Temari yawned, feeling drained as she was distractedly preparing some sandwiches for a very late breakfast. Or lunch. It depended on when one woke up.

Despite being utterly exhausted, she refused to leave her brother’s side until very late in the night. Yesterday was a complete mess. First the river, then the bandits, and then… Temari involuntarily shivered as the flashes of bijuudama exploding around her entered her mind. Then, Kankuro screamed, and suddenly, he didn’t have half of his arm.

And she? She was terrified. It all happened so fast!

She had always thought that she was prepared for the life of a kunoichi. Prepared to one day be one of her village’s elites. She put in so much effort! She trained until her body could no longer go on, until her chakra was on the verge of exhaustion, until she could no longer swing her fan. The muscles necessary to swing it around like a toy did not come for free, nor did they come easily. She put her all into her training. Always.

When the council informed her that she would succeed as the Kazekage once she got strong enough, she was both giddy and scared. But for the most part, she felt proud and had a solemn duty to do her best for her village’s sake.

Yesterday… Yesterday destroyed her rose-tinted glasses.

She was not ready. Not nearly ready enough to face monsters like that. Before her mind could even comprehend that they were under attack, half of the encounter was done. She was absolutely useless there. Without Ren, she would have been dead before she even realized it. Several times, in fact.

Her shame filled Temari as she chopped a tomato a bit more viciously than necessary, with a glare that the poor ingredient did not deserve. Her hands were slightly shaking, and Temari gritted her teeth, angry at herself for losing her cool after coming face-to-face with her mortality.

Taking a deep and sharp breath, Temari bit her inner cheek to forcefully calm herself. She was about to continue making the sandwiches when she heard a door closing from outside the kitchen. Turning her head, she noticed Ren passing by the open door, so deep in thought that he totally missed her presence.

Temari opened her mouth, but no sound came out as she briefly hesitated. Hearing the front door open and close pulled her out of her reverie, and she cursed under her breath.

‘This is not the time to hesitate. girl.’ She mentally berated herself as she put two plates with two sandwiches on the kitchen table for Kankuro and Baki. She then hurriedly walked toward one of the cupboards. Opening it, Temari grabbed the picnic basket and put it on the kitchen counter.

She had found it when she searched through the cupboards for the available ingredients earlier. She had no idea why Ren had a picnic basket of all things in the cupboard in his safehouse, but… eh. She couldn’t muster the will to really care.

Temari hurriedly packed the remaining sandwiches and put them into the basket alongside a bottle of orange juice and two empty glasses. As she turned on her heel, grabbed the basket, and moved, the air behind her slightly picked up into a breeze from her sudden momentum.

Rushing out of the kitchen, Temari was greeted by Baki, who raised his eyebrow at her.

“Te-” He started.

“Food is on the table. Enjoy. I gotta go!” Temari quickly told him as she passed him by. She didn’t register his reaction as the front door closed behind her.

She was a woman on a mission.

…

“The price I pay for power.” Temari heard Ren mournfully utter, sprawled on the ground, and she couldn’t help but snicker at the sight. Her previous awkwardness diminished a great deal, and she couldn’t help but feel a warm feeling in her chest at that.

Ren… her husband, and Sage, it was hard to get used to that can of sand worms… seemed to always know what to say to brighten her mood. It was a talent she both appreciated and hated. It was so easy to just get along with him that she sometimes forgot to be cautious in his presence. Then, she would realize she had dropped her guard and scold herself before feeling deep embarrassment.

Yes. She definitely loved and hated it.

No doubt, he had that from interacting so much with the Yamanaka. She had the same feeling around her, unlike the Hyuga, who looked all graceful and kind, but gave Temari deep chills every time she was in her presence.

She didn’t even know why, but Hinata was scary. Her instincts insisted on that. Behind that kind facade, she had this air… as if switching your spleen with your heart was nothing but an amusing experiment for her.

Temari could not fully put her finger on it, but she always tried to maintain a bit of distance between herself and Hinata when they were in the same room. It felt… prudent.

And yet, it was the Yamanaka who was scarier of the two. All smiles and friendly, acting like a typical blonde stereotype until she didn’t, and something terrifying peered from those blue chips of ice she had for eyes.

Temari was not really happy with her co-wives. Co-wives, was that even a word? But trying to say no to these two monsters did not even occur to her. Their request to be wed to Ren alongside her might have ended with a question mark, but it could not be further from a question.

“Temari? Are you okay?”

Ren’s worried voice ripped Temari out of her broody thoughts, and with a slow blink, she returned to reality as she looked at him, only to find him standing up from the ground.

‘For somebody so perceptive, he sure is dense when it comes to these two monsters that are obsessed with him.’ Temari idly thought, finding a bit of humor in the absurdity of Ren being so clueless.

“Ah, I am fine, you goof.” She exaggeratedly rolled her eyes at him in a fond exasperation, and raised the basket she held, “I brought-” Her eyebrows scrunched and she subconsciously looked toward the sun, before tilting her head, “lunch?”

“Well, it is just sandwiches. I am not a very good cook.” She added with a small self-depreciating laugh, inwardly bemoaning how she always refused to learn how to cook properly.

That was one thing she would have to put on her schedule. She might not have the sheer power Ino or Hinata possessed, but she refused to lose to them!

The memory of Hinata’s cookies suddenly sprang into the forefront of Temari’s mind, and her lips twitched. ‘Well, at the very least, I won’t lose to Ino. Against Hinata, it’s probably a lost cause.’ She inwardly grumbled.

Still, she was far too competitive to just roll over and give up.

“There is a small clearing that way.” Ren said and pointed his thumb over his shoulder. Temari quickly strolled toward him as he turned around, and they walked together toward the clearing.

A small smile appeared on Temari’s lips as her grasp on the basket’s handle tightened.

“How is Kankuro?” Ren idly asked, to make small talk, “Losing an arm can be quite traumatic. I hope he isn’t too overwhelmed by the experience.”

“Don’t worry. He will be annoying us in short order as usual.” Temari huffed, but Ren could hear the relief in her tone. “He was a bit shaken yesterday. We all were. But he sprang up quite quickly, and now he is obsessed with making a puppet prosthesis. Just in case, he said.” She snorted.

Deep inside, Temari berated herself for rambling due to her nervousness.

“And you? How are you holding up?” Ren asked as he gently bumped his shoulder against hers, something that startled her. She averted her gaze and mumbled.

“You are far too perceptive for your own good.”

“Thank-” Ren preened, but Temari had turned back to him and interrupted him with a deadpan.

“But only when you are not being a dense idiot.”

“Well, excuse me for caring.” Ren playfully scoffed, donning an offended expression.

“You are excused.” Temari sagely nodded with a smirk.

‘What the fuck are you doing!?’ She thought in alarm, incensed by her own attitude. But it came so easily to her! She blurted out what was on her mind, and only then realized that this was not helping her goal here.

With slightly dropped shoulders, Temari was about to apologize when they arrived at the clearing, and she lost her opportunity.

Ren unsealed a blanket, because obviously he would have one of those stored in his seals! Temari had to stifle a genuine eye-roll at that. And they sat down before they started to eat in silence.

Ren quite happily, while humming, while Temari was secretly disgruntled. There was something she wanted to bring up, but she just didn’t know how. So, she kept glancing at Ren like an absolute idiot, feeling self-conscious.

This was really so far outside her comfort zone that Temari had no idea how to breach the topic. So caught up in her thoughts, she was as she nibbled on her sandwich, that she had not noticed that Ren had finished both of his and was now staring at her in amusement.

When she finally realized, she flushed red and ducked her head. And she hated herself for it almost instantly.

Raising her head, Temari tried to defiantly stare into Ren’s eyes, trying to project strength and confidence she was not feeling, but the silent mirth in his eyes only increased, just like her blush. Then, he smirked.

“Well?” He asked, looking like a cat playing with a mouse. Or was that just Temari’s imagination playing tricks on her? She didn’t know.

She briefly considered biting him. Hard.

“Well, what?” Temari gruffly asked, giving him the best unhappy and unimpressed look she could muster as she was powering through her embarrassment.

But it apparently did not amount to much as Ren simply shrugged it off with apparent ease and chuckled.

The bastard chuckled at her suffering!

Temari’s eyes narrowed into a small glare, daring him to do it again. Not that he noticed as he spoke, “Come on. You are not here just to bring me sandwiches.”

And just like that, all of Temari’s indignation abruptly drained away as she was left nervously fidgeting in her spot, once again futilely trying to figure out how to get herself to throw away her pride and ask the question in her head.

Ren, to give him credit, just patiently waited for her, and Temari was grateful that he gave her the time. Eventually, she took a deep breath and gathered her courage.

“… You are right.” She said with a determined gaze. “I-” Only to stutter right after, and Ren almost chuckled again as her determination wavered. “I’d like you to train me!” Temari half-shouted in a high-pitched voice, suddenly looking mortified. But she refused to look away from Ren as she waited for his answer with a pleading look.

Of course, Ren had no doubt she would vehemently protest if he actually called her look anything even remotely close to ‘pleading’.

Honestly, Ren was a bit surprised. Temari was a prideful creature. And while they might be married, he was still a Konoha ninja. Ren knew she was suspicious of him, and he took it in stride.

He both did and did not expect her to request training. It was definitely hard for her. To put away her pride. She probably expected to be refused. After all, why should a Konoha ninja train a Suna kunoichi, right?

With another chuckle, Ren just casually nodded, “Okay.”

“I-, I can make it worth your while?” Temari spoke at the same time as Ren, pressured by his momentary silence. Then she realized what he said and dumbly asked, “Wait. Okay? You-“

“Yes, Temari.” Ren gave her an exasperated sigh, “Why wouldn’t I be willing to train you? I was considering offering it to you once we are in Suna, anyway.”

“… Really?” Temari’s expression showed her surprise, betraying that the girl did not know Ren as much as she probably thought.

“Sure, why not?” Ren hummed.

After all, leaving her weak would be a blatant weak spot on his part. For better or worse, she was now his wife, and he was not a person capable of just disregarding that. Maybe if he didn’t like her… but he did, so it was a moot point.

“I mean-” Temari started, only to bite her tongue to stop herself, realizing she really should not be giving him reasons against training her.

Realizing what went through her head thanks to her expression, Ren laughed, and Temari huffed as she threw another sandwich at his face. Easily catching it, Ren unwrapped it and started eating.

Seeing him enjoy her food, Temari silently smiled to herself. This was not so bad.

“So…” She expectantly trailed off.

Ren paused his eating and gulped down what he had in his mouth. “So, we will start once we are in Suna. Sorry, Temari, but training while traveling is really not that efficient.”

“Um. Alright.” Temari deflated, a bit disappointed. But she got it. He had a point. They were going to start their journey to Suna again later today, and there was not much she could learn between now and then, anyway.

She could wait.

“Oh, and Temari?” Ren asked, causing her to give him a questioning hum.

The next instant, Temari felt Ren’s hand on the back of her head, and then their lips met. She melted into the kiss, and before she realized it, her tongue asked for an entry into Ren’s mouth, surprising him.

As her mind finally rebooted, Temari realized she was straddling him while eagerly making out with him. She flushed and pulled away from the kiss, slightly panting for air with wide eyes.

“Wha-” She confusedly started.

Ren smirked that damnable smirk of his, and Temari felt the urge to kiss him again, “Don’t worry. I will make the training worth your while.” He smugly said, alluding to her previous not-so-innocent offer, and Temari groaned as she burrowed her face into Ren’s shoulder, biting him in a half-hearted spite, while Ren laughed and hugged her.

She tried to ignore the excitement that rose in her chest. She really did.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep