Temari looked down at Uzumaki Hayashi, who was smiling up at her, and couldn't help swallowing.
Her throat was so dry it felt tight.
"So this is how Konoha matches people up..."
"They stuck me with someone like him..."
But she quickly recovered and turned toward Gaara and Kankuro.
"I'll go down and give it a try. If..."
"It's all right, Temari."
Kankuro sounded reassuring. As though he had seen through her thoughts, he leaned closer and whispered:
"Just think of it as keeping our strength hidden."
"We've got something much more serious to do later."
At Kankuro's words, Temari seemed to suddenly grasp his meaning. She looked at the two of them and nodded, signaling that she would follow the plan.
Then she slowly headed down toward the arena.
Beside them, Gaara seemed to catch the tail end of Kankuro's words.
But he showed no reaction beyond a disdainful snort.
There was just a hint of barely restrained agitation in that sound.
In the arena, Hayashi watched Temari finally arrive after her conversation with her teammates and couldn't help frowning.
Did people need a personal invitation just to step into the arena these days?
Although he had no interest whatsoever in what they had been discussing.
The three of them clearly looked like they were up to no good.
Temari looked at Uzumaki Hayashi across the arena and clicked her tongue.
Was that ridiculously handsome face actually starting to frown?
Could I be putting some pressure on him too?
That couldn't be right.
From start to finish, he had barely even looked her in the eye.
Fortunately, Hayashi had no idea what Temari was thinking.
If he had known, he probably would have laughed himself silly.
Come on, he had come here partly to trounce weaker opponents. How