night time simplifies. (tae)

[allie]

his reassurance was welcome. it was nice to know that he had implemented the whole thing. strange though, that she had never heard about it being there. then again, she didn't know everything about the village, even being a librarian. to be completely honest, she knew very little about it, except for the best places to eat, the nicest parks, the quiet bars - those sort of simple, general things. but a program for scaling the hokage mountain? now that was a little out there for miyako. still, she had to admit, as much as she was nervous about making a fool of herself, she was getting pretty excited to rock climb with him. she hadn't done anything like this before. sure, she kept fit, but that was just jogging or swimming, going to the gym. this was going to be completely new territory for her. she was just glad she was doing it with a ninja.

following him down the tunnel she was silent, but comfortably so. that was the thing about miyako, she could be intensely quiet but at the same time, had an aura about her that made people feet at ease. it came with her nature, the tender, motherly kind of woman that she was. the walk went on for what felt like ages but soon enough the light shone through ahead from the opening. as soon as they were outside, miyako took in the sight and let out a slow breath. the mountain was even taller up close. she spotted the edifice, the sections for climbing, and swallowed. was she really up for this? miyako could be a klutz. she wasn't sure if rock climbing and her would really go well together. ryūsuke's question about needing help with her equipment perked her back up though. yes, she could definitely use some help with that.

"i've never done this or anything like this before," she admittedly lamely, rubbing the back of her neck. "some help would be wonderful."

[Trigga]

One thing about Miyako had consistently forced Ryûsuke to surrender and share a smile; that thing was her genuine honesty. Normally,women wanted to highlight everything they felt separated them from the masses, especially in front of a man they had some attraction to. Survival of the fittest one would debate, and while it was always nice to know your strengths, it was almost always foolhardy to nver consider your weaknesses. The blonde who stood beside him so bashfully, however, made it clear to give indication to her own Achilles heel; it was amusing to say the very least, seeing a woman with such pledge, and no true reason to be envious showcase her own imperfections.

She catch him in a mesmerizing stare for a moment as he allowed himself just a moment's take to take in her appearance, her air, and her presence. It was short-ephemeral and didn't really dwell on time, nonetheless, it was enough and with that, the Uchiha took to a single knee, reaching into one of the two bags as he turned to face her from below. “Well, let me get you settled.” He exclaimed, pulling out a series of tools and accessories. The process was somewhat lagged as the blue-haired Shinobi intentionally took his time. Fastening the harness around her curvy body being his favorite part; ingesting all she had to showcase through those tight articles of clothing and the innocence she failed to hide behind her soft blue eyes.

After, taking his own time to secure buckles around her frame, he soon latched her in place along the mountain's face-- two assistants at the peak of the mountain signaling they were ready. Smiling, Ryûsuke consumed far less time equipping himself and locking his harness into place, and with that, he did the final move. “I don't want to ruin your hair” He commented, standing directly in front of her as he eased the helmet onto her crown, slowly and sensually locking the fastenes beneath her small, smooth chin and kissing her on the forehead due after. “Now you're ready to rock climb” Said cutely by the Niidaime as he soon placed his own helmet on and turned to the wall.

”Ladies first-- its easy. Just ease your way up the wall using those pegs. If you need help, I'm right beneath you.”

Giving her one “good luck” pat on the ass, Ryûsuke looked towards the peak once more, giving the thumbs up for Miyako; and when she took her first step on the peg, she'd soon find her weight distributed throughout the harness as the assistants tugged ever so slightly.

[allie]

miyako felt completely out of place where she was. she had no idea what was what. she hadn't even read books about rock climbing. completely in the dark as she was though, she barely felt awkward. it was going to be fun, she assured herself. especially with ryūsuke helping. she turned to attention when he got down on his knee, caught in surprise after having been distracted by the little things sticking out of the side of the mountain. miyako watched him pull out various things from one of the bags. they all looked as difficult as the next, but he seemed perfectly at ease with them. he took a lot longer, however, when he started to fasten the harness around her. it made her blush but she wasn't complaining. in truth, she didn't mind at all. he could take as long as he liked; she loved them lingering looks, tender touches.

but soon enough (too soon, miyako thought) he was suiting himself up for the climb and as he did that, she fiddled with her hair and clothes; fixing herself up as best she could. once ryūsuke was ready she stood to attention, letting him put the helmet on her head. safety before fashion, right? she pouted. her hair was definitely going to need some pampering after today. she still had sex hair, after all. but sex hair and helmet hair? she didn't know how that was going to work out. horribly, she suspected. once he'd fastened it on for her, she straightened it up a bit and giggled as he kissed her forehead. she doubted she was ready, but hell if she wasn't going to give it a good go.

this little pat on her ass was just the icing on the cake, so to speak. she gave him a wry kind of grin, pretending to roll her eyes. satisfied with her sass, she turned to the wall, chewing on her lip. just go for it, she told herself. she had that many harnesses on and security, what did she have to be worried about? satisfied with that, she moved up to the wall and cautiously she found her footholds and pulled herself up. how easy was that? she carefully took her next couple of steps, and before long she had the hang of it, confidently moving her way up - although she was pretty slow. the assistant was doing a good job of helping, too. she grinned, enjoying herself.

"this is actually pretty fun," she called down to ryūsuke, still climbing and focused.

[Trigga]

As bashful and trepid as she was initially, it was good to see the blonde warming up to the idea of this outdoor adventure. In truth, the Uchiha would have been content wither denying the escapade and simply spending the day in her apartment; after last night, did either of the two really have the enery to do such laborious (though pleasant) work? Ryûsuke did, of course, nonetheless, it was gratifying to see that she at least give something so alien to her routine a try. It showed a side most women lacked—adaptability-- the noesis to evolve and grow with and from an experience. It was a skill needed in the field of the Shinobi; maybe the woman who he slowly felt a strong attraction stirring for was equipped to handle his field of expertise.

Taking one step upon the foot-hole, followed by another, Miyako planted herself upon the wall and soon took towards her ascent. Shaking his head and holding a smile, the Uchiha did well to start behind her. Though not before taking a moment to himself to admire the curvaceous backside that seemingly swallowed the harness that once resided between her thighs and around her waist. I wonder if she conscious to the fact her ass butt is amazingly toned, what a thought from the Hokage as a slight tint of red came to his face. Unwarrantable if said out loud, the man made sure to keep his thoughts within his mind as he climbed behind her.

“I'm glad you're enjoying yourself.” He'd look out, peering past the bust and into her blue eyes. She took her time, and it was exactly what he asked for; pacing herself would only lead to more fun as she grew more comfortable. Neglecting the aid of an assistant, the blue-haired Uchiha was quite acquainted with such upper-body training; he didn't need it. However, he simply continued behind Miyako, allowing her to lead the way towards the peak, one foot-hold at a time.

[allie]

miyako paused only once to look down at him, but quickly looked back up when she almost lost her footing and fell. muttering away to herself, she continued to scale the mountain. he was probably getting a good eye full, she thought with a smirk. focus miyako! she chided herself. there was time enough for that later. so, picking up the slack, she set her sights for the top of the mountain and made her way up. she faltered, here and there, but with the assistants help she managed to get back into it without much hassle. still, she blushed madly the whole way up. she wasn't used to being so out of her comfort zone. it was a nice change, though. she just hoped that she wasn't making too much of a fool out of herself in front of him. either way though, it was all for fun, right?

straining her neck to look up, miyako always yelped in relief when she saw the edge of the mountain. she didn't know how long they had been climbing for, her struggling first and ryūsuke following masterfully behind, but it must have been a while. the morning was starting to heat up, too. the sun was glaring down on her back in that sort of pleasant way while at the same time making her wish she had put some sunscreen on. she was going to be red raw by the end of today. pulling herself up the last couple of steps, miyako felt her energy finally draining. she didn't know how she had walked here, let alone climbed to the top of a god damn mountain, after the night she had had. groaning, she pulled herself up the edge of the cliff and over onto the surface. she rolled over so that she was laid flat on her back, legs still dangling over the edge.

"i'm going to be sleeping for days," she said through puffs of breath. she could have gone to sleep right then and there. she reached up to unfasten the helmet and slid it off her head, resting it on the ground. she wasn't sure what to do with the rest of it so she figured she would let ryūsuke handle that. she didn't feel too sweaty or grimey from the climb, thank god, she'd gone slow enough not to get too much of a work out. she just felt like everything was catching up. "sorry," she laughed. "i haven't got that shinobi stamina, so to speak."

[Trigga]

Ryûsuke's bright chromatic eyes would widen significantly as he looked up at the shade produced by Miyako soon vanished. Completely taken away by the experience itself, as well as sharing it with the beautiful blonde who once scaled above him, the Uchiha neglected time himself and was surprised when he realized she had made it to the peak. Her thighs slowly dragging over the surface as her legs rested flaccid over the edge, he could hear her talking and the assistants giggling at the sight of the drained civilian. Now, it was his turn to keep up and as he did so, one peg at a time, the Shinobi made his way higher and higher until finally his palm gripped just beside Miyako's thighs.

Toned arms became visible jut before a mess of blue danced in the passing breeze, Ryûsuke, as he pulled himself over sighing in alleviation. “G-good job,” He announced, somewhat lacking in breath as beads of sweat dripped down his face. It was more of a strain on himself to slow his pace and purposely wear his muscles in attempts to move behind the slower of the true; nonetheless, it was well worth it and quite the workout. Waving off the assistants, signaling them to leave, the two saluted the Niidaime, though not before handing over the basket Miyako prepared just a little over an hour ago. “You have something more then shinobi stamina, Miyako.” He'd express upon hearing her words of doubt. Doing so, he turned to her, leaning over to her side as one finger glided over her chest and pointed directly through her ample bosom to something more rich in value. “You have that,” Yes, she had it-- she had heart.

He'd smile, display quite the charming facial expression before turning to face out over the mountain and deep into the village itself. His arms reaching over his head in a strong stretched, he sighed once more. “If every shinobi had that much heart, we'd have a better world, don't you think so?” His slight laughter exuding through his lips while his gaze into the Hidden leaf strengthened. These Shinobi, those who he once commanded, or even from other villages were so worked up on strength and power, that they forgot the one thing that would succeed even the mightiest of blades, or the most devastating of Jutsu. It was the heart that gave one power, it was the heart that pushed men and women beyond their physical limitations to attain something greater then themselves. While Miyako lacked an array of jutsu or shinobi tools, her spirit alone would continue her existence.

[allie]

miyako barely noticed that he wasn't already on the cliff with her, busy as she was practically dying. admittedly, that was a tad dramatic but she could already feel her muscles burning. she needed a long, hot soak in a bath with a couple of good drinks. for now, she would settle with laying here in the partial shade, catching her breath. each rise and fall of her chest was almost comical. i won't be doing this again in a hurry, she grumbled, covering her eyes with her arm. she briefly wondered what time it was. she hadn't even taken note of the time when they left her apartment, trailing along like a puppy after ryūsuke as she had been. she wasn't too concerned though, especially when she noticed him reaching the top of the cliff to pull himself up. the sight of that was enough to make anyone forget what they were thinking about.

yeah, she smirked, i could get used to this guy. she managed a short breathed, amused kind of chuckle as she noticed he looked a little exerted. she had been expecting him to rock up, perfectly composed without so much as a hair out of place, but there he was, subtly out of breath with sweat dripping down his face. and damn if he didn't look good like that. she wanted to take her time to appreciate the sight but was distracted by his words, and action. where his finger glided to indicate her heart, she felt a spark trail. it caught her by surprise, but not so much as his words and the meaning behind them. he was really something, wasn't he? so much more to see behind the cover.

she watched his back as he looked out over the village, stuck in place. she couldn't find the energy to move, happy enough to watch him from where she was, admiring - but not perving this time. she was admiring the man himself, pleased at what she was seeing. it was rare to hear a shinobi talk as he did, feel as he did, act as he did. while she didn't know him very well, hadn't know him for very long at all.. he had already made an impression on her. she sighed, wishing more people could think like that. miyako had a soft heart, even she would admit that. it was one of the factors why she hadn't become a shinobi, like her family. it was a weakness, everyone said, and she could understand and even believe that. but here this man was, telling her otherwise. it was comforting to hear. sometimes she felt she was too weak, too susceptible. love too quickly, hurt too quickly, she recalled the scolding from her uncle.

"many would disagree," she started to say, slowly, unsure. "i- i mean. shinobi. their business is killing. having too much heart, being too soft.. it gets in the way, doesn't it? makes people hesitate, slows their hand. shinobi- they can't be ruled by their emotions.." she trailed off here, pulling herself into a sitting position, legs still swaying over the edge. "but if more people had heart, well that would certainly be a lovely world," she continued, with just a tinge of sadness. "that won't happen, though. there will always be fighting, always be death.. always be a need for shinobi. whether they have heart or not."

"lord what am i'm rambling on about anyway?" she chuckled, snapping back to her normal self, looking up at him fondly. "..could you help me up by any chance?"

[Trigga]

“Let them think what they want,” He began with adjudging her doubts. “When you strip a man of their emotion, you strip them of reason.” It had been no blind-sided debate that emotions ruined the nature of a true Shinobi. Without the need of compassion, empathy, without the need of concern or fright, the human capacity to kill was so tangible. One could take the life of a mother before the eyes of her child without feeling the slightest remorse, or even taking into consideration how the actions affected the young. And sadly, this situation wasn't limited to just mother and child; without emotion, one could even destroy an entire village, killing thousands without shedding a single tear.

This thought alone didn't produce a reflective solstice—a brief, though aeonian window into his past shared with happiness. No, the thought was much more horrific. When Kôketsu had attacked not only Konohagakure, but the world in an end-all attempt at purging what he considered defiled. “Shinobi weren't meant to kill-- they were meant to protect. In that alone, shouldn't protecting mean preserving as many lives as possible?” Over the course of time and through the differing minds of many in power, the explanation of what a Shinobi was meant to do had certainly changed. It had become more volatile, more corrupt without substance. Guardians of the many had become executioners and exacters of greed's will. While the truth was as false as its conception, Ryûsuke could smile at one thing, though.

“Maybe if was this same heart you spoke of that secured my death,” Unknowingly, he gave insight to how exactly his life was ended. “However, it was this very heart that gave this village hope, that raised a boy destined for destruction and allowing him the means to choose his own fate and finally--” He paused, turning to face Miyako once more; his eyes were soft, too relaxed while his lips parted ever so slightly to allow words to leave once more.

”It was this heart that allowed him to bring me back; giving me to not only Ashura, and this community-- but you as well.”

He paused, his eyes settling on the horizon once more, amber orbs moving over the buildings, pass the walking pedestrians and deep into the sun's ambiance. Taking a stand as she inquired to him helping her out, Ryûsuke would move behind the woman. Both arms coming gently beneath hers, he would help her to her feet with a simple, gradual lift, making sure not to add stress and tense her already exhausted body with forcing her to her feet. No, she would take as much time as she needed.

[allie]

he makes a good point, she decided. shinobi are meant to protect. it was just commonplace to think of them as killers, nowadays. with all the horrors that the world had gone through, was still going through.. well, it was easy to forget who they truly are; what their actual purpose is. of course, she wasn't naive enough to think that they did nothing for this village but kill. she didn't see them like that, not at all. she knew the shinobi of konoha (and surely the other villages) worked hard for their village, through missions and guarding it, eliminating threats. it was just, to miyako, a very delicate subject. there was so much more she could have said about it, but she didn't press on about it. it was too delicate a subject.

his little speech about his heart served to build him up even further in her eyes and her opinion of him. it made her smile, but then pause, going back to what he had first hinted at. his heart had caused his death? what did he mean by that? in truth she hadn't heard much at all about his actual death. there wasn't much chatter about it, from what she knew, but she was curious now. how had this man died? "it was this heart that allowed him to bring me back," his words rang in her head. who was the man that brought him back? someone powerful, not doubt. raising the dead wasn't an easy feat, miyako knew that very well. there could only be a handful of shinobi with that kind of strength. frowning, she pushed the thoughts out of her mind. she had a bad habit of delving too deep. the habit came with her love of books, of good plot and intricate characters. she loved page turners, books that made her think. but it was much too soon for her to be picking apart this puzzle. there was time enough later to find out answers. for now, she was just glad he was back, for ashura.

ryūsuke helped her up but she took her time - which, at the pace he was going, was his intention. as soon as she was on her feet, she felt the ache even worse, but it was bearable, especially with ryūsuke behind her offering support. she wanted to melt into him, he was like a soft bed and a strong pillar, both at the same time. miyako sighed, stepping away from him with an appreciative smile over her shoulder as she stretched. she was facing the village, her back to him, eyes fondly watching what she could see.

"i'm glad you were revived," she murmured, almost a whisper. "f-for ashura, you know? but also..." she trailed off here, going quiet. but also what? she didn't know what she was going to say, she just knew it would have sounded silly, so she left it there and didn't continue.

[Trigga]

“Also what?” He had heard her words in their entirety; this alone showing great capabilities to listen, but to also construe. She had purposely ended her dialect for a reason, and the former Hokage was more curious than ever to figure out why. They stood alone, amongst the faces of those who helped forged this beautiful village; it was only natural that the truth come to light in front of those very people. Peering out into the distant sun, watching its rays sanctify the land with the ability to raise life through warmth, the Uchiha found his own heart smoldering; it was amazing, and the horizon couldn’t have been complimented by anyone more stunning then Miyako.

Regardless, before the sun, and the past and present Hokages, Ryūsuke didn’t want to pry into uncharted territory. “However, if you don’t want to say, that’s fine, too.” He exclaimed with a warm, reassuring smile, his face still lost in the endless ambience that emanated from the sun itself. If she decided to speak her heart’s content or not, that was entirely up to her; at the end of the day, all the Uchiha wanted, at least in his presence, was for her to feel comfortable.

[allie]

he pried, of course. naturally. she wasn't going to get away with that little slip up, right? you don't just dangle that little morsel in front of someone and expect them to just overlook it. humans are curious by nature, after all. miyako licked her lips, averting her eyes from the vista of the village, now staring down the mountain they had just climbed. they were so far up, she was glad she had gotten over her childhood fear of heights. don't distract yourself, she thought, snapping out of it. ryūsuke was saying that she didn't have to tell him, it was up to her. it made her smile. he was thoughtful, so thoughtful she didn't know how to handle it. she had never been with a guy like that before. chewing on her lip, she stayed silent for a moment or two longer, looking at the horizon as he did. she felt peaceful, calm, comfortable. go slow or go hard, right? they were fairly well past slow so one little comment surely wouldn't hurt too much.

"w-well.." she stuttered, suddenly shy. she wanted to say something, but she couldn't articulate the right words, for once in her life. miyako could be good at saying things, she had her moments. but right now when she needed it most she was at a loss. so she winged it. "i'm glad you coming back gave us the chance to meet, i guess... well i have ashura to thank for that," she laughed softly, turning around to face him. she was close enough to lean up and kiss him soundly, if he didn't pull away. she would stay there for a few delicious seconds for pulling back, opening her eyes to meet his own. "you're really wonderful," she murmured.

[Trigga]

“Wonderful? No. Understanding?” And then he smiled, allowing the recognition of his statement to become that much more evident upon his face. In truth, something was wonderful about him or his lifestyle. His battled, waged war and ran a fraudulent government with the intentions of changing---by doing nothing more than the norm. His friends, he had watched them die along with their families and friends. Villages reduced to nothing and rivers of blood bathing damned streets after leaving defunct corpses; yes, that was his life. However, in spite of the mortality, in spite of the venality, he had remained pure. His morals had dampened almost minimally and the goal to one day change the world—for the betterment of its inhabitants—hadn’t left his mindset. Maybe that’s what’s she meant by wonderful.

With that bit of closure manifesting in his mind, the Uchiha eyes wrinkled as his eyebrows perked in curiosity as Miyako expressed the rationale of her former statement. “Well, I’m glad as well—that w-we got to meet, of course.” Patting the back of his blue locks, Ryūsuke continued to smile captivatingly in the wake of his odd, discomfited statement as his cheeks turned a tinge of cherry. It had been quite some time since he could have so much fun—years in fact—and with such a beautiful woman. Obligations had seemingly run his life for so long; he almost didn’t realize what he was doing. Something about Miyako and this moment, it rejuvenated him. It gave the man something he needed.

Clearing his throat, he would spoke once more. “I know after climbing this mountain, you’re hungry, right?” Because surely he had an appetite fit for a king. If she agreed, he would take her by the hand and soon guide her towards the rear of the mountain, escaping the sights of the village through a corridor that would lead to the two to somewhere special.

[allie]

he knew the right things to say, that was for sure. and in that kind of believable, not just spewing it out kind of way. it felt like he meant it and that's what mattered, that's what had her drawing closer and closer. it was foreign to think that a man of his stature would be blushing in front of her, let alone acting like this, but it was nice to see. she grinned, but tempted as she was to tease him about it, miyako stayed silent and kept herself in check. she would store the mental image of his flustered state and bring it up later, as a kind of "remember when" moment. that is, if later was going to get a chance to happen. she bit her lip, reminding herself that it was too early to think like that. but she couldn't help to wonder what this was going to turn into, if anything at all.

hungry? oh, right. the picnic. she swallowed, nodded her head and with her hand in his once more, followed the path he led them on. she tangled her fingers in his, thumb rubbing against the side of his hand. she sort of wished they were back in her apartment, snuggled up in bed. she yawned rather delicately, the exhaustion from last night and now the climb she had just managed to make herself do was all catching up on her. it was a wonder she was still standing. breakfast had been a kind of energy boost for her, so maybe the picnic would be another? she didn't want to be a bore, but damn if she wasn't having a nanna nap later. she was thinking of how to get ryūsuke to accompany her with that when they reached the end of the corridor. miyako stopped, taking in the sight.

"oh," she breathed, impressed. "it's lovely."

[Trigga]

And lovely it was. Miyako would find herself, escorted by Ryūsuke, breaking through the modest passageway of darkness and into a maiden of light. Summer hues descending from the sun upon lavish greenery. The foliage of untold splendor enfolded a small, circular mesa, decorated with an excellent purple blanket, and the contents of the woman’s picnic basket placed properly upon its drapery. In quality alone, between the décor and the preparation present, it seemed some work was put into it; as if magic had truly existed in the human world and the Uchiha, yes, he was the magician.

Guiding her by hand, the blue-haired Uchiha easily circumnavigated the flowers and plants, moving around with a focus not to damage this garden itself. Miyako would—if she decided to admire—see several varieties of summer and spring flowers: roses, daffodils, violets and ample more disseminated liberally around her. “This was my mother’s orchard”, The Uchiha confessed as he continued to lead her towards the picnic grounds. During his time as Hokage, this piece of land found some use for his mother’s daily activities and she brought new life to a normally dull location. Likewise, it didn’t take much for him to reveal such a hidden location to the Librarian; something about her made this event just as organic as the plants that fenced them.

Two tall-standing trees—apple producing—resided above the picnic, rich with their cherry-colored fruits as shade was provided to block the intensity of the sun. Ryūsuke, if she allowed it, would help her take a seat (she surely needed it from the exhaustion—as he would take his own directly across from her. “I hope you like it”, in truth, he had never brought anyone save for Ashura to this grounds; knowing full well its function and its appeal to a more intimate, secure location for family and sloe friends. Where it once held a homey nature when his son would train, this location now took on a more romantic air with Miyako in attendance.

[allie]

was he some kind of master charmer or something? this place was magnificent. it was the kind of place kids had their first kisses in, families spent days together, girls confessed their love, where people proposed. it was perfect and completely not what she was expecting. she looked around, rather in awe, at all the different flowers and the perfect scenery. this was his mother's? that was a bit serious, right? taking here here on their first proper date. she wasn't sure if she should be worried or feel special. so she felt a bit of both, awkwardly. as ryūsuke led the way, miyako followed carefully; overly mindful of the flowers. this was one of those kinds of places that needed to be treasured, maintained, respected. it was beautiful, and she was sure a lot of work had gone into it. she had to admire that. is his mother still alive, though? she wondered, curious. she wouldn't mind meeting a woman with the patience and care to make a place like this thrive to such an extent.

but that could and should wait. she had to remind herself of that, having gotten away with herself. besides, he said it "was his mother's orchard". that implied she wasn't still around, right? miyako didn't necessarily want to step on that subject just yet. she was so awkward when it came to those sorts of things, after all. so she stayed silent, admiring the beauty of every flower as she went. she started to feel a lot more relaxed, which was odd given the circumstances. she was in a place that was, she assumed, very special to a man she'd just met - and slept with. it was private, secluded; just the two of them. this felt like something out of her books. surreal, romantic, oddly foreign but in the nice kind of way. they were approaching a couple of apple trees shading the picnic that was already laid out. she wondered who had organised that, probably one of those assistants. ryūsuke was so damn organised.

i hope you like it.

his words brought her back to reality as he helped her take a seat. she managed that with as much grace as possible (which wasn't much at all), and hugged her knees to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs comfortably as she looked around some more.

"i love it," she murmured, after he had taken his seat across from her. she smiled a bright, pretty smile with just a hint of shyness. careful, she snapped to herself. blinking, she shook her head and looked at the food that was already set out. she found a bottle of water still in the basked to the side and opened the lid to take a couple of nervous sips before handing it over to ryūsuke.

"i never knew anything like this existed in konoha," she admitted.