Chapter 237: A Heart in Turmoil
In the Hokage’s office, Pakura handed a scroll to Minato Namikaze.
Minato broke the seal and pored over the contents. The document detailed the recent progress of the cooperation between Amegakure and Konoha: arms shipments had been delivered, and joint border patrol operations had officially commenced. As he read, a gentle, satisfied smile spread across his face.
"The fact that cooperation between the Rain and the Leaf has reached this stage is thanks in no small part to Leader Yahiko’s sincerity," Minato said, his eyes full of approval. "Please convey to Leader Yahiko that Konoha will continue to support the stability of Amegakure."
Pakura nodded and offered a polite, official response. However, once the formalities were over, she remained standing. Minato, ever perceptive, sensed that she had something more to say. He rolled up the scroll, set it aside, and asked softly, "Is there something else?"
Pakura hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "Lord Hokage, I wanted to ask... is Kitahara Kaede currently in the village?"
Minato paused, momentarily stunned. As soon as the words left her mouth, Pakura’s heart hammered against her ribs. She knew it was inappropriate to ask the Hokage about personal matters, but she was at her wit’s end; she knew no one else in Konoha.
A look of difficulty crossed Minato’s face. Kaede’s journey to Kirigakure involved too many complexities and was classified as top-secret. Even though Pakura was an envoy from Amegakure, he couldn’t be candid with her. After a few seconds of deliberation, he replied, "Kitahara Kaede is currently outside the village on an important mission. I am not at liberty to disclose the details; I hope you understand."
Pakura nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Fourth Hokage."
As she stepped out of the Hokage building, Pakura felt a hollow ache in her chest. Over the past few weeks, she had sent numerous letters—each written with painstaking care, detailing her life and asking after his. Every single one had vanished like a stone cast into a deep ocean, leaving her with not a single word in return. She had hoped that this trip would finally allow her to get a straight answer in person, but he wasn’t even there.
*On a mission... always a mission,* she thought.
As she walked through the streets, the calm mask she wore began to slip. She knew missions were paramount, but surely he could have left a word before departing? Instead, he left her heart suspended in uncertainty, guessing at shadows.
Rounding a street corner, her disappointment fermented into a flicker of resentment. "Going on a mission without so much as a word..." she muttered.
But as soon as she said it, she checked herself. A mission so sensitive that the Hokage himself had to keep it secret was likely an urgent matter of the highest order. While she was here complaining about a lack of contact, he might be on the other side of the world without a moment’s sleep.
Pakura sighed. *Forget it. I’m just being unreasonable.*
She slowed her pace, wandering aimlessly through the commercial district of Konoha. Since she couldn’t see him, she decided to browse the shops and grab a bite to eat before returning to Amegakure. Just then, a boisterous voice rang out behind her.
"Envoy of the Rain!"
Pakura turned to see a ninja with a bowl cut, dressed in a tight, dark green jumpsuit, striding toward her. He wore a brilliant, toothy grin that seemed to light up his entire face. He stopped three paces away.
"Hello! I am Might Guy!" the thick-browed ninja announced. "A great friend of Kitahara Kaede! A comrade-in-arms burning with the fires of youth!"
At the mention of Kaede’s name, Pakura’s interest was instantly piqued. Guy scratched the back of his head. "I heard you had arrived in Konoha, so I rushed over as fast as I could!"
Pakura asked immediately, "Is this regarding Kaede?"
Guy nodded vigorously. "A few days ago, Kaede sent me a letter. He specifically instructed me that if you came to Konoha, I should tell you that he is away on a mission, but that you shouldn’t worry—he’ll be back soon."
Pakura’s eyes widened slightly. Seeing her silence, Guy assumed she hadn’t heard him and repeated himself. "Those were Kaede’s exact words! He told you to wait patiently!"
Pakura breathed a sigh of relief. He had remembered her. He hadn’t replied to the letters, but he had been worried that she would be anxious. Even in the midst of a mission so secret the Hokage wouldn’t speak of it, he had found a way to send word to her.
Joy washed over her, erasing the resentment. A small, uncontrollable smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Was... was the mission dangerous?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Guy’s expression became awkward, and he held up his hands. "The letter didn’t say. He only told me to pass along that message. But I’m sure he’s fine! His youth burns even brighter than mine!" Guy gave her a confident thumbs-up.
Noticing the lingering worry in her eyes, Guy remembered something. "Oh, right! I’ll let you see the letter." He pulled out an envelope and handed it to her.
Pakura took the letter and unfolded the paper inside. The sight of that familiar handwriting instantly put her at ease. All the suspicion, anxiety, and loneliness that had accumulated in her heart were swept away in a single moment.
After reading it, Pakura carefully folded the paper. But as she went to slide it back into the envelope, her movements froze.
There, in the bottom right corner of the envelope, was a faint mark. That pattern...
It was the hidden seal of Kirigakure.
Guy, oblivious to her sudden change in demeanor, checked the time. "Message delivered! Youth waits for no one—I’m off to training!" He waved to her and sprinted away, shouting about the importance of not neglecting one’s youth.
Pakura didn’t respond. She stood motionless, clutching the envelope.
The envelope was from the Mist Village. That meant Kitahara Kaede had gone to Kirigakure. Her breathing became shallow and rapid. What kind of mission required him to go there? Moreover, the village was currently isolated from the outside world—how was he able to send a letter through the channels of the Mist’s Anbu?
She couldn’t make sense of it, but suddenly, a name flashed through her mind: Terumi Mei.
The woman who, in the simulation, shared a profound bond with Kaede—and who had eventually killed him with her own hands. Since Pakura had awakened those memories, did that mean Terumi Mei had them too?
If she had those memories... then Kaede was effectively walking straight into the lion’s den.
The more she thought about it, the more a fire of jealousy roared in her chest. For a fleeting moment, she wanted to set off for the Land of Water immediately and stop the two of them from ever meeting.
But reason splashed over her like a bucket of ice water. Kaede’s trip to the Mist was an official mission sanctioned by the Hokage. She had no legitimate reason to be there; she wouldn’t even be able to approach the gates of the village, let alone sneak in to "rescue" him.
Pakura tucked the letter away. There was nothing she could do but wait.
A bitter taste filled her mouth as she began to walk aimlessly once more. Eventually, she found herself standing before a dango shop. Strings of tricolor dumplings sat on wooden trays. Pakura stared at them for a moment, then stepped forward. Perhaps something sweet could drown out the bitterness in her heart.
"A stick of tricolor dango, please."
She pulled over an empty bench and sat down. When the dango arrived, she took a bite. She chewed the glutinous rice mechanically, but she couldn’t taste a hint of sweetness.
Nearby, the fragmented sounds of gossip drifted over to her.
"I wonder what’s going on with Lady Tsunade lately... she’s been acting very strange..."