Chapter Sixty-Five: The Great White

Late at night, in the Hidden Leaf Hospital, inside Tsunade’s office.

Tsunade watched Kato Mikaze, who was still intently studying a ninjutsu scroll. She had only been standing there for a short while, yet she had already discovered that Kato Mikaze’s eyebrows were surprisingly expressive. Sometimes they would smooth out, sometimes furrow together, and occasionally, the two brows wouldn’t even move in unison—one would arch while the other remained still.

Tsunade found it rather amusing. She wondered why she had never noticed before how entertaining Kato Mikaze’s sword-like brows could be.

And to be honest, Tsunade thought Kato Mikaze was quite handsome, especially when he was focused on his work like this.

(As for just how handsome Kato Mikaze is, there’s a picture in the character section. If any readers recognize where the image comes from, keep it to yourselves and just immerse quietly. Also, everyone is welcome to post pictures in the character section.)

If not for the fact that Tsunade was starving—having worked overtime until now, well into the dead of night, without eating a thing—she certainly wouldn’t have minded watching Kato Mikaze work a little longer.

All these thoughts passed through Tsunade’s mind in the brief time since she had entered the office.

A handsome man, diligently working, or her own grumbling stomach—Tsunade decisively chose the latter.

“Hey, a beauty like me has been standing right in front of you all this time, and you didn’t even notice?” Tsunade teased, stretching out her fair, slender hand and waving it before Kato Mikaze’s eyes.

Her voice echoed in the office, accompanied by her pale hand waving swiftly before his face, blocking his view of the scroll.

Kato Mikaze snapped out of his reverie, realizing that Tsunade had finished her overtime and returned from the operating room. He had felt too relaxed in her office and was so absorbed in the scroll that he hadn’t noticed her return.

He set the ninjutsu scroll aside, lifted his head, and looked at Tsunade.

“Kato, you’re an officially certified jonin of the Hidden Leaf. With so little vigilance, how do you expect to call yourself a ninja?”

Tsunade was pleased to have finally caught his attention, pulling him out of his immersion in the scroll. He looked as though he’d been startled out of deep thought, his expression a little dazed.

Unable to resist, Tsunade bent over, leaned in closer, stretched out her right hand, and with a single fair finger, tapped Kato Mikaze on the brow.

Earlier, watching his brows dance as he pondered, she had found it so amusing, so interesting, she’d been itching to poke them.

Seeing his bewildered look, she raised the same finger she’d just tapped him with to her lips, swaying it back and forth playfully, her eyes curving in a mischievous smile. “Your vigilance is absolutely subpar!”

Kato Mikaze said nothing, remaining in the same dazed state, as if the one who’d just been tapped on the brow wasn’t him at all.

The truth was, from the moment Tsunade’s familiar voice sounded in the office, Kato Mikaze had already returned to his senses. Not to mention, Tsunade, in an effort to catch his attention, had waved her soft, pale hand right before his eyes.

As for that dazed expression—anyone whose thoughts had been so deeply absorbed only to be interrupted abruptly would have worn a similar look, at least for a moment. The confusion was genuine at first, and later… well, it was still genuine.

He had intended to reply, but when he looked up, he saw Tsunade’s smiling crescent-moon eyes right in front of him, and her fair, delicate finger swaying by her lips.

Glancing down, from this angle… white—so white… large—so very large…

Were they even bigger than last night, when Tsunade had drunk too much and sprawled on the bed? Could that really be?

And then, Kato Mikaze truly became lost in confusion.

He silently thanked Tsunade’s loose green ceremonial robe; he really did like it on her.

When the expected response didn’t come, Tsunade opened her previously narrowed, smiling eyes, looked at her finger in mild confusion, then glanced at Kato Mikaze’s still-bewildered face.

“Did I not use enough force when I tapped him just now?” Puzzled, she reached out and tapped his brow again, this time with a little more strength.

Kato Mikaze was fully aware this time; he watched as Tsunade’s right finger poked his brow—and then… large… white… swaying…

Tsunade, still puzzled, withdrew her finger and looked down. “That’s strange…”

She looked back at Kato Mikaze’s confused expression, then followed his gaze down to her own chest.

Fine black lines began to appear on her smooth, fair forehead. She withdrew her finger and clenched her fist.

“Does it look good?”

“Do you want to touch it?”

“Aren’t they big? Very white, too.”

“I’ll tell you a secret—they’re also soft and bouncy!”

“Want to touch them?”

Kato Mikaze: “…”

“Kato Mikaze!!!”

Tsunade’s righteous fist came crashing down, aiming directly at his ever-so-interesting brows.

A burst of chaotic scuffling filled the room.

A moment later, the office was neat as ever, even exuding a warm, cozy atmosphere.

A blonde beauty, her face flushed but otherwise composed, was dining with the utmost grace. Despite the late hour, it was clear the food on the table suited her palate perfectly. Her refined manners did nothing to hide how ravenous she was; she ate elegantly, yet with impressive speed.

Seated beside her was a handsome young man with pale blue, tousled hair. He was gently serving her food, occasionally speaking softly.

“How’s the temperature? Not cold, is it?”

“Try this—it’s your favorite…”

“And this one, I went all the way to their place just to buy it for you…”

The lady was elegant, the man gentle—a picture of harmony, as if the two were on a date.

The only flaw was that, upon closer inspection, the man’s left brow appeared a little red and swollen…

When Tsunade finished eating, Kato Mikaze was still fussing about, clearing the table, tidying up the specially-made sealing scroll, and recounting stories from his day, all while sneaking glances at Tsunade’s expression. Sometimes, he even pretended to let her catch him in the act.

“Hehe.”

Tsunade couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“All right, stop pretending. Come here and let me see—does your brow still hurt?”

She beckoned him over, adding, “Idiot, with your strength, you could have dodged easily…”

Kato Mikaze had already realized that Tsunade hadn’t really been angry earlier. He’d only been clowning around to amuse her, and now, hearing her words, he took the opportunity to sit beside her.

Tsunade reached out her soft hand and gently massaged his brow.

Kato Mikaze could only grin.

Tsunade rolled her eyes at him, but said nothing more, continuing to rub his brow.

The office fell quiet once more.

On the table, the cover of the ninjutsu scroll still bore the image of a silly little green slug, its simple expression watching over the handsome man and beautiful woman.

Earlier, when Tsunade had startled Kato Mikaze and broken his concentration, his confusion had been genuine—after all, from his perspective… they really were so large, so white, and swaying…

He’d also noticed that, despite working late and missing dinner, Tsunade seemed in remarkably good spirits, aside from being a little fatigued.

So, the act had continued—well, perhaps it hadn’t been entirely an act.

And later, Tsunade hadn’t really been angry enough to want to hit him; there was a bit of embarrassed annoyance, sure.

If Tsunade had truly been angry, Kato Mikaze could tell from the speed and power of her punch.

Just as Tsunade knew he could have easily dodged, Kato Mikaze was well aware too.

In the end, he’d deliberately let her hit him during their playful bickering—for the slight embarrassment she felt after being caught staring at her chest.

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