Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains and spilled into Uchiha Ran's room like soft strands of golden silk.
"Masaka… I really don't want to get out of bed…"
Ran slowly opened his eyes and stretched lazily, feeling a refreshing sense of clarity spread through his body—the crisp vitality unique to early morning.
Whenever Ran stayed in the village, he always kept the habit of morning runs. It was because of this routine that he had struck up a friendship with a certain training fanatic—Might Guy.
Just as Ran finished washing up, stood up, and pushed open the door to head out for his usual exercise—
He suddenly noticed a figure standing outside.
Taking a closer look, he realized it was Kurenai Yuhi.
Ran quickly stepped forward and greeted her with a smile.
"Kurenai, what brings you here so early? Is something wrong?"Her sudden visit caught him off guard—she hadn't mentioned anything about coming yesterday.
Kurenai looked at Ran, a trace of anticipation shining in her eyes.
"Ran… N-Naka River's cherry blossoms are in full bloom… Would you… would you go with me to see them by the riverbank? Ah… it's been so long since I've seen scenery that beautiful."
Hearing her proposal, Ran felt his heart stir.
Naka River's cherry blossoms…From what he remembered, it wasn't far from the Uchiha clan grounds.
The place was famous for its cherry trees, but because it was close to the Uchiha main district, hardly anyone ever went there.
Thinking about how he was usually busy with training and missions, Ran realized he rarely took time to appreciate nature. And besides—
It was Kurenai inviting him.
Sure, she was still young—but so was he. They were basically the same age.
Her invitation felt like a rare opportunity to relax.
After a brief moment of thought, Ran decided to give himself a day off. Looking at Kurenai, whose cheeks were faintly flushed, he smiled and spoke gently.
"Of course. Kurenai—actually, your invitation makes me really happy. I've wanted to go see the cherry blossoms with you too. I just didn't know how to bring it up."
A flash of joy flickered through Kurenai's eyes.
She didn't know whether Ran truly meant it or not—but he really knows how to take care of someone's feelings…
With that, the two of them left Ran's house together, stepping into the warm spring breeze and sunlight.
Naka River was still some distance away, but the lively Kurenai never ran out of things to talk about along the way.
By the time they arrived, the cherry trees lining the riverbank had already burst into bloom under the caress of the spring wind. Pink petals glimmered softly in the sunlight, and the air carried a faint, sweet floral fragrance.
Ran and Kurenai walked along the riverside path, cherry blossoms blooming brilliantly on both sides. Petals drifted gently through the air as they followed the river, the scenery unfolding before them like a living painting—peaceful, breathtaking, and calming to the soul.
Eventually, they found a suitable spot and sat down, quietly taking in the view.
Kurenai glanced at Ran, a shy warmth in her gaze as she spoke.
"Thank you, Ran. Coming here to see the cherry blossoms with you… it really means a lot."
"No," Ran replied softly. "I'm the one who should be thanking you for inviting me."
"Ran… there's something I want to tell you…"
As she said that, Kurenai's face flushed a vivid red.
Looking at the bashful girl before him, Ran couldn't help but complain internally.
Isn't this a bit early? I'm only thirteen, and Kurenai's just twelve…
…Then again, this was the world of shinobi.
When you thought about it that way, maybe it wasn't that strange after all.
"Hey! Kurenai! Ran! You're seriously enjoying cherry blossoms here without inviting me?!"
Just as Kurenai hesitated, unsure whether to say what was on her mind, a loud voice rang out from the distance.
"…Ah. So it's Asuma," Ran muttered, watching Asuma Sarutobi approach."I really thought this place was secluded enough that no one would come."
But in Ran's mind, a certain infamous technique surfaced immediately—
The Telescope Technique.
Don't tell me Asuma can use the Third Hokage's crystal ball and that jutsu too…Ugh… that sounds awful. Even with all its restrictions, as long as you're not indoors, it can still spy on people…
Looks like I need to use 'Floating Life, Dreamlike Illusion' on Hiruzen sooner rather than later. Having that old man constantly watching me wouldn't feel good at all…
Meanwhile, Kurenai puffed up her cheeks in anger, her small face round and rosy—ridiculously cute.
"Seriously… why is Asuma here?!"
"Asuma, why are you here?" she demanded suspiciously. "Don't tell me… don't tell me…!"
Faced with Kurenai's unfriendly stare, there was no way Asuma could admit—
Actually, I often secretly use the old man's crystal ball to watch you…
Damn it.
If he hadn't randomly decided to check on Kurenai early this morning—
If he hadn't seen her leave alone—
He would never have known that she had invited Uchiha Ran out by herself to see the cherry blossoms.
Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.
Fueled by anger, Asuma had rushed over immediately.
"Kurenai! I was thinking the cherry blossoms were in bloom, so I wanted to invite you too. But you weren't home, so I came by myself. I never expected to run into you both here—don't you think that means we're fated or something?"
He spoke loudly, pretending not to notice Kurenai's displeasure.
Tch… how annoying, Kurenai thought bitterly.Looks like today ends here. If it weren't for Asuma, I would've already…
Just then, her eyes caught sight of something in the cherry tree above—
A cat-fox.
Cat-foxes were adorable creatures that could be contracted as summoning beasts. They were extremely proficient in genjutsu and incredibly sensitive, making them notoriously difficult to capture.
"Ran… can you help me?" Kurenai asked softly.
She really liked the cat-fox—and capturing it would be a great boost to her strength.
"Of course," Ran replied without hesitation.
"I can help too, Kurenai!" Asuma chimed in.
Kurenai ignored him and turned to Ran.
"Ran, cat-foxes are extremely alert. There's no place to land where it's hiding, and if we use Body Flicker, it'll react instantly. There's also genjutsu around it—we won't be able to catch it like that."
"…Alright. What do you want me to do?"
"Hold me and wait at that treetop—ambush it."
—
Under Asuma Sarutobi's bloodshot, furious gaze, Uchiha Ran wrapped an arm around Kurenai's slender waist.
The two of them waited quietly for the cat-fox to walk right into their trap.
Crack…
The branch beneath their feet creaked ominously, looking like it was about to give out under the combined weight of the young boy and girl.
Seeing this, Kurenai could only make hand signs toward Asuma, signaling for help.
When Asuma saw Kurenai gesturing at him, his face lit up with joy—
Until he understood what she was actually saying.
Asuma, hurry and support Ran. He's about to fall.
Staring at Uchiha Ran—who was still holding Kurenai tightly—Asuma grit his teeth in fury.
Still, he stepped forward and grudgingly propped up Ran's feet from below…