Hanabi played in the Hokage's office for a long time. It was only when she was about to leave that she suddenly remembered the real reason she had come today.
"Aoba-nii, Karin came to our house today to look for Nee-san."
"Hm?", Aoba froze slightly when he heard that, but did not think too much of it, "They made plans to go out and play together, right?"
Hanabi tilted her head, her right index finger tapping her chin, a puzzled look on her face, "I don't think so. Karin came to ask Nee-san to help find Temari."
"Find Temari?"
Aoba's heart could not help going thump, "Then did Karin say why she was looking for Temari?"
"Karin only told Nee-san. She didn't tell me."
Hanabi shook her head, her expression turning serious, "But Nee-san seemed really angry after she heard it. She was so angry she even crushed her teacup."
After saying that, she looked at Aoba with curious, expectant eyes, "Aoba-nii, do you know why?"
"This…"
Aoba could be sure now.
Karin knew about what had happened last night between him and Temari and Kin and the others. It was just that Temari had hidden herself, and Karin could not find her alone, so she went to Hinata.
Looking at it this way, Temari was probably not going to have an easy time.
Maybe he should let Temari come hide out in the Hokage Building first?
Aoba immediately used Kagura's Mind Eye to sense all of Konoha, and then realized it was already unnecessary.
Because Temari was already in their hands, 'and… why are Sakura and Yakumo there too?'
In this situation, all he could do was silently mourn for Temari.
Aoba closed his eyes and fell into silence.
It was only Hanabi's voice, half dissatisfied and half acting spoiled, that snapped him back.
"Aoba-nii? Aoba-nii!"
Aoba looked at Hanabi with her puffed-up cheeks, poked her on the side of the face to let the air out, and then asked, "What is it?"
Hanabi crossed her arms and said unhappily, "Aoba-nii, you still haven't told me why Nee-san and the others went to look for Temari."
"Well…"
After thinking for a moment, Aoba shook his head, "I can't say for now."
"Why? Is it something very important?"
Hanabi's eyes were full of confusion.
Aoba shook his head and explained, "Not really. It's just that little Hanabi is still young, you have to wait until you grow up to know."
Hanabi pouted again in dissatisfaction, "What the heck. You just said I'm the one most likely to become Hokage, and now you're saying I'm a kid again."
"..."
'Is there any necessary connection between those two things?'
All Aoba could do was quietly rub Hanabi's smooth hair and smile as he changed the subject, "Alright, lunch break is almost over. Do you want to try experiencing the Hokage's official work again?"
He was also worried she would keep digging until the bottom. If that happened, he really would not know how to explain it to this little girl.
When Hanabi heard that he wanted an eight-year-old girl like her to experience the Hokage's official work, she immediately jumped off his lap and said obediently,
"Better not. When I came out, Father told me not to cause trouble for Aoba-nii."
Seeing her reaction, Aoba found it funny, "Then be careful on the way back. Don't trip and fall."
"Mm hm! Aoba-nii, Lady Tsunade, Shizune-nee, goodbye!"
After bowing politely to the three of them, Hanabi left the Hokage's office.
Tsunade also showed a sighing expression at this time, "If I could have a daughter as cute as Hanabi, that wouldn't be bad."
Aoba and Shizune both froze slightly when they heard that. They clearly did not expect Tsunade to say something like this.
"If Sensei likes that, then next time after we do it, just don't use the Mystical Palm Technique."
Although Aoba felt it was a bit early for him to have kids now, if Tsunade wanted to, he would not object.
Tsunade rolled her eyes at him, "I don't plan to have kids right now. Giving birth is too tiring. What I mean is that you two can work harder. When the time comes, just let me borrow the kid to play with once in a while."
"I-I can't!"
When Shizune heard that Tsunade wanted her to have kids, she immediately refused with a red face.
Even though she was not young anymore, she still felt a bit immature and could not imagine herself becoming a mother at all.
'Mikoto should be able to…'
"I was just complaining. Why are you so nervous?"
Tsunade looked at Shizune's awkward state with a half-smile. She did not plan to stay any longer. After stretching lazily, she said directly,
"Alright, I'll leave the rest of the time to you. Try to have some restraint. This is the Hokage Building, after all."
"Eh?", Shizune did not understand what Tsunade meant. But before she could react, Tsunade had already left the office.
"Ahem! Sensei might not be feeling very well. She probably went back to take a shower and sleep."
Aoba helped Tsunade explain a bit more tactfully.
"Then what did she mean by leaving the afternoon time to me?"
Shizune looked at him with dead fish eyes.
"She probably wanted us to work seriously," Aoba blinked innocently.
"...", Shizune silently stared at him, her right hand unconsciously lifting the hem of her tight skirt a little.
Everything was said without words.
After that, the Sealed Space once again covered the office.
———
Time slowly passed, and soon it was time to get off work.
"Shizune-nee, it's time to go home."
After organizing the processed documents, Aoba walked over to Shizune's side and wanted to help her up.
"No need, I can get up myself..."
Shizune slapped away the hand he reached out, her face red, and tried to get up on her own, but her legs went weak and she sat back down again.
It was her first time in the Hokage's office, and on top of that Shizune had been holding in a lot of resentment. Without paying attention, it had gone a bit too far.
So now her legs were still a bit weak.
Aoba held back his laughter and teased, "Shizune-nee, are you still okay?"
"Mmm…"
Shizune pouted. She did not slap away his hand this time. With his help, she stood up.
"Looks like today's work was a lot. It even made Shizune so tired her legs went weak."
Just as Aoba was about to support Shizune and walk outside, he suddenly heard a teasing voice from the doorway.
The two of them looked toward the door together and saw Konan standing there with one hand on her hip and a cool expression, and Uchiha Mikoto with a worried look on her face.
"Is Shizune not feeling very well?", Uchiha Mikoto asked worriedly.
"..."
That completely out-of-place serious comment made Konan's brain go blank for a moment.
'This married lady is really quite innocent.'
Since they were all family, Konan did not have the heart to let Uchiha Mikoto be kept in the dark alone. She simply leaned over to Mikoto's ear and explained what had happened.
Uchiha Mikoto's pretty face visibly turned red as she looked at Aoba and Shizune in disbelief.
"W… what! Th… this is the Hokage's office. You can't…"
She could not imagine that someone would actually do such blasphemous things in such a sacred place as the Hokage's office.
"Alright, it's not that big of a deal."
Konan patted her on the shoulder to comfort her, then looked at Aoba with serious eyes, "The important thing is that someone is playing favorites."
"Ahem! Mainly because there was a lot of work this afternoon and I couldn't make the time," Aoba gave a rather dry explanation.
"Then shouldn't you make it up to me and Mikoto tomorrow?", Konan said calmly.
"Eh? Me too?", Uchiha Mikoto blinked in confusion, not understanding why she had suddenly been dragged into this.
"Then tomorrow at lunch break," Aoba nodded in agreement.
"Wait, I didn't agree yet," Uchiha Mikoto started to feel at a loss.
"It's fine, Mikoto. Just treat it as a work benefit."
"Ah?"
The four of them walked out of the Hokage Building together.
Uchiha Mikoto's face was still very red.
But just as they stepped out the front door, Aoba, who was in the middle of the three, was suddenly bound by a thick chain.
Then he was directly kidnapped by several masked girls.
[T/N: There's a monthly discount ongoing on my P@treon page for the next three days. You can get 20% off on your membership. Enjoy~
p@treon. cum/AmbitiousTranslator ]