Hiashi: Damn it! Hinata was only three!

The Hatake household.

Shinichi happened to be up bright and early, so he carefully prepared a lavish breakfast for Naruto and Karin. Kakashi's portion was just an afterthought.

Adults could make do with whatever, but children absolutely could not.

"Oh, right, big brother."

Still bleary-eyed from waking up, Kakashi suddenly remembered something. He took out an invitation and said, "Before you came back, Hiashi sent someone over with an invitation, saying he wanted to have our family over. He also said there was no deadline. Whenever you returned, you could go see him at the Hyuga Clan."

By defeating the Fourth Raikage, Shinichi had not only reestablished Konoha's prestige in the eyes of the outside world, but also resolved a major problem for the Hyuga Clan. For Hiashi and his brother, it was nothing less than a lifesaving favor.

With such a sincere invitation, Shinichi naturally had no reason to refuse.

After all, Hiashi was Naruto's future father-in-law!

"If someone's treating us to dinner, why wouldn't we go?"

Shinichi, who had been sprawled limply across the sofa, got up and stretched. "I don't feel like cooking tonight anyway," he said lazily. "Kakashi, go tell Hiashi our whole family will be coming over tonight."

"But Hiashi only invited you. Wouldn't it be a little inappropriate for all of us to go?"

"Don't be ridiculous! Do you think Hiashi is that stingy? Besides, if I leave, who's going to cook for you? Are you planning to feed the two little ones instant noodles again?"

Seeing his shameless insistence on squeezing every last benefit out of the situation, Kakashi's mouth twitched.

If people outside saw that this was what the so-called hero of Konoha was really like, their jaws would hit the floor.

"Fine!"

Unable to win against his older brother, Kakashi could only steel himself and head to the Hyuga Clan to deliver the message.

"Shinichi, are we going to Hinata's house tonight?"

Naruto looked up from busily shoveling down his breakfast and asked expectantly.

"That's right. Hinata's dad owes me a huge favor, so today I'm going to milk him for all he's worth!"

Shinichi spoke without the slightest restraint. "Congratulations, Naruto. I might even get your engagement to Hinata settled tonight. You're doing much better than Kakashi. Just look at him-almost twenty, and he still doesn't have a girlfriend."

"Engagement?"

Naruto's little head was full of questions.

The oblivious Naruto had little awareness of such things, but Karin's eyes lit up beside him. She hurriedly asked, "What? Shinichi, is Naruto already getting a fiancée?"

"He doesn't have one yet. That's exactly why I need to put in the effort for him!"

Shinichi stroked Karin's head and sighed softly.

With Naruto's personality, waiting for him to pursue Hinata on his own would probably take years, just as it had in the original story. To keep him from inexplicably developing a crush on Sakura, Shinichi planned to forcibly tie Hinata to his side first.

After all, Naruto was a future champion of devoted love, not a womanizer in the slightest. Once he set his heart on a girl, he would not easily change his mind.

All Shinichi needed to do was make him skip the original story's convoluted detours and head straight for his happy ending with Hinata!

"You're so good to Naruto, Shinichi. I'm so jealous!"

Karin's face was full of envy.

Though she did not understand why Shinichi wanted to find Naruto a fiancée so early, she could still feel his undisguised affection for him.

"Silly girl, what's there to be jealous of?"

She made Shinichi laugh on the spot. "I treat you both equally," he said with fond exasperation. "If anything, I spoil you more. Ask Naruto if you don't believe me. I give him a beating every few days. When have you ever seen me lay a hand on you?"

Little brothers were for beating, and little sisters were for doting on.

That was Shinichi's simple, blunt approach to raising children.

"That's true!"

Naruto looked thoroughly baffled at being dragged into this for no reason, making Karin laugh too.

Night fell.

The Hatake family arrived at the Hyuga Clan as promised. To Shinichi's surprise, Hiashi came out to greet them in person. Hizashi, Neji, and Hinata accompanied him, making it quite the reception.

"This is a family dinner, so please make yourselves at home."

A rare trace of a smile appeared on Hiashi's rigid face. "Hinata, aren't you going to say hello?"

"H-hello, Shinichi... hello, everyone."

Little Hinata was as shy as ever. Especially when she saw Naruto, her little face turned utterly scarlet.

Seeing such an obvious reaction, understanding flashed in Karin's lively eyes. No wonder Shinichi wants to arrange Naruto's engagement so early. This little girl really does like him!

"Hey, Hinata!"

Unlike Hinata, whose shyness practically spelled out her feelings, Naruto was utterly carefree. He seemed not to notice what the little girl was thinking at all.

"Naruto really is an idiot!"

Watching from the side, Karin grew anxious too. At last, she understood how Shinichi felt.

"Lord Shinichi, Lord Kakashi, I'm Neji Hyuga. It's a pleasure to meet you."

At just five years old, Neji displayed a maturity and composure beyond his age. One glance was enough to tell that he had been brought up well.

"Hello, Neji!"

Seeing him act like a little adult, Shinichi could not resist teasing him. "You really are a carbon copy of your dad. Just as serious and stiff. Not to criticize, but you ought to relax a little."

"I..."

Neji froze on the spot, looking toward his father, Hizashi, for help.

At his tender age, he had never experienced teasing like this. All he knew was that important guests were coming today, and even his father and the clan head took their visit very seriously. He simply did not want to be rude in front of them.

"Ahem!"

As if trying to cover the awkwardness, Hiashi cleared his throat twice and said, "Please, everyone, take your seats!"

At the invitation to sit down, the Hatake family's two little ones stopped standing on ceremony.

Naruto, in particular, did not treat himself as an outsider at all. He immediately switched into food-shoveling mode.

It was hardly his fault. Before they came, Shinichi had specifically told them that the Hyuga Clan was loaded. They were not to hold back, just eat until they burst.

"N-Naruto, would you like my portion too?"

Shy beyond measure, Hinata cautiously offered her food to Naruto.

"Oh! Thanks, Hinata!"

Naruto had no idea how to stand on ceremony. If someone offered him something tasty, he simply ate it! As for who had brought it over, he barely paid attention. He only had eyes for the food!

"Naruto really doesn't understand girls at all!"

Karin's expression darkened as she watched from beside him.

Still, she could not be bothered to worry about Naruto. Instead, her large eyes occasionally flicked toward Neji, who sat perfectly upright. To be fair, Neji had been handsome since childhood, so it was no wonder Karin could not help looking at him.

Compared with the children's antics, the thoughts of Shinichi and the other adults were far less simple.

"Clan Head Hiashi, you didn't invite me all this way just to treat me to dinner, did you?"

With a teasing smile on his face, Shinichi got straight to the point.

"Of course not."

Hiashi and Hizashi exchanged a glance, then dropped to their knees in unison. Their expressions were more solemn than ever. "Shinichi, neither of us will ever forget how you saved our lives!"

On the surface, Shinichi had only saved Hiashi this time, but both brothers knew perfectly well that he had saved far more than a single life.

"Why all the formality?"

Seeing the brothers suddenly offer such a grand gesture, Shinichi stopped putting on airs and stepped forward to help them up. "We'll be family sooner or later anyway," he said politely. "I'm not treating you like outsiders, so why should you?"

"Family?"

At that, both Hiashi and Hizashi froze.

"Here, see for yourselves."

Shinichi gestured with his chin, directing their attention toward Naruto and Hinata.

"This..."

Hiashi's expression went rigid.

Damn it! Hinata was only three!

What father could stay calm after finding out someone had designs on his three-year-old daughter?

For a moment, even the look Hiashi gave Naruto became rather dangerous.