Chapter 195: Buying Clothes for a Woman?
Images of Kitahara Kaede's birthday flashed uncontrollably through Tsunade's mind.
On that day, she had cleared her entire schedule at the hospital. Despite her hatred for meticulous, fiddly work, she had spent an entire afternoon hunched over a table, struggling with her project. There were moments where she nearly lost her patience and snapped, but every time she imagined the look on Kitahara Kaede's face when he received the gift, she forced herself to endure it.
When she finally tied the hand-woven bracelet around his wrist, he had looked at it with such genuine intensity. That look made her feel that the entire afternoon of struggle had been worth it.
But now, it was her turn. And he had forgotten completely.
She had told him it was something very important. Kitahara Kaede was brilliant; usually, the moment someone started speaking, he could intuit several layers of meaning behind their words. Yet this time, he hadn't picked up on a single thing.
As Tsunade walked through the streets, her pace slowed. She should have gone home, but the thought of that cold, empty house only made her chest feel tighter. What was the point of going back? She didn't want to be alone.
By the time she snapped back to her senses, she had wandered to the riverside park. At this hour, the park was nearly deserted. The sunlight hit the river, making the surface shimmer with a brilliance that felt irritatingly bright in the breeze.
Tsunade found a long bench and sat down, staring silently at the water. Her own reflection stared back at her. She raised a hand to press against the bridge of her nose, unable to shake the suffocating feeling in her chest.
Suddenly, she remembered that the Hagoromo Kaede from her memories wasn't like this. That man would remember every passing comment she made. When she mentioned wanting a house with a courtyard, he actually went and saved up for it, taking on the most dangerous missions he could find. In the end, all he left her was a cold body in the morgue.
The man in her dreams had cherished her too much—so much that every time she recalled it, her heart physically ached.
And what about the Kitahara Kaede of reality? He couldn't even remember her birthday, despite her multiple reminders.
Tsunade looked down at her reflection in the water. It wasn't that she desperately needed a birthday celebration, nor was it that she demanded Kitahara Kaede accompany her on a shopping trip. She had simply thought that after they both acknowledged those shared memories, something would change. At the very least, he should have remembered her birthday.
In the end, it seemed she was the only one waiting for something more.
A familiar voice drifted from behind her. "Tsunade? What are you doing sitting here all by yourself? You're actually dressed up quite nicely today."
Tsunade didn't turn around. She knew exactly who it was from the tone alone.
Jiraiya rounded the corner from behind a tree, walking with his usual swagger and hands clasped behind his head. He had actually spotted her a while ago. Today, Tsunade looked different; she had changed her clothes and done her hair, and she would have looked stunning if not for the fact that her entire aura screamed 'do not disturb.'
After watching her for a moment, Jiraiya couldn't resist leaning in. He sat down on the bench beside her and tilted his head. "Who ticked you off? You've got a hell of a temper this morning."
Tsunade continued to stare at the river, ignoring him.
Jiraiya rubbed his chin, suddenly remembering something. "Oh, right! It's almost your birthday, isn't it? How are you celebrating? Want this wise sage to accompany you for a few drinks?"
The moment the word 'birthday' left his lips, Tsunade's expression turned ice-cold. She slowly turned her head toward him.
Caught off guard by her gaze, Jiraiya paused.
"What does that have to do with you?" Tsunade asked.
Jiraiya blinked, stunned.
"Get away from me."
There was no warmth in her voice, no room for negotiation. Jiraiya's face fell slightly, and he let out a strained laugh. "Whoa, hold on! I just asked about your birthday; is that really necessary? Don't tell me you're angry because I didn't prepare a gift in advance?"
Tsunade no longer wanted to listen to him. Seeing that she was truly about to snap, Jiraiya quickly waved his hands. "Alright, alright! I'll drop it."
He paused, then seemed to recall something else. "By the way, I just saw that kid, Kitahara Kaede."
Tsunade froze. She turned her face toward him. "You saw him?"
Jiraiya, oblivious to the tension, thought he had finally found a topic of conversation. "Yeah, I did. The kid was in a huge rush; he was buying something at a clothing store."
Tsunade stared at him. "Buying what?"
"Clothes."
Tsunade didn't respond.
Jiraiya continued, "Styles for young women. I was wondering what on earth he wanted with those. Now that I think about it, he's probably preparing a birthday surprise for you. That kid usually seems so dull, but I didn't realize he had such a romantic streak."
Tsunade stopped hearing the words.
'Styles for young women'?!
The phrase looped in her mind. Her first instinct was disbelief. He had said he had urgent business, and he hadn't looked like he was lying. So why would he be spotted by Jiraiya?
Maybe it really was for her?
But as soon as that thought emerged, she suppressed it. If it were for her, why was he heading toward the village gates? If it were a birthday surprise, why had he failed to understand what she meant by 'something important'? He had been so frantic that he didn't even have time to spend another minute with her.
Tsunade's expression darkened. She recalled Kitahara Kaede's parting words: "I'll come find you as soon as I've handled this." She remembered how quickly he had left. She remembered the look he gave her as he turned away.
At the time, she had made excuses for him, believing he truly had an emergency. Now, those memories tasted like poison.
Sitting on the bench, the tightness in her chest flared into a sharp, hot anger. An urgent matter? Something that couldn't wait?
He could forget her birthday. He could toss away their plans. But to do so for the sake of buying clothes for another woman?
Fine.
Jiraiya was still talking beside her. "Tsunade? What's wrong?"
Tsunade ignored him. She stood up abruptly from the bench, the hem of her light-colored coat fluttering in the riverside breeze.
She looked toward the Hokage building, then toward the village entrance. In the end, she said nothing. Her face was simply terrifyingly cold.