"That's right, getting married!" Musashi replied with a grin.
"Big Brother Guy, Senior Kakashi, you absolutely have to come."
After Musashi left, Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy stood there, staring at the invitation in their hands, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
"Musashi... he's actually getting hitched." Kakashi felt like reality was blurring a bit.
In his eyes, Musashi was, until very recently, just a little brother figure who spouted nonsense about "Youth" and knew nothing but training.
How much time had passed?
The kid didn't even have a girlfriend, and now, suddenly, he was getting married.
"Alright, Kakashi."
"Come to think of it, Musashi has reached the age where marriage is appropriate."
"We just need to offer our congratulations and enjoy the wedding feast."
Guy quickly put away his surprise. "Let's continue! I'm still not resigned to losing that last round!"
"Guy, I'm not in the mood right now," Kakashi rejected him listlessly.
In his left hand, he held the bright red wedding invitation.
In his right hand, he held a copy of The Tale of the Fallen Princess.
Putting the two hands together... no matter how he looked at it, it was blindingly ironic.
"How..."
"How did it happen so fast..."
"Even Musashi is getting married."
"Kakashi, Musashi is just getting married, why is your reaction so big?" Might Guy scratched his head, confused.
Kakashi froze.
Yeah, why is my reaction so intense?
It felt like he was still staring at a blank exam paper, while his underclassman had already walked out of the hall with a perfect score.
Although he still shouldered the heavy responsibility of reviving the Hatake clan...
Although he had long reached the appropriate age for marriage...
He had simply never thought about getting married himself.
Kakashi imagined that if he were to get married... there would be someone following him around every day, nagging endlessly. His complete set of The Ninja Moderator and his series of precious limited-edition collectibles would all be confiscated...
Just thinking about it made Kakashi shudder.
Forget it. Maybe I'm better off alone.
Reviving the clan can't be rushed, but I can't miss out on the latest release from 'Midnight Bull Knife'.
He suddenly turned to look at Might Guy.
"Guy, Musashi is getting married. Don't you feel anything?"
Might Guy looked blank. "Just... blessings? What else should I feel?"
Kakashi pressed on, "Don't you think about finding a woman to marry, too?"
Might Guy shook his head vigorously. "No way."
"Kakashi, for me, women are incredibly difficult creatures to understand."
"Facing a boring woman every day? Where's the joy in that compared to hanging out with dumbbells and weighted vests!"
Kakashi was left speechless.
After a moment of silence, Kakashi suddenly said, "Guy, if one day you do want to get married, you must tell me in advance, got it?"
"Okay." Might Guy was a bit baffled. "I don't really get it, but Kakashi, I'll keep your request in mind."
"Anyway, can our contest continue now?"
Looking at the pure, foolish anticipation in Might Guy's eyes, Kakashi sighed helplessly.
"Fine. One last time."
"Yosh! Kakashi! I'll definitely beat you this time!"
---
"You're getting married!!?"
The easel was suddenly knocked over. Several unfinished paintings of young ladies scattered on the ground, their faces and bodies splattered with paint.
Daiki Nojiri didn't care in the slightest. He looked at Musashi as if he were seeing a ghost.
"Say that again! You're getting married?!!"
Musashi: "Yeah! Why are you so agitated?"
"No!" Daiki struggled to sort out his thoughts. "What's the situation? Why the sudden marriage? And with whom?"
Musashi replied, "Nonsense! Who else could it be? My Big Sister, of course!"
"I..." Daiki choked on his words.
He never could have imagined it.
He was happily practicing his art at home, only to be suddenly informed that his die-hard best friend was getting married!
What happened to our friendship lasting forever?! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻!
"You... what are you thinking? Getting married so young?"
"Are you that impatient to step into the grave of a boring married life?"
Musashi looked at Daiki with disdain. "Is your life really that thrilling without marriage?"
" As far as I know, apart from the girls in your paintings, you don't even have a girlfriend, do you?"
Daiki: "..."
Musashi: "Besides, Big Sister Ayame is wonderful."
"She's beautiful, treats me well, can cook, has a gentle personality, doesn't ask for a dowry, and she's soft and fragrant and..."
"Isn't it only natural that I'd want to marry her and bring her home?"
For a moment, Daiki couldn't find a way to refute him.
Imagining it... if there was a beautiful woman who possessed all those qualities, marriage didn't seem so bad after all.
A clear, otherworldly beautiful face suddenly floated into his mind.
Daiki shook his head, tossing the image out of his brain.
The important thing right now was Musashi's situation.
He looked at his best friend in front of him, and a thought suddenly struck him. Realization dawned on his face.
"You!..."
"I finally get it!"
"When we first got to Konoha, you refused to hang out with me no matter what, insisting on running off to work part-time at Ichiraku Ramen!"
"Originally, I thought you really just planned to live independently."
"Oh, wow! Today I finally realize—you brat, you planned this from the very beginning!"
" 'Ichiraku is my home, I am an Ichiraku person.' Right? That's right, now Ichiraku really is your home."
"And you gave me that line about 'Sorry Daiki, I have more important things to do.' Your so-called 'more important thing' was just chasing a wife, wasn't it!"
"Bah! You have the nerve to hide this from me for so long!"
Musashi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Where is he getting all this?
"Daiki, you misunderstand. Big Sister and I just have mutual affection; it happened naturally."
"I don't care! I don't want to talk to you right now!"
"Alright." Musashi turned around helplessly.
"I'll be going then."
"Oh, by the way. On the wedding day, Haku will be there to help out too~"
Daiki Nojiri: (゜?゜）?