As Shin Uchiha enjoyed a drink with Tsunade, he had just raised his cup to his lips when he suddenly felt someone gently stimulating one of the Space Marks he had left on others. This was the signal he had given them: if they needed him, they could stimulate their Space Mark in a set pattern, and he would come over.
Shin Uchiha focused for a moment and identified the source as Uchiha Fugaku, whom he had sent to the Land of Earth. Judging by how much time had passed, Fugaku should have reached Iwagakure by now.
Without delay, Shin Uchiha drained his cup and smiled at Tsunade, who was leaning against him. "Tsunade, I just remembered I have some things to take care of. Keep drinking for now. I'll come find you when I get back."
At his words, Tsunade stiffened briefly before returning to normal. She sat up straight and said with feigned indifference, "If you have something to do, go take care of it."
With that, she continued drinking on her own without so much as looking at Shin Uchiha.
Shizune, sitting nearby, did not dare say a word. After observing them for a week, she had long since noticed that something was off between Lady Tsunade and Shin Uchiha. There were the little gestures of intimacy that slipped into their everyday interactions, and whenever Lady Tsunade grew tipsy, she would lose control of herself and lean right against him.
Moreover, while Lady Tsunade was leaning against him, Shizune had even seen Shin Uchiha place his hand somewhere on her body that did not bear mentioning. Lady Tsunade had not reacted strongly, either.
Shizune had therefore figured out long ago that Lady Tsunade's relationship with Shin Uchiha was far from ordinary. But since Lady Tsunade had said