August 15th. The heat was relentless.
Shinho arrived at the Hokage's office early. Today was the day for their trip to the beach. This time of year was perfect; any later and they'd risk missing the peak of summer.
"Lord Hokage," Konan said, standing up and bowing.
"Shinho!"
To Shinho's surprise, Hinata was also there. She sat on the sofa, a cup of water, one-third finished, on the coffee table in front of her.
"You're here this early?" Shinho asked, walking over and stroking her head.
"I... um..." Hinata hesitated, eventually nodding slightly. She wanted to say she came early because she missed him, but with Konan present, shyness overwhelmed her.
"The beach has been chosen," Konan stated matter-of-factly, unfazed by the intimate gesture between Shinho and Hinata.
"Thank you, Konan," Shinho said, casually pulling Konan into his arms and kissing her.
Hinata froze slightly, her lips pressed together, a flicker of envy in her eyes.
Konan was startled, glancing at Hinata instinctively. Seeing no reaction, she didn't resist, kissing him back.
"Your reward," Shinho said, licking his lips.
"..." Konan fell silent. The situation felt too awkward; she didn't know what expression to wear.
"Is the portal set up?" Shinho asked, noticing Hinata's gaze. He couldn't help but smile inwardly. This girl truly didn't know how to get jealous.
"The Doting Mother Gu was sent over yesterday," Konan replied, regaining her composure.
"Go and inform the others," Shinho said after a moment's thought. "Gather at 8:30. Tell them to bring clothes, especially swimsuits."
"Yes," Konan nodded. "I'll take my leave." Though typically stoic, she could sense she'd become the outsider in front of Hinata. With a slight bow, she turned and left, giving them some privacy.
"Hinata, you..." Shinho began, only to be interrupted.
Hinata suddenly covered her mouth, gagging briefly before quickly recovering.
"...?" Shinho raised an eyebrow.
Could this be...? Considering their activities over the past two weeks, it was certainly possible.
"I've been feeling a little nauseous today, but it's nothing serious," Hinata quickly said. "We can still go to the beach."
"Do you know why?" Shinho asked, a smile playing on his lips.
Hinata looked at him, puzzled by his amusement. "It's been very mild, so I didn't think much of it," she explained.
"Let me check," Shinho said, extending his hand and placing it on her head. To avoid any misunderstandings, he needed to confirm things himself.
Immortal essence flowed into Hinata's body, quickly circulating through her system. Shinho drew a sharp breath.
He bent down, close to Hinata's face, kissed her, and asked, "Want to know the reason?"
"Yes," Hinata nodded instinctively.
"You're pregnant, Hinata," Shinho said, a smile spreading across his face.
"Eh?" Hinata trembled, her eyes widening in disbelief.
She never imagined it was because of pregnancy.
"Shinho!" After a few seconds of stunned silence, Hinata threw her arms around Shinho, exclaiming excitedly, "That's wonderful! I'm finally pregnant with your child!"
"Why are you more excited than me?" Shinho chuckled, patting her back. "Relax."
He was less surprised this time, given Tsunade's recent pregnancy.
"Mm," Hinata took a few deep breaths, calming herself down. She released Shinho, touching her abdomen with a blissful expression.
"I feel like my place in your heart has suddenly dropped quite a bit," Shinho teased, watching her.
"No!" Hinata grasped his hand earnestly. "Shinho, you'll always be number one."
Shinho was momentarily stunned, then touched.
He leaned in and kissed her deeply.
"Shin...ho..." The door suddenly opened, and Ino froze in the doorway.
She hadn't expected to walk in on such a scene, and a pang of jealousy shot through her.
Hinata instinctively buried her face in Shinho's chest, blushing crimson, too embarrassed to look at Ino.
Being caught like this, even just kissing, mortified her.
"Good morning, Ino," Shinho greeted her calmly. Ino, as always, wore a tight-fitting top that revealed her slim, pale waist.
"It's not a good morning at all!" Ino retorted, clearly displeased.
"I apologise," Shinho said, giving Hinata a pat before walking over to Ino.
"..." Ino hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.
Did this jerk have no shame? And his apology lacked any sincerity!
"I thought you weren't coming," Shinho said, taking her hand and squeezing it gently.
"Why wouldn't I come?" Ino huffed. "I'm not afraid of them!"
When she heard Shinho wasn't inviting her alone to the beach, she'd considered refusing. But she quickly realized that not going might jeopardize her position.
As far as she was concerned, besides Tsunade, she was the only one who could compete with Hinata for the second spot for his affection.
"That's my girl," Shinho praised.
"..." Ino rolled her eyes. "I don't want to be praised for this kind of thing."
If it weren't for this idiot, she wouldn't have to put herself through this.
"My fault," Shinho said, wrapping an arm around her waist. He could feel the soft curves of her body pressed against him.
"Ino..." Shinho lowered his head.
Ino pouted but didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned in and kissed him.
Watching them, Hinata thought, with a strange sense of admiration, that Shinho was truly amazing.
In her mind, being able to win over so many powerful female ninjas must meant he was exceptionally capable.
She was truly the ideal wife and mother of the shinobi world.
"Are you still angry?" Shinho asked softly, caressing Ino's cheek. The faint blush on her made her look even more alluring.
"Yes," Ino whispered breathlessly. But despite her words, neither her expression nor her tone conveyed any real anger.
Just then, footsteps approached. Ino quickly pulled away from Shinho.
"You're all here early," Tsunade said, looking from Ino to Hinata.
As someone with experience, she knew from their expressions that something had just happened.
"Brat," Tsunade glared at Shinho. "Is everyone here?"
Ever since learning about the beach party, she had only one thought: to assert her dominance as the rightful number one.
Since things had come to this, she couldn't stop anything.
The best solution was for her to take charge. Besides, Shinho seemed to share the same sentiment, respecting her authority.
"Just a few more minutes," Shinho replied. "Let's wait a bit longer."
"Mm." Tsunade nodded and, reaching out, pulled Ino towards her. "Ino, sit and wait."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Ino said obediently.
Tsunade nodded in satisfaction.
"La...Lady Tsunade," Hinata stammered, quickly standing up.
"No need to be so formal. We're all family here," Tsunade said with a smile, patting Hinata's head. This shy and obedient girl was truly endearing.
"Huh?" Tsunade suddenly channeled chakra into her hand. After a few seconds, she asked in surprise, "Are you pregnant?"
"What?!" Ino jolted, utterly astonished.
Hinata was pregnant? When did that happen? She and Shinho had only progressed to kissing. She thought she was moving fast, but Hinata had gone straight to the finish line.
Damn it! A fierce wave of frustration washed over Ino.
"Yes," Hinata admitted, blushing slightly.
"That brat!" Tsunade turned to Shinho. "She's pregnant, and you haven't set a wedding date yet?"
Hinata was stunned, sensing genuine concern from Tsunade.
"We were thinking December 27th," Shinho said after a pause. "Her birthday."
"What about me?" Ino blurted out, her blue eyes filled with a sense of grievance and injustice.
"Next year," Shinho said apologetically. "You can choose the date."
"I..." Ino glanced at Hinata, biting her lip.
She was already behind; she didn't want to lag on the wedding date too.
"How about this?" Tsunade clapped her hands, drawing their attention. "How about you both get married on the same day?"
"Huh?" Ino was completely taken aback by Tsunade's suggestion.
"I'm okay with that," Hinata agreed after a moment's hesitation.
Marriage, now that she was pregnant, felt more like a formality. Plus, her kind nature inclined her to agree.
"..." Ino felt a wave of helplessness.
She wanted to compete with Hinata, but Hinata wasn't competing at all.
Her generosity made Ino feel a little ashamed.
"Then let's do it together," Ino said after a moment of internal struggle.
Getting married on the same day signified equal status, second only to Tsunade.
It would also appease the Ino-Shika-Cho clans. After all, marrying Shinho had no downsides.
"...?" Shinho blinked, caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events.
But Tsunade, you brilliant woman! He thought. She was truly his number one, not only magnanimous but also considerate of his needs.
Two brides on the same wedding night... the thought alone made him impatient.
"You lucky brat!" Tsunade said, giving Shinho a playful glare.
Her suggestion was indeed the most beneficial for him, but his nonchalant attitude made her want to kick him.
"Shinho!" Karin's voice called out, drawing closer.
She ran into the Hokage's office, only to find everyone already there, especially a rather imposing Tsunade.
Karin immediately became more subdued.
Following close behind was Shizune. She scanned the room and, as usual, went to sit beside Tsunade.
"Lord Hokage," Konan entered, announcing, "It's 8:30." Samui and Mabui followed behind her.
Everyone for the beach party was finally assembled: Shinho, Tsunade, Shizune, Karin, Konan, Ino, Hinata, Samui, and Mabui—nine in total.
There were also the three Snake Princesses, they were merely tools.
Shinho didn't have strong feelings for them. Plus, their unique status and lack of familiarity with the others meant they weren't included.
"Let's go then," Shinho said, raising his hand.
"I'll take you there. Don't resist." He channeled his immortal essence, pouring it into the Travelling Son Gu. The Doting Mother Gu connected with the Travelling Son Gu, creating a spatial passage between the two locations.
Instantly, everyone vanished from the Hokage's office.
The scenery shifted.
Shinho steadied himself, gazing out at the endless expanse of the ocean. The summer sun beat down; even the sea breeze felt warm rather than cool.
Shinho surveyed their surroundings.
They were on a deserted beach. Konan had made preparations: beach umbrellas and chairs were set up, exactly nine, spaced apart evenly.
Behind them were changing tents, also nine. There was a barbecue grill and various cooking utensils as well.
Shinho nodded in satisfaction. Konan was thorough. He even spotted surfboards and inflatable rings.
Focusing his immortal essence, Shinho extended his senses.
Soon, the surrounding area appeared in his mind. They were on a deserted island, devoid of any signs of human or animal life. Just in case, Shinho erected a barrier around the island.
"Everyone, change into your swimsuits," Tsunade announced, taking the lead.
Shinho snapped back to reality, sighing inwardly.
Today, Tsunade was perfectly in sync with his desires. Flawless.
"Brat, I have a task for you. Help us apply sunscreen," Tsunade said with a sly grin. "Pay attention to the order."
Shinho's smile froze.
He felt eight pairs of eyes fixed on him. Tsunade's emphasis on "order" was crystal clear; she was making him rank them.
This is going to be trouble. Shinho glared at her.
"Think carefully," Tsunade said, highly amused.
With a wave of her hand, she turned and entered a changing tent. The other seven women followed suit.
Shinho scratched his head, pondering the order.
Tsunade was undoubtedly first, but the second spot was problematic. Hinata? Ino? Shizune? Or Karin? Konan, Samui, and Mabui, being from different villages, could be placed later without causing offense.
He found himself agonizing over the choice between Ino and Hinata.
Minutes later, the women emerged one by one. Different styles of swimsuits, pale skin, diversely alluring figures, all on display before Shinho.
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