115. Madam, Please Behave!

At the Uchiha clan's market, under the shade of a stall outside a shop:

"Please enjoy~ ah~"

A voluptuous, purple-haired woman gazed seductively at Uchiha Gin, who maintained a serious expression. Ignoring the nearby, visibly fuming Uchiha Hikari, the woman brought a bowl of shaved ice covered in honey syrup close to Gin's mouth.

"Gin-san, why aren't you eating today?"

The woman tilted her head curiously and tucked a strand of purple hair behind her ear. She scooped up some shaved ice mixed with syrup, and as the hot air blew, it began to melt into a sticky liquid that dripped from her pale arm down into the valley of her cleavage.

Uchiha Gin, with his eyes fixed firmly forward and his mind focused, didn't dare move a muscle under the invisible pressure exerted by the young girl behind him. No matter how the voluptuous woman teased him, he kept a monk-like, meditative expression.

"Oh my, Gin-san, what's wrong? Is the heat getting to you?"

The woman, exuding an air of mature charm, noticed Gin acting differently than usual. She extended her soft pink tongue to lick the syrup off her arm, then leaned in, pressing her forehead against his to check his temperature.

"Aaah, Gin!"

Uchiha Hikari was on the verge of exploding, black smoke rising from her in fury. Just as she was about to lose control, a familiar voice came from behind them, full of exasperation.

"Mother! Please stop teasing Gin-san."

Uchiha Haruka, who had the same purple hair as her mother, emerged from the house wearing a cute apron. Her long hair was tied into a convenient ponytail, and she held a tray of shaved ice, her expression one of disappointment.

Bang!

She placed the tray in front of Uchiha Madara and Izuna, who had been enjoying the spectacle, and then turned, chopping her mother on the head. In a slightly cold tone, she said, "Stop doing things that embarrass others!"

"Boohoo~"

The woman pouted, rubbing her head as tears welled in her eyes, waving her arms like a little girl throwing a tantrum.

"Haruka, you've grown up! How could you treat your mother this way? Have you forgotten who raised you?"

"Quiet down, will you?"

Without hesitation, Haruka delivered another karate chop, having long grown used to her mother's antics.

"I'm sorry, Gin-san, I couldn't control my mother."

Haruka, ever the mature one, bowed apologetically to Gin while keeping her mother in check. Her voice turned cold again as she added, "Mother, if you don't apologize to Gin-san, I will be very troubled."

She was about to force her mother to bow, but Gin quickly waved it off.

"No need, no need. I know Mrs. Eimi was only joking."

The two had known each other for a while, and Gin didn't mind her teasing. He waved his hands, signaling to Haruka not to make a big deal of it.

"Honestly, Haruka, are you interested in Gin-san as well?"

Eimi, despite having just been disciplined, raised her head excitedly and teased her daughter.

"Are you opposing me because Gin-san is going to be your father?"

Bang!

This time, Haruka grabbed the tray of shaved ice and hit her mother on the head. Eimi, holding her head, ran back inside, leaving a trail of tears.

"Haruka is such a meanie!"

"I'm sorry, Gin-san, my mother just loves talking nonsense."

Haruka turned her back to Gin and the others, speaking coldly. But sharp-eyed Hikari noticed one of Haruka's ears turning bright red, revealing her inner embarrassment.

"There's one more serving. I'll go make it."

Haruka, turning around, quickly retreated into the house, leaving the group awkwardly staring at each other.

"Gin, who is that woman?"

Still confused, Hikari asked Gin, noting how everyone else seemed unfazed by the situation.

"Uh, Mrs. Eimi is Haruka's mother. We got to know each other through Itama, who's friends with Haruka. Our families just became close over time."

Gin scratched his head, looking completely unbothered, as if there was nothing to hide. He hadn't married, and Eimi was a widow, so what could there possibly be to hide?

"I see…"

But given how skilled Eimi was at teasing Gin, Hikari couldn't help but think something was off between them. Gripping her fists, she reassured herself: "Since she's Haruka's mother, Gin wouldn't go after a married woman, right?"

"Poor Haruka, losing her father so young. If it weren't for Cousin Gin…"

Izuna, quietly eating his watermelon-flavored shaved ice, couldn't help but stir the pot, mentioning Haruka's background.

???

Hikari's gaze shifted dramatically, locking onto Gin. Her sharp eyes bore into him, making Gin shiver despite the heat.

"Yes, who would've thought that my usually lazy cousin would help Mrs. Eimi fetch water late at night?"

Madara, who had remained silent, added his own jab, though it was unclear whether he was teasing or serious.

What???

Gin's eyes darted back and forth as he tried to pretend he hadn't heard. He silently shoveled shaved ice into his mouth, letting their comments pass by unnoticed.

"Oh, I didn't know Gin had such… specific tastes."

Hikari, dark energy radiating from her, spoke in a sinister tone, her voice unrecognizable as she glared at Gin.

"Please stop saying things that could be misunderstood. Gin-san may seem unreliable, but he's actually a good man."

Haruka reappeared, carrying another tray of strawberry shaved ice. Her expression was as calm as ever as she placed it in front of Hikari.

"Are you feeling unwell, Hikari?"

"You're wearing too much, Hikari, maybe you're overheating."

Gin quickly chimed in, covering for Hikari's odd behavior, though privately wondering if her darker side had taken over.

"Yes, it's really hot today. You should eat some of our famous shaved ice, Hikari."

Haruka, not noticing Hikari's change in demeanor, recommended the shaved ice with pride.

Despite her anger, Hikari was curious about the shaved ice and took a big bite.

"No! Don't eat it like that!"

Seeing Hikari's bold move, Haruka tried to stop her, but it was too late.

"Ahhh…"

The intense cold rushed through Hikari, freezing her mind and knocking her back into reality.

"What… just happened?"

Now fully conscious, Hikari looked at the partially eaten shaved ice, confused.

"You feel better, right?"

Haruka, noticing Hikari had returned to normal, smiled.

"Good thing I suggested your mother open a cold drink shop. That was a smart decision."

Relieved, Gin took credit for the shop's existence.

"Yes, thank you, Gin-san. If it weren't for you, my mother would still be working hard for little pay."

Haruka recalled the man who appeared out of nowhere and helped her struggling family open the shop, giving her the time to pursue her ninja training.

"This is what I should do. You've always worked so hard, Haruka."

Gin, eating his shaved ice, thought back to the determined girl who took on difficult tasks to support her family. Her perseverance had inspired him to lend a hand.

Sensing the strange atmosphere between them, Hikari began to feel uneasy. Could it be that Haruka was more of a threat than she had thought?

"I've always wanted to ask you something, Gin-san!"

Suddenly, Eimi reappeared.

Haruka, expecting her mother to start trouble again, prepared to strike her.

"Don't say anything strange!"

"Hehe, this time I'm serious."

Eimi dodged her daughter's chop and turned to Gin, her charming face now serious.

"I have a sincere request."

Her eyes were filled with hope as she spoke to the man who had helped her family without expecting anything in return.

"Haruka's dream has always been to become an outstanding ninja. But without a father to guide her, she's had no formal training. So…"

Eimi paused, her eyes pleading.

"I hope you can take Haruka as your disciple and help her become a great ninja."

She bowed deeply to Gin, her curvaceous figure on full display.

Gin swallowed hard, taken aback by the sincerity of her request.

Haruka, shocked, stood frozen. She had always understood the unspoken rules of ninja training, planning to advance on her own. She never imagined her seemingly carefree mother would humble herself to ask for help.

Warmth filled Haruka's heart as she realized her mother wasn't as self-centered as she'd thought.

"Hurry, Haruka! Don't just stand there, go thank your new father!"

-

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