With Konan gone, Minato spoke up, "I'll be leaving as well."
"Then go," Yuki Seisui replied without hesitation, nodding immediately.
Yesterday, when he returned, Sarutobi Hiruzen had sent Minato to the battlefield. Though he didn't specify the exact time, Minato naturally prepared to leave today.
Minato's village had a strong sense of honor; he would never waste time resting unnecessarily.
Before Minato even spoke, Seisui had already guessed.
Minato was about to depart, and Seisui didn't delay him.
Not that he didn't want to hold him back—it was just that Minato would head straight to Kushina Uzumaki once he spoke.
Even if Seisui wanted to delay him, he couldn't.
Watching Kushina reluctantly part from Minato, Seisui shook his head and turned away.
He hadn't forgotten his own errand—to buy bedding.
When he returned home with the bedding, the moment he opened the door, a familiar aroma hit him.
Seisui inhaled deeply, then exhaled.
From the scent alone, he knew who it was.
Looking up, sure enough, Uchiha Haru was in the kitchen, apron on, busy with cooking. She hadn't noticed Seisui's return yet.
"Haru, why are you here so early?" Seisui asked softly, stepping behind her and wrapping his arms around her, leaning close to her ear.
Feeling his warm breath, Haru blushed and smiled, replying, "It's already noon."
"Not early anymore, then," Seisui murmured.
She remembered Seisui's words in the bamboo grove—smile more often.
Her grandfather had even noticed the change, asking why she seemed different, and remarked that she looked much better now.
In Uchiha Setsuna's eyes, his granddaughter had started smiling—and her future looked brighter.
He had no idea why she smiled.
Hearing Haru, Seisui paused, realizing he hadn't even noticed the time.
He felt her hands resting on his waist as she allowed him to hold her, while she focused intently on the cooking.
After a while, Haru spoke, "Okay, let's eat first."
"Mm." Seisui released her, helping her prepare the meal, then sat at the table, eyes scanning the delicious spread, curiosity creeping in.
"How did you know I hadn't eaten lunch?"
Haru, seated across from him, glanced up silently, then began eating.
Seisui realized he'd asked a silly question.
Just as he knew Minato well, Haru knew him.
"Shall we take a walk in the village this afternoon?" Seisui asked, placing a dish into Haru's bowl.
"In the village?" she replied, then nodded. "Sure."
Watching Haru eat calmly, expressionless even as she spoke, Seisui couldn't help but lift the corners of her mouth with his fingers into a small smile.
Seeing the smile he had drawn, he chuckled.
"This looks much better."
"Haru, you need to smile more often."
Haru blinked at the unnatural smile on her face, then nodded, letting it become natural.
"I understand," she said, sharing a bite of food with him.
Their meal passed with quiet conversation and occasional exchanges of food.
========
In the afternoon, they walked the streets, observing the vendors offering discounts after Konoha's victory on the Sand battlefield. They wandered casually, and soon Haru was adorned with an assortment of small, colorful, and cute trinkets.
Her cheeks burned red as she tugged on Seisui's sleeve.
She wore a pair of cat ears on her head and several plush toys on her body. Passersby glanced at her, making her even more shy.
Even though they were recognized in Konoha, no one rudely approached to disturb them.
Despite Seisui's fame as the "Ghost of the Konoha," a hero to the civilians, few truly knew him.
Most admired only his achievements and reputation.
After strolling with Haru all afternoon, she returned home at dusk.
Seisui wandered the village alone until nightfall, then headed toward the Uzumaki residence.
At the doorway, he paused, glanced upward, and muttered softly, "Someone's entered."
"Which village's spy is targeting me now?"
Seisui felt a mix of confusion and alertness. Though his Mangekyo Sharingan wasn't active, he was sensitive to hostile intent.
Given his recent feats, anyone with intelligence on him would know his capabilities.
After all, he had crushed the Sunagakure alone.
Even if reports credited Jiraiya, Tsunade, Minato, and Uchiha Haru, other villages could deduce the truth.
Even without them, he could have wiped out the Sunagakure.
Let's see which idiot thought they could take me on! Seisui thought, feigning ignorance, and walked inside.
Upstairs in the second-floor bedroom, Uchiha Renka hid, a triumphant grin on his face.
He had come yesterday but hadn't found Seisui, so today he arrived early and hid in Seisui's room.
I'll wait until he's asleep, then strike! Even he will die without question!
Yuki Seisui's reputation as the Ghost of the Konoha was intimidating, but Renka's thoughts of a successful coup filled him with anger and murderous intent.
That cursed man—once dead, Elder Setsuna's coup would succeed.
He didn't believe Elder Setsuna's claim that Seisui becoming Hokage would benefit the Uchiha clan.
A man with legendary eyes, refusing to reclaim the Uchiha name—he deserved death!
Once Seisui fell and Elder Setsuna succeeded, Renka would become the Uchiha hero.
No—he would be Konoha's hero!
Replacing Yuki Seisui as Konoha's hero!
Just thinking of this made Renka's heart leap with excitement, almost wanting to pop champagne.
Whether Seisui discovered him or not, he was confident in his concealment skills.
He had hidden among four jonin from a rival village before without being detected—Seisui was no threat.
Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
After all, Seisui had only recently reached jonin rank.
But he overlooked one thing: jonin is jonin, and Yuki Seisui is Yuki Seisui.
Sometimes, the difference between jonin and jonin was more extreme than between chunin and Shadow level.
Renka hadn't even considered this possibility—or perhaps he dared not.