After the teams were formed, Kusuo saw much less of his former classmates. They were all busy training under the guidance of their respective jonin instructors. Some of the faster-progressing teams, like Kakashi's Team 7, were said to have already started undertaking missions.
This news made Naruto burn with envy. He pestered Asuma every day, asking when their team would also get to go on a mission. But Asuma would just take a drag from his cigarette and tell him with a smile, "Soon, soon."
This "soon" turned into nearly a month.
Kusuo couldn't care less about any of it. The so-called experience and money gained from missions held no appeal for him. It was far less valuable than practicing his sword alone. What he was concerned about now were the recent changes in Hinata.
Although he could still feel her gentle care every day, his keen perception allowed him to sense a certain sadness in her heart.
"Is something troubling you lately?" he asked, putting down his sword and sitting next to Hinata, who was staring off into space with her chin in her hands.
"Ah? Kusuo... it's nothing, just some things on my mind," Hinata replied, her face instantly flushing red as he suddenly moved closer. Her hands waved about nervously.
Something on her mind?
After a quick mental calculation of the timeline, Kusuo understood.
"It's about Hanabi, isn't it?" Only this matter could cause the gentle Hinata so much distress.
Hinata's eyes widened, wondering how Kusuo could have guessed so accurately.
Looking at the fragile Hinata, Kusuo felt a pang of heartache. He gently stroked her hair, his fingers brushing against her delicate cheek. "Look at me, Hinata."
It was a command that was both霸道 (bàdào) - domineering - and gentle.
"Kusuo..." Hinata shyly looked into his eyes. She was usually too timid to look directly into the eyes of the person she liked. But under his command, she forced herself to meet his gaze, even if her eyes still darted away.
Her flawless face was reflected in his pupils—the pure white eyes, the snowy, tender skin, and the small mouth slightly agape with confusion.
"Mm..." Hinata's eyes widened even further. The next second, she was pulled into a firm embrace, her two small hands not knowing where to place themselves.
...
A moment later, Kusuo smiled as he looked down at Hinata, causing her to turn her face away. Having never been so intimate before, she was blushing from her neck all the way up, as red as a cooked crab. A little more and she would have fainted.
Pulling her back into his arms, Kusuo gently stroked her back and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, Hinata. I will always stand in front of you and shield you from all the wind and rain."
The sweet nothings whispered in her ear were like a gentle palm strike that melted her heart. In that instant, an overwhelming sweetness filled every corner of her being. With Kusuo's firm promise, it felt as if all the troubles in the world had vanished.
For the first time, she wanted to be stronger. Hinata tried her best to suppress her shyness and, though still a bit evasively, looked into his eyes and nodded forcefully. "Mm!"
...
"Eh?"
What are those two doing? So weird!
"Hey!"
"You two aren't practicing, what kind of mischief are you up to over here? Tell me, did you make plans to go eat something good tonight without me?!" Naruto asked, his eyes wide with suspicion as he poked his head over.
"Hehe," Hinata laughed, lowering her head bashfully. The sight caught Kusuo's eye. Suddenly, a line of poetry came to his mind: It is that gentleness of a lowered head, like a water lily unable to withstand the cool breeze.
Turning his head, he said, "That's right, Naruto. We already made plans to go eat ramen, and we're just not taking you. What about it?"
Hearing Kusuo state this so matter-of-factly, Naruto was furious. "You! You! You! You guys are going behind my back without me! That's horrible!"
Watching Naruto jump up and down, nearly blowing a gasket, Kusuo found it quite amusing.
Hinata, however, had a kind heart and couldn't bear to bully Naruto like this. She stepped forward and said, "Alright, alright, we'll take you with us. How about we treat you to ten bowls of ramen?"
Naruto's anger instantly turned to joy. He didn't find it strange. He only had a vague feeling that something was a little off about the way Hinata and Kusuo used the phrase "we two."
Whatever! As long as someone is treating me to food!
"Oh yeah! Hooray! I'm going to call Asuma-sensei, the four of us will go together!" With that, Naruto dashed off in a hurry to find him.
...
That evening.
"Alright! Your tonkotsu ramen!" Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku, said with a cheerful laugh as he brought several bowls of ramen to their table.
"Awesome! It smells so good! Time to dig in!" Naruto exclaimed, clasping his hands together excitedly and digging in without a moment's hesitation.
Asuma, Hinata, and Kusuo all watched him with a smile.
"Tomorrow, Lord Hokage has summoned us," Asuma said to Kusuo after lighting a cigarette.
"Tomorrow? Mm." Kusuo nodded calmly. He calculated in his mind. Tomorrow should be the day our squad, Team 10, officially undertakes its first mission.
--------
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