

She knew only that she never wanted the boy in her arms to be hurt again.

She wanted to grow stronger. She wanted to protect him, just as he had protected her.

Something seemed to be quietly taking root in her heart.

The sun sank toward the horizon, spilling orange-red light across the mountain path home and illuminating the returning group of Konoha ninja.

After the battle, Shinichi, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade had all sustained injuries, but they had successfully made it back to Konoha's territory.

Konoha's gates came into view, promising home and safety.

At the head of the group, however, Tsunade still held Shinichi tightly. She walked quickly, while the boy in her arms remained unconscious, his breathing faint and the cold sweat on his forehead betraying his weakness.

She had never felt so anxious. Moving faster than anyone else, she wanted to get Shinichi back as soon as possible so the village's Medical Ninja could treat him!

Yet just as they stepped through the village gates, they saw a familiar figure standing there, waiting for them.

Mito Uzumaki.

The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Konoha's most honored elder, stood quietly before them, watching the returning group with kind, fathomless eyes.

When her gaze settled on Shinichi in Tsunade's arms, her red pupils contracted slightly.

She approached and extended a hand, slowly releasing Chakra as she gently laid her palm against Shinichi's chest.

A moment later, she sighed softly and withdrew her hand, speaking gently to Tsunade. "He has pushed himself beyond his limits. He needs treatment immediately."

Tsunade looked resolutely at Mito, a rare note of pleading entering her voice. "Grandma... please save him."

Mito Uzumaki paused briefly. Seeing Tsunade's expression, a knowing smile appeared on her face. "Tsunade, you're no longer that little girl who never cared about anyone, are you?"

Tsunade froze, then stubbornly bit her lower lip. She said nothing, only tightening her arms around Shinichi.

Mito nodded lightly, then turned. "Come with me. We'll take him to the Senju Main Residence."

Without another thought, Tsunade hurried after her with Shinichi in her arms. Orochimaru and Jiraiya exchanged a glance and followed close behind.

Shinichi was laid on a bed in a spacious room. His breathing remained weak, but it had already grown much steadier.

Mito Uzumaki stood beside the bed, forming hand seals. Gentle Chakra flowed slowly into Shinichi's body, repairing the pathways and Chakra system damaged during the battle.

Tsunade knelt beside the bed, staring at Shinichi without blinking, her eyes filled with worry.

Orochimaru and Jiraiya stood to one side, watching quietly.

Only the faint glow of healing Chakra drifted through the air, leaving the room quiet and calm.

After an unknown length of time, Mito slowly opened her eyes and withdrew her hands. "There. His injuries have stabilized. Now he only needs a few days of rest to recover."

At her words, the weight finally lifted from Tsunade's heart. She let out a soft breath of relief, though her gaze never left Shinichi.

Watching her, Mito's lips curved slightly. "Tsunade, you care a great deal about this boy," she said gently.

Tsunade froze, then stubbornly turned her head away, her cheeks flushing faintly. "I-I'm just... he saved me. I couldn't let him die like that."

Mito smiled without speaking, but her eyes held a hint of understanding that saw through everything.

"Take good care of him," Mito said softly, then rose and left.

Night deepened, and moonlight spilled through the window lattice into the room.

Tsunade still sat beside the bed, her cheeks resting in her hands as she quietly watched the sleeping Shinichi, lost in thoughts no one could guess.

Suddenly, the figure on the bed stirred.

Shinichi's eyelashes fluttered gently, and then he slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was Tsunade's face, looming several times larger than usual.

"..."

Shinichi blinked, his throat a little dry. "Little Tsunade, you've been staring at me for so long. Have you fallen for me?"

Tsunade's face instantly turned red. She abruptly sat up straight and stubbornly turned away. "W-who's fallen for you?! Don't talk nonsense!"

Shinichi smiled faintly and struggled to sit up, but the instant he moved, sharp pain shot through every muscle in his body, making him suck in a breath.

Tsunade immediately moved to support him, her voice unconsciously softening. "Don't move around. You haven't fully recovered yet."

Shinichi paused, his gaze falling on her hands before a slow smile curved his lips. "Little Tsunade, I'm not used to you being this gentle with me."

Tsunade froze, then snapped back to her senses. She glared fiercely at him, let go, and dropped him straight back onto the bed.

"If you dare spout any more nonsense, I'll knock you out for another three days!" she snapped. But her voice lacked its usual irritation, carrying instead a concern she could not quite hide.

Shinichi gave a lazy smile, then sighed. "So we made it back..."

"Yes, we did." Tsunade nodded gently, something meaningful in her gaze.

That night, Konoha returned to its usual peace, but some hearts had quietly changed.

—And a brand-new journey was about to begin.