"Then let's just keep calling you DouDou. Names are just labels anyway."
"Tsk tsk, that's deep. Aren't you mad I call you DouDou?"
"What's there to be mad about? But why do you insist on calling me DouDou? What's the deal with that?"
"Your eyes are like beans, DouDou just makes it easier to recognize you."
Well, I should be happy then. So I still have a pair of eyes in your mind—I thought even my silhouette didn't exist.
"Eh, DouDou, stop torturing me. Everyone looks the same, who can possibly recognize anyone?"
Kisame quickly waved his hand.
"No, no, no. Only you can't recognize me."
Toki-sama shrugged, about to speak, then suddenly realized a more serious question.
"Wait, DouDou… does everyone know you're Kisame of Akatsuki? Am I the only one who didn't know?!"
Kisame chuckled and shook his head. "You're the only one who knows. Even though we live in the village, we don't appear in public as Akatsuki members. First, it's just too troublesome. Second, Konan—you know, the so-called Angel—worries about causing trouble for the villagers. So, yeah, you get it."
"Ah~ As expected of the Angel, always thinking of the village," Toki-sama said, full of admiration. Kisame decided not to reveal Konan's true nature—let her idolize her for now. A shattered idol image was just too cruel.
"Eh eh eh, DouDou, is that Angel dating jonin Kakashi?"
Toki-sama's gossiping soul ignited. Kisame rubbed his nose and asked in exasperation:
"Uh, why do you want to know?"
"Just curious. I heard jonin Kakashi died, then later came back. Your ninja world is so chaotic… anyway, as long as Angel is happy, I don't care."
Kisame: Suddenly very jealous of Konan.
"Eh, DouDou, what did you want to tell me before?"
Kisame grinned and took the flowers from Toki-sama's hands, placing his treasured fish tank in front of her.
"Toki-sama, these are mine. There's Aka-chan, Kuro-chan, Ki-chan, Dan-chan, Shiro-chan, Itazura-chan, Mizu-chan and the smallest one, Chibi-chan."
Toki-sama blinked. "…Do you want me to mock the names, or the proud, 'look-at-my-kids' expression on your face?"
"…I'm proud?" Kisame asked.
Toki-sama nodded meaningfully. Kisame scratched his head. "Do you like them?"
"Like what?"
"Aka-chan, Kuro-chan, Ki-chan, Dan-chan, Shiro-chan, Itazura-chan, Mizu-chan Chibi-chan."
I can't even tell people apart, and now you want me to distinguish a tank full of fish? DouDou, are you trying to make this harder for me?!
"…Right. I forgot about that."
"So, why are you here? Buying fish food? For the sake of you, I'll give it to you free from now on!"
Toki-sama said this with absolute certainty. Kisame laughed.
"No, Toki-sama. I have something to ask you."
"What? Danger mountain, fire sea—I've got it all covered!"
Kisame considered, then spoke.
"I'm going on a mission. I might be gone a long time, so I want you to take care of them."
"No problem! I've got this! I've never kept fish, but I'll do it. Don't worry. Even if I can't recognize them, I promise to feed them well!"
Toki-sama pounded her chest in promise.
Kisame smiled and, as usual, patted Toki-sama's head.
"I trust you."
"Of course. Eh, DouDou, when are you coming back?"
"I don't know."
Kisame said, looking at Toki-sama with unusually soft eyes—so gentle that even the usually oblivious Toki-sama noticed the strange atmosphere.
"Hmm, why are you looking at me like that?"
I like you. I want to be with you. I want to accompany you to fulfill that great dream—see mountains, rivers, seas, and the world. With you.
Kisame thought.
"I suddenly noticed you have a pimple on your chin."
Kisame said.
"Oh, last night's hotpot… too much chili… and got a bit drunk. It's inflamed."
"Drink less. Ninjas can use chakra to neutralize alcohol. You're taking all the effects of alcohol without chakra protection."
"Don't remind me. Last night, Haruko argued with her husband and dragged me out to drink. We went through four boxes of liquor—I even threw up!"
"Her husband hit her again?"
"Yeah, bruises everywhere. I say divorce. Why stay with a scumbag?"
"Toki-sama, the village has domestic violence laws. Let her report it. Minimum three years, no cap. Konan handles this very well."
Moments ago, Toki-sama urged Haruko to divorce; now she rolled her eyes in retaliation—a perfect example of how quickly women can flip.
"You say it so lightly, what about the kid? What about the child? All men are trash."
"Eh, you're overgeneralizing. The men I know aren't like that."
"Of course not, the men you know are Akatsuki—high quality, high class. That scumbag from Haruko's house? Can't compare."
She makes a fair point… I can't argue. Kisame decided to switch topics.
"Speaking of which, Haruko already has kids. When are you going to date? Toki-sama, you're 28. Wait too long and…"
Toki-sama waved dramatically.
"I've seen through the world. Good men in Amegakure are all taken. Good women, too, are taken by scumbags. The rest are inferior trash. I can't handle them, so I've decided to live in the light of blue lamps, carefree for the rest of my life."
Kisame said nothing, quietly watching her act.
The sudden awkward tension was terrifying.
Toki-sama sighed. "Well, fine… I just… I'm ugly… no men want me…"
"Speak properly."
"…Tsk, I tried to act cute and you don't even praise me. Instead, you say this? You're impossible!"
"You're not bad-looking. Just stop the 'tsk' every time, fix that habit, and you'll be fine."
"You just want me to marry off, don't you?"
Kisame said nothing—he didn't. After a while, Toki-sama sighed, looking at him with worry in her eyes.
"DouDou…"
"Hmm?"
"I wish you weren't a ninja."
"Why?"
"Then I could support you."
"What kind of logic is that?"
"Because ninjas always risk their lives. I hate that."
Kisame shook his head.
Everyone has moments when they risk their lives. DouDou, I hope my life-risking now will spare you from ever needing to do so.
Kisame thought Toki-sama would laugh. She didn't. She tilted her head, serious to the point of making him uneasy. After a moment, she returned her gaze to the fish swimming happily in the tank.
"Thank you."
"Uh…"
"Very dangerous, right?"
"Huh?"
"This mission."
"Mm."
"Do your best, DouDou. I'll take care of them, but I won't babysit forever. When you return, take them immediately. I hate keeping fish!"
Kisame smiled warmly.
"Mm. I'll definitely come back for them."
Toki-sama… I'll return alive. Then, across mountains and rivers, will you let me accompany you…?