Konoha's inner district, the Mochizuki residence
A large dining table that could seat more than a dozen people was laden with all kinds of dishes.
Zeyu, Hinata, Megumi, and Shota sat together, eating the food in front of them nonstop.
"Ah, I can't eat another bite. I'm so full," Zeyu said, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his stomach.
He glanced around. Shota was still wolfing down his food, while Megumi sat primly to one side, chewing slowly and elegantly, the very picture of a young lady.
As for Hinata, she was eating just as daintily, but the empty plates beside her kept piling up. It looked like she'd eaten quite a lot.
Yet Hinata was still eating, as if she weren't full at all. Seeing her focused on her food with her head bowed, Zeyu found her adorable. He smiled and began serving her more dishes.
"Third Young Lady, the eldest young lady has sent you a letter," the old butler said as he approached Megumi from behind, holding out the letter in his hand.
Megumi wiped her mouth, took the letter, and read it. Then she turned to the others.
"Ahem. Well, my sister wants us to go back to our hometown and train there. Zeyu, Hinata, do you want to come? She said you could join us."
"I'm in. What about you, Hinata?" Zeyu said.
"If Zeyu-kun is going, then I want to go too. But I might need to go home and let them know," Hinata said, her cheeks puffed out. She'd clearly started talking before she'd finished chewing.
"So that means I get to spend a month with Big Bro? Oh yeah!" Shota said excitedly, then accidentally choked.
"Honestly, you idiot," Megumi said. She raised a hand helplessly and slapped Shota on the back. He seemed to feel a little better, but then he started coughing repeatedly.
Megumi casually handed Shota a glass of water, then said to Hinata, "Hinata, should we invite Kiba and Shino too? Wouldn't it be bad if you kept getting separated from your team?"
"You're right. Thanks for reminding me, Megumi. I'll ask them later," Hinata said. Beside her, Zeyu gently wiped the soup from the corner of her mouth with a tissue.
Then he smiled as he watched Hinata eat.
"Zeyu-kun, when you do that... I can't eat properly," Hinata said, her little face turning pink as her heart fluttered.
"Oh? Is that so? But I haven't done anything," Zeyu said with a smile, spreading his hands.
Then he propped his head up with one hand and kept watching Hinata. When he noticed a lock of hair hanging over her face, he reached out and tucked it back.
Hinata turned redder and hurriedly picked up the water beside her to drink.
Megumi gave the lovestruck pair a deadpan look and thought, I was just wondering if Hinata might feel awkward, but now... I absolutely have to invite Kiba and Shino! Who knows how far these two will go if they're left alone!
At this rate, Hinata's chastity is in danger! Men are all terrible!
No, Kiba and Shino might not be enough on their own!
Thinking this, Megumi forced a smile and said to the others, the corners of her mouth twitching, "Hey, why don't we invite Nana-sensei and Kurenai-sensei too? We can all visit my home together. What do you think?"
"Yeah! Everyone together!" Shota laughed, holding up a chicken leg.
Hinata and Zeyu glanced at each other and casually agreed. The air between them was charged with romance, and little hearts seemed to pop up all around them.
Meanwhile, after Hanabi rushed to the hospital, she hurried to the front desk and asked the nurse there, "Excuse me, has a patient named Hinata Hyuga been admitted recently?" she asked anxiously.
"Ah, I think there is someone with the surname Hyuga," the nurse said, trying to remember.
"Where is she?" Hanabi cried anxiously, jumping onto the counter and grabbing the nurse's arm. Her face was covered in sweat.
The nurse was startled. She hurriedly checked the admission list and told Hanabi the room number. Hanabi left with a quick "Thank you" and rushed upstairs.
"Miss, wait!" Natsu Hyuga arrived late, panting as she hurried after her.
Hanabi reached the hospital room and pushed the door open without hesitation.
As soon as she entered, she saw that the only occupied bed was by the window. Sunlight streamed in, and a breeze stirred the white curtain beside the bed. A hazy figure was sitting up against the bed.
"Big Sis..." Hanabi murmured, tears glistening in her eyes.
She hurried over, threw herself onto the bed, and began crying as she hugged the person lying there, burying her face in the blanket.
Natsu stood in the doorway with her head bowed, looking sad too.
"Waaah... Big Sis, I'm so glad you're mostly all right," Hanabi sobbed, rubbing her face back and forth against the blanket.
"It's all that red-haired jerk's fault for tricking you into training! He's an outsider—what could he possibly teach you? Don't worry, Big Sis. I'll go find him right now and teach him a lesson!" Hanabi said, clenching her fists, her eyes sharp.
"I'm afraid you might not be able to manage that, Miss Hanabi," Neji said helplessly to Hanabi in his arms, his eyes closed. His hands hadn't fully recovered and rested at his sides.
Hanabi froze, her expression stiffening as she slowly lifted her head.
When she saw Neji instead of Hinata, she quickly let go and stood up.
"Huh? Neji-niisan? Where's Big Sis?" Hanabi asked, crossing her hands in front of her.
"I don't know. She's probably with Zeyu," Neji said, looking out the window.
"Zeyu? That red-haired jerk? Where is he? I'm going to beat him up!" Hanabi said angrily, clenching her fists as she turned and hurried toward the door.
She ran straight into Hiashi, who had just arrived. Before coming up, he had asked the nurse carefully and learned that it was Neji who was hospitalized, not Hinata. So he was in no hurry now.
"Where are you going this time?" Hiashi asked.
Hanabi lowered her head, puffed out her cheeks, clenched both fists, and pouted. "To find Big Sis. To beat up the redhead."
Hiashi sighed helplessly and gave Natsu a look.
Natsu understood. She took Hanabi by the hand and led her aside.
Hiashi walked over to Neji by the window, pulled up a chair, and sat down to ask what had happened.
"Naruto, I'm telling you, you didn't even pass. Why are you in such a hurry to train? The exam only ended this morning," Ebisu said, arms folded, looking down at Naruto, who was lying in the river.
Naruto sat up, his face dark, and said nothing.
Ebisu continued, "If you ask me, you should eat something, go home, wash up, and get a good night's sleep. Then tomorrow you can get up and practice on your own—"
"No!" Naruto interrupted him loudly.
Then he stood up, clenched his fists, and looked at Ebisu with determination. "It's because I didn't win that I have to train even harder! I'm going to become Hokage! How can I give up like this?"
"Eating and sleeping are important, sure, but right now isn't the time for me to enjoy those things!"
"I'm too weak. If I don't get stronger, I'll be left behind!"
"Sasuke, Lee, Zeyu, and that Gaara—all of them are so much stronger than me. I absolutely can't stay where I am!"
"That's why I have to work even harder. If all I do is eat and sleep, I'll never become Hokage. There are no shortcuts to becoming Hokage!"
"Naruto..." Ebisu murmured in surprise as he watched him.
The previous night, Kakashi had found Ebisu and asked him to train Naruto.
"Don't we still have to wait for the results? If he fails the exam, does he need extra training?" Ebisu had asked.
"Well, that's true. But knowing Naruto, he'll train like crazy even if he fails, right? He's an idiot who's always talking about becoming Hokage."
"I heard what happened with Sasuke. I imagine Naruto will be training with him from now on, so I'm leaving Naruto in your hands. Please."
Heh, Kakashi was right after all, Ebisu thought with a slight smile as he looked at the serious Naruto before him.
"Oh no, it's already this late. He must've been back for ages. I'd better go home and check," Mikoto said, taking off her apron.
After finishing her work, Mikoto asked her boss for time off and hurried home with Sato.
You little brat, please be all right, Mikoto thought as she ran, lips pressed together and worry written all over her face.
As she rounded a corner, she saw Zeyu emerging from a large gate, with Hinata beside him, clinging to his arm.
"Hinata, should I walk you home first? Your father's probably getting worried," Zeyu said.
"Mm... I can stay a little longer. It's still early," Hinata said with her head lowered, leaning closer to Zeyu. He smiled at her.
Just then, Mikoto rushed over and skidded to a stop in front of Zeyu, kicking up a cloud of dust behind her.
"Zeyu, are you all right? Let me check!" Mikoto said, coming up and turning his head this way and that, inspecting him for injuries.
Sato came over too and watched Zeyu with a smile.
He looks fine. Thank goodness, Sato thought.
"Auntie? I'm fine... Hey, wait," Zeyu said, trying to resist.
But Mikoto wasn't having it. She even started pulling at his clothes, yanking his T-shirt up as she said, "No! I'm not convinced. What if you're just putting on a brave face? Let me see if you're hurt!"
His shirt came up, revealing his nearly perfect abs.
Hinata turned bright red. She covered her face with both hands, but peeked through her fingers to watch.
Mikoto saw that he was fine, but kept tugging. Her hand reached for the waistband of his pants.
"Wait! Auntie, let's not go that far. I'm really fine," Zeyu pleaded, grabbing Mikoto's wrist and managing a strained smile.
Mikoto smiled back at him. The hand he'd caught slowly rose, and the two of them stared at each other.
"Now!" Mikoto shouted, using her other hand to yank Zeyu's pants down.
At the sight, Hinata's nose gushed blood, and she fainted.
"Hey, young lady, are you all right?" Sato hurried over to ask.
"Didn't she cover her face?" Sato wondered aloud.
Zeyu quickly crouched down, wrapped both arms around his legs, and looked up with tears in his eyes, his face crumpled. "Waaah, I can't show my face anymore."
Mikoto circled around the crouching Zeyu, looking him over from every angle. Only after confirming that he really was unharmed did she let out a sigh of relief.
She bent down, smiled at Zeyu, and held out her hand. "Thank goodness, Zeyu. You came back safe and sound. I'm so glad."
"I didn't come back safe and sound. I'm hurt on the inside now," Zeyu said tearfully as he slowly pulled up his pants and put them back on.
Mikoto's hand hung in midair. Somewhat awkwardly, she pulled it back.
"Come on, I've seen everything there is to see. What are you embarrassed about?" Mikoto said.
"Come on, Mikoto was just worried about you, right?" Sato said, giving her a look.
"Mhm, exactly," Mikoto said, nodding with her arms crossed.
After straightening his clothes a little, Zeyu went to Hinata and picked her up.
"I know, but you took it too far, Auntie," Zeyu said quietly.
"Uh... well..." Mikoto said softly, scratching the back of her head as she looked around. Only then did she notice that there were still people on the street. She'd just stripped Zeyu in public.
"Sorry..." Mikoto said helplessly. She hadn't thought there was anything wrong with what she'd done and had simply gone ahead with it.
Seeing the people around them whispering, Mikoto hurried everyone home. She covered her face and rushed ahead.
Sato scratched his head and followed behind her helplessly.
Just then, Kakashi, who had been looking for Zeyu, noticed what was happening and spotted him hurrying along the road with Hinata in his arms.
"Yo, Zeyu," Kakashi said, coming up to him.
"Did you need something, Kakashi-sensei? I'm not in the mood right now," Zeyu said, sniffing. Tear tracks still marked his cheeks, and his eyes glistened as he looked at Kakashi.
"Uh... I just wanted to ask you something," Kakashi said, looking puzzled by Zeyu's state.
Who made this monster cry?... Who could possibly make this monster cry? Kakashi thought, breaking into a cold sweat.