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  The sun dipped low on the horizon as Hanekawa finished his final set of exercises, wiping sweat from his brow. The afternoon training session with Tsunade had been grueling—though she'd skipped out halfway through to hit the casinos, as usual. He'd stopped expecting her to stay.

  He padded inside, collapsing onto the sofa with a satisfied exhale. The Ability System materialized at his mental command.

  [C-Rank Ninjutsu Entry: Lightning Chakra Activation]

  [Trigger Condition: Introduction to Lightning Chakra Activation]

  [Current Progress: 20%]

  Hanekawa frowned. The progress bar had stalled. Twenty percent for weeks now, with no movement. That wasn't right. Even slow progress should be something.

  Maybe I've hit a plateau, he thought. Or maybe I need to actually use lightning chakra to push it forward.

  He made a mental note to experiment tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow, actually. Because tomorrow was August 2nd.

  Tsunade's birthday.

  The realization hit him like a kunai to the chest. Oh, hell. I completely forgot to plan anything.

  He closed the Ability System and lay back, mind already spinning through gift ideas. What do you give to a legendary ninja who had everything except self-control and good luck?

  Footsteps sounded from the hallway. Before Hanekawa could sit up, a hand landed gently on his head, stroking his hair with surprising tenderness.

  "Training all afternoon again?" Tsunade's voice was softer than usual—the tone she only used when she thought he wasn't paying attention.

  "Yeah." Hanekawa opened his eyes. "Did you win today?"

  "Why would you ask that?"

  "Because if you'd lost, you'd be in a worse mood."

  Tsunade's expression darkened. "Brat!"

  She pulled him against her chest and clenched her left fist, delivering a solid bonk to his head. The impact was more theatrical than painful, but the sudden proximity made his face burn. The scent of her perfume mixed with sake, and the soft weight of her against him nearly made him lose his train of thought entirely.

  "Teacher, I'm sorry!" he sputtered, struggling half-heartedly.

  Tsunade released him, crossing her arms with a suspicious smirk. "Is that all? Just an apology?"

  Hanekawa seized the moment. "How about this—tomorrow, we skip training and go to the casino instead. You can gamble as long as you want."

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "What's gotten into you? Planning to slack off?"

  "One day won't hurt," he said smoothly. "As long as you're happy."

  She studied him for a long moment, clearly trying to figure out if he was serious. Come on, he thought. Just guess. It's not that hard.

  "I'm drinking tomorrow too," she finally said.

  "Drink as much as you want," he agreed immediately.

  "Did something happen to you?" She reached out and tugged his cheek. "You're acting strange. Usually you're nagging me about gambling and drinking like some worried mother."

  She really has no idea it's her birthday, Hanekawa realized. It made sense, in a way. How many people in the Leaf Village actually remembered to celebrate with her?

  "No, nothing's wrong," he said.

  Tsunade raised the corners of her mouth slightly. "You little brat. Since you're being so cooperative, I won't complain. Meet me at eight o'clock tomorrow."

  "Can you even wake up that early?" he asked skeptically.

  "What did you say?" Her hand came up again, but this time he dodged.

  "Nothing! Just saying—don't hit the head. It makes you stupid."

  "Go cook!" she ordered, glaring at him.

  After dinner, Hanekawa claimed exhaustion from the afternoon's training and skipped the evening session. Tsunade laughed so hard she nearly choked on her sake. "Come on, you're so weak," she teased.

  He left with as much dignity as he could muster.

  On his way home, he stopped at the shopping district, still clueless about what to buy. Tsunade's hobbies were limited to gambling and drinking—neither appropriate for a birthday gift. He was standing in front of a shop window, completely lost, when a familiar voice called out.

  "Hanekawa!"

  He turned to see Rin jogging toward him, her face flushed from exertion.

  "The teacher mentioned you took two days off," she said, catching her breath. "Is something wrong?"

  Perfect timing. "Actually, I need your advice on something."

  Rin's eyes widened with surprise and something that looked like... excitement? "Really? What is it?"

  "Tomorrow's my teacher's birthday," he explained, heading toward the gift shops. "I need help figuring out what to give her."

  Rin followed, her initial enthusiasm dimming slightly for reasons he didn't quite understand. "What does Lady Tsunade need?" she asked carefully.

  "Money," he answered without thinking.

  Rin stopped dead. "A legendary medical ninja is short on money?"

  Hanekawa laughed. Well, that's one way to put it. "Just kidding. She doesn't need anything material, so I'm stuck."

  Rin pointed to an elegant tea set nearby. "What about that? Adults enjoy tea."

  "She prefers wine," Hanekawa said, already moving toward a display of sake sets. The craftsmanship was excellent—traditional lacquerware with delicate inlay work. "This is better."

  "Isn't drinking alcohol against ninja regulations?" Rin asked hesitantly.

  "Only during active duty," he said, selecting the set. He spotted a beautiful bracelet and added it to his purchases. Two gift boxes—one large, one small.

  As he approached the counter, he paused. Rin was waiting patiently, that gentle smile on her face. He remembered something from the original timeline: she'd worn a red bracelet. He didn't see one on her wrist now.

  He turned back and grabbed another bracelet.

  "A thank you gift," he said, handing her the smaller box as they left the shop. "For helping me out."

  Rin's face went bright red. "I couldn't possibly—"

  "Consider it done," he said, already walking away. "See you the day after tomorrow."

  Behind him, he heard her open the box. There was a moment of silence, then the soft sound of her catching her breath.

  Hanekawa smiled to himself. One problem solved. Now for the harder part—actually making sure Tsunade has a decent birthday.

  This better be worth it, he thought, already mentally preparing himself for whatever chaos tomorrow would bring.