Tsunade Can Hear My Inner Voice

Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Wedding Gift

"Alright, I’ll keep Yakumo’s matter in mind."

Hikari couldn’t help but feel curious. He was just a chunin, so why was he being saddled with so many responsibilities that weren’t even his? All he wanted was to laze around as a gate guard.

Glancing back at the chair in the corner, Hikari sighed deeply.

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now. I still have to keep an eye on those three little troublemakers."

[Finally, no more work! I need to hurry back, relax, drink some soda, and focus on writing to earn money!]

Tsunade almost laughed in frustration.

She had never seen someone so shameless.

On the surface, he made it sound like he was going back to work, but in reality, he just wanted to slack off at home.

Was there any shinobi in Konoha lazier than him?

"Hold on, don’t leave yet. There’s something else I need to discuss with you!"

"What is it?" Hikari casually dragged his chair over and sat across from Tsunade.

She shot him an annoyed look. Even Kakashi wouldn’t dare act so casually in front of her.

"It’s about Mikan and Izumo’s wedding. What kind of gift are you planning to give?" Tsunade frowned, looking troubled.

Mikan was practically family to her in Konoha, and Hikari and Izumo were brothers. Now that they were getting married, it made sense for their respective relatives to discuss wedding gifts, right?

After all, even Orochimaru had worked frantically to earn money for Naruto’s wedding gift in the original story.

"Honestly, I haven’t thought about it yet." Hikari admitted.

Tsunade scratched her head. "I don’t know what to get either!"

The real issue wasn’t her indecisiveness—it was her lack of funds.

Expensive gifts were out of reach, but cheap ones would be embarrassing.

As the Hokage, she couldn’t just give something shoddy. noveldrama

She still had her pride.

Hikari, however, wasn’t overthinking it. "Tsunade-sama, you could talk to Shizune. You two could figure out something good. As for me, hmm, I’ll probably ask Ayame."

"Ayame? The daughter of the Ichiraku Ramen owner?" Tsunade perked up at the mention.

"Yeah, her."

"What, are you planning to get married too?" Tsunade leaned in, her gossip mode fully activated, looking like some nosy auntie.

"No, it’s just that I don’t really have anyone else to ask for advice. Gai would probably give Izumo a green spandex suit, Anko might gift a few snakes, and Kakashi is still on a mission." After running through his options, Hikari realized he didn’t have many close friends to consult.

"You could always ask Shikaku. As the head of the Nara clan, he should have some good ideas." Tsunade suggested.

If Kamizuki Hikari actually went to Nara Shikaku, she could use her authority as Hokage to make Shikaku charge him double—then she could pocket the extra for herself.

"Nah, Shikaku-senpai’s way too busy. I’d feel bad bothering him." Hikari waved it off.

The Ino-Shika-Cho clans weren’t people he was particularly close with. Teaching their kids was one thing, but asking them about wedding gifts felt like fishing for presents.

Izumo and Mikan’s status in Konoha wasn’t that high. People could ignore them if they wanted, and it wouldn’t be a big deal.

If Hikari went out of his way to ask, it would place them in an awkward position.

Giving something too expensive might make the giver unhappy.

Giving something too cheap could hurt the recipient’s pride.

Besides, Hikari wasn’t short on cash. He could give Mikan more money than she’d earn in a lifetime as a wedding gift for his brother. He didn’t want to waste his dignity on petty details.

Kamizuki Hikari was all about keeping face.

"I see..."

Tsunade sighed. Since Hikari wasn’t biting, she couldn’t just give some half-hearted gift either.

At this point, Hikari seemed to finally grasp Tsunade’s dilemma.

"I don’t think Tsunade-sama needs to stress over this too much."

"What do you mean?" Tsunade’s spirits lifted. If this meant she didn’t have to spend money, she was all for it.

Her already-strained finances rejoiced at the thought.

"As the Hokage, you should treat every shinobi in Konoha equally. On paper, Mikan and you don’t have a special relationship. If you go overboard with her wedding gift, what happens when other shinobi get married? Will you have to match that for everyone?"

People didn’t resent scarcity—they resented unfairness.

Tsunade might see Mikan as close and want to win Hikari over, but to others, there was no special bond between them. If Tsunade gave an extravagant gift this time, it’d set an awkward precedent.

Hearing this, Tsunade had an epiphany.

So that’s how it is!

But still...

"If I just follow the standard Hokage protocol for gifts, won’t it seem too impersonal?" As the political heart of Konoha, the Hokage had to maintain certain formalities and social norms.

When subordinates got married, the Hokage couldn’t just show up empty-handed. Over time, this had become tradition.

"If you’re worried about seeming distant, you could always invite Mikan and Izumo for a private meal later. That way, you avoid drawing attention while still strengthening your bond."

"Perfect! Let’s do that!"

Satisfied with the solution, Tsunade brightened up.

Once she got past this hurdle, she’d receive her salary—plus Shizune’s share. Double the income meant double the happiness. As two of Konoha’s top brass, they could live comfortably as long as they didn’t splurge on gambling or booze.

"Can I go now?" Hikari asked, seizing the moment as Tsunade’s mood brightened.

With her spirits lifted, she had no reason to keep him around.

"Go, go. Make sure you check on the Ino-Shika-Cho team. Take their training seriously, and if you run into any problems, don’t hesitate to ask."

"See ya!"

Hikari gave a quick farewell, returned his chair to its corner, and slipped out the door.

"That guy..."

Tsunade shook her head as she watched Hikari bolt away faster than a rabbit.

"Am I really that scary?"

Muttering to herself, she pulled out a small mirror from her desk drawer, examining her reflection from different angles before nodding in satisfaction.

"Yup, still as beautiful as ever."

"Speaking of which, if he’s going to see Ayame, does that mean none of the kunoichi in Konoha catch his eye?"

"There are plenty of beautiful, single kunoichi—Anko, Yugao, and more!"

Tsunade rambled on to herself, while the hidden ANBU in the corner maintained their stoic silence.

(So the Fifth Hokage is getting old too, huh? Just like the Third, she’s started muttering to herself. Sigh, being Hokage really isn’t easy.)

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