Looking at the water Ino handed over, Yukio was briefly stunned, then showed a warm, gentle smile.
"Thank you, Ino," he said softly.
Ino lowered her head, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"You... you're so gentle."
She lightly twisted the corner of her clothes with both hands and gathered all her courage before asking in a red-faced whisper, "Well... after school, could I invite you to go for a walk together... or just sit somewhere and chat?"
Looking at Yamanaka Ino's fair, delicate face and her slightly trembling eyelashes, a gentle smile flashed in Yukio's eyes.
He did not reject her right away and instead thought about it for a moment.
"Perfect timing. I was planning to go to the library to review the First Hokage's philosophy of the Will of Fire. Come with me."
Hearing that, surprise instantly bloomed in Ino's eyes. It felt as if fireworks were exploding in her heart.
She tried hard to suppress the smile rising on her lips and nodded vigorously.
"Mhm! Okay!"
Inside the crystal ball, Namikaze Minato crossed his arms and watched the scene with interest, the corners of his mouth lifting unconsciously.
"That kid Yukio really is a genius..."
Minato was slightly surprised.
"Uchiha Sasuke couldn't even last a single exchange and lost just like that."
After a pause, Minato suddenly revealed an amused expression and muttered to himself,
"He accepted Ino's invitation so readily... Could it be that, like his father, this kid also really likes blonde girls?"
"..."
Three years passed like a white horse flashing by a crack in a wall. In the blink of an eye, it was time for the crucial stage of team assignments at the Ninja Academy.
Inside the Arisu residence, the setting sun's glow shone into the living room.
"Hm? Tsunade, where's that kid Yukio?"
Arisu pushed the door open and walked in, taking off his coat as he asked curiously.
Tsunade was lazily leaning on the sofa. Hearing the question, she helplessly pointed toward a tightly shut door on the second floor.
"He's been locked in his room since he came back this afternoon. I knocked several times, but there was no response."
Crossing her arms, Tsunade spoke calmly, "Our son is grown up now. Who knows what embarrassing things he's doing in there? I'm his mother, so it's not convenient for me to go in. As his father, you should go take a look."
Arisu raised an eyebrow, a meaningful expression appearing on his face.
"Oh? Is it what I'm thinking?"
Tsunade smiled knowingly and nodded without hesitation.
"Yes."
Arisu immediately looked helpless and sighed to himself.
"Only twelve years old and already doing this kind of thing... Isn't he worried he'll become a quick-shot in the future?"
He slowly walked upstairs and stopped outside Yukio's room, gently knocking three times.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
A burst of hurried rustling immediately came from inside the room, as if someone was frantically putting something away.
Arisu pushed the door open and entered. He saw Yukio lying on the bed under a blanket, his face red and his breathing still somewhat uneven.
"What are you doing?"
Arisu knowingly asked, his tone teasing.
Yukio forced himself to stay calm and said with a red face, "N-nothing... I was just resting in bed."
Arisu's sharp eyes swept over the bedside table.
There was a photo of Ino sitting there, along with a bottle of body wash. A suspicious scent of flowering pear drifted faintly through the room.
Arisu narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly.
"Why do you have Ino's photo? What's the body wash doing by your bed? And... why does the room smell so strange?"
Yukio instantly lost his composure.
His face turned so red it looked ready to bleed as he loudly defended himself.
"Dad! You're so weird! I wasn't doing anything!!!"
Having lived for over a thousand years, Arisu could easily see what was going on, but he didn't continue teasing his son.
He walked over and sat on the bed, patted Yukio on the shoulder, and got straight to the point.
"Team assignments are coming up. I'm thinking of putting you in Might Guy's team. They're missing one person. What do you think?"
Yukio immediately shook his head.
"No! I heard Might Guy is weird. People in the village say he... um... likes men."
"And I've seen him training several times with that disciple who wears a green jumpsuit. The scene was too... I don't think I'd get along with them. I'm not going."
Arisu thought for a moment.
The infectious power of Team Guy's "youth" really was too strong.
"Then what about Team Seven?"
Arisu continued, "I can have Minato transfer Haruno Sakura to another team, or just add another spot. The team leader would be Hatake Kakashi, your Uncle Sakumo's son. What do you think?"
Yukio still shook his head, looking conflicted.
"No... that team seems boring. Sasuke and Naruto are pretty good, but Hatake Kakashi is also kind of weird. I still don't think it's right for me."
Arisu frowned deeply.
He didn't even want to join the protagonist's team?
What exactly was this kid trying to do?
"Then which team do you want to join? Do I need to create a team just for you and have Namikaze Minato personally lead it?"
"It's not impossible, but he's still my disciple. I have to leave him some dignity.", Arisu said helplessly.
Yukio lowered his head. Even the tips of his ears had turned red, but his voice was unusually firm.
"Dad... I want to be in the same team as Ino."
Arisu raised an eyebrow, vaguely feeling that his son had completely become lovestruck.
"The Ino-Shika-Cho formation can't be broken apart casually. It's a tradition that has lasted for many years among the three clans. Every generation trains and works together. The clans won't agree to it."
But Yukio ignored that. With a pleading tone, he looked at his father with shining eyes.
"Please, Father... I just want to be in the same team as Ino..."
Arisu narrowed his eyes and asked with a faint smile, "You like Ino? Is she your girlfriend now?"
Yukio's face became even redder, but he still nodded lightly.
"Sort of... We're getting along really well right now... anyway."
Arisu smiled slightly. Since his son had said so...
Then he would find a way to make things move forward.
After thinking quickly, Arisu looked at Yukio.
"How about this? You, Ino, and Aburame Torune can form a team."
"After that, I'll arrange a team leader for you. How does that sound?", Arisu asked.
Yukio frowned slightly when he heard the unfamiliar name.
"Aburame Torune? Who is that?"
"Someone your age. He's from the Aburame clan. He's pretty good and can be your teammate."
"About the same as Shino. Same age.", Arisu said.
"Alright, Father... then I'll agree to join the team you arrange. But you have to make sure Ino and I are definitely assigned together!", Yukio agreed.
Looking at his son's expectant yet slightly nervous expression, a smile appeared on Arisu's face.
He nodded lightly, his tone carrying the calm confidence of an elder.
"Alright. I promise you."
But inwardly, he was already planning.
Looks like he'll have to personally negotiate with the Ino-Shika-Cho clans.
Although tradition dictated that the Ino-Shika-Cho trio stay together, with his status and position, adjusting one spot shouldn't be difficult.
Yukio was briefly stunned, but he still looked worried.
He knew how deeply rooted those Konoha clans were.
"Can it really be done? The three clans..." Yukio asked.
"Leave it to me."
Arisu patted his son's shoulder.
"I'm going to break up their generation's formation."
"The Ino-Shika-Cho combination is important, but if my son wants to be with the person he likes, that's more important than any tradition."