Rin walked up to Rengoku. The hazy layer over his face disappeared, and only then did she recognize him.
"Lord Rengoku, you're back?"
Rin was clearly delighted. The last time she had seen Rengoku was already five years ago.
After that, during the ninja war, she had been studying in the hospital the whole time, and since then, there had been no news of Rengoku.
Combined with how rapidly Konoha had changed over the past few years, she felt as if a lifetime had passed.
Rengoku nodded, "I've been back for a while. Come on, let's talk."
"Yes, Lord Rengoku."
Rin held a great deal of respect for him. Aside from being the Fifth Hokage, he was also her savior.
The three of them found a dessert shop and sat down. Karin grabbed the menu and started ordering excitedly.
"I saw Kakashi when I went to find Might Guy today."
Rengoku got straight to the point, "I asked him about you two, but he didn't answer."
"It's been five years. Haven't things progressed at all?"
Rin might just be an ordinary medical ninja with average strength, but because of her, the entire ninja world had once been stirred into turmoil.
Rengoku cared quite a bit about her situation.
In his view, since Obito was dead, Rin and Kakashi should have naturally gotten together.
Rin shook her head, her expression calm, "Five years ago, Kakashi said I was too young."
"So we've just stayed friends."
Rengoku nodded. That was true. When Rin was revived, she had only been thirteen, which was indeed young.
"Aren't you eighteen now?"
Rin shook her head again, a hint of complaint on her face, "Kakashi worries about too many things. He still hasn't made up his mind."
At that moment, the server brought over a variety of desserts, daifuku, mochi, anmitsu, everything.
"Shishou, Rin, try the mochi here. It's really famous."
Rengoku picked up a piece of mochi, put it in his mouth, and said vaguely while chewing,
"What does he have to worry about? You clearly like each other, yet he keeps dragging it out."
Rin smiled faintly, her eyes drifting, "Who knows. Maybe he thinks he's much older than me, or… about what happened back then, when he killed me."
"Or maybe… Obito."
Seeing how calm Rin looked, Rengoku asked curiously, "Do you not like him anymore?"
A trace of longing appeared in Rin's eyes, and her cheeks turned slightly red, "Kakashi is so handsome. Of course I like him."
"But if Kakashi can't give his full heart, then being together doesn't mean anything."
Karin was eating anmitsu when Shion's voice suddenly rang in her mind.
"Hmph! Karin, where did you run off to? Do you know I paid for everything and now my wallet's empty!"
This was the Yamanaka clan's ability, combined with a barrier array, allowing telepathic communication across all of Konoha.
Karin said casually, "What's the big deal? I'll pay you back later."
After all, Shion and Karin were coworkers. Paying her back tomorrow would be the same.
Shion said anxiously, "Do you even realize how much you ate? I was planning to go shopping this afternoon, but now I can't!"
Karin giggled, "Serves you right for always spending everything the moment you get it. I'm on the commercial street right now, at…"
After telling Shion the location, Karin looked at Rin, swallowed the food in her mouth, and said, "Rin, why don't you fight for it yourself? You're being too passive."
Rin froze for a moment. Before she died, she had actually been quite proactive. When Kakashi was promoted to jonin, she had even gone out of her way to gather everyone to celebrate.
So why had she stopped taking initiative?
Rin's gaze drifted as she thought about it, then she let out a soft sigh.
"Maybe because I liked Kakashi both before I died and after I came back to life."
"But Kakashi keeps hesitating for all sorts of reasons. I guess I got disappointed."
Hearing this, Karin's eyes spun thoughtfully. Then she suddenly leaned over and kissed Rengoku on the cheek.
It startled Rin so much that she snapped out of her thoughts.
Rin stared at Karin in shock, her tongue tying up, "Karin, you, you, you two?"
Rengoku gently pinched Karin's cheek, then turned to Rin.
"Let me introduce properly. Karin, my disciple, and also my fiancee."
"Ah?", Rin froze completely.
"W-what?"
"How is that possible? Isn't Karin your disciple?"
Rengoku shrugged, "Why wouldn't it be? Karin likes me, and I like Karin. That's enough."
A hint of pride showed on Karin's face, "See? I fought for this myself."
"Shishou didn't accept me at first either, but I never gave up."
"And you know what? The child who cries gets candy. If you're always so understanding, Kakashi won't even notice you."
"Right now, while Kakashi is still hesitating, you're not doing anything. Be careful, or some other woman might snatch him away."
Rin looked stunned. She had never imagined Karin liked Rengoku.
And that Rengoku had accepted those feelings.
From her perspective, Karin was ten years younger than Rengoku (she didn't know that Rengoku had only spent two days in another dimension, reducing the age gap to five years).
Especially since Rengoku was the Fifth Hokage, there should have been a huge gap in mindset between them.
But no matter how she looked at it, the fact that they were together was undeniable.
And "fiancee" was far more serious than just being boyfriend and girlfriend.
"Probably… not, right…"
After hearing Karin's words, Rin asked uncertainly.
"The child who cries gets candy?"
She repeated the phrase softly, unsure. After all, she wasn't that kind of girl.
From the way she had chosen to die on Kakashi's Chidori back then, it was clear she had strong convictions.
She was usually considerate and never forced others. Now that Karin was showing her a different approach, she felt out of place.
Karin huffed, "You said it yourself, Kakashi is handsome. Isn't it normal for others to like him?"
"He doesn't wear a mask anymore, you know."
Thinking of Kakashi's face without the mask, Rin suddenly felt a sense of unease.
"Girls should act a little weak sometimes. If you don't fight for it, Kakashi won't see you at all."
Karin spoke like a little strategist, shaking her head as she talked. Rengoku couldn't help but chuckle.
While they were chatting, a girl came rushing over, full of energy, her white hair flowing.
"Karin!"
The moment Shion arrived, she wrapped her arms around Karin's neck.
"Seriously, you just left me there and ran off!"
Shion was obviously joking. They were good friends.
Karin giggled, picked up a piece of mochi, and fed it to Shion from the side.
Shion bit into the mochi and chewed noisily.
Only then did she notice Rengoku sitting beside them.
"Gulp!", She swallowed the half-chewed mochi whole.
It choked her so badly her eyes rolled back.
Cough! Cough! Cough!
"The clan leader is here too… hehe…"
Shion looked embarrassed. She had almost choked to death just now, how humiliating.
After she and her mother Miroku, along with all the people from the Land of Demons, moved to Konoha, her life had completely changed.
Having come to the Uchiha at a young age, Shion already considered herself part of the clan.
Rengoku didn't mind. He just smiled, "You only had eyes for Karin."
Shion shook her head, "I was just in a hurry, so of course…"
As she turned her head and looked at Rin, suddenly, Shion's pupils changed sharply.
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