Shizune had been on edge, worried that Tsunade hadn't returned to Konoha as expected. Now, seeing her safely back—even if with questionable habits—allowed her finally to breathe a sigh of relief.
"...."
When it came to Tsunade, Hiko couldn't help but complain with frustration:
"She was only out for a while, then suddenly claimed she had nowhere to stay, crashed at my place for the night, devoured a meal, and left the house looking like a disaster zone. She didn't even try to clean up."
He frowned, rubbing his temples.
"This is the first time I've met a woman so terrible at hygiene. Seriously. Her place reeked, her clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in weeks—hell, even animals groom themselves better."
"Hehe... hehe..."
Faced with Hiko's righteous complaints, Shizune was beyond embarrassed. If it were possible, she would've dug herself into the ground using her toes.
Because… well, he wasn't wrong.
Having spent several years following Tsunade around, Shizune had witnessed first-hand just how appalling her hygiene could be.
Especially after taking Shizune under her wing, Tsunade's laziness reached new heights.
In the past, Tsunade at least made a passable effort to maintain cleanliness, but ever since she had Shizune, she stopped bothering. At some point, Shizune just resigned herself to cleaning up after her mentor.
It was easy to imagine how the once-dignified Sannin had regressed into such a state.
Unless she had to examine a patient or attend something official, Tsunade hardly even brushed her hair. Anything beyond that? Forget it. If her hair wasn't a bird's nest when she walked out the door, it was a miracle.
Shizune honestly didn't understand why Jiraiya was obsessed with her. Was it really just the large bust?
Although Hiko complained, he had to admit—Tsunade's beauty was still one of the best in the ninja world. Her looks, legendary status, and strength made her hard to match.
"I'll clean it," Shizune offered sheepishly.
Since Tsunade was the one who made the mess, it only seemed right for her to clean up. Over the years, Shizune had gotten used to playing the role of caretaker.
"Forget it. It's almost done anyway."
Hiko waved dismissively, rejecting the offer.
If it were Izumi offering to help, he'd have no issue—after all, she was his loyal follower, his little secretary. But having Shizune, Tsunade's disciple and a respected medical-nin, do the cleaning? That might be considered disrespectful. Better not to let rumors spread.
"Captain, I was thinking of taking Senior Shizune out for a meal, and then…"
Itachi chimed in hesitantly, clearly eager to head home and visit his little brother and mother. Everyone was hungry, and the mission had been long.
His expression practically begged Hiko to let him off early.
"…You've sure got a lot on your plate."
Hiko sighed, casting a glare at Itachi, who lowered his head apologetically.
"Fine. Go. Say hi to Aunt Mikoto for me. Bring Sasuke to the police station sometime—I'll treat him. I'll take Shizune for a bite myself."
Tsunade had no money—again—and poor Shizune probably didn't have much either. Hiko decided he'd take care of the bill.
"Hehe, I feel a bit bad…"
Shizune gave an awkward chuckle.
Thanks to her recent interactions with Hiko, she felt more at ease. If it were someone she didn't know, she'd have bolted from embarrassment already.
After finishing the last bit of tidying up, she washed her hands and changed into a clean outfit.
Now that she thought about it, she hadn't really eaten today—just a few cups of tea to keep her going. Most of what was bought had ended up in Tsunade's bottomless stomach. Honestly, she didn't know how one person could eat that much and still function.
"Let's go."
Hiko led the way, with Shizune walking beside him as they exited the Uchiha compound.
Along the street, many Uchiha looked at Shizune curiously. Compared to when Itachi had escorted her in, the current stares felt more scrutinizing.
"Yan, do your people always stare like this?" Shizune asked, her voice slightly tense.
"It's fine. Just ignore them."
Hiko waved it off. Then, turning to a few clan members gawking nearby, he called out with a grin:
"What are you staring at? You're embarrassing the guest!"
"...."
Shizune was stunned.
Wait, was this how Uchiha greeted each other?
"Yan, is that your girlfriend? She's cute."
"Haha, time flies. Even little Hiko has a girlfriend now."
The moment Hiko spoke up, the clan members began teasing him good-naturedly, their tones warm and familiar.
While Uchiha had a reputation for being distant, they were surprisingly welcoming to their own. Since everyone assumed Shizune was Hiko's girlfriend, they were treating her like one of their own.
"I-I'm not! Please don't say that!!"
Before Hiko could respond, Shizune frantically waved her hands and explained:
"We're not in that kind of relationship!"
"…Are you dumb, or just pretending?"
Hiko sighed, a line of frustration forming on his forehead. Her flustered denial only made things worse.
"Hahaha! We get it, we get it! Young folks these days sure know how to keep things interesting!"
"Come visit my house sometime, Hiko."
"Bring your girlfriend too—my son looks up to you."
Hiko quickly offered polite responses and dragged Shizune away before the gossip grew even louder. If he didn't leave now, half the Uchiha would believe he'd brought his girlfriend home to meet the clan.
"Your clan's pretty… enthusiastic," Shizune muttered once they were out of earshot.
"It's different than I expected. I thought Uchiha were all cold and aloof—well, except for Obito, who's... unique."
"The coldness is for outsiders. After being under surveillance and suspicion by the village for years, the Uchiha don't exactly welcome strangers with open arms."
Hiko's voice turned quiet, a shade bitter.
"Years of being isolated by the higher-ups—what you see today didn't happen for no reason. The Uchiha's aloofness isn't pride. It's self-preservation."
Shizune nodded quietly, the weight of his words sinking in.
"To be honest… what should we eat?"
Hiko changed the subject, unwilling to dig further into Uchiha politics.
"I… I don't really know."
Shizune looked sheepish. Having been away from Konoha so long, she didn't know where to go.
"…I knew it."
Hiko gave her a flat look. Like master, like student.
Resigned, he decided on barbecue. It had been a while since he'd indulged, and now seemed like the perfect excuse.
---
While Hiko and Shizune headed off for a meal, Hyuga Hiashi returned to his clan compound.
Unlike Fugaku, who tended toward restraint, Hiashi acted swiftly. He immediately summoned the clan elders to his residence.
After giving a concise rundown of what happened during the meeting, the reaction was immediate.
"So… the Hokage still refuses to let us be?" one elder muttered grimly.
The Hyuga clan's division system existed to ensure their bloodline's survival, however twisted it might seem. It had, without a doubt, maintained their status and cohesion.
Even if not progressive, it had stabilized the clan.
But the village had always been dissatisfied with the system. On the surface, the animosity was toward Uchiha, but in truth, the Hyuga suffered just as much behind the scenes.
Especially after the Kyuubi incident, when the village negotiated with Kumogakure, the Hyuga had paid a heavy price. The Third Hokage had tried to appease Kumo by handing over the clan head—but in the end, Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi, had died in his place.
Since then, the Hyuga's trust in the village leadership had waned.
"Hmph. When has the village ever left us alone?" an elder snapped. "They've always wanted to dismantle our traditions—insert themselves into our clan's structure. That Uchihahiko, he's young, but he sees through the game."
Many in the main house were aloof, even self-serving, but years of strict education had shaped their insight. Their analysis often cut deeper than that of the branch family.
"But still… would aligning with Uchiha even help us?" another elder asked. "They can't even protect themselves."
Hiashi, silent until now, finally spoke:
"If Uchiha dared to make this move, they must have a trump card. Uchihahiko is not a simple boy. He's much sharper than Fugaku ever was."
He paused, letting that settle before continuing.
"Consider this—why did Tsunade-hime return to the village with him? Why is she living in his house?"
The room went quiet.
"I believe this could be an opportunity for the Hyuga. But everything hinges on one condition: Uchiha must be able to survive this storm."
If they couldn't, no alliance would matter. But if they could rise again…
Then everything would change.
Several elders fell into contemplation.
Uchiha was under immense pressure now, but if what Hiashi said proved true, they might turn things around. If Uchiha escaped the whirlpool of village politics, then perhaps—just perhaps—an alliance between the Hyuga and Uchiha wasn't impossible.
There would still be rivalry, of course.
But alliances weren't forged in comfort—they were forged in necessity.