Awkward kindness

Word of Orochimaru's defection spread fast.

Gojo Satoru had just finished his work and was heading home when the news reached his ears.

Human experimentation, missing children-one story after another flooded every street and alley overnight, as though it had all been arranged.

Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, had been respected and revered one moment, only to become a public pariah the next, someone everyone wanted to take a shot at.

Tch, that guy sure made a clean getaway.

No wonder things were so rushed today.

That old Third Hokage was just like he was in the anime. In the end, he hadn't stopped his student from escaping.

He'd probably gone soft.

After all, Orochimaru wasn't strong enough to stand up to someone at Kage Level yet.

But now that he'd let him escape out of sentiment, he wouldn't get another chance to catch him.

Gojo Satoru shook his head of short white hair.

He didn't dwell on it.

His attention was on something else.

The next major event after Orochimaru's escape-the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre.

The Third Hokage might show Orochimaru mercy, but he wouldn't be nearly so kind to the Uchiha Clan.

Orochimaru's little uproar was actually a good thing right now.

At least it would get Danzo and the Third Hokage to take their eyes off the Uchiha for a while.

Those two old men had been watching the Uchiha for far too long.

Something to distract them would do some good.

Gojo Satoru mulled it over briefly, stuck a skewer of Three-Color Dango between his teeth, and continued toward home.

Meanwhile, over at the Hokage's Office.

Danzo's words carried a barb. "You really couldn't bring yourself to strike down your own student."

"To think even someone like you could let him slip away."

"I'll do everything I can to help hunt down Orochimaru."

"For Konoha, I'll spare no effort."

Let him slip away?

Who was he trying to fool?

He'd disregarded the village's affairs for the sake of his own student.

Did a softhearted, indecisive fool like that deserve to hold Konoha's reins?

Orochimaru had to die.

He knew far too much.

The more Danzo thought about it, the darker and colder his eyes grew.

Beside him, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened abruptly, and his voice lost its usual warmth.

"I'm terribly sorry to have put you to all this trouble."

The next day, Gojo Satoru wandered the streets as usual with a skewer of Three-Color Dango between his teeth.

All along the way, his ears were filled with a constant babble of gossip.

"I never thought Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, could do something like that."

"I heard he was experimenting on people. Absolutely heartless."

"We're all from the same village. Why would he do that?"

"That traitor. They'd better catch him soon."

"He knows so many of the village's secrets. We can't let him get away."

"Hey, look at that girl. Isn't she Orochimaru's student, Mitaraishi Anko?"

"Mitaraishi Anko? I think you're right."

"Orochimaru's student, huh."

"Then did she know about all this?"

"They haven't taken her away, so she probably wasn't involved."

That was what they said, but the looks they cast her way had changed completely.

Their gazes flickered as they watched Mitaraishi Anko.

Mitaraishi Anko sat alone, huddled on a bench in a corner.

Her shoulders shook, as though she were quietly crying.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

A figure suddenly appeared in front of Mitaraishi Anko.

Mitaraishi Anko lifted her head and found herself looking at Gojo Satoru's face.

Him?

That student her teacher had been keeping his eye on.

No, he wasn't her teacher anymore.

"Oh, crying, are we?" Gojo Satoru's tone was breezy.

At those words, Mitaraishi Anko glared fiercely at him with reddened eyes.

"Brat, did you come to laugh at me too?"

"Hey, do I look like I've got nothing better to do?" Gojo Satoru asked, brushing back his white hair.

Mitaraishi Anko wiped away her tears and shouted, "Then why did you come over?"

"Can't you see I'm crying?"

What the hell?

He'd seen someone crying and still come right up to her.

Did he think she wouldn't dare hit a kid?

"So you're crying. Does that mean nobody else can come here?"

Gojo Satoru yawned and answered lazily.

This spot was his personal workstation.

The sunshine, the light-it was so comfortable.

Lying here and basking in the sun would have felt wonderful.

Oh, forget it. I won't fight her for it.

I'll try my luck somewhere else.

Beside him, Anko was so annoyed that she laughed.

Her tears stopped, and she couldn't keep crying.

"Hey, brat." Anko opened her mouth, wanting to say something.

Her gaze was caught by the Three-Color Dango in front of her.

"Here, take it."

Gojo Satoru stuffed his extra skewer of Three-Color Dango into Mitaraishi Anko's hand.

He turned and ambled slowly away.

Mitaraishi Anko held the Three-Color Dango in her hand, the corners of her mouth gradually lifting.

What was this? The brat's awkward way of being kind?