Chapter 52

"Ah! Why? I just want to sleep a little longer!" came Nawaki's wail from his room. Shinki, busy washing and preparing the meat, chuckled to himself.

It was futile for Nawaki to try and resist when Kushina was involved. He couldn't bring himself to be harsh with her, and even if he did, there was no guarantee he'd win a fight against her. Despite Nawaki being older, the outcome of any tussle was uncertain.

Kushina, under the combined mentorship of Shinki and Tsunade, was far stronger than her peers in the original story.

"Why doesn't my sister have to work?" Nawaki muttered miserably, sitting on a small stool as he skewered meat onto bamboo sticks.

A soul-searching question if ever there was one.

Shinki smirked. "Are you sure you want to know why your sister isn't working?"

Nawaki blinked, momentarily puzzled, then nodded instinctively.

Shinki raised his voice and shouted upstairs, "Tsunade! Nawaki said you should come down and help!"

"....."

*Are you kidding me?* Nawaki thought, his face going pale. *You think she didn't punish me enough before?*

Nawaki stared blankly, meat in one hand and a skewer in the other, as his mind raced.

"Wait! Brother, please! I'm calling you 'brother' now, so don't yell! She'll kill me! She was already in a bad mood last night. Let her sleep; I'll do all her work!" he begged, his survival instincts kicking in.

Shinki's eyes gleamed with mischief. *That's right, try to slack off, will you?* 

"Remember, you said it, not me."

"Yes, yes! I'm doing it willingly! It's got nothing to do with you," Nawaki said, forcing a nervous smile while silently cursing his luck.

Shinki laughed to himself as Nawaki reluctantly continued his task. *Sometimes, getting a little creative is all it takes.*

When everything was nearly ready, Kushina returned with her friends.

"Shinki, I'm back!" Kushina called out as she ran into the living room, her face glowing with excitement. Behind her were three familiar faces.

The first was Uchiha Mikoto, the white moonlight in Nawaki's eyes. The second was Minato Namikaze, the yellow-haired, sunny, and shy boy who always had a polite smile. And the third—

*What?!* Shinki's eyes widened when he saw Hyuga Mihui. *Why did she bring a Hyuga from the main family here?*

Now, it all made sense. This was why Kushina had warned him not to be upset with her friend.

This young girl, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Hinata, was indeed from the main Hyuga family. *Could this be Hinata's future mother?*

"Hello, senior. I'm Uchiha Mikoto," said the first guest, introducing herself with a warm and confident smile.

Minato, a little shy, rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. Meanwhile, Hyuga Mihui looked at Shinki with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.

"Hello, I'm Hyuga Shinki, Kushina's guardian. Welcome," Shinki said, smiling as he gestured for them to sit. Kushina, full of energy, rushed off to pour drinks for her friends.

As they settled in, Shinki couldn't help but notice Mihui's forehead—there was no caged bird seal. That meant she was from the main family, indeed.

*Tsunade might not have seen this coming,* he thought as she entered, yawning and stretching. She glanced at the guests and, noting Shinki's raised eyebrows, gave him a subtle gesture indicating all was well.

Shinki understood immediately. The political climate in Konoha had shifted. With Danzo imprisoned, Akimichi Tofu holding power as Hokage's assistant, and the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance on Tsunade's side, Kushina's interactions were no longer restricted. The Third Hokage and the remaining elders couldn't afford to challenge that openly.

Without Danzo pushing his agendas, the Third Hokage and the council were more inclined to let things slide.

"Hi there, kids," Tsunade said, greeting the guests with a lazy wave before heading to the kitchen.

"Are you from the elder line of the main family?" Shinki asked Mihui, sensing her discomfort.

"Yes, senior," Mihui replied, standing quickly and bowing. Unlike many from the main family, she had a humble demeanor, lacking any hint of arrogance.

"Don't be so tense. I told Kushina that her friends are welcome here. You're all like family," Shinki reassured her.

Mihui nodded, a shy smile spreading across her pale face. Her fair skin, a trait of the Hyuga clan, turned a light pink as she blushed, making her resemblance to Hinata even more striking.

"Nawaki, time to work," Shinki called out, breaking the moment.

"I'll help too!" Minato piped up, jumping to his feet. Despite being younger, he knew how to earn favor and wasn't shy about pitching in.

Nawaki, who had been pretending not to hear, groaned but joined in when Minato set a good example.

*No wonder Minato would become the Fourth Hokage,* Shinki mused, watching the bright boy eagerly help. *People who smile often really do have better luck.*

But looking at Nawaki, he couldn't help but think, *Just be careful. A small misstep can be costly in life.*

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Up to Chapter 130 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)

Gimme power stonesssss