The Raikage's secretary's office was quiet except for the scratch of Samui's pen against paper. She stared at the wedding invitation list Hanekawa had provided, her expression carefully neutral.
Two brides.
The revelation shouldn't have surprised her—Samui had known Hanekawa long enough to understand his nature. Still, seeing it written out in official capacity made it real in a way gossip never could.
Kurenai Yuhi made sense. Childhood sweethearts, teammates, the natural choice. But Tsunade?
Samui set down her pen and allowed herself a small smile. Of course Tsunade. The woman was legendary in every sense—power, beauty, presence. And if anyone could convince the Hokage to share a wedding, it would be Hanekawa.
The door opened. Mabui entered, glanced at the invitation list, and froze mid-step.
"Two brides?" Mabui's voice carried careful neutrality, though her eyes widened slightly.
"Read it yourself," Samui said, sliding the list across the desk.
Mabui scanned the nas, her composure visibly wavering. "Our Lord Hokage is... remarkable."
"That's one word for it," Samui agreed.
The real marvel, Samui reflected, was that Hanekawa had convinced Tsunade to agree to this arrangent at all. The Hokage wasn't known for compromise—or sharing.
"We'll need help," Mabui said, recovering her professional deanor. "I'll contact the other villages' secretaries."
Within hours, the five major villages' administrative offices were coordinating the wedding invitations. The reactions ranged from shocked silence to carefully diplomatic acceptance. By the ti Mabui reached i Terumi's office, she found a note: the Mizukage would handle her own invitation.
The note was written in sharp, aggressive strokes.
---
Three days later, Hanekawa inspected the completed invitations with Samui.
"You did excellent work," he said.
"It was a team effort," Samui replied, her tone professional despite the warmth in her eyes.
"Send them out tomorrow." Hanekawa paused. "How has i Terumi seed?"
"Upset," Samui said simply. "But she accepted the invitation without complaint."
Hanekawa smiled. i's anger was predictable—and manageable. The fact that she'd accepted the reality of his marriage suggested she was already reconciling herself to it.
He picked up Rin's invitation separately. "I'll deliver this one personally."
After Samui collected the remaining invitations, Hanekawa pulled her close and kissed her—a brief, warm gesture that made her breath catch.
"A reward," he said, stepping back with a slight smile.
Samui's lips curved upward, a rare expression of genuine pleasure on her usually composed face. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."
---
Konoha Hospital was quiet in the late afternoon. Hanekawa found Rin in her office, and her imdiate reaction—standing quickly, a flush rising to her cheeks—told him everything about her feelings.
"I ca to tell you sothing important," he said, settling into the chair across from her desk. "I'm getting married on August 2nd."
Rin's expression shifted through several emotions before settling on careful neutrality. "Congratulations. Is it Kurenai?"
"Yes. But there's more." He handed her the invitation, watching as she opened it and saw both nas listed.
Her confusion was imdiate and profound.
"I have another question for you," Hanekawa continued, taking her hand gently. "Will you marry ? When the ti is right."
Rin's face flooded with color. She managed a soft "yes" before looking away, overwheld.
Hanekawa touched her head briefly—a gesture of affection and reassurance—before leaving her to process the mont.
---
News of the wedding spread through the ninja world like wildfire. Hanekawa, as the Hokage and de facto emperor, had reached the age for marriage. That he'd chosen two brides raised eyebrows, but few dared question it openly. The precedent of daimyo maintaining multiple wives was well-established in their culture.
Only Jiraiya seed genuinely distressed by the arrangent. He visited Tsunade, presumably to voice his objections, and left in visible defeat.
The wedding preparations proceeded without incident.
---
August 2nd arrived with brutal sumr heat. The morning belonged to Kurenai's wedding at the royal palace. Tsunade's ceremony would take place at the Senju compound in the afternoon—separate venues, separate decorations, equal honor.
Hanekawa woke to find Samui and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki already conscious, the latter wearing a faint, satisfied smile as she touched her abdon. Pregnancy suited her. Tsunade and Kurenai would likely discover the sa condition soon enough—Hanekawa had made no effort to prevent it.
"Seven-thirty," Samui reported, checking the clock. "You have ti."
He made use of it thoroughly, then dressed in his formal black kimono while Samui and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki changed into their own traditional wear.
At the palace, Kurenai waited in her white wedding gown—radiant, youthful, genuinely happy. The contrast with Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's previous appearance in similar dress was striking. Where Kaguya embodied divine serenity, Kurenai radiated warmth and joy.
Tsunade stood nearby in a formal kimono, her expression unreadable but her presence commanding as always.
The ceremony began at ten o'clock sharp.
---
In the guest areas, conversations flowed around the unusual arrangent.
"I didn't expect Hanekawa to marry before ," Asuma admitted to Kakashi.
"He's been popular since childhood," Kakashi replied with characteristic bluntness.
"What about Lady Tsunade, though?" Asuma pressed.
Shisui coughed aningfully. "Perhaps that's not a topic for discussion."
Shizune smiled. "If you anger her, you'll handle the consequences yourself."
Asuma's face paled. "Right. Gifts. Let's discuss gifts instead."
Nearby, young Naruto bounced with excitent. "This is amazing! A double wedding!"
Sasuke, ever cool, offered a dismissive comnt about age and maturity that devolved into their typical bickering.
Hinata watched the exchange with quiet amusent, her Byakugan occasionally drifting toward the ceremony preparations.
The wedding proceeded with the precision and grandeur befitting the Hokage—two ceremonies, two celebrations, one unforgettable day.
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