Brother, You Smell So Good

Outside the overgrown courtyard, Yuhi Kurenai stood in her casual attire, her eyes bright and alert, yet her expression was uncharacteristically awkward.

Opposite her, Yugao Uzuki, whose purple hair cascaded to her waist, looked equally perplexed, her pure features tinged with a hint of allure.

"Senior Kurenai? Why are you at Hanazuki's house? Could it be that you've heard the news too?"

"That... you're in the same class as Anko... heard what news?"

Kurenai scrutinized the young junior before her, a strange sense of crisis rising in her heart.

"Does Senior not know? Hanazuki, Uchiha Hanazuki, was taken as a disciple by Orochimaru-sama of the Sannin, and Anko was later accepted as a student by him as well."

"The Team Orochimaru that the three of us belonged to was disbanded because of this. I originally wanted to congratulate them both, but I heard that in the last battle, Hanazuki exhausted too much chakra and couldn't perform missions for a while, so that's why..."

Yugao's words failed to dispel Kurenai's suspicions. She glanced skeptically at the gift Yugao was hiding behind her back, a corner of which was faintly visible, and her sense of crisis intensified.

"So that's how it is. Were you and Anko members of the same team as Hanazuki?"

"That was months ago. Ever since he saved us from the Fourth Raikage and was taken in by Orochimaru-sensei, Team Orochimaru has been disbanded."

A fleeting, imperceptible look of loneliness crossed Yugao's face. Just as Kurenai was about to offer words of comfort, a hearty laugh echoed from the street corner in the distance.

"Kurenai! Yugao! What are you two doing at this guy's front door? Eh? Since when did you two start liking sweets?"

Anko moved with lightning speed, dashing from the end of the street to Hanazuki's doorstep in the blink of an eye. She looked left and right, asking curiously.

"Kurenai, don't you hate cake? And you too, Yugao. These Three-Color Dango are highly sought after. Could it be that..."

Facing Anko's gaze, both women felt an identical wave of awkwardness, their toes curling so hard they felt they could dig out a three-bedroom apartment.

Their accidental eye contact made their cheeks burn, and they quickly averted their gazes. Kurenai scrambled to explain, flustered.

"Actually, I..."

"As I thought, have you finally come to appreciate the beauty of dango and desserts?"

Anko's smile grew even brighter, which couldn't help but make Kurenai and Yugao breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Anko was rather dense; otherwise, their secret would have been exposed.

Hmm? Why did Anko have to join in on the fun? What is this? A love triangle?

"Hey! Hanazuki, how long have you been hiding over there watching us? I, the great Anko, have arrived in person—hurry up and open the door for us!"

With her hands on her hips and looking perfectly justified, Anko shouted arrogantly.

Yugao and Kurenai looked up in a panic, only then noticing the youth in the second-floor window, his long hair draped loosely behind him, looking utterly languid.

"How long have I been watching? Probably the whole time. You didn't ring the doorbell, and I'm not the type to invite women into my home just like that."

Kurenai and Yugao looked mortified. It seemed they really hadn't rung the doorbell; they had been too busy sizing up their competition to even notice it.

"So suspicious, your words are so suspicious! Forget it, hurry up and open the door! If you don't, the dango and the Red Bean Soup will get cold!"

Creak. The door opened slowly. The pitch-black hallway made the three of them feel a tremor of unease, but the inexplicable fragrance that followed washed away their inner fear.

"Welcome. I really didn't expect anyone to come visit me. I haven't prepared anything at home, my apologies."

Hanazuki spoke with a hint of perfunctoriness, which only made Anko start shouting again.

"Liar! You're just like this when you're learning ninjutsu from Orochimaru-sensei—you lazily send a shadow clone to watch once and then leave. You're just purely afraid of trouble!"

In the clean, bright living room, three cups of black tea were steaming gently. Facing Hanazuki, who was practically sinking into the sofa, the three of them looked at each other. Finally, Anko spoke up first.

"Hey, in a while, Orochimaru-sensei and I are going to train outside the village. Are you coming?"

Her gaze shifted as she asked in a low voice. After waiting for a long time without receiving an answer, she gathered her courage to look up, only to hear the faint sound of snoring in her ears.

"You guy! I'm talking to you! Orochimaru-sensei wants me to go train outside the village with him, are you going or not! You jerk!"

She grabbed him by the collar and yanked him straight up from the sofa. As she leaned in close, a deep, lingering fragrance quietly permeated the air, causing all three of them to blush.

Anko looked around in a daze, the skepticism on her face becoming even more pronounced.

"When did you start growing flowers in your house? I keep smelling a really pleasant scent. What exactly is going on?"

"Indeed, I felt it the moment I walked in. It's a very pleasant, yet peculiar fragrance."

"Is it floral? The source of the scent seems very close to us. What kind of flower could it be?"

Just as the three were puzzled, Anko suddenly brought her hand to her nose and sniffed, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

"Could it be..."

As their faces drew closer, Kurenai and Yugao's expressions shifted, their faces turning beet red. They subconsciously covered their eyes, though a glimmer of excitement flickered through the gaps between their fingers.

"Anko! What are you doing? Is that a kiss? Are you kissing him?"

"Wait a minute, we can't make mistakes at our age! Even if you want to become an adult, don't do it in front of us, Anko!"

Anko looked completely bewildered. Hanazuki, whose thoughts had been interrupted by the screaming, opened his eyes. Seeing that he had finally woken up, she subconsciously let go of his collar.

"Wait, what are you all thinking? That scent is coming from him! It's on him! What did you think I was trying to do?"

"Could it be..."

Anko's gaze made Kurenai and Yugao feel so embarrassed they wanted to disappear. Hanazuki, having just woken up from his stupor, was left completely baffled by the scene.

"What on earth are you all talking about?"

Feeling that he was acting a bit strange today, Hanazuki subconsciously examined himself, and soon, he discovered the problem.

[Name: Uchiha Hanazuki]

[Kekkei Genkai: Mangekyo Sharingan]

[Identity: Nine-Tails Jinchuriki]

[Tailed Beast: Black Nine-Tails]

[Exclusive Trait: Fox Charm]

Fox Charm? When did such a strange trait appear, and where did it come from?

Subconsciously flipping through his status, Hanazuki finally found the source of the trait at the end of his Moon Sign.

Exclusive to the Moon Sign? So the Moon Sign doesn't grant ninjutsu or items, but rather buffs applied to myself?

Feeling three dangerous gazes fixed firmly upon him, Hanazuki looked up to see several faces—youthful yet possessing a beauty far beyond their years—pressed close against him, their brows flushed with hidden desire.

"Brother, you smell so good. I just want to rub against you, lick you..."

"Hanazuki-kun, you're so cute! As I thought, you're the one I really want..."

"Actually, ever since that day you saved me, I have..."

Bang!

A sudden gust of wind dispersed the amorous atmosphere in the living room as a figure rushed in, looking frantic.

"Uchiha Hanazuki, something terrible has happened!"