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"Karin, take Naruto to my room to rest first. He's tired," Shinji reached out and patted Naruto's small head. The golden hair on it was so conspicuous. The son of the esteemed Fourth Hokage actually received this kind of treatment. Indeed, as the saying goes: a new emperor, a new court?
"Okay~" Karin picked Naruto up and took him to Shinji's room to let him sleep first.
"Deidara, go help me call someone over tonight. Just say I invited them," Suddenly, Shinji's gaze turned towards Deidara.
"Ah? Oh, okay," Deidara was clearly still thinking about something, but quickly reacted, confirmed the person with Shinji, and then left directly.
"Lord Shinji?" Jūgo looked puzzledly at Deidara's back. He had just sensed some different emotions from Deidara. Was it shame? Or reflection?
"It's alright. Deidara is fine. He's just made some comparisons," Shinji knew where Deidara's problem lay after a slight thought. He knew that after hearing Naruto's experience and witnessing Naruto's current situation, Deidara, who grew up in a greenhouse since childhood, immediately made comparisons. And comparing like this, the gap between himself and Naruto was simply...
So, Deidara was probably thinking about some things now. But Shinji knew Deidara would figure this out. Therefore, Shinji was still very assured about Deidara.
"Mmm," Jūgo saw Shinji's appearance and didn't continue asking. Since Shinji said it was okay, then it was definitely okay.
...
...
Time passed. Soon it was 4 PM. The door of the All-Purpose Shop was knocked. It was Mikoto Uchiha bringing Itachi and Sasuke over. Hinami Hyūga, bringing Hinata, and Hizashi Hyūga, bringing Neji, also came along.
"Good afternoon, Boss Shinji. Itachi said you were treating us to dinner tonight, so we came over," Mikoto Uchiha spoke first. Sometimes before, Fugaku would come to the All-Purpose Shop for meals, and Mikoto Uchiha had also eaten together a few times. That taste really made her linger and forget to return.
The most important manifestation was that Itachi now rarely ate at home, always freeloading meals here at Shinji's. This made Mikoto Uchiha, as a mother, feel quite defeated. But there was nothing she could do. After all... Shinji's cooking was really too delicious!
"You're here, Mikoto. Hinami. Eh, Hizashi, you actually came back from the battlefield?" Shinji looked somewhat puzzledly at Hizashi. He had been called back to the battlefield some time ago.
"Yes. It's been relatively calm recently. Just needed to deliver some important intelligence, so I was sent back. Neji, greet Uncle Shinji," Hizashi Hyūga said with a chuckle. Hizashi Hyūga didn't have his wife with him. His wife passed away due to illness in the second year after giving birth to Neji.
"Hello, Uncle Shinji," Neji looked somewhat curiously at Shinji. Hizashi Hyūga hadn't brought Neji along when he came before, so this was also Neji's first time seeing Shinji.
"Ahem, just call me Brother Shinji," Shinji coughed twice, then crouched down to look at the currently only 2-year-old Neji. At this time, Neji hadn't been branded with the Caged Bird Curse Mark yet, and Hizashi Hyūga hadn't died yet. He wasn't very clear about the matters between the main and branch houses.
"Brother... Shinji..." Neji shyly hid behind Hizashi Hyūga for a moment, then spoke somewhat uncertainly.
"Eh~"
"Boss Shinji really is..." Hinami Hyūga said somewhat helplessly. Sometimes Shinji gave off a very mysterious feeling, but sometimes he gave off a very amiable feeling.
"This must be Hinata," Shinji came before Hinami Hyūga, looking at Hinata held in her arms. Hinata wasn't even 1 year old yet, but her personality was already that personality. Seeing Shinji lean closer, Hinata subconsciously shrank back into Hinami Hyūga's embrace.
"Hahaha! Boss Shinji, you scared Hinata!" Seeing this scene, everyone started laughing haha. Hinata was also infected by the laughter, mustering the courage to peek out.
Shinji looked around. Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyūga, Neji Hyūga, and Naruto, still sleeping upstairs. 4 of the future Konoha 12 were already here.
Knock knock knock~ Just as Shinji was observing, another knock came from the door of the All-Purpose Shop.
"You're here," Shinji opened the door, looking at the youth outside.
Everyone was attracted by the commotion over here and turned their heads to look. At this moment, a white-haired youth with dead fish eyes stood at the entrance. Still the signature dead fish eyes and the mask revealing only one eye. The Konoha forehead protector above slantedly covered his left eye.
"Boss Shinji, you called me over?" Yes, the person standing at the door was precisely Kakashi Hatake. He paused for a moment upon seeing so many people inside when he entered.
"Hello, Kakashi," Mikoto Uchiha bent down to greet him.
"Hello, Aunt Mikoto, Aunt Hinami, Uncle Hizashi. Why are you here?" Kakashi paused for a moment then immediately responded. He was the student of the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze. And the relationship between Minato, Fugaku, and Hiashi was very good. Relatively, his relationship with Mikoto Uchiha was also quite good.
"We don't know either. But Boss Shinji said he's treating us all to dinner tonight," Hinami Hyūga said with a smile.
"Then... I won't join. Still have something tonight..." Kakashi's eyes dimmed slightly, then he intended to leave.
"No, Kakashi. You have to stay," Shinji preemptively closed the door of the All-Purpose Shop. Kakashi couldn't leave for today's matter.
"Hmm?" Kakashi looked somewhat puzzledly at Shinji. During this time, he rarely came to Shinji's place, but had been working diligently in the ANBU. During his leisure time, he would be dazing off in front of Obito's, Rin's, Minato's, and Kushina's tombstones.
"Tonight, there are some things that need to be spent together with you all. You chat. I'll go make dinner now," After speaking, Shinji went directly into the kitchen. Karin also obediently went in together to help.
And Itachi didn't go looking for Deidara today, but sat in the living room of the All-Purpose Shop holding Sasuke, his eyes full of tenderness. Hinata kept looking curiously at the people outside from Hinami Hyūga's arms. Neji stood properly beside Hizashi. Although the current Neji was only 2 years old, under Hizashi's education and his own awareness, he was actually the most well-behaved one now.
Soon, while they were chatting in the living room, Shinji's bustling in the kitchen also neared its end. Jūgo came to the dining room, moved the other dining tables together to form one large dining table. Subsequently, Shinji wiped his hands and came out.
"Karin, that thing should have arrived, right?"
"Lord Shinji, it has arrived. I put it in the refrigerator," Karin replied directly.
"Mmm, that's good. Go call them over for dinner," Shinji smiled indulgently, patting Karin's head.
"Okay~" Feeling the warmth from Shinji's palm, Karin bounced off to the living room.
"Can we eat now?"
"Let's go then. Just happens I'm hungry too~" Mikoto Uchiha said happily. It had been a while since she last tried Shinji's cooking.
"..." Kakashi stood up expressionlessly. Arriving at the dining table, he directly chose the most inconspicuous corner seat.
"Come, come, everyone sit," Shinji said with a smile, then sat down in the main seat. Beside him was placed a small child's chair.
"This seat is?" Mikoto Uchiha asked somewhat puzzledly. Because beside her seat was also such an infant chair, Sasuke was currently sitting on it playing with Itachi. Beside Hinami was also one, Hinata was currently on it wanting to return to her mother's embrace. And Neji sat on a heightened chair; at 2 years old, he no longer needed this.
"You'll know soon. Karin, bring that thing up," Shinji smiled mysteriously, then asked Karin to bring the item out.
"Okay, Lord Shinji," Karin then came beside the refrigerator, took out the large cake inside, and then placed it in the center of the table.
"Is it someone's birthday today?" Hinami Hyūga asked somewhat puzzledly, then looked towards Karin and the other two.
"Cake..." Mikoto Uchiha stared intently at the cake, her brow furrowed high. She had already thought of something. Also lost in memory was Kakashi. His hands were tightly clenched together, seemingly remembering something.
"Sigh, Jūgo, bring Naruto out," Shinji sighed, then asked Jūgo to bring Naruto over. Perhaps due to being too relaxed here at Shinji's, Naruto slept right until just now.
"Naruto!?" Kakashi Hatake was the first to stand up, looking somewhat incredulously at Shinji. He knew all too well who Naruto was. When he went to Minato and Kushina's grave earlier today, he even specifically said, Happy Birthday Naruto. But being in ANBU, he naturally knew Naruto's current location, but was powerless. After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi also knew the relationship between Kakashi and Naruto, naturally impossible to assign this task to him.
Some people's expressions were puzzled, for example, Neji. And after hearing Naruto's name, Sasuke clenched his small fists tightly, as if something within his body was awakening.
As Jūgo brought the just-woken Naruto over and placed him beside Shinji, everyone suddenly fell silent. Yes, the adults present basically all knew Naruto's identity. Although they had thought about this matter before, under Hiruzen Sarutobi's suppression, they simply couldn't get close to Naruto! But tonight, Shinji actually brought Naruto out.
This matter, this nature. If discovered, then Shinji would definitely face some measures! But they also believed Shinji knew the pros and cons of this matter, yet still did it! Was this confidence? Or something else?
Of course, the most shocked among them was Kakashi Hatake. He stared intently at his master's son. Shouldn't he be under strict ANBU control? He hadn't heard anyone breaking into that place today? And... this was his teacher's son... Kakashi looked at Naruto, a trace of strange guilt flashing in his eyes.
And when Naruto saw Kakashi, a strange look also seemed to flash in his eyes. This person... why keep looking at himself like this? Although Kakashi's current aura was cold and lonely, Naruto still reached out his hands towards Kakashi.
"Hold... hold..." Naruto's small hands continuously made grasping motions in the void, seemingly wanting to grasp onto something.
Watching little Naruto continuously reaching out his hands towards him, Kakashi's hands shot up in the air. But soon, Kakashi's hands lowered. 'I am a jinx, I am a jinx.' 'Couldn't even protect my own friends, my own teacher and his wife.' 'Someone like me, how can I hold this little Naruto who symbolizes hope?' Kakashi lowered his head, struggling and remorseful emotions already beginning to envelop his mind.
He was an unlucky person, just like his name. "Scarecrow in the field", very "simple" and full of pastoral poetry. Its meaning was also simple and clear: guarding the farmland like a scarecrow. But scarecrows are always lonely. Kakashi lowered his head, looking at his hands. This really was...
However, just as Kakashi was feeling down, a pair of small hands suddenly appeared before him. Subconsciously, Kakashi looked up. Unknowingly, Shinji had already brought little Naruto before him.
"Ya ya ya ya~" Naruto seemed completely oblivious to the loneliness emanating from Kakashi, instead reaching out his hands towards Kakashi, signaling something.
"This..." Kakashi was momentarily stunned. What was this situation?
"Kakashi, he wants you to hold him," Mikoto Uchiha stood up with a smile. Having raised two children herself, she naturally knew what Naruto's current actions represented.
"Yeah, Kakashi, just hold Naruto," Hinami Hyūga also chimed in from the side.
Hold Naruto? Kakashi looked at Naruto in Shinji's hands. On his pinchable little face hung a smile that seemed somewhat eager. Kakashi's eyes focused. Seemingly having made some decision, he reached out his hands.
Gently, Kakashi picked Naruto up. Looking at the little one in his hands, Kakashi subconsciously raised his hands high, lifting Naruto high up. Naruto, rarely treated like this, showed no fear at all, instead giggling in mid-air.
"He really likes you, Kakashi," Shinji looked at Naruto's smiling face and chuckled softly.
"Yes, he seems to like me very much," Kakashi said, relieved. Thankfully, he wasn't that kind of...
"Ya ya ya ya!!!" However, just at this moment, a sudden angry baby cry came from the side. Everyone looked back. Unknowingly, Sasuke was already in the infant chair, babbling towards Naruto's direction.
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