Teizawa was still somewhat surprised by how muddled the whole incident had been.
He had originally been looking for Ino. Who could have guessed that the girl had not returned to her tent, causing him to enter the wrong one by mistake?
Still, what was done was done.
Teizawa had never been the kind of man who turned his back on a woman afterward.
At worst, he would take responsibility for Tenten in the future.
Besides, according to his plans...
Every kunoichi would eventually be his.
What difference did it make whether it happened sooner or later?
He rubbed his chin, a reminiscent smile tugging at his lips.
That said, Tenten had been surprisingly delicate.
Teizawa slipped out of Tenten's tent.
The night wind blew against his face, bringing a slight chill with it, but it could not erase the satisfied curve of his lips.
His footsteps were so light that he seemed to be walking on clouds as he followed the edge of the camp.
The sentries were dozing atop their watchtowers, and none of them noticed him.
Humming an unfamiliar tune, Teizawa prepared to return to his tent and get a good night's sleep.
Then he saw someone.
A slender figure was pacing back and forth outside his tent.
Long blond hair gleamed softly beneath the moonlight. Her hands were clasped in front of her, her fingers twisting nervously together.
She looked like a lost fawn.
Her head lowered, she would walk forward a few steps before turning back. Several times, she reached for the tent flap, only to pull her hand away at the last moment.
The corner of Teizawa's mouth lifted.
Well, look at that. She had actually come to his tent this time.
No wonder Ino had not been in her own tent.
So the girl had come looking for him.
He approached without making a sound, then suddenly wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Ino jumped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Before her startled cry could escape, a warm hand covered her mouth.
Then she caught that familiar scent.
Her body gradually relaxed, like a crumpled sheet of paper slowly unfolding in warm water.
"Kazekage-sama..."
Her muffled voice slipped through the gaps between his fingers, soft as cotton candy.
Teizawa lowered his head until his lips nearly brushed the curve of her ear. His voice was as quiet as the night breeze.
"What are you doing here? Were you waiting for me?"
Ino's face instantly turned crimson.
The blush spread from her cheeks to her ears, then all the way down her neck.
She did not dare look at him.
"I... I was just taking a walk," she stammered, her fragile voice seeming ready to shatter. "I happened to pass by..."
Teizawa did not expose her obvious lie.
He merely removed his hand from her mouth and took her hand instead.
Their fingers intertwined, palm against palm.
Ino's fingers trembled slightly before slowly relaxing. Then she tightened her grip and held his hand in return.
"Come on."
Teizawa led her toward the edge of the camp.
"Where are we going?"
Ino's voice sounded faint and unsteady.
"The woods."
Ino's mind went blank, and her cheeks became hot enough to burn.
Of course she knew what going into the woods implied.
For a moment, she considered refusing and pulling her hand away. Yet as Teizawa continued forward, she ultimately chose to follow him obediently.
Teizawa had already memorized every detail of the camp's defenses.
He knew the sentries' shift rotations, every blind spot along the patrol routes, and the locations of the concealed guards.
Holding Ino's hand, he silently led her past those who were asleep and those who were still awake.
They did not alert anyone.
Moonlight spilled across the forest path like a thin layer of silver frost.
Teizawa walked ahead, shielding Ino behind him.
She kept her head lowered and followed like a little lamb being led along.
The night wind rustled through the treetops, producing a sound like an ancient lullaby.
They ventured deeper into the woods.
Before long, the campfires behind them could no longer be seen.
Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the foliage, painting the ground with mottled patches of silver and shadow.
Teizawa stopped and turned toward her.
Ino stopped as well, keeping her head lowered and refusing to meet his eyes.
Her hand was still clasped in his, and her palm was covered in sweat.
"Look at me."
Teizawa spoke softly.
Ino bit her lip, then slowly raised her head, revealing a face as red as a boiled shrimp.
Teizawa smiled.
Beneath the moonlight, his expression looked exceptionally gentle.
He cupped her face between his hands, his thumbs gently caressing her burning cheeks.
Ino's eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a frightened butterfly.
"Are you scared?"
Teizawa's voice was low.
Ino shook her head, then nodded.
Her heart pounded so violently that it seemed ready to burst from her chest.
She wanted to say something, but her throat felt blocked.
Teizawa did not ask again.
He lowered his head and kissed her.
His touch was gentle, like a feather brushing the surface of a lake, a spring breeze passing over the branches, or raindrops landing softly upon a lotus leaf.
Ino closed her eyes.
Moonlight filtered through the branches and fell across them, casting their overlapping shadows onto the ground.
The wind stilled.
Even the insects fell silent.
The entire world seemed to become quiet.
A long time passed before Teizawa reluctantly pulled away.
Ino lowered her gaze, her voice subdued and carrying an indescribable trace of grievance.
"Why have you been ignoring me these past few days?"
Teizawa paused.
"I've been watching you the entire time. It just wasn't convenient to speak to you. There are too many people around, and it would be troublesome if someone saw us."
Ino bit her lip as tears rolled down her cheeks.
She understood all of that.
Even so, she still felt hurt.
She felt neglected.
She worried that she was not important to him.
She feared that he no longer liked her.
Ino raised her head and looked into his eyes, which seemed especially bright beneath the moonlight.
Her lips moved, and her voice came out as soft as a dream.
"What about now?"
"Now?"
Teizawa smiled, the corner of his mouth rising.
"Right now, I want to kiss you."
Before Ino could react, he swept her into his arms.
She cried out softly and hurriedly wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she buried her face against his chest, too embarrassed to look into his eyes.
Teizawa carried her deeper into the woods.
Moonlight filtered through the leaves and fell across his handsome, smiling face.
He looked like a wolf returning from a successful hunt.
Ino kept her face buried against his chest, listening to his strong and steady heartbeat.
The resentment in her heart gradually faded away.
She knew he was the Kazekage, one of the most powerful people among the Five Great Nations.
He had countless responsibilities. How could he possibly remain by her side at every moment?
She could not demand that he always accompany her.
Nor could she demand that she be the only person he cared for.
All she could do was treasure every moment they spent together.
She would treat every meeting as though it might be their last, and every embrace as though it were a final farewell.
After an unknown amount of time, Teizawa stopped beneath a large tree.
Its thick trunk and dense canopy resembled an enormous open umbrella.
Moonlight slipped through the gaps between the leaves, scattering mottled shadows across the ground.
He gently set Ino down and let her lean against the trunk.
Ino raised her head.
The moonlight illuminated her lovely face, still covered by a deep blush. Her eyes shimmered like two clear pools of water.
Teizawa looked at her without speaking.
He merely raised a hand and gently stroked her cheek.
Her eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings stirred by the wind.
"Kazekage-sama..."
Ino's voice was as soft as a whisper in a dream.
"Mm?"
"Do you like me?"
Teizawa fell silent for a moment before smiling.
"I do."
Ino's eyes brightened, then quickly dimmed again.
"Then... do you like other people too?"
"So many questions."
Teizawa pressed a finger against her lips. Lowering his head, he rested his forehead against hers.
"Are you some kind of encyclopedia of endless questions?"
Ino pursed her lips, and the moisture in her eyes became even more pronounced.
She had always known the answers to the questions she asked.
She merely wanted to hear something that would reassure her.
Even if the answer was false.
Even if it was a lie.
Even if she could not bring herself to believe it.
"I..."
Teizawa's hand slid from her cheek to her chin, gently lifting her face.
"I like you. Not because you're the heir to the Yamanaka clan, and not because you're a Konoha shinobi. It isn't because you possess some kind of value."
He paused.
"I like you simply because you're you."
Ino's tears finally fell.
She did not know why she was crying.
It merely felt as though something had opened inside her chest.
All her resentment, longing, unwillingness, and fear came rushing out at once, transforming into burning tears.
Teizawa said nothing.
He gently kissed away the tears on her face.
They tasted salty and bitter, just like the emotions in her heart.
"Don't cry," he whispered. "You won't look pretty if you keep crying."
Ino laughed through her tears and struck him lightly.
Teizawa said nothing more.
He lifted her into his arms once again, and beneath the moonlight, their shadows merged into one.
The forest grew quiet around them, concealing them from the outside world.
(End of Chapter)
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