Chapter 31

One was Sakura, the bruiser who could send Princess Kaguya flying with a single punch.

He actually found Rin Nohara's gentle disposition more appealing.

He even couldn't help wondering whether Sakura was the one on top doing all the work when she and Sasuke did it.

Outside a small tavern in Konoha.

Rin Nohara came out carrying a bag of shochu and chicken meatballs, muttering, "That's everything Lady Tsunade wanted. Next are Lord Xuan Zhe's things..."

The little girl had still taken what Xuan Zhe said to heart.

"You idiot, Kakashi! We're settling this today!"

"No, Obito! Today is the day Kakashi and I agreed to duel!"

Just as Rin Nohara was still puzzling over what exactly Xuan Zhe meant by a "rubber," a burst of noisy arguing drew her attention.

She turned to look-

Kakashi, Obito, and Might Guy.

Those three were something of a famous trio at school.

For some reason, those two dead lasts were always pestering Kakashi, the top student.

"Can you stop bothering me? You're a loser who can't even get the Clone Technique right."

Kakashi first shot Obito a look of distaste, then glanced at Might Guy and said impatiently, "And you, Guy. I don't remember agreeing to anything with you."

"Who are you calling dead last? You bas-"

Halfway through, Obito suddenly spotted his goddess looking their way. Instantly turning into a devoted lapdog, he zipped over to Rin Nohara, all but drooling. "Wh-what a coincidence, Rin! What are you doing here?"

Rin Nohara smiled slightly. "Buying things for Lady Tsunade and Lord Xuan Zhe. But I don't know where to buy what Lord Xuan Zhe asked for."

She treated the top student and the dead last with the same gentle manner.

That was probably what people liked most about Rin Nohara.

Everyone said her team with Obito and Kakashi was like the later Team 7.

And yes, Kakashi and Obito as children were quite like Sasuke and Naruto.

But Sakura Haruno and Rin Nohara were worlds apart.

"Huh? What are you buying? Leave it to me!"

As a proper lapdog, Obito would never miss a chance to score points with his goddess.

"W-well... since it's something Lord Xuan Zhe wants, I'll help you find it!"

Rin Nohara usually disliked troubling others, but this time she truly had no idea what the requested item was, so she could only ask Obito to make the trip.

Hearing this, Obito reached up and scratched the back of his head.

He was in trouble. He didn't know what that thing was either.

But when he looked up, he met his goddess's expectant eyes.

Obito's heart clenched.

No!

He absolutely couldn't disappoint Rin!

"Leave it to me!"

He shouted, turned, and charged into a bookstore by the road. "Boss, do you have-"

"What are you two up to?"

Just then, Kakashi and Might Guy came over too.

"Oh, Kakashi, Guy."

Rin Nohara turned around and explained:

"Lord Xuan Zhe asked me to buy..."

When Kakashi heard the last word, his face instantly turned bright red.

Neither Rin Nohara nor Obito had caught on.

But this guy had a dirty mind beneath that reserved exterior, and he knew perfectly well.

"Kakashi, do you know what it is?"

Noticing something off about his expression, Rin Nohara couldn't help asking.

"Well... I, I..."

Kakashi stammered for ages without managing a single complete sentence.

What did it mean to have a dirty mind beneath a reserved exterior?

It meant having a head full of filthy thoughts while insisting on keeping a straight face and acting proper.

"Obito, you pervert!!!"

Suddenly, Kurenai Yuhi's scream rang out.

Kakashi and the other two turned to see Kurenai Yuhi slap Obito hard across the face.

The blow sent him flying, spinning several times in midair.

Behind Kurenai Yuhi, predictably, stood lapdog number two, Asuma.

"Lady Tsunade, Lord Xuan Zhe, I-I brought your things."

An hour later.

Blushing, little Rin Nohara handed Xuan Zhe and Tsunade the things each had requested.

Steam was practically rising from her head.

It almost made Xuan Zhe think Hinata Hyuga had possessed her.

"You actually bought it for him?"

Tsunade glanced at the box of little balloons Rin Nohara had handed Xuan Zhe, her eyes going round.

Rin Nohara now knew what those things were used for. Without a word, she lowered her head and stared at the tips of her shoes, wishing she could dig a hole and crawl into it.

"You really are shameless, sending such a young girl to buy something like that. How is she supposed to show her face after this?"

Tsunade drove her elbow hard into Xuan Zhe's waist in annoyance.

"N-no, that's not it. I-I didn't buy them..."

Rin Nohara quickly raised her head and waved her hands repeatedly.

"K-Kakashi and Obito helped me buy them."

"Huh?"

Tsunade's eyes went even wider than before.

Even Xuan Zhe couldn't help turning his head for a look.

How had those two gotten involved in a simple errand to buy condoms?

Blushing, Rin Nohara quickly recounted what had happened in Konoha an hour earlier.

That day, Obito had happened to run into Kurenai Yuhi walking down the street, with Asuma tagging along no matter how she tried to shake him off. The two boys were evenly matched, both acting like devoted lapdogs.

He had rushed straight up to ask Kurenai Yuhi what exactly a "rubber" was.

Kurenai Yuhi understood immediately and slapped him without another word.

Seeing that things were about to get out of hand, Kakashi had no choice but to spill the **.

Once it became clear that Rin Nohara was running an errand for her uncle, Kakashi hurriedly dragged Obito, who was still seeing stars from the slap, off to buy the things and handed them to Rin Nohara.

"Hahaha, you lot really are a lively bunch."

After hearing Rin Nohara's account, Xuan Zhe couldn't stop laughing.

But then he thought about it. Kakashi and Obito probably wouldn't have any use for those things even into their thirties-or right up to the moment they died, would they?

How pitiful.

Tsunade nearly laughed along, but suddenly thought of something. Her face darkened, and she asked coldly:

"Hey, wait... does that mean all those little brats know you're using those things?"

"Hm? Do you even need to ask?"

Xuan Zhe answered as though it were obvious:

"Rin has been running errands for you and me all this time, after all."

"Then doesn't that mean they all know we're using them together? **!!!"

Tsunade jumped up in fury and swung her fists at Xuan Zhe.

How was she supposed to face anyone now?

Xuan Zhe looked speechless.

At her age, she still cared about things like this.

Even if they didn't say anything now, wouldn't those brats figure it out once they grew up anyway?

The blush on Rin Nohara's face simply wouldn't fade.

Because when the owner of that little shop handed over the things, he had specifically said, "Oh? They're for Lord Xuan Zhe? Here, the largest size."

The days passed like that.

The future teachers of the Konoha 12 were all still dutifully attending the Ninja Academy, with none considering early graduation.

Jiraiya had taken Minato Namikaze away to train.

Orochimaru almost never appeared. Anyone who didn't know better might have thought he had vanished from the world.

Xuan Zhe's approach to instruction was so domineering that Tsunade simply moved into his little house.

To her, the Senju Clan's sprawling mansion was less appealing than that shabby little house.

Xuan Zhe and Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have reached an unspoken understanding that was difficult to define.

Neither side made any major moves.

Ever since Xuan Zhe's Ninja Dog had eaten Yuzuki Yuzuki for lunch, and Jiraiya had taken Minato Namikaze out of the village, Hiruzen Sarutobi had made no further special moves against Xuan Zhe.

Xuan Zhe's attitude was the same-leave me alone, and I won't concern myself with what you do.

But he knew perfectly well.