As the sun dipped westward, stretching shadows long and thin, Logan carried Mai on his back, making his way through the thinning forest toward a clearing near a creek.
Logan surveyed the terrain for a moment, silently concluding that it was a decent spot for the night.
He hadn't traveled too far. After all, he was carrying someone. No matter how light and soft she was, he hadn't dared to rush, afraid of jolting or dropping her. The peaceful silence of the woods made the journey feel more like a leisurely stroll, which ultimately resulted in them failing to reach town before nightfall.
Standing in the grassy clearing for a brief moment, the girl on his back still clung to him like a koala. Logan rolled his eyes and said, "Wake up."
Mai stubbornly remained still, 'I'm unconscious. I'm unconscious.'
"…Mai, your inner clothes are showing."
Her closed eyelids twitched violently. She resisted for barely two seconds before snapping her eyes open, quickly withdrawing a hand to adjust her clothes.
After all that movement, from leaping across the terrain to the occasional updraft, she had no idea how much her outfit had shifted. She had been too focused on holding on.
But after a few tugs, she realized her clothes were perfectly fine, neatly in place, both above and below.
Instantly, she understood Logan's ploy. That meant he had known she was faking all along. Embarrassment and frustration surged through her, her cheeks turning red as she bit her lip.
"Hurry up and get down." Logan said with mild exasperation.
The 'koala' on his back instantly came to life. Mai scrambled down in a swift, decisive motion, throwing in a few punches and kicks before landing properly on the ground.
"You're hitting me now?" Logan took a step back, stretching his arms with an exaggerated sigh, "Do you even know how exhausting that was."
"I didn't…" Mai denied it without hesitation, then paused as she saw him flexing his limbs. Despite herself, she looked a little concerned, "Are you really that tired?"
"Of course." Logan nodded, "Why don't you carry me for that long and see how it feels?"
Mai's face flushed an even deeper shade of red, "That's different! I'm obviously very light."
Beyond the gently rolling grass-covered hills, a thin silver stream shimmered faintly in the distance, trickling into the forest. The evening glow softened, casting golden hues as Logan found a stone, casually dusted it off, and sat down.
Overhead, a large tree stretched its branches, filtering the dimming sunlight. Mai, standing hesitantly in its shadow, looked a little unsure.
They met each other's gaze, their eyes nearly level. Then, Logan suddenly broke into a wide grin.
"Sit down."
"What are you laughing at?"
Mai hugged her knees and sat beneath the tree. Logan, who had so many questions in mind, suddenly didn't feel the need to rush for answers.
Seeing Mai grown up, with her face no longer bearing the marks of hardship and struggle, Logan couldn't help but think that the elongated shadows on the ground hinted at the graceful young woman she would soon become.
Perhaps she sensed his mood because a small smile played at the corners of Mai's lips, momentarily making her forget everything else.
After a round of 'Why are you laughing?' 'I don't know, weren't you laughing too?', an exchange that seemed utterly pointless, the atmosphere settled into a comfortable silence. Then Logan finally spoke seriously.
"Are you feeling better? Is there anything wrong?" Seeing that Mai was lively and energetic, Logan figured she was fine, but he still asked.
Mai replied, "I'm fine now. I was just too relaxed after using my sensory ability earlier. After resting this long, I feel much better."
'Resting this long.'
In truth, she had recovered not long after regaining consciousness. It was never anything serious, and she had just been playing dead for a while. But neither of them bothered to point that out it.
"Sensory Ability? So you're officially a Ninja now? I remember you, and your brother too… Wait, why are you guys in Konoha?" Logan trailed off mid-thought, realizing there were too many things to process. It felt like a tangled mess in his head, so he instinctively patted his temple.
More than three years had passed since they last saw each other. So much had happened in between, and their different paths had inevitably created a sense of distance.
But thanks to that brief moment of meaningless laughter, the deep-seated familiarity between them had resurfaced.
A fugitive villain who had vanished without a trace and a promising new-generation Konoha's Ninja… there were just as many questions between them as there were changes. But Logan ended up being the first to ask.
Mai, however, didn't mind. Seeing Logan alive and in front of her, all the things she had wanted to say settled into place. She answered smoothly and concisely, explaining why she had come to the Land of Fire and what life in Konoha had been like.
The sunlight continued to fade, growing thinner and dimmer. Logan gathered branches into a pile and fetched water from the creek. He hadn't brought many supplies, but luckily, Mai was on a mission and had some essentials with her.
As the last traces of daylight disappeared, the glow of firelight emerged. Water boiled in Mai's canteen while Logan sprinkled insect-repelling powder in a circle before heading into the woods.
He returned with small game and wild fruit, and Mai helped out as well. In the flickering firelight, their figures moved about, unhurried yet busy.
Their conversation never stopped, flowing easily between them.
Logan was impressed by Mai's survival skills, while Mai observed how this so-called legendary Missing-nin, who is feared and hunted in reports and rumors, had actually led a life that was shockingly… calm.
Nothing like the super dangerous and terrifying S-Rank Missing-nin he was made out to be...
The hopes she had once secretly harbored, the possibility that maybe, just maybe, the Logan she remembered wasn't as bad as people claimed, were no longer just wishful thinking. Those hopes now had a tangible foundation.
Suddenly, everything seemed more colorful. The fire rising from the woodpile, the brightly colored fruits rolling in the dirt… these were the first bursts of color filling the once-gray uncertainty in her heart.
"I never thought you'd go all the way to Konoha," Logan mused lazily, his tone reminiscent of when she used to lean against him in that little hut by the sea, "Konoha's a nice place, though. But how'd you end up as a Ninja?"