Chapter 217: Departure
Tsunade walked through the streets of Konoha, her mind racing. She couldn’t decide whether to head home first to change her clothes or go straight to find him.
Clutched in her hand was the green necklace left behind by the First Hokage. She had even rehearsed her opening line several times in her head.
’You promised to give me an answer.’
And then, how would he respond?
He would surely smile and say "yes" in that gentle, steady tone of his.
A small smile played on Tsunade’s lips. It had been a very long time since she had looked forward to anything.
Just then, a tall figure approached from the side, nearly colliding with her.
"Yo, Tsunade?"
Jiraiya skidded to a halt, giving her a quick once-over before glancing back in the direction she had come from. "Did you just get back from outside?"
Tsunade’s smile vanished, and she shot him a glare. "Obviously. What else would I be doing—just waking up from a nap?"
Noticing Jiraiya’s shifty, peering expression, she added, "With that get-up, which bathhouse are you off to ’research’ this time?"
Jiraiya’s voice immediately shot up. "Nonsense! What do you mean, research?! I am seeking inspiration for a great literary work! Do you even understand what inspiration is?!"
Tsunade couldn’t be bothered to argue with him and waved him off. "Right, right. Go find your inspiration and get out of my way."
Jiraiya quickly reached out to stop her, a wide grin on his face. "Hold on now. Since we’ve run into each other, why don’t you come with me to the Hokage building?"
Tsunade paused and looked back at him. "For what?"
Jiraiya chuckled, his tone tinged with pride. "I’ll introduce you to the students I took in back in the Land of Rain. They’re the leaders of the Hidden Rain Village now, and they’ve come to Konoha specifically to discuss an alliance."
An alliance?
Tsunade immediately thought of Kitahara Kaede’s plan. He must have been involved in these negotiations. Which meant he should be at the Hokage building right now.
Tsunade nodded, maintaining her characteristic air of indifference. "Fine. Let’s see what kind of students you managed to produce."
As they walked, Jiraiya rambled on—about Nagato’s immense talent, about how sensible Konan was. Tsunade didn’t hear a word of it. Her mind was entirely focused on the prospect of seeing Kitahara Kaede. She was already thinking of an excuse to pull him away.
The two soon arrived at the Hokage building, where Nagato and Konan were waiting by the entrance. Upon seeing Jiraiya, both smiled and stepped forward to greet him.
"Teacher Jiraiya," Nagato said, his voice filled with respect and gratitude.
Konan followed with a slight, polite bow.
Jiraiya stepped forward and gave both of them a heavy pat on the shoulder. "Look at you two! You’ve grown so much and have become the pillars of the Hidden Rain."
Nagato shook his head modestly. "You flatter us, Teacher. We are merely doing what needs to be done."
Konan nodded in agreement. "We have always kept your teachings close to our hearts."
Standing behind Jiraiya, Tsunade scanned the area. Kitahara Kaede was nowhere to be seen.
She frowned slightly, searching further. There were many people coming and going from the building, but that familiar silhouette was missing. The spark of excitement in her heart began to fade.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with his students, Jiraiya seemed to remember something and looked around. "Huh, didn’t you say there were three of you? Where’s the other one?"
Tsunade, who had been withdrawing her gaze, immediately perked up.
Konan answered naturally, "Pakura mentioned she wasn’t very familiar with Konoha. Since Jonin Kitahara was free, he offered to show her around."
Pakura?
A woman’s name?
And they were wandering around together, just the two of them?
Tsunade’s relaxed expression froze instantly. Without a second thought, she asked, "Where did they go?"
Konan blinked, surprised, and instinctively pointed toward the commercial district. "They went that way."
Tsunade tossed out a quick "thanks" and turned on her heel, marching away.
Jiraiya watched her retreating back, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. His intuition told him something was very wrong. Having known Tsunade for so many years, he knew exactly what this state of mind meant.
Someone was about to have a very bad day.
Jiraiya gave a nervous laugh and quickly ushered Nagato and Konan in the opposite direction. "Come on, come on! Teacher’s treating you to barbecue. Konoha’s BBQ is the best in the shinobi world!"
Nagato and Konan exchanged a confused glance, but they followed him anyway.
***
Tsunade walked briskly toward the commercial district, her head buzzing.
Reason told her that this was likely just a standard reception for an ally. He was a Konoha Jonin; it was perfectly normal for him to escort a visiting envoy.
But a simmering sense of possessiveness made it impossible for her to stay calm.
As she entered the shopping street, she unconsciously slowed her pace, her eyes searching the crowds. Finally, as she rounded the corner of a shop, she saw him.
Kitahara Kaede was standing inside a high-end clothing store. Beside him stood a black-haired woman.
The woman was holding a light-blue casual dress against herself, gauging the fit. She leaned in slightly, her shoulder almost brushing against his. She whispered something to Kitahara Kaede, a smile on her lips and a shy, longing look in her eyes—the kind of look only a woman in love possesses.
Tsunade stopped dead in her tracks and ducked back behind the corner. She slowly peeked her head out, her gaze locked onto the store.
The woman, Pakura, was still fussing over the clothes. Kitahara Kaede stood beside her, looking down and listening intently. They were far too close, well past the boundaries of a normal platonic relationship between a man and a woman.
Tsunade leaned her hand against the wall, and the surface began to crack under the pressure.
She forced herself to stay calm. Why would a Rain envoy visiting Konoha for the first time need Kitahara Kaede to accompany her on a shopping trip?
They had to have known each other for a long time.
That explained why Kitahara Kaede had been leaving the village so frequently and visiting the Land of Rain. The so-called "top-secret plan" and "experimental materials"... they were likely covers for visiting this woman.
A more devastating detail surfaced in her mind.
The eve of her birthday.
Kitahara Kaede had declined her invitation, claiming he had an urgent matter, and had rushed out of the village. Jiraiya had mentioned seeing him buy women’s clothing at a boutique. When he returned, he had brought her a coat, claiming he’d spent two days coordinating with a tailor. He said the scraps of fabric were just old material the tailor needed.
She had actually believed him.
But now?
Tsunade looked at the smile on the woman’s face and Kitahara Kaede’s indulgent posture. She felt like a complete fool.
He hadn’t been preparing a birthday surprise for her. He had been seeing this woman. He had probably forgotten her birthday entirely until after he finished with her, then hurriedly threw together a coat just to appease her.
’So, I was just the one in second place.’
Tsunade curled her lip in a self-deprecating smile, her vision beginning to blur.
She remembered how happily she had rushed back to the village. She remembered how she had planned her opening words at the gate. She remembered how she had even been prepared to give him her grandfather’s necklace to officially seal their relationship.
Now, it all felt like a cruel joke.
Inside the store, Kitahara Kaede seemed to sense something and glanced slightly toward the exit.
Tsunade immediately withdrew, hiding herself completely behind the wall. She didn’t storm in. They didn’t even have an official title—they weren’t officially a couple.
What would she even say? Demand to know why he was shopping with another woman? Ask if he had been lying to her?
She didn’t want to be a hysterical, spurned woman. She had her pride.
’You promised to give me an answer,’ Tsunade whispered in her heart. ’But before I could get that answer, I already saw it.’
She closed her eyes, forcing back the bitterness. When she opened them again, her gaze had turned cold and indifferent.
She reached into her clothes and touched the necklace. After a moment of silence, she let go.
Tsunade didn’t look back. She turned and walked away.