Itachi looked at him, his gaze meaningful.
"Are you talking about her, or yourself?"
Shisui didn't answer.
Itachi smiled and patted his shoulder.
"Come on, stop pretending. Anbu or missions, none of that changes the fact that people have feelings."
Shisui replied.
"Worry about your own affairs. Izumi's been waiting for you for a long time."
Something flickered in Itachi's eyes.
Izumi...
The girl he'd grown up with, the girl who had always quietly stood behind him.
Shisui watched him with a smile in his eyes.
"Don't keep her waiting too long."
Itachi nodded gently.
"I know."
Shisui smiled in satisfaction.
Elsewhere.
Genya strolled leisurely through Konoha's streets with the three sisters.
Chinatsu held his left arm, while Akari and Akane walked on either side, the four of them chatting and laughing.
Passersby turned to look.
"Is that... Lord Genya?"
"And the Girl Group's three lead singers!"
"Oh my, what a sight..."
"Keep your voice down. Don't stare too long, or you'll get glared at."
Genya had long since grown immune to those looks and simply kept walking.
"Genya, there's a new dango shop over there. Want to try it?"
Chinatsu pointed ahead.
Genya nodded.
"Sure."
The four headed toward the dango shop.
Then Genya caught sight of something ahead.
He stopped in his tracks.
Chinatsu stopped with him.
"Genya? What's wrong?"
Genya didn't answer.
He just stared ahead, his eyes wide.
A group of people in green bodysuits was running down the street.
No, not a group.
A whole crowd.
There had to be at least thirty or forty of them.
Men and women, young and old, tall and short, fat and thin, all dressed in green bodysuits.
They ran in two columns, chanting in unison.
"Youth! Passion! Burn!"
"Youth! Passion! Burn!"
Might Guy and Rock Lee were