Konoha, Kamizuki Residence.
"Big bro! Sis-in-law!"
Hikari carried a large bundle of gifts as he knocked on the familiar door.
This used to be his own home, but he had already moved out. It would be quite awkward if he happened to walk in on his brother and sister-in-law being... affectionate.
"Just come in already. Why are you knocking? You're starting to act like a stranger!" Kamizuki Izumo opened the door, half complaining when he saw Hikari standing there.
"I was just worried I might interrupt you and sis-in-law doing something... embarrassing!" Hikari defended himself as he followed Izumo inside.
"You think I'm like you? A man like me, with discipline, would never do such indecent things in broad daylight!" Izumo said with a straight face — words Hikari didn't believe for a second.
After all, he still remembered clearly: the mighty Izumo had brought Mikan home the very night they met, and "sparred" until dawn — forcing Hikari to sleep elsewhere.
"Oh, it's Hikari!"
Mikan came down from the second floor. Her belly was noticeably round — she must have been several months pregnant already.
But...
Hikari glanced at her belly, did a quick mental count, and said, "Bro, your wife's belly is huge... don't tell me you're raising another man's kid?"
Mikan, who had been smiling warmly just a moment ago, immediately darkened and grabbed something nearby to throw at him.
"You brat! I knew you wouldn't come here for anything good! If you've got nothing important, get lost!"
Izumo walked up and smacked Hikari on the back of the head. "Watch your mouth, little brother! Your sister-in-law was a pure maiden when we married!"
"Okay, okay! My bad, my bad!" Hikari raised his hands in surrender. "By the way, did you two go for a check-up? Is my little nephew going to be a boy or a girl?"
"Hmph, we did. But we didn't ask. If it's a girl, we'll have another one. If it's a boy, we'll give him a little sister!" Mikan said as she sat down carefully on the sofa, supported by Izumo.
"I see, I see. But if it turns out to be twins — one boy and one girl — that'd be perfect!" Hikari grinned.
"Alright, enough about us. Let's talk about you!" Izumo, whose life and career were both going smoothly, was genuinely worried about his younger brother's situation.
"What kind of woman are you even looking for? Tall, short, plump, thin — there's gotta be a standard!"
Hikari rolled his eyes. "Didn't you say before that you wouldn't butt into my business? And come on, with those rumors about me and Tsunade-sama, what kind of woman would dare marry me?"
"Yeah, yeah, you think you can fool me with that?" Izumo didn't buy it. "Tsunade-sama told me herself — she values you because of your strength and skill. If you actually want to get married, she said she'd even serve as your wedding witness!"
'Tsunade... as my witness?'
'What kind of game is that woman playing?'
'Would she really be happy if I got married?'
Hikari finally understood what people meant when they said, "A woman's heart is like the depths of the ocean."
He had stayed single partly because of her. And now she was sending Izumo and Mikan to pressure him into marriage?
"My matters are my own, bro. The continuation of the Kamizuki line is in your hands now. You two should have a bunch of kids — eight or ten would be great! Then the Kamizuki clan will definitely rise again!"
"What, you think I'm a pig?" Mikan protested.
Giving birth wasn't something to take lightly — even for a kunoichi, the pain was enough to make one question life itself.
Her body might be stronger than an ordinary woman's, but to go through that many pregnancies? Was she even human to him?
"Besides," Mikan added sharply, "you've got plenty of women around you. Why don't you just marry a few of them? Two kids from each would do the job better than I could, don't you think?"
Trying to deflect the pressure, she threw the issue right back at him.
"Plenty? I'm a man of loyalty!"
"Ugh..."
Hearing Hikari call himself "loyal" made Mikan cover her mouth and gag. Then she gave him a look of pure disdain. "Cut it out. Ever since I married your brother, you barely come home. You think we don't hear things from other people?"
"What could you possibly have heard? I've been working seriously — I'm a model shinobi!" Hikari protested.
Mikan patted Izumo's shoulder and leaned against him.
"Ichiraku's Ayame, for one — you two exchange looks all the time. I bet it's only a matter of time before something happens."
Hikari coughed. "Ahem, that's not something you should say carelessly! I don't mind, but Ayame is a good girl. She shouldn't be dragged into my mess."
Ignoring his excuse, Mikan went on, "And that girl Tenten — she's a bit young, but give it three or four years. She's adorable; even I like her."
Hikari: 'Who's leaking my private life? Believe it or not, I'll hit you with a Shinra Tensei and send you to the afterlife.'
"And besides those two, I've heard that you and Anko have a pretty complicated relationship. Her teacher might've been Orochimaru, but I'm sure Tsunade-sama wouldn't mind."
"Wait, wait! Anko and I were just close as kids! I haven't even seen her much lately! Sis-in-law, that's slander!"
"Oh really? Then tell me, do you think Anko's got a nice figure?"
"...Not bad," Hikari muttered guiltily, thinking of that pair of curves.
"'Not bad,' he says," Izumo chuckled, giving him a thumbs-up. "Stop being picky, Hikari. Anko's great — healthy and strong, good for raising kids!"
At least their children wouldn't go hungry.
"And according to ANBU reports," Mikan added, letting something slip, "you've been visiting Kurenai's house quite a bit lately. You two getting close, huh?"
That did it. Hikari instantly realized what was happening.
So this was Tsunade's doing.
She must've felt he might leave Konoha someday, so she had Mikan and Izumo pressure him into settling down.
A married man grows roots — responsibility, family, ties to the village. If he married Kurenai, Ayame, and Tenten, how could he ever leave?
"I swear, there's nothing going on between me and Kurenai! I was just helping her student, Yakumo, with her physical recovery. That's all!"
"Sure, sure. You're innocent now — but you won't stay that way for long!" Mikan gave him a knowing smirk.
"Hikari, you're handsome and wealthy. If it's status you're worried about, Tsunade-sama could easily make you a village adviser — maybe even the next Hokage. Then you'd have no problem settling down with all those girls, right?"
"Uh... I'll think about it! Anyway, I've got things to do. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone!"
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