Hearing that, Sakura hurriedly pushed Hayashi out the door, though she was still muttering questions.
"Who's here to see you?"
"Probably that herb gatherer from before," Hayashi said.
Sakura's grip on the wheelchair suddenly tightened. "You two... aren't going to fight this time, are you?"
"Of course not." Hayashi waved a hand.
Outside the village, Haku waited quietly.
When he spotted the wheelchair approaching from a distance, he didn't come forward. Instead, he stood by the roadside with both hands in plain sight.
There were no senbon in those hands, nor any other weapons. His empty palms faced upward.
He was still dressed as he had been last time, with a cloth bag hanging from his arm.
Sakura's hand had already reached for her ninja tool pouch. Only after Hayashi reached back and patted it did she reluctantly let go.
When the wheelchair reached him, Haku bowed slightly.
"Lord Hayashi."
"You're here." Hayashi greeted him with a cheerful smile. "Any news?"
"Yes," Haku said. "Lord Zabuza asked me to tell you-he'll visit you at the usual spot on the mountaintop in two days."
He paused, then added, "Lord Zabuza's injuries have mostly healed. He said he's sorry for the wait."
"That's fine, that's fine." Hayashi nodded repeatedly. "As long as Zabuza's willing to come."
That bottle of medicine was about to pay itself back-with interest.
Haku looked at Hayashi hesitantly, but still asked softly, "Have your injuries... gotten any better?"
Hayashi smiled. "They're almost healed."
Haku seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his eyes curving into a smile. Then he straightened and took half a step back.
A gust of wind swept along the ground, stirring up a few fallen leaves.
By the time the leaves settled, he was gone.
He had arrived without a sound and left just