"Ahem!"
A little embarrassed, Shinichi explained, "There's no need to go to such extremes to deal with him. He just accidentally went astray! You have to give him a chance to mend his ways. Killing him outright would be going a bit too far."
"Then what if he really comes pestering me?"
Naruto looked utterly innocent.
"No big deal. I can teach you a way to deal with him. Guaranteed to work!"
The corners of Shinichi's mouth curled up as he led Naruto outside.
Clearly, he was off to give him another private lesson.
"Why do I feel like Shinichi is pulling Naruto's leg?"
Karin tilted her little head, looking doubtful.
"No way. Shinichi would never be that kind of person."
Haku had absolute faith in Shinichi. He simply refused to believe Shinichi was the sort of rotten adult who tricked children.
Children really are naive...
Kakashi, who had come home for a meal for once, felt the corner of his eye twitch at the sight and couldn't help grumbling to himself.
As his close younger brother, Kakashi definitely knew his big brother better than anyone.
He would bet anything that Shinichi was cooking up some mischief again!
Another day of grueling training had ended.
Naruto had just finished walking Hinata home. This was the most important part of the daily training schedule Shinichi had set for him.
In Shinichi's words, he could slack off on training and whatnot, but never on walking Hinata home. He had to do it every day, without exception.
To give the two youngsters time alone together, a certain someone had shamelessly sent Neji away under the pretext of training more than once. This thoroughly puzzled Neji, who always wanted to stay by Hinata's side as her bodyguard.
"It's been ages since I had