Chapter 5: A Bitter Farewell

"This is Kurenai Yuhi, a genjutsu master," Anko said as she moved to sit next to Kurenai, introducing her to Ren, who sat across from them.

"Oh, not at all. I'm just a Chunin," Kurenai said modestly.

"Ren," he nodded slightly in greeting.

"Ren's genjutsu is quite good as well. He can trap over ten enemies at once," Anko added.

"Really?" Kurenai's curiosity was piqued, and she couldn't help but reassess Ren with a new perspective.

"I just know a little," Ren said calmly. "I'm better at Taijutsu."

"…"

"Let's order," Anko said, retrieving the menu again and handing it to Ren.

"You two can decide. I'm not picky," Ren replied.

Anko, without hesitation, eagerly began marking items on the menu.

Ren leaned back in his chair, his gaze calmly resting on Kurenai.

Kurenai felt a bit awkward, unsure of what to say. They were from different generations, so it wasn't as though they had many shared experiences. Sitting here for such a formal meal felt out of place.

"Is there something on my face?" Kurenai finally asked, unable to bear the silence.

"No," Ren replied, "I just think your eyes are beautiful."

"…"

Kurenai's expression became a bit strange, while Anko, seemingly engrossed in her task of ordering food, didn't seem to notice.

"Thank you," Kurenai said, feeling slightly flustered.

This kid… he has a good eye, Kurenai thought, though she couldn't help glancing at Ren's own eyes, which were just an ordinary shade of light brown.

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Affection Level: 52 (+1)

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"I'm done ordering. Kurenai, do you want to add anything?" Anko asked, finally looking up from the menu.

Kurenai glanced briefly at the menu and nodded.

Barbecue was quite greasy, and she didn't eat much of it. Unlike Anko, who could eat anything without a care, Kurenai was disciplined and careful about maintaining her figure.

"It's been a while since I came here. I ordered quite a lot," Anko said excitedly.

"If you can't finish it, we can always take it to go," Kurenai suggested.

The desserts Anko had ordered arrived first. Without hesitation, she grabbed a piece and stuffed it into her mouth. Kurenai picked up a smaller piece and ate it quietly.

Ren sat there unmoved, his demeanor unchanging. Anko, remembering that Ren had said the previous day that he didn't like sweets, asked, her mouth full, "You're not even going to try it?"

"I told you yesterday, I don't like sweets."

"Why not? Sweets are delicious," Anko said.

"No particular reason."

Seeing Anko staring at him intensely, Ren sighed a little. "What is it?"

"I think anyone who dislikes sweets is a weirdo."

What kind of logic is that?

"A friend of mine used to take me to eat sweets all the time. Eventually, I got sick of them," Ren explained.

"You have friends?" Anko looked genuinely surprised.

"…"

"His name is Uchiha Shisui," Ren added, glancing at her.

"You're friends with Shisui of the Body Flicker?"

"You two must be really close," Anko said, her interest piqued, while Kurenai also leaned in slightly, intrigued. The name Uchiha Shisui was famous, and for them, it carried a lot of weight.

After all, while the three of them were still Chunin, Uchiha Shisui had already become a Jōnin at a young age.

"We're close enough," Ren said calmly.

"Oh, right. You're from the same generation," Anko suddenly remembered. "People used to compare the two of you a lot, right?"

"There's no comparison," Ren said evenly. "Shisui is too exceptional."

As trays of grilled meat were brought to the table, their rich colors and aroma making mouths water, Anko eagerly began placing meat on the grill.

"Don't worry. You're not bad yourself," Anko said, laughing as she started cooking the meat.

"You're one of the most talented juniors I've met. You might even be ready to apply for the Jōnin exams."

"We'll see," Ren replied mildly, picking up his chopsticks to cook as well.

Ren's nonchalant response left Kurenai quietly puzzled. Is he really Jōnin-level?

The fresh slices of meat sizzled on the grill, their red coloring slowly fading in the heat. Tendrils of white smoke curled into the air, drifting between the three of them.

Though Ren remained quiet and reserved, Kurenai's initial negative impression of him didn't worsen. Still, she maintained a level of wariness towards someone with his reputation.

"Have you always worked alone?" Kurenai asked casually.

"Ah, that reminds me!" Anko suddenly exclaimed, turning to Ren.

"We could form a team together," she suggested.

"Anko?" Kurenai was surprised and mentally cursed herself for speaking up.

"What's wrong?" Anko asked, laughing.

"Just… think about it," Kurenai urged cautiously.

"What's there to think about?" Anko waved off her concern and turned back to Ren. "What do you think, Ren?"

Ren observed Kurenai's reaction quietly. He'd faced much colder responses in the past, but at least Kurenai seemed mindful enough not to openly say what was on her mind.

"No," Ren replied.

"Eh? Why not?" Anko looked confused.

Kurenai breathed a small sigh of relief.

"I've been assigned to the ANBU," Ren said.

"ANBU?" Anko paused, then sighed in disappointment.

"Well, that can't be helped."

Kurenai added, "The ANBU is a great place. It's full of elite ninjas. It's a good fit for you."

A good fit…

"I have a friend in the ANBU too. I can ask her to look after you," Anko offered.

"There's no need," Ren declined. He wasn't joining the regular ANBU; he was headed for the Root, where any help Anko's friend might offer would be meaningless.

"It's no trouble," Anko waved her hand dismissively.

Kurenai's friend in the ANBU? Kurenai thought, feeling a bit exasperated. She's just a regular ANBU member; what could she do to help?

Kurenai didn't like the idea of her friend getting too close to Ren, considering his reputation. But Anko seemed to have made up her mind, and Ren had saved her life.

Even if Anko's instincts were sharp, that wouldn't change how people viewed Ren. If Anko kept associating with him, it wouldn't do her any favors.

Kurenai sighed inwardly, watching Anko devour her food. This girl really doesn't care about anything!

"This barbecue is amazing. You two should eat more," Anko said, cheerfully picking up a piece of meat and placing it on Kurenai's plate.

"Don't you worry about gaining weight eating like this?" Ren asked, watching Anko's voracious appetite.

Anko proudly flexed her slim but toned arm. "I'm naturally built like this. Can't help it."

"Oh, by the way, since you're friends with Shisui of the Body Flicker, could you invite him to have dinner with us sometime? We'd love to meet him," Anko asked.

"Why should I invite him?" Ren replied indifferently.

"Aren't you friends?" Anko asked.

"Yes."

"Well, if you're friends, why not invite him to join us for a meal?" Anko asked, confused.

Hearing Shisui's name, Kurenai's attention shifted back to the conversation.

"We are friends, but why should I go out of my way to bring him to dinner with you two?" Ren said coolly.

"…What do you mean by that?" Anko asked, bewildered, not quite grasping Ren's meaning.

"He's saying you two may be friends, but we're not," Kurenai interjected, annoyed.

She thought Ren was being somewhat ungrateful. Anko didn't care about the rumors and had reached out to him, but he didn't even consider her a friend.

"You don't see me as a friend?!" Anko was suddenly furious.

This foolish woman…

Kurenai put her hand over her face in exasperation.

"Did I say that?" Ren replied calmly, unmoved by Anko's reaction. "But it seems like you've misinterpreted things. We've only met once before. Are we really that close?"

"So I was just being overly friendly, huh?" Anko grumbled, clenching her teeth.

That sharp tongue… really knows how to hit where it hurts, Kurenai thought, watching Ren speak without showing any emotion.

She didn't mind it, though. In fact, it would be better if they remained distant strangers.

Maybe I don't need to stay here anymore… Ren thought, standing up to leave. Just then, he noticed a change in the system display.

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Anko Affection Level -10

Kurenai Affection Level +1

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Glancing at Kurenai from the corner of his eye, Ren saw a small, hidden smirk in her expression.

This woman…