The Best Man

第4章

"Do your own job!"

"I am! You go do this for me, I listened to you about the elections for Hokage, now I order you as your Hokage! Go!"

"Anija, stop being an idiot sometimes, your job is important, do what is necessary and focus on it"

"I am doing something necessary. I need someone of your consequence for work like this and you happen to be free", Hashirama said smirking and wiggled his eyebrows.

"I am not free, I have to work on the making of the academy and the shinobi classifying system", Tobirama gritted out. 

"Well, you do things like that all the time, these days, sitting in a dull room, hunched over a table. You're young Tobirama! Go out and get some fresh air", Hashirama grabbed his shoulders, and pushed him towards the door.

"I never hunch and stop talking to me like I'm a child. What is that Madara doing, this is his job as well", He said, turning around sharply.

Hashirama's expression dropped a little at the mention of the Uchiha. He hadn't seen him since he had gotten elected as Hokage, a few weeks after the meeting at the Moriko compound. He was worried about Madara's whereabouts and health, but he had an entire village to attend to. He trusted Madara, although Tobirama had been skeptical as ever. 

Tobirama's expression softened as he noticed the change in Hashirama's expression. He stood properly and bowed lightly, startling Hashirama out of his thoughts. 

"As you wish, Hokage-sama", He said and stood up. Hashirama smiled, waving him off, and went back to his work as the door closed and Tobirama left. 

Minori was on her evening patrol, discreetly flying through the forest area around the compound.  The sun was going to set soon, the blue of the sky starting to mingle with slight hues of orange and pink, the colours reflecting on the forest floor. Minori sighed happily at the peace and quiet. It was easily the best part of her day. Patrolling in the morning was annoying at times, but in the evening it was amazing. The forest was a tranquil place, with an occasional animal scurrying to find shelter before the sun disappeared behind the horizon and the moon came out. It was good escape from the bustling affairs of the clan compound, and recently, Aiko and Emi's constant teasing. 

It wasn't even just them, but most women in the clan compound. Even the new child, who had been found a few weeks ago, was smirking at her as they both helped some women make sushi for dinner. It was as if her talking to a man in a civil and genuine manner was the biggest surprise of the century. 

She frowned a little as these thoughts plagued her mind, and stopped for a second when she felt a signature nearby. She had felt someone enter the forest but hadn't thought much of it. The missions Tobirama had told her about sometimes required shinobi to go out of the village so, many passed by the forest as they travelled. But this presence was near the compound. And it was familiar.

Tobirama, who had been moving through the forest towards the Moriko compound, stopped as someone dropped from somewhere above him. There she was. She stood tall, just a few inches shorter than him, on the branch in front of him. She was dressed in a very different attire from the other day, in a creamy peach kimono style clothing with dragons embroidered on the cuffs, in scarlet thread. She also had what looked like a cat mask on, and her dark hair was tied back with a black ribbon with a few strands escaping to frame her face.  But he knew it was her, her chakra signature was prominent and strong.

"Hi", she said, removing her mask, "I sensed someone a while back and thought it was familiar. I just realised it was you though, when you came closer to the compound."