The pressure was suffocating!
Kiyosuke sat kneeling in the reception hall of the Terumī household, face-to-face with the father he hadn’t seen in years.
Under the man’s murderous gaze, even Kiyosuke—who could face the battlefield without blinking—felt a bead of cold sweat slide down his forehead.
[Help! My father-in-law looks like he wants to kill . What do I do? Urgent!]
Terumī’s mother was off to the side, chatting quietly with Terumī i. Every now and then, she glanced toward Kiyosuke, her eyes filled with satisfaction.
"Please have so tea."
A servant presented a steaming cup.
"Th-thank you!"
His nerves made even his words stumble. His hand trembled as he raised the cup and took a sip.
Seeing him like this, Terumī i couldn’t help but laugh. The proud, unshakable Asakawa Kiyosuke who had stord across battlefields without fear was now completely undone in her ho. The sight was far too amusing.
"Have you made your decision?" Terumī’s father finally spoke.
"Yes!" Kiyosuke straightened his back and declared, "Please entrust i to . I will take care of her for the rest of my life!"
"I don’t doubt your strength," the man said coldly, "but all these years, you never once thought to co to Kirigakure to see i. That disappointed . If not for the Chūnin Exams, you probably still wouldn’t have co, would you?"
He snorted, glaring at the boy who had stolen his precious daughter. He’d raised his daughter for over twenty years, only for this brat to swoop in and take her away entirely. Who wouldn’t be angry?
Kiyosuke t the stare head-on, eyes sharp as blades.
"You’re right. I’ve been running from this all along. If not for a friend’s reminder, I might have ruined i’s life. I know I’ve been a coward and a fool... but please believe —I’ll spend the rest of my life at her side, protecting her."
"Hmph! Easy words. Show with actions."
Folding his hands into his sleeves, Terumī’s father rose to leave.
Terumī’s mother stood as well, smiling.
"Kiyosuke, about the wedding... do you need an elder to help discuss it?"
"An elder..."
The only one who ca to mind was Orochimaru. But with his personality, would he even agree to sothing like that?
Blushing, Terumī i tugged Kiyosuke to his feet.
"Enough. Get up already."
Her mother added with a chuckle,
"Oh, right. Tonight, Kiyosuke, you’ll sleep in the guest room on the east side. And don’t you go sneaking around, hm?"
Covering her mouth, she laughed and hurried after her husband.
"You gave i away that easily? I thought you’d hold out longer."
"What else could I do?" her husband sighed. "i’s heart has always been with that boy. We both knew it years ago. Plenty of fine young n have passed through our household, but which of them could compare? Which of them truly deserves i?"
After so many years, he had finally understood.
Even if Kirigakure and Konoha tried to stand in their way, nothing would stop those two. Better to accept it.
"That boy may look fearless, but when it cos to love, he’s a coward. He never took the first step. Still... once he decides sothing, nothing will shake him."
He exhaled deeply.
"Strength, looks—he matches i in every way. I don’t care about his background. I only want him to treat her well."
As a father, he just wanted his daughter’s happiness.
Even if he found the boy hard to stomach.
"I like him too," i’s mother said softly. "He’ll make a fine husband. But the wedding will be tricky... should it be held in Kirigakure, or in Konoha? Our village has never hosted such a thing with another shinobi village before."
The thought already gave her a headache. No matter where it was held, it would cause trouble.
"Forget that for now. Think about how the village will react once i’s engagent is announced—especially since her fiancé is this brat from Konoha."
The man pressed his fingers to his temples.
As the Fifth Mizukage, i’s prestige in Kirigakure rivaled Kiyosuke’s in Konoha. News of her engagent would surely break countless hearts.
And worse—once people realized her fiancé was the very man who had killed the Third Mizukage, the storm of backlash would be imnse.
"Let i handle that," his wife said calmly. "She’s made her choice, and I trust she’ll face whatever cos. It won’t be easy, but it will be fine."
"Hmph. Enough. I’m done thinking about it."
With that, he huffed and retired with his wife.
...
Terumī i led Kiyosuke to the guest room and laid out the bedding herself.
Watching her graceful figure as she worked, Kiyosuke slipped forward and gently wrapped an arm around her slender waist.
"What are you doing? I’m still making the bed."
She turned, mock-scolding, then circled her arms around him with a smile.
"I can’t believe you were that scared of my father."
"Hey, your dad was about to kill ! Did you see his eyes? He was this close to actually doing it! I swear, I thought I was a dead man."
"If you’re that scared, why did you even co?"
"Because I couldn’t let a woman as beautiful as you stay single forever."
His hand brushed her porcelain cheek as he asked softly, "My beloved i, will you marry ?"
No flowers.
No ring.
No romantic setting.
He had only confessed today, yet here he was proposing. But between them, no grand gestures were needed.
Their love had always been there—simple, direct, undeniable.
"Of course I will, my beloved."
i pressed her face into his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
"I thought this day would never co... Kiyosuke, I can’t believe the coward I knew could be this bold."
"I just couldn’t bear the thought of you being alone."
He lifted her face and pressed his forehead against hers.
"i... to have your love, despite being the fool I am, is the greatest blessing of my life."
"eting you is the unluckiest thing that ever happened to ," she whispered, arms looping around his neck.
"You bastard. You weren’t even from the sa village, yet you still ca and stirred my heart. Do you realize? There may not be another man like you in the entire shinobi world."
"And there’s no woman like you."
No more words were needed. Their lips t.
After so many years, the step they had long avoided was finally taken.
The coward had found his courage.
The beautiful woman had waited for the day he would.
In that mont, their hearts beca one, and the two of them sank gently onto the bed.
Thump!
Like a stone plunging into water, ripples spread violently outward.
...
That night, the Fifth Mizukage and Konoha’s strongest shinobi clashed in a fierce battle—one that lasted till dawn!
Reviews
All reviews (0)