Kyūsei.
Kyūsei.
Kyūsei!
Uzumaki Kyūsei!
Everything was Uzumaki Kyūsei!
Why?!
Why did everything revolve around him?!
Kaoru was like this.
Even his own father was like this!
So who was the real son here—me or him?!
Sarutobi Shinnosuke ran through the streets of Konoha, chest heaving, eyes burning with frustration.
The more he ran, the more wronged he felt.
Why the hell was this happening?
Finally, gasping for breath, he slowed to a stop—only to realize he'd arrived somewhere strangely familiar.
This place was…
"Yo! Shinnosuke—want to eat together?"
Through the clean window, Kyūsei—waiting for dinner to finish cooking—spotted Shinnosuke, who looked half-dead from running.
Right.
This was that bastard's house.
A nameless fire surged straight up Shinnosuke's spine.
Without hesitation, he stormed inside.
"Hey, Shinnosuke, have you eaten yet?"
"Wanna grab a bite?"
Kyūsei looked genuinely confused as he faced Shinnosuke, whose anger gauge was clearly maxed out.
"…Shinnosuke?"
"Shinnosuke my ass!"
"I'll beat the crap out of you and be done with it!"
Shinnosuke completely snapped.
It was this guy.
This guy who took everything from him.
And so—
He charged.
And then he was instantly slammed face-first onto the floor.
"Seriously—if you didn't want to eat, you could've just said so."
"Why are you throwing hands all of a sudden?"
Kyūsei pinned Shinnosuke down with ease, sounding more annoyed than anything.
"You bastard—let go of me!"
The humiliation burned.
Not only had this guy stolen everything from him—he couldn't even win in a fight.
"Oh. Okay."
Kyūsei released him without hesitation.
He'd literally promised Hiruzen yesterday not to cause trouble.
And honestly, this was the Hokage's precious eldest son—best not poke that hornet's nest.
But the instant Kyūsei loosened his grip—
Shinnosuke seized his wrist, twisted hard, then stomped Kyūsei's ankle in one clean motion.
Balance gone.
Kyūsei blinked in surprise as he was suddenly flipped and pinned to the floor instead.
"…Huh?"
"What are you doing now?"
Kyūsei stared up at him, utterly innocent.
To be fair, Shinnosuke's move was solid—definitely worthy of the Hokage's son—but Kyūsei was still baffled.
Was this guy seriously here just to fight?
"Man, you really have a punchable face," Shinnosuke growled.
He raised his fist—
Only for it to be caught mid-swing.
A hand like iron clamped around his wrist.
Shinnosuke turned his head sharply.
An ANBU.
The masked ninja held his arm effortlessly, leaving him no room to strike.
Shinnosuke's pupils shrank.
ANBU?
Why was there an ANBU here?
Why was an ANBU in Kyūsei's house?
As the Hokage's son, Shinnosuke didn't know all the details—but he knew enough.
ANBU were the Hokage's personal blades.
The ones who handled the darkest, most dangerous missions.
So why had his father assigned one to stay with Kyūsei?
"Please stop, Shinnosuke-sama."
Nightingale spoke carefully, though her scalp felt like it was about to explode.
What kind of mess was this?!
The Nine-Tails brat had finally settled down—and now the Hokage's own kid came charging in?!
Hokage-sama, can you please watch your own damn son?!
Kyūsei lay calmly on the floor, eyes flicking briefly to the side.
He could feel Seiran leave—moving fast, straight toward the Sarutobi residence.
Figures.
"Why is ANBU stationed here?" Shinnosuke demanded.
"That information is beyond your clearance," Nightingale replied coolly.
"Please release Uzumaki Kyūsei."
"And if I don't?" Shinnosuke shot back.
He refused to budge.
At this point, Kyūsei wasn't even in a hurry to get up anymore.
He lay there, watching the standoff with open interest.
This was getting fun.
"Then I'll have to use force, Shinnosuke-sama."
Nightingale narrowed her eyes.
She was already being extremely polite.
As a main-branch Hyūga and a former ANBU elite, she had zero obligation to put up with this nonsense.
And then—
A calm voice spoke from behind her.
"Shinnosuke. What do you think you're doing?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood there, expression unreadable.
He took in the scene at a glance:
His son pinning Kyūsei down.
ANBU at the ready.
"I…"
Shinnosuke turned his head away, lips pressed tight.
"Get up. Now."
Hiruzen's tone hardened.
"…Yes."
Years of accumulated authority crushed Shinnosuke's resistance.
He rose slowly, shoulders stiff.
Kyūsei stood up as well, dusting himself off, still wearing that harmless, confused expression.
"Apologize. Right now."
Hiruzen glared at his son, fury barely contained.
Anyone with half a brain would've backed off the moment ANBU appeared.
Instead, Shinnosuke had doubled down—arguing with ANBU themselves.
Did he seriously not understand priorities?!
Was it time to consider having another kid?!
"…Sorry."
Shinnosuke forced the words out through clenched teeth.
"Uh… yeah. It's fine."
Kyūsei didn't push it.
Hiruzen like this was… honestly terrifying.
"Kyūsei, my son disturbed you. I'll take him home."
Without waiting for a response, Hiruzen grabbed Shinnosuke and dragged him off into the night.
Watching the pair disappear, Kyūsei finally brushed the dust from his clothes.
"Tch. You seemed pretty entertained," Nightingale remarked dryly.
"Well, I didn't expect him to keep holding me down even after you showed up," Kyūsei said innocently.
"Anyway—dinner's ready. Wanna eat together?"
He beamed at her.
Hyūga Shiori stared at him, lips twitching.
She was absolutely convinced this little demon had stayed pinned on purpose—just to watch Hiruzen lose face.
What an awful personality.
Still…
The smell in the air was really good.
Her stomach betrayed her with a quiet growl.
"…You didn't put wasabi in it again, did you?" she muttered suspiciously.
"Nope, nope," Kyūsei said earnestly.
"If I did, I swear I'll grow up to become the Fourth Hokage's husband."
She stared at him flatly.
"…In your dreams."
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