A week passed after Team 7 returned from the Land of Spring. By then, Konoha had already pushed everyone back into training, missions, and paperwork.
Most mornings, Sasuke trained under Kakashi and Zabuza until his legs shook. He could now use Swift Step for three short bursts without tripping over his own feet, though Zabuza still knocked him into the dirt whenever he became predictable.
Sakura spent her afternoons at the clinic. She had gone from ruining a fish the moment Shizune bumped the table to holding the Chakra Scalpel steady while nurses shouted questions and moved equipment around her. She was nowhere near ready to use the technique on a person, but she no longer froze at the first mistake.
Naruto had reduced his usual army of clones to small groups with specific jobs. He still complained that Haku's precision drills were boring, but he had finally pinned the suspended leaf three times in a row.
Kenji's own mornings had become considerably worse. Guy had kept his promise. No Venom, no Hiraishin, and no escaping the sunrise circuit. By the sixth day, Kenji could finish the laps without considering murder.
Kenji kept his promise and got Tenten temporary access to the Snow equipment through the village workshop. Zabuza and Haku returned to the Land of Waves between training sessions.
Yugao resumed her ANBU duties, while Anko spent two days making pointed comments about "morning sword practice" before following the first Sound rumor down the southern road. Team 10 left on another escort assignment, and Kurenai's team spent two days tracking smugglers north of the village.
The captured Snow technology had been sitting in Konoha's workshop for the entire week. The researchers had taken apart the outer casing, copied every visible seal, and produced several folders of questions. They still refused to feed chakra into the main core.
Late that afternoon, Tsunade dropped the thickest folder onto her desk.
"One week," she said. "They've had that thing for one week, and their official conclusion is still 'touching it might explode.'"
Shizune stood across from her with a clipboard tucked under one arm. "Considering what Doto's armor did to Kakashi's lightning and Sasuke's Chidori, caution is reasonable."
"Caution doesn't rebuild houses." Tsunade rubbed her temple. "I have half a village under repair and a budget that looks worse every morning."
She pushed the folder across the desk.
"Kenji fought the armor, watched it absorb attacks, and pulled the regulator out while it was active. Take these questions to him. The workshop needs to know what failed first and what Doto did immediately before the suit lost control." Tsunade leaned back in her chair. "And before you suggest sending a clerk, half these questions involve chakra flow. You're the only person in this building who can understand the answers and stop him from filling the margins with obscene drawings."
Shizune opened her mouth, paused, and closed it again.
Tsunade stared at her.
"I'll leave immediately," Shizune said.
She turned toward the door a fraction of a second faster than usual.
Tsunade paused. Her brown eyes narrowed slightly as she watched her assistant's retreating back.
"You look awfully pleased to be running errands for an arrogant Genin," Tsunade said.
Shizune stopped with her hand on the doorknob and carefully kept her face neutral. "The sooner the workshop understands it, the sooner they can use it for rebuilding."
Tsunade waved her hand dismissively. "Just get the answers and get back here. We still have the chunin promotion reviews to finish tonight."
"Yes, my lady."
Once the office door closed behind her, a smile escaped before Shizune could stop it. She adjusted the folder under her arm and headed for the stairs.
By the time Shizune reached the riverside villa, the sun had already set.
She knocked on the front door. Kenji opened it a moment later, wearing a loose black shirt and casual pants. He stepped aside, gesturing for her to come in.
Shizune walked into the living room and stopped, looking around in surprise. The floors were spotless, the furniture was perfectly arranged, and the usual clutter of weapons and scrolls was neatly organized.
"You cleaned," she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Five shadow clones," Kenji replied, closing the door. "Apparently my greatest forbidden technique is avoiding housework. What brings the Hokage's right hand to my house after dark?"
Shizune walked over to the low wooden table in the center of the room and set the folder down. She kept her posture strictly professional.
"Official business," Shizune said. "The workshop wants to know what happened immediately before Doto's armor stopped working."
She opened the folder to a page covered in sketches of the damaged regulator.
Kenji came around the table and leaned over the sketches beside her.
"The core didn't fail first," he said, pointing at the regulator. "The armor kept swallowing attacks until I pulled this piece out. After that, Doto couldn't control the chakra running through the suit."
Shizune wrote it down. "So they should examine the regulator separately?"
"Exactly. And tell them not to pump chakra into the entire core until they know where it goes." Kenji tapped the page. "I donated advanced technology, not a new crater."
He stayed beside her instead of taking the empty seat across the table. His shoulder brushed hers as he pointed to the next sketch.
The next line of her notes slanted across the page. Kenji had showered after training, and when he leaned closer to point at the folder, his chest brushed her shoulder.
"Are you getting all this down, Shizune?" Kenji asked softly, his voice dropping right next to her ear.
Her pulse jumped. "Yes. I have the technical notes."
Kenji turned his head, looking down at her profile. "You're distracted."
"I am perfectly focused," Shizune lied, staring intensely at the diagram without reading a single word.
"You were bolder on the road," Kenji teased, letting his fingers brush the side of her hand. "Last time we were alone, you didn't hide behind a clipboard."
A deep, betraying flush spread across Shizune's neck. She finally put the pen down and turned to face him, though the close proximity made it difficult to breathe normally.
"This week alone, I've trained Sakura, handled the promotion files, checked Karin's seals, carried messages from the workshop, and stopped Tsunade-sama from threatening the council twice," Shizune said. "I barely have time to sleep, let alone visit you."
"So the assistant needs maintenance," Kenji observed smoothly.
Shizune held his gaze for a moment, then placed the pen on the table. There was no point pretending the folder was the only reason she was glad to be there.
"I knew coming here alone was a mistake," she murmured.
She caught the front of his shirt and pulled him into a kiss.
Kenji's hand settled around her waist as he kissed her back. When they finally separated, Shizune was breathing harder, but she was smiling.
"Finish the report first," she said, though one hand still gripped the front of his shirt.
Kenji looked down at her hand. "Strictly official business."
"Exactly."
Two hours later, Tsunade stamped the same promotion form twice.
She stared at the duplicate mark, swore under her breath, and checked the clock.
Shizune was never late for meetings, reports, or an evening buried under promotion files.
Tsunade glanced at the empty chair beside her desk.
An unwanted image of Shizune standing far too close to Kenji crossed her mind. Her grip tightened around the stamp. The thought was irritating. The warmth that followed was worse.
She shifted in her chair and grabbed the next document.
"That brat is wasting her time," Tsunade muttered.
The wooden handle cracked in her hand.
At the riverside villa, the workshop folder lay open on the low table. Every question had been answered, though the writing on the final page was less tidy than the first.
Shizune set her clipboard on the side table. With the report finally finished, she took a slow breath and undid the top two buttons of her jacket herself.
Beside the sealing scrolls sat a smooth pink device with a curved tip and a small chakra dial at its base.
Shizune had spent years surrounded by medical tools. This was not a medical tool.
She stared at it for three seconds. Then the tips of her ears turned red.
Kenji stepped behind her and followed her gaze to the Chakra-Vibe Deluxe. His arms settled loosely around her waist, drawing her back against his chest.
"Interested in testing new technology?" he asked.
Shizune looked at the device, then back over her shoulder at him. Her blush deepened, but she did not look away.
"You are explaining every setting before you use it."
Kenji smiled. "Very professional."
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