Aoba raised his hand and patted Karin's back, "Alright, it's just been a day or two."
"Even half a day without seeing you feels like forever!", Karin puffed out her cheeks and rubbed her face against Aoba, taking advantage for a mont before backing off.
She was still very obedient.
Aoba also sighed in relief. If they kept sitting like that, who knew what Tsunade and Shizune would think.
"Why are you back so late again today?", Tsunade's expression relaxed a little after seeing the two finally separate.
"I went to Hinata's house...", Aoba gave a general recount of what happened at the Hyuga household.
Tsunade, Shizune, and Karin all showed looks of disbelief.
"You actually took that little girl Hanabi as a disciple?", Tsunade stared at Aoba with raised eyebrows.
"Unfair! If Aoba-nii took Hanabi as a disciple, then why not !", Karin was very displeased. She pounced at Aoba again, rubbing against him.
Under such influence, in her eyes, a teacher-student relationship ant sleeping together and giving kisses.
Aoba quickly restrained Karin, stopping her from moving around.
"There's a reason."
"The Hyuga clan has a caged bird rule...", He explained again.
"So... Aoba-nii took Hanabi as a disciple to prevent her from getting branded with the caged bird seal?"
Aoba nodded.
Karin also let out a small sigh of relief. She had thought he liked that little girl more.
She didn't like Hanabi at all, who was stealing her exclusive nickna.
"Didn't think you'd take on a disciple so soon," Tsunade suddenly sighed.
"Does sensei disapprove?", Aoba asked.
Tsunade shook her head but leaned back on the sofa with so dissatisfactiob, "I just didn't expect to beco a grandmaster so quickly."
She had no objection to Aoba taking a disciple. Though still young, he was already capable.
She just suddenly felt like she had aged all at once.
"No matter when, you'll always be the most beautiful in my heart, sensei," Aoba understood what she was thinking.
"Hmph! Smooth talker!", Tsunade turned her face away, but everyone could see the smile on her lips.
Hearing Aoba's words, though Karin was slightly unhappy, she didn't dare voice any opinion.
Karin, after all, was clever.
Shizune heard this and could only sigh inwardly.
She suspected Tsunade was still hiding sothing.
She had seen what Tsunade looked like when she was younger, clearly as flat as she was...
She glanced resentfully at Tsunade's twin peaks, shook her head, and banished her unhealthy thoughts.
She turned to ask, "Aoba, are you adjusting well to genin life?"
Aoba paused, "It's alright, I guess."
He briefly recounted his experiences over the past couple of days.
"Sounds nice...", Shizune looked envious, "I've never experienced that kind of life."
"Didn't Shizune-neesan always study by Tsunade-sama's side?", Karin asked with confusion.
By logic, Tsunade-sama should be better than other jonin instructors.
"Hehe~ Hehe~", Shizune's mouth twitched, showing an awkward but polite smile.
She hadn't even graduated from the ninja academy when Tsunade took her away.
At first, she thought a happy life had begun.
Only later did she realize—
Future... was hell.
She ended up following Tsunade in a drifting life across the ninja world.
Gambling, dodging debts, borrowing money, gambling again, and hiding again.
At such a young age, she had already tasted the hardships of the world.
If not for Aoba, Shizune wouldn't know how long this life would've lasted.
Tsunade hesitated to speak, then forgot what she was going to say.
She rembered Shizune used to be so cute when she was little, like a little rice bun.
But afterward, she always wore a resolute face, saying things like even if she followed Tsunade, she would live well.
Too heartbreaking.
Seeing that Karin still wanted to ask more, Aoba decisively stopped her.
He then asked about the team's arrangent for the next day.
After getting the details, he dragged Karin away.
———
[The Next Day]
Still the sa routine, morning training separately, and in the afternoon a trip to the orphanage.
After finishing Kabuto's commission and reporting to Tsunade, Aoba headed toward Tenten's house.
"Aoba?", From far away, Tenten's mom saw him. Her expression didn't change much, treating him like an ordinary guest.
Tenten's family wasn't like the Hyuga, they didn't have so many concerns.
For a scumbag who ran off with their daughter, this attitude was already generous.
"Here to buy ninja tools? Or looking for Tenten?"
"Looking for Tenten," Aoba answered directly.
Tenten's mom hesitated for a mont, staring at him for a while, "Tenten's at ho... Co in with ."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Aoba followed behind very politely.
Entering the ninja tool shop.
Tenten's mom opened a door and entered the living room where they usually ate, only to freeze.
Tenten, dressed in a pink cheongsam, was sitting in a duck-style squat, her pale soles turned outward.
She was holding a rice ball, stuffing it into her mouth.
Her cheeks were puffed like a hamster.
She also heard the door open. Looking up—
Her face instantly flushed red.
She had just caught a bouncing kitten earlier today and was starving.
As soon as she got back, she started eating a rice ball.
Why did Aoba co over at this mont?
Tenten quickly realized, set the rice ball down, and covered her face.
She chewed quickly, feeling like all her strength was being used.
"This...", Tenten's mom looked a bit awkward.
Aoba was carefully observing her movents.
'Too cute!'
"Cough cough! Cough cough!", Tenten suddenly started coughing.
She ate too quickly and choked.
Aoba rushed forward, picked up a glass of water from the table, and handed it to her.
Tenten quickly took it and drank.
"Drink slowly," Aoba gently patted her back and reminded her.
Tenten's mom saw this scene and sighed silently. Then quietly left.
"Th-thank you...", Tenten lowered her head, her face bright red, not daring to look at Aoba.
Her delicate toes curled tightly.
Made people want to cup them in their hands and play with them.
"So cute!", Aoba patted the bun on Tenten's head.
After a while, she finally cald her emotions.
With a slightly flushed face, she swatted his hand away to stop him from teasing her bun, "Why did you co to my house today?"
"I want to ask you for a favor."
"What kind of favor?"
Aoba took out the chakra tal and handed it to her, "Can you forge a sword for ?"
"So...so much chakra tal!"
Tenten looked surprised, then her eyes rolled, as if she thought of a mischievous idea.
She crossed her arms and struck a tsundere pose.
"Forging chakra tal weapons isn't easy. It will cost money."
"Then I'll co play with you every night for the next week," Aoba shalessly used his handso charm.
Hearing this, Tenten's eyes lit up. Her tsundere attitude instantly crumbled, and she tightened her face.
"You said it."
"Mm~"
———
In the month that followed, they continued doing D-rank missions.
Aoba's team finally received their second C-rank mission.
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