I've Been Scammed!!! [Seeking Collection, Seeking Flowers]

And Hikaru, heading home, kept wiping his mouth—he still felt that stench lingering around his lips.

"Uchiha Hikaru, you're not allowed to leave!!!"

Tsunade caught up, blocking his path just like before, refusing to let him go home.

Hikaru froze for a moment, then said, "Don't you have a casino to go to? Why block me?"

"Anyway, anyway, you're not allowed to leave!!!"

Tsunade, a little guilty and unable to find a proper excuse, started acting spoiled.

"Heh~~~~"

Seeing Tsunade's guilty face but stubborn mouth, Hikaru laughed outright. Pointing at himself, he said to her, "Afraid I'll snitch?"

Tsunade nodded naturally.

"..."

Hikaru raised his hand, tempted to slap Tsunade into the wall—so hard she'd stick there and never come off.

He scratched his hair, which was getting long enough to reach his shoulders. He'd never imagined that one day a five-year-old girl would drive him crazy enough to want to hit someone.

Taking a deep breath, Hikaru forced himself to calm down. Looking at Tsunade's guilty expression, he said, "Don't worry, okay? I'm not Jiraiya. Where your money comes from—I, Uchiha Hikaru, don't care. And I'm not a big mouth. Whether you use it for gambling or anything else, it's none of my business, alright?"

"Don't keep thinking I'll report you. I, Uchiha Hikaru, have no grudge against you, Tsunade. Why would I snitch?"

Tsunade nodded blankly, realization dawning. Right, I have no grudge against him. We're even friends. Why would he snitch?

A little money was nothing. The Senju Clan was wealthy and powerful; they wouldn't care about such a small amount.

Besides, this wasn't Tsunade's first time. The clan elders were used to it. Even if she got caught, it was just a light scolding, no real punishment.

Tsunade was practically spoiled rotten.

The anxious Tsunade sighed in relief at Hikaru's explanation. Now calm, she lifted her Money Bag and looked at him curiously. "Weren't you training? Why are you home so early today?"

When Hikaru had school, he'd go to the Training Ground after class. On days off, he'd stay there all day. This was no secret. The teacher had even praised him at school, hoping others would follow his example.

But it failed. Hardly any kids his age actually focused on studying or training.

If Hikaru came home very late, Tsunade thought it was normal. But him coming home early—that struck her as strange.

Habit could be a scary thing sometimes.

"My ninja tools broke, so I'm heading home. Planning to learn some jutsu."

Hikaru shrugged casually, looking unconcerned, but a flicker of wariness crossed his eyes. He didn't want Tsunade to smear her grubby little hands on his face again.

"Ninja tools?!"

Tsunade was stunned. Weren't those things everywhere? Completely unremarkable, right?

Soon she realized how dumb she was. She raised her hand to smack her forehead, but remembering what happened with Hikaru earlier, she quickly put it down.

It hit her—Hikaru was an orphan, living off village and clan subsidies. Ninja tools were expensive. Without a clan backing him, he couldn't compare to her.

When Tsunade trained, she didn't just throw Kunai and Shuriken—she tossed Explosive Tags by the handful.

"Oh, it's just ninja tools, right?"

Thinking this, Tsunade laughed it off. Under Hikaru's stunned gaze, she grabbed a handful of cash and shoved it into his hand, then winked mischievously. "Hehe, finders keepers. Train in peace."

Her expression and manner seemed to say, Big sis has plenty of money!!!

Without letting him argue, she stuffed the cash into his hand, then happily walked off with her bag, heading toward the casino.

"Did I just get kept?"

Staring at the pile of money in his arms, Hikaru was dumbfounded. Kept by a five-year-old girl?

"Damn!!! That girl set me up!!!"

When Hikaru snapped out of it, Tsunade was long gone. Looking at the money in his arms, he was torn between laughter and tears. He quickly tucked it away, planning to return it to her later.

No matter where this money came from, he couldn't touch a single coin. Otherwise, it'd be mud in his pants—not shit, but still shit. The Senju Clan would definitely not sit still, and trouble would follow.

Slapping his forehead, Hikaru felt he'd brought this on himself. He should've just let her do whatever she wanted. It wasn't his money she was spending. Now look.

Hikaru was sure someone was watching—whether from the Senju or the Uchiha. News would spread soon. The Senju side might be fine, but the Uchiha... certain things would definitely become common knowledge.