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"We're back!"
A playful, energetic voice—clear as a spring—floated in from the doorway, instantly dissolving the heavy atmosphere inside. Hanabi pushed the door open, her small frame appearing at the entrance. Behind her followed the quiet Hinata and the lively Ino.
Hiashi and Inoichi saw their daughters return and, almost in unison, let out imperceptible sighs of relief, as though deliverance had arrived. Yet the moment the girls stepped inside, they sensed the wrong sort of tension among the three elders; they froze at the threshold, hesitant to advance.
"You're back."
Just then, Naruto's voice sounded behind them. He stood with the beers, his sunlight-bright smile dispelling every shadow. He raised the bag toward the three elders and called, "Grandpa Third, uncles, here's the beer you wanted."
But the instant the beer was mentioned, two sharp gazes locked onto Hiashi and Inoichi.
Hanabi (hands on hips, eyes sharp): Stare~
Ino (arms folded, eyes judging): Stare~
Under their daughters' silent scrutiny, the two fathers suddenly felt inexplicably guilty. Such is the plight of a father so doting that he dares not drink lest he face a lecture that would undermine his paternal dignity.
"Thanks, Naruto."
The gloom on the Third Hokage's face vanished, replaced by a gentle smile. He reached into his robe, drew out a worn wallet, and generously extracted several large bills, offering them toward Naruto with a grin.
"Oh, Grandpa Third, that's too much!" Naruto waved his hands hurriedly.
"Come now, we three old men just want a drink and a chat; you youngsters would only feel stifled here." Without letting Naruto refuse, the Third pressed the money on him. "Take it—go out and have fun with your friends!"
Hiashi and Inoichi exchanged startled looks. How had it suddenly become just the three of them drinking while the kids were sent away?
"Grandpa knows our Naruto's grown up and can earn his own keep," the Third continued, "but consider this grandpa's treat—no arguing!" He paused and beckoned to the youngest. "Come here, little Hanabi, to Grandpa Hokage."
Hanabi walked over. The Third took out more bills and placed them solemnly in her hand. "Take this and go play with your big brothers and sister. Be good, all right?"
"We couldn't possibly trouble Lord Third!" Hiashi rose quickly, drawing an exquisite wallet from his fine kimono. Almost simultaneously, Inoichi pulled out his own.
Watching the two vie to pay, the Third chuckled. He gently pushed his own bills back, then simply took the bulging wallets of Hiashi and Inoichi and placed both atop the money Hanabi already held. He winked at her. "Off you go—enjoy yourselves. Just remember to return the wallets later."
With a nod from Hiashi, Hanabi beamed and led Naruto and the others out, arms full of cash. Once the youngsters left, only the three men remained.
The Third quietly pulled the tab of a beer. Gazing at the foam, he wore a smile of bittersweet memory. "Hah... back when Biwako was alive, she never let me drink—always nagging that it harmed the body."
His gaze turned distant, as if staring through time. "Back then, I was just a rebellious kid. I used to sneak cigarettes in the Hokage's office, meet old friends for drinks on the sly, and try every trick to get the smell off so she wouldn't notice..."
His voice dropped, thick with longing. "Twelve years... and the old woman still nags at me from below. Not once has she bothered to visit my dreams."
The Old Man handed cans of beer to Hiashi and Inoichi. "Plain truth: at my age, every extra day is a gift. If I spent every day worrying about what I can't eat, that wouldn't be living at all. Come, drink with me!"
"Yes, sir!" they answered in unison, moved by his honesty.
After a few rounds, the Third shook his head; beer wasn't enough. "Hiashi, Inoichi, go fetch Shikaku and Choza. Bring good sake and fresh deer meat. I want to talk properly."
They returned shortly with Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Choza. Four men who carried Konoha on their shoulders arrived with sake and a portable grill, filling Naruto's small home.
"I asked you here to speak of Naruto," the Third Hokage poured clear sake; the soft trickle sounded loud in the quiet room. He stared into space, his voice soft and complicated.
"He's starting to look exactly like the Fourth."
The words struck like a boulder hurled into still water. The four men's eyes widened in shock. Among Konoha's elite, it was an open secret that Naruto was the Fourth Hokage's son, but for the Third to say it aloud changed everything.
Was he finally ready to reveal the truth? Hiashi and the Ino–Shika–Chō trio hoped Naruto would be freed from the "demon fox" stigma. Yet worry followed. Announcing his parentage now would be a slap in the face to the entire Village, proving they had abused a hero's orphan for twelve years. It could spark outrage and shake trust in the leadership.
The Fourth had treated these clans well; they wanted justice. But the Third was known for prizing stability above all. Would he truly risk everything for Naruto?
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