344. The Wedding with Tsunade

Morning Ceremony – 10:00 AM

The palace courtyard was packed with guests—shinobi, villagers, and government officials alike. Conversations hushed as Samui stepped forward.

"The bride and groom may now enter."

Her cool voice cut through the murmurs.

All eyes turned toward the entrance as Hanekawa and Yuuhi Kurenai walked in side by side.

Gasps of admiration rippled through the crowd.

Both were stunning on their own, but clad in traditional wedding attire, they looked nothing short of radiant.

At the end of the aisle, Tsunade pressed her lips together.

The situation felt absurd.

Wedding customs dictated that the couple’s parents (or closest elders, if deceased) must attend.

For Kurenai, that meant her father, Yuuhi Shinku.

But Hanekawa had no living parents—so she, his teacher, had to stand in as his elder.

Which would’ve been fine… if I weren’t marrying him myself this afternoon.

The irony wasn’t lost on her.

"Sensei."

Hanekawa stopped before her, grinning. Kurenai echoed the greeting.

"Hn." Tsunade nodded stiffly.

"Father."

Hanekawa turned to Shinku, who beamed with pride.

Given Hanekawa’s status and power, this union was an honor for the Yuuhi clan.

(The only "flaw" was his… appetite. But since Kurenai didn’t protest, Shinku saw no reason to interfere.)

Then a thought struck him:

After Tsunade marries him this afternoon… what will she call me?

His brain short-circuited.

This family tree is a knot no one can untangle.

__

The Ceremony

Samui, ever the efficient master of ceremonies, declared the proceedings begun.

Hanekawa had been through this once before—with Kaguya. But that wedding had been streamlined.

This one? Every tradition was observed.

Yet neither he nor Kurenai minded.

Some moments deserved to be savored.

__

Noon – Post-Ceremony

As the clock struck twelve, the formalities ended, and the feast began.

But Hanekawa didn’t join the banquet. Instead, he whisked Kurenai away to their chambers.

"Aren’t we going to eat?"

Kurenai fidgeted, already guessing his intentions.

"We have one last ritual to complete."

Hanekawa smirked.

"B-But the second wedding is this afternoon!"

Her face burned crimson.

She knew her limits—there was no way she’d recover in time.

"You’re not attending."

Hanekawa tapped her forehead. "What role would you even play? As my wife? That’d just confuse everyone."

Kurenai paused.

He had a point.

Wedding guests fell into two categories: family or friends.

But as his newlywed, her presence would raise eyebrows.

Best to stay out of sight.

"Eep—!"

She yelped as Hanekawa scooped her up, carried her to bed, and deposited her under the covers.

Kurenai clutched a pillow, her bare legs tensing as Hanekawa traced a hand down her spine.

He exhaled sharply, then pulled her close.

__

Meanwhile, at the Banquet…

The courtyard buzzed with laughter and clinking chopsticks.

Though Hanekawa hadn’t cooked this time, the meal was a masterpiece—prepared by the finest chefs across the nations.

For many, it was the most luxurious feast they’d ever tasted.

"You’re unusually grim for a bride."

Orochimaru eyed Tsunade over a plate of tempura.

"Not grim. Just… thoughtful."

Tsunade set down her untouched sake cup.

It wasn’t a lie.

Her emotions were a tangled mess—part anticipation, part melancholy.

And Hanekawa’s absence left her oddly unsettled.

"Where’s Jiraiya?" Orochimaru asked between bites.

"Busy."

Her tone warned against further questions.

"Tch. A dry wedding is a dull one."

Tsunade sighed.

Abstaining from alcohol hurt—both as a bride and a recovering addict.

But between the afternoon ceremony and her pregnancy, she had no choice.

"You have the Yin Seal," Orochimaru pointed out. "Couldn’t you just—"

"Not worth the risk."

Her smile was softer than he’d ever seen.

Orochimaru froze.

Is this… maternal instinct?

A bizarre thought struck him:

Could I create a child of my own?

___

Afternoon Preparations

By 1:30 PM, guests dispersed—rushing home to grab second gifts for Tsunade’s ceremony.

The logistics were tight:

Kurenai’s wedding had been at the capital’s palace.

Tsunade’s would be at the Senju Compound in Konoha.

Normally, the trip would take days. But with Flying Thunder God arrays now operational, distance was no obstacle.

Tsunade, however, took her time.

The wedding can’t start without the bride.

After lunch, she teleported to Konoha and strode into the Senju estate.

"Lady Tsunade!"

A team of stylists bowed deeply.

"Make it quick."

She settled before a mirror as brushes and combs flew into action.

__

2:00 PM – The Groom’s Side

Hanekawa stretched, refreshed and satisfied.

"H-Hanekawa…"

Kurenai’s voice was hoarse.

"You should be resting."

He glanced down at her—flushed, trembling, and utterly ravished.

"It’s… two o’clock. D-Don’t be late."

Hanekawa blinked, then burst out laughing.

"W-What’s so funny?!"

Kurenai pouted.

Here she was, worrying for him, while he treated it like a joke!

"Are you kicking your husband out?"

Hanekawa teased. "And to another wedding, no less."

"Ugh! Forget it!"

She buried her face in the pillows.


Kurenai Yuhi paused for a moment, then gave a soft hum and said, "You should go. I'm going to sleep now."

She had been going at it alone for over an hour, completely drained of energy, and now only wanted to sleep until morning.

Hanekawa leaned down and kissed her lightly on the forehead before standing up to get dressed.

Kurenai barely managed to keep her eyes open as she watched him leave.

Once he was gone, she let her eyes close, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her lips as she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

“Your Majesty.”

Samui and Mabui, standing by the door, greeted him respectfully.

Hanekawa glanced at Mabui and then casually pulled Samui into an embrace.

His hand slid down and gave her a playful pat.

Samui was startled, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Although she was somewhat used to Hanekawa’s physical affection, it was the first time he acted this way in front of Mabui.

Hanekawa, however, didn’t mind. He figured since he planned to marry Samui anyway, it didn’t matter if Mabui knew.

Mabui stood awkwardly in place, unsure whether to stay or leave, so she simply lowered her head and avoided looking at them.

“You’ll have a tough job later as the wedding host, Samui.”

Hanekawa said, inhaling the scent of her hair.

“Yes.” Samui nodded softly, still leaning against him.

“Good.” Hanekawa gave her a gentle pat on the head. “I'm going to find my teacher.”

He let go of Samui and disappeared on the spot.

“He treats you well.” Mabui let out a quiet sigh.

“Yes, he does.” Samui smiled gently.

Mabui seemed like she wanted to say more, but held back.

She could clearly see Samui had fallen for him. And though she wasn’t sure why, she felt a tinge of envy.

“Let’s head to Konoha quickly, just in case some guests arrive early.” Samui brought herself back to focus.

Konoha Village

Since the evacuation of the villagers and most ninja, the village had become much quieter.

Normally, only about five thousand Allied Shinobi Forces remained stationed there.

But today was different—it was bustling with activity.

Today was the wedding of Tsunade and Hanekawa.

Their marital home was set up at the Senju Clan’s compound, which was also Tsunade’s former residence.

However, the banquet venue was not held there due to space limitations, but rather at the large plaza in front of the Hokage building.

Hanekawa suddenly appeared in the living room.

After a glance around and not seeing Tsunade, he made his way to her room.

Looking inside, he saw Tsunade, dressed in a traditional white wedding kimono.

She sat in front of the vanity. Her finely made-up face was striking—especially the bold red lipstick that drew attention.

“Sensei,” Hanekawa walked forward, smiling as he looked at her reflection. “Today, you’re the most beautiful kunoichi in the entire ninja world.”

“Is that so?” Tsunade turned, her expression half-smiling, half-skeptical. “What about Kurenai?”

“Kurenai is also beautiful, but she can’t compare to you.” Hanekawa answered without hesitation.

“Would you dare say that to her face?” Tsunade crossed her arms.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Hanekawa gave a small cough and changed the subject. “Sensei, you seem unhappy. Did someone upset you? I’ll deal with them.”

“You did.” Tsunade said with a calm smile.

“If you dismember me, you’ll feel bad.” Hanekawa replied shamelessly. “Let me apologize in a different way.”

“What are you trying to do?” Tsunade’s expression shifted slightly as she noticed his hands moving. “We’re getting married soon—don’t mess around!”

Hanekawa ignored her protest, lifted her gently, and sat down with her in his lap.

His arms wrapped around her waist as he held her close.

"Sensei."

Hanekawa took a deep breath and said, "Thank you."

"Thank me? For what?" Tsunade, seeing that he wasn’t being overly touchy, finally relaxed.

After all, she didn’t want anything suspicious to be noticeable at the wedding.

"For marrying me, of course." Hanekawa leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "This is the luckiest moment of my life."

"Mine too." Tsunade’s heart softened at his words. She pursed her red lips and leaned forward, kissing him.

Hanekawa immediately noticed a sweet strawberry flavor lingering in his mouth. So, it was fruit-flavored lipstick?

"You’re always so unruly," Tsunade gave him a side-eye, grabbing his wrist.

"I was helping take pressure off the kimono—so nothing gets ruined." Hanekawa replied as he gently felt the fabric.

"You and your nonsense!" Tsunade stood up and stepped out of his arms. "Move over, I need to reapply my makeup!"

"Yes, Sensei." Hanekawa glanced at her now-faded lipstick and stepped aside.

"Don’t mess around," Tsunade warned as she sat down and picked up her lipstick.

"What kind of image do you have of me in your heart?" Hanekawa asked playfully while standing behind her.

"You know that better than anyone." Tsunade replied calmly and started reapplying her lipstick.

A moment later, her lips looked bright and alluring again.

"How do I look?" She stood up by the vanity and asked.

"Now I just can’t wait for tonight." Hanekawa answered seriously.

"..." Tsunade couldn’t help herself—she raised her leg and gave him a kick.

Since they were indoors, she wasn’t wearing shoes. As her leg moved, the hem of her white kimono lifted slightly, revealing her elegant legs wrapped in white stockings.

Traditionally, the white kimono should be paired with white socks—but she had swapped them out for stockings at Hanekawa’s request.

"Tonight, you can get kicked however you like." Hanekawa replied with a straight face.

"You’re just..." Tsunade was halfway through scolding him when a knock came at the door.

"Your Majesty," came Samui’s voice, "All the guests have arrived."

"Let’s go," Hanekawa said, extending his hand. "My wife."

Tsunade’s heart trembled slightly at those words. After a brief moment of hesitation, she placed her hand in his.

The two walked along the prepared path to the plaza in front of the Hokage building.

"The wedding ceremony will now begin!" Samui announced loudly.

The wedding followed the same format as the one earlier in the day—only the bride had changed.

By 5 p.m., the ceremony was complete.

This time, Hanekawa and Tsunade didn’t rush off. They stayed, had dinner with the guests, and only then returned to their room.

"Wait." Just as Tsunade was about to take off her white kimono, Hanekawa stopped her.

"What is it?" She looked at him, puzzled.

"I want you to keep it on." Hanekawa said as he lifted the hem slightly and tied a bow at her waist.

Her long, shapely legs wrapped in white stockings were now fully exposed to him.

"You little pervert!" Tsunade, both flustered and furious, sprang up.

She wrapped her arms around Hanekawa’s neck and her legs around his waist.

Instinctively, Hanekawa caught her by the waist and supported her.

Tsunade frowned slightly—then smirked coldly.

Tonight, she was going to give this brat a lesson he wouldn’t forget.

Yin Seal: Release!

Hanekawa gasped as he felt a surge of pressure.

The Yin Seal gave her perfect control over every part of her body.

Right now, he felt like he was facing a merciless storm.