After sending away Nagato with a heavy heart and unfulfilled wishes, and Konan who accompanied him silently, Naruto stood at the door, watching the two figures disappear at the end of the Konoha night street.
The faint sound of footsteps gradually faded away, and finally fell into silence.
Naruto gently closed the door, turned around and looked at Karin and Hikari in the room.
The two of them also seemed to be affected by the heavy emotions contained in the conversation just now, and seemed a little silent.
"Let's go," Naruto moved his somewhat stiff shoulders, trying to dispel the remaining solemnity in the air, "Go to the roof to get some fresh air, the moonlight is good tonight."
Karin and Guang nodded. They and Naruto had agreed before that they would often enjoy the moon together.
The three of them did not take the stairs, but with a few light movements, they jumped directly from the room to the wide roof of the Mansion.
Tonight is another full moon night.
The silver plate-like Full Moon hangs high in the deep night sky, and the clear light pours down without reservation, covering the entire Konoha in a hazy and gentle silver gauze.
Hokage Rock in the distance is clearly outlined in the moonlight, and the nearby houses and trees cast mottled shadows.
The cool night breeze blew over my cheeks, bringing with it the fragrance of grass and trees, and also slightly dispelling the depression in my heart.
Karin took a deep breath of cool air, smiled again on his face, and was about to say something to Naruto.
"That's great. It's just the three of you tonight..."
A faint voice with obvious resentment came from the shadow on the other side of the roof.
The three of them were startled at the same time and looked around.
In the shadow of the eaves where the moonlight was not visible, a delicate figure was sitting there hugging her knees. The white Long Hair shimmered at the edge of the moonlight, and the pair of iconic Wooden Horns above her head were also coated with a silver glow.
She was barefoot and looked abandoned.
It is Otohime.
Otohime slowly turned his head. Golden's Rinnegan looked a little dim in the shadows, but the resentful expression on his face that said "I'm angry, come and comfort me" was extremely clear.
Her eyes first swept over Naruto, then focused on Karin and Guang, and her tone became deeper:
"Why didn't you call me for dinner?"
"Uh..."
The smile on Karin's face froze instantly.
Oops, I really completely forgot about Otohime!
All she could think about was that Naruto was back and was going to prepare a sumptuous dinner.
It really put that Internet-addicted girl who stayed in her room playing games all day long and couldn't stop shouting even during mealtimes out of mind.
Uchiha Hikari also looked away with some guilt and unconsciously scratched his cheek with the index finger of his right hand.
She did remember that Otohime was playing games in the room, but the atmosphere was a bit subtle at that time. Later, the topic was serious during dinner, and she didn't think of calling Otohime at all.
Facing Otohime's almost substantive look of resentment, Naruto snorted coldly and crossed his arms.
He remembered that Otohime did not need to eat, and Otsutsuki relied on Chakra to maintain vital signs.
Eating is just one of her pleasures, especially eating snacks.
"I thought you were eating games."
Naruto complained unceremoniously, "The last few times I asked you to eat, you either said 'the critical moment of the copy', or 'this game is over', or else 'you're not hungry, don't bother me'."
Why, there is no food in the game today, do you know you are hungry?"
His tone was teasing.
Otohime has been addicted to games recently and really doesn't care much about eating, and sometimes even refuses to eat.
I came out this time because after completing another level of the game, I suddenly remembered that I hadn't gone out for a while, so I went out.
Otohime was scolded by Naruto, and his resentful expression suddenly became a bit unbearable, and his fair cheeks bulged slightly, as if they were stuffed with two small buns.
She was indeed in the wrong. She was the one who refused to eat several times before, but this time they really didn't call her at all!
Didn't even ask a question!
Feeling left out!
"That, that's different!"
Otohime tried to retort, but his voice had no confidence, "It was before... this time you didn't even plan to call me!"
As she said this, she deliberately rubbed her belly and made a pitiful expression of "I'm so hungry." Paired with her girlish but childish face, it made her look quite pitiful.
Karin saw this and quickly smoothed things over. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Otohime, I was negligent today.
There should be some ingredients left in the kitchen, I'll go down and make you something to eat right away. What do you want to eat?"
She said and started walking towards the edge of the roof.
It doesn't matter, she doesn't care about Otohime at all.
Naruto looked at Otohime who clearly "made" it first but now confidently asked for an explanation, and shook his head in amusement.
He walked to Otohime, sat down, and looked up at Full Moon in the sky.
"Okay, stop pretending to be pitiful."
Naruto patted the roof next to him and said, "Come and sit. Karin, there's no need to do it specially. See if there are any other snacks or snacks and bring her some."
Let's enjoy the moon here."
When Otohime heard this, his eyes lit up, and most of the resentment on his face instantly dissipated. He immediately moved to sit next to Naruto, and did not forget to shout to Karin, "I want to eat Three-Color Dango and tea!"
"Okay, come right away!"
Karin breathed a sigh of relief, responded with a smile, turned around and jumped off the roof lightly to prepare food.
Three-Color Dango is ready in the refrigerator, you just need to brew the tea.
Guangya smiled slightly and sat down on the other side of Naruto.
On the roof, the moonlight was like water, and the breeze was blowing on my face. The heavy atmosphere brought about by Nagato just now seemed to be diluted a lot by Otohime's fuss.
Naruto looked at the rejuvenated Otohime next to him, then looked at Karin who was going to get food and Guang who was sitting quietly aside, and suddenly felt that it seemed... good to have people making noise and company at such a night.
As for the fatigue of cultivation, the worries of government affairs, and the challenges ahead... let's put them aside for now.
The night in Konoha is different from the continuous rain all year round in Land of Rain. The night sky here is often clear, with starlight and moonlight intertwined, shining on the clean and tidy streets.
Streetlamp emits a warm and dim halo, lengthening and shortening the shadows of pedestrians.
Dots of lights shine through the windows of the houses on both sides of the street, and occasionally a few laughs or the sound of TV programs can be heard, which is full of the peaceful atmosphere unique to peaceful times.
Nagato and Konan were walking on the way back to their temporary residence. Both of them were silent and seemed to be still immersed in the conversation they had just had with Naruto.
Nagato lowered his head slightly, wondering what he was thinking.
Konan looked forward, walked steadily, and had no expression on his face. His eyelashes would only twitch slightly when he occasionally passed by flying insects under the lamp.
Turning a quiet street corner, Streetlamp's light was blocked by the eaves next to it, casting a deeper shadow. At this moment, Konan, who was beside Nagato, suddenly stopped.
Nagato turned his head slightly in surprise and wanted to ask.
The next second, a cool but strong hand grabbed his arm with some force.
Nagato's body stiffened, and he could feel the strength of Konan's fingers. It was a tight grip with slight trembling, as if suppressing huge emotions.
He raised his head, trying to see Konan's expression clearly.
However, Konan stands exactly at the intersection of the light of Streetlamp and the shadow of the eaves.
The dim light fell from diagonally above, illuminating her Deep Blue hair and half of her shoulders, but shrouded most of her face in shadow, making it difficult to see her expression at the moment.
Only those Purple Eyes eyes looked particularly deep in the shadows, as if they were reflecting the faint light of Streetlamp, and seemed to hide endless, indescribable emotions.
"Nagato..."
Konan's voice sounded, very soft, but with an unprecedented, almost fragile hoarseness, breaking the silence of the night.
This voice was not as cold and calm as usual, but instead seemed to be squeezed out from deep in the chest, with a hint of unnoticeable choking.
She tightened her fingers on Nagato's arm, as if she wanted to transfer her power to him, and as if she was confirming his existence.
"You must... live well..."
She paused, her eyes in the shadows seemed to flicker, and her voice became even lower:
"I only have you."
This sentence was very light, but it was like thunder in Nagato's ears.
He realized that Konan had heard the conversation between him and Naruto.
It's just you.
Not "us", not "Xiao", not "ideal".
It's "I" and "you".
Yahiko is gone. The Young Naruto who, like the sun, pulled her and Nagato out of despair, remains in the cold rain forever.
The former Akatsuki, the former ideals, and the former paranoid path of "making the world feel pain" have long since disappeared with the drastic changes of Amegakure and their capture.
Now, in this strange Konoha that is gradually showing the dawn of peace, in this quiet night, in this dim Streetlamp, all she has and holds tightly is the same scarred companion in front of her, this last family member who has gone through the darkest years with her and shared all the pain and struggle.
She couldn't and couldn't afford to lose it anymore.
Naruto's calm analysis about the near impossibility of resurrecting Yahiko was like a basin of ice water, extinguishing the faint hope that might have been hidden deep in her heart.
And Third Hokage's persuasion that "Konan should also have a life of his own" made her realize more clearly that Nagato, to her, had already transcended the category of companions and comrades-in-arms.
He is her only and final connection with the past. He is the only person left in this world that she can care for and protect without reservation.
Nagato Feeling the coolness and undoubted strength of Konan's fingertips coming from her arms, listening to the deep fear, dependence and pleading in her words, her chest seemed to be hit hard by something, sore and painful.
He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but his throat seemed to be blocked.
He remembered how Konan silently supported him on that extreme path after Yahiko died; he thought of how Konan carried alone when he was addicted to pain and strength. Amegakure's heavy burden, and at the same time taking care of his declining body; remembering how Konan carefully adapted to the new environment after being brought to Konoha, and how to silently accompany him when he was depressed...
He always thought that he needed Konan's care and support.
It was only at this moment that he suddenly realized that Konan also needed him, needed him to live and live well, as her final anchor in this world.
In the shadows, Konan said no more, but held his arm so tightly, as if if he let go, he would disappear like Yahiko.
Streetlamp's halo danced on the tips of her hair, but could not illuminate the shadows deep in her eyes.
Nagato slowly and with great difficulty raised his other skinny hand, covering the back of Konan's hand that was holding his arm tightly.
His hands were very cold, even colder than Konan's, but they carried a firm strength.
He didn't say "I will" or make any promises.
He just gently, but extremely forcefully, held Konan's hand back.