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Takuya poured the freshly brewed tea into the cups, glancing over at Minato. Minato looked back at him, then raised an eyebrow in Nawaki's direction.
Normally, Nawaki was the loudest one in the group, always full of energy. But today, he was uncharacteristically quiet, sitting by himself, lost in thought. He didn't even notice when Takuya pushed a teacup in his direction. His hand propped up his chin, and his eyes were vacant as if his mind had drifted far away.
Minato leaned closer to Takuya, lowering his voice.
"Do you think he's serious this time?"
"How should I know?" Takuya rolled his eyes.
"Let's wait and see. When has this fool ever been reliable? Besides, it's not our problem to worry about. But Tsunade...she's going to have a headache with this one."
"I thought the Hyūga clan didn't marry outsiders," Minato said, his expression turning curious.
"Exactly." Takuya grinned mischievously. "That's why Tsunade's going to have a rough time."
As long as Nawaki had feelings for a girl and the girl liked him back, Tsunade would proudly assure him: "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."
But if that girl turned out to be from the Hyūga clan...
Tsunade's first instinct would probably be to strangle her brother.
And this wasn't even confirmed yet—it was all just Nawaki daydreaming.
Falling head over heels after just one meeting?
It sounded a bit ridiculous.
Takuya didn't believe in love at first sight. To him, it was just people being attracted to someone's appearance.
They see someone pretty and get infatuated. That's not "love at first sight."
If you're attracted to someone's looks, just admit it. No need to come up with excuses.
Imagining the scene of Tsunade going berserk and beating her brother, Minato shivered, casting a sympathetic glance at Nawaki.
At the same time, he silently thanked his luck for being an only child.
If he had a sister like Tsunade, Minato figured he'd have been knocked out long ago.
"Kushina, Nawaki passed his Jōnin exam, and Takuya wants to celebrate at the hotpot restaurant. When do you finish work?"
Kushina had gone to the Logistics Department with Uchiha Mikoto to find Tsunade.
"Is that today?" Tsunade asked, ruffling her slightly messy hair. She closed the file she had been working on and stretched.
"Well then, I'll take the day off. Might as well go buy him a gift."
The three women wandered around the marketplace for a while, each picking out gifts. Mikoto bought a set of ninja pouches, Kushina picked out a stylish outfit, and Tsunade—who was short on cash—finally settled on two green headbands.
Even though she wasn't fond of the color herself, she knew Nawaki was obsessed with green.
In the past, she hadn't thought much of the color. But now, she could barely stand the sight of it!
It was all Takuya's fault. Somehow, even cheating had become associated with the color green, and now Tsunade couldn't even look at Konoha's standard Jōnin vest without being reminded of it.
"Nawaki, here's the gift I got you," Kushina said.
"This is from Mikoto, and this one's from Tsunade."
Receiving gifts along with the celebration made Nawaki perk up. The dazed expression he'd had earlier vanished, and soon he was back to his usual self—the loudest one in the room, grinning ear to ear and earning the most eye rolls from everyone else.
Did we misread the situation?
Takuya and Minato exchanged glances, starting to think maybe they had imagined things. How could this fool Nawaki fall for someone at first sight?
After dinner, they all headed home. In the past, they would have gone their separate ways, but now they all lived close by.
Even Mikoto decided to stop by Kushina's house for a visit.
"Time really flies," Takuya muttered, standing in the bathroom and looking at his reflection in the mirror. His Sharingan shifted from its three-tomoe form to the Mangekyō shape.
But this time, there was a change. The edges of the large fan-shaped design now had ripples that connected the six hooks together.
The Eternal Mangekyō.
Takuya had achieved the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan when he was just fourteen years old.
It allowed him to use his Mangekyō abilities without worrying about losing his eyesight.
The only person in Konoha who knew about his Mangekyō was Tsunade, and she had never told anyone.
"Ding-dong!"
The doorbell rang. Takuya glanced outside, sensing Nawaki's chakra.
"What is this guy doing here instead of going home to sleep?"
Nawaki had had a bit to drink earlier. Takuya and Minato knew all too well what Nawaki was like when he drank.
Fortunately, with Tsunade around to keep him in check, Nawaki didn't dare act up.
After getting dressed and drying his still-wet hair with a towel, Takuya walked over and opened the door.
Nawaki, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol, poked his head inside like a thief, glancing around nervously. The sight made Takuya laugh.
"You coward. There's no one here. Come in."
"Good, no one's around," Nawaki said, looking relieved.
He had been worried that Uchiha Mikoto or Kushina might be hanging around Takuya's place, so he had to make sure.
Sitting down on the couch, Takuya asked, "You've had a few drinks, so why aren't you sleeping? What are you sneaking around for, looking all guilty?"
"Is there something you don't want everyone to know about?"
"No, absolutely not!" Nawaki quickly shook his head, though his guilty expression remained.
Alright, as long as you're happy.
Takuya gave him a blank stare.
He was curious to see what nonsense Nawaki would come up with this time.
Nawaki sat there, fidgeting awkwardly, opening his mouth to say something but holding back each time. He scratched his head and rubbed his face so much that Takuya started to get impatient for him.
"Spit it out, or get lost."
Are you just here to act like a fool?
"Cough, cough!"
Nawaki coughed nervously, avoiding Takuya's gaze. After a few moments of hesitation, he quickly waved his hands and said, "I just wanted to ask you for a favor."
"Go on."
"Well, it's just... could you help me find out some things about Meiko—Hyūga Meiko?"
Nawaki's voice was full of anxiety, mixed with excitement. He was more nervous now than he had been during his Jōnin exam, though he couldn't quite explain why.
It felt like his heart was being tickled by a kitten.
"..."
Takuya's hand froze mid-motion as he dried his hair. He stared at Nawaki in disbelief.
If there were special effects, several large question marks would be floating over his head.
"Are you kidding me?"
Meiko?
Hyūga Meiko, wasn't she just Hyūga Suzune's attendant?
Takuya had thought Nawaki was just attracted to her looks and would soon forget about it.
But this kid was serious.
What should I even say?
Despite Nawaki's fondness for pretty girls, the truth was he had been single his whole life. He had never dated anyone, so the fact that he'd finally fallen for someone was, in a way, good news.
But there was one big problem: the girl he liked was from the Hyūga clan!
That's a major issue.
Takuya tossed the towel aside and rubbed his face. He felt torn between laughing and yelling.
"Look, what exactly are you thinking?"
"There are so many girls in Konoha, and you go and like someone you met once for less than two minutes—and she's from the Hyūga clan?"
"I didn't plan it," Nawaki muttered, scratching his head awkwardly.
His already flushed face grew even redder.
He thought Hyūga Meiko was beautiful, even though she wasn't considered especially stunning.
After having time to think about it, Nawaki realized he really liked her.
She was his type.
Takuya, now both amused and exasperated, laughed out loud.
"Have you lost your mind? Or is it me who's going crazy?"
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