Chapter 386: A Happy Ending
"This first toast is from your sister and brother-in-law."
"May you both spend every spring, summer, autumn, and winter of your lives together."
Tsunade, ever reliable as the first to drink, stood up gracefully, bringing Kawakaze along with her.
"Thank you, Sister and Brother-in-law," Nawaki and Misaki replied in unison. They raised their sake cups, clinked them together, then held hands as they drank about a third of the contents.
Misaki, unused to alcohol, blushed almost immediately after taking a sip.
"I won't say anything else—just hurry up and have a baby," Kawakaze quipped, his tone as lighthearted as ever. He raised an eyebrow at Nawaki with an amused smirk.
"Ssshh~" Tsunade pinched Kawakaze's waist in a subtle but sharp reprimand. His loose tongue often got him into trouble. While his words weren't wrong, coming from him, they felt more like teasing than a heartfelt blessing.
Misaki, who had been observing the exchange, saw Kawakaze's attempt to mask his discomfort after the pinch, and she almost burst into laughter. Despite the playful nature of his comment, she took the blessing to heart.
"For this second toast, I won't let anyone else have it," Orochimaru declared, rising to his feet and taking Pakura's hand. His confident demeanor made it clear he believed this was exactly where he belonged.
"Is being a sensei really that big of a deal?" Jiraiya cut in, taking Maki's hand and standing as well, clearly determined not to be outdone. His expression seemed to say, As an older brother figure, I'm just as important as your Sensei.
"Sensei, Big Brother," Nawaki said quickly, stepping in to defuse the silent competition. "Misaki and I will drink first in your honor."