Aoba noticed the scene, then said, "And also, I have liked Aunt Mikoto since I was little."
Uchiha Mikoto regained her smile; that was the answer she wanted to hear.
Although she did not know whether it was the kind of liking between a man and a woman, liking is liking.
She once again stepped forward with her long legs wrapped in black stockings.
Aoba quietly followed at her side as before.
"Has anyone ever told you, Aoba, that you are actually very good at taking care of people?"
Uchiha Mikoto asked again.
"Um! I don't think so."
After thinking seriously for a moment, Aoba shook his head.
Tsunade, Shizune, and Uzuki Yugao need not be mentioned; from childhood he had been the one taken care of by them more or less.
Other girls had not really said such things.
"Is that so."
As if reassured by the answer, Uchiha Mikoto's mood brightened further.
Then she suddenly moved closer, their shoulders touching, and did something that caught Aoba off guard.
A soft feeling came from her right hand; it was Uchiha Mikoto's gentle hand holding his.
Their fingers interlaced.
Although the two had held hands before while shopping or buying groceries, that had been normal holding of hands, not this direct interlacing of fingers.
"Aunt Mikoto?"
Aoba was momentarily stunned.
But Uchiha Mikoto did not stop; she tilted her head slightly and slowly rested her head on the boy's shoulder.
Aoba was even more surprised.
"Aoba, this is the thing that cheers me up the most right now."
"If that's the case, Aunt Mikoto can hold my hand for as long as she wants."
Neither said anything more.
Like a pair of lovers in the throes of romance, they leaned on each other as they moved forward.
Clingy and inseparable.
———
"You two are finally back."
After entering the Uchiha compound, Uchiha Mikoto automatically let go of Aoba's hand.
After all, she was the head of the Uchiha clan and had to pay some attention to her family's image.
But just as they reached the doorstep, Kushina came trotting up to meet them.
She also took many of the ingredients they had just bought from their hands.
"Kushina, why did you come so early?"
Uchiha Mikoto was surprised; after all, Kushina's home was still some distance from the Uchiha compound.
More importantly, she didn't have a key, how did she get inside?
She quickly found out.
"Aunt Mikoto, Aoba, Sasuke and I are here too!"
Naruto ran out from inside the house, smiling broadly.
Sasuke followed but wore a sullen face.
"Mom, welcome back."
Uchiha Mikoto was even more surprised, "Sasuke, you came home this early today?"
Sasuke usually came back around mealtime; she hadn't expected him to be home just as she finished buying groceries.
"Mm."
Sasuke still wore a sour expression and did not explain.
He did not want to come home early.
He had intended to time his return to mealtime knowing Aoba would be coming, but Kushina had forcefully pulled him back to open the door.
She had said it was all for his mother's happiness.
"Sasuke, why are you sulking? Aren't you happy Mom, Aoba and I came to visit?", Naruto complained, a little dissatisfied.
"No!"
Sasuke refused to engage and went back into the house.
"Eh? But I can feel you're in a bad mood."
Naruto followed in and continued to press.
"…", Uchiha Mikoto watched Sasuke's retreating back and felt a touch of unease.
'Sasuke…'
'He should be able to accept Aoba, right?'
After all, he had said before that he would not oppose it.
"Aunt Mikoto, let's go inside," Aoba said to Uchiha Mikoto.
"Oh, okay."
Uchiha Mikoto suppressed the thoughts stirring in her heart and went in with them.
Kushina put the ingredients into the kitchen, then wrapped an arm around Uchiha Mikoto's shoulder and, winking, asked in a low voice, "Mikoto, how did your little date go just now?"
"Kushina!", Uchiha Mikoto scolded her friend with an annoyed glance, then suddenly remembered something.
"Right, what did you say you forgot to bring earlier?"
Kushina blinked, then took out an exquisite gift box.
"Ta-da! It's this!"
Uchiha Mikoto took it and opened it, her expression somewhat surprised.
"Alcohol?"
"I spent a long time picking this out. I even asked Tsunade-nee and Kurenai for suggestions."
A smug look appeared on Kushina's face.
"But I don't really drink."
Uchiha Mikoto did not quite understand Kushina's point.
"We're all having dinner together today, the atmosphere will be good, so we can have a couple of drinks, and besides…"
Kushina leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "They say alcohol gives courage. Mikoto, you're too timid; you need to bolster your courage."
"Well…", Uchiha Mikoto hesitated.
After several of Kushina's persuasions, she nodded in agreement.
"Then I'll drink a little."
Mainly she thought her tolerance was okay; a few cups should be no problem.
Aoba, however, became alert when Kushina took out the alcohol.
If Kushina planned some trick, it would definitely be in the drink.
Whether anything had been added, he would taste it and know soon enough.
"All right."
Kushina patted Aoba on the shoulder, "Little Aoba, the kitchen's in your hands. Do your best!"
"Mm."
Although he didn't know what Kushina meant by "do your best," Aoba still nodded inexplicably.
"Aoba, help me tie my apron."
Uchiha Mikoto's voice sounded.
"Okay."
———
"Mom, I want to drink too!"
At the table, Naruto watched Kushina pour wine for Aoba and Uchiha Mikoto and impatiently raised his own cup.
"No! Kids are not allowed to drink alcohol."
Kushina immediately gave Naruto a playful punch; at such a young age he should behave.
"But Aoba drank."
Naruto held his head.
"That's different. Aoba is an adult."
Kushina knew Aoba had stayed in Loulan for several years, so they were not actually the same age.
"Wah~"
Naruto looked aggrieved.
"Alcohol isn't that tasty anyway. Naruto, you two should drink juice," Aoba poured juice for Naruto and Sasuke.
"Aoba is the best!"
Naruto drank his juice, hugging it, "If only Aoba could—"
"Are you saying Mom isn't as good?", Kushina balling her fist again.
Naruto quickly shut up and sat on the other side of Sasuke, who had his head down eating, using Sasuke as a shield from Kushina's iron fist.
Aoba watched the scene with amusement.
He took another sip of the wine in his cup, puzzled.
This was normal wine, nothing added.
But, he glanced at Uchiha Mikoto, who was already getting a bit dizzy and leaning toward him, and then at Kushina, who kept showing a triumphant smile.
It didn't look normal at all.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
[email protected]/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining P@treon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through P@treon.