Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

After the meeting, Tsunade didn't immediately return to the office to tackle the paperwork. Even after everyone else had left, she lingered, unwilling to get up.

"Go. Shōta is probably going crazy by now," Kawakaze said, showing a rare hint of conscience, considering how long the meeting had lasted.

"No, I just suddenly couldn't remember something," Tsunade replied with a weak excuse as she slowly stood.

"I'm not even going to bother exposing you," Kawakaze said, rolling his eyes at her in mock disbelief.

"You've got some nerve, turning your back on me?" Tsunade retorted, raising her hand and swinging at him.

"Haha~" Kawakaze dodged the blow with ease and darted out of the meeting room.

Tsunade chased after him, determined not to let him off so easily, especially now that their statuses were different. She wouldn't rest until she had made him pay for his cheekiness.

When the two returned to the office, they found Shōta at his desk, scratching his head. The previously towering pile of documents had already been dealt with.

The young man was impressively capable!

"Not bad. It seems I didn't pick the wrong person," Kawakaze said with a smile as he walked over. Shōta looked up at him silently, his eyes brimming with unspoken resentment.

You didn't pick the wrong person, but you've made me miserable.

If this workload continued, Shōta feared he'd go bald early.

"Oh, you're still young. This is a good opportunity to gain experience," Kawakaze said in a patronizing tone, looking as though he was begging for a slap.

Shōta stared at Kawakaze in disbelief. You're actually shameless enough to say that?

You're not exactly old either. Why don't you gain some experience yourself?

If Shōta had the strength to beat Kawakaze, he would have gladly shown him what true pain looked like.

"Shōta, take a break. I'll handle this," Tsunade finally said, stepping in to relieve him.

"Thank you, Lady Hokage," Shōta said, suddenly feeling as though the world wasn't so cruel after all. For a moment, he forgot that Tsunade and Kawakaze were partners in the very setup that had trapped him in this misery.

"You're welcome. It's what I should do," Tsunade replied with a smile, her tone sincere.

Kawakaze, watching this, barely managed to suppress his laughter.

...

With Shōta's help, Tsunade quickly finished processing the documents. This allowed her some time to visit the hospital, where Orochimaru was occupied with Nagato and the new addition, Misaki.

As Nawaki's sensei, Orochimaru took good care of Misaki. The young girl showed promise, and under Tsunade's tutelage, she had already mastered the basics of being a Medical-nin.

"How did the live experiments go today, my Head of the Medical Corps?" Tsunade asked as she donned her white coat and approached Orochimaru.

Fugaku had discreetly sent death row inmates for experimentation some time ago, providing Orochimaru with enough subjects to meet his immediate needs.

"Sensei, Sensei's wife."

"Sister Tsunade, Big Brother Kawakaze," Nagato and Misaki greeted them politely.

"Four died, and we still need to continue observing," Orochimaru stated coldly. Tsunade's expression remained unchanged.

"More or less as expected. The rejection reaction is within normal parameters," she said, heading to the filing cabinet to review the experiment records.

"Well, I think..." Orochimaru began, sharing his proposed improvements and ideas.

Tsunade listened intently, and the two launched into a detailed discussion of their fields of expertise.

Meanwhile, Kawakaze and the two children looked utterly lost, unable to follow the conversation.

"Let's step outside for a bit," Kawakaze said sensibly, leading Nagato and Misaki out of the lab. He settled them on the sofa outside.

"Is Misaki getting used to everything?" Kawakaze asked, breaking the silence.

"It's okay. Orochimaru Sensei is very nice," Misaki replied sincerely.

"Sensei," Nagato said hesitantly, catching Kawakaze's attention.

"What is it?" Kawakaze asked, noticing Nagato's hesitation.

"Go on. What is it? Sensei will help you," Kawakaze encouraged, his tone warm and reassuring.

"Well, could you please talk to Lord Orochimaru?" Nagato asked timidly. "He keeps staring at me in the eyes. I'm scared."

Nagato was still young, and Orochimaru's intense temperament was overwhelming for a child. It didn't help that Orochimaru often examined Nagato with a curious gaze whenever he had free time.

"Haha, just tell him this: 'If you keep staring at me, I'll give you my eyes, but please replace them with a pair that are more attractive,'" Kawakaze joked, understanding Orochimaru's curiosity.

Kawakaze himself had once entertained the idea of transplanting Madara's Rinnegan. With Tsunade and Orochimaru's skills, it was certainly feasible. However, as he grew closer to his disciples, such thoughts quickly disappeared, replaced by genuine care.

"I dare not," Nagato replied, imagining Orochimaru's surprised reaction. The idea alone was absurd. Sensei, what kind of crazy suggestion is this?!

"Don't worry. He's just curious," Kawakaze assured him, speaking up on Orochimaru's behalf. Despite his quirks, Orochimaru genuinely cared for his people.

Nagato half-believed him and let out a quiet, "Oh."

"You won't be here for long," Kawakaze added with a smile, ruffling Nagato's hair.

This version of Nagato—so innocent and cheerful—was a far cry from the imposing figure Kawakaze had once envisioned. He was adorable.

"Really?" Nagato's face lit up, and he jumped up in delight, too happy to even question why. Orochimaru had tried his best to restrain his intensity, but his presence had still cast a large shadow over Nagato's young heart.

"Really," Kawakaze confirmed with a serious nod.

Meanwhile, Misaki quietly thought to herself, Orochimaru Sensei is clearly very friendly.

The three of them continued chatting outside. Kawakaze carried most of the conversation, while Nagato and Misaki listened attentively, occasionally chiming in with their thoughts.

After a long while, Tsunade and Orochimaru finally concluded their discussion on professional matters and established the direction for the next experiment.

"Then I'll leave it to you. I won't be able to come here very often in the future," Tsunade said. As Hokage, she couldn't afford to spend her days in the lab anymore.

"Yes, Lady Hokage," Orochimaru replied with a faint smile.

Being the Head of the Medical Corps truly seemed like a position well-suited for him.

"Alright, then I'll be going first," Tsunade said, removing her white coat and placing it back in its proper place. It was getting late.

"Um, can I go back and remove the seal on Pakura?" Orochimaru asked, looking at her with a dreamy expression.

"Ah, you haven't removed it for her yet?" Tsunade asked, surprised. She had assumed Orochimaru had already taken care of it.

"No, we were waiting for the Hokage's permission," Orochimaru said, a slight smirk forming. It was merely a formality, much like knocking on the Hokage's office door before entering.

"Of course, you can," Tsunade said, her expression suddenly turning serious. "But there's one point I want to clarify."

"Speak," Orochimaru said, his smile fading as he wondered if she had a specific request regarding Pakura.

"Be careful. Don't get drained dry. No, wait—don't get steamed dry," Tsunade corrected herself hastily, realizing her slip and quickly making up for it.

"Haha~"

Orochimaru's face darkened with exasperation as Tsunade laughed at her own mistake.

"You two really make a perfect match," he said, shaking his head. To him, Tsunade and Kawakaze were the embodiment of the saying, birds of a feather flock together.