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After changing her clothes, just as Tsunade was about to head to the office, she suddenly stopped and weakly negotiated with Shizune:
"Shizune, look, I'm not feeling too well, my head hurts. How about I rest a little longer?"
"....."
The Hokage wants to sleep in again.
Shizune's face fell. She refused righteously and sternly:
"No! There are still many matters waiting for you, Lady Hokage, to handle personally. Besides, Kazuki also said he has important matters to discuss with you. So, you cannot go back to sleep."
"I knew it."
Tsunade's shoulders slumped in disappointment like a child's.
"Unless...."
Looking at Tsunade's pale and listless appearance, Shizune felt heartache too. After hesitating for a moment, she seemed on the verge of saying something but stopped.
"Unless what?"
Seeing a glimmer of hope for skipping work, Tsunade immediately perked up.
Shizune sighed, looking utterly defeated by Tsunade.
Being the student and Hokage's secretary to a teacher and Hokage like this, she often had to worry about Tsunade's laziness.
"Unless Kazuki agrees, otherwise you must go to work."
"Hey hey hey!!!"
Before Shizune could even finish her sentence, Tsunade suddenly jumped up high.
By the time she landed, her outer coat and shoes had already been kicked off, and she had comfortably settled herself onto the large bed in the restroom.
"Well, since you put it that way, Shizune, I'll unwillingly sleep a bit longer. Remember to tell Kazuki I'm not feeling well, skipping work today."
Hugging the pillow and habitually clamping the blanket between her legs, Tsunade fell asleep again.
Making Shizune seriously suspect the snoring was on purpose faked.
'Huh?'
"HUH!!!"
Staring at the now-sleeping Tsunade, Shizune was dumbfounded. I was just saying that, and you really went back to sleep?
It's over!!!
There was so much work left unhandled today. Well, great.
Why did I have to go and say that?
Shizune's face twisted in misery. She wanted to wake Tsunade up but felt a little couldn't bear to.
After all, Tsunade was genuinely busy. After wrestling with herself for a long time, Shizune ultimately left the restroom alone.
*****
"Aren't you going to work today?"
Kurenai, who had gotten up early to help make breakfast and was waiting for Kazuki to get up and eat, waited and waited but never saw Kazuki appear.
Opening the door to look, well, well, still sleeping. Seemed he didn't want to get up.
"Skipping work. There's nothing major anyway. Important matters can be discussed with Tsunade later."
Staying cooped up in the Hokage office building every day was unbearable for anyone.
Kazuki didn't want to work himself to death from exhaustion. So, when it was time to rest, he rested. At worst, he'd just skip work.
It's not like Tsunade didn't skip work frequently too.
"....Alright then. I left breakfast on the table. I'm heading out now." Kurenai didn't forget to remind him, "Remember to heat it up before eating when you get up."
"Got it. You go ahead."
Kazuki, who had his head buried under the pillow, waved a hand.
******
In the office, Izumi, not seeing any sign of Kazuki, knew he had skipped work.
This happened from time to time, without any set pattern.
Occasionally, he'd skip work if he was in a bad mood, if he was too tired, or even if he was in too good a mood. In short, he skipped when he wanted to rest.
He had used this excuse many times.
Tsunade was more direct: drunk, headache, didn't want to work.
With the person in charge absent, Izumi, as his secretary, could slack off and rest after organizing the documents.
After sorting the files, Izumi went to the Hokage's office. Seeing Shizune sitting on the sofa with a miserable look on her face, spacing out, she immediately understood:
"Lady Hokage skipped work too?"
"Yeah."
Shizune replied listlessly. Several seconds later, she reacted, looking up in surprise. "Why did you say 'too'?"
"Don't tell me....."
"Yes."
Izumi's expression was peculiar as she nodded slightly. "Skipped work too. Probably still sleeping."
Based on her understanding of her clan elder, if he had nothing to do or was skipping work, he would definitely sleep in properly.
As Kazuki himself put it: 'If I choose to skip work and not do anything, it's to rest properly, not to get up early in the morning and sit around like an idiot.'
"It's over, it's over, it's over....."
The light completely faded from Shizune's eyes.
The Hokage skipped work. The Hokage Advisor skipped work. In the entire Hokage office building, the two of them, the secretaries, were the highest authority now. What the hell are we supposed to do?!
"Pfft—"
Shizune's look of utter despair made Izumi laugh.
"Sister Shizune, actually, you don't need to worry too much. Even if they skipped work, the matters that need handling will just pile up and still need the Elder and Lady Hokage to deal with eventually. Worrying is useless. Besides, if there's anything important, we can always go and wake them up."
In that case, what was there to worry about?
It was a rare chance to rest for a day. Doing nothing was just fine.
"It seems.... that's the only way."
And so, a strange scene unfolded in the Hokage office building. Those who came to report work were all turned away. Not only were people turned away from the Hokage's office, but also from the Hokage Advisor's office.
What's going on?
Typically, matters requiring reporting could be taken to either Tsunade or Kazuki. Everyone in Konoha knew that their Hokage trusted her Advisor immensely, and any matter could just as well be reported directly to him.
Usually, when Tsunade skipped work, Kazuki would hold the fort. But today, both had coincidentally skipped work....
Those who came to report work could only be turned away and told to come back tomorrow.
A few with more urgent matters, unable to see either Tsunade or Kazuki, had no choice but to seek out Nara Shikaku, the commander of the Jonin squad.
"Alright, report it tomorrow. Lady Hokage and Lord Advisor are probably resting. It's not easy for them; it's understandable that they take an occasional day off."
Shikaku against his better judgment tried to persuade the person who had come to find him.
Understandable my foot! If you're going to skip work, at least take turns!
What's with both of you skipping at the same time?
Another day missing Minato.
Shikaku couldn't help but recall the diligent, hardworking Minato, who was so busy he couldn't even take care of his pregnant wife.
Comparing Minato to Tsunade... Tsunade was often nowhere to be found.
Either playing cards, playing games at the arcade, or drinking.
Even worse, she'd just skip work outright: 'This old lady isn't dealing with anything today, don't bother me.'
"Sigh~~~~~"
Fortunately, nothing truly important happened that day. After persuading those who came to report to leave, Shizune and Izumi found themselves with free time.
******
"Kazuki didn't come to work either?"
Well, well!!
Tsunade woke up to this terrible news. Did we coordinate this?
Skipping work together.
"Nothing important happened today, right?"
Tsunade was so anxious she couldn't even eat her meal in peace.
Although she enjoyed gambling, drinking, and skipping work, when it came to her duties, she, as Hokage, was still quite conscientious.
"Lady Hokage, nothing important occurred today. It's just that some people who came to report work or submit missions were turned away. Should I send someone to notify them?"
"Notify them."
Checking the time—it was only afternoon—Tsunade decided she should still get some work done. That would make her feel more at ease. Kazuki might dare to disappear for a whole day without a care, but she couldn't.