alright, my 1st ever fanfiction. read on then!
Chapter 1 – Beginning
"I'm off to work then. Ittekimasu!" Minato brightly bid Kushina goodbye after breakfast.
"Itterashai! Be home before dinner okay?" Kushina rushed to the door to see Minato off.
"Yes I will! And take care of yourself for a bit while I'm gone." Off he went. Kushina stood smiling and waving by the door for a while before closing it and proceeding to the living room to browse magazines for recipes and thinking what dish she'll cook for dinner.
An ordinary morning in the life of these people, connected by the "red thread of fate". The two of them have known each other since their Academy days. Kushina, "The Red-Hot Habanero," would often glare at Minato whenever she would catch him looking at her, after she beat up the boys who would frequently tease her because of her extraordinarily red hair. Minato would immediately look away, and blush.
Ah, he was such a chicken back then. But when Minato saved Kushina from Kumogakure ninja who kidnapped her (she found out that he was the only one to pick up on the trail of hair she made), she immediately fell for him and knew that he was the one. And her hair she once hated became her red thread of fate.
Ah, it's been a long time, neh? Kushina blushed at her memories. It would be nice if she'd have the chance to save him too, however, she just can't imagine him put in danger or anything, because Minato is a skilled ninja to begin with. He's even been praised as a prodigy. No, it's not like she wanted him in danger of course…
No, no, NO. Kushina, what are you thinking-ttebane?!
It's a bright sunny morning and the birds are chirping quite happily among the trees. The sound of crickets fills the air intertwined with the birds' songs. It is right in the middle of summer.
Minato arrived at his office and as usual, like every day since he became Hokage, he's greeted with a sizable stack of work on his table. Trickles of sweat are beginning to form on his face, even if he had just taken a bath and gone out of the house for a mere 5 minutes.
Sigh, this again huh. I can only wonder how this amount of work can come on my desk every day. Is it propagating or something? Minato can only laugh at his own unbelievable explanation for his never-ending workload. Well, he makes sure he finishes his job before he goes home, so how in the world these papers accumulate on his desk? Not to mention this sweltering heat.
Not that I can do anything about it if I just stand here, he thought, walking to his seat. Why did I ever wish to become Hokage again?
It's a dream he had ever since he was an Academy student, no, even before that. This recollection led his thoughts back to the Academy, where he met this girl from the ruined Uzushiogakure. He had overheard some Academy teachers talk about her on his way to the classroom. She had shouted her name during her introduction…
"UZUMAKI KUSHINA, DATTEBANE!"
"Dattebane"? What does that mean? And shouting all of a sudden. he thought. This girl was going to be their new classmate. She had red hair framing her round face, which his classmates thought was weird and funny. His classmates began to whisper unkindly about her hair. And then...
"I'm...I'M GOING TO BE THE VILLAGE'S FIRST FEMALE HOKAGE!"
His classmates silenced. What? Hokage? Well, me too! he stood up and then, "I want to become a great Hokage who will be admired by everyone in the village too!"
And he stood there, smiling. He was somewhat glad he found himself a rival to the title "Hokage".
Not very long after that, the boys started calling her "Tomato", and declaring their disdain for the fruit / vegetable.
But, tomatoes are good food, aren't they? I read they contain lots of vitamins and minerals... what's so wrong about it? he's staring in the general direction of the boys and Kushina. Then she looked at him, her eyes quickly filling with anger. One boy began pulling her hair and mentioning the Tomato Festival.
Really... they're going too far now... I wonder if I can make a way to stop— She had gripped the hand of the boy, effectively stopping him. And she began to beat up the bullies like there's no tomorrow.
Sugoi... he smiled at the sight, totally amazed at the girl's strength. He disliked what the boys were doing to her anyway.
"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?!"
She caught me looking at her! Ah, from the look on my face, she must have thought I was laughing at her! he quickly and nervously turned away.
"Isn't that our classmate?" Fugaku Uchiha suddenly piped up, while he and Minato were walking home. Said classmate was huddled with an older boy. They were whispering to each other, in a manner one would think they were keeping a secret.
"Isn't that his brother? He's graduated from the academy already, right?" Minato replied.
I don't like how they're talking, keeping to themselves and smirking like that. They must be planning something. What if it's about—?
"Oi Minato!" Fugaku broke through his thoughts. "What are you doing, stopping like that? And here I thought I was still speaking to you!" Minato hadn't noticed he had stopped walking while his friend kept plodding on.
"Ah, gomenasai!" he bowed, and then, "Anno sa, sumimasen, but... I forgot something important I had to do; it will take a while, so you really should not come with me. Can you go ahead of me and go home?"
"Mattaku, you shouldn't forget things like that, Minato! Hai, hai. Jaa ne, mata ashita," Fugaku nodded and bid him goodbye.
"Mata ashita!" Minato bid back.
When Minato turned back to the siblings, they were gone.
Ah, I lost them! Minato racked his brain for places they must be. He has a hunch it's about Kushina, and that his classmate was plotting revenge with her older brother. He looked everywhere: the training grounds, the Academy grounds, the alleys. He stopped for rest on top of the HokageMountain, a good vantage point.
Where could they be? he scanned the village, and his eyes landed on the cherry tree field not far from where he stands. Right, I saw Kushina running to that field many times before... I haven't checked that yet. Settling on a sturdy cherry tree branch, he arrived just in time to hear their classmate's brother brag about his Genin status, and saying he wants to teach her a lesson for making his little brother cry. The two braced themselves for a fight.
Shall I help her? This isn't fair after all, a genin against an Academy student! Minato thought long and hard before reaching a decision. Seeing how Kushina fares under the genin's attacks, even though she's unarmed, he decided against joining the fight.
This is her fight. I will not dishonor her by helping her. I believe she can do this on her own.
His decision almost crumbled when the genin hit her in the neck with his palm, and kicked her to the ground. The older boy gripped her by her hair, and insulted her for not recognizing a "simple" jutsu and her ugly, stiff, red hair. His little brother chided along with him.
Her hair! And, she's crying now! Those two—
"I, I don't like my hair either!" She struggled against the boy's grip, resulting in a tug-of-war with her hair as the rope. This continued until her hair slid off the boy's grasp, not without leaving a handful of her hair in it. The boy was stunned by the act that she succeeded in executing some sort of taijutsu on the boy and pinning him down.
"But, even with hair like this, I'm still me! What choice do I have?!" all the while spanking the boy and frightening his little brother.
When she finished, she got off the boy. Then the genin threw her hair that was in his hands at her. "OUTSIDER! As if an outsider can become a Hokage!" before he too, ran off.
Kushina stood there for a while, contemplating.
She began to turn at Minato. She only noticed my presence just now; she must be very upset to miss it, he thought.
"You're not going to help me because I'm an OUTSIDER?!"
He was taken by surprise, but tried to explain.
"I—"
"I bet you agree with them too!" she yelled at him before running away.
All he can do was look at her and let her go. He promised to himself that he'll explain when he got the chance.
"Jaa ne" - See you later/ tommorow.
"Gomenasai" - Sorry.
"Mattaku" - Seriously. Kinda an expression of exasperation
"Hai" - okay/yes
SHEESH! And there you go! Reviews highly encouraged!