Chapter 48

Tsunade couldn't help but stand up, barefoot on the rock, her eyes reflecting the endless roses. The red color was just like the depth of Haruki's affection, seemingly never fading.

"Yes, it is truly beautiful."

She said softly, as if complimenting the roses, or perhaps agreeing with what Haruki had said earlier.

The moonlight overhead crossed countless light years of darkness and mixed with the fireflies, like a light gauze draping over her.

Haruki had never seen such a beautiful scene.

In the distance, the festival was bustling with people, cheers, and applause rising and falling.

The Aburame clan's performance had come to an end.

Hyuga Kasumi took the stage again, starting her interlude.

It all seemed like it was in slow motion.

Tsunade turned her head to look at Haruki. After a few seconds, she showed a brilliant smile.

She touched his hair and said, "What a waste of money."

"A thousand gold coins can't buy a beauty's smile." Haruki pulled her hand.

"Sweet talker!" Tsunade sat back down next to him.

"No, really. Let me tell you the story of the Beacon Fire Princes." Haruki held her hand.

"Don't mess around, it's too ticklish." Tsunade had only heard a few words of the beginning when she grabbed his restless fingers, "Can you tell it properly? Tickling my palm, are you a child?"

"Do you want to see if I'm a child?" Haruki's fingers played hide and seek with Tsunade's, one trying to tickle, the other trying to stop it.

"Childish!" Tsunade rolled her eyes, too lazy to play with him, and directly withdrew her hand.

"Okay, okay, I'll continue." Haruki grabbed her hand, pulling it back, and played with it again, but this time without tickling.

"Go ahead, I'm listening." Tsunade pouted; she really couldn't do anything with this guy.

Haruki grinned proudly and began telling the story of King You of Zhou.

Tsunade listened while watching the performance on the stage.

The current performance was a scene from Jiraiya's novel.

Naruto battling the Witch of Myoboku Mountain.

Naruto was played by Minato Namikaze.

This wasn't forced by Haruki; just like in the original story, Minato was a big fan of this novel. When he heard there was a stage play for it, he ran to Haruki, saying he wanted to play Naruto.

Since it was so interesting, Haruki agreed immediately.

To add more drama, he even got Kushina Uzumaki to play the witch.

During the first rehearsal, the witch defeated Naruto.

If Jiraiya saw this, he would probably be so angry he'd cough up blood.

After much persuasion from Haruki, Kushina finally followed the script, being the villain defeated by the hero.

"Hey, hey, are you telling me this story to say I'm a femme fatale?" Tsunade shouted after hearing about the fall of King You of Zhou.

"No. I'm just illustrating your charm. It's only foolish rulers who blame their mistakes on women."

Haruki couldn't help but shake his head. Too many ancient stories were like this, such as the classic one of Daji, the nine-tailed fox.

Tsunade snorted softly and pressed her finger against his forehead, saying, "If I become Hokage, you must behave. If you interfere, I'll... I'll..."

She said "I'll" twice, but her mind seemed to get stuck.

"You'll what?" Haruki glanced at her, expectantly.

"Of course, a heavy punishment!" Tsunade made a scissor gesture, speaking fiercely.

"I will definitely be a good boy! I will never seduce you!" Haruki shrank his head, very aware of the most precious part of a man.

"What seduction? Sounds so awful!" Tsunade glared at Haruki, looking exasperated, "And what do you take me for? I'm not a foolish ruler!"

"Hehe, actually being a foolish ruler isn't bad either. Sleeping with many women, doing whatever you want without worries."

"What did you say?" Tsunade's eyebrows shot up. This boyfriend of hers, clearly as talented as she was, but always so lazy, not caring about anything. To her, it seemed like such a waste.

Haruki immediately shut up. After a while, seeing her expression relax, he added, "Dreams, you know, in dreams you can be as bold as you want."

"If you want me to be Hokage, I'm willing. But you can't slack off. From now on, you'll be my assistant."

Tsunade gave him a look that said he couldn't escape either.

"Secretary, huh? I like this position. As they say, if there's something, the secretary does it; if there's nothing, well..."

Although Tsunade found Haruki's expression strange, she was pleased with his rare enthusiasm.

"Ahem, there's something very important I need to tell you." Haruki's expression turned serious,

"Don't get too worked up."

Tsunade was taken aback. His seriousness made her a bit unable to react.

One second they were flirting, the next... Huh? Seeing the roses around, did he...?

Thinking of this, her face turned a bit red, and her heart started beating faster.

"I need to go to Sunagakure the day after tomorrow."

"!!!"

Though it wasn't what she imagined, Tsunade's heart still pounded fiercely.

"What did you say?"

She leaned closer to Haruki, "Say it again, I didn't hear it clearly."

"I'm going to Sunagakure. Don't worry, it's not dangerous."

"Not dangerous?" Tsunade's face darkened, holding his head, "Are you stupid? How can it not be dangerous? How many of their ninjas have died at the hands of Konoha ninjas? You think they won't kill you if they see you?"

"I'll take Minato with me; he has the Flying Thunder God technique."

"Flying Thunder God isn't omnipotent." Tsunade didn't want to hear his explanation at all, "And Minato isn't my granduncle; his strength is too weak."

"Of course, he can't be compared to the Second Hokage, but he can get me out of there if needed."

"Do you have to go?" Tsunade saw his determination, and couldn't help asking, "Why exactly are you going?"

"For business." Haruki pressed a finger to her lips, "Commercial trade is very important. I'm meeting with the Kazekage, and only I can handle this."

"Reckless!" Tsunade couldn't help biting his finger, but seeing him pull back and lick his finger, her face turned red, "If you really have to go, then I'll go too."

"?" Haruki's eyes widened, ignoring the pain in his finger, shouting, "No way! Absolutely not!"

His attitude was even more determined than when Tsunade opposed him earlier.

"Oh? Why?" Tsunade asked smugly, as if the tables had turned.

"If I go, they might not do anything. But if you go, they definitely will. Don't forget about that old hag Chiyo."

"Doesn't matter. She's no match for me in poison, nor in a fight."

"You're in their territory, what use is that?"

"Hmph, I'm returning your own words to you."

"..."

Damn, he was shooting himself in the foot.

Haruki glared at her, and Tsunade glared back.

The two of them stared at each other, neither willing to back down.

After a long time, the nearby stage was filled with onlookers, watching the famous Uchiha perform the Chika Dance.

Even Uchiha Fugaku covered his face, regretting deeply that he had come to the festival.