Naruto: One Eye Tenseigan

The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a warm glow over Konoha's bustling streets. Market vendors shouted over the din, their voices weaving through the rhythmic hum of daily life. The scent of freshly grilled skewers mingled with the sweet aroma of dango, tempting every passerby.

Team 2 strolled through the chaos, their steps more in sync than they realized. Yet, their cohesion was often offset by the unrelenting energy of one member in particular.

"Tomaru!" Mai's voice rang out, clear and vibrant as she stopped at a food stall. She turned, her golden eyes sparkling mischievously. "Buy me some dango! Pleeeeease?"

Tomaru slowed his stride, his dark eyes narrowing slightly as he regarded her. "No."

Mai spun to face him, hands flying to her hips. "Why not?!"

"You've got money," Tomaru replied flatly, brushing past her.

Mai stomped after him, her frustration exaggerated by her loud sigh. "What's the point of having a reliable 'Oniisan' if he doesn't spoil his cute little sister once in a while?"

Tomaru froze mid-step. "What did you just call me?" he asked, turning to face her with an expression caught somewhere between disbelief and annoyance.

"Oniisan!" Mai said, grinning wide as she clasped her hands behind her back. "It fits, doesn't it? You're like the big brother of the team. Always serious, always responsible. And older, too."

Tomaru's expression darkened. "No."

"No?" Mai mimicked, puffing her cheeks in mock offense. "You can't just reject the title. It's perfect for you!"

"It's weird," Tomaru said curtly, his voice flat but firm.

"Weird?" Mai gasped, throwing her hands in the air. "It's endearing! You should feel honored!"

Mina adjusted her glasses, walking beside Tomaru as though unaffected by the commotion. "It's persistent, at least," she murmured, her tone laced with quiet amusement.

Tomaru sighed, rubbing his temples. "Persistent isn't the word I'd use."

Mai grinned even wider at his reaction. "C'mon, it's cute! Admit it, Oniisan, you secretly like it!"

Tomaru's gaze shifted toward her, his face an unreadable mask. "Not even a little."

"Liar," Mai teased, poking his arm. "You're just too proud to admit it. Don't worry—I'll keep calling you that until it grows on you."

"It won't," Tomaru deadpanned, brushing past her again.

Mai huffed dramatically, crossing her arms as she trailed after him. "You're no fun. Mina, back me up here!"

Mina didn't look up from the small notebook she had pulled out, her focus on jotting something down. "What exactly am I backing up?"

Mai gestured wildly toward Tomaru. "That 'Oniisan' totally suits him!"

Mina paused, her pencil hovering over the page as she glanced at Tomaru. Then, as if giving the matter serious thought, she said, "It does."

Tomaru shot her a sharp look. "Not you too."

Mina smirked faintly, tucking her notebook away. "What? It's fitting. You're the oldest, the most composed, and—most importantly—the one who buys the food."

"I do not buy the food," Tomaru retorted.

"You could," Mina countered smoothly.

Mai clapped her hands together. "Exactly! See, Mina gets it!"

Tomaru sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why am I stuck with you two?"

"Because you're lucky," Mai said, skipping ahead to another food stall. "Now, seriously—dango? Please?"

Tomaru tilted his head, his expression calm but pointed. "What happened to that lunch money I saw you counting earlier?"

Mai froze, her golden eyes darting to the side. "Uh…"

Tomaru crossed his arms. "Spent it already, didn't you?"

Mai whirled around, her grin sheepish. "Maybe. But that's why you're here! To save the day, Oniisan!"

Tomaru groaned, muttering something under his breath as Mina chuckled quietly beside him.

"You know, Mai," Mina said, her voice light but deliberate, "if you spent half as much effort on training as you do on pestering Tomaru, you might actually get stronger."

Mai stuck out her tongue. "And if you loosened up a bit, Mina, you might actually be fun."

Mina raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a faint smile. "Fun doesn't win fights."

Mai threw her hands up. "Neither does being a stick in the mud!"

Tomaru glanced between them, shaking his head as he adjusted the strap of his kunai pouch. "Both of you are sticks in the mud. Now can we move on?"

Mai gasped, feigning a dramatic stagger as if his words were a physical blow. "Et tu, Tomaru? Traitors. Both of you."

Tomaru ignored her, stepping toward a quieter side of the market. "Let's focus. We still have training this afternoon."

"Ugh, you sound like Sensei," Mai groaned, trudging after him. "Lighten up, will you? We're off-duty right now."

Tomaru gave her a sidelong glance. "That doesn't mean we should waste time."

Mina chimed in, her tone dry. "He's right, Mai. But I doubt you'll listen."

Mai stopped in her tracks, pointing an accusatory finger at both of them. "You're both the worst! I don't know why I even try to keep things fun around here!"

Tomaru smirked faintly, his voice carrying a rare hint of humor. "Maybe because you're bored?"

Mai froze, her eyes narrowing. "I… no! That's not it! You're just impossible to deal with!"

"Maybe," Tomaru said, his tone neutral but his faint smirk betraying his amusement.

Mina adjusted her glasses, her gaze flicking between them. "You know, this is probably why people think we're dysfunctional."

"Dysfunctional?" Mai repeated, her hands flying to her hips. "We're not dysfunctional! We're—uh—dynamic!"

"Dynamic," Tomaru echoed, his voice dripping with skepticism.

"Yeah!" Mai insisted. "Dynamic! And as the dynamic little sister, I deserve dango!"

Tomaru sighed, shaking his head as he walked past her. "Still no."

Mina chuckled softly, her calm demeanor unshaken as she followed after him. "Persistent," she murmured again, though this time, her tone carried a faint note of affection.

The hum of the marketplace faded slightly as a familiar voice called out.

"Tomaru!"

Walking toward them was Ino Yamanaka, her platinum-blonde hair shining like liquid gold in the afternoon light. Her sharp features were framed perfectly by her sleek bob, and her sky-blue eyes, bright and expressive, were fixed solely on Tomaru. She wore her signature purple outfit—fitted yet elegant—which accentuated her slim yet athletic figure. Her confident stride turned heads as she passed, her presence magnetic without trying.

Mai blinked, caught off guard. "Of all the people to show up..." she muttered under her breath, her golden eyes narrowing slightly.

Mina, ever observant, took a subtle step back, her sharp gaze flicking over Ino's posture, her polished appearance, and the subtle air of control she carried. "She's... striking," Mina murmured, though her tone remained neutral.

Mai frowned, crossing her arms. "Too striking," she grumbled.

As Ino reached them, she slowed, her focus entirely on Tomaru. "It's been a while," she said, her voice soft yet confident.

"She's prettier up close," Mai muttered under her breath, though there was an edge of irritation in her tone.

Mina adjusted her glasses. "I see why she's popular."

Tomaru straightened slightly, his expression softening as he met her gaze. "Ino. Yeah, it has."

Mina caught the faint shift in his tone. It wasn't overly warm, but there was a familiarity there—a connection she hadn't heard from him with anyone else.

"How've you been?" Ino asked, her gaze lingering on Tomaru.

"Busy," Tomaru replied with a slight shrug. "Sayuri-sensei has been keeping us on our toes. What about you?"

Ino hesitated briefly before answering, her tone lighter than her expression. "Oh, you know... Shikamaru's lazy, Choji's always eating, and I'm left doing everything. Typical, really."

Mai leaned closer to Mina, whispering, "She doesn't sound happy."

Mina nodded slightly. "She sounds... frustrated."

Tomaru noticed the flicker of tension in Ino's expression, though she masked it quickly. "I'm sure Asuma-sensei's keeping things under control," he said cautiously. He knew better than to comment too much—Ino-Shika-Cho was a legacy that demanded respect, even if it left Ino feeling out of place.

Ino's expression softened slightly, and for a moment, the confidence she always carried seemed to waver. "Yeah, he tries. It's just... hard sometimes." She hesitated, her voice quieter now. "That's why I wanted to check on you. It feels like we never talk anymore."

Tomaru nodded, his tone warm but careful. "It's good to see you. Things have been hectic, but it's nice to catch up."

Mai's irritation bubbled beneath the surface. She didn't like the way Ino commanded Tomaru's attention so completely, as if Mai and Mina weren't even there.

Mai leaned closer to Mina again, her voice low but annoyed. "What's she doing here? Doesn't she have her own team to hang out with?"

Mina gave her a sidelong glance. "She came to see him. That's obvious."

Mai frowned, her gaze flicking back to Ino. "She doesn't have to make it so obvious."

Meanwhile, Ino glanced briefly at Mai and Mina, her lips twitching into a polite smile before returning her full attention to Tomaru. "Your team seems... lively," she said lightly.

"They are," Tomaru replied, glancing at Mai and Mina with a faint smirk. "Mai keeps things interesting, and Mina keeps us on track. It's a good balance."

Mai's mood lifted slightly at the compliment, but her irritation lingered as she caught the subtle tension in Ino's expression.

Ino's gaze softened again, though she kept her tone casual. "Sounds like you've got a good setup. Better than mine, at least."

Tomaru tilted his head slightly, sensing the edge in her words. "Your team's not bad. Shikamaru's brilliant, even if he's lazy, and Choji's dependable when it counts. You'll figure out how to work together."

Ino forced a small laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe. But it's not the same as..." She trailed off, glancing at Mai and Mina again before quickly changing the subject. "Anyway, how's Sayuri-sensei? Still pushing you hard?"

Tomaru nodded. "She doesn't hold back. But it's worth it."

Ino smiled faintly. "I bet. You've always been good at adapting."

Mai scowled, her hands clenching into fists. What's with the compliments? she thought.

Mina observed silently, her mind cataloging every interaction, every glance, every shift in posture. She noticed the slight tension in Ino's shoulders, the way her gaze lingered on Tomaru longer than necessary. She's holding back something.

After another brief exchange, Ino glanced over her shoulder at the busy marketplace. "I should get going. Asuma-sensei's probably wondering where I am." She hesitated for a moment before meeting Tomaru's gaze again. "Take care, Tomaru."

"You too," Tomaru replied, his tone warm but steady.

As Ino walked away, Mai let out a dramatic sigh, crossing her arms tightly. "What was that about?"

Tomaru turned back to his teammates, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"She barely mentioned her team," Mai said, narrowing her eyes. "She wasn't here to chat about training—she came to see you."

Mina adjusted her glasses, her voice calm but pointed. "She seemed more focused on you than anything else."

Tomaru frowned slightly, processing their words. "We've been friends since the academy. It's not unusual for her to stop by."

Mai's scowl deepened. "Friends? That didn't feel like a 'just friends' kind of conversation."

Mina smirked faintly. "It's obvious, isn't it? She's interested in you."

Mai stiffened, her voice rising slightly. "Interested? In him?"

Tomaru raised an eyebrow at her reaction. "You sound surprised."

Mai huffed, crossing her arms. "Well, yeah! I mean, you're..." She trailed off, her cheeks suddenly turning pink as she realized what she was about to say.

Tomaru tilted his head, his tone calm but curious. "I'm what?"

"Never mind!" Mai snapped, turning away, her face flushed.

Mina, watching the interaction, allowed herself a small, knowing smile. Things just got more interesting.

Tomaru smirked faintly, his voice teasing. "You're terrible at hiding things, Mai."

Mai spun back toward him, pointing an accusing finger. "Don't push your luck, Oniisan!"

Mina chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You're all ridiculous."

Tomaru sighed, glancing toward where Ino had disappeared into the crowd. 

As he turned back to his team, Mai's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer than usual. She caught herself noticing his sharp features, the way his hair fell perfectly into place, and the quiet strength in his posture.

Why haven't I noticed him like this before?

Tomaru's voice broke her thoughts. "Hey, Mai. What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing!" Mai stammered, her cheeks turning red.

Tomaru raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. Really?"

Mai scrambled for a distraction, her grin returning as she pointed at him. "Hey, your lover seemed pretty jealous."

Tomaru blinked, confused. "Who? Ino?"

Mai nodded, her golden eyes gleaming mischievously. "Yep. She probably feels threatened, seeing you surrounded by beautiful girls."

"Beautiful girls?" Tomaru glanced between Mai and Mina.

After a pause, he nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. You two are beautiful."

The statement hit Mai and Mina like a kunai to the chest.

Mina froze mid-adjustment of her glasses, her cheeks flushing faintly as her gray eyes widened. "W-What?"

Mai's face turned beet red, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "H-Hey! Where'd that come from?"

Tomaru's lips quirked into a faint smirk, and he turned to walk away without looking back. "Unfortunately, I'm not interested in little girls."

"Tomaru!" Mai shouted, stomping after him, her fists clenched. "Get back here!"

Mina stayed rooted in place, her mind racing. Did he just call us beautiful?