Chapter 81 – Class Rep – Sumire
"What is he doing here?" Guren just stepped into the dining room, seeing Boruto and Himawari sitting on the table with Karin, Yuzu, and Sarada.
Sakura tiredly smiled at him, "Guren, Boruto, and Himawari will be staying with us. Well, more like you. The work has been too much since it's the transition phase, and even Hinata can't stay at home. So she thought it would be better if you children stayed together, taking care of each other."
Guren sat down opposite Sakura, taking up his chopstick; it was basically her way of saying that he had to take care of the children.
Guren let out a warm smile, "Yeah, I'll take care of them, Mom. Just rest more."
(And let me rest more.)
"Thank you, Guren."
Yuzu made a fist, telling Sakura with confidence, "I used to help Mom cook all the time. You can leave the kitchen to me!"
"Me, I help Mom," Himawari excitedly raised her hand.
"I can help too," Sarada smiled at Sakura, reassuring her.
Karin reluctantly raised her hand, "Then I'll-"
"No, you are not going anywhere near the kitchen. Last time you cooked, someone almost died."
"Jerk! I was going to say that I'll handle the chores!"
Yuzu and Sarada chuckled as Guren softly smiled, "No need to handle the Kitchen, let me do the cooking."
Karin and Yuzu nearly jumped out of their skin, which caught Boruto's eyes, "What? Is he so bad at cooking?"
He just asked when he was taken aback, seeing their drooling faces, shining eyes, "No, Guren's...Guren's cooking is the most delicious."
Sakura placed her palm on her cheek, blushing, "Yeah, that's so true. Ah...it's so addictive."
"Am I the only one who hasn't eaten you cooking?"
"I'll cook tomorrow," Guren patted her head, watching her beam.
"Right, all of you take care of each other. Just call your friends over if you need be," Sakura worriedly frowned, "Even Shino was overtaken by the whatever is at works. It's getting too dangerous."
"Don't worry, we'll take care of each other, right Himawari?" Guren waved at Himawari.
"Yeah! Himawari will protect everyone!"
The table burst into a chuckle, looking towards cute Himawari, eating their food.
Over the next few days, Guren watched the incidents unfold one after the other, but the one that got his most attention was the one where Sumire got kidnapped. Even at night, surrounded by the others who were eating the food that he cooked with a blissful look, his attention was elsewhere.
Once the food was done, he took the plates, silently watching them, putting Himawari to bed, before silently leaving the house.
He moved to the lab next door, taking his hoverboard, flying up the air, jumping over the buildings until he reached the center corner of the village, reaching a hilly area.
His eyes landed on the girl with purple hair, standing at the corner of the cliff, "Class Rep, should you be here at a time like this?"
Sumire turned around, seeing Guren shaking her hands, panicking, "Oh! I! I was! I just came out for a walk."
Guren gently walked towards her, making Sumire take a step back, when he reached near her, pulling her in his arm, hugging her.
"Un?" Sumire was confused for a moment, feeling the warmth of his hug, his palm stroking her hair, his gentle voice enveloping him, "You poor girl."
Sumire's eyes widened, her throat moving, lips quivering, tears appearing in her eyes. She moved away from him, wiping her tears, "I don't get it..."
Guren caressed her hair, looking towards the lights shimmering in the distance, "It's beautiful, don't you think?"
Sumire held her arm, looking away when Guren spoke, "In the recent incidents, did you notice something?"
"No..."
"Among all the incidents, the ones that were affected were filled with self-doubts. Their conviction wavered, unsurely filling their heart and a sense of failure. Each one is a negative emotion, but there are many negative emotions, but this subset was targetted by the perpetrator. Why do you think that is?"
Sumire widened her eyes as it came to a surprise even to them, "I...I didn't notice."
"I think it's the emotions of the perpetrator. It's what that person is feeling, which is why they are subconsciously choosing the person with similar feelings, forming a connection."
Sumire tried to maintain her weak smile, "That makes it so much easier to find their next target."
"Not really," Guren shook his head, "But if I could meet this person...then I can tell them. There is no need."
"Wha-?"
Guren hugged her from behind, whispering, "I'd say to that person there is no need to go through with this. I don't know the history, I don't know the motivation, but I do know that this person cherishes their friends and their friends cherish them. I'd say...I don't want this person to get hurt."
Sumire sniffled, feeling tears drip down her eyes, biting her lips, feeling his warmth surround her, "And I'd tell them that they can try their best, because at the end of the day. I will save them, no matter what."
Sumire burst out in tears, sobbing, trying to wipe her tears as Guren kept hugging her. She turned around, burying her face in his chest, sobbing, his arms wrapping her body, caressing her hair, "There, there."
Sumire stopped crying, wiping her face, "Sorry..."
Guren cupped her cheek, looking into her eyes, watching her quivering eyes as he leaned forward, clasping her lips between his.
She widened her eyes as much as she could before closing them, letting him kiss her, hug her, "Sumire, it's not safe outside. Stay with me for a few days?"
Sumire closed her eyes, clinging onto his clothes, closing her eyes as a tear slipped down her cheek, "Okay..."
(Just a few more days...and then...then it will be all over.)