Misunderstanding

On the way, Hyuga Shinichi chatted with the middle-aged man, and they gradually grew familiar with each other.

It turned out that this man was named Uzumaki Gangwu, the father of Uzumaki Michiko, and he worked as a doctor.

The reason he accompanied the patrol team was simple: his medical skills allowed him to treat injured clansmen in a timely manner, effectively reducing the casualty rate.

Chatting along the way, the two arrived at the clinic before they knew it.

Uzumaki Gangwu pushed open the door, his heart full of joy, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Michiko, Daddy is home!"

He stood straight in the doorway with his arms wide open, a happy smile plastered on his face, much like a doting father expecting his child to rush into his embrace for a cuddle.

At that moment, he was imagining his daughter running toward him with joy as she always did, offering a warm and enthusiastic hug, and finishing with a sweet, "Daddy, I was so worried about you."

However, as the seconds ticked by, no one emerged from the house. Although Hyuga Shinichi didn't know what was going through his mind, he couldn't help but cast a strange look at him, as if looking at someone quite peculiar.

Uzumaki Gangwu felt a bit awkward and embarrassed. He quickly retracted his arms and shook his head helplessly, explaining, "This girl must be so busy taking care of your friend that she didn't hear me calling."

Hyuga Shinichi simply nodded without a word and followed Uzumaki Gangwu into the clinic.

Inside, Nawaki was already able to stand and was actively helping Uzumaki Michiko with her tasks.

The two were busy working while chatting and laughing from time to time, filling the room with a harmonious and warm atmosphere.

Uzumaki Michiko was climbing a ladder to search for items on the top shelf when she suddenly discovered some treasures she had lost long ago, her heart brimming with joy.

She couldn't wait to turn around and share this sudden delight with Nawaki.

However, perhaps due to her excitement, she lost her balance, her body swayed violently, and she tumbled from the ladder.

In the blink of an eye, Nawaki reached out with astonishing speed to catch Uzumaki Michiko.

Unfortunately, because he hadn't fully recovered, his strength was limited. Nawaki couldn't steady himself, and they both tipped backward, with him acting as a human cushion.

In the moment of the fall, Uzumaki Michiko was terrified and squeezed her eyes shut.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, though they didn't seem to stop the descent entirely. Then, with a dull thud, the sensation of falling vanished, and a concerned inquiry came from beneath her.

"Hiss... Michiko, are you okay?"

At this moment, Uzumaki Michiko, her head pressed against Nawaki's chest, slowly opened her eyes to see Nawaki looking at her with concern.

In an instant, she realized what had happened—Nawaki had saved her—and a warm current surged through her heart.

But remembering that Nawaki was still an injured patient, Uzumaki Michiko tried to stand up.

Just then, a sharp pain shot through her ankle, forcing her to collapse back down, bracing herself with one hand on the floor to ease the agony.

As a result, the scene now looked as if Uzumaki Michiko had pushed Nawaki to the ground and was pinning him down in a "kabedon" style.

The two locked eyes, and an ambiguous atmosphere began to permeate the air.

Just then, Uzumaki Gangwu pushed the door open and happened to witness this jaw-dropping scene. He instantly turned to stone, his mouth hanging wide open, his face full of disbelief.

Hyuga Shinichi, following closely behind, noticed Uzumaki Gangwu stop in his tracks. Curious, he looked in the same direction and was equally stunned.

Uzumaki Michiko and Nawaki were in such an intimate position, their faces so close that it seemed they would kiss with the slightest movement.

Hyuga Shinichi thought to himself, even if children in the world of the Hokage were precocious, this was a bit too advanced! What surprised him even more was that a kid like Nawaki was being pinned down by a girl!

Sigh, perhaps this is the luck of the simple-minded. I should go back and tell his grandmother. In a few years, Nawaki will be sixteen and an adult, and Uzumaki Michiko is only a year older than him.

If Nawaki gets married early, his grandmother might even get to hold a great-grandchild.

The two on the floor noticed the pair at the door and realized the awkwardness of the situation. They quickly separated and sat on the ground.

Uzumaki Michiko's face was as red as a ripe apple. She lowered her head, fiddling with the hem of her clothes, while Nawaki scratched his head, looking embarrassed as he tried to explain something to the two at the door.

"I... I was just trying to catch her, I didn't..."

"No need to explain, Nawaki. I understand. I'll tell your grandmother when I get back so you two can be together soon."

Uzumaki Michiko, who hadn't heard what they said, took a deep breath and quickly regained her composure. She calmed herself down and began to explain the sequence of events in detail.

As she spoke, the initial awkward atmosphere gradually eased, and the misunderstanding was cleared up.

At this point, Uzumaki Gangwu, having broken out of his petrified state, stepped forward to help treat them.

However, when he faced Nawaki, even though the misunderstanding was resolved, he still wore the look of a father-in-law scrutinizing a son-in-law, as if he wanted to see right through the boy.

This gaze made Nawaki feel a wave of pressure, and a thin layer of sweat even broke out on his forehead.

Meanwhile, after her ankle sprain was treated and no longer a concern, Uzumaki Michiko walked straight up to Hyuga Shinichi and held out her palm without hesitation.

Hyuga Shinichi immediately understood her meaning and quickly unfastened the bag he was carrying, which contained the herbs she needed. After taking the bag, Uzumaki Michiko darted into the back room.

Before long, the rich scent of medicine drifted out from the back, and soon after, Uzumaki Michiko emerged with a steaming bowl of medicinal soup.

She carefully placed the bowl on the table and said to Nawaki, who had finished his treatment, "Although you've regained some strength after eating, you should still drink this. It's good for your body."

Her words were filled with concern, which made Uzumaki Gangwu, watching from the side, find Nawaki even more of an eyesore.

Nawaki shyly took the soup and gulped it down. Afterward, he felt his body warming up and felt much better.

"Thank you, Michiko."

"Hmph, who asked for your thanks!"

Though she said that, the upturned corners of her mouth betrayed her true feelings.