Running Away with a Bucket
"What do you think?" Orochimaru asked curiously. "Is it related to the experiment?"
Hyuga Mio rarely appeared so distracted. As soon as the words left his mouth, Orochimaru felt a pang of regret. He suddenly remembered what he had once seen in Mio's eyes and nearly slapped himself inwardly.
Why did I have to bring up such a sensitive topic?
"No…"
Seeing the brief flash of irritation on Orochimaru's face, Hyuga Mio immediately understood his concern. The corners of her lips curved upward, and her mood improved noticeably.
"That's strange," Orochimaru said, puzzled. "Why are you smiling?"
Mio didn't answer.
After dinner, Orochimaru cleaned up the kitchen, washed the dishes, and neatly put everything away. He removed his apron and stood by the window for a moment, gazing at the completely darkened sky outside. Then he pulled out the chopsticks he had been using as hairpins, letting his long, dark hair cascade freely down his shoulders.
He returned to his room, took a change of clothes, and headed into the bathroom.
Warm steam quickly filled the space.
Orochimaru sank into the bathtub, which was filled with apple-scented bicarbonate bath salts. The pleasant fragrance relaxed his body, and he squinted his eyes slightly.
"How should I respond to Tsunade's confession?"
"Should I accept it?"
"And… how exactly do people flirt?"
"I've never even had a boyfriend before."
Orochimaru frowned faintly.
He tried to imagine what it would be like if he accepted Tsunade. After thinking it through, he realized their relationship probably wouldn't change much. After all, their interactions had always bordered on flirting anyway.
The bathroom door quietly opened.
Hyuga Mio stepped inside.
She looked at Orochimaru, who was lost in thought in the bathtub. After hesitating for a moment, she walked closer.
"Orochimaru…"
She hugged him from behind.
Lowering her head, her lips brushed lightly against his ear. Her soft, dark hair slipped down over her shoulders, dampened slightly by the steam.
"You already know how I feel about you… don't you?"
"You figured it out…"
Orochimaru looked into Hyuga Mio's pale Byakugan eyes—eyes that seemed capable of seeing straight into a person's heart.
"Hikari and Tsunade have both moved ahead," Mio said softly. "I don't want to stay where I am. I always thought I could stay one step ahead of everyone else, but reality proved me wrong. I overestimated myself."
She cupped Orochimaru's face in her hands. A single tear slid down the corner of her eye.
"Cry," Orochimaru said quietly.
He raised his hand, and the tear fell into his palm.
Faced with one confession after another, his heart was in turmoil.
He didn't want to run from his feelings—but he couldn't bring himself to reject them either.
Am I… indecisive? Orochimaru thought bitterly.
He couldn't reject Uchiha Hikari or Hyuga Mio—people he spent every day with—just as he had once rejected Jiraiya and the others.
"I don't want to make things difficult for you," Mio said gently. "It's fine if you reject me."
She smiled through her tears, as if she had already come to terms with it.
"I've prepared myself mentally. Even if you reject me, I won't leave. I made that decision a long time ago. I'm no longer a Konoha ninja… nor a member of the Hyuga Clan. I'm just your assistant."
This was a decision Hyuga Mio had made long ago—when she abandoned both her identity as a ninja and her place in the Hyuga Clan to remain by Orochimaru's side.
It might sound calculating to say it now, but if she didn't say it now, there would never be a better time.
"I don't understand why you all love me," Orochimaru said quietly. "Am I really that attractive? I'm quiet. Boring. I devote everything to research. Am I really worthy of your affection?"
Under the bathroom light, the tear in his palm shimmered faintly.
Orochimaru gently wiped the tears from Mio's face and looked at her, surprise flickering in his golden eyes.
"You deserve it," Mio said firmly. "You're superior to everyone else. Orochimaru… maybe I saved the Ninja World in a past life just to meet you in this one."
Her face rested against his palm as he stroked her cheek. Her reddened eyes carried a seriousness deeper than usual.
Orochimaru's pupils contracted slightly.
He pinched Mio's cheek lightly and smiled.
"In your previous life, you probably almost destroyed the Ninja World," he said. "That's why you met me in this one. If you hadn't met me, you might still be living an ordinary ninja life."
He continued calmly.
"The Birdcage Curse Seal would still be carved into your forehead. You'd still resent the Hyuga main family in secret. And if you ever married, your children would inherit that same curse. The Hyuga Clan's system would never have changed."
Mio nodded slowly.
"My life changed the moment I met you," she said. "If I hadn't met you, none of this would have happened."
Marriage.
The mere thought of Mio marrying someone else caused a sudden, uncontrollable surge of killing intent to rise in Orochimaru's heart.
…So I really am indecisive.
He immediately realized that the possessiveness he felt toward Mio was abnormal—twisted, even.
Is it because Mio likes me? Or because I can't tolerate the idea of someone who likes me marrying someone else?
What is this?
Am I the protagonist of some ridiculous harem story?
Or an idiot who dates multiple people and ends up getting stabbed in the back?
Orochimaru didn't want to accept that possibility.
He had always believed that logic ruled over emotion—but now he realized he had never truly understood himself.
Splash!
The sound of water.
Hyuga Mio slipped into the bathtub.
This was her first time bathing in the tub—and the first time bathing with Orochimaru.
Her voluptuous, pale body leaned against him, nearly submerged in the warm, bubbling water.
"It seems that meeting me was good for you," Orochimaru said honestly, turning his head away slightly.
"But the changes in the Hyuga Clan were the result of your own efforts. I only studied the Birdcage Curse Seal because it interested me. At the time, I didn't care what you chose to do. Even if you had died… it wouldn't have mattered to me."
He wanted Mio to understand.
He wasn't as good as she imagined.
Everything he did had a purpose.
"I wasn't your assistant back then. We were only collaborators. The real reason things escalated was because our actions drew attention."
Mio remembered clearly.
Without Orochimaru's intervention, things would never have ended so smoothly. How could a system that lasted hundreds of years collapse so easily?
She had never wanted to involve Orochimaru—but in the end, she had no choice.
"Orochimaru… are you saying all this to leave a bad impression on me?"
"That was the intention," he replied calmly. "But it seems I failed."
He looked at her seriously.
"I'm not as kind as you think. Hikari and Tsunade have both confessed to me. I will face their feelings—and yours. But in the end, I may not be able to reject any of you."
He lowered his gaze.
"I'm not someone worthy of your love."
"Mio, you're too perfect. Someone as selfish as me doesn't deserve you."
"Don't say that."
Mio pressed her finger against Orochimaru's lips.
She was happy that he was willing to say these things to her.
Resting her head against his chest, she whispered, "I won't give up. As long as you don't reject me, I still have a chance, right? Competing for love isn't something I'm good at… and it's not something they're good at either. I'll stay by your side until you no longer need me."
Before he could respond—
She intertwined her fingers with his and kissed him lightly on the lips.
"I won't fall behind," she whispered.
Fall behind?
In what?
A competition?
And am I the prize?
Orochimaru stared blankly as Mio walked toward the shower.
Moments later, the bathroom door flew open.
Uchiha Hikari rushed in and jumped straight into the tub.
Perfect timing?
Hikari wrapped her arms around Orochimaru, smiling brightly.
Orochimaru suddenly realized—
Mio must have known Hikari was coming.
Mio… when did you become this cunning?
For the first time, Orochimaru realized that Hyuga Mio might have been subtly guiding his emotions from the very beginning.
He thought he understood her—but now he realized how wrong he was.
"Orochimaru, it's been so long since we bathed together!"
Hikari waved a hand in front of his face.
"Sorry," Orochimaru said. "I was thinking."
"About sealing techniques?"
"No."
He tapped her smooth forehead lightly.
"Don't overthink it. If something's wrong, I'll tell you."
Maybe I Would Have Chosen the Same
Tsunade had slept all afternoon.
That night, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
More than anything, she wanted to know Orochimaru's answer—but couldn't bring herself to ask.
If not for her drunken confession, she didn't even know when she would have said anything.
"Tsunade… can't sleep?"
Orochimaru opened his eyes slightly.
"I… did I wake you?"
She lowered her voice, worried about waking Hikari.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly.
"You told me not to drink so much," he added helplessly. "You slept all afternoon. Of course you can't sleep now."
"…It's because of that," Tsunade admitted, blushing.
Orochimaru hesitated.
"I can't answer you right now," he said quietly. "Hikari and Mio also confessed to me."
"Mio… and Hikari?"
Tsunade's pupils shrank.
She knew about Mio.
But Hikari?
The girl she had helped raise together with Orochimaru?
It felt like she had created her own love rival.
"I told Hikari I'd give her an answer when she turns eighteen," Orochimaru continued. "Choosing between you and Mio… rejecting either of you… it's difficult."
He looked at her apologetically.
"I'm sorry, Tsunade."
"I won't hate you."
Tsunade placed his hand against her face.
She had never seen this expression on him before.
Even during the harshest training, Orochimaru had never looked so conflicted.
"I've always disliked Mio," she admitted quietly. "I knew she would take something important from me."
She bit his hand lightly and clung to his arm.
But even so—
She couldn't let go.
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