Thus, the Akatsuki's reward and recognition meeting officially came to an end. In the end, both Itachi and Kisame didn't ask for anything. The two of them had no particular hobbies; their daily routine consisted of training, followed by finding a tavern to sit in, where they would stay for an entire day.
However, today, Kisame, who was accompanying Itachi, seemed to harbor some doubts.
Before they left, Deidara had casually said to him, "Kisame, you better watch out!"
"Who knows, maybe your dear Itachi-san has... improper thoughts about you!"
Although Kisame dismissed such a claim as nonsense, humans are peculiar creatures. The more absurd something sounds, the more it tends to linger in one's mind.
As a result, Kisame started to find his daily interactions with Itachi somewhat strange and awkward.
"Ahem, Itachi-san," Kisame stopped in his tracks, speaking with a hint of unease. "I just remembered that I have some business to attend to today, so let's part ways here."
Itachi also paused, casting a deep, contemplative glance at him. "Alright."
Kisame turned away, trying his best to maintain a casual demeanor as he slowly walked off.
Kisame! You can't let such disrespectful thoughts show! Act natural!
He strolled away at a measured pace, only letting out a sigh of relief after turning a corner. "Phew! Damn it, it's all Deidara's fault."
"What nonsense is he spouting..." Kisame muttered to himself, shaking his head. Then, after some thought, he decided to head to the market.
Besides daily training and drinking, there was one other task Kisame had to do every day—buying fish for Samehada.
Although Samehada didn't actually need to eat and could sustain itself by absorbing a bit of chakra daily, fish were like tasty snacks to it. If given the choice, Samehada would undoubtedly prefer having them.
And since Kisame considered his bond with Samehada to be inseparable, he naturally made it a point to patiently feed it fish every day.
Arriving at a corner of the market, where various types of fish and seafood were sold, Kisame was already a familiar face to the vendors.
"Ah, Lord Nanbu! What kind of fish would you like today?" one of the more enthusiastic stall owners greeted him warmly.
"Ah, that's up to it," Kisame replied, removing Samehada from his back and holding it over a tank of fish.
Clack, clack, clack!
Samehada emitted a series of vibrating sounds, nudging its body slightly to the right.
"Oh? Seems like it wants anchovies today," Kisame remarked casually, easily identifying the type of fish with a quick glance.
"Alright, everyone, bring me all your anchovies. I'll buy them all..."
"Huh? Lord Nanbu, is something wrong?" The stall owner looked at Kisame curiously, noticing that his words had trailed off and his expression seemed unnatural.
"N-no, it's nothing!" Kisame quickly waved his hand dismissively.
What had startled him was the fleeting image he had just seen reflected on the water's surface—a face, thin and pale, with a pair of Sharingan eyes, exuding a deep and melancholic aura.
It was a face he was all too familiar with. Wasn't that Itachi-san?
What was going on? Why would Itachi-san's face appear in the water's reflection? It must have been my imagination!
Damn it, Deidara, this is all your fault for messing with my head!
After Samehada finished its anchovy feast, Kisame turned and headed toward a familiar tavern. However, after walking for a while, he reconsidered and chose a different direction.
Hmm, life should be about exploring new things. I can't just keep going to the same tavern.
Of course, he wouldn't admit that he was avoiding the possibility of running into Itachi-san.
He arrived in the southern part of the village, an area he and Itachi seldom visited. Today seemed like a good opportunity to explore.
This part of the village was primarily inhabited by former residents of Iwagakure and other small villages that had joined last. As a result, the architectural style here was quite different from the places Kisame usually frequented.
Not only were the decorations unique, but even the taste of the drinks was noticeably distinct.
"Ah!" Kisame exclaimed in satisfaction, setting down his cup.
Indeed, exploring new things every now and then was the right choice. Who would have thought this newly opened tavern in the village would be so excellent?
But just as he was enjoying himself, a familiar figure with blond hair walked in.
"Deidara? What are you doing here in a tavern? Aren't you worried about upsetting your little girlfriend?" Kisame teased with surprise.
Deidara waved dismissively. "It's not what you think. I'm just here to buy some sake."
"Tonight, I'm hosting a dinner for Kurotsuchi's father and my old teacher, so I specifically came to a tavern run by former Iwagakure residents. I figured they might not be used to sake from other villages."
Then, with a curious expression, he added, "By the way, does Itachi have something urgent going on?"
"When I bumped into him earlier, he seemed a bit flustered and hurried off without saying a word."
Hearing this, Kisame's hand trembled slightly, nearly spilling his drink. "You... you ran into Itachi-san just now?"
Deidara nodded affirmatively. "Yeah, why? What's so strange about that?"
"Aren't you two practically inseparable?"
"Shut up! Do you even know how to talk? What do you mean by 'inseparable'?" Kisame waved him off in annoyance but couldn't hide the nervousness creeping into his heart.
After Deidara left, Kisame found it impossible to enjoy his drink any longer. He hastily paid his tab and left the tavern.
This time, Kisame was extra cautious, silently instructing Samehada on his back, "Samehada, sense if Itachi-san's chakra is nearby."
Clack! Clack! Clack!
Samehada gave a definitive response.
No way!
Kisame felt his hair stand on end. Could Itachi-san really be following me? Could Deidara's words actually hold some truth?
No! Kisame, how could you entertain such ridiculous and laughable thoughts? How could you think that about Itachi-san?
Itachi-san would never do such a thing.
Having lost all interest in wandering around, Kisame decided to head straight home.
To appear as natural as possible, he forced himself to walk at his usual leisurely pace.
Damn it! Why does it feel so much slower than usual?
Why haven't I reached home yet, after all this time?
After what felt like an eternity, Kisame finally arrived at the house Nagato had assigned him—a cozy little villa.
Click!
Shutting the door behind him, Kisame let out a sigh of relief. There was something about being home that brought a sense of security. For shinobi like him, whether the door was locked or not made little difference, but it still felt reassuring.
He removed Samehada from his back and set it aside before walking into the living room.
Seeing a glass of water on the table, Kisame suddenly realized he was a bit thirsty. After all, the earlier tension had left him parched, so it was only natural to want a drink.
But as he picked up the glass, his entire body froze, nearly dropping it.
Because once again, he saw Itachi's face reflected in the water.
What the—?!
Could this really be happening? Kisame's face was filled with despair.
Far away from Kisame's house, Deidara chuckled mischievously. "Sasori, your puppet techniques are getting more and more refined. It's completely indistinguishable from the real thing."
"And when did you even manage to collect Itachi's chakra?"
Sasori glanced at him with an innocent look. "Don't bother me with such pointless pranks next time."
Tch!
Deidara didn't believe him at all. If it were so pointless, why didn't you refuse the first time?
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