Night.
"How are your injuries?"
Rasa looked over at Kabuto, who had also come up to the rooftop to stargaze, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Let's see if you still dare come up with such stupid ideas next time. So young, and you went to that kind of place... I bet Aunt Kana treated you while beating you senseless, didn't she~?"
He shook his head with mock sympathy.
"How pitiful~"
"..."
Kabuto rolled his eyes at the Kazekage's gloating and simply sat down beside him, quietly gazing up at the sky.
After a brief silence—
"Aunt Kana is a gentle person. She's not someone who hits people. When she saw my injuries, she cried while treating me… which is exactly why I have a headache~."
"And someone caring for you still doesn't make you happy?"
Rasa ruffled Kabuto's hair again—only to get swatted away.
This brat's getting more unruly by the day. What's wrong with getting your head patted by the great Kazekage?
He looked at Kabuto in mock disdain, then leaned in with a sly grin and wiggled his eyebrows.
"Look at you. I bet deep down, you're secretly loving it."
"…"
Kabuto looked helplessly at the mood-killing Kazekage, sighing softly.
"When are we returning to the village?"
"Once we finish recruitment. Probably another two or three days," Rasa replied, frowning thoughtfully. Then he smiled again.
"Getting homesick already? You little brat—skipped going back with the other shinobi and ran all the way to the Land of Rain, and now you're the one in a hurry?"
"I just wanted to come and take a look… but turns out, it wasn't necessary at all."
Kabuto looked up at the sky. A faint smile played at his lips—he seemed to be in a pretty good mood. But after a moment, his expression darkened slightly with concern.
"As for the Land of Rain... what does Kazekage-sama intend to do? Once they stabilize, they'll become a truly independent nation. And Sunagakure..."
"Alright, alright. You're still a kid. Don't worry about all that."
Rasa cut him off directly. Standing under the light drizzle, he was quiet for a moment, then spoke in a calm, even tone.
"I know what you're thinking. Yes, the Land of Rain is a sovereign nation. And Sunagakure... is within the Land of Wind."
"Then why didn't you take advantage of the chaos in the Land of Rain to..."
"War is too troublesome. Too easy to become a target. And besides—"
Rasa sighed and shook his head with exaggerated emotion, tilting his face upward at a dramatic forty-five-degree angle, eyes full of melancholy.
"I'm a kind person!"
"…"
I don't believe that for a second!
"No, really, I'm not lying. Even the leader of Amegakure and their villagers think so."
He stretched lazily, then patted Kabuto's head again with a smile.
"Next, Sunagakure will send as many shinobi and villagers as we can to the Land of Rain. In turn, they'll send their own people to study and work in Sunagakure."
"But Sunagakure doesn't have that many shinobi to send."
"Don't worry—once they arrive in Sunagakure, they'll become our people."
"…"
Kabuto was momentarily speechless at the Kazekage's logic. He said nothing, just gave Rasa a sideways glance.
"What's with that look~?"
Rasa gave him a rough head rub, squinting mischievously at him.
"You got a problem with my methods?"
"No~" Kabuto shook his head, smoothed his hair, and said with a sigh,
"I just think Kazekage-sama's heart is really..."
"Hm?"
"Kind~!"
...
The Next Day
Sunagakure – Academy Grounds
"Hey~, little cutie. What's got you looking so glum?"
Pakura spotted Temari on the swingset in the playground, a troubled look on her face. She strolled over with a cheerful smile and reached out to pinch her chubby cheek.
"Look at that pout—your lips could hold a whole dumpling!"
Smack!
Temari slapped her hand away without hesitation and pouted.
"That hurt~, Aunt Pakura!"
"Call me Big Sis!"
"But my mom calls you big sister too."
"Such a sharp tongue! So cute~"
Pakura scooped Temari up into a big hug, grinning.
"So what's wrong? Something bothering you? You can tell your big sis Pakura."
"I..."
Temari wrapped her arms around Aunt Pakura's neck, burying herself in her chest.
Aunt Pakura's chest is so comfy… even softer than Mom's!
"You're the top student in preschool! What's there to worry about?"
"But that boy named Daimaru is also called a genius! He looks dumb, always has snot dripping from his nose, and keeps following me around. I think everyone else is smarter than him. If I'm also a genius… doesn't that make me the same as him?"
"Hehe~"
Pakura was momentarily speechless. She did know the truth, after all...
Should I just tell her... that was her dad's twisted idea of a joke?
Even at his age, the man still had the sense of humor of a delinquent.
Unbelievable. He even messes with his own daughter~
Chuckling awkwardly, Pakura hugged her again.
"You're still young. And what's so great about puppetry anyway? If you don't like it, just don't learn it. Or how about this—Big Sis Pakura teaches you instead? You can be my student!"
But—
"Nope~ Dad won't let me learn from you!"
Little Temari rejected her immediately.
"???"
"Dad says you're loud, not ladylike, drink too much, hit old people, and don't care about your appearance..."
As she listed each point off on her tiny fingers, Pakura's face grew visibly darker.
"Grandpa Ebizō said the same thing!"
Looking up at her "smiling" aunt, Temari started to tremble.
"A-Aunt Pakura, are you okay?"
"…Those two bastards."
Pakura took a deep breath and forcibly calmed herself. Her eyelid twitched, but she kept smiling—albeit through clenched teeth.
"Ignore whatever nonsense they told you. Your Big Sis Pakura is very gentle."
"I-I think so too!"
Sensing danger, Temari quickly raised her pudgy little hand in salute, her round cheeks puffed with determination.
"Aunt—I mean, Big Sis is sooo pretty, sooo strong, and sooo gentle!"
"Good girl, good girl~ Mwah! So obedient."
Pakura kissed Temari on the cheek with satisfaction.
"You little rascal. It wasn't for nothing that I sent you gifts when you were born—and again for your one-month celebration."
"...???"
"What's wrong? You didn't get them? Each one cost ten thousand ryō."
"I didn't get them~" Temari tugged at her brows, tilting her head in confusion.
"Did… Dad not give them to me?"
"Is that so?"
Pakura frowned as well, her face turning serious.
"If that's true, then it's outrageous! He even pocketed the gifts I gave you?! Absolutely disgraceful."
"Mhm~"
Little Temari clasped her chubby hands and nodded earnestly.
"Dad is so annoying."
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain—
"Achoo!"
"Lord Kazekage, are you alright? It's been raining non-stop here, and the temperature really is getting chilly. Should I fetch you a thick winter cloak?"