Chapter 17A: Is This A Joke?

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I have no reason to be worried about Sasuke. No. I don't give a flying fig what happens to him. If I had a choice, I wouldn't care for him. But Noa's got her hands full tending to Grandma Ai and Sayumi in that hut. Naga is way too young to be burdened with watching over a grown man. Someone has to take care of Sasuke. And unfortunately, right now, that someone has to be me.

Me.

Out of all people... me. It's just ridiculous. Years ago, when I heard that Sasuke kidnapped my uncle, I wanted to rip him to shreds. When Gaara told me that he supported Konoha's initiative in the Shinobi Alliance of granting general pardons and amnesties to criminals like Sasuke after the war, I bitterly argued with him for a whole week until we decided not to talk about politics in our relationship anymore.

But now, here I am in this dusty barn -- sitting beside this unconscious degenerate who is lying on long bales of hay -- keeping watch over him while pointy hay straws poke uncomfortably on my leggings making me itch incessantly. Streaks of bright sunlight stream from small cracks on the metal roofing above as well as from the broad wooden planks that enclose the barn. And there, a few paces from us -- near the window that doesn't even open -- a handful of brown hens cluck in nest boxes inside a chicken coop made out of poultry netting and clunky wood. A cream-colored cow rests in an enclosed shed on the other side of the room. Two red roosters peck at the dirt and patches of discarded hay scattered all around while three spotted goats -- tied to one of the large wooden columns in this dreary barn -- keep on bleating.

This is just perfect, really. This situation is just so gosh darn perfect. Hmph.

Noa should have just let Sasuke and I stay inside the cottage but she insisted we stay in this godawful place. Sure, the cottage is quite small and they're crowded as it is. But I would have gladly slept on the floor in that apothecary instead of sleeping in a barn.

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