Morning.
Tsunade put on the Hokage ceremonial robe.
True to her freewheeling style, she threw it directly over her usual sleeveless top.
Natsume lay on his side on the bed watching her.
After a moment, Tsunade turned and asked, "Well?"
"Absolutely gorgeous."
Natsume didn't hesitate. "But today you've added the Hokage's gravitas—very cool."
"You do know how to talk."
Tsunade shot him a glare, clenched her fist, and said, "Quit flirting around on me from now on!"
"Sis, how did you jump to that topic?"
Natsume protested, aggrieved. "I was sincerely complimenting you."
Seeing his expression paired with that face, Tsunade felt a pang of guilt.
She thought for a moment, leaned in, pointed to her forehead, and hinted, "I'm taking office as Fifth Hokage today. Where's your gift?"
Natsume lifted his head and, to her surprise, kissed the corner of her lips.
Tsunade froze for a few seconds, heart fluttering and a bit shy-angry. "Where did you learn that? Always taking advantage?"
"What? Your lucky kiss is on the forehead, but mine isn't."
Natsume hurried to quibble.
Tsunade didn't bother arguing; she hammered him on the crown of his head.
"If I don't see you at the inauguration, you're dead!"
She turned and left the room.
As the star of the day, she had to arrive early, so they couldn't go together.
"Getting more violent, huh."
Natsume rubbed his head.
Of course, Tsunade hadn't used force; otherwise, his life would have ended.
He got dressed, ate breakfast with Shizune, and headed to the plaza in front of the Hokage building.
As a major Konoha event, everyone would attend.
Ninja and civilians alike.
Today Natsume experienced a rare sensation:
Crowded.
Just like taking the subway to work in his previous life.
Rare in the ninja world.
The Hokage's influence in Konoha was undeniable.
"Natsume-kun."
Yamanaka Ino suddenly patted Natsume from behind.
A strange light flashed in Shizune's eyes.
She knew Natsume's relationship with Tsunade was a bit off.
After Hinata, now he'd charmed Yamanaka Ino too.
Natsume, do you think you're a cat with nine lives?
"You two chat; I'll go on ahead."
Shizune smiled and distanced herself from the danger zone.
Natsume's mouth twitched; she'd clearly misunderstood.
He turned to the bubbly girl and smiled. "Are we already that close?"
Ino had just called him Natsume-kun, a polite honorific.
Between boys and girls, it could carry an unspoken hint.
"Aren't we friends?"
Ino's cheeks flushed. She looked away slightly, head lowered, bangs covering most of her expression.
"We are."
Natsume smiled and explained, "I just find it odd; you're Naruto's classmate, and he calls me big bro."
"It's fine. We each keep to our own."
Ino lifted her head, met his meaningful gaze, and blushed even deeper.
"Ino-pig!"
Haruno Sakura ran up, furious. "You jerk! I went to your place to find you, and you'd already left without a word!"
Behind her were Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto.
Sasuke looked colder than ever.
Naruto was as cheerful as always.
"Don't call me Ino-pig!"
Ino immediately panicked.
She'd never cared before because it didn't matter.
But in front of Natsume, she didn't want to leave a bad impression.
Sakura frowned, noticed Natsume, and instantly understood.
Fine.
She changed her form of address and asked, "Ino, did you run ahead just to see Naruto's big brother?"
Nice one!
Ino gave her bestie a mental thumbs-up, but said aloud, "Natsume-kun and I just ran into each other."
Sakura blinked.
Natsume-kun?
What's going on?
I don't even have a thing with Sasuke-kun yet, and you two are already that close?
She was on the verge of going crazy.
"Let's get moving."
Natsume cut the topic off in time; if he was late, he'd really be dead.
The five of them arrived at the plaza before the Hokage building.
It was already shoulder to shoulder.
Voices overlapped in a cacophony.
But with Naruto leading the way, and the Nine-Tails' aura clearing a path, they squeezed to the front.
"Yo, Naruto!"
Not far away, a man in a green jumpsuit waved energetically.
Might Guy.
His father, Might Duy, fought the Seven Ninja Swordsmen alone and killed four.
As a result, the Eight Gates technique gained Konoha's respect.
Might Guy was no longer a forever-genin; he'd been promoted to jōnin.
And his talent far surpassed Duy's.
With the Eight Gates open, his power rivaled Uchiha Madara's—almost a one-kick finale.
He loved jogging laps around Konoha; after running into Naruto last time, their personalities clicked, and they became fast friends.
Beside Guy stood a white-haired, masked young man: Hatake Kakashi.
He looked at Naruto with a complicated expression.
The son of his teacher, Minato.
When would he graduate?
Kakashi had left the Anbu and become a jōnin squad leader.
Unfortunately, none of his students had passed his bell test, so he remained a loner.
His gaze then shifted to Uchiha Sasuke.
In truth, as a student, Sasuke was the best fit for him.
Because they both had Sharingan.
In the original story, Kakashi seemed partial to Sasuke because he regarded him as a successor.
Naruto ran over to say hi.
Natsume found a spot and didn't approach Guy or Kakashi for now.
He'd do so after becoming the Hokage's aide in the future.
But given his current age, he'd need to think of ways.
Without enough achievements, he couldn't convince the masses.
Before long, Hiruzen and Tsunade arrived, and the inauguration ceremony officially began.
"Wherever leaves dance, the fire will burn. The shadow of fire will shine on the village and make new leaves bud…"
As expected, the first step was a passionate speech by former Hokage Hiruzen.
He opened with the Will of Fire, then spoke on the truth of the Uchiha massacre, and finally evoked sympathy with the death of son and grandchild.
After this round, the rumors Danzō had spread evaporated without effect.
By the time the speech ended, an hour had passed.
"Tsunade, say a few words."
Hiruzen's face flushed with excitement.
He'd moved himself with his own words.
"Mm."
Tsunade nodded, scanned the crowd, and spotted Natsume, which pleased her.
The two unfamiliar girls by his side, however, pricked at her eyes.
So the guy was indeed a smooth liar.
"Thank you for your hard work, everyone!"
Tsunade raised her hand and shouted, "From today on, I am the Fifth Hokage. Okay, that's it. Dismissed!"
Natsume blinked.
As expected of you.
Recklessly concise.
But very Tsunade.