Chapter 57 Konan Konan

Her steps were sure, no hesitation, no freezing. The battlefield that once paralyzed her no longer consumed her mind. 

When Hiro finally released the Genjutsu, Tsunade stood tall, her posture steady and unwavering. This time, she didn't stumble, didn't need to catch herself.

"You've come a long way," Hiro said, a note of pride in his voice.

Tsunade wiped the sweat from her brow, nodding. "It's been... intense," she admitted, her voice quieter than usual. "But your idea seems to be working, brat. 

Using Mangekyō Genjutsu to cure fear… it's unconventional, but it's working."

Hiro raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by how far she had come in such a short time. "You remember the deal, right?" he asked, his tone light.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly as she met his gaze. "What are you talking about, brat? Of course, I remember," she replied, her voice cool but confident. 

Inside, however, she had no intention of fulfilling that part of the agreement. There's no way I'm coupling up with this brat, she thought to herself. 

Once I'm cured, I'll offer him something else. There's always a way out.

She would give him something else.

Hiro, unaware of her inner thoughts, chuckled lightly. 

"Good. Just making sure." He turned to look at the horizon. "We're almost at the end of this, Tsunade. One more push, and you might be free of this fear."

Tsunade crossed her arms, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Hiro. I'll decide when it's over."

As they returnred back to thier room Hiro packed up his belongings quietly, his movements efficient. Tsunade, standing nearby, was wiping the sweat from her brow after the last session.

"So, what now, brat?" she asked, her voice casual but curious. "where are you going leaving already??"

Hiro paused, looking over his shoulder with a faint smile. "Actually, I've got some things I need to take care of. Places to be. People to see." He shrugged as if it were no big deal, but his tone carried an air of finality.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Work, huh? You're always so vague. What kind of 'work' are we talking about?"

He laughed lightly, avoiding the full explanation. "Just some personal business. It's nothing major. But I've been away long enough, and it's time i go back."

Tsunade didn't press further. She wasn't one to pry, especially when it came to things that didn't concern her. But a part of her was curious. She narrowed her eyes. "You better not be getting yourself into trouble, brat."

Hiro grinned, throwing his pack over his shoulder. "Trouble? Me? Are you concerned about me?" He gave her a playful wink, leaning just a little closer than usual.

Tsunade opened her mouth to retort, but Hiro cut her off, closing the gap between them with a sudden boldness. "Don't flatter yourself, Tsunade," he said, his voice low, teasing. "But you know... if you ever wanted to be concerned—about me—I wouldn't mind."

Her eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone, her usual sharp comeback stuck in her throat. For a split second, Hiro held her gaze, his smirk playful but his eyes carrying an intensity she hadn't expected.

The air between them grew still, and for the first time in a long while, Tsunade found herself at a loss for words. She blinked, regaining her composure quickly, but the moment lingered just enough to leave her speechless.

Hiro chuckled softly, clearly enjoying her rare silence. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He straightened up, the grin never leaving his face as he adjusted his pack. "Take care of yourself, princess."

Without another word, he turned and walked toward the door, leaving Tsunade standing there, her mouth still slightly open, trying to process what had just happened. 

She clenched her fists at her sides, not out of anger but pure irritation that the brat had managed to leave her without a retort.

She watched him go, her mind racing to come up with something clever to throw back at him, but it was too late. 

He was already out the door, disappearing into the distance with that smug grin of his still etched in her mind.

Dammit, she thought, I'll get him back for that.

Hiro walked away, feeling the cool breeze brush against his skin as he left Tsunade's quarters behind. 

He couldn't help but grin to himself, picturing the stunned look on her face. But his thoughts soon shifted back to more important matters.

He had a long journey ahead of him.

The mountains weren't far in terms of distance, but they were well hidden—an isolated, secret location known only to a few. 

It was where his true home was, where Mikoto and Pakura awaited was. The thought of seeing them again quickened his pace.

It had been months since he left, 

"Hiro, you're back..."

Suddenly, he heard her voice and turned around to see her—a woman with striking blue hair, standing a few steps away. 

It had been so long since he last saw her.

"Konana," he breathed. Without thinking, Hiro closed the distance between them and pulled her into an embrace, a gesture that felt instinctive to him after all this time apart.

But Konana froze. Her body tensed in his arms, and for a moment, Hiro thought she might push him away. He knew about her past, the walls she had built around herself after everything she had been through. And yet, despite her initial shock, she didn't pull back. 

Instead, she stood there, motionless, as if trying to figure out how to respond to something so sudden, so intimate.

Her mind raced. She hadn't expected this—not from Hiro, not like this. 

His warmth surrounded her, and a part of her wanted to lean into it, to let herself be comforted by the familiarity of him. But another part of her—the one shaped by her past—hesitated.

"Hiro..." she whispered, her voice softer, almost vulnerable.

Hiro loosened his grip slightly, realizing that maybe he had overstepped. He pulled back just enough to look at her, searching her face for any sign of how she felt.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to—"

Konana shook her head, her expression still one of shock, but there was no anger. Just confusion, and maybe something else, something deeper that she wasn't ready to share.