There was not a single moment of mourning for the departure of the Hozuki Clan leader.
The one who rushed to the scene now was his own grandson—Yagura.
As soon as he stepped through the door, his grandfather, Kokitsu, grabbed a slipper, ready to strike!
Yagura immediately hid behind his parents. "Help me!"
He had been teased all the way home, but now that he was actually in danger—
—Karatachi Natsuhiko kicked him right back out.
Stunned, Yagura found himself out in the open. "???" He looked at his father in disbelief.
Natsuhiko shrugged. You're afraid of your grandfather? You think I'm not afraid of my father?
I've been a troublemaker for decades. Compared to me, you haven't even eaten as much rice as the bridges I've crossed.
Caught off guard, Yagura took two hits from the slipper. He yelped, jumping up and dashing behind Karatachi Hiyori, clutching her leg tightly.
"Mom, save me! Your husband is trying to murder your son!"
He didn't dare to retaliate against the main offender, Grandpa Kokitsu, but this vile accomplice was definitely sleeping on the couch tonight!
"Alright, Father, Yagura is back now," Hiyori said, shielding her son protectively like a mother hen.
"Next time, then," she added soothingly.
Natsuhiko nodded quickly. "Yes, yes."
A slipper came flying, making Yagura leap in fright, barely dodging it.
Kokitsu Grandpa's eyes burned with fury. "Hiyori, you're spoiling him too much! If I don't keep him in line, he'll be climbing onto the roof in three days!"
Natsuhiko nodded again. "Exactly, exactly."
Hiyori shot Yagura a look and delivered a gentle but firm headbutt.
"Yes, I'll discipline him properly when we get home. Yagura must be tired after the long journey. Let's eat first."
Natsuhiko nodded vigorously. "I completely agree."
Then, after a brief pause, both he and Hiyori turned to glare at him. "Whose side are you on?!"
Natsuhiko pondered for a moment. "I think... you both make very valid points."
"That's nonsense!"
"Father, maybe you should hit him instead."
"Oh, good idea."
Natsuhiko's eyes widened. "Wait, that's not fair!"
The commotion at the entrance went on for quite a while, drawing the attention of their clan members within the compound.
Finally, Kokitsu Grandpa lowered his slipper. "Alright, get inside."
Yagura, having suffered only two initial hits, passed the ordeal unscathed and happily followed behind Hiyori.
Natsuhiko, however, wasn't so lucky. He ended up taking two more fatherly strikes from the slipper, leaving him grumbling, "Why am I the one getting hurt in the end..."
...
The house bustled with activity.
In the kitchen, Hiyori reheated the prepared dishes, the room filled with warmth, steam, and the soft hum of a microwave.
"Habatakita-ra modoranai to itte..."
Humming softly, she sang the song "Blue Bird," a tune Yagura often hummed. She had heard it so many times that she had memorized it.
"I should make two more dishes."
Even though the table was already packed with food, she still felt it wasn't enough.
"Yagura! Can you hear me?"
"Yeah, Mom? What is it?"
"What do you want to eat? I'll make something extra!"
"Anything's fine!"
"Mo~~, don't say 'anything'!"
She hated that vague answer.
Opening the fridge, she bent down to check what ingredients were left.
"If I make something you don't like, no complaining!"
"I'd never complain! I promise, Mom!"
After eating military rations for so long, anything tasted better than those. And especially when it was made by Mom~
Being home felt so relaxing.
Yagura slipped into his room, quickly stripped off his shinobi gear, leaving only a final layer, then grabbed a set of casual clothes and dashed into the bathroom for a shower.
No way was he lingering in the living room under the scrutinizing gazes of his grandfather and father.
He was smart enough to know when to retreat~
Natsuhiko didn't last long in the living room either. Stiffly standing up, he announced,
"Dad, I'll help in the kitchen."
"Hmm."
Inside, Hiyori was plating freshly chopped vegetables when she noticed him enter.
"What are you doing here?"
"Helping."
"Oh, please. You're just getting in the way."
She waved him off dismissively.
"Am I really that bad?"
"Besides cooking instant noodles and frying eggs, what else do you know? Do you even know where the salt, soy sauce, or seasoning is?"
Good question.
It had been ages since he was last home, and even longer since he set foot in the kitchen.
She saw right through him. Just like Yagura, looking for an excuse to escape from Dad.
"You're supposed to be the adult here, yet you act just like your son."
With a flick of her finger, she tapped his chest accusingly.
"Father's just stubborn. He's happy we're all back."
Natsuhiko scratched his head. "Well..."
But with his father always wearing that stern expression, it was natural to be intimidated.
"Go back, go back. I'll have everything ready soon."
Hiyori shooed him out. "And when Yagura is done bathing, sit him down in the living room and make him apologize to Father. He should have come home first to report his safety."
"Got it, got it."
"Honestly, like father, like son."
They were always a step behind on things like this.
"Oh, wait, I just remembered—"
A thought struck her, and she turned back to the fridge. "Hold on a second."
...
As he watched his wife busily working, Natsuhiko's slow-witted grin surfaced.
She handed him something from the fridge. "Here, take this to the living room. Have a drink with Father."
She gave detailed instructions. "Glasses are in the left-side cabinet by the entrance. They haven't been used in a while, so rinse them with hot water first. If you can't find them, ask someone. And don't let Yagura sneak a sip. Understand?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll drink with Dad."
Clutching the bottle, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, ruffling her soft hair.
"You focus on cooking. I won't cause trouble."
Hiyori's face gradually heated up, turning as red as the steaming crabs in the pot.
She smacked his arm lightly. "Go on."
Taking the hint, he happily headed to the living room.
Hearing the approaching footsteps, Grandpa Kokitsu looked up.
"Got kicked out?"
"Yep, told I was in the way."
Shaking the bottle with a grin, Natsuhiko said, "Let's have a drink, Dad. It's been a while. Where's the bottle opener again?"
"Hah. And you wonder why you got kicked out."
Grandpa Kokitsu snorted, rising from his seat.
"Sit down, I'll find it."
...
Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Yagura finally turned off the water.
He dried himself off, dressed, and cautiously peeked outside.
Seeing no immediate danger, he crept toward the living room.
As soon as he stepped in, he saw a bizarre scene: both his father and grandfather crouched over, rummaging through drawers.
The place looked like it had been ransacked.
"Dad? Grandpa? What are you doing?"
Natsuhiko answered absentmindedly, "Looking for the bottle opener."
Yagura blinked, then walked straight to the TV stand, opened a small drawer, and pulled it out.
As the two men stared at him in shock, he held it up. "...What?"
Natsuhiko's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute—how do you know where that is?!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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