Chapter 26
Chapter twenty-six
“We finally get to enjoy a hot spring.” Momoka sighed, sinking into the steaming water beside Aimee. “I wonder if the boys are enjoying it as much as we are.”
The two girls lounged in the women-only section of the traditional onsen.
Steam rose from the water, curling into the air, blending with the sweet, earthy scent of damp bamboo and moss-covered stones.
The soft trickle of water over polished rocks filled the silence between them while the faint call of distant birds carried on the breeze.
“It is nice to finally relax.” She slid further into the water until it lapped at her shoulders. “It’s been a busy year and a half.”
“That’s an understatement.” Momoka snorted, a laugh bubbling up. “Non-stop missions and training ever since Midoriko.”
“You’ve only been on half the missions,” Aimee teased, splashing at her friend.
“Healer training is not a walk in the forest, you know.” Momoka splashed her back, the water rippling between them. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
“I know, I know.” Aimee's laughter trailed off, her smile fading. “I’m glad you were with us on this last one. Iruka got pretty banged up.”
“I don’t know what he was thinking, throwing himself in front of those archers like that,” Momoka huffed. “I swear, Taiga’s recklessness is rubbing off on him.”
“It’s nice to see him warming up a bit. Besides...” She shot Momoka a glance from the corner of her eye. “I bet you didn’t mind having your hands all over him like that.”
Momoka froze, her face going beet red. For a moment, she sat in stunned silence before exploding, splashing water at Aimee with both hands.
“First of all!” she sputtered. “Some of us are actually focused on the mission and not staring dreamy-eyed after a certain squad leader all day.”
It was Aimee’s turn to blush, heat rushing to her cheeks as she mumbled, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She wasn’t that distracted by Kiba, was she?
“Second!” Momoka crossed her arms, jutting her chin forward. “I’m so over Iruka.”
“Really?” Aimee raised an eyebrow, surprised. Momoka had been practically obsessed all through their early training.
“I have more important things to do than drool over a moody boy,” Momoka said, trying and failing to look mature as she lifted her chin higher. She scooted closer to Aimee, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Besides, I don’t even think he’s interested in girls.”
Aimee's eyebrows shot up. “Really?” She thought for a moment, turning the idea over in her head. Maybe Momoka was onto something. How did I miss that? “Taiga?”
“Seems like it. The way they’re constantly going after each other in training or on missions.”
Aimee considered it. “Being mean to the person you like...” Her lips quirked into a grin. Yeah, that tracks. “Boys are dumb.”
They both burst into laughter, the sound echoing lightly off the surrounding stones.
“So dumb.” Momoka wiped tears from her eyes.
Aimee glanced over at her friend, a hint of admiration creeping in.
Dang, when did Momoka get so smart? she wondered. The girl had come a long way since Midoriko. She now looked comfortable in her own skin and way more self-assured than most sixteen-year-olds.
“The healing track suits you,” Aimee said, leaning back into the smooth, warm stone at the edge of the spring.
“Thanks, Aimee. That means a lot.” Momoka mimicked her, letting the water support her as she relaxed, eyes drifting shut.
For a while, neither of them spoke, the sound of the gently lapping water and the rustle of distant bamboo filling the silence. The warmth of the hot spring worked its way through her muscles, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Aimee allowed herself to just be.
“Miss,” came a soft voice, pulling her from the tranquil moment. One of the hot spring attendants stood at the edge of the pool, bowing slightly. “Ro Kiba requests that you both join him and the others for dinner if you’re finished with your swim.”
“Thank the Elements.” Momoka cracked an eye open. “I’m starving.”
“You’re always hungry,” Aimee replied, standing and stretching, her arms reaching high as the last of the tension melted from her muscles.
Momoka stepped out of the water, revealing the generous curves that had only begun to show after she cut down on mission work.
“Sounds like someone’s jealous.” She glanced over with a half-smile.
“Me and every other girl in Hi Haven.” Aimee laughed, grabbing her own towel. “Poor Hanae will never recover.”
“She’ll be fine,” Momoka replied with a roll of her eyes. “If she stopped worrying about me for five seconds, she’d realize how much attention she actually gets. Besides, she’s been completely buried in far-seer training ever since her father got back from Kaze Haven four months ago.”
“Huh.” Aimee stepped into the changing room, the floor cool under her feet. “I was wondering where she’d been.”
Momoka opened her mouth to respond, but the loud thudding of knuckles on the door cut her off, followed by Taiga’s thunderous voice. “Hurry up! We’re starving! Why do girls take so long?”
“If you’re so hungry, Taiga, maybe we should leave some steamed veggies out to see how long it takes you to starve,” Momoka called, not missing a beat.
Aimee chuckled as she quickly dried off, the soft cloth sweeping over her skin before she slipped into the loose folds of her shinobi uniform. “Isn’t he always the one running late?”
“Not when there’s food involved,” Momoka replied, pulling on her own clothes. “He makes me look demure if beef steak is on the line.”
Aimee’s mouth twitched into a smile as a brief, amused laugh slipped out. “True.”
Without wasting any more time, they finished getting dressed and hurried out.
“It’s about time—” Taiga began, but his words were cut short as Momoka slammed her palm into his chest, sending him stumbling back into the wall around the bathing area.
“Thanks for waiting for us,” she said sweetly to Kiba, before brushing past them with a smug smile.
“Hey!” Taiga protested, rubbing his chest as he hurried after her. “Since when do healers hurt people?”
“Since they got too annoying,” Momoka shot back over her shoulder, picking up the pace. “It’s in the healer's code.”
“No, it’s not!” Taiga chased after her, their bickering echoing down the path.
Kiba scratched the back of his head, watching them vanish. “Should I be concerned?”
“Only if you’re paying for dinner.” Iruka glanced sideways at the retreating figures. “Do you want me to go after them?”
Kiba thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No, let them have their fill. They earned it on this mission.” He glanced at Iruka and Aimee, his tone softening. “You all did.”
“Thank you, Sensei.” Iruka bowed, but his eyes flicked toward the path, betraying his desire to catch up with the others.
Kiba caught the look and nodded toward the glowing lights of the dining hall. “Go on. Just make sure they save us some seats.”
“Thank you, Sensei.” Iruka bowed again and took off down the path.
Aimee watched him go. “He’s been a lot better lately, more engaged.”
“You all have been good for him,” Kiba said, his gaze lingering on Aimee. “Though he seems most interested when you’re training them.” He tilted his head, the corner of his mouth curving up. “Should I be jealous?”
“I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about,” Aimee replied, bumping her hip lightly into his, her earlier conversation with Momoka briefly crossing her mind. “But I will say this. He easily grasps concepts that others struggle with. It comes naturally to him.”
She was about to go on or start walking when his hand shot out, strong arms wrapping around her waist. Lifting her effortlessly, their bodies collided in a rush of heat and energy as the world narrowed to the press of his body and the teasing smile in his eye.
“Kiba!” she yelped as hands slid to her lower back, pulling her even closer.
“Just in case,” he murmured, pulling down his mask, revealing a wicked, wolfish grin beneath.
Then, he kissed her right there in the yard, deep, commanding, and entirely unexpected.
Limbs locking in place, Aimee’s heart jumped into her throat. They were always so discreet.
But the shock didn’t last long as she relaxed into his arms, her hands sliding up to his shoulders, fingers curling into the loose strands of his damp hair. Her pulse raced as his lips moved against hers, and everything else faded away. It was just them.
As the kiss broke, Aimee let herself sink, hands gliding down his sides as she slid slowly down the length of him, until her feet found the ground again. Still, she held his gaze—unblinking, unwavering—as his fingers traced the curve of her hip in a slow sweep that lingered at the dip of her waist.
“Are you trying to skip dinner and get thrown into these bushes right here, right now, Ro Kiba?” She smiled. “Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen if you pull something like that again.”
Kiba paused, his eyes drifting thoughtfully to the nearby bushes as if genuinely considering it. Then, with a low growl rumbling from his chest, he turned back to her. “After dinner.”
Aimee sucked in breath, heat pooling between her legs.
“You’re such a tease.” She turned and started toward the restaurant, feeling his presence at her side almost immediately, his steps falling in sync with hers.
The lanterns swayed gently in the evening breeze, their warm glow spilling amber light across the stone path.
Aimee’s fingertips brushed against Kiba’s as they walked, a fleeting connection that sent a quiet spark through the space between them, though their hands never quite joined.
Ahead, the lodge rose into view, its arched roof blending seamlessly with the night sky, paper walls shining faintly from within.