Chapter 16: Pear Blossom and Violet, the Soul of Gossip is Burning!
“This… just what kind of place is this!?”
Izumi suddenly found herself standing in the middle of a forest.
Before her eyes stretched a small, clear lake, and beside it stood a very beautiful wooden cabin.
The ground was carpeted with all kinds of blooming flowers.
It had the distinct feeling of a hidden paradise, completely removed from the world.
“Hey~ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DNkw8aKCY
Hello~”
All of a sudden, a crisp, bright voice rang out.
Izumi looked up.
There, sitting on a tree branch, was a red-haired girl dressed in the exact same style as her. The girl was swinging her fair, slender little legs back and forth while keeping her eyes closed, twitching her nose in the air like she was sniffing something.
“Mmm~ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwR8qXbADGc
Such a nice violet fragrance~ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSa4Owz8gkI
I really like it~”
Karin finally opened her eyes, grinning widely as she slapped the branch.
In an instant, a wooden slide appeared on that very branch.
Without any hesitation, Karin sat down and whooshed straight down the slide.
“Hello~ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOCdnpLEne
I’m Pear Blossom~”
“Wood Release?”
Izumi gave Karin a slightly surprised glance before smiling gently.
“I’m Violet.”
When she smiled, her big eyes curved into perfect little crescent moons. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHAiCFlx45
She looked incredibly soft and adorable.
“Looking forward to working with you!”
“Looking forward to it~”
After the brief self-introductions, the two girls immediately set off toward Kirigakure.
Their mission this time: head to Kirigakure and… abduct—no, rescue—a little loli!
Since both of them belonged to the same organization, were around the same age of twelve, and had no generational gap between them, plus both were kind-hearted at their core…
It didn’t take long at all for them to become close.
And naturally, the topics started drifting toward very… “girly” things.
“Violet, do you have someone you like? 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtb60jEu1S
I remember the flower language for purple violets is ‘I’ve fallen in love with you in a dream’! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Gl4w59lPf
So, who did you fall in love with in your dreams?”
“Uh…”
Izumi’s face instantly flushed red.
“That… that was just a dream for me~ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0x6DDW1Lba
There’s no way it could ever happen!”
“Ehhh? 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCE5wmWusK
There’s something juicy here, isn’t there?!”
Karin immediately leaned in close, eyes sparkling. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5B3tFrc4m
“Spill! Spill it!”
“I can’t say!”
“You have to say!”
Karin reached out and started tickling Izumi’s sides.
The two girls instantly dissolved into playful wrestling and laughter.
Although, with their strength, this kind of behavior was honestly pretty childish…
But.
Karin had been lonely since childhood and had never really tasted true friendship. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXF1j27Cj2
Izumi had watched her entire clan get massacred, her heart still carrying deep sorrow.
So right now… both of them were simply basking in the warmth of this newfound friendship.
“Hahahaha… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVQaPjFvIg
Okay, okay, I surrender!”
After a round of playful roughhousing, Izumi finally pushed Karin away while laughing, then abruptly dropped a bombshell to forcefully change the subject.
“I can’t talk about that person. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0chmkWdgUP
But… I can tell you about someone else! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0sxEQRBx1
Mhm~ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOYZKyYIc7
My first love.”
“First love?”
Karin looked curious. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4cM7POibF
“Then why don’t you like him anymore?”
“Because he killed my entire family.”
“Uh…”
Karin stared at Izumi, who was suddenly radiating a bone-chilling aura, and couldn’t help but shiver.
“If he had only killed me… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCaFjinuzx
I could forgive him. I could understand his reasons. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcu9RY2CfXE
I might even have forgiven him. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnl5cbyBBz
But he killed my whole family. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0r0Ee6wrb
For the sake of his little brother, for the so-called ‘peace of the village,’ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNCGEqi3pS
he sacrificed the entire clan. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzN9yXQqxx
He committed clan extermination. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYPLALw5tH
Unforgivable. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyR7wVulz8
No matter what reasons he had, it’s unforgivable! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXJ9yvMEcr
I watched with my own eyes as my family died right in front of me. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkO8khg5xP4
A grudge like that… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3JhmB2II7
I wanted to cut him down with my own blade. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdIAOt0Pa8
All those hazy good feelings from before… they completely vanished that night. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp1gQE9uZf
They turned into pure hatred.”
Seeing Izumi calmly recount such an earth-shattering tragedy, Karin actually felt a little scared.
“You… you’re not planning to kill him, are you!?”
“Kill him?”
Izumi gave a gentle smile and shook her head. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldlaSVexDd
“After Holy Master enlightened me, I’ve already decided to cut off the past. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMbcemO6oS
Because when I really thought about it… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLEXr0gAIz
Killing him would be letting him off too easily. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYD3LsvunCt
It’s better to let him live healthy and whole… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97xCyQrmky
and let him suffer forever.
“Uh…”
Karin’s eyes instantly rolled into pure white circles.
“So… so terrifying…”
“Don’t worry~”
Izumi showed her crescent-moon smile again and looked at Karin.
“Everything is secondary to the mission! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHtFpzpCsJ
I won’t go against Holy Master’s orders. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW9czYRwLz
Whatever Master tells me to do, that’s what I’ll do~”
At this moment, her cheeks were faintly pink.
Because once again… she thought of that dream…
Back when she was revived by Byakuya, although she had been restrained by his power and remained in a semi-conscious state the whole time, 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LPZRXF7Q3
she still had vague memories of everything that happened.
For example… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa32E7LH7js
Byakuya gently feeding her meals and water, tenderly tucking her in, softly massaging her stiff muscles, carefully helping her to the bathroom…
Although it was embarrassing…
Because it was a dream, her mind automatically added all kinds of beautiful filters and fantasies.
For example…
In the morning, greeting each other beneath blooming cherry trees. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkVpMwsX0x
At dusk, leisurely walking together along streets carpeted with golden ginkgo leaves. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8URMDT78C
Sometimes teasing cats, sometimes standing atop the Hokage Rock and whispering sweet nothings, sometimes chatting about love at the dango shop.
Later, when she suffered a grave injury and became disabled, 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAoHElwb3D
Byakuya still never left her side, taking care of her with infinite tenderness.
Such a sweet, beautiful dream… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1J70hQHqu
the complete opposite of that unforgettable nightmare…
She had become utterly addicted to it.
When she finally awoke, she was shocked to realize 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUFP09pbKA
that the prince in her dreams had actually turned into Holy Master!
This realization shocked her… and at the same time, made her feel a little lost.
So she decided to bury this impossible love deep in her heart.
The codename “Violet”… was also born from that dream.
However…
The Byakuya who didn’t know the truth had completely misunderstood.
He thought she was still hung up on Uchiha Itachi.
He even added that final sentence—
“Wishing you an early awakening from your dream.”
……
“Hehehehe…”
Karin pushed up her glasses and gave two awkward dry laughs.
“That’s good then~”
Then she hurriedly changed the subject.
“Right! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxpNvgziDa
Did you know? 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMQ5FPVAtJ
I once heard Holy Master say… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQIsrq15m5
the person Uchiha Itachi likes most is actually his little brother! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgKEQMEWjh
Sasuke!”
“What!?”
Izumi froze. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgoRoRiOBB
“There’s such a thing?”
“Yeah yeah! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jP2oFJq61
Holy Master said most men of the Uchiha clan actually like men~ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDoNkxol61
Full of passionate bromance energy!”
“Then doesn’t that mean… Itachi probably liked Shisui! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtmgalkgam
Back then, his relationship with Shisui was really good! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcYggo7phd
After Shisui died, he completely changed as a person!”
“Eh? 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnaQhNzfNl
Really? 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoTD9xldWc
That actually makes sense! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSfg8vuinj
After all, Sasuke is his real little brother… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllaHfMwgRI
Probably impossible, right? 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxCvod0oN3
But Shisui is different! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIk5ZsG5bV
There’s definitely a chance those two could’ve been together!”
……
At this moment, the two fujoshi girls felt their gossip souls igniting like wildfire.
They began frantically gossiping about the once-genius Uchiha Itachi.
Meanwhile, Byakuya had no idea about any of this.
He also wasn’t using the Telescope Technique to spy on their conversation.
Because the Chūnin Exams had already ended, 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsH4wPcGQg
and right now his bookstore was being swarmed by a huge crowd of people…
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