Kita smiled, ceasing her playful teasing of Konan. "Honestly, why worry so much? If Nagato says he'll handle it, then it will be handled. In this world, what goes around comes around. The Hyuga were stingy with that pair of Byakugan, but someone will reclaim them eventually. To be honest, what happened with Orochimaru… what they did was wrong. Danzo was wrong, the Hyuga were wrong. Even if you argue that the Byakugan belonged to them, the locks and the three silver needles are a debt they owe—one they need to repay."
Obito nodded. "I think the same." He finished his cup of hot tea in one gulp.
"I get all the reasoning," he admitted, "but I just feel… unsettled. I wanted to talk it out with you two."
"When did we become your counselors?" Konan asked disdainfully.
Obito chuckled. "Aren't you the leaders here? Isn't guiding subordinates part of your job?"
"Tch. Who cares if I guide subordinates? Are you looking for a fight?" Konan shot back. Obito laughed, standing. "Alright, you two keep showing off. Oh, save me a spot downstream. My place is collapsing, so I'll move over once this is done."
"Huh? You're moving in?" Konan asked, surprised.
Obito shook his head. "Not really. I stay at Kakashi's—lots of junk there, and I don't go back often. Safer to be over here."
Kita thought of all the Sharingan Obito had piled up and smirked. "Don't you think you should return them?"
"Return what? By seniority, I'm the clan head."
Konan quipped, "Then staying here should at least mean rent, right?"
Obito rolled his eyes. "Don't push it. I'm officially employed—this place already counts as mine."
Konan instantly shot back. "Nonsense! No way, we don't include lodging."
"Then I'll buy it," Obito said, pulling five ryo from his wallet and placing them on the table. "For rent and renovations. Isn't there another house across the street? I'll fix it up and move in when I can. Hurry, my place is really collapsing."
"Smash you for all I care," Kita laughed.
Obito pouted. "Enough chatter. I'll crash at your place tonight. Let's go." He vanished into space-time, leaving Konan staring after him and turning to her partner with a complaint.
"Have I been spoiling him too much lately? Who gave him the courage to talk to me like that?"
Kita laughed, picking up the five ryo Obito had left. "Our village's upper district is precious, the middle isn't cheap either… downstream worth just an ice pop?"
"Forget five ryo! Itachi and their families didn't even give that much," Konan said with mock resentment, laughing. "Maybe we should start charging them rent next month~"
"Five ryo a month?" Kita laughed, causing Konan to burst into laughter and smack her arm. "Haha! You're killing me!"
Kita laughed too, pocketing the coins, then stood. "Alright, joke's done. Time to work."
Mentioning work made Konan grimace. Watching Kita walk away, she asked, "Where are you going?"
"With Konoha's mess, I want to check on Itachi and Sakura. A little uneasy."
Unlike Obito's situation, Konan thought it was good for Kita to go guide and comfort them. She nodded. "Makes sense."
As Kita turned to leave, she remembered something and asked, "By the way, Konoha… what do you think? How to solve it once and for all?"
Konan thought, then shook her head. "It's difficult."
"Why is it difficult?"
"Though the current problem erupted with Danzo seizing power, he couldn't succeed without clan support. The root issue is the clans. Even if someone besides Danzo acted as a hidden hand, the clans' influence would prevail. Years ago, the Third supported the Fourth's rise, acknowledging this problem—but the Fourth died young, and that reform went nowhere."
"And what would you do?"
"Eh… are you testing me?"
Kita shook her head, smiling.
"I don't know what to do, so I'm asking. I think Itachi would want to know."
Konan smiled, thinking for a moment. "Force marriage outside clans, promote grassroots talents, eliminate Hokage advisors, disrupt the Hokage succession system."
Simple, direct, and decisive.
Kita laughed. "Still as rough and straightforward as ever."
Konan shrugged.
"You called me a cunning devil, didn't you?"
Kita shook her head helplessly and turned to continue outside.
"Focus on work. I've finished the Anbu daily report for today. I'll have Chi deliver it later. I'll head back after that."
"Okay."