The Land of Rain.
Inside the small wooden hut where Jiraiya and the orphans resided.
The Den Den Mushi sitting by Konan's bedside began to ring.
Purupurupuru—
Konan, who was having dinner with Jiraiya and the boys, immediately set down her chopsticks. With a bright smile, she jogged to her small room, lit a candle, and picked up the receiver.
"Hello? Ren?"
"It's me!" Ren's voice was full of cheer. "I have great news! I've successfully mastered the Flying Raijin Jutsu. I can come find you whenever I want now!"
Hearing the joy in his voice, the corners of Konan's lips curled into a beautiful arc. She toyed with a paper butterfly at her fingertips and replied, "And when exactly do you plan on coming over? It's been almost a year since we last saw each other~"
Hearing the slight hint of loneliness in her tone, Ren's face flushed. He had been so busy in Konoha that he'd actually let time slip by without visiting her.
"By the way, Konan, do you want to move to Konoha? As Jiraiya's student, it would be easy to get you residency. Even if you don't want to be a ninja, the money I make is more than enough to support you for life!"
He had wanted to bring her to his side for a long time. His house was plenty big, and having her there would make "bonding" much more convenient.
Konan's heart wavered for a moment, but after careful consideration, she shook her head. "I think I'll wait until it's time for Jiraiya-sensei to return..."
"Alright." Ren didn't press the issue. They were already in a tacitly understood relationship; the only obstacle had been the distance.
Now that he had the Flying Raijin, wasn't he free to come and go as he pleased?
Thinking of the technique, a bold idea struck him. "Konan, go grab a brush and some ink. I have a use for them!"
"A brush? Okay, hold on!"
Konan hurried out, found the calligraphy brush they usually used for practice, balanced a small tray of ink, and rushed back to her room.
At the dining table, Jiraiya and the two boys looked on with deadpan expressions.
"Women in love..." Jiraiya shook his head with a sigh.
Nagato and Yahiko, being pure young boys, didn't really grasp the concept of romance yet. They were busy dreaming of the future. "One day! I'll make sure this world is free from hatred and killing!" Yahiko declared. Jiraiya and Nagato both smiled at his dream.
Back in her room, Konan held the brush, confused. "What am I supposed to write?"
"Leave it to me!"
The next second, under Konan's startled gaze, a tentacle suddenly sprouted from the back of the Den Den Mushi. It took the brush from her hand and quickly painted the character "Ren" (山) on the table.
Before she could process the shock, Ren's voice came through the receiver again.
"Konan, step back just a little bit. I'm coming over right now."
"Coming over?" Konan realized instantly that he was going to use the mark to teleport. Excited, she obediently took two steps back.
Whoosh—
A dark shadow flickered, and Ren appeared abruptly in front of her!
Seeing the purple-haired girl standing there, Ren's gaze softened. He instinctively reached out and ruffled her long hair, smiling. "Sorry for taking so long to visit."
Konan blushed slightly and shook her head. "It's fine. It was my choice to stay here."
In her heart, she knew that if she left with Ren, she might never see Nagato or Yahiko again. They were comrades who had crawled out of the wreckage of war together; the bond was deep. Yet, the sense of security and relaxation she felt with Ren was something she had never experienced in her life. She had decided she would eventually leave, but for the sake of her friends, she would wait until Jiraiya was ready to depart.
Ren understood her internal conflict, which is why he hadn't forced her to come to Konoha. Otherwise, his house would have already welcomed its second "lady of the house."
The first being Hikari, of course.
The two sat on Konan's bed. To avoid the wrath of the "Censorship Gods," Ren refrained from doing anything too out of line. He produced the clothes he had brought for her and smiled. "I figured it's hard to buy clothes around here, so I had Hikari pick out some new outfits for you. I brought them all!"
Konan picked up the new clothes with delight. If Ren hadn't been right there, she would have started trying them on immediately.
Ren was tactful. He immediately turned his back, promising that if he looked back even once, he was a dog.
Looking at his back, Konan giggled. "Then... absolutely no peeking!"
"Relax! I, Ren Kurogane, am a true gentleman! I would never peek!"
As the rustling of clothes began behind him, Ren felt as though a tiny hand were scratching at his heart. A voice in his head began to tempt him. Turn around! Just a peek! It's Konan, for heaven's sake! How can you resist?!
His neck seemed to be under the control of some unknown force, slowly beginning to rotate.
"No! Konan trusts me! I can't let her down!" Ren gripped his own head with both hands, forcing it back into position so he was facing away.
Konan, watching his internal struggle while she changed, couldn't stop smiling. Seeing him so conflicted made her burst into a fit of laughter, drawing a complaint from Ren.
"Stop laughing! Or I might actually turn into a Big Bad Wolf and eat you!"
"We've known each other so long, I know you aren't that kind of person," Konan said playfully. "By the way... why did you buy stockings? You never mentioned liking these before."
Looking at the various colors of stockings, Konan bit her lip, her face turning crimson as her imagination ran wild.
Ren was confused. Stockings? He didn't remember packing any. "Konan, are you dressed? Can I turn around?"
Konan let out a soft "Mhm... I'm done."
When Ren turned, he saw Konan sitting on the bed in a pink one-piece dress, her head bowed as she toyed with her fingers. But his gaze dropped lower. She was wearing a pair of white over-the-knee stockings. Her ten rounded toes were perfectly outlined by the white silk, looking incredibly inviting.
Ren felt a surge of heat rush from his abdomen, threatening his sanity. He stepped forward, grabbed a nearby blanket, and covered her legs completely. He took a deep breath, muttering under his breath: "The Censorship Gods are not to be trifled with... strictly off-limits..."