After hearing Kurotsuchi's words, Aoba couldn't help blinking, then stared at her face. Aside from the obvious wariness, there was clearly a lot of displeasure there as well, and he started thinking.
The reason he was willing to cover Fu's lodging expenses in Konoha, along with all kinds of other costs, really wasn't because he had any strange thoughts about her.
It was because the reason she came to Konoha was different from Kurotsuchi's.
Kurotsuchi had run away from home and come on her own initiative, while Fu could be considered someone he and Tsunade had "lured" back as the Seven-Tails jinchuriki.
And Fu was still young, still attending the ninja academy. At home, she felt just like a child. After bringing her over, how could they just leave her to fend for herself?
What's more, Shibuki had even given something like the "Hero Water" as compensation back then.
So naturally, everyone in the household doted on Fu a bit more.
In the end, just as Kurotsuchi's expression was about to crack, he asked curiously,
"Are you… jealous?"
"W-What? Do you even know what you're saying?"
When Kurotsuchi heard that, the expression on her face instantly collapsed. After a flash of red passed over her cheeks, her brows shot up and her eyes went wide.
"You actually think I'd be jealous over a scumbag like you?"
"Hah!"
Aoba looked at Kurotsuchi, who seemed to be furious out of embarrassment. He didn't say anything, just looked at her with an "I get it" kind of gaze.
"You bastard!"
Kurotsuchi didn't hesitate at all and kicked straight at that infuriating face of his.
But in front of Aoba, her sharp kick was like it was in slow motion.
He easily caught her by the ankle.
Beneath the smooth, thick, warm stockings was soft, elastic, firm skin.
Among all the girls Aoba knew, her legs could rank near the top.
"Let go of me!"
Kurotsuchi quickly realized what was happening. Seeing her leg in his hands, she immediately started struggling.
Aoba deliberately put on a stern face, "Kurotsuchi, this is assaulting the future Hokage of a village in public. You don't want to get thrown into the security division over this, do you?"
"What?"
Kurotsuchi froze for a moment when she heard that, not quite reacting. Once she did, she was so angry her face alternated between green and purple, her small chest heaving up and down.
"Then just arrest me!"
After saying that, she threw another punch at Aoba's face.
Aoba simply lifted her ankle upward. She instantly lost her balance, her punch swinging through empty air as her body fell backward.
At that moment, Aoba let go of her ankle, and only then did Kurotsuchi manage to steady herself after flipping in midair.
After landing, she didn't continue attacking. She knew that if they kept fighting, her way of attacking would just end up benefiting him instead.
So she stood off to the side, turned her head away, and cold air practically poured off her body.
It made the temperature in the air-conditioned mall drop a few degrees.
Seeing her like that, Aoba moved closer and asked curiously, "Are you really angry?"
"Hmph!"
Kurotsuchi didn't want to deal with him. She turned her face away and let out a cold snort.
"Really angry?"
Aoba walked half a circle around to stand in front of her.
Kurotsuchi turned her head away again.
Aoba circled back once more.
What followed was Kurotsuchi constantly turning her head while Aoba kept circling around her.
To outsiders, this looked exactly like a couple having a small lovers' quarrel. Most people who saw it covered their mouths, smiled lightly, and hurried past.
The ones who came to the mall at this time were mostly couples, or parents with their children.
There weren't many single people around.
And in the end, after twisting her head for so long, Kurotsuchi was the first to crack.
She held her neck, which was a bit sore from turning it for too long, and glared viciously at Aoba, "What exactly do you want?"
Aoba looked innocent, "I just saw that you were really angry, so I wanted to apologize."
Kurotsuchi's face was full of black lines, "So this is how you apologize? By making me even angrier?"
"Then what kind of apology do you want?"
Aoba asked back, "Should I reimburse everything you bought today too?"
"No need!"
Kurotsuchi replied coldly. It wasn't like she was short on money.
"Then how about going to the amusement park later? Sitting on the Ferris wheel in winter and looking at the scenery is supposed to be a pretty nice experience," Aoba suggested.
This time, Kurotsuchi didn't refuse. She blinked, interest showing in her eyes, "Then let's see what Fu thinks."
"Alright."
———
"Aoba, did you and Kurotsuchi have a fight?"
On the way to the amusement park, Fu leaned close to Aoba's ear and asked in a small voice as she looked at Kurotsuchi, who was suddenly in a bad mood.
Aoba smiled and explained, "Just a small disagreement. Once Kurotsuchi cools off, it'll be fine."
"Hmph!"
However, Kurotsuchi still had a cold expression, clearly not wanting to deal with him.
Fu couldn't help blinking, but she didn't ask anything more.
After spending more than half a year together, she understood the relationship between the two quite well.
Although they bickered often, and it usually ended with Kurotsuchi losing, it didn't take long before the two of them made up again.
In her eyes, Kurotsuchi didn't seem all that different from Aoba's other girlfriends.
She had even already started seeing herself as a kind of girlfriend-in-waiting.
It wasn't really strange that she would have such an odd thought. It was because the way Uzuki Yugao and the others treated her all leaned in that direction.
Uzuki Yugao and the others treated her extremely well, even better than the village chief and the others, just like her own family.
And just like Kurotsuchi said, Aoba really did dote on her. No matter what request she made, he would agree.
Of course, she was a sensible girl and wouldn't make unreasonable requests.
Usually it was just simple things like wanting to eat snacks from a certain shop, or asking him to accompany her somewhere else to play.
And the reality was just as she imagined. After the three of them rode the Ferris wheel at the amusement park and admired Konoha wrapped in a blanket of white snow, Kurotsuchi's mood had mostly recovered by the time they got off.
"Alright, let's head out now."
After leaving the amusement park, Aoba smiled and held out his hand to the two of them.
"So we're finally going back?"
Fu didn't hesitate at all and placed her small hand into his palm.
Kurotsuchi, now in much better spirits, didn't keep a sour face either and naturally took his hand as well.
The figures of the three flickered, then vanished from where they stood.
When they appeared again, they were already inside a bedroom that looked rather plain.
This was the residence Shibuki had arranged for them back then.
Fu clearly recognized the scene in front of her, and her eyes immediately lit up.
"Aoba, I'm going to see the village chief."
Before Aoba could respond, Fu, who had been holding his hand just moments ago, had already dashed out in a flash.
Aoba felt a bit helpless about it, but he didn't say anything.
———
A short while later, outside Takigakure—
"Thank you so much for the trouble, Lord Aoba, for personally making the trip to see us off," Shibuki treated Aoba with great respect.
This was also a way for small villages to survive.
"It's nothing. After spending this time together, we've already come to see Fu as one of our own family," Aoba replied with a smile.
"Aoba, when you come back, don't forget to come pick me up," Fu reminded him from the side.
Aoba also smiled and patted her head, "Don't worry. I won't forget."
Hearing that, Shibuki felt like his heart was already shattered.
The little padded jacket he had worked so hard to raise, was it really going to be worn away by someone else so soon?
But no matter how heartbroken he felt, he could only force out a somewhat stiff smile.
"Then, Lord Aoba, Miss Kurotsuchi, I wish you a smooth journey."
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