Author's Note: This is one of those daily life fanfics featuring the lovely characters from the Naruto Universe! There are all kinds of couples throughout this story and I'm going to be starting at a very different point compared to what I've done before so here it is!

The Konoha Life: Chapter 1 – Welcome to the City!

She didn't have much of a choice when it came to whether or not she went to the Konoha City Academy Spring Showcase thanks to her pushy roommates. Seeing as she came from quite possibly the smallest village ever in the existence of history, she was struggling with adjusting to the massive city life that was Konoha. Konoha City Academy's first year class was already triple the size of her village's population and when it came to the student body in its entirety, well the thought of that just simply made her head spin.

"Come on, stop dragging your feet or we're going to be late," her roommate Sonozaki Mebuki urged as she held onto her hand and continued to run towards Sarutobi Amphitheater, the largest outdoor stadium on the island where hundreds of people were filtering in.

"I told you I didn't want to come," Uzumaki Kushina whined as she continued to be dragged by the two of them. "I already told you I was exhausted from moving in. Would it really be all that bad if I skipped the showcase?"

"Yes, it would be," Uchiha Mikoto told her as she wore a sweet smile on her face. "Trust us, Kushina. You're not going to regret it," Mikoto sang as they dove headfirst into the crowd of ticket holders currently shoving their way into the amphitheater.

Kushina let out a reluctant sigh and held onto Mebuki and Mikoto's wrist so that they didn't lose one another in the crowd. She saw the way Mebuki and Mikoto's face lit up at Kushina's acceptance and seemed to move a little quicker now.

"Which door was it?" Mebuki questioned as they made it out of one side of the crowd.

"That one!" Mikoto pointed and the three of them ran up to one of the staff entrances. She stopped short of the door and quickly fixed her hair and wiped away any sweat that might've collected during their sprint to the theater. Once she got the all-clear from Mebuki, she did a special knock on the door and before she could finish, the door opened. She put on a sweet smile. "Hi Fugaku-kun."

"You're late," the black-haired upperclassmen complained. It took a moment but Kushina recognized him from a photo Mikoto showed her earlier that day shortly after Kushina arrived in the dorm. And now Kushina was wondering how a bubbly and cheerful girl ended up with a stone-faced man like Fugaku.

"Fugaku-kun," Mikoto sang as she grabbed Fugaku's hand and saw him look down at her. "I'm sorry we're late. Forgive me?"

Fugaku looked at her for a moment before tapping her forehead. He watched as Mikoto giggled with a blush on her cheeks while he rolled his eyes. He did smile a little bit though when Mikoto hugged him and buried her face in his chest. He affectionately pet the top of her head before he caught sight of the unfamiliar face. "Who's this?"

"Oh," Mikoto looked up at him. "This is our roommate Uzumaki Kushina. She's from Uzushiogakure."

"Uzushiogakure?" Fugaku repeated and saw Mikoto nod. "Well welcome to Konoha and Konoha City Academy."

"Thank you," Kushina said.

"Come on." Fugaku grabbed Mikoto's hand and walked ahead with her. "We have to go on stage soon and we're cutting it close with you being late."

"Sorry," Mebuki and Mikoto said in unison as they followed.

Kushina held onto Mebuki's hand as they went pass dozens of other students wearing matching crew uniforms hurrying around and making sure everything back stage was ready for the performance. She looked at the few performers they passed and could hear them warming up, all of them appearing as professional as possible and almost intimidating to Kushina.

"About time you got here." Haruno Kizashi was in the middle of twirling his drum sticks when he saw the four of them walk up. Kushina remembered Mebuki showing her a picture earlier that day while she gushed about how handsome and cool he was.

"What took you so long?"

Kushina watched as a blonde haired and blue-eyed upperclassman walked over with a guitar on his back. He was wearing the same uniform as Fugaku and Kizashi but his sleeves were rolled up with an undone black and red plaid tie and the top few buttons undone exposing part of his chest where a blue stone hung from his necklace. His shirt was partly untucked, a silver chain hanging on his belt loops and she noticed the black sweatband around his wrist where a guitar pick was stuffed.

"Our roommate didn't want to come to the showcase," Mebuki looked at Kushina who looked away with her arms folded across her chest. "Her name is Uzumaki Kushina. Kushina, this is Namikaze Minato, the lead singer and guitarist for their band Fire Shadow."

Minato looked at Kushina, her red hair being the first thing he noticed about her and how it almost touched the ground, "You didn't want to come to the showcase?"

"She's new to the city." Mikoto saw Kushina look at her. "She's from Uzushiogakure so coming to Konoha and Konoha City Academy is kind of a lot on her right now."

"Would you stop telling people where I'm from? It's embarrassing enough dattebane," Kushina whined, not realizing verbal tic had come through until she saw the way they stared at her. She had managed all day without having said it so she wasn't entirely sure why right now was any different.

"That's cute," Minato chuckled and Kushina turned as red as her hair. "Well allow me to welcome you to Konoha City Academy; I hope you learn to like it here."

"Fire Shadow, please take the stage," a crew member announced from not too far away. "Curtain goes up in five minutes."

Minato nodded before looking back at Kushina, "Make sure you're watching. I'm going to make it so you're glad they dragged you out here tonight."

Kushina didn't say anything as Minato, Fugaku, and Kizashi went to their positions on stage with an assisting pianist. She followed behind Mikoto and Mebuki as they went to where they could see, the three of them standing in a circle together with their arms around one another as Minato said something. She watched as they all laughed together before Minato brought his guitar around to the front and removed his pick from his sweatband. Fugaku picked up his bass and Kizashi sat at the drum set. Minato plucked his fingers against his guitar strings and mouthed the words to the song they were going to open with. Behind him Fugaku and Kizashi did the same with their respective instruments.

"Good evening everyone," they could hear their headmaster addressing the mass of students who had packed into Sarutobi Amphitheater. "For those of you who don't know, my name is Sarutobi Hiruzen, your Headmaster here at Konoha City Academy and I'm more than happy to welcome you to the 35th Annual Spring Showcase!"

The crowd cheered, their excitement causing the amphitheater to vibrate. Hiruzen heard Minato's guitar playing come through behind him which caused the crowd to yell even louder. He smiled as he walked off the stage, the curtain opening as he did to expose Fire Shadow playing together.

Minato played facing Fugaku, both of them smiling as they went back and forth before Minato stepped away and walked over to the mic to start singing.

Abingdon School Boys – Strength

Kawaita kuchibiru itetsuku taiyou ni sarasarete (My dry lips are bleached by the frozen sun)

Afureru namida ga shitataru mabushisa de (My overflowing tears trace me)

Boku o nazoru kara (with a dripping brilliance)

Tarinai kasho o tada umeau you ni kimi o (As if trying to bury the things we lack)

motometeita (I was seeking you)

Fureau yubi ni tsutawaru setsunasa dake o (Scrape together whatever sufferings we can communicate)

Kakiatsumete (in our touching fingers)

Kodou no oku ni kazaru negai o (the wish held out from deep within my heart beat-)

Sadame to iu nara (if you can call that fate-)

Nokosareta kioku to nakushita kimi no omokgae ga (then the remaining memories and the lost traces)

Ima mo okizari no mama (of you are still, even now, deserted)

Kasuka no toiki to furueru manazashi ni yurameite (I waver at your faint smile and trembling glance)

Kosureru tamashii o me o iru kirameki ga (The shine that strikes the eyes of a grating soul envelopes)

Futari o tsusunde (the two of us)

Deawanakereba kizutsukau koto sae mo (If we'd never met, do you think)

Nakatta no ka na? (we could have kept from hurting each other?)

Mogareta hane no itami ni yorisoi nagara (let us sleep quietly, snuggled up to the pain)

Sotto nemurou (of our plucked wings)

Modorenai kara kaerenai kara (we can't go home, can't go back)

Inochi o karashite (so shout your life hoarse)

Toozakaru ano hi to nakusu bakari no kono ude ga (this arm of mind longs for the long-gone days)

Kimi no nukumori ni kogarete (and your warmth, which I keep losing)

Minato stepped pass his mic as he began to play his guitar solo. The crowd screaming for him as he displayed his talent, a group of girls holding up signs with his name and face on them. He looked towards backstage where his eyes met Kushina, a smile crawling onto his face at the shine in her eyes. He looked out at the crowd towards the end of his solo before stepping back to his mic, his hands grasping the mic.

Dare mo ga chigau sabishisa mochitotte (bringing together everyone's different kinds of loneliness)

Asu o hoshigaru kedo (you longed for morning)

Kimi ga mezashita yogorenaki sono tsuyosa (with the uncorrupted strength you sought)

De boku o kowashite (break me)

Koe ni dekizu ni taeta inori o (take the prayer that died out without being voiced)

Sadame to nazukete (and label it "fate")

Nokosareta kioku to nakushita kimi no omokage ga (the remaining memories and the lost traces)

Ueta kono mune ni (of you are still, in this starving heart)

Ima mo okizari no mama (deserted even now)

They all played together as the lyrics ended, the band bobbing their heads and the crowd doing the same with them. As the song ended with Minato's guitar being the last note the crowd heard, they erupted into thunderous cheers as they chanted for Fire Shadow.

Minato chuckled as he walked up to the mic, "How's everybody tonight?"

"We love you Minato-senpai!" a group of girls screamed from near the front, their signs and shirts having his name and face on them.

"I love you too," Minato waved and watched as that entire section swooned and had to be caught by others. He blinked a few times before looking at the crowd, "For those of you who didn't catch that, my name is Minato, Namikaze Minato and I'm a third year student at the high school with my friends Uchiha Fugaku who's on bass and Haruno Kizashi who plays drums. Our piano assistant for the night is a good friend of Fugaku's, Hyuuga Hizashi."

The three of them waved to the crowd as they clapped for them.

"I'm supposed to say some words before we played the first song apparently," Minato shrugged and the crowd laughed at his confusion. "So, um, I guess I'll start by saying welcome to Konoha City Academy, we're glad you're here with us. Our mission here is to produce the best of the best within the business of creative careers whether it be fashion, video game design, painting, or even music. The staff here is filled with people currently in the industry and they're willing to answer any and every question you may have whether it be in regard to your assignments or personal projects. The last two years I've spent here have been some of the best years of my life," Minato looked over at Kushina who was watching him, "and I have a feeling they're about to get better."

Kushina blushed while both Mebuki and Mikoto nudged her.

"We're only allowed up here for two songs so to close out our performance, we'll be playing Spiral!" Minato announced and the crowd cheered as they began to play.

afterward: Konoha City Academy Island – After Hours Diner

Kushina let out a slight sigh of relief as she took a seat in one of the old-fashioned diner that was just a few blocks short of her dorm. She had to figure out how to get back on her own seeing as Mikoto and Mebuki ran off to an afterparty with Fugaku and Kizashi. Minato had offered to walk Kushina back but the minute they stepped outside of the amphitheater, Minato was swarmed and swept away by a wave of fan-girls.

"Welcome to After Hours," a waitress said as she came up to Kushina's table and put down a menu. "Do you know what you want to drink?"

Before Kushina could even utter the words "orange cream milkshake" her waitress had walked away and towards another table at the other end of the diner. Kushina sucked her teeth and ignored the dirty look her waitress shot at her, her eyes looking down at the menu. As she skimmed the menu, she could hear the chatting and snickering of a group of females who sat a few tables away from her. When she looked up to see what was funny, they were all looking at her and messing with their own hair.

She looked back at the menu. She had lost count of how many people had already commented on her hair in the fifteen hours she'd been in the city. Back home, everyone had red hair and if you had any other color, you were labeled the odd one out but she wasn't back home. She was in Konoha City and an eight-hour train ride plus a three-hour ferry ride away from home.

"I see you found After Hours after all."

Kushina looked up from the menu and saw Minato standing by her booth. He was out of his uniform – that Kushina assume was now in tatters – and wearing a pair of stonewashed ripped jeans with a tucked in white collared shirt underneath a black vest. On his wrist, he wore a silver watch and the blue stoned necklace from before still hung around his neck.

"Do you mind?" Minato questioned as he pointed to the seat in front of Kushina.

Kushina shook her head and watched as Minato took a seat across from her while wearing a kind smile on his face. She was about to open her mouth to speak but the waitress had miraculously reappeared and seemed to be in a much friendlier mood than when Kushina had sat down.

"Welcome back, Minato-kun," the waitress giggled, her cheeks pink from blushing. "What do you want to drink tonight? A cream soda?"

"Please," Minato said before looking at Kushina. "What about you? Are you getting anything?"

"Huh? Oh, um," Kushina looked at the waitress and saw she hadn't looked at her. "Just an orange cream soda, please?"

"And an orange cream soda," Minato told the waitress and saw her nod before floating away. Minato looked to Kushina and saw the slightly annoyed expression on her face. "What's wrong?"

"That waitress is annoying," Kushina admitted as she leaned back in her seat. "I doubt she even noticed I was sitting across from you just now."

"Well I noticed so isn't that enough?" Minato questioned and saw the slight blush that came onto Kushina's cheek. He chuckled at her reaction before leaning against the table and lacing his fingers together. "So, Uzumaki Kushina-san of Uzushiogakure, how did you enjoy the Spring Showcase?"

"It was interesting." Kushina played it cool as she looked back at the menu. "Is that something you do every year? Like a 'Welcome' Festival or something?"

"Sorta," Minato answered. "The Spring Showcase serves as a welcoming festival for incoming students and a typical concert for returning students. And as for how often we do them, we do them every quarter."

"Every quarter?" Kushina repeated as she looked up her menu and at Minato.

"Yup, every quarter," Minato said. "We have the Spring Showcase, Summer Fling, Autumnal Carnival, Winter Gala, and the Konoha City Academy End of the Year Festival."

"That's insane," Kushina said and saw Minato nod. "Do you guys have any time to actually learn anything here? From the sound of it, it seems like festivals are the main focus, don't you think?"

Minato chuckled. "I can see why you think that but I promise, you'll learn plenty in between each festival. It's not until you're really a third quarter junior or a senior where you really need to worry about participating in the festivals and whatnot. And not every participates since the requirements are ridiculously high and some shows are harder to get into than others depending on the subject."

"Is that so?" Kushina questioned and watched as the waitress returned and placed their drinks onto the table. She didn't bother thanking her as she took her milkshake and unwrapped her straw.

"Can you bring out two Sannin Combos please?" Minato requested and saw the waitress nod. "Onion rings for both and extra special sauce on the side for both the burger and the onion rings."

"Of course, Minato-kun," she giggled this time before skipping away. This time she went straight to the table of catty girls, all of them squealing as the waitress merely repeated Minato's order.

"What's a Sannin Combo?" Kushina questioned.

"It's the best thing on the menu here," Minato told her. "It's a double decker, barbeque bacon cheeseburger with grilled onions, grilled jalapenos, crispy onions, pickles, lettuce, and tomato. And their onion rings are practically heaven sent because you'll never want to eat onion rings from anywhere else again."

"You come here a lot, don't you?" Kushina questioned.

Minato grinned and scratched his cheek. "I try to stop in every once in a while when I'm not too busy. Plus, they're open late so when I get hungry in the middle of the night while I'm working on music or studying, I can swing by here and pick up a burger."

"The whole thing sounds like a heart attack honestly," Kushina added.

Minato thought for a moment before shrugging and nodding. Minato's reaction gained a giggle from Kushina and the sound of it caused a blush on Minato's cheeks this time. He took in her cheerful face and felt a tightening in his chest but before Kushina could notice, Minato cleared his throat and composed himself.

"So? How do you like it in Konoha so far?" Minato questioned.

"How do I like it?" Kushina thought for a moment as she looked down at her hands and played with her fingers. "I think I still need some time to get used to it," Kushina admitted. "I come from a village with a population of about two thousand and I used to think that was big but this…just the school itself has more people than my village. As for right now, I'm starting to think I made a mistake."

"I don't think so," Minato said.

"What makes you say that?" Kushina asked. "You just met me a little over two hours ago."

"That may be true but I have a good feeling about you," Minato said, a serious expression on his face now. "During the showcase, I saw this shine in your eyes that very few people have. The sort of shine that you get when you've decided that you're going to do everything you possibly can until you're on that stage and having everyone look at you and admire you for the work you've done that put you there. And despite knowing how much work it's going to take to get there, you're not wavered at all but even more determined than before."

Kushina blushed a bit at Minato's words. "Sure, the showcase was inspiring but I don't have a lot of confidence in my abilities. I came here to be a fashion designer, not a stage performer."

"That's all right," Minato said with a simple shrug. "A lot of people come here and say they're going to do one thing but end up doing something else entirely different."

"Was it like that for you?" Kushina questioned.

"Nope," Minato admitted and chuckled as Kushina rolled her eyes. "But I know plenty of people who changed their focus once they saw what else there is to do. And sometimes people start to focus on more than one thing and become 'Jacks of All Trades' as they're called. It's not impossible, that's for sure."

"But like I said before, I'm not a stage performing," Kushina repeated. "I have terrible stage freight and I admire people who can get up there and talk like there isn't hundreds of people watching them. I just know I wouldn't be able to do it."

"Well, never assume what you can and can't do," Minato told her. "People have a tendency to change here and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the influence the people here have on you."

"Whatever you say," Kushina said with a slight shrug and watched as the waitress returned once more with their orders in hand. She carefully placed Minato's against the table but carelessly dropped Kushina's in front of her. Luckily none of Kushina's food fell out of its basket but the look Kushina gave the waitress was enough to declare a permanent feud between the two.

"Thank you Nagisa," Minato said politely before pulling a few napkins and splitting them between himself and Kushina.

"Will you be needing anything else?" the waitress, who Kushina now knew was named Nagisa, said with a sickeningly sweet smile despite her rudeness towards Kushina.

Minato looked over both his and Kushina's plates before instinctively switched his basket with Kushina's. He smiled at the waitress who wore a now horrified expression on her face. "Is something wrong?"

The waitress, now full of shame, carefully slid Minato's basket away from him and walked away. Kushina looked at her food before looking at Minato who seemed agitated himself.

"What was that about?" Kushina questioned.

"She spat in your food," Minato explained. "Don't worry, mine is clean and probably better prepared so you go ahead and eat that while I wait for the new one."

"How did you know she did something to my food?" Kushina questioned.

Minato sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It happens from time to time. Go ahead and eat up."

For the remainder of their time at After Hours, Minato told Kushina about his experience at Konoha City Academy and all that he'd done and was looking forward to in the years to come. He spoke enthusiastically and passionately the whole time and Kushina was captivated by him.

"I guess the main reason as to why I came to Konoha City Academy was so that I could get out of my father's shadow," Minato admitted as he picked up an onion ring and dipped it into the sauce. "All my life I've been addressed as 'Jiraiya's son' and most people never bothered to learn my name."

"Wait, Jiraiya?" Kushina paused and put her burger back down. "Jiraiya as in lead guitarist and vocalist for Sannin Jiraiya?"

Minato nodded. "Yup, that's my dad."

"Really?" Kushina was taken aback. "You two look nothing alike though?"

"That's not surprising seeing as I'm adopted," Minato explained. He saw the uncomfortable expression on Kushina's face and he quickly put on a smile and waved his hand. "Ah, don't worry. There's no tragic story behind me being adopted. Considering it fate or something like that that I ended up with Jiraiya."

Kushina watched as Minato continued to eat and knew that asking anything more of his adoption wasn't going to be possible. They talked about family next. Minato told Kushina about his life growing up as a child of two Sannin members and how he spent most of his adolescents on tour busses and dressing rooms. And Kushina told Minato about growing up the oldest to a stickler of a father who preferred her younger brother over her. Minato sympathized.

After their burgers were eaten and the bill was paid, Minato offered to walk Kushina to her dorm seeing as he failed to do so earlier. Kushina graciously accepted and the two of them began to stroll.

"So, what do you hope to achieve?" Minato questioned as he and Kushina walked.

Kushina thought for a moment before looking at Minato. "I want to become a fashion designer. And not one of those generic label designers; I want to start my own label called Kitsune. I basically want to reach the point where models are begging me to participate in my seasonal fashion shows and wearing my clothes because of how good and popular they are."

"Ambitious," Minato nodded. "Men and women's clothes?"

"Everything," Kushina told him. "I want to design a wide variety of clothes and accessories for men, women, and children. You know, children are allowed to be fashionable too."

Minato chuckled. "Yes, they are."

"What about you?" Kushina questioned. "Besides getting out of your father's shadow, what is it that you hope to accomplish?"

"I want to be remembered," Minato answered, a bit of a solemn expression on his face. "And I want my music to mean something to people. I know I won't be able to save the world but if I can just help a few people then that's enough for me."

"Admirable," Kushina commented. "And doable."

"Let's hope so," Minato said and he noticed Kushina stopped walking. He looked back at her and saw her point. When he turned to see where she was pointing, he saw they had ended up in front of her dorm. "Oh, already? I forgot how close After Hours was to the First-Year Dormitory."

"It convenient," Kushina said. "I can sneak out and get another Sannin Combo when I get a taste for it next time."

Minato smiled and nodded. "Who knows, I might be there when you sneak out one time."

"We'll eat together then," Kushina said without thinking. And when she realized what it is that she had said, she blushed a bit and looked away.

"I'd like that," Minato admitted. He shoved his hands in his pockets and gave Kushina a handsome grin. "Good night, Kushina-chan."

"Ah, just a minute," Kushina said as she walked over to Minato. She looked at him for a minute before standing on her tip-toes and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. She quickly stepped back with her cheeks matching her hair and a slight blush on Minato's cheeks as well.

"What was that for?" Minato questioned.

Kushina looked away. "It was a thank you. You were one of the few people who were nice to me today and I appreciated it so I just wanted to give you a proper thank you is all, dattebane. Anyway, good night!" Kushina shouted unnecessarily loud before scrambling for her ID and running into her building.

Minato looked after her until she was on the elevator. He waved to her as the doors closed and when she sheepishly waved back, he smiled. "Uzumaki Kushina, huh?"

To Be Continued…