"Not all the good ones," Genma said. "Haruichi." He reached out one hand to touch Haruichi's shoulder. Waited when Haruichi stiffened, half prepared for a blow. Waited while violet-grey chakra flickered under Haruichi's skin, papery and rough, like unfinished pottery. He couldn't see the flow the way Haruichi could, but touch spoke volumes. Haruichi was as tightly strung as any jounin on a mission.

He felt a little lost. How did you save a drowning man? Water walked out to him and pulled him free. Swam if you couldn't water walk. Threw him a life line. He had no idea what kind of life line might reach Haruichi, but he was damned if he was going to watch him go under a third time.

"When Yumiko... When I found out about her, you know what they told me? She screamed at the guy who was ferrying me out of there. Something like, 'That's my little brother, you idiot!' Which is so like her, you know? And after that, when everyone was so... When it was all just horrible, people--medics I didn't know--they'd come up to me and say how awesome Yumi was. And I felt like it was such a waste it was me here and not her. But then her best friend told me..."

He paused. Tried to remember where he was going. His hand was still on Haruichi's shoulder. His eyes still on his friend's heartbroken face.

"Her friend told me Yumi was right, and her little brother was an idiot. And if Hinaji was here, she'd call you an idiot."