Chapter 282. Homesick
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The celebration banquet ended quickly.
In the end—
Fugaku and Mikoto took Itachi and Sasuke home, and Kabuto left with Nono.
Then—
"Drink a bit?"
Dragged by the cheerful Hyuga Hanabi, Yuto, helpless as the elder, could only follow along with her.
Suzune, meanwhile, took Honoka home first. Although she had always been curious about Hanabi's true identity—and couldn't find much even after looking into the Hyuga clan—after living together for so long, she still felt reassured. Still, standing with the child under the streetlamp, watching Yuto leave with a [strange] woman, she looked especially lonely.
Just like in the dramas!
Before long—
Hanabi brought him to a little roadside yakitori stall. Just the kind with a few seats, and a curtain you lift to sit inside.
"Boss, some shochu! The usual!" It was obvious that Hyuga Hanabi was feeling a little heavy-hearted tonight~
Wasn't she happy earlier because her student had advanced?
How come in just a short while, she looked so burdened with worries?
Yuto didn't say much. He casually ordered a few things to go with the drinks, then slowly began drinking and eating.
Earlier, since the kids were around, everyone had only drunk a little.
Especially with Uchiha Fugaku—Captain of the Konoha Police Force—sitting there with his deadpan face, which was pretty scary!
Minors are not allowed to drink!
At this point—
Hanabi, wearing a pale yellow top and red long skirt, held her cup in both hands and started gulping it down.
Yuto didn't stop her, just figured he'd probably have to carry her back later.
After who knows how many drinks—
"Ha~" Hanabi's face was slightly red. Hands still holding the cup as she leaned on the table, looking a little tipsy, she said, "I'm so glad everyone advanced!"
"Mm~ that's great," Yuto replied casually. The grilled food here wasn't as good as the Yuto Group's, but at least… the atmosphere was unique and the prices were reasonable.
That's why it was pretty popular.
But becoming a Chunin…
It was really just going from domestic delivery… to international delivery.
Tasks like investigating or saving the ninja world were still pretty rare.
What's the big difference, really~?
Just think—Shisui was already working the front lines, using his Body Flicker Jutsu to become an elite courier.
Yuto heard that in his spare time, that kid was still trying hard to write novels. Writing had become his dream, though he never seemed to come up with anything good.
Delivering packages while chasing dreams… that's pretty inspiring~
"All thanks to Hanabi-sensei! Everyone passed because of her! Hanabi is amazing!"
"Itachi and the others are all very smart!" Hanabi tilted her head with a giggle, as if drunk. "Hehehe, the Seventh Hokage-sama will definitely be amazed if he finds out! I wonder if Sumire and the others graduated successfully?"
"…"
Probably not~
Yuto slightly furrowed his brow, looking at Hanabi's slightly flushed and delicate profile.
It had already been years.
And yet—
Boruto and the others wouldn't arrive for several more years.
Maybe it was the nature of the time travel…
Back then, when Naruto and the others were chasing a rogue ninja from Sunagakure and entered the Dragon Vein, they ended up arriving in the Ancient Kingdom of Roran a whole decade or more apart from the enemy.
While Yuto was lost in thought—
"You think~" Hanabi turned around. Though she looked a bit wobbly from drinking, she still seriously looked at Yuto—her cheeks pink, her bright eyes fixed on him, "Do you think I can go back?"
"…Probably~"
So that's what it was?
She was homesick?
Yuto pondered for a moment. In a few years… her nephew and her brother-in-law's best friend would come. Maybe then they could go back together?
"Probably~," Hanabi downed another cup, looking like a poor, pitiful thing. "Damn it! I still want to watch Boruto and Himawari grow up! How many years have I been here? How long has it been? What if I go back and I'm old? What if Father passes away? What if nobody remembers me?"
The more she talked, the redder her eyes became, and even her lips pouted in frustration.
"Here… here… I've just been born. Konohamaru, that bastard, has just started wearing crotchless pants! Everyone I know is still in their mother's arms! It's too much!"
"…I understand, I understand~" Yuto sighed, looking at the already drunk Hanabi.
Her former comrades were still in crotchless pants, and she… was all alone.
Just thinking about it was heartbreaking~
Anyone she knows is either a senior or an elder, and the world has changed so much—maybe deep down, she's really quite lonely.
It's just that she's always so loud and brash… you can't really tell~
"How about… we head back?"
"Head back?" Hyuga Hanabi tilted her head, blinking her bright eyes. "No! Drink! Drink up! Why aren't you drinking?"
As she spoke, she shoved her cup right at Yuto's mouth.
Then she started whining again, "Damn it! Why did you throw that explosive tag around?! Now we can't go back! Hurry and drink with me!"
"…"
Fine, I'll drink—but why are you standing up?
Yuto figured the time was about right. Should he knock her out and carry her home? Or maybe be gentle about it… and use a Genjutsu?
He sighed helplessly.
Was she here just to get drunk today?
But then—
The swaying Hyuga Hanabi had already leaned in close to him.
That delicate face was suddenly right in front of his, the cup practically touching his nose. "Drink, Yuto-san! Let's all drink together! Damn it! You have to take respo—"
Before she could finish, Yuto directly hit her with a Genjutsu. Glancing around at the curious, gossipy stares—especially the stall owner who came over with some skewers in hand—his face darkened with black lines.
He had a bad feeling…
That by tomorrow morning—
[President of Yuto Group, Uchiha Yuto, had a night out with a female Konoha Jonin and brought a Byakugan woman back to his mansion to spend a sweet night together!]
…this kind of gossip headline would appear.
Konoha tabloid culture… is no joke.
"Responsibility~"
Just as she let out a sound, Hanabi collapsed against him.
Yuto immediately said righteously, "Seriously! This girl actually got herself drunk! Boss, I'll take the bill!"
Then—
Under the crowd's gossipy stares, he quickly hauled her away with an air of pure integrity and a righteous look.
But he didn't realize—
At that moment—
In a dim corner not far off…
"Hanabi-sensei is leaning on Uncle Yuto. What should we do?" Izumi, who'd been planning to go home but dragged Itachi out for a walk halfway, crouched by the railing, watching sneakily and muttering indignantly, "Is that how he treats Sister Suzune and Honoka? If it were me… I'd totally take the kid and get divorced!"
"…"
Why are you being so dramatic?
And why are you looking at me?
Isn't it common knowledge in the ninja world that Uncle Yuto's private life is messy?
Even Mom and Dad are constantly troubled by it.
And besides… Honoka isn't even Uncle Yuto's biological daughter!
Itachi rolled his eyes, just about to drag this gossip goblin away and stop prying into Uncle Yuto and Hanabi-sensei's business when—
"I knew it!" came a familiar voice from behind.
He froze, then turned around—and saw Kabuto adjusting his glasses, looking dead serious. His eyes rolled even harder.
He remembered…
Yakushi Kabuto… Yakushi Nono… Uchiha Yuto… Yakushi Nono… Uchiha Yuto…
"I already suspected something was up with those two when they left together," Kabuto said flatly. "And now it's confirmed! What a scumbag!"
"…" Itachi twitched at the mouth and hesitated. "Hanabi-sensei just got drunk. Uncle Yuto is just walking her home!"
[Uncle Yuto, this is as far as I can help you. Thank you for the snacks and pocket money you gave me when I was a kid!]
"R-Really! We should believe in Uncle Yuto!"
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