Inside the central tower of the Forest of Death.
"We have to wait here for five days?"
Terumi Mei followed Yugao without much interest, looking around in boredom.
"If you think it's boring, you can leave. No one forced you to come."
Yugao was patrolling the interior of the central tower, speaking to the Terumi Mei beside her who followed due to boredom.
The second exam lasts five days.
No one knows when their students will arrive, so the jonin instructors usually come to wait at the central tower.
And when the second exam ends, candidates who haven't arrived here will be eliminated, and their jonin instructors will leave as well.
So Konoha's jonin instructors generally have the additional task of patrolling the central tower.
Of course, this task doesn't apply to ninja from outside villages, especially since Terumi Mei herself isn't a team leader.
She had voluntarily requested to come through Tsunade.
"I came along because I was afraid you'd be bored," Terumi Mei affectionately looped her arm around Yugao's.
The two were battle comrades who had faced gunfire together, so being close was quite normal.
Yugao only glanced at her, everyone already knew what this woman's intentions were.
But she no longer minded; after all, Terumi Mei was indeed quite obedient.
Push when told to push, and when told to...
"But the accommodations here really are average."
Opening the assigned temporary dorm, Terumi Mei couldn't help but complain.
She wasn't wrong. The room had only a bed and a table. On the wall, nothing else.
The window view did show the scenery of the Forest of Death. Giant trees tens of meters high blocked most sunlight, making everything around deeply gloomy and silent.
However, the central tower also had training rooms.
It provided entertainment and practice space for jonin instructors, so they wouldn't be too bored in the coming days.
And once their students arrived at the central tower, staff would come to notify them.
Then the next stage, the third exam selection, would be held.
"You're not here on vacation,".Yugao spoke expressionlessly.
Terumi Mei seemed to remember something, and her cheeks flushed red.
"If the bed is too small... it's really inconvenient."
This bed, don't even mention three people, even two would be cramped.
If it were three people, they'd have to stack one on top of another.
"What are you thinking? This is the exam site for the Chunin Exams," Yugao gave her a sidelong glance.
Terumi Mei's face turned completely red, "I... I wasn't thinking anything!"
"I didn't say anything. What are you imagining?", Yugao responded again, making Terumi Mei all the more embarrassed and annoyed.
"You dare say you've never thought about it?", Terumi Mei glared in shame and frustration at Yugao, "We have to hold back for five days."
Yugao heard this and couldn't help but blush too.
Clack!
At that moment, the room next door's door opened.
A mature and elegant figure pushed the door open and stepped out.
"Yugao, Terumi Mei, you two just got back?"
Yugao nodded.
"Mm, just finished patrolling. Kurenai-senpai, are you heading out?"
Yuhi Kurenai also nodded, "It's my turn to patrol now. Oh, want to have a drink later? I secretly brought some sake in."
As she spoke, she even winked at the two.
In her eyes, Terumi Mei being taken by Aoba basically made her part of Konoha already.
"If it's just a little, then okay," Yugao didn't refuse. It was a good way to pass time.
Without Aoba at night, it did feel a bit lonely.
"I don't mind either," Terumi Mei happily agreed.
"Alright, then it's settled. I'll come find you later," Yuhi Kurenai waved at them and left cheerfully.
———
[The Next Morning]
Yawning, Aoba came out of the tent and saw Gaara standing expressionlessly by the river.
"How was your sleep last night?", Aoba also walked over to the riverbank, washing up as he asked.
Gaara remained expressionless.
"It was alright...", Last night, the voice that usually harassed him didn't appear.
So he tried to sleep a little.
Although it was only a short rest, he was already quite satisfied.
"That's good. Judging by your dark circles, it's been a long time since you slept properly, right?", Aoba asked.
"...", Gaara remained silent.
"If you want to sleep well, I can help you. Of course, it won't be free," Aoba said with a smile.
Gaara's eyes flickered slightly but still said nothing.
Aoba didn't press further.
Not long after, Temari and Kankuro also walked out of the tent.
Gaara looked at Aoba again, "If there's nothing else, we'll be leaving."
"Then see you at the third exam," Aoba waved at him.
"...", Gaara hesitated, then nodded and added, "Your grilled fish is very tasty..."
Aoba couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, 'This Gaara is really completely different from the one in my memory.'
"Is that so? Then let's have grilled fish together again if there's a chance."
"Mm, if there's a chance...", Gaara nodded, gestured for the other two to follow, and then left on his own.
Temari and Kankuro were left speechless by their conversation.
Gaara being emotionally stable was surprising enough.
But today, not only was he stable, he could even talk to people normally.
Looking at her younger brother's current state, Temari felt both comforted and a little sad.
She bowed ninety degrees to Aoba, her expression serious, "Thank you very much. Yesterday's grilled fish was really delicious."
Temari felt that if it weren't for the fact that Aoba had too many girlfriends and their positions were different, she would definitely have liked him.
Strong, handsome, good personality, and a great cook.
Even helped improve her brother Gaara's difficult personality.
He was basically the perfect boyfriend... ideal brother-in-law.
'Such a pity..."
"No need to thank me. If you like the food, you're welcome to visit the Senju ancestral home anytime," Aoba gave her a warm smile.
Temari blushed slightly and nodded, then quickly pulled the still-stunned Kankuro away.
For Gaara to change this much, it definitely wasn't just because of a tasty grilled fish.
There had to be a deeper reason.
Although at first it was out of caution that he agreed to eat grilled fish together, this feeling of not being feared, ostracized, ignored, or treated differently.... made Gaara feel a bit dazed, yet extremely longing.
In Sunagakure, even his closest person, Temari, when speaking to him, carried a hint of fear.
That feeling always made him sense the boundary between them.
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