Chapter 204: In the Great Bathhouse, This is Hinata's Choice
By noon, Karin understood who all that food had been prepared for.
After Kurenai Yūhi announced the Chūnin Exam matters, she had returned to Akiyama Makoto's house, chatting and laughing with Hinata. When they saw Karin, both of their jaws dropped.
Makoto then briefly explained Karin's origins, telling them that he had wanted to help her after seeing her plight.
Kurenai immediately sensed that his motives weren't that simple. The girl's red hair was too conspicuous; she was most likely a descendant of the Uzumaki clan.
To be able to take such a girl into his home, perhaps he could have a very talented child in the future. Although Kurenai felt this reasoning was a bit of a stretch, she felt that this was what he was thinking. After all, he was a man who wanted to build a "big family." Wasn't it normal for him to consider the family's bloodline?
Hinata, on the other hand, was much simpler. After hearing about Karin's suffering, she immediately transformed into a caring big sister, asking her all sorts of questions, and even wanted to drag her out shopping to buy her all new daily necessities.
In the end, it was a word from Kurenai that temporarily quieted her down.
"Makoto-kun, have you considered the consequences of doing this? The Hidden Grass Village might come looking for trouble."
He shrugged. "Don't worry. I've already sent a shadow clone to replace her. We'll find a chance for it to 'disappear' later. And then we'll just change Karin's look. The Grass Village won't have any reason to come looking."
"Change her look?"
Karin was still confused, but Hinata had already grasped his meaning. "Why don't you grow your hair out long with me? Makoto-kun likes long hair... ah, no, I mean, long hair just looks better."
Hinata had subconsciously blurted out the truth, and her words also made Karin's eyes light up. If he liked long hair, she would definitely grow her hair out!
But... what was the relationship between Hinata and him? Karin had a vague guess, but she was mostly just confused. After all, at this point, she still didn't know about his "big family" plan.
"Not just your hair. I'll also heal your eyes later, so you won't have to wear glasses anymore."
He pointed to Karin's eyes. It was just a simple vision correction jutsu. For the current him, it was even simpler than using the Mystical Palm to heal someone's internal injuries.
He wasn't doing this because he disliked girls with glasses. It was because if Karin lost her glasses, her combat effectiveness would be greatly affected. In his eyes, this was an unforgivable weakness. As for the "style," when he told Karin he liked the way she looked in glasses, she would definitely go out and buy a pair of non-prescription ones to wear, thus satisfying his preference for "meganekko."
Karin nodded, moved. She already had an almost instinctive trust in him.
Hinata, seeing her trust him so much, also remembered when she and the others had first met him, and a warm smile appeared on her lips.
Afterward, the four of them ate a cheerful meal. At first, Karin was a little reserved, but after seeing Hinata down bowl after bowl of rice without her stomach bulging at all, she, too, began to eat heartily, afraid of going hungry.
The end result was that Hinata, after eating eighteen bowls, was still her normal self, helping him clear the dishes. As for Karin, after a "massive" four bowls, she was clutching her stomach and lying motionless on the tatami mat, looking as if she had eaten herself to death.
"Silly girl, don't compare yourself to Hinata. She's gifted."
Kurenai, seeing this, couldn't help but chat with Karin for the first time. "By the way, you'll be seeing more people in the next few days. Their appetites aren't small either, so don't learn from them."
She naturally wouldn't talk about the True Spirit Seal. If he was going to give one to Karin in the future, she would understand then.
"Are there... other people in the Family Head's house?"
Karin's curiosity was piqued, and she earnestly asked Kurenai for guidance.
"It seems you really don't know anything... It's fine to tell you."
Kurenai then briefly introduced Anko, Tenten, Sakura, and Ino, and told her that he had already confessed to all of them.
Karin looked as if she had been struck by lightning. She stared in disbelief at him, who was busy in the kitchen with Hinata. "The Family Head... is going to marry that many wives?"
"Well? Are you surprised?" Kurenai said with a teasing smile. "If you want to run now, you still have time."
But to her helplessness, Karin clenched her fists and began to pump herself up, muttering, "It seems... I also have a chance to become the Family Head's wife. I must eat more and grow more in the future, to give the Family Head a better 'texture'..."
"Ah..."
Kurenai covered her forehead, feeling that this world was beyond saving.
It wasn't just the girls around him that were making her break down. It was also the fact that she was about to witness Hinata being given the True Spirit Seal. She had a premonition that she was not far from falling herself. But even with this premonition, she couldn't bear to leave. This was also why she was in despair over her own weakness.
After lunch, Hinata pulled Karin aside again and listened to her childhood stories.
At first, Hinata was smiling, but slowly, her smile faded, and her eyes flashed with anger. She had thought that being ridiculed as a "Byakugan monster" was already a great pain, but compared to Karin's suffering, what was her childhood?
At this thought, she felt fortunate that she had been able to meet him so early. At the same time, her resolve to become stronger was further solidified, because in the future, she might face even more tragedies like this. She had to use her own hands to protect those close to her.
"Um, Makoto-kun."
Thinking of this, Hinata suddenly spoke. Although her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were very firm. "When do we begin?"
Karin looked at her curiously. Begin what with him?
"Anytime."
"Then I'll go prepare."
Hinata bowed to him, then turned and trotted off.
He looked at her retreating back, puzzled. He had just been about to ask her which room she wanted to lie down in, but why was she running towards the large bathhouse?
Soon, he understood.
Half an hour later, Hinata returned, wearing a yukata, her damp hair draped over her shoulders. "Um, Makoto-kun, we can begin."
"Here?"
Hinata's face turned red. She realized she had forgotten to be clear and quickly explained, "I mean, let's go to the bathhouse. Tenten and the others said... that it can get messy."
"So, in order not to trouble you, we'll do it in the bathhouse... That should be okay, right?"
He didn't answer, but Kurenai's face turned red. "Hinata, I don't remember you saying this yesterday! Doing that kind of thing in the bathhouse... do I have to go too?"
"Ah—I'm sorry, Kurenai-sensei! I just changed my mind and forgot you were going to observe... Then—"
Hinata wracked her brain. Seeing that even Kurenai was shy, he naturally couldn't let her change her mind.
So, he simply lifted her up in a princess carry. "Since that's the case, let's go to the bathhouse. I can't waste this consideration you've shown me."
"And, Big Sister Kurenai, you can just come in and observe in those clothes. I never asked you to change into a yukata or get in with us."
Kurenai looked at him with shame and annoyance.
At this moment, Karin weakly raised her hand. "Um, can I go too... Although I don't know what the Family Head is going to do, maybe I can help?"
He didn't answer, but looked at Hinata. "What do you think?"
The act of implanting the True Spirit Seal was in itself irreproachable, but the process would inevitably make the recipient feel shy. Hinata was used to Kurenai and the others, so being watched by them was fine. But Karin had only just arrived.
Hinata also hesitated for two seconds, then said, "You... you will also do this with Karin in the future, right?"
He nodded. He had nothing to hide about this.
"Since that's the case, then Karin can come too. I can... set an example for you."
Hinata put on her "big sister" air. For a moment, he thought she was about to become the boss.
He then carried her and walked towards the bathhouse, chatting and laughing with the blushing girl. Karin also quickly followed. All that was left was Kurenai, who had not yet received an answer, unable to advance or retreat.
In the end, she gritted her teeth and decided to go for it.
She was truly curious about the True Spirit Seal and was desperate to return to that state of youthful vitality.
As for what happened afterward... could he really force her?
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