"Hm?"
Aoba had been planning to arrange everyone's positions first, then head to the Hyuga clan to bring Hanabi over for a photo.
Then he noticed that, in the distance, a small figure was jogging toward them while waving.
He did not even need to sense her. He recognized Hanabi at a glance.
"Hanabi?"
Hinata had naturally seen her as well, but her face was full of confusion.
'Wasn't she taken home by Father? Why did she run over anyway?'
"I'll go bring her over."
Seeing Hanabi jogging along at such a leisurely pace, Aoba left those words behind helplessly.
Then, with a flash, he appeared in front of Hanabi.
"Aoba-nii!"
A delighted smile immediately spread across Hanabi's little face, and she jumped up and wrapped herself around him.
But when she buried her face against his neck, a crafty look of having succeeded in her plan appeared in her eyes.
"..."
Aoba held her up helplessly and asked in confusion, "Didn't Hiashi-dono take you home? Why did you run back over?"
"Hehe! I snuck out."
Hanabi showed a smug little expression again. At home, she had used her Byakugan to see the lively scene at Aoba's house, so of course she had secretly slipped out to take a look.
As for what she considered sneaking out... Aoba glanced at the Hyuga clan guard following behind. After confirming Hanabi had arrived safely, the guard was already heading back. Aoba said nothing.
"Then your timing is perfect. I was just about to come pick you up."
"Huh?"
Hanabi froze for a moment. Then her little face flushed slightly, and she twisted a strand of hair around her finger as she spoke shyly.
"Aoba-nii, were you planning to take wedding photos with Hanabi ahead of time? Hanabi doesn't mind."
"..."
This was a side of the little girl he rarely saw.
She was usually carefree, and he had thought she did not care about this kind of thing at all.
But it seemed she had been secretly watching with her Byakugan all along.
Bonk!
Aoba flicked her forehead.
"Ugh!"
Hanabi immediately covered her forehead and puffed out her lips in grievance.
"Aoba-nii, what was that for?"
"We've already finished taking the wedding photos. Next we're taking a family portrait."
Aoba explained before adding irritably, "Also, stop running around the village with your Byakugan activated when you have nothing to do."
"What? You couldn't even wait for me."
Hanabi pouted, then defended herself with complete confidence.
"And I wasn't looking around. I only looked at Aoba-nii."
"Heh!"
Aoba was so exasperated by how confidently she said it that he laughed.
Then he rewarded her with a few more forehead flicks.
By the time Aoba carried her back beside Hinata, she was still covering her forehead.
"Hanabi, were you being naughty again?"
The moment Hinata saw Hanabi like this, she knew Aoba had disciplined her for not listening.
"I wasn't naughty."
Hanabi insisted that she had always been an obedient, well-behaved child.
Hinata did not believe a single word she said and simply pinched her cheek.
Seeing this, Aoba did not expose Hanabi's stubborn act. Instead, he looked toward Yugao and the others.
"Since it's a family portrait, Yugao-neesan, why don't you all change into something more suitable?"
Since everyone was taking a family portrait together rather than wedding photos, it would be awkward if some were wearing wedding outfits while others wore everyday clothes.
Yugao and the others had no objections and each went back to their rooms to change.
Hanabi still wanted to cling to Aoba, but just then Sara walked over looking completely pleased with herself.
She immediately told Hanabi what Aoba had just said about marrying her.
Then she showed off to Hanabi.
Naturally, Hanabi could not stand her boasting, so she simply revealed something she had originally planned to keep secret.
Even Hinata was taken aback and remembered how unusually pleased with herself Hanabi had looked a few nights ago.
'So that was the reason.'
Sara had not expected Hanabi to have gotten there before her, but she clearly had one advantage Hanabi could not match.
She was two or three years older than Hanabi, so she would definitely get married before Hanabi.
The moment she heard that, Hanabi broke down for once.
She looked at Aoba with pitiful eyes, hoping he would change his mind and get married sooner.
Of course, Aoba saw through her little scheme, but his attitude on this matter was unusually firm.
No matter what, he also intended to properly standardize the marriage age throughout the ninja world later.
Although most people in the ninja world matured early, no matter how early they matured, the marriage age could not be too low. They still had to wait until both body and mind had fully matured.
Seeing this, Hanabi knew there was no changing it.
She simply buried her face in Aoba's chest and pretended to be an ostrich.
No matter how much Sara showed off beside her, she ignored her.
At one point, Aoba said he was going to change clothes, so she got down for a while. But once he finished changing, she clung to him again.
She stayed that way until it was time to take the family portrait without getting down.
Fortunately, Hanabi was still tiny compared to everyone else, so even with Aoba carrying her, it did not affect the picture.
In the end, with the new house as the background and the golden sunset shining down, the camera captured everyone's smiling faces in that moment.
After the family portrait was finished, Karin and the other kids took the cameras to photograph other scenes.
Most girls seemed to have an instinctive love of taking pictures.
Meanwhile, Aoba went with Kin, Yugito, and the others to prepare dinner.
Time was short and there was a lot to do.
But with Aoba's abilities, it did not take much time.
After dinner, once he had taken all the girls home, tonight still belonged to Kaguya.
Only this time, it was a little different.
Kaguya had changed back into the white shiromuku she had worn during the photo shoot.
The white kimono made her look pure and elegant, like a true Yamato Nadeshiko.
Aoba was stunned for a moment, mainly because he did not understand what she was thinking, "You should change into yours too."
Seeing Aoba standing there staring at her without moving, Kaguya's cheeks grew warm, but she still urged him.
"Kaguya, you mean..."
Aoba suddenly seemed to understand what she meant.
"Just put it on already!"
Kaguya only felt her cheeks growing even hotter and urged him again.
On the wedding night, of course they should be wearing wedding clothes...