Chapter 174: The Date
"Alright, nii-san," Kakashi replied, sitting upright with an unusually serious expression.
"Oh? Then tell me—what do you think about Shizune?" Hatake Yusuke asked, casually continuing his dinner. His tone was light, but the intent behind it wasn't.
"Eh? Lord Yusuke, um… I-I'm not planning to get married just yet…" Shizune stammered, cheeks reddening in embarrassment.
"Relax, Shizune. Yusuke's not saying anything too crazy," Tsunade said with a soft chuckle.
Meanwhile, Sakumo Hatake quietly observed Shizune, nodding ever so slightly—as if offering his silent approval.
"Kakashi, your thoughts?" Yusuke asked again, the softness in his tone contrasted by the weight of expectation behind his words.
"Uh… nii-san, relationships aren't something you can force, right? Feelings take time. Like you and Tsunade… or Kurenai. It takes years to grow into something real," Kakashi replied carefully.
"Oh? So you actually understand that much?" Yusuke gave him a small nod.
Deep down, he knew the truth—Rin had never truly loved Kakashi. Her heart had leaned toward Obito, and what she felt for Kakashi was more admiration than affection. Kakashi, in return, never really loved her either.
"Not really…" Kakashi scratched the back of his head, looking flustered.
"Then let me ask you this, Shizune—hypothetically, what if Kakashi were your husband?" Yusuke said, now looking straight at her.
"Um… I think Kakashi-senpai is a good person. He's a wonderful man," Shizune replied gently, eyes glancing toward Kakashi.
At that moment, Kakashi wasn't wearing his usual mask. Under Yusuke's orders, he had removed it—revealing the face that many women in the village swooned over.
Though perhaps just a notch below Yusuke in appearance, Kakashi was undeniably handsome. It made sense—they were twins, after all.
"Alright then. Just try to get to know each other better. If it doesn't work out, you can tell me later," Yusuke said with a shrug, going back to his food.
"Nii-san…" Kakashi tried to object.
"Hm?" Yusuke lowered his sunglasses slightly, his sharp gaze slicing through the room like a kunai.
That look said one thing clearly: Refuse, and suffer.
Kakashi shut his mouth instantly, slouching a little like an eggplant wilted under the sun.
Shizune lowered her head as well, her face flushed.
Dinner ended with a strange but warm atmosphere. Afterward, everyone returned to their own places to rest.
"Kakashi, take Shizune out for a walk. Go on," Yusuke commanded without looking up.
"…Alright," Kakashi replied, defeated.
Meanwhile, Yusuke headed back home with Tsunade and Kurenai. The moment they arrived, he reached for his eye cover.
"Oh? Going out again?" Kurenai asked with a knowing look.
"Hehehe, count me in!" Tsunade chimed in with playful energy.
"Don't tell me… you're going to spy on their date?" Kurenai guessed immediately.
"Of course. This is a critical matter—it concerns the future of the Hatake clan," Yusuke grinned, eyes twinkling.
It wasn't that he didn't want a child of his own, but Tsunade and Kurenai weren't quite ready.
Kurenai was still busy teaching and nurturing her team, while Tsunade claimed she hadn't "had enough fun" just yet.
Besides, thanks to his anti-aging procedure, Yusuke wasn't in any rush.
"Hmph. Just because we haven't given you a kid yet, huh? We'll talk after I retire," Tsunade pouted.
"I still need to finish training Hinata and my team," Kurenai added calmly.
Yusuke smiled warmly at the two women he loved deeply.
"Alright, let's see how Kakashi's doing," he said.
He waved his hand, opening a dimensional portal and stepping into the verdant green space of his pocket realm. After locating Kakashi's position, he activated a space-time ninjutsu and warped to a concealed vantage point.
"Senpai, where are we going?" Shizune asked softly as they strolled.
"Just taking a walk. Sorry about dinner earlier. My nii-san likes to mess with people. You don't need to take him seriously," Kakashi replied, hands in pockets, his usual lazy tone.
"Kakashi-senpai… do you already have someone you like?" Shizune asked, almost in a whisper.
"Someone I like? Not really. I think living alone is fine too. As for continuing the Hatake line, I'll let nii-san handle that," he replied with a lazy look at the sky.
"Hehehe, you're really just like Lord Yusuke," Shizune giggled.
"Oh? Really?" Kakashi raised a brow, clearly doubtful.
He'd never admit it—but he did resemble Yusuke in many ways.
"Not your face," she clarified.
"Then what?" Kakashi asked, intrigued.
"The way both of you act during battle—so calm and confident. Maybe because you're both incredibly strong… but more than that, your tone and your personalities feel really similar," Shizune explained with a gentle smile.
"Yeah, right. Don't compare me to that monster," Kakashi sighed.
"Eh? Are you afraid of Lord Yusuke? He's usually so kind," Shizune blinked.
"Not afraid. It's more… respect. He and our father are the two people I respect the most," Kakashi said softly.
"Our father was a famous elite Jōnin in Konoha, but during the war, he was hardly ever home. So, growing up… nii-san basically raised me."
"He cooked for me, put me to bed—he was everything," Kakashi said with a bittersweet smile.
In the hidden dimension, Tsunade and Kurenai were quietly watching from behind Yusuke, eyes softening at the closeness between the brothers. Their hearts fluttered seeing this other side of him.
Meanwhile, Yusuke—who had been eavesdropping—suddenly paled.
"Lies! Don't believe a word that brat says! I never spoon-fed him leftover rice or anything disgusting like that!" he muttered in disbelief.
Tsunade smacked him on the head.
"Gross! Don't talk about that kind of stuff right after dinner!" she snapped.
"Didn't expect that from Lord Yusuke… he really doesn't seem the type," Shizune muttered.
"Haha. Nii-san's always been like an adult since he was a kid. For me, he's always been a father figure. That's why I can't bring myself to disobey him. I guess that's why I respect him so much," Kakashi smiled gently.
"Was he really strict with you?" Shizune asked again.
"A little. But he always had high expectations for me. That pressure… it's a lot. I just hope I never let him down," Kakashi said quietly.
"You two have such a warm bond," Shizune said with a smile.
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"Whenever either of you talks about the other, your eyes light up. To him… Kakashi-senpai, you're his pride."
"I'm… his pride?" Kakashi whispered, touched.
"Yes. Every time he talks about you, he always looks proud. And his favorite line is, 'Now that's my little brother!'" Shizune said, mimicking Yusuke's tone with a playful laugh.
"Hahaha! Alright, let's walk a bit more. After that, I'll treat you to a second dinner. Looks like you didn't eat much earlier," Kakashi offered.
"Thank you, Kakashi-senpai," Shizune replied shyly.
It was true—she hadn't eaten much at all. She hadn't expected Kakashi to be so thoughtful.
Back in the dimensional pocket…
"Huh?! I'm proud of him? No way! That brat's still far from earning my acknowledgment!" Yusuke grumbled with a pout.
Tsunade glanced at him and hissed, "You white-haired tsundere."
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