Chapter 125: Brother-in-law, I’m going to flick your little caterpillar!

More than half a month had passed since Kato Mifune confessed his love to Tsunade at the cinema.

The final lingering heat of the Indian summer had dissipated; the unseasonably high autumn temperatures in Konoha Village were finally swept away by a cold front blowing in from the northwest highlands. The chilling winds brought by this front caused the leaves on the trees throughout Konoha to fall even faster, finally giving the village a proper autumnal atmosphere.

This afternoon, Kato Mifune did not clock in at the Spring Base, nor did he go to the Konoha Hospital to keep Tsunade company. Instead, he was at a high-end hot spring resort near the Hokage Rock, soaking in the waters with his brother-in-law, Nawaki.

It is worth noting that this high-end resort had finally received a name. The wealthy owner from the Land of Hot Water, after more than half a year of failed management—adhering to the strategy that "good wine needs no bush" while refusing to advertise—had finally been brought to his knees by the resort's massive losses. He was barely hanging on.

As a connoisseur of baths and a seasoned hot spring enthusiast, Mifune had finally found such a perfect spot for his personal leisure in Konoha, and he certainly did not want to see it go out of business. When the tycoon from the Land of Hot Water wanted to withdraw his capital and leave this place of sorrow, Mifune dispatched members of the Kato clan to contact him, expressing a desire to take over the business. Making a profit didn't matter; the priority was ensuring that Mifune had a place to indulge in his favorite pastime.

The result was that the Kato clan acquired a sixty-percent stake in the property, becoming the primary silent partners. Once the tycoon, Yuichiro Yu, had the backing of a Konoha jonin like Mifune, he gave up on the idea of leaving and stayed on as the junior partner, effectively working for Mifune.

With a change in ownership, a fresh start was in order, though Mifune liked the existing aesthetic and didn't want to change much. Even if the acquisition was motivated by personal desire, it was now clan property and had to be managed properly. To minimize losses and leverage the resort’s unique services, Mifune suggested only one major change: a prominent new sign. Everything else remained as it was.

The sign was a bold, green-lettered display featuring only four characters: "Green Hot Spring." It matched the lush, tree-filled environment of Konoha. During the day, in the relatively sparse area near the Hokage Rock, it caught the eye effectively, and at night, the last three characters would light up, making it even more conspicuous.

***

In the deepest, most scenic part of the Green Hot Spring lay a semi-enclosed courtyard—Mifune’s exclusive domain, which was never open to the public.

Mifune and Nawaki were currently soaking in a large pool. Outside the courtyard, the cool autumn wind rattled the withered, yellowing leaves, creating a scene of desolate beauty. Inside the semi-enclosed space, the high-temperature water produced thick, warm steam, creating a misty and cozy atmosphere.

Half-desolation, half-warmth; it was delightful. This was merely the essence of autumn. Mifune mused that if it were winter, soaking in these warm waters amidst a snowy landscape would be another kind of beauty entirely. If he could bring Tsunade along then—the pool surrounded by pristine white snow, and Tsunade’s skin, even whiter than the snow, glistening in the water...

However, before Mifune could indulge in such fantasies, he had to deal with the minor nuisance right in front of him: his brother-in-law, Nawaki.

Mifune looked at Nawaki, who was cowering at the far end of the pool, and felt a headache coming on. Nawaki was born in the 23rd year of Konoha, right at the peak of a young boy's most mischievous and rebellious phase. This was especially true regarding Mifune—his sister’s official boyfriend, his future brother-in-law. To Nawaki, this man who was trying to "steal" his sister away was an eyesore in every conceivable way.

Indeed, Nawaki had been dragged here by Mifune today. The little brother-in-law's thin arms were no match for the future brother-in-law's thick thighs; he had been forcibly brought to the Green Hot Spring against his will. Now, he was sulking. Since he couldn't beat Mifune in a fight, Nawaki had adopted a "three-no" policy: no speaking, no interacting, and no cooperating, as a form of passive resistance. He knew Mifune wouldn't truly hurt him—or rather, he desperately hoped Mifune would, so he could sustain a minor injury and run to his sister to badmouth Mifune, potentially breaking the two of them up. That was Nawaki’s ultimate goal.

It had been over half a month since Mifune and Tsunade agreed that he should have a proper talk with Nawaki about becoming his mentor. During this time, Mifune had tried to approach Nawaki several times, only to be brushed off with various excuses. Nawaki’s only tactic against Mifune was non-violent non-cooperation. Whenever Mifune pushed too hard, Nawaki would apply to go on missions with his squad leader.

Today, Mifune had specifically checked with the mission desk to find out when Nawaki would return to the village, intercepted him at the gates, and dragged him directly here.

*Nawaki used to be so cute when he was little, and he had such a good relationship with me,* Mifune thought, watching the yellow-haired kid hiding at the other end of the pool. *When did things go wrong?*

"Hey, you yellow-haired brat, why are you hiding so far away?" Mifune decided to stop waiting; he needed to force Nawaki to speak.

*You’re the one with the blue hair!* Nawaki muttered to himself in his mind. He then dove into the water, letting the hot spring cover his ears so he wouldn't have to listen to Mifune. With his chakra, he could stay submerged for a long time.

*Kid, you think hiding underwater will stop me?* Mifune watched the tuft of yellow hair floating on the surface, channeled his chakra, and projected a thread of spiritual energy into Nawaki’s mind.

"Are you afraid I’ll flick your little caterpillar again?"

"I did it when you were little, and I just gave it a refresher course earlier—it still feels just as good."

"If you don't come over here and talk to me properly, I’m coming over to flick it again!"

When Mifune had dragged him here earlier, Nawaki had been uncooperative, refusing to undress. Mifune had resorted to a trick from Nawaki's childhood—flicking his "little caterpillar."

"Cough, cough!" Submerged in the water, Nawaki choked on the hot spring water upon hearing the threat. He thought back to the humiliating experience earlier, his cheeks flushing red with rage. He turned to glare at the blue-haired man on the other side of the pool, seeing that smug, threatening smile beneath Mifune's deadpan eyes.

Nawaki was even angrier now.