The memory of last night was permanently seared into his mind, impossible to wash away.

Even now, Suzuki could still feel the phantom sensation of Tsunade’s soft, experienced fingers wrapping around him. He had repeatedly slapped her hands away in weak protest, overwhelmed by the sheer, illicit thrill of it. He had dirtied her—tarnished the pristine, capable hands of his teacher, a legendary Sannin who demanded nothing but worship and respect.

He felt a heavy, sticky guilt pooling in his gut. Yet, God help him... he wanted more.

It seemed the taste of forbidden fruit was far more intoxicating than any drug, much like how a forbidden jutsu offered a rush of power a normal technique could never match.

Whether his body was simply too exhausted from the agonizingly good release, or because Tsunade had deliberately kept him awake deep into the night, he ended up sleeping in. When his heavy eyelids finally fluttered open, the space beside him was empty. The bed was cold. It felt almost as if the suffocating pleasure he had experienced in the dark was nothing more than a desperate, wet dream.

But Suzuki knew better. The aching sensitivity in his lower half was proof enough. Tsunade had definitely taken matters into her own hands. literally.

Even the Manager was all too eager to confirm it.

[Affirmative. Do you wish to view the visual and sensory playback of the event?]

...You recorded it?

[Yes. In high definition.]

Suzuki hesitated, heavily tempted to re-live the sensation of his mentor’s touch, but ultimately held himself back. His senses, sharply attuned by the Manager, detected presences entering the hotel lobby.

While the Manager was hopelessly unhelpful—and often an instigator—during highly ecchi or compromising situations, its sensory capabilities during critical moments were absolute.

"...Hinata? Kurenai-san? And... Shino?"

Suzuki blinked in genuine surprise as he descended to the lobby, finding the members of Team 8 waiting for him.

"Suzuki-kun!" Hinata’s face lit up instantly. A soft, breathless smile bloomed on her lips as she leaned forward, her eyes brimming with a quiet, desperate yearning. It had been far too long since she last saw him, and her heart fluttered wildly in her chest.

"You certainly took your time waking up," Kurenai sighed, her lush lips forming a helpless pout. She crossed her arms beneath her chest, emphasizing her mature curves as she gave the supposedly lazy boy a scolding look.

Shino simply nodded, quietly pleased that Suzuki had actually addressed him by name right away. Usually, people either entirely ignored his existence or just forgot he was standing right next to them.

"Ah?!"

Simultaneously, Tsunade, Shizune, Yugao, Tonton, and the rest of the hotel staff jumped in pure fright, suddenly realizing a boy in a trench coat had been standing in the middle of the room the entire time.

"..." Shino adjusted his glasses in silence.

"What brings you all here? A mission?" Suzuki asked smoothly, closing the distance between them. Despite having woken up late and harboring thoughts filled with sinful indulgence, he was dressed immaculately, projecting his usual aura of crisp, untouchable professionalism.

"No, it isn’t a mission. But Hokage-sama has ordered your immediate return to the village," Kurenai explained.

Inwardly, she was a bit disappointed. She wouldn’t have minded extending this trip into a miniature holiday to relax and enjoy the sights—and perhaps spend some quality time with the boy in front of her—but a shinobi’s duty always came first.

"Huh? Sensei called for me? Why?"

Suzuki frowned, feeling a strong surge of reluctance. Hiruzen was the one who had sent him out to retrieve Tsunade in the first place. For him to suddenly yank the leash was annoying. Suzuki had to admit, the air outside Konoha was infinitely sweeter.

Back in the village, he had to deal with the suffocating stench of Danzo’s schemes. But out here? The air was fragrant, perfumed by the intoxicating presence of older, beautiful women. Between Yugao, Shizune, and especially the heavy, corrupting temptation of Tsunade... he vastly preferred being out here, surrounded by their softness.

"The Chunin Exams," Kurenai sighed, reading the reluctance on his face. "Did you completely forget?"

"Oh."

The Chunin Exams. Of course. It was the grueling, highly publicized trial that allowed a Genin to ascend in rank. Unlike standard internal promotions, these exams were a massive, international spectacle, inviting rival ninja villages to participate.

It was, at its core, a twisted marketing campaign. By showcasing the raw talent, violence, and superiority of their youth, a village proved its military might to observing nobles, feudal lords, and wealthy merchants. The stronger the Genin, the fatter the village’s wallet grew with incoming mission requests.

Naturally, it was a double-edged sword. It exposed a village’s brightest prodigies to hostile, foreign eyes before they were fully matured. But Suzuki knew exactly why Hiruzen wanted him there. As the sole disciple of the Third Hokage, Suzuki was expected to put on a flawless show.

What did Hiruzen treasure above all else? His pristine reputation.

The old man would do anything to maintain his image as the benevolent ’God of Shinobi,’ happily letting Danzo wallow in the filth to keep his own robes clean. Still, village politics aside, it was a golden opportunity to rank up. Suzuki couldn’t afford to pass it by.

"Understood. I’ll pack my things and prepare to head back."

"Good." Kurenai let out a soft breath of relief. She then turned and bowed respectfully toward Tsunade, still internally reeling over the fact that Suzuki had somehow managed to become the apprentice of the legendary Sannin.

"Sensei, I’ll be returning to the village," Suzuki said, turning his attention to the blonde woman. "Don’t worry about the hotel. The staff will cater to your every need, so you can stay here in absolute comfort. If you need anything specific, just ask the ninja cats."

Kuro and Shiro had proven to be incredibly efficient. Rather than doing the menial labor themselves, they had sub-contracted a small army of ninneko (ninja cats) to wait on Tsunade hand and foot. The felines were more than happy to do it; the pay was excellent.

"I’ll be taking my leave now. Please, take good care of yourself."

"..."

Tsunade watched him with narrowed, golden eyes. Seeing him agree to leave her side without a second of hesitation made a sudden, irrational spike of annoyance flare in her chest. She knew logically that a shinobi couldn’t disobey the Hokage, but the fact remained: he was her student now, too.

And after the intense, slippery intimacy they had shared just hours ago in the dark, his cold professionalism stung.

"Just go, then! I don’t need you to take care of me!" she snapped, crossing her arms beneath her massive chest and huffing as she looked away, acting like a textbook tsundere.

"..."

Suzuki stared at her flushed profile in silence for a long moment before bowing deeply. "Thank you for all your... care," he said, his voice dropping slightly, laced with a hidden meaning only she would understand. "I will treasure the memories. I know you won’t be returning to the village anytime soon, but if you ever do... please let me know. Once again, stay safe, Sensei."

"Shut up, you brat! Just leave!"

"I’ll go prepare," Suzuki bowed once more and turned toward the stairs.

"I-I’ll help you pack, Suzuki-kun!" Hinata immediately volunteered, eagerly trotting after him like a loyal puppy, desperate for a few minutes alone in his room.

"Thank you, Hinata," Suzuki offered her a warm, genuine smile. He had genuinely missed the shy heiress.

Seeing that smile melted Hinata’s heart instantly, a bright blush dusting her cheeks as she followed him upstairs, her mind racing with all the things she wanted to tell him.

Down in the lobby, the atmosphere shifted.

"Are those two... close?" Tsunade asked, her voice dangerously quiet as she eyed the staircase.

"Eh?" Kurenai blinked, caught off guard by the Sannin’s sudden intensity. She thought about it for a moment. "Well... they should be. They’re on the same Genin team, after all."

What else was she supposed to say? Kurenai had never looked too deeply into the romantic lives of her subordinates; they were just kids.

"Hmm..." Tsunade’s sharp gaze slowly dragged over to the boy in the trench coat, whom she had entirely ignored up until this point. "You. You’re from the Aburame clan, right?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Shino replied stiffly. Despite being overlooked, he maintained rigid, utmost respect for the living legend.

"You’ve been in his class at the academy?"

"I have been his classmate since our first year."

"Tell me everything you know about him."

"Understood." Shino nodded obediently and began listing off his observations. Naturally, his impression of Suzuki was glowing. Suzuki was a highly dependable teammate, a strategic genius, a good friend, and undeniably powerful.

"So, he’s quite popular with the girls?" Tsunade probed, her tone sickeningly sweet.

"Of course." Shino nodded factually.

"Besides that Hyuga girl... is he particularly close with anyone else?"

"Hmm... he is also quite close with Ino," Shino supplied helpfully, completely oblivious to the sudden drop in room temperature.

"Ino?"

"Yamanaka Ino. The daughter of the Yamanaka clan head."

Tsunade’s golden eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, an oppressive, suffocating aura beginning to leak from her body. "Is that so? ...Tell me more."

"If you wish."

While Shino continued his report with robotic efficiency, Kurenai felt a cold bead of sweat roll down her neck. She couldn’t understand why the air in the lobby had suddenly grown so heavy and terrifying, especially as she watched the deeply shadowed, fiercely jealous expressions settling over both Tsunade and Shizune’s faces.