Chapter 7 – The Guy Who Plays with Women's Hearts
All three turned their heads at the same time.
Standing there was a tall, slender beauty with slightly wavy hair, a single hand resting casually on the back of Sōsuke's chair. Her bright red eyes glimmered as she smiled at them.
It was Kurenai Yūhi — and she was alone.
Even Kakashi, who was notoriously bad at socializing, knew what this meant.
When a female acquaintance walks into a lively restaurant by herself, glances your way, and says "Oh? You're here too?" — there's no way out of what comes next.
Sure enough.
When Kakashi glanced toward Sōsuke across the table, he saw his friend — who had just been comfortably tipsy — suddenly stiffen ever so slightly, even his smile looking a little unnatural.
Like he had sobered up in an instant.
The sight made even Kakashi's heavy mood lift a little. The corners of his lips curved as if he were settling in to watch a good show.
Who says shinobi don't like a bit of gossip?
Unfortunately for him, Sōsuke's stiffness lasted less than a second before he returned to his usual warm, easygoing demeanor.
"Here to drink again, Kurenai?" he said with a smile. "Want to join us? We've still got two plates of meat waiting to be served."
He turned slightly toward the youngest at the table.
"This is Kurenai Yūhi — from one of the village's most renowned genjutsu clans."
"Then I won't be shy." Kurenai smiled effortlessly before letting her gaze fall on the only unfamiliar face — a young boy.
"And this is?"
"I'm Uchiha Itachi. Please take care of me, Kurenai-senpai."
Compared to earlier in the evening, Itachi had clearly relaxed, no longer freezing up in front of strangers.
"Oh! The Uchiha clan's prodigy?"
"And still so young…"
"That's amazing."
After giving him an approving nod, her eyes swept the table, and Kakashi quietly slid his chair back, giving up the seat directly across from Sōsuke.
Kurenai took it without hesitation, motioning the waiter over as she sat down.
"Two more bottles of shōchū, and a bottle of vodka."
"Kurenai…"
Sōsuke gave her a helpless look.
On the surface, she had the elegance and composure of a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko, but among their group of friends, her drinking capacity was the stuff of legend.
Still, despite his words, he turned to the waiter and added,
"And some wasabi octopus too."
"Right away—" the chef's voice rang out from behind the counter.
"You really do know me well, Sōsuke." Kurenai's gaze lingered on him as she teased lightly.
"No sweets for me — just good drinks and the food that goes with them," Sōsuke said with a small chuckle, then pointed toward Kakashi.
"Not just me. Even Guy and Kakashi here remember what I like."
Kakashi's face darkened instantly.
Mentioning him was bad enough — but lumping him together with Guy?
Damn you, Sōsuke.
"Just drinking to drown your sorrows."
Then Kurenai blinked, surprised.
"Wait, Kakashi — you actually took your mask off tonight? That's rare."
"Not bad! Not bad at all." She playfully tapped his arm.
"Masks get greasy around the grill." Kakashi replied flatly, before smoothly steering the conversation elsewhere:
"Haven't seen you much lately, Kurenai. Trouble at work? Sōsuke's here too."
Sōsuke shot him a mock glare, but Kurenai missed the silent exchange between the two men. At the question, she sighed, massaging her forehead.
"It's that Kurama kid again.
"At first the clan head thought his daughter had some sort of genetic illness, but the hospital found nothing. Then they started suspecting genjutsu — so they came to me.
"These past few days, I've examined her. There were clear fluctuations in her mental energy, but no trace of genjutsu.
"I've been poring over every reference I can find at home, but I still don't have an answer. I really don't know what to do."
"The Kurama clan?"
At that, Sōsuke instinctively looked up.
"If I recall, that's the bloodline that can strip away the five senses and turn illusion into reality, isn't it?"
"Yes, exactly." Kurenai nodded, then seemed to remember something.
"Speaking of which, Sōsuke — you're pretty well-versed in Yin Release, aren't you? Does your research connect to this sort of thing?"
"Not directly," Sōsuke admitted.
"My recent work focuses more on giving form to the soul — I collaborate with the Katō clan quite a bit.
"That said… I wouldn't mind taking a look."
"That would be wonderful."
Kurenai visibly relaxed, letting out a long breath.
"That child's mental state is getting worse by the day — we might be running out of time."
Just then, their drinks and side dishes arrived.
Kurenai reached for the shōchū, naturally intending to pour for Sōsuke first — but just as the bottle tilted, a large hand covered the rim of his cup.
When she looked up, he was still smiling — gentle and warm as always — but his words were calm and soft:
"Pour for Kakashi first. I still have a little left."
He raised his glass slightly to show the faint line of liquid still at the bottom.
Kurenai froze for a fraction of a second before silently shifting her gaze and obediently filling Kakashi's cup first, her expression unchanged, her smile flawless.
Kakashi glanced between the two of them and sighed inwardly.
Sōsuke, you haven't changed at all.
Since they were kids, Sōsuke had always been able to get along with anyone. Even someone as solitary as Kakashi could never quite turn him away.
Bright. Warm. Easy to be around.
Despite being the same age, he'd always felt more like an older brother looking out for them.
Even with only average talent and strength, Sōsuke was someone others admired and respected.
If there was one flaw Kakashi could name about him, though… it was this.
The guy plays with women's hearts.
Kakashi thought to himself, glancing at Uchiha Itachi out of the corner of his eye.
Maybe… not just women's hearts.
Itachi, for his part, simply kept eating quietly, his thoughts still lingering on their earlier conversation. He could faintly sense something subtle in the air between the three adults, but had no idea what it meant.
Just as Sōsuke had said, Kurenai could really hold her liquor — not until she downed a fourth bottle of vodka did she finally start to sway a little.
That was the signal that the gathering was winding down.
"Well, I'll leave Kurenai to you, then."
Kakashi said, patting the now very full-bellied Itachi on the shoulder.
"I'll see this one home."
Sōsuke hoisted Kurenai's arm over his shoulder and waved casually.
"Appreciate it."
Itachi frowned slightly, about to protest that he didn't need to be escorted like a child — but seeing Kakashi's expression, he thought better of it and held his tongue.
Human relationships… they're even trickier than ninjutsu.
---
Lanterns were being lit as night fell.
The paper shades swayed gently in the breeze, scattering patches of light across the stone-paved street. The outline of the Hokage Rock loomed clear against the moonlit sky.
The aroma of sake drifted from the izakayas, mingling with the smoky scent of grilled fish and oden.
Every so often, a peal of laughter rang out from somewhere down the street.
The village seemed to breathe slow and easy beneath the stars.
The faint flush of drunkenness spread across Kurenai's delicate cheeks, tinted even redder by the setting sun. The chatter around her seemed unusually loud, and the space between her and the man at her side felt strangely close—
yet impossibly far away.
They had known each other for so long, and still, she felt that the distance between them had never truly narrowed.
But she never dared to say it aloud.
Unfortunately, even her slow, unsteady steps couldn't make the road home any longer.
Before she knew it, the two of them were already standing in front of her gate.
"Kurenai, we're here."
Sōsuke's voice was as gentle and reassuring as ever.
Still tipsy, Kurenai kept her head lowered, hiding the faint curve of her lips as she continued to lean on his shoulder.
It wasn't until he gave her a small shake that she lifted her head in a daze.
"Ah… we're here."
"Sorry… I'm always troubling you, Sōsuke."
She didn't even notice how muffled her own voice sounded.
Despite her frustration, she had gradually come to accept the cruel reality—
To Sōsuke, she was probably just a clingy, troublesome woman, like some piece of stubborn toffee sticking to him.
But then, just as she staggered forward a couple of steps, his voice paused before he spoke again:
"If it's you, Kurenai—"
"Even your troubles feel like a blessing."
Her steps froze.
She instinctively looked up at him.
That single line was enough to pull her heart back from the bottom of the pit, wrapping it once again around the man standing before her.
Perhaps noticing the way her expression had tensed, as though she were gritting her teeth to summon some sort of courage, Sōsuke's eyes curved slightly behind the thick lenses of his glasses.
Before she realized it, the space between them had shrunk to barely a foot.
Under the quiet of the night, he casually lifted a hand, tucking back the loose strands of hair by her ear. His fingertips brushed against her earlobe—warm, perhaps from the alcohol—as he spoke softly:
"Smile a little."
"If even the sun casts a shadow, wouldn't everyone feel sad?"
Kurenai looked at him, her lips pressed together even tighter, but she forced them to curve upward. Slowly, her voice low and trembling, she leaned toward him:
"Is it… really just 'everyone' who feels sad?"
"Kurenai."
But before she could finish what she was about to say, Sōsuke calmly stepped back, regarding her with that same warm, unshakable smile.
The small distance between them felt like an uncrossable line.
Kurenai held her breath, forcing back the words that had almost spilled out.
In an instant, the drunken haze was gone.
The sudden clarity left her flushed with anger.
She couldn't speak.
Her gaze toward him grew complicated, even a little resentful.
She felt as if he was toying with her heart—
and yet she couldn't stop herself from falling for it.
After a long, tense silence, she said nothing more.
Turning abruptly, she slammed the gate shut with a heavy thud.
Sōsuke stood outside quietly for a moment before turning away.
…
A long time later—
a single, dull thump echoed from inside, as though something had struck the door.