"Um… Hong…"
Asuma, standing nearby, had no idea that the girl in their class actually had a crush on a boy from Yuhi Kurenai's class.What a coincidence.
"Would you like to have dinner together tonight?"
"No time. We've accepted a mission outside the village. It'll be a while before we return."
Yuhi Kurenai was still puzzling over the "complicated" romantic entanglements among her students, far too distracted to bother with this childhood friend who had vanished for over a decade before reappearing out of nowhere.
"A mission outside the village?"Asuma sounded surprised.
"It's been a month already. Isn't it about time your class started taking on higher-level missions?"
In peacetime, it was only by leaving the village that young shinobi could truly grasp the cruelty of the ninja world.
Kurenai didn't think Asuma would fail to understand that.
"I was planning to send them to a nearby village first—to drive away wild boars. It counts as experience."
Asuma scratched his head. He simply wasn't the kind of teacher who could be strict with his students.
"It's not good to overprotect them."
"Sensei Kurenai is right—we should definitely do the mission!"
Ino reluctantly released Uchiha Kage's arm and promptly latched onto Kurenai's sleeve instead.
"Sensei, you're so beautiful—great figure, perfect skin. How do you maintain it?"
"I…"
Kurenai had never been in such a situation before. Her mission partners usually talked about dull things—ninjutsu, combat experience—but never fashion or beauty.
Still, she could tell this blonde-haired girl's attention was not entirely innocent; she was trying to cozy up to her in order to win over Uchiha Kage.
Hmph. Sorry, but as Hinata's teacher, she naturally stood on Hinata's side and wouldn't—
Ah… why is she smiling at me like that? Such a warm, friendly girl…
Kurenai found herself unable to resist the blonde's charm, and could only glance at her female disciple for help.
Hinata, say something—get me out of this.
Unfortunately, Hinata didn't intervene. Instead, she lowered her head slightly and even greeted Ino, as if acknowledging defeat before the battle even began.
"No matter how much you butter her up, it won't work. Even if we finish the village mission, we can't go with them," Shikamaru said calmly, immediately wiping the smile off Ino's face.
"Tch."
Ino clicked her tongue in irritation. Why was her entire Team 10 full of such unromantic guys? So boring.
"Goodbye, Sensei. Next time you stop by the flower shop, I'll have my mother give you a free bouquet."
Her sour expression lasted only a moment before she beamed again at the woman before her.
"Thank you… You're such a lively girl, but Sensei's busy right now. I'll be off."
Kurenai finally managed to break free from Ino's grip.
"Wait, Hong—"
Asuma tried to call after her, but by the time the words left his mouth, Kurenai and her students were already far away.
He could only sigh.
"What a useless teacher—can't even ask out a fellow jonin."
Watching him mope, Ino couldn't resist teasing.
"No matchmaking intended, Sensei. And it's not what you think with me and Hong."
Asuma flushed at his student's perceptiveness.
"So… you don't like Sensei Kurenai?"
"I… It's not that I don't…"
Because of his pride, Asuma couldn't bring himself to admit such private feelings in front of his students.
"Honestly, Sensei's going to be a henpecked husband one day."
Not only was he incapable, he didn't even have the courage to admit he liked someone. Far worse than Kage.
…Though, really, there was no comparing Asuma to Uchiha Kage.
Ino shook her head, deciding to wait until after the mission to ask Kage out.
"I don't think you're any better than Asuma-sensei," Shikamaru remarked from the sidelines, munching potato chips.
"What did you say, you—"
"Enough. Let's get the mission started before we waste the whole day bickering."
After stopping Ino from saying something Choji would take personally, Shikamaru glanced at Asuma.
"Shikamaru… am I really useless?"
"No, Sensei. You're useful. Becoming a jonin is impressive, in my opinion."
"…Really?"
Somehow, it still sounded like sarcasm.
Asuma thought it over, but gave up quickly.
Outside the Konoha village gates.
"Didn't the Land of Whirlpools [Uzushio no Kuni] perish long ago? Are there really treasures waiting to be found in the ruins?"
It was his first village mission, and even Aburame Shino seemed excited, talking more than usual.
"I don't know the details," Kurenai replied, "but intelligence says many villages are eyeing the place. Even ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village have set out. Maybe there really is a treasure."
Though she'd done many missions, it was her first treasure hunt.
"I heard the Land of Whirlpools had good relations with the Land of Fire—especially Konoha. I wonder how it was destroyed," Uchiha Kage said.
Back when he was there, both the country and its village still existed.
"That's because other nations feared their powerful sealing techniques, so—" Kurenai suddenly remembered her real purpose. "Wait, come here. I have something to ask you."
She pulled Kage aside, away from Hinata and Shino.
"…Is there something else about this mission?" he asked cautiously.
"It's not about the mission. What's your relationship with that Ino girl?"
"We're classmates."
…So it was just a personal question. Kage lost interest immediately.
"How can a female classmate hug a male classmate the moment they meet?"
"Didn't Sensei kiss me the first day we met?"
"I—I… that doesn't count!"
It was just a forehead kiss to show care—nothing more. Still, Kurenai's cheeks reddened. She hadn't expected to be outmaneuvered by her own student.
"No matter how close you are, you can't hug like that."
"Maybe she likes me. It's normal—I'm handsome."
"You… and you still say you're just classmates?"
Shameless, and confident about it.
"If she's not a classmate, then what is she? We're not dating."
"So you don't like her?"
It was just one-sided, then? Kurenai felt relieved.
"Not really. She's pretty and nice—I've no reason to dislike her."
"What about Hinata?"
"She's not annoying. And Sensei, you're beautiful too."
"You—you—"
Did he just flirt with his teacher?
"Wait, do you even understand what I mean by 'like'?"
"I do, but right now my priority is revitalising the Uchiha clan. We can talk about other things later."
Ino and Hinata weren't fully grown yet—but when they were, he wouldn't let either slip away.
He was an Uchiha, after all.
"…So that's how it is."
Remembering what had happened to the clan, Kurenai's heart softened. This boy wasn't a scoundrel—just burdened.
Poor kid. She should be nicer to him.
"Let's set up camp here."
After a full day's travel, Kurenai's team neared the border of the Land of Fire.
"Kage, set the traps. Shino, keep watch. Hinata, scout the area."
"Yes!"
The Genin split up, leaving Kurenai to set up the tent leisurely.
It was only a C-rank mission, still within Fire Country—there shouldn't be any danger.
"Sensei! A large convoy and unknown people ahead!"
Hinata, using her Byakugan, had spotted something unusual.
"It's probably just a caravan."
"No, they're under attack!"
"Oh?"
Kurenai, now alert, hurried to a nearby hillside with Kage and Shino.
Below, bandits were robbing a caravan.
"Shall we help?" Shino asked after sending his insects to scout.
"They're just ordinary bandits. Since we're here, deal with them."
This was a good chance for her students to face real combat.
"Yes."
Hinata and Shino leapt down eagerly.
"You're not joining?" Kurenai asked when she noticed Kage still beside her.
"Wait. Someone else is coming."
Sure enough, figures emerged from the woods—moving fast, and without forehead protectors.
Either spies, rogue shinobi, or independent wanderers—none of which boded well.
But oddly, they began helping the caravan.
"Suspicious timing," Kage murmured. "These bandits aren't really fighting them—they retreat on contact. Hinata and Shino are being surrounded."
"…They have bad intentions," Kurenai realised.
"They're working together. First they rob the caravan, then 'rescue' it for payment—an extra toll without drawing attention from nearby villages."
Kurenai stared at him. "You even know this?"
"Teacher, since we're near the former Land of Whirlpools, we should capture them for questioning. Maybe they know something useful."
"…Alright."
Why did she feel like he was giving her orders?
She pinched his cheek. "Don't steal the teacher's lines—or boss the teacher around!"
"Now's not the time to harass me, Sensei…"
"Who's harassing—?!" She let go at last.
"Sensei, if we don't go now, they might kill Hinata and Shino."
"They won't lose to a few rogues."
Still, despite her confident words, she and Kage crept down the hill, ready to intervene.
"Go on, get in there," she said, shoving him forward.
So far, she'd yet to see him fight for real.