Hello there :)
This one took some time, but it is longer than I though it would be. Though I covered all of the spots I wanted to cover. You will meet with Karui and Choji (the new emotions, still undetermined), with Temari and Shikamaru (who is always planning something), Tenten and Kankuro (who starts to slip away), Ruka (who starts to build up courage), Shee (who crashes into some common problems as alone male having too many carrying 'mothers'). I really hope you have at least half the fun I had writing it :)
And I will be really grateful of feedbacks (really, really :P)
Thanks:
to Pink Shirt for her support as always!
to espressoat10 for the comment and the ideas - I have answered you again in pm, since there is no option to just do under your comment.
to everyone who don't write comments, but still reads and enjoys :)
"You can think whatever you want."
Ruka was stunned by the great variety of herbs she could find in Kumo. She was chatting freely with the merchants about the herb growing, their import and export, their correct preservation…everything she could think of. One of her purposes was to make a few small glass houses in her heritage house's yard, which was located in a small village just a few kilometres away from Kiri. No one was currently living there… She had hired something that could barely be called an apartment in Kiri, but it was close to the Hospital, where she had shifts. The rest of the time she was busy having missions… Actually she was spending almost no time in her living space - she was using it to take shower, to cook something and to sleep. She didn't own a TV, just a bookshelf and cabinet with everything needed for preparation of simple ointments and potions. She was allowed to use the big laboratory in the hospital for perfecting her work recipes. That was her true passion. And someday, if she succeeded to grow the rare plants requiring different climate conditions, she would quit being shinobi and would devote her life to that - perfecting and preparing ointments and potions.
Ameno was smiling at the sight of Ruka, filling bag after bag with herbs and seeds, until both of her hands were uncomfortably full.
"Shee-san, Ittan," Shikamaru said, causing all the eyes to turn, seeking the approaching men he addressed by names.
"What are you doing here?" asked Shee without beating around the bush.
"Ruka asked to come here," explained Amai, tilting his head towards the young woman, who was currently buying the n-th herb bag. Shee's eyebrows raised in genuine surprise.
"Obviously she intends to open her own shop back in Kiri…" Ittan joked and slightly smiled. Personally he found Ruka to be a really nice one. "Now where to?"
"We would like to take a tour around Kumo and take in the sights," replied Ameno, Temari nodded. "But somehow we stuck around this place… We have decided to come here first but by the look of it, we should have come here last…" She chuckled.
"And by the look of it, we will be spending some more indefinite quantity of time here," Temari added, frowning, crossing arms in front of her chest.
"Walk sounds good." Ittan nodded. "I could join you."
Shee took a second look at Ruka - she still hadn't noticed him. Right at the moment nothing else existed but the herbs. Even the merchant she was talking with looked impressed - she was holding a little handbook, pointing out something in there to him.
"Shee-san, would you like to join us as well?" Shikamaru asked politely.
"No," he answered right away. "I still have to get over with one-two personal engagements." He was silent for a few seconds, assessing the bored expression of Shikamaru and the nervous one of Temari. Ameno and Amai were discussing something quietly and didn't look like they were in a haste to leave. Ittan just shrugged when he met Shee's eyes. Then the man turned yet again his gaze to Ruka, who was currently writing down something, having a wide smile over her pleasant face. He sighed, deciding he would free his teammates of their waiting duty. "You can go. I need to deliver something to a nearby place. I could wait for Ruka and then see her off to the inn, so she could prepare herself for the dinner. It is highly impractical for all of us to sit and wait."
"It is true." Shikamaru nodded right away, smiling with relief. So without more discussions, he grabbed in each hand an elbow - one of Temari and one of Ameno, and dragged them on towards the exit of the market. "Off we go," he announced.
Amai slightly bowed to Shee. "Thank you. I will see you later."
"Yes." Shee nodded and looked after him until he hid out of his sight.
Ruka heartily thanked the merchant, bowed to him and went on. She abruptly stopped and took two steps backwards, her eyes digging in something, filled with joy. She screamed quietly in delight over her discovery, causing Shee to smile. She looked just like a small child, who just got a big bag of coins and was currently running in a toy shop. He went after her and stopped close by. Ruka still didn't pay him any attention as it was fully consumed by little dried purple flowers. Shee shook his head…
"Someone can just approach and decapitate you," he said quietly, looking at the small flowers. He expected her to startle, to flinch, to jump aside. That's why he was fully surprised when she returned a wide, happy and calm smile to him.
"I saw what you did there, Shee-san," she softly said. "It was utterly kind of you. They were really bored and I still have some work to get done here." Ruka reached out and squeezed really lightly on his wrist. "Thank you, Shee-san."
At the next moment she was already in a deep conversation with the purple flowers' merchant.
Shee needed a minute to assimilate what had just happened. She had totally underestimated her. She may have looked small, sweet and innocent, causing one to forget she was a shinobi. That didn't change the fact she was one. He smiled just with the tips of his mouth.
Ruka tried to free one of her hands by moving all of the bags to the other one. Unsuccessfully. She huffed in exasperation while apologising to the merchant.
Shee took one hand out of his pocket and reached out. "I will take those," he said shortly and pulled the bags out of her hands. She glanced at him with obvious gratitude. "I am waiting for you over there." He pointed at a little fountain with a few benches around it. "Please don't be too late, I still have some work to get done before the official dinner." Shee turned around and headed to the place he said he would be waiting at.
"Your boyfriend seems really nice," the merchant commented, smiling at Ruka. "Get married to him before another one snatches him off." Shee didn't see the older man wicked or how Ruka blushed in deep red. He actually chose to not react as a grown up would do and not show he had heard a thing. Though a weak curiosity forced him to perk his ears up, he never slowed his pace.
"Oh, he is not my boyfriend," she hastily said. "But you are right, he is a kind person. And whoever woman he asked to marry him, will be a happy one," she explained as if she was apologising, with a wide, still shy smile that Shee couldn't possibly see.
"And why don't you try-" the older man started, but she interrupted him.
"Please, it is really uncomfortable for me. We don't have that type of relationship, even something resembling such. I don't think he is a man that would have his eyes set on a woman like myself. We are different on too many levels…" She was silent for a few seconds and Shee was far enough so her voice was almost unhearable. But he still thought she said something more which sounded unsure and sad. He didn't distinguish any particular words.
He frowned. Ruka definitely possessed the tendency of underestimating herself… He had already noticed it and this "speech" confirmed his suspicions. He didn't know where this doubt was coming from, though it was none of his business, nor was in his area of interest. A shinobi couldn't really afford a lack of confidence. Albeit he never actually saw her in combat… Lack of confidence meant a loss…often of a life.
Her low self-esteem problems were hers. She was in charge of solving them. The only thing he could do about it was to not meddle and make it worse.
—
Karui led the group towards her apartment, which was located in the Lower neighbourhood, where most of the clanless shinobis were living. Also there were some jounin's posts and a big marketplace. She stopped in front of a bright yellow door and just opened it - it wasn't locked. Then she climbed the stairs up to the last fourth floor and headed for the last door to the right. She unlocked it and stepped aside, gesturing to the rest to get in.
Ino and Choji entered first, then the rest, Karui was last so she shut the door closed.
The shinobis took off their sandals and arranged them neatly near the wall. Karui's apartment was really small - there was a really small entry which fit one standing hanger and a small shoe shelf. The entry was flowing into a bigger room which was a common area - a living room with a couch, one stool and small coffee table. There was a TV just against the couch, standing in front of a kneaded bamboo wall, behind which was supposedly Karui's bed. On the right of the couch there was a small kitchen, separated with a short table top. Karui placed the bags there and turned to the rest, letting out a sigh.
"I know it is really small and it is not anything special, but it is mine and it is just enough for me," she claimed, a dangerous spark in her amber eyes.
"What are you saying?!" Ino smiled. "It is cosy!" She rounded the couch and threw herself on it backwards, making herself comfortable.
"Karui, my apartment in Konoha is about the same size, if not even smaller. I also find it really cosy," interjected Tenten.
"My apartment is smaller for sure." Lee grinned and sat beside Ino on the couch, taking the remote so he could switch the TV on.
Choji didn't say a thing but he went to the table top and started to take the supplies out of the bags, arranging them on the surface. Karui gave him a glance, but he didn't return it.
Kankuro walked around the apartment and took a peek into the bathroom, which was against Karui's bed - there was everything in there: a shower, a sink, a laundry basket… no washing machine.
"Karui?" he asked.
"Yes?" She turned to him, her eyebrows were narrowed. Kankuro was barely talking to her in general.
"You don't have a washing machine?" He also turned to her. Only pure curiosity was visible on his face.
"There are a few common washing machines on the first floor, usable for all the tenants for a small charge," she explained.
"Clever." Kankuro nodded in satisfaction and turned to the couch so he could sit on the other side of Lee to see what he picked for watching.
Tenten sighed quietly and turned to Choji. "Do you need some help, Choji?" she asked with a slight smile, but he shook his head.
"Karui will be helping me," he replied quietly and looked at the red-haired woman for a brief moment, a mischievous smile on his lips and warmth in his eyes. Then he turned his attention back to the vegetables.
Tenten shrugged and turned to face the TV.
Karui hung her head down feeling her sides hot. It was so strange to feel so… uncomfortable around him. Even so it was "pleasantly uncomfortable". The way he would look at her, with that joyful little flame in his eyes, as he was inviting her to play a game… The impish smile, especially now, when his cheeks were hollow, was causing tremble in the pit of her stomach. Talking to her was really easy…she didn't have to put extra effort to be liked, as if he was accepting her just the way she was…
"Karui?" She flinched, realising he had said something which she didn't hear.
"I am sorry?" Karui shook her head.
"Would you wash the vegetables?" he asked, the tips of his lips curving up.
Choji had never been interested in the opposite sex. Neither to the same… It was just that he was never interested in dating and wasn't able to understand Ino's compulsive idea to get herself a boyfriend, to go on dates, to get married… Ever since she had lost her mind over Sasuke years ago, he had stopped trying to understand her. He was listening to her whining, of course, he was offering her a shoulder, when she was in need of one. He was happy when she was. But he was never meddling when she needed advice - that was not something in his field of expertise. But Karui… She was something different. When he met her amber eyes for the very first time, something in his subconscious awoke. He felt the urge to smile at her all the time, to communicate with her, to be close to her, to make her smile. Even when she was enraged and started to behave rude, to curse and yell… Even then he didn't feel repulsed… but on the contrary.
He took a glance of her - there was a slight blush on her sides, which she was furiously trying to hide, handing her head low. He felt a strong urge to touch her. So he reached and grabbed her hand. His gestures couldn't be seen from the place of the couch as their lower bodies were hidden by the table top.
Karui's head snapped up, unsure how she should react to this as she had never been an object of a male's attention. Like never. Her hand shivered. He squeezed it lightly and hastily released it. Then he pointed to the piled vegetables on the sink. She pressed her lips in a straight line as she attended to washing the vegetables, Choji started to chop the meat.
—
Tenten sighed while looking from the TV to the couch, where there was no free spot for her. She approached and stood in front of the three comfortably seated shinobis, crossing her arms. She moved her gaze slowly between the, frowning more and more. Obviously the three of them were ignoring her and even were tilting to the side so they could see the screen behind her. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself as she had started to become slightly exasperated.
"Would you make some space for me there? She asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ino shook her head without looking at her, an impish smile appeared over her lips.
"I can move to the stool, Tenten. Come and sit on my spot," offered Lee and attempted to stand, but she dismissed it, waving a hand.
"I don't want you to remove yourself, Lee. I just want you to make a spot so I can sit. The space is enough for the four of us…
"Sit in my lap?" Kankuro grinned, patting one of his thighs.
Tenten looked at him with raised eyebrows. Ever since she shared her feelings towards Neji with him, seeing his reaction of empathy, lack of blame and pity, she had been able to take a deep breath… She had needed this for a long time now. And she started to talk with him even more, feeling him closer and she started to relax around him even more. The way he was thinking and saw the world was a bit different than the way Lee and her girl-friends did. He wasn't trying to comfort her - he was accepting her with her pain. And even so… Even so she wasn't feeling as calm and relaxed as she did around Lee. Though she was sure she had found the right track to a real friendship.
She had never been as close to her old self after the war than she was now. The feeling was weird. She liked to feel herself like she did before - more free, happier, lighter, more…breathing… At the same time a profound guilt would stab her in the chest and would not let her breathe, crashing a whole sky of pain on her. At times she just couldn't accept that she could be happy, that she was…alive, but he…wasn't here. It was not one of those moments right now… Now she was well wrapped in her old, more confident and happier self. She tended to react lighter and more casual, without dragging everything happening through her swamp of self-criticism.
"Kankuro-" she started waringly, "-you are playing with forces beyond your can."
"Am I now?" he teased her, looking her straight in the eyes. "Are you afraid?"
Kankuro knew her well enough to know her true nature was one to compete and rarely would turn down a challenge. He was aware as he offered her to sit in his lap, the action itself was awkward and she would probably find an excuse to refuse. There was a tiny chance she would accept… He just tossed that thought aside confident in her retreat.
"You really think I am afraid to sit in your lap?" Tenten smiled in feigned surprise. "Would you mind explaining to me what would be scary about it exactly?"
"I don't think it's a big deal. But I think you wouldn't dare," he explained, shrugging.
"Man, that was bad…" Lee whispered under his breath, giving him a glance. "Never tease her with a challenge. It is always ending badly… and painfully…"
Even before Kankuro was able to respond or react, she spun gracefully and sat down on the thigh he had patted earlier, inviting her. He froze.
Tenten looked over her shoulder with an impish smile. "You don't look comfortable, to be honest."
Lee laughed heartily and slapped Kankuro's shoulder, shaking his head sympathetically. "That's why I offered to move," he said. "The few times she had sat in my lap, her sciatic bones would dig painfully in my leg. Having in mind she is skinnier now-" He sucked in a breath through his clenched teeth…
"Hey!" She swung to hit Lee, he ducked down, dodging.
"-I am not envying you." Lee finished.
Kankuro didn't dare to move. His arms were tightly tucked in beside his body with his palms sunken in the cushion. His back was straightened and stiff, the surprise was still visible over his face. Obviously that wasn't the expected reaction…
The very truth was Kankuro kind of expected Tenten to sit down in his lap. And even though he was surprised when he caught her spin with the edge of his eyes, her sitting wasn't unexpected. The actual surprise came out of the way he reacted - the contact with her induced an explosion in his senses. A wave of unbearable heat crawled over his whole body, starting from the point she was sitting on his thigh. His senses suddenly sharpened and he realised that she indeed was kind of touching him - he felt her weight, her warmth, her scent… Another wave of strong and sudden arousal forced him to take a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. She was relatively far from his groins and wouldn't notice if she didn't look directly at his crotch. Fortunately she didn't do it.
Tenten frowned when she looked over her shoulder for a second time.
"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, the worry hearable in her voice.
Kankuro shook his head helplessly. He needed space… He needed to get away from there… Right now!
She got up hastily and sat down beside him on the armrest, so she could see him. She placed one hand on his shoulder and frowned again when he flinched under her touch.
"Are you feeling sick?" she asked quietly. "Even through the makeup your face looks a bit flushed. "She reached up and placed her other hand over his forehead.
Kankuro let his head fall back on the backrest and closed his eyes for a brief moment. Her hand was so gentle, her skin was so soft, and he knew she had many scars. He pressed lips in a line, forcing his thoughts out of his mind. Not with her… Not now…
"You are a bit warmer than you should be, but I don't think you actually have a fever," she said and retracted her hand.
Another hand laid on his forehead and he opened his eyes. Lee was hovering over him with a worried expression on his expressive face.
"No, you haven't got a fever," he concluded.
"You know…" Kankuro pushed all the hands attached to him. "I am just going to wash my face and take a glass of water." The man got up and headed to the bathroom.
He tried his best to move calmly and confidently until he entered the bathroom and locked the door. He set the tap of the sink running and leaned over it, supporting his body with his hands. He looked at himself in the little wall mirror. "What are you doing?" he asked his own reflection. "You can't go on and get all excited, she is your friend and she is not ready for a relationship. She doesn't want a relationship. You don't want a relationship. And you can't just sleep with her. Get a hold of yourself!"
He splashed water on his face - his makeup was waterproofed anyway, or it would go all smeared over the first sweaty drop on his forehead.
His arousal disappeared fast enough, but the pounding of his heart, hitting the inside of his rib cage, refused to subside. He shook down his head and took off his hood. Then he watered his hands and ran them over his hot nape, but he changed his mind and stuck his head under the tap. He took a few deep and slow breaths while the cold water was cooling him, running through his hair and flowing over his cheeks.
Kankuro was aware of what was happening to him, he was no fool, nor did he tend to fall into delusions. He was not a coward either. But to start falling for Tenten… exactly for her... was bad. If he had to be honest with himself, as he often was, to start falling for her wasn't unexpected. Because of Kurotsuchi's wager, he had started to communicate with Tenten on purpose. He quickly discovered that he actually really liked her personality - both her way of thinking, and her sense of humour, her honesty as well. When she poured her heart out in front of him the other night, sharing her maybe most personal secret with him, he knew he was doomed. And even the fact he liked her so much wasn't a problem on its own. The problem was she didn't need anyone to hit on her. She needed a friend, a strong hand capable of pulling her up, and of a shoulder to lean on. She needed someone to shatter down her walls, so she could have an end. Or force her to break them walls alone… But that… His feelings would start to get in the way. It was possible for his sober judgement to get blurred, he knew that much. He wanted to avoid it. Which meant he should hurry up and take her out of her little fortress of pain. And when he successfully did that, she would start to hate him, she would push him away and she would pull herself as far away from him as possible. He was certain about that. To be able to help her, he shouldn't let even a hint of thought about him feeling something more for her enter in her head. Giving her the fresh start she so much needed, was way more important than his fascination towards her. He had realised that her normal life had way higher priority than anything else.
There was a quiet knock on the door. He turned the water off and sighed one more time before standing up.
Kankuro unlocked the door, meeting the amber eyes of Karui. She looked at him and without words just went to the drawer beside the bathroom door and against her bed, and took out a towel. She gave it to the man. She never asked anything, but gave him a questioning glance. He smiled slightly, nodding instead of verbally expressing gratitude.
Karui turned and headed back to the kitchen.
When Kankuro started to dry his hair, Tenten glanced at him warily. The moment the door's lock had clicked, Ino had pulled her so they could sit next to each other, pushing Lee away. She had said really carefully that according to her there was a possibility - she emphasised on this word - that Kankuro started to fall for Tenten. The latter rejected the statement. Ino's next suggestion was that it was possible Kankuro had gotten a physiological reaction, which could cause him discomfort - Tenten tended to take this idea as more plausible, even if she felt weird by the thought.
Tenten was genuinely scared when he unwillingly avoided making eye contact with her after he got out of the bathroom. Dreaded shiver passed through her body. The only thought in her head was screaming "no"... Whatever it was, they should clear it out. She didn't want him falling for her… And if that was the case, she would end their relationship right away. She just couldn't allow unsuitable ideas to grow into his head…
Tenten approached him. He stopped drying his hair and looked at her with a silent question, masterfully expressed with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"We need to talk," she simply said. Tenten was the type to beat around the bush. There were topics she found hard to deal with… But she preferred to not touch them at all or calling things with their real names.
Kankuro nodded and gazed upon the little glass door, leading to an almost decorative terrace just beside Karui's bed. He headed there, opened the door and waited for Tenten to get out, then he followed, closing the door behind him. His heart had started to pound harder again… The space was really small, so they were barely standing beside each other without touching.
"Ino think you may have a little crush on me." Tenten didn't look at him, she was looking ahead. She couldn't look at him, because she was afraid of the blond woman being correct in her assumption.
For a brief moment he felt as if he was falling down into a hole. He had seen that Ino was really intuitive but he definitely didn't want her ideas to get in Tenten's head. He was going to have a chat with her later on, just to be sure whatever popped in her head, would stay there unshared. What was important now, was to focus on the conversation. He had to keep calm and sober.
"Why does Ino think I may have a crush on you?" He stuck his hands in his pockets and pinched hard on his thigh. He succeeded in keeping his voice calm and low.
"Because of your reaction earlier," Tenten explained and took a glance at him.
"And what exactly was my reaction earlier according to Ino?" That was a defensive mechanism of his, which he never used with Tenten yet as he never needed it. When he surrounded one with questions, he was winning time while working his way out of an awkward situation.
"Atypical? She thinks you actually blushed because I was sitting on your leg and you felt…uneasy…" She slightly blushed.
"Now, why would I feel uneasy?" He leaned on the railing, placing his elbows there, looking in the distance. He pretended to not notice the charming pink colour covering her cheeks.
"Because-" she sucked in a breath and bit on honesty, "-Ino thinks you were aroused, because I sat on your thigh," she said hastily and let her head hang down.
Kankuro thought over this for a moment. He didn't want to lie…though he couldn't tell her the truth. There was only one option left - partial truth to reasonable extent according to the set purpose.
"She is right."
Tenten's head snapped up and she bore her gaze on his face - his features wore a serious expression, his eyes were looking at something afar.
"So…you have a crush on me?" she stuttered, her face frozen in dread.
"Why on Earth my uneasiness, caused by arousal in a bad time, has to do something with me having a crush on you by all means?" He raised an eyebrow, turning his head aside, so he can look her straight in the eyes.
"Oh.." She kept silent for some time and shrugged.
"You are a woman, very attractive one furthermore. Physical proximity with an attractive woman tends to get a normal man excited," he evenly explained. "You were in my lap. My body reaction, even inappropriate, was kind of…normal. As for the rest…your sciatic bones digging in my thigh's flesh were indeed painful." He shrugged.
Tenten suddenly relaxed - his stiff body could be explained with pain. And about the other thing… Lee had never been aroused when she was sitting in his lap. But Lee saw her as a real sister. It would have been disgusting if her proximity made him excited this way. The situation with the other man was obviously different.
"Did you calm down now, when we discussed and cleared this…problem out?" he asked gently.
"Yeah," she admitted. "I feel flattered that you find my body attractive… But I really don't want you to have a crush on me. I like what we have just the way it is." Tenten looked at him straight in the eyes. "I like our friendship and I don't want to lose it."
Kankuro nodded. Of course he could understand painfully well what she was saying. She still loved Neji even though it wasn't fully clear for her, that her love was directed to a mere memory, not a real person.
"I also like it." He was sincere.
Kankuro turned and opened the door. He entered inside, waiting for Tenten. Then he closed it and headed to the rest. Pulling the stool from under the table, he sat on it keeping careful distance so he won't be too far to drag attention, but far enough in order to not allow a physical contact. His heart had finally calmed and he would try hard to keep it that way.
—
Shikamaru was walking slowly with his hands in his pockets, looking around the buildings. Amai was really an enthusiastic guide and was telling historical facts with fervour in an interesting way. Temari looked like she was really interested and was even asking questions, a polite smile over her lips.
Kumo had really unique architecture because it was actually two layered. There were rock pillars around the whole village, some of them had stairs, coiling around them. When Shikamaru held his sight upwards, he noticed there was a wooden terrace around each pillar, which was connected with some of the others due to bridges made of wood and rope. When he asked Amai about it, the latter had explained that it was the so-called "second village floor". It was used mainly by the patrols and the pedestrians who needed to reach a certain place faster. He mentioned a rope system that allowed really fast access to the hospital from the village's gates. Ameno was really interested in that so she started to interrogate him thoroughly.
After two hours of walking, Amai offered to visit a famous local tea house and refreshed themselves before going back to the inn and preparing for the dinner. When they reached the place, they had to wait for some time before they were led to a short table, close to one of the inner corners of the room.
The table was on the left from the walking area - it was elliptical, short and very slick. There were big cushions to sit on the floor beside it, the table itself was discreetly surrounded by a bamboo wall, ensuring some privacy.
Shikamaru smiled slightly to himself, leaning on the wall, letting Ittan take a place first - just across the path, on the head of the table. Before Temari could slide in next, he did so, taking a place just next to Ittan, but setting his back comfortably on the wall.
Temari raised an eyebrow, placing a hand on her hip. "I was left with the impresion you had better discipline," she noted and glanced at him with the edges of her eyes.
"Temari… In approximately five minutes you would want to get up and visit the ladies room, and will want me to get up."
She burst out laughing, Ameno delicately gestured to Amai to sit against Shikamaru, so she would also be closer to the path.
"We have been eating out and drinking tea too many times." She waved her hand dismissively in front of the confused gazes of the rest of the group. "We have been working together for five years now."
Temari couldn't really get angry at him. Although it seemed rude and tactless that he didn't leave her to choose her place, he actually took in consideration a habit she didn't think of. So while smiling just so briefly, she slid on the place beside Shikamaru, crossing her legs under the table.
Shikamaru let his head lean on the wall behind him and closed his eyes the moment their order was placed. Temari and Ameno got up and indeed headed to the ladies' room. And after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Ittan decided he would give it a try in lighting the mood.
"If those two are the typical representatives of Suna kunoichis, I would say that their village has beautiful women," he said with a soft smile on his face.
Shikamaru cracked his eyes open and gazed upon him with kind of a curiosity while Ameno blushed and nodded.
"Ameno looks really kind and caring." Ittan continued in the matter-of-factly.
"She is," Amai admitted with a smile.
"But this is the nature of most medics anyway, they are good at taking care of others…" He continued, still smiling. "Though you two communicate quite a lot, I guess she is pleasant company as well." Ittan patted Amai's shoulder sympathetically. "Just be careful and make sure you look in the same direction."
There was silence again for a couple of minutes.
"And Temari-" He looked at Shikamaru.
"Temari is the most brutal and troublesome woman, capable of walking on Earth on her really strong legs, causing severe migraine attacks," Shikamaru interrupted, making the other two men burst into laughter.
"Thank you," she interjected, stepping out of the bamboo wall over the path. "That was the nicest thing you have ever said about me," she clarified, causing yet another wave of laughter, though this time Ameno joined as well.
"You are welcome," he replied, without even making an effort to open his eyes.
Temari shook her head in amusement, sitting beside him, crossing her legs again. At the same moment their teas arrived as well as a big plate with various sweets. Amai's explanation was that those sweets were typical for Kumo. Then he went on to describe the different kinds of sweets available in the different seasons while successfully including fun facts or a little funny story. It was pleasant to just listen to him.
Temari took her cup and presented it to her lips, intending to sip carefully. Shikamaru shifted and slightly changed his position, intentionally pressing his knee to hers - she stiffed for a few seconds with her lips around the rim of her cup. The man didn't advance further, so she thought that was it… and relaxed backwards, leaning her back over the wall.
"I see why you picked those spots." She smiled at him. "You can be the lazy-ass you are, fully relaxing."
The tips of his lips curled up in a too impish smile and he gave her a brief glance with the edges of his eyes.
"Would this be the only reason?" he asked quietly, to which she tried to not to react, though she was already alert.
Next thing Temari felt was Shikamaru's fingers sliding over her bare knee. She looked at him with shock - he wasn't showing any signs of whatever emotion, but he replied to her gaze with feigned concern. "Temari, are you alright?" he asked.
Her face started to redden more from anger than from embarrassment. She bit the inner side of her lips helplessly. She couldn't possibly grab his hand to move it as her gesture was going to drag attention to what was happening. And his fingers were so warm, the calloused skin of his hand was slightly scratching hers, causing her sudden sensation of rising excitement in her lower abdomen. The next moment she realised that Shikamaru had planned exactly what he would do even before they sat down. And even so this daring man - the man who claimed his feelings to her nonetheless - was so damn attractive to her, she still had to keep her mind unclouded to not let the other shinobis suspect anything. If she had to be honest to herself, she found this side of him irresistible - this side she didn't know yet, but she couldn't wait to get familiar with.
"Yes…" She placed her hand over her cheek, smiled and dismissively waved with the other hand. "I just bit myself. It is nothing, really."
Ameno smiled sympathetically and the rest of the men just nodded.
"Well, in this case it is good you are not a poisonous snake," Shikamaru said by the way, smirking.
Temari gave him another look with raised eyebrows while the others were failing in suppressing their laugh.
"Shikamaru Nara, what are you trying to say, exactly?" She crossed her hands in front of her chest, turning to face him, frowning.
"That I am truly happy your viper fangs are only imaginary." He turned his head, finally facing her, so she could look into his eyes. And she shuddered. Her whole body instantly covered with goosebumps, and an extreme tension appeared in her lower abdomen that she couldn't remember feeling for a very long time. He was just…hot… She cursed innerly that she didn't foresee his plan and didn't sit on the other side next to Ameno instead of here.
Shikamaru's fingers stubbornly kept drawing little circles over her knee, forcing her to focus on not trembling or shivering. Her head slowly emptied, the conversation turned into just a background noise until Ameno called her, her eyebrows high into her forehead, her expression - awaiting. She was obviously waiting for an answer…which Temari couldn't possibly give as she never heard a question in the first place.
"You seem a little off." Ameno noted . "Wouldn't it be a good idea if you just go back and lay down until we start to prepare for the dinner?"
Temari thanked innerly but just nodded.
"You are right. It seems like I could use an hour of sleep." She leaned ahead and pushed Shikamaru's hand aside indiscernibly. Then she smiled apologetically and slowly got up. "I am sorry I will leave you earlier than intended, but Ameno is right."
"I will accompany you." Shikamaru sighed, obviously bored. "I can't possibly risk losing Gaara's sister in Kumo. My head is going to be decorating his wall if anything happens to you." He got up as well, sticking hands into his pockets.
"I am not going to get lost!" she sharply said. "Please stay here and free me out of your presence for an hour." Her words were bitter and somehow desperate, and he failed to fully suppress the slight tremble of the tips of his mouth. She wanted space so she could restore the solid ground under her feet.
"Unfortunately, I should note that no matter how terrifying you can be sometimes, Gaara is still ahead of you in my personal fear list. Come on."
Temari huffed and moved aside, letting him come to the path.
"He just wants to go to sleep… lazy-ass…" she hissed, causing slight smiles from the rest of the shinobis.
Shikamaru shrugged and didn't answer.
When they got out on the street and headed to the inn, she gave him a devastating glance. "That wasn't called for."
"You transformed into Lee," he reminded her, returning her a glance. "And touched me." Temari smiled, obviously still happy with the performance she came up with earlier. "It was totally called for."
Temari looked at him again, her pink lips were still stretched in a smile, lips he wanted to taste again and again. She took notice where his eyes were looking and stepped closer to him. "Do you want to kiss me?" she asked in a low voice.
Shikamaru abruptly stopped, placed a hand on her shoulder and forced her to turn to him. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly through his clenched teeth, there was distinguished exasperation in his eyes. Temari raised her eyebrows questionably.
"Temari… That would be the least I want to do to you."
His face was serious, her cheeks slowly covered with blush…
—
Ruka approached Shee, having a guilty expression plastered on her face, and carrying seven more bags with herbs. She didn't mean to take so long, but… She didn't know if she would get another chance to visit Kumo, or if those herbs would ever get imported in her village. So she decided to take a chance, to be brave and take care about fueling her true passion. Since that moment, when she dared to caress someone else's hand with no permission during the very first ritual, she found some traces of courage and audacity inside of her. She started to feel good in her own skin occasionally - still rarely, but they were there…
"I am sorry, Shee-san." She bowed low and stood this way waiting for his permission to rise.
"Did you get everything you wanted? He asked and she couldn't quite tell if he sounded amused or annoyed.
"Yes, Shee-san," she confirmed.
He sighed. "You can rise, Ruka."
She lifted her big black eyes to him - he looked back, his expression was undefined, his lips were pressed in a line.
"Where are you going to put all of…this?" He pointed at the bags,
"I spoke with Tenten earlier. She promised to seal my herbs in a scroll, so they won't take up much space."
Shee nodded approvingly. Smart girl, he thought.
"Off we go," Shee said and got up.
Ruka followed him in silence, still feeling guilty about making him wait for her. Shortly after he just stopped, she barely avoided crashing in his back.
"Would you stop walking behind me?" he asked with slight exasperation in his voice.
She gazed up in surprise, her cheeks started to redden.
"I apologise, Shee-san." She took a step aside, then one more ahead, standing side by side with him.
"It is hard to talk to someone, if the mentioned someone follows your heels," he explained slightly softer.
Ruka blushed even harder and looked at the ground.
"I didn't realise a conversation with me would be of any interest to you," she barely muttered.
"Why not?" Shee asked a bit intrigued.
"I am just not sure I could tell anything that you would find interesting," she quietly admitted.
"The conversation with you following 'women' night' was quite interesting for me," he pointed out.
The young woman averted her face aside, trying hard to hide. Surprisingly for himself, Shee felt annoyed by that.
"What is the problem here?" He sighed and started walking again, slowly. "It didn't seem hard for you to speak then."
"I was heavily intoxicated back then," she justified herself, "And now I am not."
"Were you drunk less than ten minutes ago, when you didn't stop chatting with the merchants? Or during all the days during the mission up until now, when you were calm enough to talk with the other girls, Chojuro and… actually the rest of the group?" he asked slightly sharper than he meant to.
Ruka sucked in a sharp breath. "That's different," she quietly confessed.
"Why is it different?" He was convinced he wanted information and he would not let her slip out of it. Why did talking to him seem to be a problem?
Ruka realised she didn't have a proper answer to his question. Even before the women' night she was struggling to talk with him - there was no particular reason, just the words wouldn't come out. She had imputed it to his serious face and withdrawn demeanour at first. But after the women' night, when Shee had volunteered himself to take care of her as a teammate, he had been behaving extremely properly and even kindly. At that point it was not hard for her to talk to him, it was even…easy. But afterwards… When she had sobered up, communicating with him seemed to be even harder, albait his attitude towards her was the very same. Then what was the answer to his question? Ruka decided she will be honest about whatever she could define…
"I…I touched you… in the market…without permission…" she mumbled, Shee instinctively looked at his wrist, which she had actually lightly squeezed earlier, just before he took the bags and retreated to the side. "And made you…wait for me."
"Ruka-" he spoke, forcing his voice to appear as calm as possible. He carefully rubbed the bridge of his nose while taking a breath. "-your touch was indeed surprising but I didn't express any disagreement with it, did I?
She nodded stiffly, stubbornly looking at her feet..
"I didn't express any disagreement, because you didn't do anything I would disagree with. That was a reaction, naturally coming to you while expressing gratitude. Some people need physical contact to express their emotions - I do not have such urges, but you obviously do." Ruka's sides inflamed even further if that was possible at all. "And about the waiting part - if I had thought you would take too long, I would have done something about it - I would have made you hurry up." Shee glanced at her. "Have we sorted that out?"
Ruka nodded again.
"Is there anything else that would stand in the way of our normal communication?" He slightly tilted his head, trying to see something more from her face than part of really red cheek. Unsuccessfully - she was one head shorter than him.
"I am not sure I can say anything more," she hastily said.
"So there is something more?" he asked, but she neither nodded, nor said anything. "Is it that scary?"
She shook her head.
"Shameful?" He tried with the second most common reason for communication refusal and she nodded. "I assure you I will not allow myself to react in a disrespectful way, no matter what you tell me."
He sounded confident enough, so she did believe him. She had never allowed himself to be disrespectful to anyone. Well, maybe he did intentionally behave disrespectfully according to Atsui… But it was intentional after all. Ruka still hesitated. She didn't know what Shee was thinking of her, but she didn't want to ruin it in case it was a positive one. If he had an opinion about her, that was… Even so, he had asked a question and promised to not laugh at her…
"After you took the bags and went to the fountain to wait for me, the merchants were convinced you were my…special friend. They… they knew you… And some of them made really inappropriate comments, making me feel really uneasy… and forced awkward images in my head. I am ashamed of them." She finished, pressing her hands over her chest.
"Firstly…" He sighed. "They know me only because I am Raikage's bodyguard and they have seen me on formal occasions. They don't personally know me, they don't know anything about me, unless it is gossip and speculation." He glanced at her. "Secondly, if the images in your head had appeared after their comments, there shouldn't be any problem. Soon they will just disappear and you will calm down." His voice became low. "And thirdly, even if you were my special friend, that would be none of their business," he almost hissed at the last words.
Shee had turned 26 years on the 3rd of April. And according to a large number of people - which meddled in his life uninvited - he was awfully late to find a wife. Every kunoichi he happened to bring into the village for work, directly turned out to be his future wife. It has been exhausting… Why wouldn't they just leave him be… Why wouldn't they accept he didn't want to be married and have kids? He just wanted to serve Kumo until he could and die and honour death. Was it so hard to comprehend?
"I am really sorry, Shee-san," she mumbled, forcing him out of his angry thoughts.
"Why are you being sorry? You haven't done anything wrong."
"I…you just look…angry…and sad at the same time."
"I am not sad." He shook his head. "Just angry."
Without putting any thought in it, Ruka instinctively reached out and stroked his elbow. And pulled her fingers away as if he burned her when she saw him turning his head to his arm.
"I am sorry!" She almost cried. "I am so sorry! That would have been an expression of empathy, nothing more!"
Sheе glanced at his elbow, terrified of the goosebumps he got from her touch. He shook his head and increased the pace.
"It i s not your fault. The anger I feel is my responsibility, I am the one that has to handle it," he said evenly. "Every feeling that is in me is my responsibility," he added silently, muttering only with lips, no sound left.
Ruka kept looking at the ground and started counting while breathing in and out, so she could calm down. Shee was right - one's feelings were one's responsibility. And if she felt ashamed, she was the one to get over it. There was no one to do it for her. Fortunately for her, Shee didn't say anything more, which gave her enough time to set her bubbling emotions under control and start thinking more clearly. She went through his words from earlier and realised that nothing big happened. He didn't laugh at her, he didn't belittle her feelings in any way, on the contrary - he had given her an answer, logical and respectful nonetheless, with no accusations. A few minutes later she dared to lift her eyes up and look at him - his face was just as usual - peaceful and expressionless, didn't give away anything.
"All better?" he asked without looking at her.
"Yes, thank you," she replied, giving him a smile. He nodded.
Shortly after he stopped in front of a big two-floor building and confidently opened the door, then he stepped aside to let Ruka enter first. There were a lot of lockers in the hallway, almost like in school, though those had their keys into the keyholes. Shee picked a locker and carefully started to stock the herb bags inside. When he was done, he reached to take the rest of the bags from the woman's hands. He stocked them as well. The lock was shut closed, he locked it and gave Ruka the key. His fingers brushed her palm really briefly - she felt as if this light touch had shot electric impulses through her whole arm. Sudden fear forced her to jerk her hand away. On the other hand he looked indifferent and unfussed, and just slightly frowned at her reaction. Ruka successfully suppressed the blushing that was threatening to appear on her face and put the key in her pocket.
"I must warn you…" Shee sighed, halting in front of a big door at the end of the hallway. "We are in an Elderly establishment. You will be waiting for me in the common room, where you will have to handle a lot of very curious and often tactless old women and men. They will attempt to pry into your very private life. I suggest you give them as little information as possible on whatever topic they talk about. They possess the nasty habit of creating and spreading gossip just for the fun of it.
Ruka nodded slowly.
"Ready?" he asked carefully.
"Yes," she whispered back.
Shee gazed at her one more time and smiled the briefest smile over her determinate expression - she looked ready for a battle, not for a conversation with old people that were not in full possession of their faculties. He opened the door and confidently headed directly towards a big table near the windows on the right side of the room.
Ruka looked around, taking in the room - it was a small hall with different size tables scattered around, and about twenty old people sitting around them. Some were playing shogi, some were playing cards. A woman was painting a picture over the corner. Three men were sitting in very comfortable armchairs, reading books. All of them were wearing glasses.
Shee had targeted a table with four women sitting around it. One of the women was sewing a tapestry, another was knitting, both of the rest were just talking and laughing. When the shinobis were close enough, the women took notice and raised their voices with happy greetings.
"Shee-kun!" The knitting woman grinned. "We are so glad to see you!"
"Thank you, Nia-san." He gave a light bow and to Ruka's surprise, he smiled warmly. "Good afternoon to all of you, kind women," he greeted the rest, making them chuckle. "This is Ruka-san, with whom I share a mission at the moment, as well as with about fifteen more shinobis. Would you mind keeping her company while I am upstairs?" he asked politely.
"Of course!" Nia turned to the young woman and smiled. "Come to us, dear girl. Shee-kun has most certainly found you the best company possible with us." She waved a hand to him as if she was trying to shoo him away. "Go! She is waiting."
"He is a good boy," said the woman, sewing tapestry. "He is visiting his grandmother regularly and checking up on her."
Ruka raised her eyebrows. Shee didn't tell her where they were going or why. But now she could see the reason- that, here, was purely personal engagement. She even felt bad from the fact she knew something so far away from his work - that was actually something from his life, apart from being shinobi. And Ruka felt it was kind of wrong for her to know…
"I suppose he is," she said evasively, smiling with embarrassment.
"Awww, look at her! She is so cute!" one of the other women cooed, placing a palm over her own cheek. "She's like a doll!"
Ruka blushed in yet another embarrassment- the woman was talking as if she was a little figurine without an opinion.
"Stop it, Vaala! Look how uncomfortable she is," Nia scolded her and turned to Ruka, "I am sorry, dear. Not many young people are visiting this establishment. And you are really pretty."
When Nia had started talking, Ruka had felt better for a moment, but during the last sentence, she just wished the ground would open and swallow her whole. Shee was right - they were tactless. And obviously they were lacking a sense of shame…
"How old are you, dear?" the woman with the tapestry asked.
"I will be 21 in October." She smiled.
"Wonderful age." The woman smiled back. "I remember when I was 21-"
"You remember, my ass!" The woman that had called Ruka cute interrupted, laughing. "At 21 you were pregnant with your second!"
"It is true, it is true…" she nodded with a warm smile.
"What about you, dear? Do you have children?" Nia asked.
"N-no." Ruka smiled with embarrassment, stuttering.
"How about a husband?" the woman with the tapestry asked.
"Also no." Ruka dared to smile slightly and the women exchanged gazes as if they were having a conversation, she was not privy to.
"Ruka-san, Shee-kun said you are a shinobi?" Now only Nia was speaking, the rest just smiled and listened.
"Yes, Nia-san," the young woman confirmed. "I am shinobi from Kirigakure and at the moment I am on a mission together with Shee-san and other shinobis from other villages."
"From Kiri!?" exclaimed the woman that hadn't said anything until now. "I have a soft spot for the people of Kiri." Her smile was warm and dreamy. "My husband was a shinobi from Kiri. He was the kindest and most wonderful man…" her voice trailed off in sadness and she went quiet with a sigh.
The other women looked at her sympathetically, Nia reached out and patted her shoulder.
"What is your specialty?" asked the woman with the tapestry. "I used to wield a katana when I was young." She added to point out to Ruka the right direction of wanted information.
"I…am not fighting with a katana." She smiled shyly. "I am currently finishing my medical education," she explained.
"And you are 21? Isn't it expected for you to have finished your education?" asked the woman, who Nia had called Vaala.
"This is…prequalification," mumbled Ruka. "I have specialised in undercover missions beforehand." She smiled widely, hoping she could cover her lack of comfort.
"I could imagine it would be exhausting." Nia nodded. "To not have an identity, to always be someone else, someone, different, somewhere else…"
"Yeah." Ruka nodded with relief.
"I understand why you have asked for a change." she kept nodding. Then she set her knitting on the table and distractingly started to rub her hand joints.
"Arthritis?" asked the young woman, tilting her head towards Nia's hands.
"Yes." She laughed. "This can't be fixed by the medics, can it?"
Ruka set her backpack over her knees and started to search for something until she took out a little jar.
"It can't be fixed, that's correct." Handing the jar to Nia. "That ointment is used for cartilago's surface nutrition and relieves the pain. It doesn't heal exactly, but relieves to the proper extent. If you would let me?"
Nia nodded with obvious curiosity and let Ruka rub the yellow ointment over her hands.
"Ha!" She smiled. "The sensation is both warm and cool, it is really pleasurable."
Ruka placed the jar on the table. "Here, I will leave it to you. I will make another one for myself to use - the herbs needed are easy to find in Kiri." She smiled genuinely, pure delight was written all over her face.
"You have a really good heart," Nia concluded. "Your boyfriend is probably one happy man."
"Perhaps he would be, had I had one." Ruka smiled and realised she had fallen in a trap, if she judged by the way the women smiled at her.
"You don't have a boyfriend, is that so?" Vaala specified.
"N-no?"
"What is wrong with Shee that you haven't grabbed him by the collar yet?" the woman, whose husband was coming from Kiri, said straight away.
Ruka blushed and helplessly opened and closed her mouth a few times.
"This is not how it is done, Ilui!" Nia scolded. "I am sorry, dear… It is just that we all love Shee very much - we have known him since he was a baby. And we all think it is time for him to find a partner in life."
"In his case, he is so damn lost, that the woman should be the one to find him…" Ilui mumbled. "There should be a woman to pin him to the wall and to-" Nia shot her a warning glance. "-kiss some sense in his prideful nob. He thinks he doesn't need anyone."
The young woman couldn't believe her ears. She failed to connect the image of the man they were talking about with the image of Shee. It couldn't be about the same person…
"I am sure Shee-san has his own preferences and criteria for eventual future wife," she muttered quietly, drived by a twisted urge to defend his dignity. "You really may try to trust him more. He should be the one that knows what is best for him."
"I don't think that way." Nia shook her head. "He is thick-headed, prideful and in his mind is only duty - to the Reikage and the village. He doesn't think of himself at all."
"But if he is honest in executing his duty to his Kage and village, that makes for the great shinobi he is," Ruka contradicted. "And in case this is enough for him…why wouldn't it be enough for you?" She was talking quietly, but her tone was sharp. Ruka was putting herself in his place - she was suffering through something similar. She felt passionate about creating and perfecting recipes for ointments and potions, to grow plants, and that was enough for her. It was not enough in the eyes of the other people. They just couldn't understand how it was possible for her to refuse perfecting surgical medicine techniques, to refuse investing time in creating and learning more advanced fighting techniques, to not have the desire to be teaching genins or aim entering ANBU.
"That's the question for an answer of which I would gladly give my left hand." Shee's voice came from behind her, so she flinched, tried to get up, crushed her knees into the table's rim, and sat back with watery eyes from the pain. "Thank you, Ruka," he said quietly and stood next to her full height with a slightly angry look on his face. "I do understand that it is out of my capacity to make you stop interrogating me, forcing me go on dates, and simply torturing me because of the lack of girlfriend, wife and children. But to get my teammates involved is crossing every border of decent behaviour. Leave her alone!" He gave a glance to each of the elderly women, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Not every person has a sole life purpose to get married and have kids. Some of us want something else. And if you can't accept it for me, please respect the other shinobis' choices."
He didn't really shout or even raise his voice, but his tone was extremely sharp and Ruka hardly suppressed her body to shiver. For the very first time she felt his authority with full strength. And what shocked her was the women' reaction - they just frowned slightly, Nia shook her head as she was rejecting every single word he spoke.
"You can think you want something else." Nia's expression was left calm. "You can think whatever you want. But someday you will feel an eclectic bolt when a certain hand touches you. Your heart will pounder so hard and fast, that will hurt. Someday you won't be able to kick a certain person's image out of your mind and the only desire you will have will be to fall asleep and to wake up next to the very same woman every single day. Then you will want to get married. Then you will want children… And not just to have them, but because they will be something you will share with the person you love so much." She waved her hand dismissively. "Until that time comes, think about duties, Kages and villages."
Shee shook his head and carefully pulled back Ruka's chair to help her get up.
"It was a pleasure," Ruka muttered with flushed cheeks and bowed to the women. "I hope it helps." She tilted her head towards the little jar on the table.
"Oh, it is already helping." She grinned.
Shee raised an eyebrow but didn't ask anything.
"Could you wait for me in the hallway, please? I will be right there." He gave her a slight apologetic smile.
Ruka took a fast glance at the women, bowing to them one more time, and wished them to have a nice day and to stay healthy. Her black eyes glanced at Shee as to make sure he really wanted her to leave him alone with them. Then she hastily left the hall, leaning with a sigh on the wall.
"Shee-" Nia started with a serious look on her face, "-this girl is suitable for you. Don't let her slip away from you."
He took a deep breath, clenching his hands in fists. "No, she is not suitable for me. I don't like her for a future wife." His voice seemed to be quiet and defined.
"Why not? She is kind, heartily, pretty, young-"
"Too young, she is," added Shee under his breath, interrupting the older woman.
"Your age difference is five years. You may feel it now, but it won't matter at all in ten years."
"Ten years is a long time. There is no guarantee I will be alive," he noted, crossing arms yet again. "Which doesn't matter now, because I don't like her, I am not asking her out, and I don't intend to marry her."
"She defended you." Ilui interjected and he looked at her. "We have talked with some of your female teammates before. Some of them agreed with us, some of them kept silent. She defended you. She literally told us to get lost and leave you alone. She is a keeper, Shee."
The young man closed his eyes for a brief moment, took a deep breath and shook his head. There was no sense to argue with them. They were all close-minded and stubborn. No matter what he was about to say, they would repeat the same quotes over and over again - get a wife, get married… It was a lost cause.
"I will visit again," he said and bowed a goodbye. The women sent him off cheerfully and noisily, he hurried to approach the door.
While they were getting the bags out of the locker, Shee closed his eyes again for a moment. Visiting his grandmother was always emotionally overloading. He loved those women and that's why they successfully disrupted his otherwise strong self-control.
"Ruka, I apologise," he said quietly, dragging her gaze upon himself and winning a warm smile.
"They genuinely like you, Shee-san. Their care for you is authentic. They wanted for you what they think is best."
"Which is not necessarily the best…"
"No, it is not…" Ruka agreed. "But the way Nia-san described love towards another person… It makes me think if I would ever feel this way," she admitted thoughtfully to which Shee just shrugged.
"When you go back home, you will just have to look for a suitable man."
Ruka nodded slowly. Then followed him outside.