Cornerman—Chapter 15 (Patreon)

Sasuke was surprised to discover his pursuer.

He didn’t mind falling out with Mineko. Their relationship was predicated on mutual benefit and if that dried up, there was no reason to continue. Consequences were expected, but it was impossible to live as a shinobi without ruffling a few feathers.

For a moment, he considered ignoring her, but then he slowed down, stopping by the roadside. Countless eyes followed his movements, making him feel like a zoo-animal. To some extent, he was used to it, yet he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t annoying.

When Mineko, clad in a white, flowery dress and clutching a paper umbrella, arrived next to him, a flurry of whispers reached his sensitive ears.

“Who is that…?”

“Damn, what a woman…!”

“Haha, don’t let your wife hear you…”

His eyebrow twitching, Sasuke glanced at her and gestured with his head.

Understanding his meaning, Mineko nodded, falling into step beside him.

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Arriving at the Uchiha compound, Sasuke headed to the kitchen and pulled out a chair for Mineko. She took the seat gracefully, looking around curiously as she did so.

“I expected a lot more… detritus.”

She sounded surprised.

Sasuke huffed involuntarily.

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

Mineko smiled, shaking her head.

“Nothing. It’s just… you keep surprising me, Sasuke-kun. I realized long ago that treating you like a child was a bad idea.”

She took a deep breath before letting it out.

“I want to apologize for what happened earlier.”

Turning her charm to eleven, Mineko wore her best puppy-dog expression while clasping her hands in front of her chest.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Turning his back to her, he walked over to the cupboards and started to rummage around.

“Would you like some tea? I won’t poison it, I assure you.”

His tone was even, but the words themselves were scathing.

Mineko’s expression crumpled. Despite being a long-time spy, she couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt.

“…yes, thank you.”

She didn’t address his comment, since there was nothing for her to say. She didn’t dose Sasuke out of malice, but out of necessity. In any case, he’d managed to avoid it, so it was all moot anyway.

For a time, silence reigned in the kitchen. Sasuke busied himself with their refreshments while Mineko watched him work. However, her eyes were unfocused, deep in thought.

When he finished and turned around, Sasuke noticed Mineko’s strange mood.

“What?”

There was a sense of intimacy to her expression, which somewhat unsettled him.

Returning to the present, she shook her head.

“It’s nothing, you just… remind me of someone.”

Her tone was a mix of nostalgia and bitterness.

Setting their tea on the table, Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

Pulling out a chair, he sat across from her. After adding salt and butter to his tea, he stirred it and brought the cup to his lips. It was a local custom, one which he thought disgusting until he tried it. Now, it replaced his usual ‘milk-and-sugar’.

Mineko’s lips curved upwards, but her smile was without mirth.

“His name was Yuuto. He and I grew up together…”

When she didn’t continue, Sasuke prodded her. Rather than being interested, it was just for the sake of making conversation.

“Was? Did he change his name or something?”

Mineko looked pointedly at him, sure that he’d understood the reason for her choice of words. However, she answered anyway.

“He’s passed.”

She didn’t sound particularly sad about it, but Sasuke consoled her out of propriety.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

Mineko seemed grateful for his condolences, superficial as they were.

“Thank you.”

Her gaze softening, she drank from her own cup. Given Sasuke’s growing accomplishments in the poison arts, it was a gesture of implicit trust.

This time, it was his turn to stare at her. Mineko noticed his gaze, but didn’t comment on it. Instead, she smiled and tilted her head, preening like a swan.

Sasuke snorted.

“Are you seriously trying to seduce an eight-year-old boy?”

He sounded somewhat disbelieving.

Mineko didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she reached across the table, brushing a lock out of Sasuke’s eyes. Disliking hair in his face, he always tied it into a bun or tail. However, during their earlier session, it came undone and he hadn’t a chance to fix it.

“Don’t pretend, Sasuke-kun. I know boys your age look at girls.”

Now finished, she leaned back against her chair, her attitude confident.

Sasuke was surprised. He hadn’t expected her to be so forward. Yet, he didn’t believe Mineko was actually trying to… well, get him between the sheets. It galled him to admit, but there was little he could offer. Hell, he hadn’t even hit puberty yet!

“You’re incorrigible.”

His tone was disgruntled.

Bringing her hand to her mouth, Mineko laughed. In that moment, she looked very captivating.

“I think that’s the first time I saw you lose composure, Sasuke-kun.”

Her voice was a mix of teasing and amusement. Yet, only a second later, her face turned grave. Fiddling with the cup in her hands, she locked eyes with him.

“We got off on the wrong foot. I’m truly sorry for what happened back then. I shouldn’t have… poisoned you. I’d like for us to have a good relationship from now on, so please forgive me.”

Suddenly, she lowered her head toward him, causing Sasuke’s pupils to widen. It seemed a simple act, but only someone who’d grown up in the culture could understand its significance.

He looked at her somberly.

“You think too highly of me, Iwasaki-san.”

Discomfort was clear in his tone.

Mineko held the position for a second longer before straightening her posture. Then, she looked Sasuke in the eyes and smiled.

“As long as you accept my apology, I don’t mind.”

Sighing, Sasuke brought his cup to his lips, taking a sip. For a while, silence reigned inside the kitchen, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. The boy and woman gazed at each other from opposite sides of the table.

Mineko looked away first, her lips curving upwards.

Sasuke broke the silence.

“Ichika probably isn’t too happy about you coming here.”

It was impossible for him to not have noticed her attitude toward him. When they first sparred, he considered going easy on her to spare her pride, but had decided against it. He wasn’t in the habit of acting considerate toward people who disliked him.

Mineko’s smile turned rueful.

“…it’s impossible to go through life without making a few compromises. She’ll understand when she’s older.”

Staring into her teacup, she spoke slowly. When the words left her mouth, she blinked, feeling surprised. Was she siding with Sasuke over Ichika?

With her head down, she glanced at him through strands of dark hair. They were just so similar. From talent to looks and mannerisms—if she was more superstitious, she might believe he was Yuuto reborn.

‘…get a grip. Sasuke resembles him, but they aren’t the same person.’

Yet, despite her best efforts, when she saw those dark eyes staring at her from underneath sharp eyebrows, all her resistance melted away. She, a woman who’d carved out a path for herself in this unforgiving world with her own strength, became as helpless as a newborn babe.

Feelings of guilt welled in her chest. Biting her lip, she shook her head inwardly.

‘…I didn’t have a choice! It was you or me, Yuuto. You would have done the same, were our roles reversed.’

Despite her rationalizations, a voice rang inside her head: ‘He didn’t deserve to die. He was just a boy.’

Mineko’s expression turned cloudy.

‘What about me? I was just a girl! Why did I have to make the decision? It wasn’t fair…!’

In her mind’s eye two figures were conjured—a boy and a girl, not older than ten years, were walking side by side. The girl chatted happily, while the boy nodded his head now and then. Despite their contrast, they had a tranquility about them, something only children unburdened by life could possess.

From across the table, Sasuke observed the minute changes in Mineko’s expression. He could tell something was off and he hoped it wasn’t what he was thinking.

“Are you alright?”

He tried to infuse some concern into his tone, but not to the extent of overdoing it.

Truthfully, he had considered poisoning her, having held a vial of tasteless, odorless death in his hands for a few moments before deciding against it. He hoped he hadn’t dosed her on accident…

Snapping out of her daze, Mineko laughed, though it sounded a bit forced.

“If anyone should be worrying, it should be me, Sasuke-kun. I really don’t know how you live like this, alone in such a big, empty place.”

The statement was blatant misdirection, but not being that familiar with Mineko or caring much for her, Sasuke let it slide.

He shrugged, unbothered.

“You get used to it.”

Mineko looked at him, seemingly concerned. When she thought of how the compound must’ve bustled with activity and compared it with the current state, she couldn’t help pitying Sasuke. The place was like… a graveyard.

Drinking the last of her tea, she decisively set her cup on the table.

“No, that won’t do! Somebody needs to bring some life to this place.”

Pushing her chair back, she stood and put her hands on her hips. Then, she leveled a glare at Sasuke.

“From now on, we’ll have our lessons here. While you’re busy, I’ll spruce this place up! It could do with a woman’s touch.”

Her tone was decisive, but something about her attitude told Sasuke that she was, in fact, asking for permission.

His lips curved upwards, the expression surprisingly natural on his usual, stoic face.

“Sure.”