Naruto: We Agreed on a Simulation, But They Actually Came to Life?

Chapter 130: Chapter 130: The Blade in Her Embrace

The moment the kunai sank in, Terumi Mei didn’t let go.

The blade buried itself deep in the other person’s chest. She remained frozen in that close-quarters thrust, her body pressed against his.

He didn’t fight back. He didn’t retreat. He didn’t even struggle.

Terumi Mei looked up, staring intently into his eyes, waiting for the next move. She waited for the killing intent, for a trap, for him to suddenly seize her wrist and turn the tables.

But nothing happened. Those eyes were so quiet they made her uneasy.

Slowly, Terumi Mei’s fingers began to stiffen.

"...Something is wrong," she whispered, her voice so faint she could barely hear herself.

Kitahara Kaede could feel his chakra draining. The Transformation Jutsu could no longer hold. White smoke billowed around him; though the disguise remained, his silhouette had already shifted.

Terumi Mei watched as the outline of the man before her returned to its original form. The width of the shoulders. The way he stood. The stubborn straightness of a spine that refused to bend even after being wounded.

The light in her eyes flickered.

Terumi Mei raised her hand, reaching toward his face. Just as she was about to touch the disguise, she stopped. Her hand was shaking violently.

She didn’t dare reveal him. As long as the mask stayed on, the person in front of her could still be someone else.

The masked man looked at her without dodging. He raised his hand and covered the back of hers. Terumi Mei’s entire arm tensed; she wanted to pull away, but he guided her hand, pressing it against the side of his face.

The disguise was peeled away inch by inch. Kitahara Kaede’s face was revealed.

Terumi Mei stared at him, her lips trembling. No sound came out. She tried again, but her throat felt blocked.

Her gaze dropped. She saw that her hand was still gripping the kunai, the blade driven deep into his body. Blood welled up from the edges of the wound, flowing down her fingers.

Terumi Mei instinctively tried to let go, but the moment she moved, Kitahara Kaede’s body swayed. She froze instantly, trapped in a deadlock—unable to move closer, unable to step back.

"Why... why is it you...?"

Her voice finally returned, though it sounded fragile and foreign. "How could it be you...?"

She reached out to cover the wound, but her hand stopped halfway. She was terrified to touch him.

She tried to form hand signs, but her mind was a chaotic mess. Water Style, Boil Release, Lava Style—none of her techniques could stop the bleeding.

Terumi Mei looked up, her eyes reddening. "Why didn’t you dodge?"

Kitahara Kaede didn’t answer.

She pressed forward half a step, her voice beginning to tremble. "You could have dodged it! That opening just now... you left it on purpose, didn’t you? Speak to me, Kitahara Kaede!"

Kitahara Kaede simply looked at her, maintaining that same quiet expression.

Terumi Mei couldn’t stand it. She would have preferred he lied to her, or shouted harsh words, rather than look at her like this.

Kitahara Kaede raised his arm, wrapping it around her waist and pulling her into his embrace. Terumi Mei’s hand twitched, attempting a weak resistance.

"No... don’t move. The wound will—"

She couldn’t finish her sentence. Kitahara Kaede had already pulled her tight against him. The movement shifted the kunai, driving the blade a fraction deeper.

Terumi Mei felt it clearly. She went rigid, her breath hitching. She wanted to push him away, but her hand hovered in mid-air. She was terrified that one more touch would be the breaking point.

Kitahara Kaede’s arm circled her. His grip was light—so light it didn’t feel like a hug, but rather a confirmation that she was actually there.

Terumi Mei’s hands hung awkwardly behind his back, finding nowhere to rest. Finally, she let them drop slowly to her sides.

Blood dripped steadily onto the ground. Her shoulders began to shake, and tears splashed against his chest. She gritted her teeth, refusing to let herself sob aloud.

Kitahara Kaede leaned close to her ear, his breath hitching. "I’m sorry."

Terumi Mei shook her head violently. "Don’t say that. I don’t want to hear that!"

She clung to his back, her voice completely breaking. "I’ll take you back. There are medical ninjas in the village. I’ll take you back right now. Just hang on, don’t fall asleep, do you hear me?"

Kitahara Kaede paused for a moment, then shook his head with a faint smile. He seemed to gather every remaining shred of strength to speak.

"It took me... so long... to respond to you."

Terumi Mei froze.

All those unspoken words. All those tentative tests. All those moments where she had intentionally drawn close, only to fear he would pull away.

He had known.

Terumi Mei’s tears flowed unchecked. "Then why are you only saying it now? Why did it have to be now?" She gripped his clothes, her voice shaking uncontrollably. "Kitahara Kaede, you bastard... you’re such a bastard."

Kitahara Kaede looked at her, the corners of his mouth twitching. Blood seeped from his lips.

Terumi Mei hurriedly used her sleeve to wipe it away, but her hands were already covered in blood. The more she wiped, the messier it became; the more blood smeared across his skin.

Tears streamed down her face in desperation. "Stop bleeding... please, stop..."

Kitahara Kaede’s voice was so low it almost vanished into the wind. "I love you."

Terumi Mei stopped moving. She looked at him, her lips parting several times. She wanted to answer. She wanted to answer him immediately. But the words were lodged in her throat, refusing to come out.

Kitahara Kaede’s strength finally vanished. His body began to slump.

Terumi Mei immediately caught him, her own weight giving way as they both collapsed onto the rubble. Her knees slammed into the stones, but she didn’t care. She only cradled his head, protecting him from hitting the ground.

"Don’t die. Kaede, look at me. Look at me!"

Kitahara Kaede’s gaze began to wander. Terumi Mei pressed her hand over the wound. Blood surged through her fingers. She shifted her position, pressing harder.

It was useless. The blood continued to seep out. She couldn’t stop it.

"Stop bleeding..." she whispered, her voice shattering. "Please... I beg you, stop bleeding..."

She had never hated herself more. She hated that she didn’t know medical ninjutsu. She hated that her strike had been so precise.

Kitahara Kaede had taught her how to spot an opening. He had taught her how to close the distance. He had taught her how to end a fight with a single blow.

She had learned it all from him. But he had never taught her how to keep someone alive once the blade had gone in.

Terumi Mei looked at his face, tears falling onto his chin.

In this moment, the rumors of him being a spy, the masked man of the Lightning Style, the years of secrecy—none of it mattered. She didn’t want to ask about any of it.

She only wanted him to keep his eyes open. She only wanted him to say one more thing.

Terumi Mei lowered her head, resting her forehead against his. His breathing grew lighter and lighter, until she had to press herself against him just to feel the faint flutter of life.

"Please... don’t leave me alone."

Finally abandoning all caution regarding the wound, she hugged him tightly. "Kitahara Kaede, do you hear me? I won’t let you die. You promised me. February eleventh... you promised you’d let me cook for you. You promised..."

Kitahara Kaede did not respond. The man in her arms grew heavier and heavier, until, at one specific moment, he fell completely silent.

Terumi Mei held him, motionless. After a long time, she pressed her cheek against his and whispered in a trembling voice:

"I love you too."

On the other side of the canyon, Ao and Midori navigated the mountain path and reached the bend.

Ao’s Byakugan saw the scene inside first. He stopped dead in his tracks.

Midori glanced inside, and his expression shifted.

In a pool of blood, Terumi Mei was kneeling on the ground, cradling Kitahara Kaede in her arms. The Kirigakure headband lay silently beside them.

Midori instinctively took a step forward.

Ao raised a hand to stop him. His gaze lingered on Terumi Mei before dropping to Kitahara Kaede’s limp hand.

After a moment, Ao spoke softly.

"Wait."

Midori frowned, but Ao didn’t lower his arm.

"There’s no point in going over there now."

Midori fell silent.

Within the canyon, Terumi Mei finally broke down and wept. She had held it in for far too long; once the first sob escaped, she could no longer hold back.