"Shizune-san?" I blurted, unable to hide my surprise.
"Sa-Sasuke?! Is that you?" she stammered, her eyes widening. She brought a hand to her mouth, embarrassed. "Shit, I mean… I didn't recognize you right away." She wobbled, leaning against the counter.
I chuckled, playing it cool. "Guess even legendary ninjas need a drink sometimes." My mind was racing. *Kunoichi Taming System activated.* I could regain my former power. A smirk tugged at my lips. Shizune, drunk and smoking hot? Opportunity knocking. The mission could wait.
"What… are you doing here?" she asked, tugging at her dress as if realizing it was too short.
"Exploring," I shrugged. "And you? Traded the kimono for a cocktail dress? Not bad, by the way."
She blushed, looking away. "Oh, stop. I just… needed to unwind. Tsunade-sama gave me a few days off." She giggled, uncomfortable.
"This one's on me, then," I said, signaling the waitress. "But tell me, why's a lady like you alone in a dive like this?"
She hesitated, playing with her empty glass. "It's just… dealing with… all of it. It weighs on me. Trying to forget for a bit."
*'Dealing with years of an alcoholic woman racking up gambling debts daily isn't easy.'* I concluded.
I nodded, placing a ryo on the counter. "I get it. Come on, let's talk somewhere else."
She followed me, unsteady, into the vibrant night of the hot springs.
...
I walked through the bustling hot springs streets, Shizune slightly unsteady beside me. Red and gold lanterns cast dancing shadows on her face, highlighting her saké-flushed cheeks. Her red dress, too tight for a kunoichi used to practical attire, seemed to bother her with every step.
She tugged at the hem, as if it could hide her tanned thighs. I savored every second of the show. Damn, Shizune, you're a knockout. But I kept my detached Sasuke demeanor. Couldn't seem too eager, even if I was starving.
"You sure you can stand?" I teased, slowing down for her to catch up.
She shot me a look, but her eyes sparkled with amusement and embarrassment. "I'm fine, kid. It's not like three glasses of saké will take me down." Her voice was slightly slurred, but she straightened her shoulders, trying to prove she was still in control.
"Kid, huh?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "You're what, ten years older than me?"
"That's a lot. I could've been your sensei."
"Hm… What are you implying, Shizune-san?"
"Uh… Nothing."
"Relax, Shizune-san, you seem scared to have fun."
She snorted, shaking her head. "You're weird, Sasuke. Since when are you the type to hang out in bars and chat people up? I figured you'd be off on some dangerous mission in the shinobi world."
I shrugged, playing the mysterious guy. "Let's just say I've decided to live a little. The war's over, right? Might as well enjoy it."
*'And build my harem, incidentally,'* I thought, suppressing a smirk.
The *Kunoichi Taming System* was blinking in my head.
[Target: Shizune. Status: Frustrated MILF, craving freedom.]
[Taming Level: 0%]
I had to play it smooth.
We arrived at a secluded inn, away from the noisy casinos and girls soliciting passersby. The place was quieter, with a wooden porch and paper lanterns casting a soft glow. "Come on, let's talk in peace," I said, pushing the door open. Shizune hesitated, her fingers clutching her dress, but she followed.
We settled in a small private room, separated by bamboo screens. A low table, two cushions, a steaming teapot. I'd insisted on tea, no alcohol. I wanted her lucid, feeling heard. Shizune sat across from me, smoothing her dress, avoiding my gaze. She was nervous, and it showed. Her cheeks were still red, but it was more from shame than saké now.
"So, Shizune-san," I began, pouring tea into her cup. "You said you were unwinding. But you don't seem like the type to let go easily. What's going on?"
She stared at the cup, her fingers tracing the rim. "It's… complicated." She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I've spent my life running after Tsunade-sama. Always by her side, handling her affairs, her debts, her missions. I've never had time to… live for myself."
I nodded, resting my chin on my hand, looking attentive. "You've given everything to her. And now? Feels like you've missed out on something, doesn't it?"
Her eyes widened, as if I'd touched a raw nerve. "How do you…?" She stopped, shaking her head. "You're too young to understand, Sasuke. You're what, 18? I'm 32, and I realize I have nothing. No family, no… no one. Just memories of missions and paperwork."
Her voice trembled, and I saw her fingers tighten on the cup. She was raw, vulnerable. Perfect. I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice. "You're hard on yourself. You've spent your life helping others. You're an elite kunoichi, Shizune. You've saved lives, stood up to enemies most ninjas would run from. That's not nothing."
She snorted, a bitter sound. "Yeah, great. And what's it worth if I'm alone in the end?" She looked up, meeting my gaze for the first time. "You've always had a purpose. Your clan's revenge, then a hero at the Fourth Shinobi World War, all that. Me, I've just… followed."
I sensed an opening. "Maybe it's time to follow your own desires, for once. Have you thought about what you want?"
She blinked, thrown off. "What I want?" She laughed softly, but it was a sad laugh. "I don't know. Maybe just… to feel alive. Not just be Tsunade-sama's shadow."
I nodded, letting silence settle. She watched me, searching my expression. She saw Sasuke, the kid she'd known in Konoha, but also something else. A guy who listened, who looked at her as a woman, not Tsunade's assistant.
"You're not a shadow, Shizune," I said, my voice low, almost intimate. "You're a woman who deserves to be seen."