After Tsunade finished speaking, Nonō Yakushi immediately picked up the thread without hesitation and began her self-introduction.
"My name is Nonō Yakushi. I'm 12 years old and a childhood companion who grew up alongside Hikaru."
"I'm skilled in medical ninjutsu and genjutsu, and I have my own approach to disguise techniques."
At that point, she bit her lip lightly and bravely confessed her feelings:
"I like Hikaru. My dream is to marry him someday!"
Compared to Tsunade's words, Nonō was even bolder—completely open about her affection for Hikaru and her pursuit of him.
This, of course, put Uchiha Chiri under immense pressure.
Though she wasn't nearly as shy as she'd been as a child, her tsundere personality still made it hard for her to speak up.
Then, all of a sudden, Tsunade made a move that left everyone momentarily stunned.
She darted over to Hikaru's side and grabbed one of his hands.
A provocative gleam flashed in her eyes, clearly challenging Nonō Yakushi.
Tsunade's bold declaration earlier had left her feeling that she needed to do something to solidify her position—hence this act.
Nonō stared blankly at Tsunade at first but quickly recovered and charged forward, clinging to Hikaru's other hand in defiance.
With one girl latched onto each arm, they stared each other down, sparks practically flying between their eyes.
The air became tense and charged, like a fight could erupt at any moment.
After a long beat, both girls let out a soft hmph and released his arms, ending their brief standoff.
Almost as if by silent agreement, they stepped back simultaneously, leaving Hikaru surprised by the sudden ceasefire.
Then, Tsunade turned to Chiri, her eyes glinting mischievously.
"Chiri, why don't you give your introduction too? We've all done it. Don't tell me you're shy?"
Chiri blushed at the remark.
But she quickly composed herself, shot Tsunade a glare, and said:
"Who says I'm shy? I just don't want to be as shameless as you two."
Tsunade burst out laughing.
She leaned in and whispered teasingly, "We all know you like Hikaru. Why not just be brave about it?"
The jab hit Chiri square in the chest—she looked completely caught off guard.
Her blush deepened until even the tips of her ears were red.
"W-Who said I like him?! D-Don't talk nonsense!" she stammered.
Her adorable reaction was like tossing a pebble into a still lake—shattering the tense atmosphere and sending ripples of laughter through the group.
Tsunade grinned, proud of having pulled off her little prank.
But just as she was about to tease Chiri further, Hikaru stepped in.
"Alright, alright. It's just a self-introduction. No big deal if Chiri doesn't want to say anything—we all know each other anyway."
However, his words backfired.
Chiri's tsundere pride flared up as soon as she heard that. It was like a switch flipped, and she started her own introduction on the spot.
"My name is Uchiha Chiri! Hikaru and I are from the same clan!"
She emphasized the word clan, as if to assert her rightful claim in front of Tsunade and Nonō.
"I'm good at genjutsu and Fire Style. My Sharingan already has three tomoe!"
Finally, she took a deep breath and, though her voice trembled and caught, she pushed through with her feelings:
"And... and I want to... m-marry Hikaru-kun too! That's all!"
The moment those words left her mouth, the other two girls looked like they'd just heard a declaration of war.
After all, in this era, marrying someone from the same clan was not only accepted—it was expected.
Chiri's statement carried real weight.
The previously defused tension snapped taut again, as if the entire room had gone still.
If Toki Chi were here, he'd probably be shouting, "Yes! Yes! This is what I live for!"
But Hikaru, though he could be a bit of a blockhead at times, wasn't actually clueless.
He cleared his throat softly to ease the tension and looked at the three girls, a wild grin spreading across his face.
"Only kids pick just one answer. We're grown-ups now—we pick all of the above."
His shameless smirk and completely unexpected response shattered the tension instantly. The heavy atmosphere burst like a balloon, replaced with playful groans and laughter.
Tsunade recovered first, arms akimbo as she rolled her eyes at him.
"You say it so easily! All of us? You trying to explode from the inside out?"
Nonō pouted, pretending to be upset.
"Hmph, you're way too greedy, Hikaru-kun. But I guess this way, no one ends up heartbroken."
Chiri, meanwhile, blushed furiously, saying nothing—but the shy smile tugging at her lips betrayed how happy she really was.
Hikaru watched their reactions with smug satisfaction. He knew he'd successfully defused the storm.
With an over-the-top flick of his hair, he chuckled.
"Heh, what can I say? You're all precious to me. Of course I want all of you."
Chiri finally looked up, cheeks still flushed, and chided:
"Hikaru-kun... saying things like that will just make things harder for us."
Though her words sounded scolding, her eyes sparkled with warmth.
Seeing the way they smiled, Hikaru felt a rush of warmth surge in his chest.
He knew how lucky he was—not just to have a second chance at life, but to have met such wonderful people this time around.
His grin faded into a more serious expression as he looked at them.
"I'm sorry if what I said made things awkward. I just... I didn't want to lose any of you. That's all I meant."
The girls went quiet, the sincerity in his voice striking a chord.
They could feel it—his honesty, his commitment. And it meant the world.
They all understood now: even if Hikaru had spoken playfully, he truly meant every word.
Tsunade, Nonō, and Chiri exchanged glances. In each other's eyes, they saw the same mix of emotion—complicated, bittersweet, but resolute.
Maybe deep down, they'd already known this was coming. Maybe they'd been preparing for this moment without even realizing it.
Now, faced with the truth, they realized something else:
None of them were willing to give up.
After a long silence, both Nonō and Chiri quietly walked up and stood beside Hikaru again.
Each took one of his hands, silently declaring their intent.
Tsunade, who was usually the first to act, found herself frozen, a step behind.
For once... she didn't know what to do.