CHAPTER 231: CHAPTER 231 : UZUKI YŪGAO’S THOUGHTS!

"Really?"

Uchiha Haru smiled at Terumi Mei with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Mei was momentarily stunned.

She had known Uchiha Haru for a long time now, but not once had she seen him smile like that.

After all, Haru always appeared cold, calm, and detached. His face practically screamed, "Stranger, keep your distance."

If she hadn’t known him as long as she had—and understood deep down that Haru wasn’t naturally indifferent—his expression alone would’ve been enough to scare her off.

Not that he looked frightening, of course.

On the contrary, Haru was strikingly handsome.

Back when they first met several years ago, she had genuinely wondered how someone like him could even exist. How can someone be so absurdly good-looking?

But his aura... that was what made people instinctively shrink away. The way he carried himself was enough to make anyone feel unworthy to stand beside him.

Only those who truly understood him knew that behind the icy façade was something else. That coldness wasn’t all there was to Uchiha Haru.

And now, he was smiling—at her.

For no reason at all, Mei felt her cheeks flush with warmth.

She lowered her gaze and replied shyly, "Y-Yes... that’s right."

Haru’s smile lingered, but he said nothing more.

After a brief exchange, Terumi Mei excused herself and left.

But not long after, someone else arrived at his door.

This time, it was Uzuki Yūgao.

Seeing her again, Haru felt a slight ripple in his otherwise calm heart.

He knew Yūgao well enough to understand that she was not the type to act impulsively. She was always composed—cool, like still water.

Which made it all the more significant that she had come to him of her own accord.

He turned to her and asked quietly, "Yūgao, what brings you here?"

Yūgao’s brow furrowed ever so slightly. "Didn’t you say last time that... if we both survived this war, I should come find you?"

"Oh."

Haru paused for a second before the memory surfaced.

Yes, he had said that.

Lately, with all the preparations for the coming battle against the Akatsuki’s Edo Tensei forces, he’d been buried in work. The looming threat of the Impure World Reincarnation army had left him little time for anything else. He’d honestly forgotten.

But of course, he couldn’t say that outright—not in front of Yūgao.

He gave a faint nod. "I’ve been a bit busy. Preparing for the Akatsuki’s next move... it must’ve slipped my mind."

Yūgao responded with a quiet "Oh," and said nothing else.

In truth, she had arrived a while ago.

But when she saw Terumi Mei already inside Haru’s residence, she hadn’t gone in. Instead, she waited outside—calmly, patiently.

She didn’t want anyone to know what had transpired between her and Haru in the past.

And as for Mei being there... she hadn’t thought much of it.

After all, Haru was now the head of the Kirigakure Guard Department, and Terumi Mei was the Fifth Mizukage.

It made sense for the two to be in contact frequently. It was official business, nothing more.

There was nothing for her to be concerned about.

Still, now that she was standing in front of him, the silence between them became heavy—awkward, even.

Neither of them was particularly talkative to begin with. Haru certainly wasn’t, and Yūgao was never one to waste words.

Eventually, she was the one to break the silence.

"This time... do you think we’ll make it through?" she asked softly. "Like last time?"

That was the question on everyone’s mind lately—whether they admitted it or not.

Konoha and Kirigakure were bracing for the worst. The Akatsuki’s forces, reinforced by the Impure World Reincarnation, had grown stronger than ever.

Even Yūgao, calm as she was, couldn’t help but worry.

So when she stood before Haru, the question slipped out naturally.

She hadn’t come to ask that specifically—but it had weighed on her.

"We’ll be fine," Haru said simply.

His words were light, almost dismissive.

It was different from what he had told Mei earlier.

But that wasn’t because his thoughts had changed.

It was because Mei and Yūgao were different.

Terumi Mei was the Fifth Mizukage—she needed the full truth to make informed decisions and lead her people. She could handle the pressure and take calculated action.

Yūgao, on the other hand, was just a regular ANBU. Telling her the grim reality wouldn’t serve any purpose. It would only weigh on her heart, and perhaps weaken her resolve.

There was no strategic benefit in burdening her with the truth.

So he lied.

And his words worked.

Yūgao’s face visibly relaxed. The tension around her shoulders eased. Like so many others in Konoha and Kirigakure, she placed unwavering trust in Haru.

To her, as long as Uchiha Haru stood with them, no enemy could break their lines.

No matter how overwhelming the threat.

Even though she knew deep down that the resurrected ninja brought forth by Edo Tensei were far more terrifying than anything they had faced before—even more than the previous Great Ninja Wars—she still believed.

She needed to believe.

"Have you been doing well all these years?" Haru asked gently, watching her.

It was a simple question—but one he hadn’t asked even the last time they met.

Now that she had come to him again, it felt right to say it.

"I’ve been... fine," Yūgao answered.

Uzuki Yūgao spoke softly.

It wasn’t the whole truth—but what was the point of dredging up the past? Those memories, painful and raw, were better left buried. There was no use in bringing them up again.

Uchiha Haru could sense the worry lingering behind Yūgao’s calm demeanor.

But he didn’t press her for answers. Since Uzuki Yūgao chose not to speak of it, he wouldn’t force her. Everyone had the right to remain silent about their scars.

And besides, things were different now.

Konoha was under the future leadership of Kakashi Hatake. With Kakashi managing the village, Yūgao’s life would likely improve. They had once trained together in the same generation at the Ninja Academy—there was history between them, a familiarity born of shared youth. That sort of connection didn’t fade easily.

Yūgao’s days ahead would be gentler.

"You and Kurenai..." Haru began, then stopped mid-sentence.

He paused sharply, realizing too late that bringing up Yuhi Kurenai might have been a mistake.

Though Yūgao had never said anything directly, Haru had long sensed her feelings for him. He simply chose to pretend he hadn’t noticed. Pretending not to know, pretending he didn’t feel anything himself—it was safer that way.

But now, by bringing up Kurenai, he’d shattered the thin layer of denial they both clung to.

Sure enough, as soon as Yūgao heard Kurenai’s name, her face paled, her expression stiffened. A flicker of guilt crossed her eyes. She felt it—the twinge of shame tightening in her chest.

Even though she hadn’t had much contact with Kurenai in recent years, she had still considered her a true friend. And now, the relationship between Uchiha Haru and Kurenai was no secret in Konoha. Everyone knew.

Yet here she was, meeting Haru in private.

Though nothing had happened between them—no acts of betrayal—Yūgao knew the truth in her heart.

A part of her had wanted something more.

And for that, she felt ashamed.

Still, she wouldn’t let any of that show in front of Haru. She kept her composure, tightly guarded.

After a moment of hesitation, she replied calmly, "Over the years, I’ve lived in the shadows. I haven’t kept in touch with many of my old friends."

"Actually, Kurenai and I haven’t spoken in a long time."

"I see," Haru said quietly.

Kurenai had never mentioned it.

Yūgao tilted her head and asked softly, "What about you? Are you doing well?"

Her voice carried a deeper question, one that had long sat unanswered in her heart.

"When you led the Uchiha clan away from Konoha to join the Hidden Mist Village... You must’ve faced enormous challenges. It’s not easy—relocating an entire clan, finding a new home, building something new from the ground up."

Haru was powerful now—everyone knew that.

But what about the Haru from a few years ago?

Was he this strong back then? Or had he clawed his way up through hardship, suffering, and bloodshed?

Haru answered plainly, his voice light, even indifferent. "It wasn’t so bad."

"I’ve lived in peace these past years. Nothing too difficult."

He meant it. Things others would consider insurmountable were barely obstacles to him. He had risen so far in power that few could grasp the scale of what he had become.

What others saw as hardship, he faced like a routine task.

"Oh..." Yūgao murmured.

She didn’t quite believe him.

In her heart, she knew it couldn’t have been that simple. There had to be more—struggles, sacrifices, pain. But Haru didn’t want to speak of it, and she respected that.

Some truths were not meant to be shared.

Silence fell between them again.

For two people unaccustomed to lengthy conversation, it became a heavy pause. Tension flickered beneath the surface.

At last, Haru broke the quiet.

He began recounting his journey after leaving Konoha—how he arrived in Kirigakure, and how, step by step, he helped Terumi Mei ascend as the Fifth Mizukage. How he eventually became the head of the Kirigakure Guard Department, responsible for protecting the village from within.

Yūgao listened intently.

She was eager to know what Haru had experienced during their years apart. The mystery that had always surrounded him pulled at her. Now, he was giving her a glimpse behind the curtain.

And she cherished it.

As Haru spoke, her understanding of him deepened. She saw the trials he had endured, even if he refused to call them hardships. He painted his story in broad, understated strokes—but between the lines, Yūgao caught glimpses of battles, political chaos, assassination attempts, and moments of brutal reckoning.

When he finished, she felt something stir in her chest.

Regret.

Regret that she had not been there with him through it all. Regret that their paths had diverged so sharply. She wished—selfishly—that she could have shared in those memories.

It was a bitter kind of longing.

Later, Yūgao began to share her own experiences in return.

She spoke of her years in the ANBU, where shadows consumed every waking moment. She talked about missions that blurred the line between duty and murder, days when her only companions were blood and silence.

But she didn’t reveal everything. Not the secret buried deepest in her heart. That part, she kept hidden.

Instead, she spoke casually—stories from field operations, reconnaissance missions, assassinations in foreign territories. The kind of tales ANBU never told outsiders.

Yet Haru wasn’t just anyone.

Their conversation stretched on, slow and sparse, each word weighted with meaning. There was no need for flowery phrasing between them. One sentence at a time, they rebuilt the fragile thread of connection that time had frayed.

Neither noticed how much time had passed.

When they finally looked around, they realized the sun had shifted, casting long shadows across the floor.

Uzuki Yūgao felt a surge of embarrassment. Her cheeks flushed with color.

She had only planned to speak with Haru briefly—perhaps share a few polite words and part ways.

She hadn’t expected to lose track of time.

Flustered and uncertain, she stood up abruptly, her movements stiff.

"I... I should go," she said, voice hurried.

Without waiting for a response, she turned and fled the room.

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