After enjoying a pleasant lunch in a cheerful atmosphere,
Kushina washed the dishes while Yamanaka Kei sat at the dining table, propping his chin on his hand as he watched her busy figure.
This scene wasn't particularly romantic.
But for the first time in over a decade, he felt a sense of home in this strange yet familiar world.
"Kushina?"
"Huh?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to say your name."
"Then... Kei?"
"Kushina."
"Kei."
"Kushina."
"Kei, pfft~ Ehehehehehe~"
Kushina, who had laughed with goose-like sounds countless times throughout the afternoon, clutched her stomach and laughed again.
She didn't know why doing such childish things made her so happy.
But hearing Yamanaka Kei call her name just made her very happy!
She put the washed dishes into the cupboard.
Kushina dried her hands and hung the apron on a hook on the side of the kitchen.
When she turned around, Yamanaka Kei was no longer at the dining table.
???
Hearing the sound of rummaging through drawers in the study, Kushina curiously walked to the study door.
She looked at the open drawers in the room, the passbooks scattered to the side, the secret technique scrolls casually thrown on the ground, and Yamanaka Kei, who was still searching for something, and asked in confusion.
"Is there something you can't find?"
"...Maybe, it's my heart?"
"Hmm? Eww~ Cheesy love talk! But it sounds good, I like hearing it."
"Hahahaha~"
Yamanaka Kei put down the miscellaneous items he had collected over the years and couldn't help but laugh as well.
After laughing, he looked at the girl leaning against the doorway of the study, dressed in home clothes, but still unable to hide her beauty, and said softly.
"I originally wanted to find something worthy of you, and then confess to you, and ask you to be my girlfriend."
"...Th-Then?"
Kushina was stunned for a moment, and after realizing what was about to happen, she felt uneasy and expectant.
Although she had always felt that being with Kei-kun was already a great happiness.
But like all girls, she also hoped for a formal confession to confirm their relationship.
"As a result, I found that everything is unworthy of you, so... I entrust my happiness to you, Kushina, be my girlfriend."
"Yes!"
Kushina nodded vigorously, clearly overjoyed, but tears couldn't stop streaming down her face.
Before, Nara Shikaku had told her that Kei-kun cherished and valued every relationship very much.
This cherishment and caution made him seem somewhat distant at first, whether facing family, friendship, or love.
Perhaps it was fear of lies, perhaps it was fear of loss, or perhaps it was fear of being let down.
So, facing such a Yamanaka Kei, when you take the first step, he may retreat, and with the second step, he may be at a loss.
But when you take the third and fourth steps, he will only cast aside all concerns and rush towards you.
Big Brother Shikaku, I did it, Kei-kun is rushing towards me...
Yamanaka Kei pulled Kushina into his arms, wrapped his arms around her slender waist, and spun her around.
"Wuhu~ Kushina, congratulations on successfully escaping singlehood!"
"Puchi~ You always make me laugh at such a touching moment."
"You look best when you smile!"
"Hehe~ Then congratulations to you too, on successfully escaping singlehood."
"Hahaha~ Same to you, same to you~"
"Ge, ge, ge, ge, ge~"
"If you keep laughing like that, our house will soon become a zoo."
"Hmph! I'm not a big goose~"
Kushina lightly pounded Yamanaka Kei's chest, her eyes filled with unprecedented satisfaction and happiness.
She tiptoed and hooked her arms around Yamanaka Kei's neck.
Yamanaka Kei knew exactly what this posture meant.
Immediately, he unhesitatingly took a bite.
In the past, Kushina had never understood why those couples in love in the cinema were always kissing endlessly.
Now, she seems to understand a little bit.
This is the most direct expression of ardent love, a thousand and ten thousand sentences of I want to be with you forever.
...
"Twenty-one! I win all! I win all! Hahahaha~ Give me the money! Everyone who won from me, give it back! Hahahaha~"
Tsunade's excited, almost deranged voice came from outside the room.
Awakening from her infatuation, Kushina belatedly realized that the top two buttons of her collar had been undone, and even her waistband had been loosened quite a bit.
"Tsu... Tsunade-nee is still outside."
"Then should we wait until she leaves?"
Yamanaka Kei chuckled as he embraced the flustered Kushina, who was busy tidying her clothes, and began toying with her smooth, fragrant hair, asking a question he had forgotten to ask earlier.
"Kushina, how did Nara Shikaku-aniki and Yamanaka Inoichi-aniki convince you not to get angry after hearing those rumors?"
"...Is my temper that bad? Hmph~ Go ask Inoichi-aniki yourself, I'm not telling you."
Kushina pouted, recalling the previous events, and buried her face directly into Yamanaka Kei's chest.
Those rumors didn't require Shikaku-aniki to convince her of anything.
It was she who noticed the changes in Yamanaka Kei and couldn't suppress the emotions in her heart any longer. Fearing various obstacles, she took the initiative to seek help from Inoichi-aniki, the head of the Yamanaka Clan.
And Inoichi-aniki directly took her to see Shikaku-aniki.
This led to the subsequent widespread rumors and a series of 'concrete evidence' to support them.
"Alright, alright, your temper is the best, hahaha..."
Yamanaka Kei didn't dwell on this matter. If Kushina was embarrassed to say, he would just ask Yamanaka Inoichi.
"Weird and insidious stinker."
Kushina muttered, hugging her hard-earned lover even tighter.
"By the way, why is Tsunade at our house?"
"Tsunade-nee returned to the village a few days ago and asked me to borrow money again. Hehe~ I said what you taught me last time~ Then she insisted on waiting for you with me, so we came."
"So, should I thank her for bringing you over? By the way, did you pack your clothes and personal belongings?"
"N-no."
"Then shall I go back with you now to pack them?"
"Okay."
Kushina's cheeks flushed red again.
Although she was usually very brave, she was still a girl after all, and she would feel shy when it really came down to it.
Both of them were the type to act on their words.
They put on their shoes and walked out of the room.
Kushina looked at Tsunade, whose face was sometimes contorted, sometimes flushed, and who was so excited that she couldn't restrain herself, and asked with slight worry.
"Kei, will Tsunade-nee be alright like this?"
"She'll be fine. Although this Genjutsu is A-rank, Tsunade had quickly reacted to the Genjutsu before due to the Chakra interference from the Mitotic Regeneration."
"Huh? Then how..."
"At first, she probably realized that forcibly dispelling the Genjutsu would cause mental shock. Later, she simply didn't want to wake up. Gambling City, after all, is a surefire killer for gambling addicts."
"Gambling City, Tanzaku Street?"
"Similar in nature, but it's a scene I built myself with Genjutsu..."
Yamanaka Kei roughly described the appearance of the Gambling City.
Although he had never been to the real world's four major gambling cities in his previous life, he had seen movies and played Penguin games!
In his Memory Palace, there were all sorts of messy movie scenes, plus games from various gaming platforms.
Blackjack, Baccarat, Russian Roulette, horse racing, Show Hand, Mahjong, Upgrading, Guandan, Niu Niu, Fishing Machine...
With so many dazzling options, it would be strange if Tsunade could resist.
Moreover, within the Genjutsu space, Tsunade is not affected by the trait [Reverse Gambling Saint].
She won't only lose and never win, nor will she have accidents as soon as she wins money.
For a gambling addict with such terrible luck as her, even if she loses more than she wins, it's already paradise.
Genjutsu?
Heh~
Even if she's going to die, she'll wait until she's had her fill of fun!
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