"Ah well. I just want to give every homeless girl a home. I'm not wrong, am I?"
Three days later, Qianyu walked out of the Root base, his steps a bit unsteady. After some soul-searching, he concluded he was actually a pretty decent guy.
"Probably only powerhouses like me, Minato, and Hashirama dare to test our mettle against Uzumaki vitality," Qianyu mused to himself. The Uzumaki clan's legendary stamina was no joke. He'd had to use everything he'd ever learned just to barely keep up with Karin during their… ahem… taijutsu spar.
…
The Uchiha District.
Even in a clan famous for its beauties and pretty boys, Qianyu's flawless features still turned heads. A second glance was mandatory.
Pfft. With looks that rival you, dear readers, isn't he just a whole tier above Sasuke?
"Speaking of which… where does Mikoto live again?"
Qianyu stared down the street of nearly identical traditional houses and fell deep into thought.
"Man, if only I had X-ray vision or the Transparent Escape technique. Hey, Hayate, wanna lend me your heart for a couple of days?" he muttered under his breath.
"Qianyu-nii! What brings you here? Just sightseeing?"
A delighted voice called out from nearby. A boy with goggles came running over.
"Hmph. It's you, kid Obito."
Qianyu snorted. Perhaps due to the world's inertia, Obito was still in the same class as Kakashi and Rin. The kid had once again become Rin's little shadow, stubbornly calling Qianyu "big brother" to curry favor.
Considering his little butterfly effect should prevent Obito from becoming the teacher-murdering, world-ending bastard of the original timeline, Qianyu decided to give him a chance to "turn over a new leaf."
But as Rin's guardian and Minato's friend, Qianyu still wasn't exactly friendly toward the boy.
"I'm looking for someone. Do you know where Uchiha Mikoto lives?" Qianyu asked.
"I know! I'll take you! Qianyu-nii, what do you need Mikoto-nee for?" Obito puffed out his little chest proudly, curiosity sparkling in his eyes.
"Adult business. Kids shouldn't poke their noses in."
"Oh…"
Deflated, Obito led Qianyu to a refined, Western-style cottage and prepared to leave.
"Qianyu-nii, I'll head off then. I was just about to go find Rin-chan!"
"Hold up, Obito."
Qianyu stopped him. Under the boy's puzzled gaze, Qianyu narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Rin's grades are excellent. What if playing with you messes up her studies? Tell you what. If you can get into the top ten of your year next time, I'll let you play with Rin."
"Top ten?!" Obito looked stricken. "Qianyu-nii, I'm the class dunce! You're asking for my life!"
"You're not wrong." Qianyu patted Obito's shoulder, a dangerous glint in his eye. "If you go find Rin without making top ten, I'll break your legs."
"If you really like Rin, get your ass back home and study!"
"Okay, Qianyu-nii…"
Faced with Qianyu's harsh demands, Obito felt like crying. They say a desperate person can do anything. School exams were clearly the exception.
…
Watching Obito trudge away, Qianyu knocked on Mikoto's door and was invited inside.
Her home was spacious. In the large living room, they sat across from each other at a low wooden table. Qianyu watched, appreciative, as Mikoto performed the tea ceremony with fluid, practiced grace.
"Qianyu, what brings you here?"
After pouring him a cup of hot tea, Mikoto lifted her beautiful eyes to meet his.
"Oh, I came to give you something."
As he spoke, Qianyu pulled from his robe the wooden lily carved by Uchiha Nami and offered it to her.
"This is from Nami—"
"How did you know I like lilies?"
Mikoto took the exquisite carving, a look of genuine surprise on her face. Qianyu swallowed the rest of his sentence.
"It's so lovely. You even carved the vein patterns on the leaves. You're quite thoughtful."
Mikoto examined the wooden flower closely, her fondness growing. Delighted, she placed it on the wooden tea table.
I've never told anyone I like lilies. It seems Qianyu really has been watching over me quietly, just like Fugaku-nii said. How else would he know my preferences?
Mikoto looked at Qianyu, who was pretending to calmly sip his tea but was clearly sweating bullets inside. A knowing smile touched her lips.
She'd already learned about the impending marriage alliance with Qianyu. She wasn't opposed, but she wasn't thrilled either.
But just like her elder sister marrying Fugaku, a political marriage was an inescapable fate. Now, though… if the partner was Qianyu, maybe it wasn't so bad?
He was her age. His looks and strength were impeccable. More importantly, he paid attention to her. That was enough.
At least I'm luckier than my sister. I'm not marrying some boring stiff who only knows how to lecture, with those deep tear troughs that look like nasolabial folds. Not handsome at all.
With that comparison, Mikoto suddenly found the idea of the alliance much more palatable. Her gaze toward Qianyu softened considerably.
"By the way, Qianyu, what were you going to say earlier?" Mikoto initiated the conversation.
"I was going to say…"
Qianyu thought for a moment. Nami was a decent guy. He, Qianyu, couldn't be that dishonorable.
"Mikoto, actually, this carving… Uchiha Nami asked me to give it to you. I didn't make it."
"Pfft—ha ha ha!"
Hearing Qianyu say Uchiha Nami's name with such a straight face, Mikoto couldn't hold back her laughter.
She thought this guy was pretty funny.
Wanting to give her a gift but getting shy about it, then making up such a lame excuse they both saw right through… Life with him would probably be full of laughs.
"No, Mikoto, I'm serious! The flower really is from Uchiha Nami!"
Qianyu grew flustered. He was telling the truth! Why was she laughing?
"Alright, alright, I get it. The flower isn't from you. Fine."
Mikoto rolled her eyes, replying in a placating tone. She didn't believe a word of it.
Setting aside the fact that Qianyu and Uchiha Nami had beef—they'd reportedly fought for real, nearly killing each other—even if their relationship had improved, who in their right mind (Qianyu) would deliver flowers from their love rival to their own fiancée?
No, scratch that. Who in their right mind (Nami) would ask their love rival to deliver flowers to said rival's fiancée in the first place?!
Qianyu blushed to his ears. Seeing this, Mikoto tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and smoothly changed the subject. "The weather's nice today. Want to go for a walk after tea?"
Sorry, Nami. I tried. Qianyu thought helplessly.
"Sigh, alright then." Qianyu sighed, then offered, "How about I take you boating later? It's the perfect season for riverside views."
"Oh? Do you go boating often? With who?" Mikoto's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"With Nawaki. We go whenever we're free."
Mentioning Nawaki lifted Qianyu's spirits. "Let me tell you, the spot we frequent is gorgeous. Especially at night. It feels like… 'Drunk, I know not sky from water; the boat, full of clear dreams, presses down the starry river.'"
At his words, Mikoto's eyes lit up. "What an evocative line! Did you compose that yourself, Qianyu?"
"Of course! Let me recite—ahem—let me improvise a few more lines for you right now." Qianyu hadn't expected Mikoto to be into this. He instantly perked up.
If nothing else, the richness of five thousand years of Chinese culture meant even scratching the surface was enough to effortlessly impress the locals.
…
Outskirts of Konoha, by a clear river.
"Sigh… What's Qianyu been so busy with lately? He hasn't asked me to go boating in ages."
Nawaki wandered the riverbank alone, the familiar scenery making him miss his friend. He let out a long, melancholic sigh.
"Mikoto, wait here. I'll go rent a boat."
Just then, a familiar voice drifted over from the distance. Nawaki first thought it was his imagination. But when he turned his head—it really was Qianyu.
And behind that guy stood a stunning Uchiha beauty. Her figure, face, and aura were on par with that girl from Suna!
"NO—! Snowflakes drift~ The north wind howls~"
Nawaki's eyes were red. Why? Why was Qianyu constantly surrounded by beauties, while he didn't have a single female friend he could click with?!
"Who stole my peach blossom luck?! Where is my destined romance?!"
Even years later, Nawaki never figured it out. As the best friend of the Fourth Hokage, with high status and exceptional strength, he remained forever single—as if cursed by someone.
"Hey, Nawaki! What are you doing here? Wanna join us for some boating?"
Qianyu saw Nawaki and greeted him with a cheerful smile.
"You—! You bring a girl to our spot, and you ask me why I'm here?! And you invite me along?!"
Staring at Qianyu's smug face, Nawaki ground his teeth. "Just look at me! Do I look like a third wheel?!"
"Hold on, hold on, don't be like that. How about… I make a shadow clone to keep you company?"
"Actually, I've got a better idea. How about you make a clone to go with her, and we hang out?"
"…Huh. That could work. Let's go!"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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