Chapter 82: Her Affection

Three evenings later, just after the last rays of sunlight had slipped below the horizon, the Hidden Leaf Village basked in one of its most pleasant moments of the day. At the great village gates, the guard shift had only recently changed. Yanagi Kamizuki and Kinuta Hagane, both Special Jonin of the Leaf, were taking advantage of the brief solitude to slack off a bit on duty.

Yanagi Kamizuki, his shinobi cap tilted at a casual angle, leaned comfortably against the village gate, idly picking his teeth with a senbon while savoring the gentle dusk breeze. On the opposite side, Kinuta Hagane was deeply engrossed in a book, using the bright lamplight from outside the gate to read. His signature conch-shaped ninja blade was propped carelessly nearby, resting against the gate.

From Yanagi's vantage, he caught a glimpse of the book's colorful cover. The title, "Her Passionate Love," was boldly printed on the front.

“See, Kinuta? I told you going to see Elder Mito Menen would pay off! We got the first evening shift this time,” Yanagi said, flicking the senbon away with a flourish. “No late nights, no sweltering in the sun, and, best of all, we don’t have to deal with all those sentimental farewells and get force-fed all that ‘lovey-dovey’ nonsense.”

Kinuta said nothing.

“What are you reading? ‘Her Passionate Love’? Is that the new romance guide from the Leaf Bookstore?” Yanagi teased, grinning. “You’re already married, your son’s grown up, and you’re still studying how to court your wife? Hahaha…”

When Kinuta didn’t answer, Yanagi called out again, unable to resist poking fun at how absorbed his friend seemed.

Kinuta looked up, his expression serious despite the distance between them. “Yes, it’s the new romance guide from the bookstore. Apparently, it’s by a rising star in the ninja world who goes by the pen name ‘The Wandering Toadlet.’ He’s gaining quite a reputation.”

Yanagi persisted, still curious. “And what’s a romance guide to you now? Planning to fall in love with your wife all over again?”

Kinuta replied evenly, “Not exactly. Remember last time, when Kato Mikaze and Tsunade fed us all that public affection? I got curious about the younger generation’s views on romance. I went to the bookstore to look for something on the topic, and the owner enthusiastically recommended this guide.”

Yanagi fell silent for a moment, memories of that unpleasant encounter flashing through his mind at the mention of those two familiar names.

“So, does the book have any useful tips? You seem pretty hooked. Pass it to me when you’re done—I could stand to learn a thing or two about young people’s ideas on love.”

“Uh, well…” Kinuta glanced down at the rather racy page he was on, momentarily at a loss for words. Just then, he caught sight of someone approaching from the end of the road, and seized the chance to change the subject.

“We’ll talk about it later—I’ve only just started reading. Come on, stand up straight. Someone’s coming; let’s not get caught slacking off. If word gets back to Elder Mito Menen, we’ll lose this cushy gate duty for sure.”

As he spoke, Kinuta quickly stashed his book, grabbed his conch-blade, and adjusted his ninja gear, instantly reverting to the image of a model guard. Yanagi, taking the cue, also straightened up and resumed the air of an elite sentry.

But as Yanagi caught sight of the approaching figure, his expression froze for a moment, reminded of the earlier mention of “dog food”—the slang for being force-fed displays of affection. He glanced back toward the village, scanning for another familiar face. Not seeing it, he relaxed slightly.

“So even with a shift change, I still run into him. At least it’s just him today, and not the other one. Surely I won’t have to endure another round of public affection if he’s alone,” Yanagi thought with a sigh.

…

The lone figure approaching the gate was, of course, Kato Mikaze. He had just finished several days of back-to-back missions and was finally returning to the Hidden Leaf.

He had taken two days longer than planned—five days instead of the intended three. His assignments in the Land of Wind had gone smoothly; all eleven missions, whether A-rank or B-rank, were completed without a hitch. He even found time between tasks to visit one of the oasis cities, famous for their artisan crafts. Perhaps inspired by the Sand Village’s mastery of puppetry, the local sculpture trade was thriving, and he had a pair of figurines custom-carved from rare native minerals, intending them as a gift for Tsunade.

By contrast, his time in the Land of Earth was far less smooth. The extra two days were entirely consumed there. Whether the bad luck charm he’d picked up from Tsunade had worn off, or simply the nature of the place, his fortune turned. He had planned to take on six A-rank missions in the Land of Earth, but managed only four; two of the assassination targets were eliminated by others, likely bounty hunters from the underworld.

It wasn’t that clients were double-booking missions with both the Leaf and the black market, but rather that the targets had so many enemies that others had placed similar bounties elsewhere. The unexpected competition and subsequent investigation ate up a lot of his time, and every one of the remaining four missions brought its own complications. The locals were especially insular and unwelcoming, forcing him to spend an extra night camping in the wilderness.

…

At least he had made it back to the Leaf before it got too late—the sky had only just darkened. If he hurried through the entry procedures, he might still catch Tsunade at the hospital.

From afar, he had already recognized the duo on gate duty tonight: Yanagi Kamizuki and Kinuta Hagane. With his heightened senses, he had easily picked up on their little attempts at slacking off, even overhearing snippets of their conversation.

“So blatant. I wonder how many favors they’ve traded with Elder Mito Menen to land such a cushy post every time. My upperclassmen are masters of the art—I could learn a thing or two from them!”

“‘Her Passionate Love’? ‘The Wandering Toadlet’? Could that be Jiraiya…?”

As he approached, Mikaze watched the pair snap to attention, perfectly embodying the image of elite sentries. He had to admire their acting skills.

…

PS: New author seeking support, recommendations, and favorites.