The bedroom was quiet.
Tsunade lifted her slightly pale face, staring blankly at Rinjin as she spoke in a soft, almost hollow voice.
"Are you going to investigate?"
"No."
Investigate? Hell no. I'd rather just grab a shovel and start digging graves.
Suppressing a snort, Rinjin shook his head without hesitation.
Tsunade didn't reply. She just kept gazing at him, her eyes growing deeper and more unreadable by the second.
After a long pause, she finally seemed to come back to herself. The corners of her lips curled up, forming the faintest hint of a smile.
"Rinjin, I want to drink."
The words caught Rinjin off guard for a moment, but he quickly nodded.
"Alright. Should we drink at home, or go out?"
"Let's go out. Drinking at home just doesn't have the right buzz."
With that, Tsunade tossed aside her blanket and sat up, her curvy figure on full display.
Rinjin nodded in agreement and didn't waste any time. He turned and called out to Rie to help Tsunade get changed—she was still wearing Rie's pajamas, and they were clearly way too tight.
Closing the door behind him, Rinjin went to his own room and changed into a black tactical combat uniform.
The yukata he'd been wearing was custom-made—ten thousand ryō a set! If Tsunade got drunk and puked all over him, that'd be a tragedy.
Better to play it safe with the standard-issue Konoha black combat gear.
By the time he finished, Tsunade was also dressed in her own clothes.
Off to the side, Rie twisted her little hands together, stealing glances at Rinjin with big, pitiful eyes, like she wanted to say something but just couldn't spit it out.
"What's up?" Rinjin asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Big bro, yesterday I just took a break, but today I skipped work the whole day!"
She paused, then pouted, her brows dancing mischievously. "So… shouldn't you, uh, pay me for my labor?"
Rinjin stared at her, speechless. After a moment, he pinched the bridge of his nose, pulled out a one-ryō bill from his ninja pouch, and slapped it into her palm.
Rie's face fell instantly.
"What am I supposed to do with this? With the way Fire Country's currency is tanking, you're giving me this like it's worth anything?!"
She barely finished before a firm flick landed right on her forehead.
Rinjin's voice turned icy.
"Keep whining and I'll put you on gate duty at the village entrance."
At that, Rie dropped the act, grinning sheepishly as she scratched her head and playfully pushed at her brother's chest.
"Oh, come on, don't be like that~ This little lady will take her leave now."
She beamed, her big eyes blinking innocently.
But as soon as she turned around, her smile vanished, her face scrunching up into a comical pout as she muttered under her breath.
Hmph! Stupid big brother! I can't beat you now, but just wait—once I'm in charge, I'll have you guarding that gate for life! One minute late, and I'll dock a whole month's pay. You'll be working just to pay off your debts!
Rinjin ignored her antics, opened the front door, and glanced at Tsunade by his side.
"Let's go."
…
Night had fallen, a bright moon hanging high above.
Rinjin and Tsunade walked shoulder to shoulder into a bustling izakaya.
They found a quiet booth and ordered a few snacks to go with their drinks.
The food and sake arrived quickly.
Rinjin reached for the slim ceramic bottle, intending to pour Tsunade a cup. But before he could, she snatched up the bottle and took a long, hard swig straight from the neck.
He watched the clear sake slide down her elegant, swan-like throat and let out a helpless sigh.
Tsunade really had it rough.
In the original story, Nawaki's death was glossed over in a single line.
But here? Her little brother died—killed by nothing more than a simple explosive tag trap.
How could she not have doubts?
If it'd been Rinjin, if Rie had died to something like that, he'd probably march straight to Uchiha Madara and join forces—not for any dumb Moon's Eye Plan, but just to string everyone up and let them dry in the wind.
Tsunade wasn't much different.
But from childhood, she'd been raised on the purest, most orthodox Will of Fire teachings—first by Hashirama, then by Tobirama, and then by Hiruzen.
All that indoctrination had burned the Will of Fire deep into her soul.
Which left her with a problem:
On one hand, she was furious at the village for failing to protect her brother. On the other, she loved the village with all her heart.
Bond against bond—her loyalties were at war with each other.
So she bottled it all up.
If this kept up, she'd either get sick or just give up on everything.
Watching her down an entire bottle, Rinjin slid the salted peanuts toward her.
"Here, at least eat something."
But with cheeks flushed, Tsunade shook her head like a stubborn kid and reached for another bottle.
Rinjin didn't push it. He just waved over the server.
"Bring twenty more bottles."
"Right away, sir."
Soon, a whole tray of sake bottles appeared on their table.
Tsunade's eyes lit up. She'd just finished another bottle and now lunged forward, hugging the whole tray like a dragon with its hoard.
Go ahead, drink as much as you want. I've got your back,Rinjin thought, grabbing a grilled bird skewer and munching contentedly.
Across from him came a long, heavy sigh.
Then a bottle slammed down on the table with a deep, hollow thud.
"Rinjin, why aren't you drinking?" Tsunade's voice was low and husky, tinged with a magnetic charm.
"I am, I am. I'm drinking."
Faced with Tsunade's flushed cheeks, pouting lips, and fierce glare, Rinjin wisely chose to surrender.
He filled his cup, raised it, and grinned.
"Come on, Lady Tsunade, a toast to you."
Seeing this, Tsunade's lips curled up in satisfaction. She clinked her bottle hard against his glass.
"Bottoms up!" she shouted boldly.
With that, she tipped her head back and chugged again.
Geez… even cattle don't drink like this…
She's not gonna go on a drunken rampage, is she?
Time passed. The pile of empty bottles on the table grew higher and higher. Rinjin went from relaxed and confident to sweating bullets.
He'd thought Tsunade would be a one-bottle lightweight—three bottles and she'd be out cold.
But to his shock, she did get drunk after the first bottle… yet she was still going strong, bottle after bottle.
Now Rinjin started to panic.
A terrifying thought crossed his mind.
What if, in her drunken haze, she kisses me—and then gives me that emerald-green necklace…
Kiss of death plus necklace of death…
Am I doomed?!
Wait… I'm immortal now, and I don't even want to be Hokage. Guess I don't have to worry about dying suddenly after all.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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