"Do you want to take a stroll at that bridge?" Sasuke asked while they waited for their food. He was pointing to a small arching bridge over Naka no Kawa, which could be seen from the open shoji windows in their enclosure at ryoutei Kogarashi. The room was subtly lit and the wallpapers were of light tea green color, drawn with patterns of grains of rice.

Across him, Hinata sat on a cushioned, ebony zaisu, leaning with her elbows propped up on the chabudai and resting her sleek mandible on her palms as she gazed out the window, watching as the lanterns tarry across the river and along the riverside where small boats sailed, most of the passengers are two at a time—probably lovers basking in comfort around each other's company underneath the autumn waxing moon.

"Certainly," her eyes shimmered as she answered. "But before that, let's ride one of those boats. Does Sasuke-kun know how to row the oars?"

He smirked and narrowed his eyes at her question. "What do you think of your husband, young lady? I wasn't called a genius for nothing."

She giggled in a subtle flirtatious manner. "I don't believe that a beautiful young man such as Sasuke-kun would be able to do it," she said as she lightly bit on her crimsoned lower lip as the corners of her mouth moved in a slight upturn, stirring the heat inside him.

He briefly chuckled, never taking his eyes off of her. "Was that an insult or a compliment?"

Her mauve huomongi had embroidered orange maple leaves and golden wavy patterns intertwining, quiescent into a helpless deathly fall. Wrapped around her waist is a pale golden silk obi with grass patterns and embroidered small flowers flowing with the wind, the amber resin obi-dome blazing like a navel of smoldering iron brand. An assembly of cloth ornaments folded into a chrysanthemum and pink carnations gathered in her hair neatly held up and metal strips fluttered therefrom twinkling like her eyes, dangling down her isthmus where exotic migratory birds would flock without reproach was Sasuke's whimsical notion.

And best of all, her luscious red tinted lips—a powerful contrast to the deep indigo fringes outlining her face.

She's a vixen even when fully clothed.

Has she ever worn crimson on her lips before? During their wedding, yes. Most occasions, never. Does it actually mean something if a woman suddenly paints her lips red during a night out with her husband? He'll find out when they get home.


Hinata hadn't have a drink and yet a certain drunkenness crept into her entire being. It's totally Sasuke's fault.

A while ago, when she saw him approach the Hyuuga main gate with a bouquet of white lilies on his hand, she asked him if she looked alright.

He couldn't answer at first, looking sideways as if searching for something on the ground with a tinge of blush on his cheeks. He cleared his throat before muttering a yes and he told her, so clearly, that she looked very beautiful. He looked so lost, seeming so adorable as he handed her the bouquet.

It stroke her womanly ego—because he's so adorable, she wants to flirt with him.

Did Hinata ever flirt? No. And the right question would be if the word even crossed her mind before.

She reached for the bouquet placed carefully on her left and deludged her nostrils with their scent.

The last time they went here, back before they were wed, he gave her only one lily. Now, it's a bouquet. He would never admit it and she would never say it to him but, slowly, he is changing; building up acts of kindness upon kindness, gentleness upon gentleness, expression upon expression.

"Sasuke-kun, you gave me plenty of flowers tonight. Does it mean something?"

"Maybe."

"Like taking me out to more dates?" she asked, a sparkle glinting in her eyes.

"Or maybe asking you for favors."

"Hmm… may I ask what those favors are?" she asked, smiling.

"Allow me to make up for the times you spent cradling your husband's clothes instead of being cradled in his arms..."

She sat up to compose herself, feeling the boring heat as he took his turn casually but purposefully leaning on the chabudai with a meaning stare. With a smug grin, he added: "Which could, but not necessarily involve talking you out to more dates."

I need a paper fan!

Hinata's breath rose as invisible flames threatened to scorch her skin. He is so not adorable. She should have known that he really is a manly man—if that ever makes sense. A plethora of vivid imagery flooded her mind and she is yet to find something that's not racy.

"A-ah! S-something l-like holding your hand while we walk?" she answered, holding up the forts of her crumbling defenses—because corrupt thoughts make pretty flowers wilt. The poor white lilies. She must fend off against any impure notion.

"You will?" He smiled at her amusingly but his eyes were daring Hinata. "Hold my hand."

She looked shyly at him from behind the flower petals. Slowly, her hand reached out to Sasuke's open palm and his callous thumb rubbed lazy circles on her skin, his eyes intensely focused on her the whole time. He weaved their fingers together, squeezing her smaller hand. It made her shiver. His touch held static electricity and he placed a chaste kiss on her palm, his hot breath piercing on the concave portion of her hand. Her fingers twitched at the familiar brush of his nose and lips. Him doing so had caused her great concern before.

Suddenly, the shoji at the front end of the enclosure opened and ryoutei Kogarashi's mistress, Akiko, bid her intrusion to usher a waitress to serve the appetizer inside.

Hinata abruptly pulled her hand away, blushing in embarrassment.

"Hinata-sama, it has been quite a while," Akiko bowed, clad in a red-brown kimono. Kogarashi hosted a plenty Hyuga formal dinners and Akiko is a family friend.

The waitress placed small trays of petite grain-textured ceramic bowls holding chilled persimmon salad and sea bream sashimi on the short-legged table.

"Indeed, Akiko-san" Hinata bowed in response. "How have you been?" The shift from a shy girl whose fingers tremored at her husband's touch into a noble lady of regal bearing was almost immediate.

"I have been quite well and the ryoutei has been recovering fairly good—even better than the last time Hinata-sama and Sasuke-sama visited here."

Kogarashi was one of the establishments ruined during Pain's attack in Konoha, and with the resulting economic downturn after the war, it's recovery was substantially hindered, threatening the retention of a 50-year Konohagakure Kaiseki legacy.

"I'm glad Akiko-san," Hinata warmly smiled, reaching out for the woman's hand.

"I am happy for you as well, Hinata-sama," Akiko replied beaming. "You are radiating with bliss and I think I know why."

"Akiko-san…" Hinata shyly muttered.

"I shall bring a vase for your flowers. It would be such a shame if the petals are ruined before you could even press them."

"Arigato gozaimasu."

"The suimono will follow after a while. If you'll excuse us, Hinata-sama, Sasuke-sama," Akiko bowed for one last time before sliding shut the shoji.

"I didn't know you pressed flowers, Hinata," Sasuke wore an uncanny expression. "There's a lot that I don't know about you."

She was going to answer how she only knew a few things about him but she held her tongue and replied with a smile instead.

"Itadakimasu," Hinata said while bringing the tips of her rosy fingers together.

Her tongue delighted at the coolness and mild sweetness of fresh fuyugaki persimmons. However, she noticed Sasuke not partaking any at all. He merely gobbled up the thin sea bream slices then set his hashi down, not even touching the yellow bowl of fruit salad.

"Is it not to your liking, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn." He merely sat there without a hint of emotion, watching her eat.

It didn't occur to her before but thinking back, Sasuke never indulged himself with anything sweet.

But the persimmon should be alright.

Maybe, just maybe, Sasuke would eat it if she tried Sakura's method of making sure Naruto chewed on his food properly—the blonde man had recently found himself having problems with indigestion and his wife doesn't let him have his way of manic eating anymore.

Hinata leaned over to Sasuke, picking on his salad with the hashi placed beside his bowl and lifted it up close to his mouth.

"Aaa—" the vowel pronounced from her shapely crimson lips.

She saw Sasuke's eyelids move to a subtle sharpened glare and he merely gave her an obscure grimace. But Hinata won't falter.

"Aaaah—" she repeated, this time with a hint of cloying appeal.

Sasuke scoffed as he reluctantly opened his mouth and Hinata gently probed the slice of fruit in. When she saw that her husband's actually chewing, being proud of her accomplishment, she smiled sweetly at him and small traces of pink dusted his cheeks.

There he goes being adorable again. She inexplicably lusted after his vulnerabilities and she finds herself giggling in an uncharacteristically flirtatious manner.

"How is it, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, inattentively dabbing Sasuke's hashi in between her lips. "Do you want more?"

"Hn." And it meant positively the second time.


Kakashi was seated in another room. Akiko slid the shoji and a waitress served the Hokage sake.

"Hokage-sama," Akiko bowed. "How was your discourse with the visitors from Kirigakure?"

Kakashi dined together with the Mizukage and her deputy. Securing ties and establishing rapport is one of the most crucial objectives at this point of his administration—something that's stressful altogether. Wherever trouble brewed, whether it be inside or outside of Konohagakure, it's the Hokage's trouble still.

Kakashi sighed. "I don't wanna talk about work." Dark bags were prominent under his eyes as he laid his head on the chabudai.

Akiko closed the shoji after telling the waitress to leave first while she talk with the Hokage.

"Ne, Akiko-chan, tell me something exciting. Even sake might do just a little to quell my fatigue." He gulped the liquor in one swoop. The Kogarashi's mistress drew near Kakashi to pour him some more.

"The romantic kind of exciting perhaps, Hokage-sama?" she asked.

"Oh? Not that I'm into sappy sweet stories but do tell," sharply swinging back his silver head as his hastily gulped the sake on the white porcelain cup.

"Hinata-sama is dining with her husband tonight—he was your student, wasn't he?"

Sasuke taking Hinata on a night out? Kakashi thought, the cogs of his brain turning.

"They looked so in love, he was kissing her hand when we served the appetizers. It's quite unbelievable really, because this is the Uchiha we're talking about. Hinata-sama must've somewhat tamed him, I suppose—mind you, I used to have the image of them as trees on the opposite sides of a broad, stony path—but now, he even gave her a bouquet of flowers!"

Kakashi sprang to life, mischief running along his masked features.

"Akiko-chan, please do me a favor—No,—Do Konohagakure a favor! The future is in your able, beautiful hands!" Kakashi exhorted with exaggeration; something he used for his clueless student's sake—he thinks—for quite a few times already apart from tonight.

つづく


Daifuku Mochiin Corner! 田

Zaisu - Japanese legless chair with chairback

Chabudai - tables with short legs, used while seated on the floor

Tabi - traditional Japanese socks

Huomongi - a semi-formal kimono worn by both unmarried and married women

Kanzashi - traditional Japanese hair ornaments

Suimono - (lit. thing to sip) soup course

Fuyugaki (persimmons) - a variety that becomes sweeter as it ripens