Nobuhiko, who was playing dead, felt a faint sense of foreboding when he heard Tsunade's words.
↓↓↓
At the sight, Kushina's little face flushed red. She pointed at Tsunade, too angry to speak.
"Sister Tsunade, you, you, you!"
???
Hearing Kushina call her out by name, Tsunade felt a little thrown.
Wait, can't you see what this lecherous brat is doing at all?!
Why are you blaming me now?
Wasn't I doing this for you two?
At that moment, Tsunade could no longer contain her anger!
"Get out! Both of you, get the hell out!"
Tsunade threw Nobuhiko, who was still enjoying himself, straight onto the floor.
Nobuhiko sat on the floor, a little dazed.
This was probably what going from heaven to hell felt like!
Seeing that Tsunade was on the verge of exploding,
Nobuhiko decided there was no time to reminisce. He grabbed Kushina, who was about to get a beating, and ran.
"Nobuhiko, let go of me! I'm not-mmph, mmph, mmph!"
For crying out loud, give it a rest!
As he ran, Nobuhiko turned back and covered Kushina's mouth.
Only after taking Kushina back to her room did Nobuhiko breathe a sigh of relief.
"Get some rest, Sister Kushina. I'll apologize to Sister Tsunade for you."
"Why should I? I didn't do anything wrong!"
"Little Brother Nobuhiko, tell me, whose embrace do you like better?"
Kushina stared intently at Nobuhiko, trying to read his thoughts.
Whatever. Better to live miserably than die well. Every extra moment alive counts.
"Yours, of course, Sister Kushina."
"Really?"
The corners of Kushina's lips lifted slightly, but she still had her doubts.
"Of course! Why would I lie to you, Sister Kushina?"
"Hmph, that's what I thought. What normal person would like Sister Tsunade's embrace? They're so big, they could suffocate you!"
Kushina believed Nobuhiko and spoke with some satisfaction.
Well, I'm terribly sorry, Kushina. I'm not a normal person. Sorry to disappoint you!
"All right, Sister Kushina, get some rest. I'll go check on Sister Tsunade."
Seeing that Kushina was no longer particularly angry, Nobuhiko decided to check on Tsunade.
"Little Brother Nobuhiko, please apologize to Sister Tsunade for me!"
As Nobuhiko was leaving, Kushina quietly asked him for the favor.
"Leave it to me, Sister Kushina!"
Nobuhiko glanced back at Kushina and assured her with a smile.
"You're so dependable, Little Brother Nobuhiko."
After Nobuhiko left, Kushina spoke to herself, her face slightly flushed.
Nobuhiko carried a basin of hot water into the living room and found Tsunade still sitting alone on the sofa. Her brows were tightly furrowed, her eyes wide and their rims red, her nostrils flaring as though she were suppressing her anger.
"Oh, if it isn't our dear Little Brother Nobuhiko. Why aren't you keeping your Sister Kushina company? What are you doing here?"
The moment she saw Nobuhiko arrive with a basin of water, Tsunade knew what he intended to do. She wasn't so angry anymore, but to save face, she still decided to take a few jabs at him.
When Nobuhiko merely smiled without speaking and set the water down by her feet, Tsunade still stubbornly rejected him.
"Go wait on your Sister Kushina. Don't bother with me!"
Even as Tsunade rejected him, Nobuhiko had already removed her shoes with practiced ease and begun washing her feet.
So stubborn!
Nobuhiko inwardly grumbled about Tsunade. Her mouth said no, but her body showed no sign of refusing.
"Sister Tsunade!"
"Hmph!"
Tsunade turned her head away, refusing to look at Nobuhiko.
Clenching. Clenching.
Nobuhiko's fists were about to clench.
How old are you? Why are you still acting like a child?
"Sister Tsunade, do you remember the promise you made me?"
"No!"
Tsunade didn't even turn her head.
What the fuck.
Hearing Tsunade's answer, Nobuhiko was so angry he wanted to jab the sole of her foot hard with his hand again.
But after thinking about it, he decided against it. Tsunade was still angry.
"Sister Tsunade, you promised me before."
Nobuhiko looked at Tsunade, feigning hurt.
"You said you wouldn't bottle things up by yourself the next time something troubled you. That's what you promised me!"
"Nothing's troubling me right now, so what am I supposed to tell you?!"
Feeling a little guilty, Tsunade turned her head back.
"Really?"
Nobuhiko stopped what he was doing and looked up, staring at Tsunade.
"Of course!"
Tsunade raised her head high, leaving Nobuhiko with nothing to look at but her chin.
???
"Do you think I'm stupid, Sister Tsunade?"
"Everything unusual you've done today has been to stop me and Sister Kushina from getting physically close."
"I know what kind of person I am, and so do you, so I have no objection to that."
"But clearly, Sister Kushina is very innocent. She completely failed to understand what you were trying to say, Sister Tsunade."
"Hmph."
Tsunade was a little angry and didn't want to speak.
"Thank you, Sister Tsunade."
Seeing that Tsunade was still angry, Nobuhiko chose to lay his cards on the table.
"What are you thanking me for?"
"You could have told Sister Kushina outright, but you chose to hint at it this way instead."
"Not only did you let me enjoy myself, you protected my self-esteem too."
"No matter how I look at it, I owe you a proper thank-you, Sister Tsunade!"
"You little brat. At least you have some conscience, and you're not as utterly stupid as that girl Kushina."
Seeing that Tsunade was finally less angry, Nobuhiko breathed a sigh of relief too.
"Sister Tsunade, you can just tell Sister Kushina about this directly."
↓↓↓
Seeing that Tsunade was still hung up on the matter, Nobuhiko decided to keep laying his cards on the table.
???
"Why?"
↓↓↓
Now she was a little angry, but also a little pleased with herself.
Then she flicked Nobuhiko on the forehead.
"Ow! Sister Tsunade, why did you hit me?"
"Because that look you just gave me was very rude!"
Tsunade scolded Nobuhiko, pretending to be angry.
"All right."
Nobuhiko promptly backed down.
"I've decided not to tell Kushina about this for now. Watch yourself!"
"Huh?"
Seeing that Nobuhiko didn't understand, Tsunade continued explaining.
"The battlefields have been growing quieter lately. There hasn't been any large-scale fighting for a long time."
"So I reckon the war will end in another year or two."
"And then?"
Nobuhiko still didn't understand what Tsunade was trying to say.