Chapter 25: Mina's Suspicion, Dropping Her Guard
Uchiha Mina froze in her tracks, her gaze falling to the crumpled note in her sweaty palm. Her back was soaked with cold sweat.
"No… this doesn't make sense. Tonan-kun wouldn't kill her… would he?" Mina shook her head violently, trying to shake away the thought gnawing at her heart. Still, unease crept in like a Genjutsu she couldn't dispel.
She resumed her sprint back toward Konoha, but her heart remained tangled in doubt. Her thoughts replayed the day's events like a mission debriefing, and then—she stopped.
"Wait… after Tonan-kun and I split up earlier, he didn't head toward the village. He went this way."
Her Sharingan-quick deduction linked everything together. The signs at the scene, the scorch marks, the charred remains…
"The jutsu used… it had to be the Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique. Tonan-kun can use that."
And if someone else had done it, Chiryo's body wouldn't have been lying there, exposed. As a girl, she would've scrambled to cover herself, unless… unless she trusted the person enough to walk over without dressing.
Gulp.
Mina swallowed hard. Her mind screamed at her not to dig deeper, but her feet remained planted. That's when a silhouette emerged from the forest trail ahead.
Backlit by the moon, she could barely make out the tall figure and the bird perched on his shoulder. Her blood ran cold. Her knees weakened, and the instinct to flee was overtaken by paralyzing dread.
Then he turned.
Blood-red eyes stared back at her—Sharingan, fully awakened. The three tomoe spun slowly, hypnotically.
Mina's eyes widened in horror. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. It was like her voice had been sealed by fear itself.
Step. Step…
Each of his steps echoed louder in her chest than in her ears. With every pace, he got closer. Then—his face entered the firelight.
Tonan.
He carried a basket in one hand, and greeted her with a calm, disarming smile.
"Mina, what a surprise. You're out here too? Planning to do some outdoor cooking?"
He lifted the basket, which brimmed with wild herbs and mushrooms. His voice was smooth, almost melodic, but in Mina's ears, it sounded like a kunai scraping metal.
"Y-Yes… that's right, T-Tonan-kun," Mina stammered, her forehead damp with sweat.
Tonan gave a soft chuckle and patted the white pigeon on his shoulder.
"Little guy, go hunt for your dinner."
The bird cooed and flapped away into the treetops.
Tonan stepped closer, and his hand gently clasped hers—specifically, the fist holding the note. His grip was warm, but firm.
"Looks like you're in luck tonight. Let's eat together."
Too stunned to resist, Mina allowed herself to be led. Soon they reached a clearing where a campfire flickered, a simple iron pot simmering above it on a makeshift stone stand.
Tonan helped her sit and began adding ingredients to the pot. The firelight danced across his face. Once so perfect in her eyes, his features now seemed… haunting.
He stirred the pot in silence before speaking, eyes fixed on the flames.
"Back when my parents left for the war, they gave me all the ryo they had. I spent it on books. With nothing left to eat, I'd sneak into the forest and cook wild herbs like this."
Mina steadied her nerves, finally managing to speak.
"Tonan-kun… can I ask you something?"
He didn't look away. "Of course."
"What do you think about Chiryo?" Her body tensed like she was bracing for an attack.
Tonan answered casually while flipping mushrooms with chopsticks.
"I've told you before—like a younger sister. She's cute, but I've never thought of her that way."
Mina sighed in relief. There was no trace of guilt or hesitation in his voice. Her suspicion wavered.
A savory aroma wafted from the pot.
"Mmm, smells good."
Tonan plucked a vibrant green mushroom and held it to her lips.
"Try this."
Mina hesitated. A flash of a lecture popped into her head—brightly colored mushrooms are usually poisonous.
"No thanks, I'm not hungry," she said with a forced smile.
Tonan just chuckled and popped the mushroom into his own mouth.
"Delicious. I love these, but only found one today."
He grabbed a plain-looking brown mushroom, ate it, then offered another to Mina, blowing on it gently.
"Come on, try this one. It's really good. Ah~"
Since he'd eaten one already, Mina relaxed and opened her mouth. The flavor was rich and earthy—surprisingly good.
"Tasty, right?"
Mina nodded enthusiastically. "Mm, very!"
"Then eat more."
He kept feeding her mushrooms, one after another. Slowly, her wariness dissolved in the warmth of the fire and Tonan's calm, kind demeanor.
"Tonan-kun… one more thing."
"Hm?"
"Did you see Chiryo today?"
Tonan blinked once, then shook his head. "No. Why bring her up again?"
"Ah… just asking." Mina stuffed another mushroom in her mouth to bury the question.
Tonan's voice grew slightly more serious. "You know, it's dangerous for a girl to wander out here at night. I've heard rumors—girls being attacked. The village guards are investigating."
Mina gasped. "You mean… a pervert?"
"Something like that. But not just a sneak—he's strong. Still hasn't been caught."
Mina nodded, then tested him one final time.
"Actually, I wasn't out here to cook. It was hot today, so I was heading to the river to bathe."
Tonan smiled gently, brushing her hair with his fingers.
"No wonder. Still, better to use clean water at home. River water can make you sick, and I'd be really sad if that happened."
"Mmm~"
All of Mina's fear vanished. In Tonan's presence, she felt utterly safe again.
"Mina, how could you doubt him?" she scolded herself. "He's perfect. Even if that Chiryo girl threw herself at him, Tonan-kun wouldn't need to kill her. He's smart—he'd never take such a reckless risk."
A pang of guilt struck her. Maybe she should tell him about the body. But what if the killer returned while Tonan was there investigating?
"No… the village guards will handle it."
Eventually, the food was finished. Tonan stood, dusting off his pants.
"Let's get you home. It's too late for you to be wandering alone."
Then, without asking, he gently took her hand and led her back toward Konoha.