Team Eight arrived at a barbeque restaurant called Yakiniku Q. It was an open restaurant, equipped with sliding doors and lined with comfortable looking booths. An elderly woman stood at the front to greet them.
She smiled warmly, "Oh Kurenai. How have you been? And are these your genin?"
"You know , I'm hanging in there. Naomi, et Saul, Kurama Yakumo, and Hinata."
Kurenai must have been a regular.
"Welco, welco!"
The woman picked up a few nus while chatting, "Asuma brings his Genin around all the ti nowadays. He was asking about you, haha!" The elderly woman leaned in closer, "I think the man likes you, you know."
"Naomi!" Kurenai blushed. "We are just colleagues."
"I see, I see." She turned to lead them to their booth. "You aren't getting any younger, you know. Look at , I'm already over 50! Boys aren't jumping over themselves to get like they used to, haha. I'd take whatever chance I could get!"
Naomi wiped the table with a teasing grin.
"I won't bore you anymore with the old grandma talk. You want to bring out the usual?"
"Yes, a little chicken would be nice. And so beef too, for the Genin. It's my treat."
"Going all out today, huh? It'll be right on the way for you then, my dear."
The Team sat down at the freshly wiped circular table. The gears were churning in Saul's head at this point. From her reaction to Naomi's banter, Kurenai already seed at least open to the idea of being with Asuma already! Saul was losing his window of opportunity.
"I'm glad you could join us Yakumo." Kurenai leaned in and smiled at the cold faced girl.
"I'm here to accompany my teammates, that's all." She looked towards Saul, "It would be improper of a lady to show disrespect towards those who have helped her so much," then glanced back at Kurenai, "and have always made sure to keep their word."
Saul winced. Yakumo kept grudges, it seed. He could feel it. The hostility directed at Kurenai was practically palpable. Actually, maybe it actually was palpable! Who knows when it ca to Yakumo. Maybe the woman's Genjutsu was subconsciously activating to bring her emotions to life.
The only person who could answer that theory was Kurenai, who was currently sweating bullets under Yakumo's impassive gaze.
"Ahahaha... Yes. Keeping your word is good."
"You really think so, Kurenai-sensei?"
"..."
She couldn't respond due to the pressure of Yakumo's glare. Saul decided to give the red eyed woman the bare minimum to help. Kurenai likely wasn't even sure about what Yakumo was mad about. Saul had seen enough, between her father arriving at her ho, their previous promise, and Yakumo's insistence on 'keeping your word', he had a pretty clear idea of what must have happened.
Saul put his hand in hers, squeezing it comfortingly under the table. Yakumo looked at him with a blush. He whispered sothing in her ear.
With a sigh, the Kurama clan heiress turned back to Kurenai.
"My father. He knows. He was inford that you sealed the demon away within my mind. You promised you would keep it a secret. Now, he writes letters daily, filled with guilt and sadness, asking to co back."
Kurenai nodded slowly. "I see... Why don't you just go back? You could reunite with your family again! It would make him happy, right?"
Yakumo stared at Kurenai angrily. "YOU...!" Then she suppressed her anger, bottling up her rage. Nothing was left but a blank stare, "You don't understand Kurenai sensei. You don't understand or my family. I trusted you to keep your word."
Kurenai had tutored Yakumo from childhood, growing close to the girl as she grew up daily. She had personally trained the girl in everything, from how to use Kunai, to mannerisms, stood with the girl through illness and injury. Even though she was being paid to take care of her, sowhere along the line she had grown to feel closer to the growing girl than her professionalism should allow.
Those words from Yakumo, a girl Kurenai had grown to see almost as her own Daughter, cut her deeper than any physical wound. Yet she had to remain strong. It was the Hokage's decision to inform Kurama Murakumo. She would not redirect Yakumo's resentnt towards the Third Hokage. He was a revered figure and should be respected by all no matter what. She had to bear the bla.
Kurenai gave the most professional smile she could muster, "I'm sorry, Yakumo. But I am under your father's employ, do you understand? He is my boss. I could not keep such an important matter hidden."
Saul laughed internally. Kurenai sohow just chose the absolute worst way to handle the situation! There might be no hope of recovery for their relationship now, even if Yakumo later learned the truth!
Yakumo smiled back. "No, I understand completely Kurenai-sensei. Forgive for my outburst. That behavior was unsightly."
"Yakumo... I-"
Just then, a waitress delivered their food. Kurenai felt hopeless regarding the girl, who had now closed herself off to Kurenai completely. The woman held up her chin by her fingers and sighed. She shifted focus onto Saul and Hinata. Even if she failed Yakumo, she wouldn't disregard her other Genin. Their lives as growing Ninja were entrusted to her. She owed it to her late father, the Hokage, and to Konoha as a whole to make sure they recieved the best that could be given.
"Saul, Hinata, you two have been quiet." She smiled friendlily, even though inside she felt like crying, "I was curious. How did you two manage to take down those three ninja by yourselves?"
Hinata had been shoving her face full with the beef. She stared, looking caught out and a bit nervous with her cheeks puffed out like a balloon. Saul poked one of her cheeks playfully and chuckled,
"Hinata, you're a silly girl, do you know that?"
She gazed up at him with love and adoration. Saul looked away. He turned back to Kurenai, his expression turning serious.
Now to exploit this situation for all he could... Saul smiled painfully, forcing a tear out of his eye. He had been able to do such a thing with practice in his previous life - now with better control over his new body it was actually much easier.
"They... They were like animals to be slaughtered. The girl you spared earlier; she went to use the bathroom. I ambushed her with a Genjutsu and..." Saul paused, forcing himself to continue, "The strong looking one, Hinata pierced through with dozens of arrows. And the last one, he tried to surrender. He begged , Kurenai sensei. He pleaded for his life! I put him to sleep before I did what I had to do..."
The best lies were the ones ingrained in a kernel of truth. Nothing of what he said was technically untrue, yet the context of the scenario worked to deceive her. Kurenai nodded sadly,
"Most battles are like that, Saul. Life or death is decided in an instant. If you had spared them today, you would have failed the mission. Ninja must steel their hearts and do what needs to be done."
"But..." Saul shook his head and quickly changed the subject. He hoped this would paint a certain picture for Kurenai about his current 'motivations' and 'feelings'. Saul dropped the guilty act. "Enjoying the chicken, Yakumo?"
Piece after piece was delivered to her mouth elegantly as she chewed and swallowed without ever stuffing herself. The refined lady sat there, gazing at him with both a hint of guilt and a sympathetic smile. She squeezed his hand softly, trying to comfort him as he had to her earlier. The act was not ant for her as well, but it seed it had gone in his favor.
"I am Saul-san, thank you so much for asking. Are you not fond of BBQ? I've noticed you haven't eaten much."
Perfect assist, Yakumo!
"No, I normally like BBQ, especially beef. This restaurant's beef tastes very good, but... I just don't have an appetite right now for so reason."
Kurenai tried to speak up, "Saul, it's-"
Yakumo shot her a nacing glare. She turned back to Saul with a gentle smile, "That's totally fine, Saul-san. Would you like to co over to my place after this to hang out? It could give you an opportunity to take your mind off things."
The red eyed woman gazed at them in shock. Yakumo! You couldn't just invite a man to your place like this!
"Yakumo, Saul is a-"
An even more nacing aura erupted from Yakumo. Kurenai suddenly got a piece of at stuck in her throat, beginning to cough and wheeze. She couldn't even speak!
"Well, Saul-san? What do you say?" She continued, ignoring the struggling Kurenai.
Saul glanced over at the poor woman, then back to the seemingly gentle girl in front of him. "That sounds great, Yakumo. For sure."
Her eyes curved in happiness. "It's my pleasure~"
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