"Oh my~"
Hanabi interrupted Naruto's thoughts. Her eyes curved into lovely crescents, and her smile grew even brighter.
She reached out with her left hand and took hold of Naruto's hand before he could fully withdraw it after rubbing her head. Her little hand was warm and soft, but her grip allowed no argument.
"I already knew!"
Hanabi tilted her little face up, but her words made Naruto's heart skip a beat.
"I know all about that little 'I want them all' thought of yours, Naruto~"
"I can keep helping you! But first, you have to promise me that no matter what happens, you'll protect me just like you protect my sister! And... you have to always be good to me!"
Affection colored her voice. Naruto was someone very important to both her and her sister, but she also wanted a promise that belonged to her alone.
Did you think Hiashi had raised Hanabi well just because he hadn't raised Hinata well?
Don't be ridiculous. In practice, he treated both daughters the same way.
Hanabi merely had it a little better than Hinata.
Hiashi was just as harsh with Hanabi's training, and rarely spent time with her or encouraged her in everyday life. (In the original story, even Kurenai Yuhi couldn't stand how demanding Hiashi was with Hanabi's training during the Chunin Ninja Exams.)
It might have seemed that Hiashi trusted Naruto and therefore felt comfortable letting his two daughters train and play with him later on, but in truth, he had run out of options.
Especially after Naruto became Hokage, Hiashi had even fewer options.
Previously, he had made his daughters train so they would have the strength to survive once they became ninja. Now, the Shinobi World was on the verge of unification, and their future partner was