Naruto: We Agreed on a Simulation, But They Actually Came to Life?

"Two choices: either return to Konoha to report to the Hokage, or stay in Amegakure for the time being and wait for news from Lord Jiraiya."

Kitahara Kaede closed the cabinet door and turned to look out the window.

"Since Lord Jiraiya went after them specifically, he’ll likely send word back."

Returning to Konoha now didn’t make much sense; the constant travel would only make it easier to miss critical leads.

Pakura didn’t respond, merely watching him in silence.

The light in the room wasn’t particularly bright, but it was enough for her to see the weariness etched onto his face. It was a deep, unmistakable exhaustion born from the relentless journey from the Land of Water to Konoha, and then straight to Amegakure without a moment’s rest.

She had been brimming with questions. When she first saw him at the village entrance, she had wanted to drag him aside immediately and demand exactly what had happened in Kirigakure.

But looking at him now, Pakura suddenly felt that those questions weren’t quite so urgent anymore.

She looked away and checked the sky outside.

"It’s already very late. You rushed from the Land of Water to Konoha and then straight here to Amegakure; even a body of iron couldn’t withstand that."

Her tone was gentle, yet it carried an air of non-negotiable arrangement.

"Rest here for the night. Once you’ve recovered your energy tomorrow, you can decide whether to stay or go."

Kaede weighed the options in his mind and accepted. He truly did need the rest, and it provided a convenient window to wait for Jiraiya’s news.

As for Pakura...

He was in too poor a state right now. Trying to lay everything on the table while exhausted would only make things more chaotic.

"Fine. I’ll stay for the night."

The two left the old house, resealing the door and instructing the guards to keep people away.

Stepping out of the alley, Kaede scanned the street.

"Where’s the inn? Lead the way."

"No rush. You haven’t eaten today, have you?"

Pakura smiled and stepped beside him, naturally pointing in a different direction.

"I’ll take you to eat first. There’s a home-style izakaya with great food that I’ve been visiting lately."

At her reminder, Kaede felt a sharp pang of hunger in his empty stomach and stopped resisting.

The rain had lightened considerably, falling in fine needles that tapped rhythmically against the eaves and iron pipes. Streetlamps flickered on one by one, their reflections dancing in the puddles as pedestrians stepped through them.

They walked side by side, neither rushing their pace. Pakura casually introduced the nearby streets, sharing anecdotes about which shops had seen what funny occurrences in the past. These trivial topics allowed the tension Kaede had carried throughout his journey to unconsciously unwind.

The izakaya was tucked away in a narrow street. As soon as they lifted the curtain, the aroma of grilled fish and hot soup washed over them.

The owner clearly knew Pakura and warmly ushered them to a quiet spot against the wall. Pakura skillfully ordered several signature appetizers and two small carafes of sake.

Kaede untied his forehead protector and took the tissue she offered, mentally bracing himself for an interrogation. He had already rehearsed how he would answer when she inevitably asked about Kirigakure.

However, after the first glass of sake, Pakura asked nothing.

Even when the grilled fish arrived, she still didn’t mention why he had been so slow to reply. Instead, she rested her chin in her hand and began talking about the troubles she’d encountered while helping Yahiko with administrative affairs.

"The ledgers Hanzo left behind filled up two entire rooms. It was a complete mess."

Pakura picked up a piece of fish and couldn’t help but laugh as she recalled the event.

"Yahiko was cross-referencing them until midnight and ended up falling asleep right there in the office. He woke up with a perfect ink stamp imprinted on his face."

"He actually spent half the next morning in meetings with that red stamp on his face, and not a single person dared to tell him."

The image formed in Kaede’s mind, and a faint smile finally touched his lips.

"What about Konan? She didn’t tell him either?"

"She sat beside him and endured it for a long time. Eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore, ran outside to laugh her fill, and only then came back."

As Pakura told the story, her eyes curved into crescent moons with laughter, nearly spilling the sake in her cup.

Kaede’s chopsticks paused for a beat as he watched her silently.

By the time they had finished most of the meal, the two carafes of sake were nearly empty. Throughout the entire dinner, Pakura only spoke of the daily life in Amegakure; she didn’t ask a single question that would put him on the spot.

Kaede knew she desperately wanted answers—otherwise, she wouldn’t have waited in the rain at the village entrance for so long.

But she had seen his condition, and so she had pushed her doubts aside for now.

She wasn’t like Terumi Mei, who always sought ways to occupy every second of his time until he felt suffocated. Nor was she like Tsunade, with her intense reactions.

He knew why they were that way, and he never considered himself innocent. But dealing with them consecutively was truly exhausting.

Now, Pakura sat across from him—no interrogation, no probing, just accompanying him through a quiet meal.

The oppressive weight in Kaede’s chest vanished unconsciously, and even his appetite improved. He finished his drink, his gaze lingering for a moment on Pakura’s slightly flushed, tipsy face.

This kind of consideration was more effective than any words of comfort.

Realizing he was looking at her, Pakura smiled and tapped the sake carafe on the table.

"More? Or if you’re sleepy, we can head to the inn."

"No more. Let’s go."

After settling the bill, they left the izakaya. Pakura led him into an inn where the owner was dozing behind the counter.

At the sound of the doorbell, the owner woke up groggily. He first caught the faint scent of alcohol on them, then saw their faces and immediately perked up, smiling as he fished out a key.

"Both staying the night? A double room would work; I happen to have a vacancy upstairs."

The moment those words were spoken, the flush on Pakura’s face deepened. She waved her hands frantically.

"No! No! Only he is staying! I’m not staying here!"

The smile froze on the owner’s face, the key hovering awkwardly in the air.

"Oh, my apologies! You two look so well-matched, I thought you were a young couple."

That attempt to smooth things over only made it worse. Pakura’s cheeks burned even more fiercely.

Standing beside her, Kaede couldn’t help but chuckle at her flustered state.

The owner quickly swapped the key, took the payment, and pointed to the first room on the left on the second floor. Pakura insisted on seeing him up. As they stepped onto the stairs, the owner’s muttering drifted up behind them.

"They look so good together... why on earth aren’t they staying in the same room..."

The owner thought no one could hear him and slumped back onto the counter.

Pakura heard every word, her ears turning bright red. She stole a glance at Kaede, and seeing that he seemed oblivious, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Kaede had heard it all, but he timely played dumb to spare her further embarrassment.

At the door, he used the key to open the room. He instinctively expected Pakura’s next words to be something like, ’Aren’t you going to invite me in for a bit?’

Instead, Pakura stopped outside the door, tucked her hands behind her back, and gave him a relaxed smile.

"Well, I’ll leave you here. Take a hot bath tonight, don’t think about anything, and get some good sleep."

She stepped back half a pace and waved at him.

"See you tomorrow."

Looking at her effortless poise, Kaede’s expression softened completely.

"Alright. You get some rest too. See you tomorrow."

Pakura didn’t linger, turning to head back down the stairs.

Kaede watched her figure disappear around the corner and couldn’t help but curse himself internally. He had instinctively treated Pakura like Terumi Mei, guarding himself against whatever ’next move’ she might make.

Closing the door, Kaede took a hot shower. After changing out of his soaked clothes, the fatigue from his continuous travels eased significantly. He lay down in the reasonably soft bedding and fell into a deep sleep shortly after.

It was a peaceful slumber; he didn’t wake up once.

The next morning.

*Knock, knock.*

At the sound of the knocking, Kaede opened his eyes groggily.

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