Konan never imagined that Raizen would be so bold as to launch a "sneak attack" and kiss her. It left her momentarily frozen, her mind a complete blank, with only the thunderous thump-thump of her racing heart filling her ears.
Her porcelain skin flushed deep crimson, the heat spreading all the way down to her neck.
After a long moment, their lips parted. Konan, face still burning, glared at Raizen with wide eyes and a flicker of feigned indignation.
"You... how dare you kiss me?"
"I'm... I'm a Kage-level kunoichi! Aren't you afraid I'll beat you up?"
She brandished her small fists as if she were about to strike him.
Raizen, seeing her "angry" expression, didn't back away. Instead, he leaned in closer, catching her slender hands in his. He looked into her beautiful face with a teasing smile. "Would you really have the heart to hit me? If you broke me, wouldn't someone be heartbroken?"
During Konan's four years at the Uchiha estate, Raizen hadn't been idle. He had set his sights on this Kage-level "Angel" from the start. He had flirted with her constantly, but back then, his strength was low, so he kept it subtle—planting seeds of affection under the guise of jokes and lighthearted banter.
When she left previously, he had felt a pang of regret. Now that she was back on a mission, Raizen wasn't about to let the opportunity slip away again. He was going on the offensive to win the heart of this powerhouse. After all, a child born from a Kage-level mother would bring rewards far beyond anything he had received so far.
"I wouldn't be heartbroken at all!!!" Konan stammered, her face turning even redder as she lightly "pummeled" Raizen's chest with a flurry of soft blows.
"Argh! My chest! I'm breaking! I'm falling apart!" Raizen suddenly clutched his heart, letting out a series of exaggerated, theatrical groans of agony.
"Ah!" Konan was startled. She had barely used any strength. Why was he screaming so loudly? Was he already injured?
Panic flared in her chest. She rushed to support him, her voice laced with genuine concern. "Raizen-kun! Are you okay? I... I didn't mean to—!"
A glint of mischief flashed in Raizen's eyes. Before Konan could realize she'd been played, he leaned in and pecked her on the cheek. "Hehe. And you say you don't care about me? The 'fox tail' is showing—you're worried sick!"
Raizen caught her hand, intending to pull her into his embrace.
Konan snapped back to reality. Embarrassed and flustered, she wrenched her hand away. "Hmph! You big meanie! I... I'm not talking to you anymore!"
With a huff of shy indignation, she turned and fled the room.
Watching her retreat, Raizen wore the look of a victorious general. A little more effort, and Konan would be his. However, he knew not to push too hard; overplaying his hand now could backfire. He needed to let the feelings simmer.
With Konan here, the safety of the Uchiha clan was practically guaranteed.
Taking advantage of the lull before the exams reached their peak, Raizen used the Flying Thunder God to blink over to Kirigakure.
The moment he saw Mei Terumī, the two shared a passionate embrace, unwilling to part for a long time.
"Raizen-kun, you're back! I missed you so much!" Mei looked at him with deep, soulful affection.
"I missed you too, darling." Raizen pulled her back into his arms.
Absence had truly made the heart grow fonder. Like dry tinder meeting a flame, their passion ignited instantly.
Later, as Mei leaned against his chest, she whispered, "Raizen-kun, can't you just stay by my side? The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, has gone missing recently... I'm terrified that you'll disappear from my life too."
She clung to him, the fear of loss evident in her grip.
Yagura is missing? Raizen's heart skipped a beat. It seemed his "nephew" Itachi and Biwa Jūzō had finally made their move. He wondered if Jūzō would meet his end protecting Itachi from the Three-Tails, just like in the original timeline.
"Don't worry, treasure. I will protect you forever," Raizen whispered, kissing her forehead.
"Raizen-kun... love me well!"
Raizen responded to her heat with equal fervor. This time, Mei was so clingy she kept him in Kirigakure for three days and nights before finally letting him go.
Raizen didn't leave the Water Country immediately. He scouted the surrounding towns for any sign of Itachi, but finding no trace, he used the Flying Thunder God to return to Konoha.
Back at the estate, Konan was playing with little Mirai and the other children. Their laughter filled the courtyard, and Konan found herself genuinely moved by the peaceful, happy atmosphere.
She envied Mirai's childhood. Unlike her, Nagato, and Yahiko—who were born into the fires of war and struggled even for a crust of bread—these children were growing up in warmth. If they hadn't met Jiraiya, she and the others would have surely starved in that chaotic era.
"Auntie Konan, do you like Papa too?" Mirai, held in Konan's arms, asked with a cheeky grin.
"Mirai! Why would you think that?" Konan asked, her composure wobbling as a flush crept into her cheeks.
"Because I've seen you! These past few days, your eyes keep drifting toward Papa's room. You definitely like him, right?" Mirai giggled. "Actually, I like Auntie Konan a lot too! I really want you to be one of my mamas!"
Mirai blinked her large, ruby eyes. "Auntie Konan, why don't you become my 'Mama Konan'? Then we can all live together happily forever!"
Konan's face turned scarlet. She hadn't realized a child as young as Mirai would be so observant. It was incredibly embarrassing. Ever since Raizen's "sneak attack" kiss, she had found it impossible to get the image out of her head. Every time she passed his room, she couldn't help but peek.
"You little rascal," Konan laughed, pinching Mirai's nose. "You're too greedy. You already have so many mamas, and you want another one?"
"Mamas are like toys—the more the better!" Mirai declared. "Auntie Konan pampers me, so in the future, I want to pamper Auntie Konan's baby too!"
"Auntie Konan, will you have a baby? I want to see you have a baby, so I can have another little brother or sister!"
"Have a baby..." Konan whispered. Her face flushed deeper as Raizen's image unbiddenly surged into her mind once more.