Even so, Hiruzen only sent documents to the Ministry of Government Affairs from time to time and remained silent on the matter.
Today's events left him feeling somewhat embarrassed. It was as if, after becoming Hokage, he no longer saw his old teammates in the same light. The realization was frustrating. If Koharu had approached him calmly, he might have shared the information—but instead, she let emotions dictate her response.
Earlier, when he set down the document to speak with Homura, he had still been a little irritated, but he had meant to explain everything. Now, he realized he had been too lenient with Koharu. Perhaps, as the only woman among their old teammates, the others had unconsciously given her more leeway than they should have.
After a long silence, Hiruzen finally spoke. "Homura, let her go. Let her say exactly what she thinks that has changed about me. Since becoming the Hokage, have I ever done anything to betray her trust?"
"Hiruzen, calm down. She was just speaking out of anger," Homura said, still trying to smooth things over.
Hiruzen slammed his hand onto the table with a sharp crack. "Anger or not, that just means it's what she truly believes! Fine—let her speak! Let her spill every last word she's been holding back!"
Kagami stepped into the room, his usual cheerful expression shifting into one of concern as he took in the tense atmosphere. His gaze moved between Koharu, who looked indignant, and Hiruzen, whose face was dark with frustration.
"What's going on here? It looks pretty intense," Kagami said, trying to lighten the mood.
Koharu immediately turned to Kagami, her voice full of grievance. "Kagami, you be the judge here. Shinya, came to the Government Affairs Department just now and announced a Jonin meeting next week. I was worried something serious had happened, so I came to ask him about it but instead of answering me, he got mad! Now that he's a Hokage, he thinks that he doesn't need his old teammates anymore?"
Hiruzen let out a sharp scoff, his patience wearing thin. "Don't twist my words, Koharu. You weren't just asking—you were demanding answers like I owed you something! Since when do I need your permission to call a Jonin meeting? Or do I have to report every little decision to you first?"
Kagami let out a small sigh and looked at Koharu. "Come on, Koharu, maybe you could've asked a little differently?"
Koharu's face stiffened. "So now I'm the one at fault? Since when do I have to be careful around my own teammate?"
Homura, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up with a sigh. "Enough, Koharu. This isn't about whether Hiruzen values us or not. He's the Hokage—he doesn't have to run every single decision to us before making it."
Koharu clenched her jaw but said nothing, gripping the edge of the sofa.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, suppressing the annoyance boiling inside him. He had tolerated Koharu's attitude for so long, but today, it felt like she had crossed a line.
"Then there's no need to hold a Jonin meeting, right?" Koharu said, her tone laced with dissatisfaction. "If you have any ideas, we can discuss them among ourselves. There are more of us here, and everyone can share their opinions."
Hiruzen looked at her meaningfully and said nothing.
Kagami stood up and said casually, "Whether there's a Jonin meeting or not, it's up to Hiruzen and what he wants to accomplish. I don't really care—just tell us what to do, and we'll cooperate. I'm not good at all these political games. Why don't you ask Danzo to help you with that instead?"
Koharu pursed her lips, clearly displeased. "I don't think a Jonin meeting is necessary to solve this. Those nobles are nothing but leeches—we just need to demand them to return our share. There's no need to make such a big fuss over it." She remained firm in her opposition.
Now the three of them turned their eyes to Koharu.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm telling the truth." Koharu said impatiently.
Kagami leaned back comfortably on the sofa, his usual easygoing smile never fading. "Alright, alright, I just came to check in. Hiruzen, even if you're frustrated, you shouldn't be taking it out on your old teammates, right?"
He reached for the teapot, intending to pour himself a cup, but he noticed it was empty. Clicking his tongue, he added jokingly, "Look at this—Konoha's Hokage office, and yet, not a single cup of tea in sight. What a tragedy."
His lighthearted comment eased the tension in the room. The atmosphere, which had been on the verge of boiling over, cooled as everyone found a seat.
Hiruzen, though still somewhat exasperated, sighed and made a fresh pot of tea. His movements were a little clumsy, but he still managed to pour cups for everyone before retrieving a thick stack of documents from his desk. Without a word, he tossed them onto the table.
"Here, take a look. This is the latest information that Shikaru had sent me about the Fire Trade Company."
Kagami picked up a few pages and gave them a cursory glance before shaking his head. "You know I hate reading reports. Just give us the summary."
Meanwhile, Homura silently flipped through the documents, scanning them carefully.
Hiruzen leaned back and began explaining—outlining the core issues at hand and the real reason behind his decision to call for a Jonin meeting.
Homura pulled Kagami's hand away and said firmly, "Yes, Lord Hokage. The Administrative Department will always belong to the village. I won't allow it to become anyone's personal tool."
Hiruzen waved his hand, dismissing them. Homura left, taking Kagami with him.
Outside the office, Kagami hesitated, as if he wanting to say something.
Homura looked at him and said, "Kagami, remember this—Hiruzen's will is the will of the village and that is also my will as well." With that, he headed downstairs and returned to the Administrative Department.
Kagami walked back to the Security Department in a daze and sank into his chair. A strange feeling settled over him. Hiruzen, Homura, Koharu… they all felt different now. Had they really changed this much? Once, they were comrades—teammates who had trained under the Second Hokage, fighting side by side on countless missions. He missed those days. But no matter how much he longed for them… they were gone, never to return.