"You… what did you just say?", Yugito stared at Aoba in disbelief.
'What did he just say?'
'He actually planned to teach me the Yin Seal, how could that be possible?'
'I must have heard wrong.'
'The Yin Seal is an S-rank jutsu. With no blood relation, no close bond, why on earth would he teach me?'
But Aoba spoke calmly, "Yesterday I saw you were also interested in the Yin Seal, so I planned to teach you. Looks like I misunderstood, huh."
"..."
Yugito was completely stunned. She hadn't thought that this hateful guy actually did intend to teach her the Yin Seal.
"Why… why would you teach me?"
"Didn't I already say it last night?", Aoba countered.
Yugito replied in confusion, "Say what?"
"Aren't we all family? Naturally I can't favor one over another."
Hearing that, Yugito didn't know how to answer for a moment. She suddenly lowered her head, glanced down, and her expression once again turned to shame and anger.
Pointing at her own clothes, she shouted at Aoba, "You liar, who would ever make their family dress like this?"
"Because it's punishment for your wrongdoing."
Yugito was speechless again.
Seeing she said nothing, Aoba asked once more, "Do you want to learn or not?"
"I don't!", Yugito refused flatly, because just now, with her thoughts racing and countless ideas flashing in her head, she finally came up with the most likely answer.
"You must be planning to use teaching me the Yin Seal as an excuse to secretly demand even more outrageous conditions, then humiliate me harshly, right?"
"Answer me!", Yugito looked at him with a face that said she had already seen through everything, and her eyes even carried a trace of pride.
"...", Aoba suddenly didn't even know how to explain. He hadn't expected this woman's brain to turn this fast.
"Forget it. Since you don't want to learn, I won't force you. After a while, I'll ask Samui and the others. Twenty years from now, maybe you'll be the only one turned into an old lady."
"Eh?", Yugito stood dumbfounded in place.
By then Aoba had already taken Konan to a room, preparing to properly teach her the Yin Seal training method.
Yugito didn't know whether she should chase after them and ask, "Do you think I still have a chance?"
"Pfft!", Kin, who had been watching the whole thing, finally couldn't hold back and burst into laughter once Aoba left.
Hearing that laugh, Yugito glared at her angrily, "What are you laughing at?"
"I didn't laugh."
Kin turned her face away.
That only made Yugito even more furious.
"Hmph! That guy didn't teach you either."
"But I'm younger than you. I'm only f*urteen, you're almost thirty."
Lies don't hurt people. The truth is the sharpest knife.
At this moment, Yugito suddenly felt a stab in her heart.
She couldn't help but start imagining.
She had resisted Aoba's sugar-coated bullets, but what if Samui and Mabui didn't resist his temptation and really learned the Yin Seal?
Twenty years later, once they regained their freedom, would she be the only one left as an old hag?
Just the thought of it made Yugito shudder.
'No way!'
'Being the only one who grows old, something like that, absolutely not!'
But, she had just refused him. If she now shamelessly went crawling back, wouldn't that be too humiliating?
Yugito also had her pride.
———
Of course, Aoba didn't know about the storm raging in her mind.
He really had thought of letting her learn the Yin Seal. After all, they were going to live together for twenty years.
By then, she'd probably be shaped inside and out into his form.
Of course, he couldn't just hand it over that easily. He had to think of a way to collect some interest back.
"Aoba, what do we do next?", Konan looked at the fish that had once again come alive in her hands and asked about the next step.
Aoba looked at the fish swimming lively in the basin, nodded in satisfaction, and said happily:
"Perfect. Konan-neesan, you've already learned medical ninjutsu. Next, you can start learning the Yin Seal!"
"Huh?"
———
The whole morning, Aoba instructed Konan in the training of the Yin Seal.
But after lunch, Aoba went out again.
He had promised Ino yesterday that he would find her, and in the evening he was going to Aunt Mikoto's house for dinner.
Aoba hadn't expected that even without missions, his days would still be so full.
When he met Ino in the afternoon, she was indeed wearing the same pair of long stockings that had stepped on his chest yesterday.
That night, Aunt Mikoto was gentler than usual.
For some reason, Sasuke had dinner outside with Kakashi.
Late at night, when he went to find Anko, he was shut out of her bedroom, no matter what he said, she wouldn't let him in.
She had been scared off.
Peaceful, leisurely times always passed quickly.
Uzuki Yugao and Kurenai Yuhi returned one after another with their squads.
Aoba's life grew even more lively.
He also took the chance to hand out the kimonos.
This time there weren't too many misunderstandings, because he gave them all out together.
In that situation, there was no way for misunderstandings to happen.
———
"This one! That one! And that one! I want them all!", On the shopping street, a tiny long-haired shorty was sitting on the boy's shoulders, waving her hand with great vigor.
"Hanabi, if you eat that much again, your stomach will hurt."
The little long-haired shorty was Hanabi, and of course, the boy was Aoba.
Right now Aoba was trying to persuade Hanabi, hoping she'd learn from last time and know when to stop.
"Hmph! I'm just tasting them. The rest are all for Trickster Onii-chan."
Hanabi snorted adorably, even changing the way she addressed Aoba.
"I was on a mission last time," Aoba explained helplessly.
"Hmph! I don't care."
Hanabi took a bite of the candied apple she had just gotten, wrinkled her brows, and stuck out her tongue.
"Too sour, this one's not tasty!"
Saying that, she shoved the candied apple at Aoba.
He didn't mind, took it, and bit into it in one go.
The two of them wandered around the shopping street for a while. Aoba still felt fine, but Hanabi already felt her belly getting a bit full.
"Want to take a break?", Aoba suggested.
"Yeah!", Hanabi nodded in agreement. Even though she hadn't walked much, eating itself was tiring enough.
"Is Aoba-nii coming to my house for dinner tonight?"
Hanabi sat on a bench, her little legs dangling in the air, swinging back and forth.
Her way of calling him had changed back again. It seemed her mood was much better.
"Well…", Aoba deliberately hesitated, acting uncertain.
"Please? Aoba-nii," Seeing this, Hanabi immediately grabbed onto his hand and started to act spoiled. This made Aoba's defenses crumble right on the spot.
But just then, an ANBU ninja wearing a mask suddenly appeared in front of them.
"Aoba-sama! The Hokage-sama has urgent business with you!", The ANBU ninja said respectfully.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.