After delivering that long speech, Tobirama fell silent, like a machine gun pausing to change magazines after emptying a clip. Shingetsu sank into thought as well. She looked up and studied Tobirama carefully, feeling as though she were meeting him for the first time.
After a long silence, Shingetsu tilted her head, her gaze clear and puzzled.
"Doesn't that still mean you regretted it?"
"...Go finish processing those documents."
With a stony face, Tobirama signaled for this annoying, infuriating brat to get out and do her work immediately. In short, she was to stop hanging around here and being an eyesore.
Seeing this, Shingetsu made a mischievous face at him, a trace of a smug smile playing at her lips. Then she turned and headed out with the documents in her arms, her steps light, apparently quite pleased with their little exchange.
"Shingetsu."
"What?"
Tobirama gave her a long look, complicated emotions flickering in his eyes. Then he awkwardly turned his head away, directing his gaze elsewhere as he thanked her in a somewhat stiff voice:
"...Thank you for everything you've done for the village and Big Brother."
Looking back on all the changes Konoha had undergone over the years, Tobirama finally had to admit that Shingetsu's arrival had been an extraordinarily fortunate and wonderful thing for Konoha and everyone around her.
Even for him, that was true.
After hearing Tobirama's thanks, Shingetsu rolled her eyes playfully, then suddenly scurried back and set the stack of documents down on his desk again.
She rose onto her tiptoes and leaned her little head forward over the desk, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she excitedly made her demands:
"I want those pancakes you made last time, and grilled fish, seafood, milk tea, and daifuku. Hurry up and make them for me!"
Seeing