You Think You Can Be My Brother-in-Law? I Haven't Agreed!

"Yi, um, um... long time no see." Hinata's cheeks were red, and she was as shy and adorable as ever.

"Long time no see, Hinata!" Uchiha Yi smiled and stepped forward to hug her. Hinata instantly froze, her face turning scarlet.

Uchiha Yi felt a flutter of anticipation and could not resist leaning down to kiss her, but just then, someone called out.

"Haha, Yi, there you are! Come on, let's get ramen!" Uchiha Yi knew it was Naruto without even turning around.

Hinata came back to her senses and wriggled out of Yi's arms like a startled little fish. "Yi, my father wants to see you. Come over tonight," she said before running out of sight. She really had loosened up quite a bit over the past two years.

"Huh? Wasn't that Hinata? Why did she run off? Isn't she coming for ramen?" Naruto ran up beside Uchiha Yi, having just caught sight of Hinata. Uchiha Yi was gritting his teeth.

Couldn't you have come two minutes later? All you ever think about is eating. Who do you think you are, Choji Akimichi?

Naruto did not notice Uchiha Yi's irritation. Instead, he grinned happily. "That's fine. Just the two of us works too. Come on, Yi, let's get ramen."

"No, Naruto. Let's hold off for now." Uchiha Yi shook his head. Under Naruto's puzzled gaze, his tone turned serious. "We haven't seen each other in so long. I think I ought to test how strong you are now."

"Test how strong I am now?" Naruto paused, then chuckled. "Hehe, Yi, let me tell you, I've gotten a lot stronger these past two years!"

"Oh? Then let me see." Uchiha Yi gave him a wicked grin. Nobody could interrupt his moment like that and walk away unscathed.

At Konoha's training ground, it took only a few minutes for Uchiha Yi to beat Naruto black and blue.

It was not that Naruto was weak. He was already very strong, several times stronger than he had been in the original story. He had even mastered Wind Release: Rasenshuriken and had excitedly brought it out earlier, warning Uchiha Yi to be careful!

Watching Naruto form a Rasenshuriken several times larger than the one in his own hand, Yi gaped wide enough to fit a large rice ball in his mouth.

He had sensed it earlier, but seeing it with his own eyes still left him marveling.

For over two years, the Nine-Tails had supplied Naruto with chakra as Yi instructed, without causing a single tailed beast rampage. But Naruto's gift for talking people around had not improved, and he still had a long way to go before reaching Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.

According to Naruto, though, he had already begun learning about the relevant techniques under Jiraiya's guidance. He had returned this time to train at Mount Myōboku, much earlier than in the original story.

Yi and Naruto arrived at Ichiraku Ramen. Watching Naruto with a wicked grin, Yi called out to him.

"Come on, Naruto, eat up. This one's on me. It's been ages since you mooched a bowl of Ichiraku's ramen. Slurp it down while it's hot. It won't taste the same once it gets cold."

Behind the counter, Ayame's eyelid twitched. Naruto's mouth was so swollen that he could barely open it, yet Yi was prying it open with his chopsticks to feed him. He was clearly just stuffing food in! How had this boy turned out like this? Poor Naruto!

The Hyuga Clan had already given instructions, so nobody came over to interfere. After Yi left the room with Naruto, every Hyuga clansman they encountered greeted him respectfully, clearly already treating him as the clan's grandson-in-law.

At lunchtime, Yi was asked to stay. He felt too awkward to slip away and joined Hinata...

No, Hinata was still resting, and nobody dared bring her up.

The Hyuga Clan's rules were strict, even at mealtimes. Usually, Hinata and Hanabi ate together, only occasionally sharing a meal with their parents. The three elders had never eaten at the same table.

Hanabi, who could never sit still, squirmed throughout lunch. Yi knew the little girl was uncomfortable because he was there.

During the meal, the three elders did not mention Hinata outright, but they repeatedly hinted to Yi that he and Hinata were no longer that young.

This is fucking ridiculous, Yi grumbled inwardly. Hinata is only sixteen, and I'm actually fourteen! Even counting the two-plus years I disappeared, I've only just turned seventeen. That barely counts.

Still, he understood what the elders meant. He leisurely offered a remark, then got up to make his escape. "Everyone, just so you know, Hinata and I will be taking a trip out of the village in about three days."

He had not eaten his fill, but sharing a meal with these people was no fun at all. Yi stood and left.

Hanabi immediately dropped her chopsticks and ran into her room. Lunch had been so stifling that she had lost her appetite. Normally, such behavior would have earned her a scolding from the three elders, but they were deep in thought and paid her no attention.

Yi had barely gone any distance when he heard a sharp little shout. "You there, Uchiha Yi! Stop!"

He knew who it was without looking back. A blur flashed before his eyes, and a little girl in a pink kimono blocked his path.

Yi looked up. The little girl's face was bright red, and she glared at him with her chin raised, but her eyes kept darting around. Clearly, she was embarrassed about having peeked last night and was only pretending to be composed.

Smiling, Yi reached out to pat her head and teased her. "Who are you calling Uchiha Yi? You should be calling me your brother-in-law, little girl!"

Hanabi slapped his hand away and huffed, "You want to be my brother-in-law? I haven't agreed to that!"

Yi was momentarily speechless. "What does becoming your brother-in-law have to do with you? Your sister's agreement is all I need."

Hanabi could not find a reply. The scene she had stumbled upon last night flashed through her mind. She had only glanced once, yet every detail was clear. The person who had shocked her most was now standing right in front of her, and her face burned red.

[Translation omitted: sexualization of a minor.]

[Translation omitted: sexualization of a minor.]

Hanabi seemed to notice something wrong with Yi's gaze and glared fiercely at him. "I don't care! Everyone says you're strong, so spar with me. Let's see what you're really made of!"

Without waiting for Yi's answer, she lunged at him with a sharp cry. "Byakugan!"

Watching Hanabi activate her Byakugan and charge at him with Gentle Fist, Yi's mouth twitched. His little sister-in-law was really fired up.

Hanabi's little fist struck Yi squarely. Planting her hands on her hips, she looked up and declared that her Gentle Fist had hit him and sealed his chakra points.

Hanabi could not hold back her own laughter, her body shaking as she giggled.

Yi rolled his eyes and curled his lip, asking whether that was all she could do. If his chakra points had really been sealed, how could she still see them clearly?

Yi's eyes shifted, and he deliberately feigned surprise, saying that he did not feel anything unusual from having his chakra points sealed.

Hanabi immediately raised her chin and protested that she had seen it perfectly clearly. She even looked down to double-check the chakra point she had just sealed.

But when she looked again, the chakra point was perfectly normal, without the slightest change.

Hanabi frowned and shook her head. Her little face tightened, and she huffed that even if she had failed to seal it, she would just try again.

With that, she lunged forward with another punch. But the moment it landed, her face fell. She had clearly felt herself seal it, so why was nothing happening now?

Hanabi stamped her foot and shouted that Yi was cheating.

Yi shrugged and said that her Gentle Fist simply was not good enough. He even gave her a look that said, "You're no match for me," making Hanabi bristle with anger.

His next words were gentler, though. He told the little girl not to peek again, or he would punish her.

With that, Yi turned and left, leaving Hanabi standing there with her face burning red.

He actually knew I was peeking? she wondered.

No, that wasn't peeking. At most, I stumbled upon it by accident.

The Hyuga Clan had already given instructions. When Yi entered the clan compound, nobody stopped him. Instead, everyone greeted him respectfully, clearly treating him as their own son-in-law.

When lunch was served, Yi was asked to stay. He felt too awkward to leave, since it was a meal with Hinata's family.

The Hyuga Clan had strict rules. Usually, Hinata and Hanabi only occasionally ate with the adults, and the three elders had never shared a meal. Today, all three had actually shown up. Hanabi sat uncomfortably, drooping throughout the meal.

The three elders did not mention Hinata during the meal, but their words kept hinting that Yi and Hinata were old enough to settle things.

Hinata is only six, and I'm fourteen, Yi grumbled inwardly. Even counting the two years I went missing, I'm barely seventeen. How does that count as being old enough?

Yi understood what the elders meant. He casually said that he and Hinata would be leaving the village for a trip in three days, then got up and left.

He had not eaten his fill, but dining with these people was simply no fun.

Hanabi immediately put down her bowl and followed him out. The meal was too oppressive, and she had no appetite.

Normally, leaving so early would have earned Hanabi a scolding from the elders for her lack of manners. Today, however, they were too pleased to pay her any attention.

Yi had barely walked any distance when a sharp little shout came from behind him, ordering him to stop.

He knew who it was without turning around. A blur flashed before his eyes, and a little girl in a pink kimono blocked his path.

Yi looked at Hanabi's flushed cheeks. Although she glared at him with her chin raised, her eyes kept darting around. It was obvious that she was embarrassed about peeking last night and was trying to bluff her way through it.

Yi smiled and reached out to pat her head, teasing her that she ought to call him her brother-in-law.

Hanabi slapped his hand away and huffed, asking how he could think of becoming her brother-in-law when she had not agreed to it.

Yi rolled his eyes and asked what becoming her brother-in-law had to do with her. Her sister's agreement was all he needed.

Hanabi could not find a reply. The scene she had stumbled upon last night flashed through her mind. She had only glanced once, but every detail remained vivid. The person who had shocked her most was standing right in front of her now, and her face grew even redder.

[Translation omitted: sexualization of a minor.]

[Translation omitted: sexualization of a minor.]

The little girl was only eleven or twelve and had not finished growing yet. There was something off about Uchiha Yi's gaze.

But Hanabi Hyuga noticed his strange gaze. Gritting her teeth, she shouted that she wanted to spar with him and see just how capable he really was.