Chapter 64: What Does Your Brother Like?

Shinho Aburame leaned back just in time as Tsunade's right foot whipped past his chest. He could clearly see the sole of her pale foot, now smeared with dirt. Despite her teasing words, Tsunade had been honest enough to remove her shoes—ditching the high-heeled sandals had certainly reduced her lethality.

With her heels off, Tsunade seemed even more uninhibited. Before Shinho could steady himself, Tsunade's bright red toenails flashed before his eyes, her foot aiming directly for his chest.

Shinho raised his arm to block, but the sheer force of the kick left his elbow and the skin on his arm buzzing with numbness. Tsunade stepped onto his arm, using it as leverage to propel herself into the air. Her left leg lashed out, the blow landing squarely on his shoulder, sending him tumbling backward.

"Are you still holding up?" Tsunade stopped her attacks and approached him, looking down from above.

"I need a break," Shinho replied weakly, staring up at the looming shadow of Tsunade's chest.

Tsunade had expertly controlled her strength throughout the sparring session. Despite the intensity, Shinho hadn't suffered any real injuries.

"You either can handle it or you can't. What does 'taking a break' even mean?" Tsunade teased, kneeling down to flick his forehead with a smile. "Stop trying to act tough, kid."

I'm not taking this lying down! Shinho shot to his feet and yelled, "Again!"

"Got some fire left in you, huh?" Tsunade cracked her knuckles. "Let's see how long you last."

An hour later, Shinho sat on the ground, completely spent. His head spun, and he could see stars. I'm done for today. Please, have mercy.

Tsunade looked at him, slightly surprised. To be honest, she had expected Shinho to last only about ten minutes, not an entire hour. For a six-year-old, his endurance was remarkable—nearly unbelievable. The only explanation was his iron will.

Tsunade bent down and picked him up effortlessly. As they passed her discarded sandals, she casually slipped them back on before heading back to the cabin. Through his blurry vision, Shinho caught a whiff of a familiar scent. Forcing his eyes open, he found himself face-to-face with Tsunade's ample chest.

"Tsunade-sama," Shizune rushed over, worried as she saw Shinho being carried inside. "What happened to Shinho?"

They went out to train, and now he's being carried back? What on earth happened?

"Overexertion," Tsunade said with a dismissive wave. "It's his own fault."

Despite her words, she was genuinely pleased with Shinho's performance today. Even if he didn't become a medical ninja, he was already shaping up to be a capable and powerful shinobi. But from what she could see, he was on track to excel in both fields. Tsunade hadn't expected to find such a perfect student after all these years.

"I'll take him for a bath," Shizune said, her energy suddenly returning.

"Go ahead," Tsunade handed Shinho over, stretching her arms lazily. "I'm exhausted from teaching all day."

Shizune carried Shinho into the bathroom, turning on the hot water. The temperature quickly rose, and soon the room was filled with warm mist. Shinho blinked his eyes open, sensing something off. This doesn't feel right.

Then he saw Shizune and instantly understood. Yep, it's her. That explains the scent.

"I can bathe myself," Shinho muttered, slipping out of her arms.

"Are you sure?" Shizune asked, not quite convinced.

"Absolutely," Shinho replied firmly.

"Alright then," Shizune sighed, reluctantly leaving the bathroom.

Shinho let out a sigh of relief. These women are terrifying.

After his bath, Shinho fell asleep early, exhausted from the day's events.

The next morning.

Rain poured down outside, a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere at the Uchiha compound. In comparison, the Aburame clan's residence was quiet and peaceful.

After breakfast, Shino Aburame stood at the edge of the corridor, casually grabbing an umbrella. He stared out at the rain, his mind drifting to the events of the previous night. Shinho had given him a new type of parasitic bug. Eager to feed it, Shino had rushed home, only to discover that the bug had devoured all of his chakra—and still wasn't satisfied.

Shino was left questioning everything. I can barely support one bug, so how on earth is my brother managing to raise three?

Shino sighed and stepped out into the rain. As he approached Konoha's river, he spotted a familiar figure standing beneath a tree, holding an umbrella. It was Ino Yamanaka. She stood there as if waiting for someone. Is she waiting for my brother? Shino thought, considering leaving quietly.

But before he could slip away, Ino turned her head, her blue eyes locking onto him.

"I need to talk to you," Ino said.

"Me?" Shino blinked, caught off guard. "Ino, is this something about my brother?"

"Yes," Ino replied, confirming his suspicions.

Of course. Shino couldn't help but feel resigned. He was used to being ignored by people like Ino unless the conversation was about Shinho.

"What does your brother like?" Ino asked, taking a deep breath.

Shino thought carefully. What does he like? Well, he enjoyed making sarcastic comments, but that probably wasn't the answer Ino wanted.

"Gardening," Shino suddenly remembered the moon orchids he had seen at the cabin yesterday. Plus, the Yamanaka family ran a flower shop. It seemed like a good enough answer.

"Gardening?" Ino's eyes lit up, filled with disbelief. Could it be that we share the same hobby?

"That's right," Shino explained. "My brother grows a lot of flowers."

"Where?" Ino asked, clearly excited.

"At the Aburame clan grounds. I can take you there," Shino offered after some thought. Sasuke, Naruto, and Hinata had all been to the cabin. Bringing in one more person wouldn't hurt.

"Thank you!" Ino beamed, unable to contain her happiness. Shinho likes flowers, and I'm great at growing them. We're a perfect match—no one can argue with that. She practically skipped away, puddles splashing around her shoes without a care.

Shino took a few steps before stopping again, his gaze falling on another familiar figure approaching.

Hinata Hyuga. What's going on today?

"Shino-kun," Hinata said softly as she walked up to him. She really is here to see me? Shino thought, confused.

"Is there something you need, Hinata?" Shino asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I was wondering..." Hinata hesitated for a moment, gathering her courage. "What does your brother like?"

"…?"

Shino froze, completely dumbfounded. Did I just get hit with a Genjutsu? This felt like a surreal repeat of his earlier conversation.

What should I say? Telling her that Shinho liked gardening didn't seem right in this case.

"Shinho-kun has helped me a lot recently," Hinata quickly explained, noticing Shino's confusion. "I want to prepare a gift for him."

"A gift?" Shino sighed in relief. Good thing I didn't mention the flowers.

But then his brow furrowed again. Besides gardening, what else does my brother like? After a moment, something came to mind—something from a few years ago.

Shinho had once made something strange and said it was "a man's ultimate dream."

"You won't be able to make it alone. You'll need help from a few others," Shino said, adjusting his glasses as he recalled that strange project.

[tl/n: what is this 'Man's Ultimate dream'?]

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