Naruto: reborn as an Uzumaki

The next morning, Kenshin stirred awake to find himself still cradled in Akane's arms, her warmth and steady breathing grounding him. He stayed there for a moment, savoring the moment, before faint sounds from the kitchen reached his ears. Yukari was already up, likely preparing breakfast.

Turning his gaze to Akane, he leaned up and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She stirred, her hands instinctively finding his head and pulling him closer. When they broke the kiss, their foreheads rested together, and he whispered, "Good morning, nee-san."

"Good morning, Kenshin," Akane replied, her voice soft and still tinged with sleep.

Kenshin rested his head on her chest for a few moments, finding comfort in the rhythmic beating of her heart. Eventually, he sighed, "We should probably get up now."

Akane nodded, a small smile on her lips. "It's been a while since you woke me up with a kiss."

Kenshin chuckled, sitting up. "You're the one that usually does that. Among… other things."

With a playful nudge, Akane got up and headed to her room to change, while Kenshin did the same in his. Once they were both dressed and ready, they met downstairs.

Before heading to the kitchen, Kenshin went to Kana's room to check on her. Opening the door quietly, he peeked in and saw her still sound asleep. He closed the door gently and walked to the kitchen, where Yukari was bustling about.

"Good morning, Aunt Yukari," Kenshin greeted, moving to her side.

Yukari glanced at him with a warm smile. "Good morning, Kenshin-sama. Breakfast will be ready soon, so please wait at the table."

Kenshin shook his head. "Let me help."

At first, Yukari hesitated, but seeing the determination in his eyes, she relented with a soft laugh. "Very well. Thank you for helping."

Side by side, they finished preparing breakfast and carried it to the table, where Akane was already seated. Kenshin glanced toward Kana's room, noting her absence.

"Mom's going to have one hell of a hangover when she wakes up," he said with a slight smile.

Yukari nodded, her tone slightly amused. "Let's hope she doesn't remember what happened last night."

Both Kenshin and Akane exchanged a look, agreeing, "It's better if she doesn't."

With that, they began their meal, the conversation light and pleasant. Once they were done, Akane excused herself, heading out for training with Kakashi.

"I'll just head to the training grounds nearby," Kenshin said, stretching. "Get some quick exercise in and work on my new jutsu. After that, I'll stop by the flower shop."

Yukari nodded, her usual soft gaze following him as he left. "Be careful, Kenshin-sama."

As he disappeared out the door, Yukari glanced at her hand, realizing she had waved instead of bowing like she usually did. For a moment, she was confused, then smiled softly to herself.

"Maybe they're right," she murmured. "I should try being less formal. After all, I am their aunt now."

The thought warmed her heart, and she turned back to the dishes, feeling a subtle shift in her place within the family.

After a couple of hours of practicing his Wind Clone Jutsu without much progress, Kenshin decided it was time to head to the flower shop.

He weaved through the busy streets, and eventually arrived at the Yamanaka Flower Shop. The bell above the door chimed softly as he stepped inside, the scent of fresh flowers immediately washing over him.

Ino, tending to a row of vibrant orchids, stood up at the sound. Her customer-service smile faltered momentarily when she saw Kenshin, though she quickly masked it. Kenshin noticed but chose not to comment.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Is Suu-san in her office?"

Ino shook her head. "She's not there right now, but you can wait for her. I'll let her know you're here."

Kenshin nodded, offering a small, "Thank you," before he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Ino tilted her head, confused. "Is something wrong?"

Kenshin bowed his head deeply. "Ino, I'm sorry for what happened the other day. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Ino blinked, surprised, before quickly waving her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Kenshin. You panicked—it happens. I'm fine, really. I'm just glad you're okay now. That's what matters."

Kenshin straightened up, offering a sincere, "Thank you," before heading upstairs to Suu's office.

The room was quiet, the faint hum of the shop below barely audible. Kenshin sat on the couch, fidgeting with his fingers as he waited. He stared at the floor, his mind wandering, when the door opened, and Suu walked in carrying two mugs of hot chocolate.

She set one in front of him with a warm smile. "How have you been? Ready to pay up? Therapy isn't cheap, you know. But first, you've got to finish this hot chocolate. I made it myself. Extra cream, and no sprinkles. And I used a different dark chocolate too."

Kenshin chuckled softly, taking the mug. "Thanks." He took a sip, the warmth spreading through him.

Suu settled into the chair across from him, sipping her own drink. "Any issues with your sister after yesterday's session?"

Kenshin shook his head. "No. After leaving the Hokage's residence, I went to pick her up from the training ground. We sparred a little, and at the end of it, I wiped some blood from her mouth. Her blood was the trigger, so… I think it's safe to say I'm fine now."

Suu raised an eyebrow, studying him. As she did, she noticed something. "Your hair looks brighter today. Almost like your mother's."

Kenshin blinked, looking up at her. "It's the same as it's always been," he said, brushing off the comment.

Suu tilted her head, her curiosity piqued, but she said nothing more, taking another sip of her hot chocolate.

As they sipped their hot chocolate, Kenshin glanced up and asked, "So, how much do I owe you?"

Suu paused dramatically, tapping her chin with a playful smirk. "Let's see… between the five sessions, my near-death stroke, using that banned Yamanaka enhancement drug twice, and having my license revoked by my husband…" She trailed off, pretending to calculate. "I'd say you owe me quite a bit."

Kenshin nearly choked on his drink. "Wait, your license was revoked? Why?"

Suu shrugged, her smile turning mischievous. "Well, I used the drug my husband banned. To be fair, it's extremely dangerous—it can lead to brain failure if not handled properly. Add in the stroke I had the other day, and, well, I guess Inoichi's patience finally ran out." She chuckled, as though she were recounting an amusing anecdote instead of a life-threatening ordeal.

Kenshin's chest tightened with guilt. He set his mug down and bowed deeply. "I'm so sorry. I never meant for you to go through so much just to help me."

Suu's tone turned firm. "Raise your head, Kenshin. This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last. I value results over methods, and that often puts me at odds with my husband.

But I'll admit, I may have been a bit too reckless this time. Inoichi was really angry, but don't worry about my license. I'll get it back soon enough." She waved off his concerns with an air of confidence. "Now, you owe me 400,000 ryo. That'll cover everything."

Kenshin nodded, pulling out his chequebook without hesitation. He quickly filled it out and handed it to her.

Suu raised an eyebrow, looking at the cheque. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I told you 400,000, and you wrote me a cheque for 500,000. What's the extra for?"

Kenshin smiled. "The extra hundred is to cover a bit of your losses while you sort out your license."

Suu chuckled, shaking her head. "You're thoughtful, I'll give you that. But you didn't have to."

"I insist," Kenshin said firmly.

Suu tucked the cheque into her pocket with a small smile, leaning back in her chair. "Alright, fine. I'll take it."

Kenshin relaxed slightly, then hesitated before asking, "Are you planning on going anywhere before the Rinne Festival?"

Suu tilted her head, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Kenshin clarified, "I was thinking of taking my family on a short trip before the festival. Akane mentioned that you and your family usually go somewhere every year, so I thought you might have some suggestions. We've never been on a trip before."

Suu nodded thoughtfully, swirling the last bit of hot chocolate in her mug. "I'm planning on a trip, actually. I've got some business to handle in the capital city, so I was planning on taking Ino along. She wanted to invite her friends, so we've got quite a group shaping up.

And since Inoichi has to stay here in the Leaf for work this year, he can't join us. If your family wants to come, having a couple more adults to help manage the kids might actually be a good idea."

Kenshin leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "Who else is coming?"

Suu tapped her chin, considering. "Let's see… Shikamaru and Choji are coming, of course. Ino managed to convince Hinata's father to let her come, which is no small feat. I'm not sure about anyone else yet, but Ino's already gone out to ask Lee and Tenten. Sakura decided to spend time with her family, and Kiba and Shino said they're busy."

Kenshin nodded slowly. "That's a lot of people."

Suu waved dismissively. "It's not a problem. I've got equity in a few businesses in the capital, including a really nice hotel. Accommodations are all taken care of."

"Still," Kenshin said, leaning back slightly, "what kind of budget should I have to cover my family's expenses?"

Suu chuckled, shaking her head. "It's on me. You won't have to pay a thing for the hotel, so your only costs will be whatever you want to spend on shopping, food, or other activities. That's entirely up to you."

Kenshin smiled appreciatively. "In that case, I'll head home and talk to my family. Once we've packed, we'll meet you at the west gate."

"Perfect," Suu said, standing up and gathering the mugs. "The capital's westward, so the west gate works best. I'll see you all there."

Kenshin nodded and made his way out of her office, heading home with a spring in his step. Suu, meanwhile, carried the empty mugs downstairs, smiling softly as she thought about the trip ahead.

Kenshin headed home to find Kana sitting in the living room, her head resting on her hands as she rubbed her temples with a groan. It was clear she was suffering from a hangover. When he stepped inside, Kana perked up slightly, forcing a weak smile.

"Ken-chan, mommy has a terrible hangover," she complained. "My head feels like it's about to burst, and my body's all weak and wobbly."

Kenshin chuckled softly as he walked over to her. Without a word, he leaned down and began pulling her cheeks gently.

Kana whined, "Ken-chan, let mommy go!"

But Kenshin smirked, continuing to tug. "This is your fault for drinking too much. And besides, your cheeks are really soft and satisfying to pull."

Kana's protests grew more urgent. "Ken-chan, my cheeks are hurting! Let go, let go!"

Finally, Kenshin released her, plopping down on the couch beside her. He let her rest her head on his shoulder, a fond smile on his face. "You'll feel better soon. Just take it easy for now."

Kana let out a small sigh of relief, closing her eyes. "I hope so. I feel awful."

Kenshin gently patted her head. "Anyway, about that trip I mentioned yesterday. It's happening."

Kana's eyes fluttered open slightly. "Oh? Where are we going?"

"To the capital city of the Land of Fire," Kenshin explained. "Ino's mom is organizing the trip, and she's bringing some of Ino's friends along. She said it'd be helpful if our family joined to help manage everything."

Kana nodded lazily, closing her eyes again. "Okay, okay. Mommy will trust Ken-chan to pack my things. I'm not in the condition for thinking right now."

Kenshin chuckled again. "Alright, but make sure you rest and drink lots of water. Your headache will go away soon. And from now on, no more than five drinks during a celebration."

Kana's lips puckered in a pout. "Five drinks? That doesn't even count as a party, Ken-chan."

His voice became firm, though there was still a gentle edge to it. "Mom, from now on, you're a Jonin. You're going to be a sensei soon, and if you're hungover, you won't be able to train your Genin team properly."

Kana's pout deepened, but she nodded in understanding. "Fine, fine. Mommy understands."

With that, Kenshin stood up, leaving Kana to rest. He decided to find Yukari to let her know about the trip and see if she needed any help packing.