The mountaintop fell silent for two seconds.
Looking at that smile, Haku finally gave in and let out a soft sigh.
Sigh though he might, his face remained gentle.
"What happens," Haku asked, "if I don't talk to you?"
"Nothing will happen." Hayashi smiled.
At most, he would miss out on a rare Pokémon, and the other man would go back to tending his patient.
They would each go home, neither getting in the other's way.
Haku stood motionless, his sigh fading into the dusk.
But he probably understood that from the moment that call of "pretty ninja" had stopped him, leaving was no longer entirely up to him.
"But, well-"
Hayashi changed tack.
"I am rather curious."
"From how you looked just now," Hayashi said, tilting his head, "you seemed awfully anxious."
Haku's gaze shifted, but he said nothing.
Hayashi's eyes settled on the cloth bag in his arms.
He made a show of studying the stalks poking out of its opening.
In truth, he knew nothing about medicinal herbs.
In his previous life, he couldn't even tell isatis root from weeds.
But that was fine. He was the one who had slashed Zabuza, so making up a few effects for the herbs used to treat him shouldn't be a problem.
They were probably for stopping bleeding, reducing inflammation, and the usual treatment of external wounds. He could guess that with his eyes closed.
"Those are all herbs for stopping bleeding and reducing inflammation," Hayashi said leisurely. "What, is someone close to you injured?"
The air suddenly grew tense.
The man who had seemed somewhat relaxed instantly tensed from head to toe. One hand was already reaching into the cloth bag, as though to take something out.
The herbs rustled as his hand pressed against them.
Hayashi shook his