Thanks to Snowy's warning, Takuya knew that the ANBU were around, helping to clear the area.
Otherwise, with Tsunade's loud voice, ranting like this about the village's leadership would definitely cause unnecessary trouble.
It took a few hours for the barbecue session to finally wrap up, and by then, the sky had already darkened.
Carrying a completely intoxicated Tsunade, Takuya nearly jumped out of his skin when it was time to settle the bill.
Wow, 280,000 ryo for one meal!
The sake Tsunade had been drinking was top-notch, and the alcohol alone accounted for two-thirds of the bill.
"Like a dead weight," Takuya muttered, tossing Tsunade onto the guest bed and throwing a blanket over her before heading to clean up.
Knock, knock, knock!
Hearing the door, Takuya opened it to find Mikoto Uchiha and Kushina Uzumaki standing there.
"Whoa, did you drink? You reek of alcohol," Kushina wrinkled her nose, clearly disapproving. "Takuya, we're still kids, you know. Drinking too early isn't good for your health."
"Drink my foot!" Takuya laughed, pointing toward the guest room. "The one who drank is in there, passed out like a dead pig. I was just about to wash up when you two arrived. Where's Nami?"
"Tsunade-sis?" Kushina, knowing Tsunade had returned with Takuya, opened the guest room door to find Tsunade sprawled out without a care in the world. With a sigh, she tucked the blanket around her and thoughtfully placed a pillow under her head.
After finishing, Kushina quietly closed the door.
In the living room, Mikoto was brewing tea while Takuya was drying his still-dripping hair with a towel.
"What happened to Tsunade-sis? Why did she drink so much?" Kushina asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
"She's in a bad mood, I guess. I don't know the details; you'll have to ask her tomorrow," Takuya replied with a shrug. "By the way, where's Nami?"
"She's already asleep. Takuya, thank you for bringing her back to the Leaf," Kushina said, her voice wavering slightly as her eyes began to water. Takuya quickly waved her off.
"Enough! You cried all afternoon—haven't you had enough?" he teased.
"I'm just really happy," Kushina pouted, fighting back the tears. She knew Takuya didn't like seeing girls cry.
"Thanks, Mikoto-sis," she added gratefully.
"No need to thank me," Mikoto replied, pouring tea for both Takuya and Kushina.
After a sip of tea, Kushina eagerly turned to Takuya. "Takuya, I want to live with Nami."
"Live together?" Takuya frowned, shaking his head. "That's not a good idea. It'll cause problems for both of you."
"But…" Kushina hesitated. After years of being the only one, she finally had a clan member by her side. The idea of living together was so tempting. But she knew her situation was too delicate for that, and Takuya was right—it would only lead to trouble for everyone involved.
This wasn't something to take lightly.
Reluctantly, Kushina sighed. "Then I'll buy the house next door and let her live there."
Pfft~~~
Takuya nearly choked on his tea, spitting it out in surprise.
Buy a house on a whim? Talk about filthy rich!
But considering Kushina's wealth, buying a house in this relatively quiet area was like a drop in the ocean. She could buy an entire street if she wanted to.
"As long as it makes you happy," Takuya said, not quite sure how to respond to a wealthy woman who casually throws around the idea of buying houses.
While his own little stash of money wasn't small, it was nothing compared to Kushina's.
The three of them chatted for a while, mostly about the recent events on the battlefield, which Kushina and Mikoto were keenly curious about.
After a while, Kushina glanced at the time and decided to head back, not wanting to keep the ANBU waiting or leave Nami wondering where she was.
"Mikoto-sis, if there's something you want to say, just say it," Takuya prompted, noticing Mikoto had been holding back while Kushina was around.
"It's… about the clan…" Mikoto began, hesitating, clearly uncomfortable.
Takuya smiled. "Mikoto-sis, there's no need to feel awkward. You're just the messenger, and I already know what you're going to say. Lately, some people from the Uchiha clan have been visiting your house a lot, haven't they?"
"Yes," Mikoto admitted with a strained smile. "Not only have they been coming by often, but they've also been helping me out at the police department, giving me the easiest tasks."
"They've even managed to sway my mother," she added, her voice tinged with frustration.
"That's only natural," Takuya chuckled. "Your mom was good friends with mine, and she knows my mother's last wish was for me to return to the Uchiha clan. It's not surprising they were able to convince her. But you don't need to feel bad about it, Mikoto-sis."
"I'll take care of it, so you don't have to worry. Are you heading back now?"
"Yes, I think I'll go," Mikoto said, getting up with a small smile. If Tsunade hadn't been there, she might have stayed longer. After all, they had grown up together, and there were some… unresolved feelings between them.
But with Tsunade passed out in the guest room, staying the night might just make things awkward in the morning.
"Alright, then. Take care on your way home," Takuya said.
"Don't worry, I will." Mikoto grinned, flexing her arm playfully. "Don't underestimate me."
"Your Sharingan evolved, didn't it?" Takuya asked, noticing her confident demeanor.
"Ugh, no fun!" Mikoto pouted, realizing Takuya had figured it out so easily. Nothing gets past him, she thought, exasperated.
After seeing Mikoto off, Takuya hopped up to the rooftop, glancing at the ANBU agents hidden in the shadows, protecting Kushina.
"You guys are really dedicated, huh," he muttered, a bit annoyed.
When things are critical, they're nowhere to be found, but when there's nothing to do, they're glued to your side.
"What a shame Minato isn't around," he mused. "We could've had a deep conversation about life."
"He noticed us, didn't he?" one ANBU agent whispered to the other.
"Keep your voice down! Do you want to end up like Shimura Shūitsu?" the other hissed back.
"…"
The ANBU agents chatted quietly, knowing full well that if Takuya had caught them hiding before, they'd have issued a warning to back off.
But now… they didn't dare provoke him. The last thing they wanted was to be forced into some humiliating situation—like that infamous "pole-dance incident."
The Third Kazekage had almost lost his mind from the accusations.
Yet, hardly anyone believed him.
The rumors spread like wildfire. After the Third Kazekage admitted he had been under a genjutsu and had indeed danced, things only got worse.
If he had the chance to do it all over again, he'd rather take the secret to his grave than reveal it.
The original plan had been to frame Takuya, hoping to get him on other villages' assassination lists.
Well, Takuya did end up on those lists.
But the Third Kazekage's reputation was ruined in the process.
Now, whenever someone thought of him, the first thing that came to mind was the pole-dance incident, while Takuya was still out there, perfectly fine, without a care in the world.
By the end of it all, the Third Kazekage had been thoroughly outplayed.
Boring.
After sitting around for a while, Takuya went back inside to sleep, and the ANBU agents breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, that kid's gone.
The next day, Tsunade woke up with a pounding headache, slumped over the table, looking pale.
Anyone who saw her might have thought she was seriously ill.
***********
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