She propped herself up on her elbows, eyes lidded, smirking lazily. "You know, Souta…"
He raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"You're real cute when you're all serious like that."
Souta didn't react. "You're drunk."
She rolled her eyes. "Duhhh." Then she crawled forward slightly, her movements slow and deliberate. "But I know what I'm sayin'."
Souta watched her carefully but didn't move.
Kushina rested her chin in her hand, tilting her head. "You never make a move, huh? Always so… controlled."
Souta exhaled through his nose. "Because I think ahead."
She smirked. "Mmm… so you do think about it."
He didn't answer.
Kushina giggled, her face way too close now. "You ever wonder… what'd happen if you didn't think so much?"
Souta tilted his head slightly. "And you ever wonder… what'd happen if you weren't drunk when asking that?"
Kushina blinked.
For a second, it was like something in her mind short-circuited. Then she burst into laughter, flopping onto her back again.
"Pffft—damn, Souta, you're good." She clutched her stomach, laughing until she hiccuped.
Souta shook his head, standing up. "Go to sleep, Kushina."
She huffed, turning onto her side with her back facing him. "Yeah, yeah… night, tea boy…"
Minutes passed. Souta remained seated, arms crossed, watching the dim lanternlight flicker. The shop was silent, save for the soft sound of Kushina's breathing.
Then, as he glanced over, he noticed—her clothes had loosened slightly from all her tossing and turning.
He hesitated.
After a moment, he reached out.
Just as his fingers brushed the fabric, her eyes opened.
Not hazy. Not unfocused.
Sharp. Clear.
As if she had never been drunk at all.
She didn't move. Didn't say a word.
Just lay there, waiting.
Souta, unaware, simply adjusted her clothes, making sure they weren't slipping. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed a blanket and gently draped it over her.
A small smile crept onto Kushina's lips.
She closed her eyes again, her heart feeling oddly warm.
Kushina stirred first, blinking against the dim morning light filtering through the paper windows of the tea shop. Her head pounded lightly—not quite a full-blown hangover, but a dull reminder of last night's drinking.
She groaned and stretched, feeling the warmth of the blanket wrapped around her.
"Mm?" Her fingers brushed over the fabric. She didn't remember covering herself. A small smirk tugged at her lips as she recalled Souta's presence.
Turning her head, she found him still asleep, sitting upright with his arms crossed. He looked completely still, like he hadn't moved an inch all night. His breathing was slow and steady, his face relaxed, free of the usual sharpness he carried when awake.
Kushina propped herself up on one elbow, watching him.
The quiet of the morning made it easy to just… observe. Sure, she knew he was decent-looking, but now that she really studied him, she found herself tilting her head slightly.
Dark hair, smooth features, and a sharp yet refined jawline. His lashes were surprisingly long, and his overall expression was calm in a way that made him seem almost… gentle.
She narrowed her eyes.
"...Huh."
She looked at him a little longer, comparing him in her mind to Minato. Minato had always been handsome—golden-haired, bright-eyed, with that warm, unwavering smile of his. But Souta…
Souta had a different kind of appeal.
More grounded. More restrained. And if she was being completely honest… a lot more attractive than she'd initially thought.
Her smirk widened.
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Y'know, you're actually pretty damn good-looking, tea boy."
Souta's brow twitched slightly, but he didn't wake.
Kushina chuckled under her breath and leaned back, resting her head against the cushion again. "Too bad you don't show off a little more," she murmured, closing her eyes for just a moment longer.
Then she sat up carefully, making sure not to make any noise. Her gaze lingered on Souta for just a moment before she slowly stood. The blanket around her shoulders slipped slightly, but she simply shrugged it off, draping it over the cushion instead.
She stretched, rolling her shoulders to shake off the stiffness from sleeping on the floor, then moved quietly toward the door. Her steps were light, precise, the instinct of a shinobi still ingrained in her even after a night of drinking. She turned back once, looking at Souta's sleeping form, and then, with a small smirk, slipped out of the tea shop, leaving him behind.
Souta stirred a while later, his brows furrowing slightly as his body instinctively registered the absence of another presence. He cracked one eye open, blinking away the haze of sleep. The shop was quiet. Too quiet.
He shifted, stretching out his shoulders as he sat up properly. His arms felt a little stiff from the way he had slept, but he ignored it as his eyes swept the shop.
Kushina was gone.
For a moment, he simply stared at the empty spot where she had been. The blanket was still there, folded over itself slightly.
"...Tch."
Souta ran a hand through his hair, exhaling through his nose. He wasn't exactly surprised. Kushina wasn't the type to stick around in the mornings, especially after a night like that.
No. Assumed she would at least wake him up before leaving.
He sighed, pushing himself to his feet. His body ached slightly, but he ignored it. He moved around the shop, making sure everything was in order before locking up and stepping outside.
The streets of Konoha were beginning to stir with the early morning rush. Shinobi passed by, vendors prepared their stalls, and civilians went about their day. Souta pulled his cloak a little tighter around himself and started making his way home.
When he arrived, he immediately noticed Pakura inside, sitting near the window, arms crossed as she gazed outside. At the sound of the door opening, she turned her head slightly, her expression neutral at first. Then, her eyes flickered with something unreadable.
"You're back," she said simply.
Souta hummed in response, closing the door behind him. "Yeah."
Pakura's gaze lingered on him, narrowing slightly. "You were with some woman, weren't you?"
Souta raised an eyebrow but didn't deny it. "And if I was?"
Pakura scoffed, looking away with a slight huff. "Nothing."
But her tone was sharp, and the way she avoided his gaze told him everything.
Souta watched her for a moment before sighing. Then something clicked in his mind.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Pakura."