Motoya Tada stood by the gate, staring at the direction Yoru had disappeared in, reluctant to move.
Senju Mei noticed the look in her daughter's eyes and smiled knowingly.
"It seems this teammate of yours is a little different. What kind of person is he?"
Tada's cheeks flushed instantly.
"W-What do you mean different? Mom, what are you saying…"
Mei chuckled softly. "Oh? Then why were your eyes glued to that boy just now? I've never seen you look at Shumu like that."
Tada turned her gaze back to the now empty street, where only the streetlights remained lit.
"I don't really know him either," she said quietly. "We just met today."
Mei frowned slightly. "Just met? Wasn't he in your class?"
She had assumed Yoru was a transfer student.
After all, students occasionally transferred to Konoha's Academy from smaller ninja villages within the Land of Fire. Though Konoha was the largest and strongest, it wasn't the only ninja village in the country.
Tada shook her head.
"He's been in our class all along. I just… never noticed him. For six years."
Mei blinked in disbelief.
"That's impossible. You were in the same class for six years and never even spoke? Didn't exchange a single sentence?"
"Is he very withdrawn?"
In her understanding, even classmates who weren't close would have at least spoken a few times over six years.
Tada smiled faintly. "Not really. Yoru just didn't have much presence. Even less than I did."
Mei was stunned.
If her daughter hadn't said it herself, she would never have believed that someone's presence could be that faint.
A thought crossed her mind, and her expression grew serious.
"Is he difficult to get along with?"
She couldn't help worrying.
In her experience, children who stayed unnoticed for that long were often lonely—or hard to approach.
But Tada shook her head firmly.
"No. Yoru is easy to talk to."
"I don't know why he had so little presence before, but his personality is actually quite good."
Mei studied her daughter's expression.
Whenever Tada mentioned Yoru, her eyes seemed brighter.
Mei felt a headache coming on.
Don't tell me this silly girl is already developing feelings…
Children in this world matured early.
Even though they had only just graduated from the Academy, they were old enough to understand emotions.
And Tada—
Her father was a wealthy magnate of the Land of Fire.
Her mother came from the Senju Clan.
She was beautiful, well-mannered, and her family stood among Konoha's upper class.
It was only natural that boys would like her.
Mei asked carefully, "Then how do you feel about him? The same as Shumu?"
Tada wasn't Naruto.
She understood exactly what her mother was asking.
But she hesitated.
She had only known Yoru for a single day.
She felt goodwill toward him—nothing more.
After a moment of silence, she lifted her head.
"It's different," she admitted softly. "Shumu is my good friend."
"But with Yoru… it feels different."
"I just don't know why."
Mei's brows knit together.
Her worry hadn't been misplaced.
"Maybe it's just curiosity," she suggested gently. "You didn't know him before. That makes him intriguing."
She didn't want her daughter to be deceived by some careless boy.
From Mei's perspective, such caution was only natural.
Their family was not ordinary.
Though not a ninja clan, they were a powerful merchant house.
Combined with her Senju heritage, their standing was comparable to many major ninja families.
They were part of Konoha's elite.
If Tada simply wanted friends, Mei would support it.
But if genuine feelings were involved, then the boy's background and intentions had to be considered carefully.
Tada saw the tension in her mother's face and smiled.
"Mom, are you worried I'll fall for Yoru?"
Mei felt slightly embarrassed at being seen through.
But she nodded.
"You know our situation."
"You're our only child. One day, you'll inherit the Motoya family."
"Who you choose must be considered carefully. We can't risk… complications."
Tada sighed deeply.
"Mom… maybe you and Dad should have another child. I'd like an easier life."
"You silly girl," Mei scolded lightly, her cheeks faintly red.
She truly loved Tada's father.
Their marriage had been one of affection, not arrangement.
Their bond had always been strong.
Tada smiled.
"I'm not sure whether I really like Yoru yet."
"But he feels different from other classmates."
"There's something mysterious about him."
"But when I'm around him… I feel safe."
Mei's expression sharpened slightly.
"Mysterious? Do you mean withdrawn?"
"No," Tada shook her head. "It's like… he's not what he seems."
Mei's brows furrowed more deeply.
That concerned her far more than teenage infatuation.
"Do you think he's approaching you with ulterior motives?"
Tada blinked, then laughed softly.
"Mom, if that were the case, would I still feel this way?"
Though gentle like Hinata, she was not naive.
If someone approached her because of her family background, she would not only dislike it—she would resent it.
Mei nodded slowly.
She trusted her daughter's judgment.
Despite her quiet demeanor, Tada had always thought for herself.
"Then what is it?" Mei asked. "Why does he seem mysterious to you? He's just a freshly graduated genin."
Tada looked thoughtful.
"I think… he's already much stronger than me. Stronger than most of my classmates."
Mei raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Is he that outstanding?"
"Why haven't I heard the Third Hokage mention him?"
"I remember the names of the most exceptional students in this year's class."
"But I don't recall anyone named Yoru."
As someone from one of Konoha's upper circles, Mei had access to that kind of information—especially since her own daughter was among that graduating class.