Children's emotions come and go quickly.
After that apology from Uchiha Hikaru, his relationship with Tsunade actually got better.
Of course, that had something to do with the changes in him as well.
While he still occasionally messed with Tsunade, it was always harmless teasing.
Every time that happened, Mito Uzumaki would smile like a doting aunt as she watched the two.
Then, she'd glance somewhat complicatedly at Nonō.
As someone who had been through it all, she could easily tell what was going on with this little girl.
But the worry passed from her mind in an instant.
Please—back in the day, she couldn't even handle the bond between Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, those two men.
And now you want her to deal with this? Out of her area of expertise.
Besides, children and grandchildren have their own fates. Let them be. She just wanted to enjoy life.
As for why Mito Uzumaki was always around—wasn't she a Hokage? Didn't she have official duties?
Whenever someone asked that, Chinatsu would give them a thumbs-up from within a mountain of paperwork.
Time passed like that, and soon, the New Year arrived.
It was Uchiha Hikaru's first New Year in this world. He stood by the window, quietly watching the slowly rising moon.
That bright moon was like a lighthouse illuminating his path, and it made him recall the life he had left behind.
Though part of him missed the past, in this new world, he had found a new beginning.
Just as Uchiha Hikaru was lost in his memories, Nonō's gentle and delicate voice came from behind:
"Hikaru-kun, Lady Mito and Tsunade are already waiting for you."
He turned around to see Nonō smiling softly.
Her eyes were full of warmth and hope—and something else he couldn't quite name. But that look filled him with a comforting sense of belonging.
It made him realize that even though he hadn't been here long, he had already formed bonds of his own.
He walked over to her and looked into those eyes that reflected his own face.
He gently patted her head, as if comforting both her and himself.
"Let's go."
Being suddenly head-patted by Uchiha Hikaru made Nonō's heart skip a beat, and her cheeks flushed with color.
She shyly lifted her head to meet the gaze of the boy who had saved her, and softly replied:
"Mm."
Uchiha Hikaru looked at her flushed face and gave a light chuckle.
That little laugh made Nonō's face turn even redder. Inside, she started cheering herself on:
'Come on, Nonō! Don't you always get jealous watching Hikaru-kun and Tsunade interact? Why do you fall apart the moment it's your turn?'
With that thought, Nonō took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and grabbed Hikaru's hand.
Her palm was a little damp—clearly from nervousness.
Uchiha Hikaru was only mildly surprised but didn't say anything.
Together, they walked down the stairs to the living room.
Tsunade and the others were already waiting. When they walked in holding hands, Tsunade immediately grabbed Hikaru's other hand.
Her cheeks puffed up slightly. She looked a little upset.
Uchiha Hikaru gave her a puzzled look, not understanding why she was acting like this.
Clearly, he'd forgotten—girls in the world of Naruto mature faster than he thought.
Hinata and Sakura—both still kids in his eyes—had already fallen hard for Naruto and Sasuke when they were very young.
He glanced at the others nearby and noticed some of them smiling awkwardly. It was obvious they'd picked up on his embarrassment.
At that moment, Mito Uzumaki stepped forward to break the awkward silence.
With a teasing tone and a playful smile at the three of them, she said:
"Now that little Hikaru is here, let's head out. I'm sure they'll catch up."
And with that, she led the way out of the room.
Then, Senju Yosuke and his wife gave Uchiha Hikaru a long look before following behind.
Tsunade and Nonō exchanged a look, then each grabbed one of his hands and tugged him along.
At that point, even a dense boy like Uchiha Hikaru realized something was off.
The competitive tension between Tsunade and Nonō made his instincts sound the alarm.
Before he could figure out how to solve this brewing situation, they had already arrived at the festival grounds.
Because of the recent end of the war and the upcoming Chūnin Exams, the celebration was especially lively this year. It had drawn most of the village together.
The festival was a sea of joy.
The place was packed—people shoulder to shoulder, so many that the ground itself seemed covered in their enthusiasm.
Cheers and laughter echoed from every direction, wave after wave rolling through the air.
It was an atmosphere filled with delight and ease, impossible not to be swept up in it.
Down the narrow alleys, stalls lined the streets with food and games.
People queued up for a taste of grilled skewers, sushi, tempura, and more, all releasing mouthwatering aromas.
At the game booths, people cheered and laughed, their excitement creating waves of joy.
Just then, a voice came from nearby.
"H-Hikaru-kun... what a coincidence."
Uchiha Hikaru turned and saw Chiri standing nearby, head down and fingers fidgeting.
Seeing Chiri made his head ache even more.
He was still trying to figure out how to deal with the situation between Tsunade and Nonō—and now here came another one.
But there's an old saying: if you give up, nothing can bother you.
Unable to think of a solution, Uchiha Hikaru decided to just roll with it.
He grabbed all three girls without warning, ignoring their surprised cries, and dragged them to a booth where people were throwing shuriken at balloons.
Without paying them any mind, Uchiha Hikaru asked the vendor:
"Boss, how does this game work?"
The vendor saw a few kids coming to play and beamed as he stepped forward.
"All the rules are posted right there," he said, pointing.
Uchiha Hikaru looked over. The rules were simple:
100 Ryo per round. Each round includes five paper shuriken. Pop all the balloons and you can choose a mask.
There was also a bold note: "Ninja not allowed to participate."
After seeing that, Uchiha Hikaru asked with concern:
"Boss, we're all students at the Ninja Academy—can we still join?"
The vendor glanced at the group of kids and scoffed inwardly.
'Even if you are ninja, there's no way you can pop these balloons. They're made of rubber. No way paper shuriken can break them.'
With that thought, he grinned even wider.
"No problem! As long as you're not full-fledged ninja, you're welcome."
He didn't notice the strange expressions on the three girls' faces.
Moments later, a chorus of heartbroken wails echoed from the booth.