After ordering a few bottles of alcohol and some dishes, Shin and Tsunade finally started to relax a bit. But just then, a small figure came rushing toward the bar. Spotting Tsunade sitting at a booth drinking, the figure hurried over.
"Neesan!" Nawaki ran toward Tsunade, who had just taken a couple sips, and shouted loudly.
Hearing the shout, Tsunade's heart skipped a beat. She turned her head in anger and glared at him with a fierce look like never before.
Nawaki froze in fear at that look. There was no hiding the look of someone who wanted to kill. He swore, at that very moment, his sister truly wanted to kill him.
So scary… Obaachan, I wanna go home!
Obaachan?
He finally came to his senses, and despite Tsunade's terrifying gaze, he lowered his head and said in a trembling voice, "Neesan… Obaachan, she…"
Hearing the word "Obaachan," Tsunade's menacing aura instantly vanished, replaced with deep worry.
"What happened to her?" she immediately calmed down and asked urgently.
"She's feeling a little unwell…" Nawaki still kept his head down as he replied.
"She's just feeling unwell!" Tsunade flared up again. "And you had to act like it was a tragedy? I ought to beat you up!"
Shin quickly reached out to stop Tsunade. This is all your fault, really, who wouldn't get confused by that glare?
Poor kid's terrified!
"I'll go back with you to check on her," he said, patting Tsunade's shoulder comfortingly, then went to the bar to pay the bill.
---
When they returned home, Tsunade rushed straight to the backyard without a second thought. Seeing her pale and extremely weak grandmother, her nose stung, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Tsuna!" Mito opened her eyes and smiled warmly upon seeing her. "Don't worry, I'm fine."
"Is the Nine-Tails clashing against the seal again?" Tsunade asked through clenched teeth.
"You don't need to hate it," Mito shook her head. "It's actually quite pitiful. It has its own consciousness, yet it's been sealed and controlled all its life. It's just a shame that I only realized this too late. By then, the conflict between me and the Nine-Tails had become irreconcilable. Otherwise, maybe we could've even been friends."
Hearing her grandmother still comforting her at a time like this, Tsunade couldn't hold back her tears anymore, they streamed down her cheeks.
She had been raised by her grandfather and grandmother since she was little. After her grandfather and granduncle passed away, and with her weak ties to her parents, her strongest emotional bond was with her grandmother.
Her strong sense of justice and upright nature were greatly influenced by Mito's teachings.
That was why she couldn't bear to see her grandmother looking so frail, and couldn't even imagine what she would do if her grandmother passed away.
"Come here," Mito called out to Shin, who had been quietly standing by Tsunade's side.
Shin quickly stepped forward, knelt down, and said respectfully, "Mito-sama."
"It's about time you started calling me Obaachan," Mito said with a slightly scolding tone.
"Obaachan!" Tsunade's face flushed red as she cried out in embarrassment.
"Haha!" Mito laughed heartily. "Ah, youth is such a wonderful thing. Every time I see the two of you, I think back to when I was young, to Hashirama back then… Well, forget it. It's all ancient history. When people get old, they tend to reminisce."
"Shin." Her expression suddenly turned serious, as if giving her final wishes. She took Shin's hand and said, "Promise me, no matter what happens in the future, you'll treat Tsunade well."
"Mito-sama, though your health is deteriorating, it's still far from the end. Don't speak so pessimistically," Shin quickly reassured her.
"When I go isn't important. What matters is that you give me your word today," Mito said firmly.
"Don't worry," Shin replied solemnly. "From now on, I'll do everything I can to treat Tsunade well and make her happy. And anyone who tries to harm her will answer to me. I won't let anything happen to her,that's a promise I intend to keep."
"Haha, good, very good!" Mito nodded vigorously, clearly pleased. "That's exactly what I needed to hear."
"What are you two talking about?" Tsunade was blushing with sweetness and embarrassment.
Don't think I didn't hear that promise, she thought. I'll hold you to it.
"Don't play innocent," Mito pretended to glare at Tsunade in mock disapproval. "It's time you embraced what's right in front of you."
Tsunade was about to cry again.
"Mito-sama," Seeing how deep the bond was between Mito and Tsunade, Shin spoke up. "I might have a way to let you enjoy a few more years of peace and family happiness."
Mito nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this, but then shook her head with a carefree smile. "All the people I cared about are gone. What's the point of living longer? My parents, my younger brother… they're all gone. Hashirama too has passed. After so many years, having Tsuna and Nawaki by my side, I've already had more than enough. There's nothing I can't let go of."
"Obaachan…" Tsunade and Nawaki both spoke sadly at the same time.
"Don't worry, I'm not giving up on life. As long as I haven't reached the natural end of my lifespan, how could I bear to leave you two behind?" Mito said with a smile. "In the next few days, I'll reinforce the seal. Shin, when the time comes, come and help me."
Without a second thought, Shin nodded and agreed. This wasn't just helping, this was clearly her passing on her secret techniques...
After checking her condition and chatting for quite a while, he finally stood up to leave.
Seeing her grandmother's strong hinting gaze, Tsunade immediately got up to walk him out. At this moment, she felt like crying from how clueless she was about romance. With no prior experience in relationships, if no one reminded her, she truly didn't know what to do.
Especially since Shin had once seemed somewhat cold toward her.
She was afraid that if she clung too tightly, it would push him away, so she had always been cautious and hesitant.
---
Strolling through the streets of Konoha, neither Shin nor Tsunade spoke, they just walked side by side. But every time their eyes met, they couldn't help but smile. They had walked for over half an hour, crossing who knew how many streets, yet neither felt tired. In fact, both wished they could keep walking like this forever.
"Not going for drinks anymore?" Finally, Shin broke the silence. Looking at Tsunade's face, he couldn't help but smile.
This was the first time he had looked at her so openly, the first time he found himself unable to look away.
So much had happened today, Seeing her carefree joy made him finally face both his emotions and her.
Right now, she looked like an angel. He appreciated everything about her in that moment, the way her blonde hair caught the evening light, how her green dress complemented her figure, the clarity in her eyes that seemed to reflect her straightforward nature. Her entire presence radiated a strength and beauty that made his breath catch.
Is this really happening? he wondered. Are we finally finding our way to each other?
"You're staring!" Tsunade blushed furiously under Shin's smitten gaze. She bit her lip, glared at him for a long moment, and asked, "Did you know all along how I felt?"
"Hahaha!" Shin suddenly burst into laughter. "I didn't know anything!"
"Hmph!" Tsunade turned away in a huff, pretending to ignore him.
But her body, almost against her will, leaned toward him, until the two were pressed tightly together.
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200 = +1 bonus chapter
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40+ Advance chapters!
[email protected]/Malphegor