Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!-Chapter 371: Mixed Doubles

"What are you standing around for? Let's go," Kakashi's voice called out from a distance, cutting off whatever Satsuki had been about to say.

"I'm coming, brother," Ginji replied dejectedly, trudging toward Kakashi. His earlier bravado had completely faded.

"What's the holdup? We're waiting for you," Kakashi said, his puzzled expression betraying his lack of context. He and Kurenai had arrived late and missed the earlier drama.

"Brother, you'll save me, right?" Ginji's face lit up with a glimmer of hope as he hurried over to grab Kakashi's arm.

"In trouble again?" Kakashi asked, his tone tinged with resigned exasperation.

"We were fighting during Uncle Kawakaze's speech and broke formation," Ginji admitted, guilt plain on his face.

"Get your hands off me. I can't save you," Kakashi replied, brushing Ginji's hands away and walking off without so much as a backward glance.

It wasn't that Kakashi didn't care—he did—but he knew better than to intervene. If Ginji had stayed out of trouble, he wouldn't be in this situation. Besides, Kakashi thought wryly, Ginji put far too much faith in him. As if his father hadn't beaten him up a fair few times himself.

"Let's just do it. If you stick your head out, you'll get hurt."

Ginji seemed to have made up his mind and followed Kakashi without looking back.

The six of them finally regrouped with the adults outside the school. Satsuki let out a relieved sigh upon noticing that Orochimaru wasn't there. Meanwhile, Shisui, aware that Fugaku had gone to retrieve Mikoto, stayed close to his young companion.

"Dad, where are we going to eat?" Ginji, having regained his composure, casually asked Kawakaze, as though unfazed by life's trials.

"We'll head to the barbecue restaurant near the weapons workshop. Your mother's already waiting there," Kawakaze replied, glancing at Ginji with a meaningful look, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Dad, I suddenly have a stomachache. Can I skip it?" Ginji's legs began to tremble the moment he heard Tsunade would be there, his expression like someone facing impending doom.

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"That's perfect. Your mother can take a look at you," Kawakaze said knowingly, clearly seeing through Ginji's flimsy excuse.

"Pfft~" Satsuki couldn't hold back anymore and burst into laughter. Ginji, really? Faking an illness? Did you forget your mother's a Medical-nin?

"No need to trouble Mom. I'm fine now," Ginji mumbled, resigning himself to his fate. He patted his head, laughing at his own foolishness despite the dread.

"That's better. Let's go." Kawakaze, Jiraiya, and the others continued chatting as they walked, occasionally bursting into hearty laughter. To Ginji, their mirth sounded like a devil's chorus.

When they arrived at the barbecue restaurant, Tsunade had already been waiting. She greeted everyone warmly, but her attention quickly turned to Ginji. With a mischievous smile, she grabbed him by the ear and dragged him off.

"You all sit down. I'll take care of this," she said cheerfully, though her actions suggested otherwise.

Kawakaze followed, pretending to watch the fun, even though the rest of the group hadn't arrived yet.

"Ahhhhh!" Ginji's screams soon echoed from the adjacent booth. Satsuki shivered, hearing what sounded like a premonition of her own fate. While Orochimaru adored her, he never hesitated to discipline her when necessary.

"Do you know what you've done wrong?"

"Will you do it again?"

Kawakaze and Tsunade interrogated Ginji in perfect harmony. With no other option, he meekly accepted his punishment. Mixed doubles are just too much...

As the lively commotion carried on in the next booth, Shinku Yūhi and his family arrived. Kawakaze had asked him to call the others, and Sakumo and Nayuki were already on their way.

"Where's Kawakaze?"

Shinku asked casually, assuming Kawakaze hadn't arrived yet.

Jiraiya gave a nudge and pointed toward the private room. "He's in there with Tsunade, disciplining his kid," he said with a smirk.

"What did Ginji do this time?" Kurenai leaned toward Kakashi, her curiosity piqued as she prepared for some gossip.

The two whispered quietly, and in no time, Kakashi had explained the situation.

"Haha, it's Ginji's misfortune to have a brother like you," Kurenai said with a laugh.

Kakashi shrugged off Ginji's hand. "What was I supposed to do? Go in there and get beaten up with him?" He rolled his eyes. What am I, some kind of martyr?

"You're killing me," Kurenai said, trying to suppress her laughter as she patted her chest to calm herself.

About ten minutes later, the family returned from the other room. Ginji's expression was composed, his face betraying no signs of tears. However, his earlier screams had been far too dramatic to ignore.

The pain had been real enough, but the lack of visible injury was proof of his parents' expert control. Having powerful parents isn't always a blessing, Ginji thought grimly.

"Are you done educating him?" Shinku asked, a hint of amusement in his tone. "You know, sometimes you can't just rely on beatings."

Shinku shared his parenting advice, sounding credible as he gestured to Kurenai, who was indeed well-behaved and sensible.

While the adults chatted among themselves, the children had their own conversation.

"Did it hurt just now?" Satsuki asked with genuine concern as Ginji sat down.

"It hurt. I almost lost my voice from screaming," Ginji said, pinching his throat dramatically as if he were still in pain.

"You didn't cry even though it hurt. But I'm sure I'll cry when we get home after eating," Satsuki said worriedly. She didn't have the same tolerance as Ginji.

"I don't think so. Uncle Orochimaru wouldn't dare to hit you," Ginji replied with confidence, though he had never actually seen it happen.

"That's because he doesn't hit me in public. But at home, I've been hit until I cried plenty of times," Satsuki admitted.

Kurenai's eyes lit up in understanding. She and Satsuki shared the same fate. Despite Shinku's current bragging, when he got truly angry, he had punished her more than a few times.

As the conversation shifted to the topic of being disciplined, the children began to exchange complaints. Only Shisui stayed silent, his eyes betraying a trace of envy.

If only I had parents to scold or punish me, Shisui thought wistfully. But he quickly brushed it off. Life wasn't bad now—at least the Clan Head treated him well.

As time passed, more people arrived. Orochimaru was the last to join, accompanied by Misaki and Nawaki. Minato and Kushina had arrived earlier, alongside Fugaku and Mikoto.

"Brother-in-law, did you forget about us?" Nawaki asked as he took a seat next to Tsunade, pointing an accusing finger at Kawakaze.

"How could I? I spoke to Kakashi about it," Kawakaze replied, though his awkward smile betrayed his guilt. He'd clearly forgotten.

"Oh, right," Nawaki said skeptically.

"Uncle Nawaki, I'm the one who forgot," Kakashi interjected smoothly, quick to take the blame for his uncle. He even gave Ginji a sly wink, silently advising him, Watch and learn, kid.

"You're the one who forgot about us," Nawaki said, unimpressed. He wasn't fooled by Kakashi's act.

"I promise I won't do it again," Kawakaze said quickly, seeing no way to dodge further. "The food's served. Everyone, dig in!"

Using the arrival of the food as a distraction, Kawakaze skillfully redirected the conversation, and the lively group soon turned their attention to the meal.