Years before the third Shinobi War...

At night...

Shang finally reach the doorstep of his door.

Shang’s thoughts: Finally my night shift is over.

After Tsunade and Shizune left Konohagakure, Konoha Hospital lost its high productivity in healing patients with severe injuries, causing the village to lose manpower as most of their skilled personnel who are lying there have to take longer time to heal.

Learning of how Shang managed to rescue Sakumo with just needles and thread, Hiruzen throws the job of heading the Konoha Hospital by saying “You have lazed enough. It is time for you to go back to work. This is an order from the Hokage” and runs off without giving Shang a single chance to protest.

Shang’s thoughts: Oi, What is this? Where’s my human and labour rights?

If Hiruzen could hear Shang’s thoughts, he has only three words for Shang. “THIS IS KONOHA!” and kicks Shang to his new job.

Mentally protesting, Shang accepts the job and goes to work.

With Shang’s basic modern knowledge about hospitals and help from staff who once worked with Tsunade, Konoha Hospital returns to its previous highly productive self.

As Shang steps into the doorway, he thinks about the conversation with Hiruzen who walked with him in the middle of returning home.

Hiruzen: About Koharu, you might want to have a talk with her.

Shang: What's wrong with her?

Hiruzen: She is not her usual self.

Hiruzen describes Koharu’s unusual actions.

Hiruzen: Did something happen between the two of you?

Shang: Why would there be problems between the two of us? Shouldn’t the problem lie with the three of you guys?

Hiruzen: Why would she have problems with us? She is once our comrade-in-arms, and we did nothing to destroy that relationship.

Shang: Oh really? Then what’s with Danzou’s problem ?

Shang hints at the troubles that Danzou caused for Konohagakure

Hiruzen:...That’s...that’s between me and him. It does not concern you.

Shang: Then Koharu’s matter doesn’t concern you. Why would you care?

Hiruzen: Of course I have to care. She is working under me.

Shang: Oh, what about Sakumo? He was working under you and you abandoned him to his despair till he commit suicide?

Hiruzen: After so many years, you are still angry with me about that.

Shang: Of course I am still angry.

Shang says with crossed arms.

Hiruzen: I have already explained to you. My hands are tied at that moment.

Shang: And I should believe that?

Hiruzen:...

Shang: Hiruzen, I and Koharu are not blind about what both of you did, and we simply prefer to ignore it as it is between the two of you. I believe Homaru is doing the same.

Hiruzen: Homura…

Hiruzen’s thoughts: Is that why Homura keep his silence about it all the time?

Shang: But Sakumo incident placed a question in our heads. A question that says “If one day we end in the same state like Sakumo, will you be there for us?”

Hiruzen:...

Shang: We trust and believe in you, Hiruzen. Don't let us down.

Returning to reality, Shang steps into the bedroom where he finds Koharu looking at herself in the mirror.

Shang: Koharu…

His voice alerts the gray-haired Kohary to turn around.

As she turns around, Koharu’s face shows that she still retains her twenty-year-old beauty.

Koharu: Shang!? Oh, I am sorry. I didn’t notice you’re home.

Shang: it’s alright, I… Were you crying?

Shang notices the dry streaks that ruined Koharu’s makeup.

Koharu: Huh? No, I weren’t…

Koharu tries to hide the streaks by wiping them with her hands but Shang stops her by hugging.

Shang: If you want to let it out, you can let it all out now. I am there for you.

Engulfed in his hug, Koharu hears Shang’s words and let her emotions erupt.

Shang’s thoughts: There goes my rest…

Shang thinks as he let Koharu cry herself to sleep.