Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto. Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.
A/N:
Once upon a time, I was procrastinating.
Seriously, if anybody will ask me what's the best remedy to writer's block I'll definitely answer: SCHOOL WORK!
So yeah. Enjoy the work of my procrastination. ^_^
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Boys, Sake and Good Fortunes:
Boys
A rather strong gush of wind sent her stunning red hair dancing in elegance, complete opposite of her rather brash nature. The sight did knock the breath out of her companion's lungs however. Indeed, the red-haired brash lady is one of, if not, the loveliest of Konohagakure though the lady part is not very, amm, apt. She has the temper that rivals a volcano - about to erupt, and she has the brute physical strength that matches, and even outmatches some of, her male counterparts. She's not entirely very refined and ladylike in her acts, a little on the tomboyish side, but she was beautiful. Beautiful and cheerful, and carefree and strong – even in the world of shinobis where kunoichis abound, she stands out. Anybody who'd never known her before would never realize that Uzumaki Kushina is the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi – the most fearsome of the tailed beasts.
Kushina rolled her eyes as soon as the young man's eyes were diverted but immediately reverted her face to her solemn, plain expression as soon as he turned to her again. The young man who is a foot taller than her, had been her classmate in the academy before and been made jounin a week earlier, is fidgeting over something, unable to stop himself from biting his lips in an obvious display of anxiety. She politely smiled at him, trying to console the poor guy.
Her smile literally made the man's face lit up, and summoning his courage he began his stuttering speech, "Ummm… Say… Kushina-san…"
Kushina averted her eyes to the sky and was tempted to whistle a tune to pretend she's not hearing anything. Silently, she prayed for something to happen. Maybe an earthquake or a sudden attack in the village – she don't care anymore. The last thing she wanted is another scene of her punching a fellow shinobi for doing something as bizarre as asking her out. This is really, seriously, making her very uncomfortable.
Gathering his remaining spirit, the young man continued, rather nervously, "Would you… would you... you know… go out-"
"Hey Kushina!"
The thought of an earthquake and a sudden attack to the village was incarcerated by that bubbly voice. The voice immediately lit up her face, made her spontaneously turn to its source with a broad, happy smile.
"Minato!"
She jumped off of the bench and ran towards him and literally threw herself to him, completely forgetting her company. The yellow-haired shinobi effortlessly caught the red-hair and hugged her, wearing a similar big cheerful smile. He made a small, almost unnoticed move to kiss her crimson hair. She buried her smile, and blush, by resting her head comfortably at his shoulder. At this seemingly simple gesture from her, Minato smiled to himself then turned to the young man Kushina was talking to before he came. He knew what he was about to say - the precise reason he decided to approach and call out Kushina at that moment. He gave the young man an ominous stare and a grave smile as he held Kushina. Anybody who is at least 30% sane would know it is 101% fatal to not flee the same second of getting such gaze from Namikaze Minato. And anybody who knew him personally, like a former classmate as the young man was, might want to die on the spot upon getting that look from the cheerful, calm Minato. Naturally the poor young man scrambled on his feet and ran away in fear, with his apparently broken heart. Satisfied of himself, though having a light shade of red in his face from his actions, he turned to the woman still locked up in his arms, "So you really do have more than a couple of dozen men after you. I bet Jiraiya-sensei's information gathering is really flawless."
Kushina laughed loudly as she broke free of Minato's embrace, a hint of blush tinting her cheeks. "It's not a great thing," she complained, then with a smug smile she brushed her nose with her fingers, "I had to punch more than two yesterday."
The image of Kushina mauling her suitors was not a distant reality and Minato knows her too well to doubt it. Though she generally does not want to fight with people, when her temper flares, she can be rather violent. And love confessions embarrass her.
"Anyway," the red-hair cut the little movie in his head with a poke in his forehead, "Did you have your sensei spy on me?"
Minato caught the finger poking his forehead and playfully twisted it, "Nope. He did me a favor. That's all."
Kushina made a gesture of biting Minato's hand off her's that made the Namikaze pull away. Her boisterous laugh echoed at his actions and she stuck out her tongue on him. Minato laughed out as well scratching the back of his head in defeat.
That's how their friendship works. How ever strong Minato is, Kushina always win with Minato happily and willingly conceding.
And the said red-hair, with her laughing eyes, returned to the subject of the conversation, "So what about Jiraiya-sensei's favor on you?"
Minato stood still for a couple of seconds. The Konoha's brightest genius was off thinking of a brilliant excuse. Smiling sheepishly, he blurted a "Keeping an eye on my friends?"
Kushina had her eyebrows twisted and studied Minato, who in turn was avoiding her gaze. Cautiously she threaded, "So you know Shikaku is dating Yoshino?"
It was his turn to have his eyebrows furrowed as he turned to her in disbelief, "What? Shikaku? As in Shikaku Nara? As in Yoshino?"
Kushina shook her head recognizing Minato's lie by his surprise. "I can't believe you Namikaze."
"No. Seriously? Shikaku? Yoshino?"
"Like* yeah. Shikaku Nara and Yoshino. Baka."
Minato stared for a moment than shook his head and laughed softly at his friend's fate. When Kushina eyed his innocent act and gave him a don't-act-like-an-idiot-I-haven't-forgotten-your-lie look, Minato's laughter subsided to a guilty grin and started scratching the back of his head.
That habit of him completely distracts Kushina and she mused on how his boyish grin grew more and more handsome and beautifully masculine each passing year. Though her 'girly and wimpy' opinion of him has long vanished since he saved her a few years ago, it still amazed her how Minato grew up so handsome that his simplest carefree gestures can make her stop - like that sheepish smile and scratching the back of his head. Kushina gave up on being mad at him and playfully punched him in the chest, to distract herself from him as well, "Well thank you for driving him away for me, though."
"My pleasure."
"So what brought you here, anyway. Shouldn't you be getting ready for your mission? I heard it was S-class already."
"Ah. Yeah. I came to say goodbye of course."
"Aww. I'm touched Minato." Kushina muttered mockingly.
"You still owe me a ramen."
"I knew it."
"Come'on! At least have lunch with me. You're going to miss me anyway."
"Like* yeah."
Minato decided its time to change tactics, "Seriously I can't believe you are ready to ditch me just because you have an army of guys chasing after you."
"Says the guy who had an army of fangirls at the age of seven."
"Haha." Minato rolled his eyes on her, a habit he picked up from her.
Kushina copied the action and laughed.
He has always been enamored by that cheerful laugh - always been, since they were kids, since they were in the academy. He liked the way her eyes would lit up when she laughs, and how her hair flows gracefully when she moves her head when laughing hard. The mere thought made him smile. He stepped closer to the laughing Kushina and ran his fingers on her hair, and softly brushed her cheeks, "No. Seriously, anybody with at least 10% chance on having you?"
"None," she deadpanned.
Minato felt childish for feeling his heart leap at the comment. "Ouch!" he cringed sarcastically, "You're about to break at least two dozen hearts in Konoha alone."
"I'm already for someone."
He felt his stomach sink deep - too deep he can't fathom it. He can't believe he is among that 'at least two dozen hearts' Kushina will be breaking. "Lucky him," he whispered weakly, retracting his hand from her hair.
"Yeah. Lucky you."
"Huh? Lucky-" Minato stared at her, confused. "Lucky what?"
Kushina gawked at him, her left hand slapping soundly against her hips and her right against her forehead. She can't believe he missed her witty comment, "Seriously. Are you really a genius or what?"
Minato stared. Slowly, like a fog lifting away, it dawned upon him. A knowing smile gradually filled his face as he snatched her arm to pull her towards him and kissed her full in the lips, in a speed Kushina failed to pick up. His right arm snaked to her neck as he leaned closer, softly claiming her lips. The tender yet firm kiss had Kushina closing her eyes until she felt Minato draw back.
He smirked at her, a smug, handsome smile she'd never seen in him before, "What do you think?"
The place was already rowdy with people. Minato spotted his friends in the far corner of the local pub. Quietly he made his way to them, waving and smiling to some acquaintances and to the pub staffs.
As soon as he was within earshot, he broke to a small smile as he heard the subject of the conversation of his group.
"See, I can't believe Kushina-san grew up as such as a beauty."
"Yeah. You say it!"
"Beautiful she is."
"Yeah. She really is beautiful, don't you think?" Minato asked as he joined in the small group of his former batch mates in the academy.
"Oi Minato!"
The yellow-haired prodigy was greeted by claps in the back and welcoming punches in the shoulder. Despite his fame and prominence in the world of shinobi (and with women) he remained popular and well-liked by his group of peers. His calm and cheerful attitude gets the best of people.
"I heard you're going to a mission."
"S-class, they say? Wow! You really are something Minato!"
"Crazy!"
"How old are you anyway?"
Minato laughed aloud as someone blurted a "younger than you so stop asking".
"A cup of sake for Minato!" One of the guys offered Minato a cup of sake as everyone picked up their own.
Fugaku, a raven-haired boy of the renowned Uchiha clan, raised his cup, "To Konoha's Yellow Flash…"
Everyone was raising their cups when Minato added, "and to Red Hot-Blooded Habanero."
The whole group stopped and stared at Minato.
"I'm going out with Kushina," and he raised his cup once more and drank it in one go.
Fugaku broke out, very uncharacteristically, laughing at their friends' stupefied looks. He raised his cup to Minato and drank his sake. After staring at Minato and throwing weird looks to the laughing Uchiha, the rest followed giving Minato a toast with faces fallen.
"Say what again Minato?" Fugaku asked after a minute of silence, no longer laughing but smiling slightly.
"Just as I said. I'm going out with Kushina." He returned Fugaku's small smile with one of his own, then turned to the rest with a smile that spelled death, "So keep away from her."
Sighs filled the small table and gradually, the men in the group filled out, one by one, each with his own brand of sullen face and lame excuse to go home. In no longer than five minutes, Minato realized, only him and Fugako are left.
"Say what's up with them?" Minato asked his apparently only remaining companion, his eyes fixed on the door of the bar.
Fugaku smirked at him, a grin Minato noted is characteristic of the members of the Uchiha clan, arrogant and self-assured, "A few minutes before you came, I announced I'm going out with Mikoto," The Uchiha's eyes turned crimson, apparently displaying his fully matured, three tomoe Sharingan. Understanding the display, Minato chuckled loudly, shaking his head at his friend, "And then I came?"
The raven-haired nodded and poured sake in their cups, "Yes, then you came, announcing you are going out with Kushina." He raised his cup to Minato, "Poor them, I must say. Two of the loveliest ladies of Konoha are taken."
Laughing, Minato clicked his cup against his friend's, "To our good fortune!"
Fugaku nodded, "Kanpai!"
"Kanpai your asses."
The raven and the yellow-haired exchanged looks as they craned their neck to the source of the voice.
"It's not a good fortune. Women are so troublesome!" The Nara was contentedly slumped in the corner opposite them, apparently having slept through the whole revelation and the commotion that followed.
The Uchiha was in his smirk again as Minato did the honors, "So Shikaku, how's Yoshino?"
A loud "Shut up!" was heard in the pub, and then laughter.
~0~0~0~
A/N:
Baka (Jp) = Idiot
Kanpai (Jp) = (read as kampai) Cheers!
*"Like" as used in the sentence is the approximation of (da)ttebane in Japanese - Kushina's verbal antic. Kushina, like her son, have this verbal antic, ending her sentences with (da)ttebane (in Naruto's case, it's (da)ttebayo). However, as written in this fic, it was placed in the beginning of the sentence. In Japanese, it would have been in the end of the sentence. Sentence structure differences.
Namikaze Minato is known as the Konoha's Yellow Flash.
Uzumaki Kushina was nicknamed Red Hot-Blooded Habanero when she beat some of her classmates for calling her tomato.
Uchiha Fugaku is Itachi's and Sasuke's father.
Nara Shikaku is Shikamaru's father and (Nara) Yoshino is his troublesome mother.
A/N II:
I wrote this several months ago but decided to keep it unpublished since it sounded so shallow and childish. However, as per my guy friends antics amused me (they are 20s so I can justify the manner I wrote the characters here!), I decided to publish it.
This series is inspired to completion by a drinking session with my guy friends.
I therefore dedicate this to them, EGWK.
Kanpai!
Happy New Year!
Have a blessed 2011 everyone!