Ruka Hiden : Tangled Paths, Love's Redemption

[9]

It was finally the day of Naruto and Hinata's wedding reception. Ruka stood beside Konohamaru, who had been dutifully taking cash gifts from guests. The mood was light, and the line of well-wishers was steadily moving.

"How much are you giving them, Ebisu-sensei?" Konohamaru asked, glancing up at the man approaching with an envelope in hand.

Spotting Ruka, his first and former student, Ebisu puffed up his chest, clearly eager to impress. "Well," he began, in a boastful tone, "it's accepted etiquette for working adults like us to give about..." He proudly held up three fingers.

Ruka's expression flattened in disbelief. "Is it okay to give that little?" she asked dryly, unable to hold back the teasing edge in her voice.

Konohamaru sighed, shaking his head as he held out his own envelope. "I put five bills in mine, and big sister put twenty bills in hers—and Kiba added more."

Ruka smirked, crossing her arms as she shot Ebisu a playful look. "That's embarrassing for an adult, don't you think, Ebisu-sensei?"

Ebisu's face turned beet red, his eyes widening in shock. "What?! Did you say five bills? Twenty?!"

He glanced between Konohamaru and Ruka, flustered and clearly feeling the pressure. "I'll lose face as a teacher!" he gasped, clutching his envelope with newfound urgency.

"Guess you'd better rethink your gift," Ruka quipped, her voice light with amusement. She winked at Konohamaru, who couldn't help but snicker at Ebisu's reaction.

Ebisu sputtered, looking around in a panic. "Fine! I'll go add more to my envelope!" he muttered before hurriedly retreating to find extra cash.

Konohamaru stifled a laugh, grinning at Ruka. "You didn't have to scare him that much, you know."

Ruka shrugged, chuckling softly. "What can I say? It's a special day. We're not holding back."

-

-

"So? Did you get a hold of the honey wine?" Kurenai asked, eyeing the box Kiba was holding with curiosity. Her tone was both expectant and amused.

"Of course!" Kiba replied, trying to sound confident. "We're gonna tell Naruto about the history of the Senju clan."

Kurenai raised an eyebrow. "You're that versed in history to do that?"

Kiba hesitated, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Well, uh..."

Before Kiba could stammer an answer, Ruka couldn't resist a bit of playful teasing. She leaned against Kiba, a gentle smile on her lips as she caressed her belly. "Shouldn't you be telling our child about the history of the Senju Clan?" she teased. "He has the lineage of the Senju clan, you know..."

Kiba glanced at Ruka, his expression a mix of embarrassment and admiration. "Well, I guess I do need to brush up on my history. Wouldn't want our kid thinking I'm just winging it."

As Kiba and Kurenai talked about Shino playing with Mirai, Ruka felt gaze on her and turned around to find her ex-fiance staring at her, Gaara.

Kurenai watched with amusement as Kiba struggled to maintain his composure while Ruka's playful banter continued. The atmosphere was light and festive, with the guests enjoying the reception and the couple basking in their celebration.

As Kurenai and Kiba chatted about their plans, Ruka noticed Gaara approaching. The sight of her ex-fiance brought a swirl of emotions, and she smiled warmly as she made her way towards him. "Gaara," she greeted softly, her hand resting gently on her prominent belly.