Glancing at Nawaki, whose eyes were glued to a certain someone, Xin chuckled and nodded.
"Well then, we won't keep you. See you next time."
"Goodbye, Captain. See you next time," Suzune said with a slight bow, before she and Meiko went on their way.
"Snap out of it. They're already gone," Xin said, smacking Nawaki on the head as he continued to stare after them.
If you're going to like someone, at least don't embarrass yourself like this.
"Ow!" Nawaki yelped, rubbing his arm.
"What was that for?!"
But no one paid him any attention. Xin and Minato had already started walking ahead.
Looking at the fresh handprint on his arm, Nawaki angrily flipped Xin the middle finger behind his back.
Damn, he really doesn't hold back.
"Xin!"
At the hotpot restaurant, Kushina excitedly bounced over, grabbing onto his arm and refusing
to let go. Xin chuckled, gently ruffling Kushina's soft, silky hair.
"Nawaki passed his Jōnin exam, so we're celebrating for him today. Can you go tell Tsunade and Mikoto so they don't miss out?"
"Don't worry, leave it to me! I'll go tell them myself," Kushina said, patting her chest confidently before skipping out the door.
Xin gave instructions to the kitchen staff to start preparing, then led Minato and Nawaki upstairs to a private room.
But something about the atmosphere tonight felt...off.
Xin poured the freshly brewed tea into the cups, glancing over at Minato. Minato looked back at him, then raised an eyebrow in Nawaki's direction.
Normally, Nawaki was the loudest one in the group, always full of energy. But today, he was uncharacteristically quiet, sitting by himself, lost in thought. He didn't even notice when Xin pushed a teacup in his direction. His hand propped up his chin, and his eyes were vacant as if his mind had drifted far away.
Minato leaned closer to Xin, lowering his voice.
"Do you think he's serious this time?"
"How should I know?" Xin rolled his eyes.
"Let's wait and see. When has this fool ever been reliable? Besides, it's not our problem to worry about. But Tsunade...she's going to have a headache with this one."
"I thought the Hyuga clan didn't marry outsiders," Minato said, his expression turning curious.
"Exactly." Xin grinned mischievously. "That's why Tsunade's going to have a rough time."