Konoha Village.
Kurenai Yuhi took Masahiko from the Ninja Academy and headed all the way to the Kurama Clan's residence.
After ringing the doorbell, both waited outside the door.
A moment later, a gentle and beautiful young woman opened the door. Seeing Kurenai Yuhi, she was about to say hello when she noticed Masahiko.
"Kurenai, who is this gentleman?"
"Let me introduce you. This is Yagyu Masahiko, a Taijutsu teacher from the Konoha Ninja Academy."
Kurenai Yuhi explained, "I wanted to ask him to come and see Yakumo."
Masahiko immediately bowed: "Hello, I am Yagyu Masahiko. Please take care of me."
"Hello, please come in, come in. Yakumo is resting upstairs."
After her initial surprise, Yakumo's mother quickly regained her composure and led the two inside.
After Masahiko and Kurenai Yuhi thanked her, they entered the house together. Soon, a frail, pale-faced girl ran down from upstairs.
"Kurenai-sensei, wasn't it supposed to be tomorrow..."
She saw Masahiko, and her expression froze for a moment. Then, she quickly became elegant and quiet; the speed of her change was staggering.
Kurenai Yuhi couldn't help but laugh, but she didn't call her out. Instead, she said, "No need to come down, we were going to go up anyway."
"Then..."
Yakumo's mother seemed a bit conflicted.
Masahiko said warmly, "Madam, please allow me to have a private chat with Yakumo. Or, Senior Kurenai can also be present."
"Then, I'll leave it to you, but please don't let Yakumo get too tired."
Yakumo's mother whispered.
Masahiko looked thoughtful, but he nodded in agreement.
He and Kurenai Yuhi went upstairs and sat down in the living room on the second floor.
Kurama Yakumo sized up this unfamiliar and handsome teacher. Her eyes were full of curiosity, but then a hint of worry appeared.
"Don't worry, he isn't a Genjutsu teacher."
Kurenai Yuhi had spent a lot of time with her and could read some of her expressions.
Yakumo immediately breathed a sigh of relief, then her face flushed slightly as she said, "I didn't..."
"No need to be nervous. This is your home. I'm not a teacher here, just a visitor, and... a friend of your Kurenai-sensei."
Masahiko's attitude was gentle, maintaining a perfect smile.
Seeing his face, Yakumo did indeed relax a lot.
Seeing this, Kurenai Yuhi understood. She stood up and said, "At the Academy, I drank a cup of your tea. Now that we're here, try my tea-making skills."
"Sure."
Masahiko adopted a "friend" posture, not refusing at all.
Seeing that the two had a good relationship, Kurama Yakumo seemed to trust him more, sitting on the chair less stiffly than before.
However, as Kurenai Yuhi got up to make tea, leaving only the two of them by the coffee table, Yakumo became stiff again.
Masahiko scanned the room, then fixed his gaze on a painting.
It was a painting of a field full of mountain flowers, green grass, and white clouds, with a single flying bird. But the perspective of the painting was strange, giving off a sense of great distance.
"Is that your work?"
"Wo... work? It's not really a work, just a random drawing."
Yakumo's face turned red with embarrassment.
"Creation often represents a person's thoughts. You must have poured many of your feelings into this painting, right?"
Masahiko stared at it, then couldn't help but praise, "It's really well-painted!"
"It's not as excellent as you say."
Yakumo lowered her head.
Masahiko looked outside and said, "You really want to go out and see the world, don't you?"
"Ah?"
Kurama Yakumo's eyes were filled with astonishment.
She realized... Masahiko wasn't just giving random praise; he truly understood her painting.
In that instant, her emotions were in turmoil. There was the joy of being understood, but then she thought of the various realities, and her heart immediately felt even more oppressed.
She opened her mouth but said nothing in the end.
"In the painting, I see a free bird. You really want to be that bird, don't you?"
Masahiko pointed at the painting.
Yakumo's face was dim, yet she remained silent.
Masahiko quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Yakumo's heart wasn't too dark yet; there was still some time before 'Ido' would be created.
But.
After he delved into her inner heart, she became even more silent.
"What do you want to do in the future?"
"Me?"
Hearing this, Kurama Yakumo said with a smile, "I want to be a powerful Ninja!"
"No, that's the wish of your family and clan. Just like me, when I was a child, my parents always hoped I would become a powerful Ninja, but my own wish..."
Masahiko gave a self-deprecating laugh, "I wanted to be a teacher."
"Why?"
Yakumo asked.
Masahiko smiled and said, "Because when I was little, I thought teachers were very impressive. They could manage others, and those parents were even polite to them."
"Pfft!"
Kurama Yakumo couldn't help but burst out laughing.
This thought... it was too real!
She whispered, "When I was still in school and saw teachers catching and lecturing people, I had the same thought!"
"Right? So, the expectations of parents and clans often change our thoughts. However, after growing up, I still became a teacher."
Masahiko laughed.
Kurama Yakumo lowered her head, her face dim. She whispered, "To be able to do what you want to do... that's so nice!"
"So, what do you want to do? There's only us here, and at most your Kurenai-sensei. She's on your side and won't secretly tell your parents."
Masahiko whispered.
"Actually, I haven't really thought about it. I've grown up in my family's expectations since I was a child, but..."
Kurama Yakumo rested her head on one hand. She didn't notice that she was more relaxed than before, daring to speak the voice of her heart.
After she finished, she sighed heavily, "If I had a healthy body, maybe I could satisfy the wishes of my parents and clansmen, but now..."
"That is not your problem."
Masahiko said seriously.
He seemed to think of something and smiled, saying, "Since you haven't thought about it, your current wish should be to go out and play, right?"
"Eh?"
Kurama Yakumo froze for a moment, then looked at the painting. Her face flushed as she nodded gently.
"Taking you out... I'm afraid I can't do that right now. But do you want to go back to school?"
"I do!"
Kurama Yakumo whispered her inner thoughts.
Masahiko smiled and said, "If I have a way to get you back to school, can you be my friend?"
"Of course!"
Kurama Yakumo's eyes brightened, and she said happily, "You can understand my painting; I already considered you a friend!"
"Then it's a deal. Pinky swear!"
Masahiko held out his finger.
Kurama Yakumo chuckled, her face showing an expression half-disdainful and half-joyful, yet she still reached out her finger.
"Pinky swear!"
She had just finished speaking.
Kurenai Yuhi came up from the tea room downstairs, looking curious: "What are you chatting about so happily?"
"Talking about paintings."
Masahiko pointed to the painting in the corner.
Hearing this, Kurenai Yuhi smiled, "She painted that yesterday. She spent a long time painting and revising it."
After saying that, she handed the tea cups to the two of them.
"Come, have a taste."
"Thank you."
Masahiko stood up to take it.
Afterward, the three of them didn't talk about Ninjutsu or lessons, but just sat upstairs chatting idly.
However, Kurenai Yuhi was secretly observing.
She keenly noticed—
Today's Kurama Yakumo was happier and more cheerful than usual, and her mental state was much better.
In such a short time, Masahiko had gained her trust... Truly professional!
No wonder he could even handle Naruto.
After drinking for a while, Masahiko stood up and said, "I'll go down for a moment..."
Then, he winked at Kurama Yakumo.
Kurama Yakumo suppressed a smile, but her eyes held a hidden expectation