314. The Blushing of Yuhi Kurenai

Night had fallen.

After dinner, Kurenai quickly rushed back to her room.

This puzzled her father, Yuhi Shinku, a bit—but he didn’t think too much of it. After all, tomorrow was her birthday. A bit of excitement or change in behavior was to be expected.

Hanekawa didn’t say anything either. After clearing the table, he carried the dishes into the kitchen.

Time passed slowly.

Shinku watched a bit of TV before taking a shower and heading to bed.

Seeing this, Hanekawa turned off the TV. Now, it was time for his long-awaited moment with Kurenai.

To avoid any interruptions—or rather, to make sure her father got a good night’s sleep—he placed a soundproofing barrier outside Shinku’s room. No matter how noisy things got, he wouldn’t hear a thing.

Standing outside Kurenai’s door, Hanekawa gently knocked.

“Kurenai, are you asleep?”

“I am!” she replied quickly. “If you’ve got something to say, do it tomorrow!”

Hanekawa turned the doorknob gently and pushed the door open—Kurenai, in her flustered haste, had forgotten to lock it.

“You know, keeping promises is important,” Hanekawa said with a teasing smile. “Have you forgotten what you agreed to earlier?”

“I don’t remember!” Kurenai replied defiantly, arms crossed.

“Really?” he said, stepping closer and lowering his voice. “Maybe I can help you remember.”

As Hanekawa’s eyes lingered on her lips, Kurenai’s breath caught slightly. The memory of past embarrassing moments surfaced, and she instinctively took a step back.

“I remember now! It was just about trying on clothes, right? I’ll do it, okay?”

“Why do you sound so unwilling?” Hanekawa chuckled. “Looks like you might need my help after all.”

“I don’t!” Kurenai shot him a glare. “I’m doing it because I want to!”

“Then great,” Hanekawa smiled. “You can fulfill that promise now.”

“Now?” Kurenai froze, blushing as she noticed his intense gaze. “You—go wait outside!”

“That wasn’t part of the original deal,” he said shamelessly.

“You’re so unreasonable!”

Kurenai lightly kicked him in frustration, though it had no real force. Hanekawa just laughed it off.

“I’m going to take a bath,” she said suddenly, coming up with an excuse. “You’ll see after that.”

“I haven’t bathed either,” Hanekawa said brightly. “We can go together. I’ll even help scrub your back.”

“N-no way!”

Just imagining the scenario made Kurenai’s cheeks burn.

“Water bills are expensive,” Hanekawa said, grabbing her hand playfully. “Sharing a bath saves money.”

Before she knew it, they were at the bathroom door. Despite her annoyance, she couldn’t help laughing a little at his ridiculous logic.

“If you're trying to save money, why’d you buy so many clothes this afternoon?” she asked with a pout.

“How are they a waste? You’re wearing one tonight, aren’t you?” he grinned. “Besides, for someone I care about, I don’t mind spending.”

“Who’s ‘your someone’?” she muttered, feelings she couldn’t quite name surfacing.

“Wait, that’s not right. I should say—I’m yours.”

He whispered in her ear, and her eyes briefly widened in surprise.

“Fine,” Kurenai said after a moment, flustered. “Bath is okay—but I’m wearing the yukata from earlier.”

“The one we bought this afternoon?” Hanekawa asked, clearly pleased.

“You really are the worst!” she said, shoving him toward the bathroom. “Wait here!”

Hanekawa, satisfied, didn't push further. He undressed and stepped into the warm bath, relaxing as he waited.

After a few minutes, he heard soft footsteps approaching.

The door creaked open, revealing Kurenai—face flushed, dressed in a white yukata.

Hanekawa swallowed hard. He’d picked that one for its gentle elegance, and it suited her perfectly.

“You can’t take a bath from the doorway,” he said with a smile. “Come here.”

Kurenai hesitated, then slowly stepped inside. When she saw Hanekawa already in the bath, her blush deepened.

“W-why aren’t you wearing a towel!?”

“It’s a bath. You wear the towel after.”

He raised an eyebrow, then added teasingly, “If you're too nervous, you can wait outside.”

“Who’s nervous!?” she snapped, walking over, though her yukata gave her little sense of comfort.

“You’re really cute,” Hanekawa said warmly, noting her flustered expression.

“I—”

Before she could respond, he gently pulled her into the bath.

Hot water splashed everywhere, soaking her yukata.

“W-what are you doing!?” she exclaimed, covering herself instinctively.

“Didn’t we say we were bathing?”

Hanekawa tried to look away politely, but the sight was hard to ignore. The soaked fabric clung to her, outlining her figure subtly but clearly.

“Don’t stare!” Kurenai hissed, her voice a mix of anger and embarrassment.

“That’s not fair,” Hanekawa said gently, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You’re just… really beautiful.”

Kurenai didn’t know whether to feel touched or exasperated.

“Alright, enough staring. Let’s just wash up,” Hanekawa said, turning around. “You help me first, then I’ll help you.”

She stared at his back for a moment, shy but willing. Reaching for the bath sponge, she quietly began.

Hanekawa closed his eyes, smiling slightly.


Hanekawa could feel Kurenai’s careful, gentle motions as she helped him wash.

Yet, something felt... incomplete.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t trying—she was using a bath sponge, doing her best to be thorough—but Hanekawa couldn't help thinking, If it were Tsunade or Samui, they’d probably make this feel like a spa treatment.

That fleeting thought made him chuckle, and without thinking, he reached out and touched Kurenai’s thigh.

She was kneeling in the tub, her legs folded neatly beneath her. The warmth of her skin and the tension in her muscles were unmistakable.

Instinctively, Hanekawa gave a gentle squeeze.

In that moment, Kurenai's body softened, and she leaned forward, resting against his back.

Hanekawa felt the sudden pressure and warmth on his back—a mixture of softness and weight—and he had to take a breath to steady himself.

Her yukata, now wet from the bath, clung to her frame more than it should have. It was barely there.

“Don’t squeeze!” Kurenai murmured against his shoulder, her voice shy and flustered.

“I’m just helping you wash,” Hanekawa said innocently, though the faint smirk on his lips betrayed him.

“You say that like it’s totally normal,” she mumbled, lifting herself from his back.

“I think your face is even redder than mine,” Hanekawa teased, turning slightly to glance at her.

“I-it is not!” Kurenai quickly turned her head away, flustered.

Hanekawa turned to face her fully.

Kurenai blinked, startled by the sudden movement—and then her face turned beet red as she quickly covered her eyes with both hands.

She’d seen something she wasn’t ready for.

“N-now it’s my turn to help you,” Hanekawa said with a laugh, clearly enjoying her reaction.

“I-I can do it myself...” she whispered, her voice nearly drowned by the sound of water and her racing heartbeat.

She couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d just seen, and her whole body felt feverish.

“No need to be shy,” Hanekawa replied softly.

Before she could react, he gently tugged at the knot of her yukata, and it slipped free.

“You—!”

Kurenai's eyes widened as she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, but it was impossible to fully hide herself.

Hanekawa poured some body wash into his palms and worked it into a lather, then softly placed his hands on her shoulders.

Kurenai sat there like a porcelain doll, completely still. Her mind blank, her breath shallow, she couldn't even bring herself to move.

He washed her with a gentleness that surprised even her.

“Did you faint?” Hanekawa asked after a while, gently brushing his hand along her flushed leg.

Kurenai had her eyes closed, face glowing crimson, her whole body hot to the touch.

“I’ll carry you back to your room,” he said with a quiet smile.

“N-no… I can walk...” she murmured, snapping out of her daze. She reached for her yukata, but—

“No need for all that trouble,” Hanekawa said gently, and lifted her into his arms.

As they stepped out of the bath, the warm air met her damp skin, and her body, pale and bare, was fully revealed to him.

“D-don’t look...” she whispered, burying her face into his chest, no longer trying to resist.

Hanekawa didn’t say anything, but he took in the sight with quiet appreciation.

With a simple flick of his fingers, the water evaporated from their skin, leaving them dry and warm.

He carried her back—not to his room, but to hers.

“Hey, Kurenai,” Hanekawa said softly, looking down at her as he set her on the bed. “Did you fall asleep?”

“How could I possibly sleep after that?” she grumbled, voice muffled as she quickly pulled the covers over herself.

“Great,” he grinned. “Then we can celebrate your birthday together.”

“It’s not my birthday yet,” she said, peeking out from under the blanket with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation.




“Still three hours until midnight,”
Hanekawa said, sitting at the edge of the bed.

“You’re going to wait that long?”
Kurenai looked at him, puzzled. “Why?”

Her past birthdays were always celebrated during the day—with friends like Kakashi, Shisui, Shizune… it was usually a group event.

“Because tonight, you’re mine alone,”
Hanekawa replied with a small smile.

“You’re saying… what, exactly?”
Kurenai froze, her heart skipping a beat.

“If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll leave,”
he said, standing up as if to go.

“I never said I wasn’t okay with it,”
Kurenai quickly blurted out.

“It’s a little chilly.”
Hanekawa said as he slipped under the covers.

“Wait—!”
Kurenai tried to stop him, but it was too late.

He pulled her close. Their bodies pressed together, and she could hear both their heartbeats—fast and in sync.

She felt her whole body soften, her ruby-red eyes shimmering with uncertainty.

“Kurenai,”
Hanekawa said softly, brushing his hand gently along her smooth back.

“Mm,”
she answered quietly, unsure what else to say.

“Three hours left. How would you like to spend them?”
His hand moved gently, resting on her waist.

“W-what?”
Kurenai tensed, curling slightly in his embrace. But the closeness… didn’t feel wrong. In fact, it was comforting.

“You’re really planning to just wait it out like this?”
Hanekawa leaned in, breathing in her gentle scent.

“W-what do you want to do…?”
Her voice trembled slightly—part nerves, part anticipation.

He leaned in and kissed her gently.

Kurenai stiffened for a moment, then slowly responded, returning his kiss. Her breath quickened, but she wasn’t scared—she felt… happy.

His hands stayed respectful, holding her softly. And as their warmth shared beneath the blanket, her thoughts began to blur.

Her eyes opened wide for a second, caught off guard by the tingling warmth that spread through her.

“Kurenai.”
Hanekawa whispered again.

“…Yes.”
She finally regained her focus a little.

She didn’t need him to explain anything—she already understood. And she didn’t regret it.

Quietly, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Hanekawa saw the meaning in her eyes. He lowered his head, and the two of them shared a moment that no longer held hesitation.

“I-I’m okay…”
Kurenai said softly, her face pale but peaceful.

Hanekawa held her close, gently wrapping his arms around her waist.

She wasn’t the carefree girl from years ago—tonight, she felt different. More mature. More certain.

Though… he couldn’t help but chuckle.
Like Samui, she had very little stamina.

In less than an hour, she had fallen asleep, completely exhausted.

Hanekawa shook his head slightly, but didn’t mind.

He pulled her close, resting his head against her chest, breathing in her scent. Warmth enveloped him, and his excitement gradually faded into calm.

Tonight wasn’t the night to wander off to Kaguya or Tsunade.

He had promised her this time.

As the clock struck midnight, he opened his eyes.

“Happy birthday,”
he whispered gently.

But Kurenai didn’t respond—she only tightened her arms around him in her sleep.

A new day had begun.

Hanekawa opened his eyes right on time.


  

The first thing Hanekawa saw when he opened his eyes… was Kurenai’s sleeping face.

Even after a full night’s rest, traces of exhaustion still lingered on her delicate features.

It wasn’t surprising. She had pushed herself to keep up with him—someone whose strength now far surpassed even that of the so-called gods.

Hanekawa reached out, gently brushing her dark hair aside.

She clung to him like a living pillow, arms and legs wrapped tightly around his body.

And honestly, he didn’t plan on going anywhere.

Back in Konoha, Shikaku could handle things for a day. Him being Hokage and Kurenai his aide—disappearing for a short while wouldn’t cause much chaos.

Hanekawa simply lay there, doing nothing, letting her sleep as long as she needed.

An hour later, her eyelashes trembled slightly. Kurenai was waking up.

She blinked, confused at first, then frowned faintly.

“Are you feeling okay?”
Hanekawa asked, summoning a gentle wave of chakra into his hand.

“Thank you,”
Kurenai murmured, relaxing as her aches faded. Her body felt warm, light, and at ease.

“Do we really need to say ‘thank you’ to each other?”
He teased, giving her a light pat on the back.

Kurenai flinched just a little, her face quickly heating up as memories of the previous night surfaced.

“Blushing again?”
Hanekawa chuckled, gently touching her cheek. “You’ll get used to it.”

Kurenai lowered her gaze, silent, too shy to meet his eyes.

“How did you sleep?”
Hanekawa asked with a smile. “I can go make breakfast. You rest a bit more.”

“No… I’m okay,”
she replied softly, shifting her body with a hint of stubbornness. “That healing helped a lot.”

“If you keep pushing like this, you’re going to wear yourself out.”

He looked down at her, sensing her warmth and presence. It stirred something in him, but he held back.

Kurenai went still, clearly sensing the shift in atmosphere.

“I’ll let you off this time,”
he said playfully, restraining himself with effort.

Then, unexpectedly, she sat up and looked him in the eye—hesitant at first, but slowly finding resolve.

“…?”

Hanekawa blinked, then realized what she was trying to do.

But as she moved, her expression tightened. She leaned forward against him, her brow furrowed with discomfort.

“You don’t have to force yourself,”
he whispered, brushing her hair behind her ear.

“Hmph.”
Kurenai pulled back slightly, voice filled with determination. “I’m not as fragile as you think!”

She sat upright, posture strong and proud, muscles taut with quiet resilience—like a true kunoichi.

Hanekawa exhaled slowly.

Seeing her try so hard made it impossible for him not to match her effort.

Half an hour later, a knock came at the door.

Kurenai jumped, startled and wide-eyed.

Hanekawa could feel her pulse quicken through the embrace.

“Is that… my father?”
she asked, panicked.

“No, not Uncle Shinku,”
Hanekawa replied calmly.

He’d already handled that earlier—some harmless misdirection to send Kurenai’s father off on an errand, assuming they'd already left the village.

Kurenai breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

“It’s Rin and Kakashi,”
Hanekawa added.

“W-What?”
Kurenai’s eyes widened again, her anxiety returning. If they saw her like this, it might be even worse than her father.

“Why are they here so early?”

She scrambled to find her clothes—only to remember they’d been left in the bathroom last night.

“It’s your birthday, remember?”
Hanekawa chuckled softly.

“Stop laughing!”
Kurenai glared at him, face flushed. “It’s all your fault!”

“It’s fine,”
he whispered, pulling her gently into a hug.

She gasped quietly, her body stiffening, then giving in.

“I’ll go greet them,”
Hanekawa said as he dressed. “You can come out after a while.”

He stepped out, walking calmly to the entrance.

“You’re all early today,”
he said, opening the door.

Outside stood Rin Nohara, Yamato, Kakashi Hatake, and Shisui Uchiha.

“I had free time, so I came early to help,”
Rin said softly, eyes averted.

She couldn’t look at Hanekawa directly—seeing him brought back memories of a kiss that still lingered in her thoughts.

“Senior Hanekawa,”
Shisui greeted with a smile, “I just returned from the Land of Water. The mission you assigned me is complete.”

Hanekawa paused for a moment before remembering—it was the underground market investigation, something he’d almost forgotten after a month.

“You’ve done well, Shisui,”
he replied, nodding.

“With help from Kakashi and Senior Yamato,”
Shisui added humbly.

“Don’t worry—rewards will match the effort,”
Hanekawa said, smiling. “Come in, let’s talk inside.”

“Is Kurenai not around?”
Rin asked, glancing inside.

“She’s too restless. Ate and went straight into training,”
Hanekawa said smoothly. “She’ll be out soon.”

“She really is diligent,”
Rin said with admiration.

“You’re no slouch either,”
Hanekawa replied. “You managed to spread regenerative techniques in just half a month.”

“That’s only because of you…”
Rin trailed off, swallowing her words when she noticed the look in his eyes.

“Senior Hanekawa,”
Shisui handed over a scroll. “This contains the full investigation report.”

Hanekawa scanned it briefly.

Shisui had traveled across over a dozen nations. The ties to nobility—especially the daimyo—were clear.

These so-called "exchange houses" were just a way to siphon money and undermine the ninja villages.

“You’ve done well,”
Hanekawa nodded. “But today’s Kurenai’s birthday. Let’s put this aside till tomorrow.”

“Understood,”
Shisui replied. The black market wasn’t going anywhere.

At that moment, Kurenai rushed out of the room.

“Sorry I’m late!”
she said, slightly breathless.

Rin turned instinctively toward her—and blinked in surprise.

Kurenai’s face was still tinged with red, her aura a strange blend of youth and newfound poise. There was something undeniably different—softer, deeper.

Rin couldn’t help but think…
She looked even more beautiful than before.