“Woohoo!
This feels amazing!” Late at night, inside Residence No.
1303.
Yahiko threw himself onto the brand-new wooden bed, letting out a satisfied groan.
“Yahiko!” Konan’s complaining voice came from the upper bunk.
“Everyone’s probably asleep by now.” “Don’t be so loud.” “Mmph.” Yahiko covered his mouth and scratched his head.
“Yeah, yeah.
Got it.” Then, as if something had suddenly occurred to him, his face lit up.
He patted the ladder beside the bed and lowered his voice excitedly.
“Hey, Konan.” “Do you think…
we can really live here forever?” “…Didn’t Brother Unkawa already explain?” Sitting cross-legged on the upper bunk, Konan sighed helplessly.
“This place is only being lent to us temporarily.” “If we want to settle down permanently, we’ll have to rent a house ourselves.” “Or buy one once we’ve saved enough money.” “Don’t think about getting something for nothing.” For some reason, she suddenly felt strangely restless.
She’d never realized before just how noisy Yahiko was.
He’d always been loud and energetic.
If only they had already completed their household registration and earned enough money…
She really wanted a room of her own.
A little peace and quiet.
With that thought…
She lowered her head and began folding a sheet of paper.
When she was little, before her parents died, they had taught her origami.
They’d told her folded paper symbolized blessings…
And good fortune.
Although flowers couldn’t bloom in the Land of Rain…
Konan wanted to fold a paper flower.
A gift for Brother Unkawa.
A small expression of gratitude.
She knew it was insignificant to him.
But…
It was the only thing the weak and powerless her could do.
…
Yahiko fell silent as well.
Each of them drifted into their own thoughts.
Only the faint rustling of folding paper remained.
Click.
Konan turned off the light.
Still dressed, she quietly lay down.
The room was swallowed by darkness.
Moonlight slipped through the curtains in scattered strands.
Yahiko lay with both hands behind his head.
Silently gazing at the faint moon outside.
The feeling wasn’t entirely real.
But suddenly…
He realized something.
He…
Had a home.
He no longer had to wander from place to place.
No longer had to dig through garbage just to find food.
No longer woke screaming from nightmares.
No longer worried about dying in some forgotten corner.
Everything he had now…
Was because of that one person.
Thinking of this…
Yahiko finally understood how the townspeople felt.
“Home.” Such a simple word.
Yet…
For the people of this country…
It was a luxury beyond reach.
Compared to them…
He really had been asking for too much.
“Konan.” He suddenly broke the silence.
His voice carried confusion.
“Do you think…” “…Brother Unkawa is a good person?” No answer came.
His question simply echoed through the quiet room.
Konan seemed to have fallen asleep.
Only after the silence became almost suffocating did she finally sigh.
“I don’t understand why you’re so hung up on that.” “Whether someone is good or bad…” “Whether they’re right or wrong…” “Does that really matter to us?” “No matter what kind of person Brother Unkawa is…” “He saved our lives.” “That much is an undeniable fact.” In the original story…
She would have founded the Akatsuki alongside Nagato and Yahiko.
As a young girl…
She devoted herself entirely to Yahiko’s dream.
Even after Yahiko’s death…
She remained at Nagato’s side.
Even after the Akatsuki’s ideals gradually became twisted…
Konan never once left him.
Not because of Yahiko’s dream.
Nor because of Nagato’s “peace.” Simply…
Because they were Yahiko and Nagato.
From beginning to end…
Konan had never possessed ambitions of her own.
She never cared about grand questions of justice.
She was only a girl.
A weak girl.
Without dreams.
Right and wrong…
Good and evil…
None of it truly mattered.
If Yahiko and Nagato wanted to pursue something…
She would follow.
Now…
She only knew one thing.
Unkawa had saved her.
Whether he was good or evil…
Didn’t matter.
“Yahiko.” “I know you probably think Brother Unkawa’s methods are wrong.” She hesitated before continuing.
“But I think forcing your own kindness onto other people…” “…isn’t really any different from what he’s doing.” If one used Yahiko’s own values to judge Unkawa…
Then from Unkawa’s perspective…
Yahiko’s kindness…
Was also a kind of malice.
…
Yahiko fell silent.
A long time passed.
Konan suddenly felt the bed shake.
Creak…
Under the dim moonlight…
A figure stood up abruptly.
“Yahiko?” She sat up.
“What are you doing?” Surely this idiot wasn’t about to march over and confront Brother Unkawa in the middle of the night?
“I think…” “…you’re right.” The confusion disappeared from Yahiko’s eyes.
“I have no right to question Brother Unkawa’s decisions.” “I’m going to apologize.” “For my arrogance.” “And…” “I also want to use my own strength…” “…to change this country.” He wanted to do something.
Perhaps…
The respected man who protected everyone…
The Unkawa everyone admired…
Was exactly who he’d always dreamed of becoming.
That was why…
When he’d seen the darkness hidden beneath that brilliant exterior…
He’d instinctively rejected it.
Now he understood.
Admiration…
Mixed together with jealousy…
Had twisted him into someone he barely recognized.
“As far as I’m concerned…” “Right and wrong still matter.” “If I was wrong…” “I’ll admit it.” He flashed Konan a carefree grin.
“But…” “I still don’t like that red-haired brat.” “One day I’ll grab him by the collar…” “…and prove he’s the one who’s wrong.” With that…
He strode proudly out of the room.
“W-Wait—” Konan reached out.
But before she could stop him…
He was already gone.
A vein popped on her forehead.
That muscle-brained idiot.
It was the middle of the night!
Whenever something got into his head…
He simply charged forward without thinking.
…
Outside…
Unkawa’s room was right next door.
Yet after stopping before the door…
Yahiko’s determined footsteps gradually slowed.
His whole body deflated like a punctured balloon.
…He’s probably already asleep.
Maybe…
I should just come back tomorrow?
…
He’d acted confidently in front of Konan.
But when it came time to admit he was wrong…
He chickened out.
Such was the fate of a hot-blooded fool.
“Why are you just standing outside?” A familiar voice suddenly came from beyond the door.
“Come in.” Yahiko froze.
Then slowly pushed the door open.
Click.
“Excuse me…” he muttered quietly.
Immediately…
A series of metallic sounds reached his ears.
Clang.
Clang.
Yahiko instinctively looked up.
His eyes widened.
If he remembered correctly…
All the houses had identical furnishings when first built.
But…
Everything was gone.
Instead…
The room was filled with unfamiliar training equipment.
And…
In the middle of the living room— A figure slowly rose and fell from a pull-up bar.
“…Am I under a genjutsu?” Yahiko stared in horror.
As though he were looking at a monster.
Thick iron chains— Each as thick as an arm— Were wrapped around Unkawa’s legs.
Three enormous iron plates hung from them.
The strange sounds Yahiko had heard…
Were those plates striking the floor every time Unkawa lowered himself.
Every descent…
Every ascent…
Perfectly controlled.
The weights merely brushed the floor before being lifted again.
Just then— Another voice came from behind.
“Yahiko!” “What are you doing standing in the doorway?
Did you—” Konan frowned as she peeked inside.
Then…
She froze.
“…Eh?” “…Eh?!” A blush gradually spread across her face.
Moonlight poured through the window…
Falling across Unkawa’s back.
The evenly sculpted muscles of his back were painted with layers of shadow.
Every contour…
Every line…
Looked almost like a pair of wings.
Noticing the two completely different…
Yet equally burning gazes fixed upon him…
Unkawa paused at the top of his pull-up.
BOOM!
The heavy iron weights slammed onto the floor.
The two stunned children jumped in fright.
At the same moment…
The impact perfectly concealed another explosion that echoed from somewhere outside.
“You two…” Unkawa picked up a towel from nearby.
Calmly wiping away nonexistent sweat.
He looked at them meaningfully.
“Did you need something?” In the darkness…
A faint light reflected within his deep blue eyes.
Far away…
The sudden flash erupting from the Administration Building was perfectly visible.
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