When Izayoi returned home, he didn't start cooking or go take a bath right away.
Instead, he walked into his room and came out holding a locked box.
From the serious expression on his face, it was clear that whatever was inside the box must be something extremely valuable.
Even the key to the lock was hidden in a secret compartment in the living room.
When he opened the box, it didn't contain scrolls or weapons—but a red ceramic… piggy bank.
"Little piggy… farewell forever."
Izayoi gently lifted the piggy bank out. His hands and voice were slightly trembling, and his expression was full of sorrow.
After saying that, he turned his head away and shut his eyes, then smashed the piggy bank hard against the ground.
The ceramic piggy bank shattered instantly, coins spilling all over the floor.
Izayoi crouched down, picking up each and every coin and bill—just like how he had stuffed them in over the years, since he was a kid.
This money was all saved from his monthly survivor's pension, and recently from the rewards he earned doing D-rank missions.
As for the inheritance his parents had left behind—it was long gone.
After all, he wasn't just feeding himself; he also had a certain big eater to take care of.
If it weren't for the monthly support from the village—support that stopped once he officially became a Genin—he would've been chewing on tree bark and eating wild grass long ago.
Stuffing the money into a bag, Izayoi also threw in the 23,000 ryo he had just earned.
Then, carrying the bag, he stepped out and arrived at a shop.
With a thud, he slammed the bag heavily onto the counter and pointed at something, saying, "Boss, there's 388,300 ryo in here. I want to buy a film camera. Use the rest to give me as many rolls of film and photo developing supplies as possible."
"Got it! Thanks for your patronage."
The shopkeeper's cheerful voice rang out right away.
Before long, Izayoi walked out of the store holding a camera.
"Finally got it. It's still not too late."
He lovingly handled the camera, smiling to himself:
"Although I couldn't capture my childhood with Hinata… I can still record Hanabi growing up. Totally worth it."
"Now I'm broke. The stuff in the fridge probably shouldn't be eaten either. Guess I'll go hunting and have a barbecue tonight."
...
"Onii-chan, wake up~ The sun's already shining on your butt~"
The next day, as usual, Izayoi the chronic oversleeper received his royal wake-up call.
Only this time, it wasn't the older princess—it was the little one.
His nose felt ticklish. Izayoi opened his eyes, and in the blurry vision, a delicate and adorable little face gradually came into focus.
Wearing a yellowish-brown kimono, Hanabi was straddling Izayoi's waist, leaning over while holding her fringe braids, using her hair to tickle his nose and cheeks like a feather duster.
"You little rascal… Next time you're asleep, Onii-chan's totally doing this to you too." Izayoi chuckled and gently rubbed Hanabi's soft little cheeks.
"Hehe… It was onee-chan who told me to wake you up~ If you're mad, be mad at her!" Hanabi instantly clung to Izayoi's palm, shifting the blame without hesitation.
"…Alright, you go on out now. Onii-chan still needs to wash up."
"Okay!"
After playing with Hanabi on the bed for a while, Izayoi gave her a pat on the butt to signal her to get off.
Wearing white long socks, Hanabi jumped straight off the bed and ran out—no wonder she made no sound at all.
After a simple wash-up, Izayoi opened the drawer at his desk and took out the camera stored inside.
As soon as he stepped out of his room, he immediately saw Hinata busy in the kitchen.
This time, Hinata wasn't wearing her usual white windbreaker and black pants. Instead, she had on a white kimono, with purple and white petal patterns on the sash, sleeves, and hem.
Her long black hair was tied up into a neat bun behind her head.
She wore an apron in front and was skillfully flipping a frying pan.
Hanabi was sitting at the dining table, wrapping rice balls with seaweed.
Seeing this scene, Izayoi subconsciously held his breath. He walked on tiptoes with the camera, looking for the most harmonious angle with the lighting.
Click!
A shot was captured forever—a photo of the two sisters, back to back, one standing and one kneeling, both dressed in kimono and each busy with their own task.
Hearing the camera shutter, Hinata and Hanabi both turned to look.
"A camera!"
Hanabi's eyes lit up the moment she saw the camera in Izayoi's hand. She quickly peeled off her gloves and ran over with a look of delight.
"Onii-chan, when did you buy a camera?!"
"Yesterday."
"Onii-chan, lemme see!"
"Be careful with it. Onii-chan spent 300,000 ryo on this—it's everything I've saved and earned from missions." Izayoi handed over the camera while reminding her.
Hearing that, Hanabi wiped her hands vigorously on her very expensive kimono—expensive enough to buy several cameras—before carefully taking the camera.
"Onii-chan, how do you look at the photos?"
"You have to develop them first. After breakfast, Onii-chan will teach you how to do it."
"Yay! Let's take one together too!"
"No rush. Let's wait for your onee-chan to finish cooking. Then we'll take a picture all together—that'll be meaningful."
"Okay okay~"
Watching Izayoi and Hanabi playing around, Hinata's lips curled into a happy smile.
After breakfast was ready, and they had all finished wrapping the rice balls, the three of them sat at the dining table. Holding rice balls wrapped in seaweed, they smiled brightly for their first photo together.
Izayoi sat in the middle, the two sisters on either side.
The one who took the photo? Izayoi's shadow clone.
A selfie stick had nothing on a shadow clone.
After breakfast, all three of them stayed in Izayoi's room, pulled the blackout curtains shut, and began developing the photos.
"So pretty…"
Looking at the artistically composed photo of the two sisters, Hanabi, who couldn't think of the right words, could only gasp in admiration.
Hinata, on the other hand, was staring at the group photo of the three of them, her eyes sparkling.
At that moment, she and Izayoi were thinking the same thing—with a tinge of regret.
If only they had a camera when they were little… They could've recorded the journey of growing up together.
But… it's not too late.
So, for the rest of the day, Izayoi and the Hyuga sisters went around taking pictures.
They started at home—in the living room, on the balcony, in the dojo, in the yard…
Then they headed outside, to familiar places like the abandoned training grounds, and to scenic spots like waterfalls, capturing photos of themselves in solo shots, in pairs, and in all three together.
While passing by a big tree, Hinata did something rare—she took the initiative.
She gently tugged at Izayoi's specially changed long-sleeved robe, cheeks slightly flushed, and softly asked,
"Izayoi-kun, can we use Transformation Jutsu for a bit?"
Izayoi blinked in surprise.
Then, following Hinata's gaze to the big tree, he finally got it and smiled, nodding:
"Sure, let's do it together."
"Mm."
Hinata nodded happily. Once Izayoi summoned a shadow clone, the two stood facing each other and formed seals in sync.
"Transformation Jutsu!"
With a puff of white smoke, two chubby-cheeked kids wearing plain clothes appeared under the tree, smiling brightly at each other.
Then they turned to Izayoi's shadow clone and beamed joyfully.
Click!
That moment, too, was captured forever.