Ren met Hiruzen Sarutobi at the Sarutobi compound.
Before crossing, Ren had read many Naruto fan novels. Some portray the Sarutobi clan as a vast family with three or even six thousand ninja, citing all sorts of sources.
Is that true?
Ren could not say. He only knew that in the shinobi world he crossed into, the Sarutobi do not have that many clan members.
Counting those living like ordinary villagers, the Sarutobi number about one thousand, with roughly two hundred ninja among them. They live together in a clan district that is like a village within the village.
Similarly, the Uchiha are about the same, both in total clan size and ninja count. Their land is large, and like the Sarutobi, it sits in the Leaf's central area.
In fact, the Uchiha and Sarutobi are neighbors.
Soon after Ren arrived at Hiruzen's home, the Third's wife, Biwako Sarutobi, suggested a tour of the Sarutobi district. She took Shinku, Asuma, and Kurenai out, leaving Ren alone with Hiruzen.
"Come on, play a game with me. I have improved a lot lately. This time I will wash away my shame."
Hiruzen did not put on Hokage airs. He set out a go board and wanted to start at once. Ren sat easily across from him and let the old man take black first.
The Third is also Ren's friend, an across-generations friend.
After the opening was laid down with standard patterns, Hiruzen's pace slowed. Ren's go skill is strong. In the wider world, strange experts are not rare, and among his fifty-plus loadouts, several masters of the arts also included go.
"How are things with the Yuuhi girl?" Hiruzen asked casually.
"Same as before."
"Almost boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"Mm." Ren nodded.
That almost means Kurenai considers Ren her boyfriend, which makes them almost a couple. When Ren someday considers her his girlfriend, the "almost" will vanish.
Hiruzen grew curious. "You do not think Kurenai is pretty enough?"
"She is very pretty."
"Her personality is bad?"
"Her personality is good."
"You just do not like her?" Hiruzen pressed.
Everyone thinks she is great, but I simply do not like her, such cases exist. Hiruzen, who has seen much, had seen a few himself.
"No, I do like her." Ren shook his head.
Hiruzen was baffled. "Then why are you still almost boyfriend and girlfriend?"
Good question. Why?
Because Kurenai is three years younger. At thirteen, she has just entered puberty, still a delicate little doll. Ren, whose puberty is nearly done, looks like an adult already.
Kurenai thinks dating someone three years older is fine. Ren has reservations.
He thinks that, but would not say it. It is not stylish. Ren has a possessed devotion to style, like a character stepped out of a Gu Long novel or a Wong Kar-wai film. Showing off has become instinct.
Ren placed a stone. "Because I know the best thing is always the one you cannot have. Before the moment is right, I will never tell her that I really like her."
Do not ask. The time is not right.
Hiruzen sighed. "No wonder people say you are very good at dealing with young, pretty women."
Strong, handsome, and using the art of playing hard to get. His foolish son Asuma is not winning against that.
"People misunderstand me," Ren said. "The truth is the opposite. I am bad at dealing with young, pretty women."
They say the best topic between men is always women. Mention women, and even Hiruzen perks up.
"How so?" he asked, interested.
"There are men who act righteous and proper. Then they see a young, pretty woman, and their bones go light. Even if she asked for his life, he would give it."
"Jiraiya. You must be talking about Jiraiya." Hiruzen would never admit he is that kind of lecherous old man.
Ren shook his head. "No, I am talking about myself."
Hiruzen was shocked. How could that be?
"Women who like you could line up from the Leaf all the way to the Land of Fire's capital, and you look down on most of them."
"Yes, because most are not pretty enough."
"Your friends also stretch from the Leaf to the capital. Whatever friend asks you for help, you do not refuse."
"I am not incapable of refusing. I simply try to help when I can."
"Likewise, your friends are the same. If you asked to borrow money, even with no reason and no clear payback time, they would lend it to you, even one hundred million ryo."
"My friends are mostly broke. Few could lend me one hundred million."
"Then how can you say you are a man who loses his soul when he sees a pretty woman?" Hiruzen could not puzzle it out.
"People say men value women over friends. That shows that, to most, friends and women cannot be had together, and always conflict."
Ren sighed. "I do not let people know that I lose composure over pretty women. At least then they will not think I value women over friends. If I do not value women over friends, then even if I occasionally lose composure around a pretty woman, it is no big deal."
They both laughed. Cheer filled the room.
There is a kind of wind that can ripple a placid lake and smooth the wrinkles from a face. Every time Hiruzen talks with Ren, he feels happy, as if he is not yet old, as if he has not yet lost the youth he misses.
Hiruzen also confirmed it: the kid opposite him does indeed have a way with young, pretty women.
Young, handsome, and a silver tongue, of course women like such a man.
"Since you say that, I must see it for myself. I want to see how far you lose your composure when you meet a young, pretty woman."
"How will you see?"
Hiruzen set down a stone and took a pull on his long pipe. "I happen to know a woman who is both young and pretty."
"Who?"
"Tsunade."
"Oh, Tsuna… Tsunade!?"
Ren was astonished, astonished that Hiruzen could say Tsunade's name in a moment like this, on a topic like this.
It felt like two veterinarians discussing postpartum care for sows, then one suddenly blurts out that a certain rider's technique is unmatched.
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