Hyūga Hiashi's face was pale with rage, his chest rising and falling as he pointed at Hinata with trembling fingers.
"You… you've been blinded by love!"
Hinata, however, did not flinch. She stood straight, her pale Byakugan eyes shining with conviction.
"I haven't, Father. Naruto and I… what we have is true love."
Neji—calm but clearly troubled—let out a long sigh.
"Lady Hinata… it's not that the clan head or I intend to make things difficult for Naruto. That's not the case at all. But you two aren't married. Naruto hasn't even come to the Hyūga compound to properly declare his intentions before the clan. From our perspective, that's treating you carelessly. As your cousin—and as the clan head is your father—how could either of us stand by and ignore it?"
Beside Hiashi, his brother Hyūga Hizashi chuckled softly, his arms folded across his chest.
"Exactly. Hinata, I can't just sit back and do nothing. Even though I was long dead before… resurrected now only by fate, I still can't watch my niece suffer humiliation."
Hinata flushed red, her lips trembling as she tried to explain. At last, she gave up on hiding anything and spoke plainly, her words tumbling out in a rush.
"So that's how it was… fine! I'll tell you everything. Naruto invited me over. We only spent time together at his home. Because we were nervous, we made a mistake and ended up wearing each other's clothes. That's all. Nothing happened beyond that—we were just making out a little!"
Silence followed her blunt confession.
Neji's frown deepened. He turned away, his brows furrowed in thought.
Hiashi, however, narrowed his eyes sharply, suspicion etched into every line of his face.
"No. You're naïve, Hinata. Don't be fooled by appearances. Naruto must have been planning to take things further with you. The only reason he stopped was because he happened to run into the Fourth Hokage's spirit before anything else could happen!"
Hizashi quickly nodded in agreement, his expression grave.
"That's right, brother. You're absolutely correct."
Hinata shook her head vigorously.
"No! Father, Uncle, you're overthinking this! Naruto didn't force anything. He only walked me home, that's all!"
Hiashi's lips curved into a bitter sneer.
"Hinata, you're still too young. You don't understand how men think. We're both men. Your uncle and I both had wives. We know exactly what's in the mind of an unmarried boy your age. Don't be so easily deceived."
Hinata's lips parted to argue again, but Hiashi raised his hand, his voice thunderous.
"This isn't up for debate! We will demand an explanation from Naruto. However… we won't go tonight. After all, the Fourth Hokage himself was present. To storm over now would show disrespect to him."
Hizashi agreed instantly.
"Yes. At dawn, we'll summon the main and branch families. Then we'll go directly to the Namikaze household and demand Naruto formally account for this."
Hinata's heart clenched with dread. She hurriedly stepped forward.
"Father, no! Please don't cause trouble for Naruto because of me. There's no need!"
Hiashi's tone turned icy.
"I am your father. Marriage isn't a trivial matter—it concerns the honor of the Hyūga clan. How could I possibly ignore it?"
"Hinata," Hizashi added, his voice kinder but equally firm, "don't involve yourself in this decision. As the daughter of the clan, your duty is clear. We'll handle the negotiations. You needn't worry."
Neji inclined his head, his tone calm but resolute.
"Lady Hinata, this isn't just about you. Even if you and Naruto intend to marry, the clan still must observe the proper customs. Otherwise, it would be a disgrace to our traditions."
Faced with the stern unity of her father, uncle, and cousin, Hinata faltered. Their words carried weight, and though her heart screamed in protest, her head reluctantly acknowledged the truth in them.
Perhaps… perhaps it really would be best to go together tomorrow. If she was there with them, she could make sure things didn't spiral out of control.
At the Namikaze Residence
The night was still, moonlight pouring softly over the Namikaze home. Inside, father and son sat opposite each other on the sofa. For the first time, Naruto was alone with his father.
"Tell me, Naruto," Minato began gently, his expression both curious and serious. "You and Hinata… have you officially confirmed your relationship?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, a little sheepish.
"Well… yeah, I guess it's official. I confessed to her. A lot of people already know about us."
Minato nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Good. And… have you been to her home? To the Hyūga compound?"
"Yeah, I have," Naruto replied honestly.
"Oh?" Minato tilted his head. "And did you pay a formal visit? As in… did you properly meet her family and introduce yourself?"
Naruto's face turned a deep shade of red. He rubbed his nose awkwardly.
"Not exactly. I didn't go there for that. I kinda… went to show off my strength. Ended up beating up one of her clan elders."
"…." Minato stared at his son in silence, utterly dumbfounded.
My son actually marched into his girlfriend's house… and beat up her elders?
The Fourth Hokage sighed, feeling both exasperated and guilty. Of course Naruto was so clueless—he'd grown up without parents, without guidance.
Trying again, Minato asked carefully, "Alright then… one more thing. Have you and Hinata… had any, ah… deeper communication?"
Naruto's eyes widened.
"D-Dad…!"
Minato chuckled softly, patting his son's shoulder.
"Relax. I'm a man too. Speak openly."
Naruto exhaled, scratching his cheek.
"Well… yeah, we've been close. We've… messed around a bit. But I haven't… you know, gone all the way yet."
Minato's lips curved in an "oh," and he gave a slow nod.
So, nothing permanent yet. That's a relief.
After a pause, Minato's expression grew more thoughtful, almost pained.
"Listen, Naruto. There's something I've been thinking about, and I want your help."
Naruto blinked in surprise.
"What is it, Dad? Just say it."
Minato's eyes dimmed with memory. His voice softened with longing.
"The reason I'm even here tonight… is because I wanted to visit. To see you. But in truth, when I first arrived, my mind was filled with thoughts of your mother. Kushina… I miss her terribly."
Naruto's chest tightened at the mention of his mother.
Minato pressed on, his words heavy with emotion.
"These past days… watching Sasuke's family reunited, seeing even Madara and his brother Izuna reunited after death… it struck me deeply. I thought—why not bring Kushina here too? It's not the Sage's Six Paths Resurrection. It's just the Impure World Reincarnation, and then sealing it cleanly afterward. Just for a little while… to let her be with us again."
His eyes brightened suddenly, filled with determination.
"Think about it, Naruto! Your mother could be here, right now. And just in time—she could help us prepare to visit the Hyūga clan and formally arrange your marriage proposal to Hinata!"
Naruto froze, his jaw slack.
"W-wait… you mean… resurrect Mom? And then go straight to Hinata's house… to propose?!"
Minato nodded eagerly.
"Exactly! Sasuke reunited with his parents. Why shouldn't you have the same chance? Besides, Kushina would love to help arrange your marriage. It's what she always wanted to see."
Naruto's mind spun. The idea of seeing his mother again was irresistible. But at the same time… the thought of formally proposing to Hinata in front of her entire clan—especially when things weren't that far along yet—made his stomach knot with anxiety.
"Dad… I don't know. In my past life, none of this happened. I didn't even propose. The Hyūga clan basically handled everything. They even bought the house for us. I just… went along with it."
Minato's brows furrowed, his voice stern.
"Exactly, Naruto. That was your past life. This life is different. Back then, you were Hokage, the village hero. Of course the Hyūga family did everything—they saw the prestige. But now? Now, you have us. You have me, and soon you'll have your mother. Don't think you can just coast along and let others handle it."
Naruto fidgeted, unused to anyone making decisions for him.
Minato's expression softened, though his voice remained firm.
"Leave it to us, Naruto. Tomorrow, we'll bring back your mother. Together, we'll visit the Hyūga clan. Kushina and I will help you propose properly. All you need to do is focus on your future with Hinata."
Naruto swallowed hard. He'd always been the one to make choices alone. Having someone—especially his own father—take the reins for him was strange… almost uncomfortable.
But part of him couldn't deny… it felt good, too.
Uchiha Compound – That Same Night
The Uchiha district was glowing with light. Laughter and voices echoed through the streets. Tonight, the once-dead clan was alive again, reunited thanks to the forbidden Reanimation Jutsu.
Inside his home, Sasuke sat quietly, savoring the presence of his family. Then—
Knock knock.
He stiffened. Rising, Sasuke walked to the door and pulled it open. His eyes widened.
"Sakura?"
Haruno Sakura stood there, dressed neatly, having prepared herself carefully for this visit. Word had spread—Sasuke had resurrected not only his parents but many of the clan. The Uchiha compound was filled with light, and Sakura had been unable to resist coming.
She smiled softly, though nerves flickered in her eyes.
"Sasuke… is it convenient for me to come in?"
Sasuke hesitated, glancing back toward the warm glow of his family's gathering.
"…It's not very convenient right now."
"…." Sakura's smile faltered, her heart sinking.
From within, a woman's voice rang out.
"Sasuke, who is it?"
Mikoto Uchiha approached, curious. When she saw the pink-haired girl standing at the door, her eyes softened warmly.
"Sasuke, and who might this be?"
Sasuke cleared his throat, a little awkward.
"This is Haruno Sakura. She was my teammate… in Team 7."
Sakura bowed politely.
"Hello, Aunt Mikoto. My name is Haruno Sakura, but please just call me Sakura. I came tonight to see Sasuke. I apologize for intruding on your family reunion."
Mikoto's face lit up instantly.
"Oh my, you came to see Sasuke? That's wonderful. You're such a beautiful girl, Sakura!"
Hearing her voice, Fugaku rose from his seat and stepped forward, with Itachi close behind.
"Mikoto, who's here?"
"It's a girl… come to see Sasuke," Mikoto replied cheerfully.
Fugaku's stern face softened. He gave a small approving nod.
"Well then, don't just stand at the door. Invite her in."
Sasuke frowned, clearly uncomfortable.
"Father… I don't think that's—"
But Mikoto was already smiling and beckoning Sakura in.
"Come now, dear, don't be shy. You're welcome here. Please, come inside."
Sakura glanced at Sasuke, who avoided her gaze, then stepped forward with a polite smile.
"Thank you, Auntie. Forgive me for disturbing you."
And with that, Mikoto took Sakura by the hand, leading her into the heart of the Uchiha household.
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