The sunset melted into gold, lazily brushing against the windows of Ryo's living room and bathing the interior in a warm orange glow.
Tsunade slowly lifted her heavy eyelids, her awareness pulling free from deep sleep, her body still sore and relaxed like the aftermath of a fierce battle.
The light filtering in from outside had already turned dusky, no longer the sharp brightness of midday.
"Mmm…" A muffled sound escaped her throat. The lingering sensations in her body were vivid and warm. Ryo's steady hands, both firm and strangely comforting, replayed clearly in her memory. They had eased the tension in her muscles and extinguished the pent up anger she had carried all the way from the Hokage Tower.
Her body felt satisfied, but her head was still foggy, like waking from a heavy hangover.
When she stepped into the living room, she immediately met several sharp, accusing gazes.
"Tsunade onee san." Kushina sat cross legged on a cushion, her red hair glowing like fire in the sunset. "You were way too much at noon."
Her face was bright red. She deliberately lowered her voice, but her eyes swept toward the stairs in clear protest. "Broad daylight, and the noise was so loud. Could you at least think about other people's feelings."
Mikoto sat quietly beside her without speaking, but a blush spread across her face as well. She nodded slightly, silently agreeing.
Sleep marks still lingered on Tsunade's face. Kushina's blunt complaint instantly chased away the last of her drowsiness. A thin flush crept up from her neck.
Even with her usual bold and carefree nature, her face felt hot at that moment.
She glared fiercely at Kushina and snapped to cover her embarrassment. "You little brat, what do you know."
She propped herself upright on the cushion. The collar of her silk robe slipped open slightly, revealing faint red marks on her fair skin that had yet to fade, adding an awkward emphasis.
Kushina was not intimidated at all. "When you came back at noon, your face was darker than the bottom of a pot. You slammed the door so hard. Anyone watching would think you were about to eat Ryo alive. And you even said, I am in a very bad mood, so you had better endure it, Tsunade onee san."
She deliberately mimicked Tsunade's tone, dragging out the last words.
Mikoto sat calmly beside Kushina. She only smiled faintly, but the knowing look in her eyes and the trace of shyness made Tsunade feel even more awkward.
"Kushina." Tsunade raised her voice, clearly flustered. "You two had better not be smug. When it is your turn to get eaten by this guy."
She pointed straight at Ryo, who was leaning against the window watching the scene with a relaxed expression. "Let us see if you can still laugh then."
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized she had gone too far. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a small figure pausing at the kitchen doorway. Rin seemed to freeze for a moment.
Tsunade's heart skipped.
Damn it. Rin was still at home. Letting a five year old hear this kind of talk was completely inappropriate. She had to stop this now.
She cleared her throat and forcefully suppressed the heat on her face. Her gaze shifted awkwardly back to Kushina. "Ahem. Forget that. Speaking of which, this time at the Daimyo's residence…"
The topic shift was extremely stiff, but the effect was immediate.
Kushina's attention was pulled away at once. "Hm. What did the Daimyo say. Did he cry poor again and refuse to give money."
"Cry poor." Tsunade sounded like someone had hit a switch. The anger she had just pressed down flared up again, even stronger.
She slapped the cushion beneath her with a dull thud. "Cry poor my ass. That old man was living it up in his mansion with music and dancers, eating himself round. When I arrived, he even pretended to be considerate and said something like, I know Konoha just finished a war and it has not been easy."
She mimicked the Daimyo's affected tone. "This time, I have even increased your budget by another ten percent, just to show my goodwill."
The more she spoke, the angrier she became, her chest rising sharply. "The budget was never cut in the first place. It was even higher than previous years. I thought the village was short on funds, so the old man sent me to beg for money. And what happened. I looked like a fool, showing up with my relative's face ready to humiliate myself for Konoha, only to find out the money was already increased. I could not even use a single line I prepared. I just stood there like some shameless relative trying to take advantage. It was infuriating."
Mikoto gently placed a cup of freshly brewed tea onto the low table in front of Tsunade.
Tsunade did not even look. She grabbed the cup and gulped down a large mouthful.
"And then." Kushina leaned forward and pressed.
"And then." Tsunade put the cup down and tapped the table hard with her finger. "I swallowed that anger and rushed straight back to Konoha. I stormed into the Hokage Tower and went straight to that old man."
"I asked him where the money went. The Daimyo gave every coin and more. The village finances were tight. Where did the money go. Was someone lining their pockets. Show me the accounts. I wanted to check everything."
She paused, as if reliving the scene in the smoke filled office. "And guess what he said. Sitting behind his broken desk, puffing away on his pipe, smoke all over the place, hiding his face, he slowly said, Tsunade, some things are better left unknown. Everything is for the stability of Konoha. You should trust me. Trust the village."
"Bullshit." Tsunade slammed her fist on the table, making the teacup jump and spill a few drops. "Do you think that kind of excuse fools anyone. When my grandfather and my second grandfather were in charge, the finances were never this murky. He just used me like a tool. He wanted me to build favor with the Daimyo while hiding whatever dirty hole he threw the money into."
Ryo listened quietly from the window. His gaze rested on Tsunade's flushed profile and her clenched fist.
When she repeated the Third's vague excuses, a faint trace of understanding and coldness flickered in his eyes, but he did not interrupt.
Tsunade's chest heaved as the humiliation and anger surged again.
"I pointed right at his nose and told him, old man, this is the last time. Do not bother me with this kind of crap again. Whether Konoha lives or dies, whether it is rich or poor, that is your problem. Do not think about using me ever again."
She exhaled sharply. "Then I slammed the door and left. If I stayed any longer, I might have smashed that fake desk of his with my fist."
The living room fell silent for a moment.
The teasing expression disappeared completely from Kushina's face. Her brows knitted tightly.
Mikoto set aside the book in her hands, worry settling between her gentle brows.
They both knew Tsunade was truly furious this time.
The Third's actions had crossed her pride.
That pent up anger with nowhere to go had exploded the moment she stepped through the door earlier that day.
Tsunade recalled her reckless state when she came back at noon and what followed after. The heat that had just faded from her face threatened to return.
She crushed the thought immediately. It was all that old monkey's fault.
"That is too much." Kushina broke the silence, her voice filled with indignation on Tsunade's behalf.
"That old man sits in his office all day scheming and treating everyone like fools. Tsunade onee san, you are too easygoing. That is why he dares to bully you like this. If it were me, I would stuff his pipe into his mouth."
Mikoto moved closer and gently placed her hand over Tsunade's tightly clenched fist. "Tsunade sensei, do not ruin your health over this. The Third may have his difficulties, but his way of doing things is inappropriate."
She softened her tone. "It is good that you are home. The house is peaceful."
The open concern and clear support from the two younger women were like cool water poured over Tsunade's burning anger.
Her tense shoulders slowly relaxed. Surrounded by Kushina's embrace and feeling the cool touch of Mikoto's hand, the frustration and grievance she had carried all day began to fade.
Yes. Why waste energy being angry at that old man.
It was not worth it.
Home was here. The people who cared about her were here.
She let out a long breath and leaned back against Kushina as the anger finally drained away.
"Mm." She responded softly. "I will not bother with them anymore. I already said it. Do not come looking for me for this kind of thing again."
She lifted the teacup Mikoto had offered earlier and took another sip, the warmth soothing her throat and chest.
Just as the atmosphere eased, Tsunade's eyes drifted toward the window.
Ryo stood there with a faint smile. It was gentle and calm, his gaze resting on the three of them and their quiet, intimate interaction.
It should have been a warm scene.
Yet Tsunade's calm mind rippled like a stone had been tossed into it.
That smile. That infuriating smile that seemed to see through everything and carried a hint of amusement.
Why was she the one nearly driven mad with anger, forced to come back and vent it on him, while he stood there looking so relaxed and unaffected.
Especially when she remembered how desperate and unrestrained she had been at noon, all of it seen clearly by him.
A surge of embarrassment and annoyance flared up again.
She forgot entirely how she had just thought that coming home felt good. A fresh wave of irritation rose, targeting that very culprit.
"This is all your fault." Tsunade suddenly turned toward Ryo. Her voice was not loud, but it carried a childish blame and unmistakable accusation.
She looked like a cat with its tail stepped on.
Ryo's smile deepened. His brows lifted slightly.
He blinked, looking innocent yet teasing. "Me."
He spread his hands. "Tsunade-sama, that fire was not started by me, was it. The Third made you angry. You were the one who gave the order to come back and put it out."
He deliberately emphasized the words put it out, his tone full of mischief.
That was like pouring oil on fire.
The red flush on Tsunade's face exploded again, brighter than ever.
She felt like her hair was about to stand on end.
"Shut up." She shot Ryo a fierce glare. If Kushina and Mikoto were not sitting right beside her, she might have jumped up to cover that infuriating mouth.
Kushina looked at Tsunade's blazing face, then at Ryo's shameless expression, and finally could not help laughing.
Mikoto quickly lowered her head, hiding the smile she could not suppress.
In an instant, the righteous anger that had filled the room earlier was swept away by this sudden, intimate squabble. The atmosphere turned light and subtly playful.
Ryo watched Tsunade, embarrassed and furious yet unable to lash out, and the amusement in his eyes grew even stronger.
He knew she was not truly blaming him. She simply needed a place to vent her emotions, and he was her safest harbor.
He liked seeing her like this, vivid and alive, far better than the prickly, rage filled Tsunade who had come home earlier.
But jokes aside, there was something important to do.
While Kushina's laughter and Mikoto's quiet chuckle had not yet faded, Ryo stepped forward into the light beside the low table.
He toned down the teasing expression. His gaze settled on Kushina's fiery red hair, his voice calm and serious.
"Tsunade, your timing is perfect. I am ready to begin."
Tsunade straightened at once, her embarrassment replaced by sharp focus.
As a medical master, she understood the risks far better than Kushina and Mikoto. A loosened seal, chakra backlash, mental erosion. Any mistake could be fatal.
Her sharp eyes locked onto Ryo. "Are you confident." There was a tight edge to her voice.
This involved Kushina's life.
Ryo met her gaze without hesitation.
A faint smile tugged at his lips, filled with natural confidence, as if they were not discussing the Nine Tails but something trivial.
"Heh." A light chuckle escaped him, breaking the sudden tension. "It is only the Nine Tails."
He paused and turned his eyes to Kushina, his gaze warm and firm, silently reassuring her.
His tone was relaxed, yet carried undeniable authority. "It has lived in Kushina's body for so many years. It is time it paid some rent. Living for free, eating and drinking without cost. There is no such good deal."
(To be continued.)