Kushina and Minato – A Love Story

Chapter 4

Ichiraku Ramen Closes

"Sensei? The Hokage wants me to be their teacher? But all three of them are already chunin so why would they need a sensei?"

"You know their stories better than I do, Flash. Kakashi-kun didn't stay genin long enough to be assigned a team, Rin went directly to Medical Corps out of the Academy and Obito, well circumstances always seemed to keep him from bonding with a permanent team. So who could be more qualified than the famed Hope of the Next Generation to tame these super talented pre-teens and turn them into ninjas suitable for releasing loose into the world?"

Minato gave Kushina a sour look. "All right. You win. But where do I start with three brats who think they already know it all?"

She smirked. The challenge of training three unpredictable geniuses was beginning to push his grief behind him. She personally understood how long the recovery process would take until he was back, not to his old self, but to what would become a new normal. If love could in any way help the healing process, she would give all she had. "Old Man Sarutobi suggested one way to demonstrate their weaknesses and showcase the abilities that they could strive for." She tossed him a small leather pouch which tinkled in the air.

For the first time she saw him start to smile as he caught it. "The bells."

July 23 – Human beings require some core of stability in their lives to which they can cling when the worst happens, Aiji. I know this better than anyone. When I lost my home, my village, my family, my friends and my health all in one horrible day, I was lost in despair. It was through the care of the Leaf Village and my new friends that I was healed in mind, body and spirit. Now I hope to do the same for Flash. He has a fresh challenge of being sensei to occupy his mind, Konohagakure's Will of Fire to renew his spirit, and me to... well, look after his body.

Luckily no introductions were required between Minato and his team because he was obviously not up to making inspirational speeches. Only Rin seemed to notice that he was not his usual exuberant self. Being ten year old boys, Kakashi and Obito's only thoughts were about how they would show off how strong they had become to the village's leading shinobi.

Kushina just shook her head when Kakashi attacked straight on. In the first place Minato hadn't even said go yet and in the second the predictable result was that he ended up with his arm twisted behind his back and his own kunai poised millimeters from plunging into his own ear while his new sensei berated him. That set the pattern for the rest of the morning. Kakashi attacked using each of the numerous jutsus he had learned while Obito, who had endured a similar test by Kushina, tried to convince him that they should be using teamwork and coordinating their attacks and Rin spent her time keeping the boys from coming to blows.

Unsurprisingly, when the sandglass ran out all three ended up tied back-to-back around a pole. Kushina reclined on a branch of a tall tree where she had lunch laid out for her and Minato. She was pleased that he seemed less stressed when he landed beside her. She knew that berating and abusing students could be as therapeutic for the sensei as it was necessary for the young shinobi's growth.

As they strolled back to the clearing she was encouraged to find that they had decided to cooperate sufficiently to free themselves from the ropes. The three were in a foul mood, but she also noticed a look of grim determination on their faces. Kakashi was the first to explode, "What was the point of that? It's not as if missing a meal is going to make any of us give up. We've all gone more than a day without eating one time or another on a mission. Let's get this over with."

Minato fingered the bells at his waist and they tinkled enticingly. "All right, let's see what you can do." Kakashi took this as the signal to start and attacked immediately, but was easily parried. The difference this time was an immediate follow-up by Obito's fireball forcing Minato to jump back, almost landing in a poisonous purple mist Rin spat out of her mouth. He avoided that too, only to have to quickly evade Kakashi's shuriken emerging from the fog.

The afternoon passed quickly with the blond blocking and dodging each attack as lightning was followed by kunai followed by fire followed by taijutsu followed by poisoned needles. The chunin attempted to maneuver him close enough so that one could engage him hand to hand while another went for the bells. The session ended with the jonin standing easily in the middle of the river while the three teammates slumped with hands on their knees, gasping for air.

"Well, you look all done in. Do you surrender?"

Kakashi immediately stood straight up, "Never!", but it was Obito who fired off a feeble exhausted fireball. Minato lightly hopped back, but unexpectedly crashed into a wall of water and had to quickly cover up.

He looked around at Kushina laughing at him. "You got overconfident and forgot to watch your back. Can you handle all four of us?"

The three chunin seemed to gather new energy as the battle intensified. Every time Minato dodged an attack a water jutsu was there to cut off his retreat. Triple combination assaults became quadruple with no more planning than a quick glance and nod to each other. Kushina was exhilarated. Outside of battle, she had not been tested like this since becoming special jonin and seeing Flash totally in the moment with no spare second to brood upon the past gave her joy. She matched his speed stride for stride on the river but he immediately demonstrated his superior reflexes by slipping past her kunai around behind her and swatting her on the bottom. She was thrilled. It was the first time he had touched her since returning from the Rain.

The students' second wind was nearly spent as Obito managed a final fireball driving their sensei toward Kakashi's shuriken barrage. Minato deftly pirouetted away, but as centrifugal force flared his clothing out from his body, a single star snipped a thin cord. Rin dove to catch it before it struck the water and came up holding a silver bell in her sweating palm. Their rivalry temporarily forgotten, the boys hugged her and slapped each other on the back while jumping up and down and cheering.

Kushina put an arm around Minato's waist and whispered in his ear, "Nicely done. They will never figure out that you calculated exactly how close that shuriken would pass."

He shrugged, "It was a well earned victory and an excellent lesson in teamwork, of which you were a big part. We owe you so much. How is it that you always seem to understand the right moment to intervene?"

"Aw shucks, a gal just tries her best you know. If you want to pay me back then take me out for some ramen. I'm the one who brought lunch."

They left the youngsters lying on their backs in the late afternoon summer sun, bragging to each other about the parts they had played in their victory and how they were getting stronger, strong enough to defeat the top ninja in the village. Minato was meditative, replying to her questions in only two or three words, but he didn't seem to be slipping back into melancholy so she left him to his thoughts. She remembered sharply how difficult it could be and how long it took to establish a new normal after a severe loss. Mourning was a necessary part of healing, as long as it did not dominate the rest of your life.

They entered the Village gates and heads turned admiring the handsome couple. Local wags offered wagers on how long this girl would last before the playboy dumped her, but others, perhaps more perceptive noted something different this time. One young newlywed, as it happened a former lover from his days as a player, remarked to her new husband that it would be wonderful if Namikaze-sama became as happy as she was.

They strolled arm in arm past bustling stores filled with civilians who, for the most part were untouched by the protracted war being fought by a small group of exceptional men and women to keep them safe. Kushina didn't begrudge them their blissful ignorance, and it wasn't just that as a member of the Uzumaki Clan she was born naturally carrying those responsibilities on her back. She had purposely chosen the role of defender of all those too weak to protect themselves in a war torn world. In return all she asked was a chance at love and a bowl of ramen. She stopped short, her chin dropping in horror.

Ichiraku ramen was closed with its shutters locked. The cook stood outside hanging a "Going Out of Business" sign.

... … …

Naruto stood bolt upright in the doorway he was leaning on. He looked around panicking, not knowing where to go or what to do. When Akimaru alerted, Kiba grabbed him before he sprinted off to check on the eatery. Sakura pounded him hard on the head yelling, "Idiot Naruto-baka. This all happened twenty years ago. Ichiraku is still open, dunderhead."

… … ...

" Teuchi! What's going on? What happened?"

The dour faced cook set down the hammer and shifted the baby from the pouch on his back into his arms. "What can I say Minato? It is a sad, sad day. Ichirou-sama fell ill recently and it turned out that he had had a stroke. His life is not in danger but... His doctor even called in Tsunade-sama for consultation and she agreed. Even with intensive therapy his left arm and leg will probably never operate properly again."

"I'm so sorry Teuchi-san. We hadn't heard he was sick. Please pass on our prayers for his full recovery." Kushina pressed her hands together and bowed.

"Thank you Otemba-san. Master is gruff and may not always express his feelings, but you have become one of his favorite customers. He will be pleased to hear good wishes from you."

Minato placed a hand on his shoulder. "Teuch, why don't you just continue to operate the shop? You have been running things by yourself for most of the last year anyhow."

"That's a nice dream, Minato. Unfortunately it can't happen." He sat down heavily on a bench. Ayame grabbed his finger and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing contentedly. "The Master's three sons have no interest in continuing to operate Ichiraku's. They have been pressuring their father to sell out for years and have even lined up a buyer."

"At least you should still have a job, right?"

Teuchi shook his head forlornly, "The buyer plans on tearing down the entire block to build a toy store instead of a restaurant."

This time Kushina was the one who looked downcast. "This store wouldn't be Gazetto Omochaya would it?"

"What do you know of Gazetto-sama? Is he some kind of international criminal?"

"Far from it. Gazetto-san is a very good man who would do anything to help a person in distress. Unfortunately for us he is an even better businessman. Any deal he negotiates he will honor to the last comma and expect the other side to do so as well. I doubt there is any way to convince him not to complete the purchase."

Minato shook his head, "Red, we can't get involved. Ichirou-sama has supported the Village for decades. It would be poor payback to cheat him out of the money he can use in his last years, especially when he is ill. Teuch, you know that if there is anything I can do to help you and your wife..."

"She's gone Nato, and for good I think this time. Last night when I told her I had lost my job she screamed at me that I was worthless and started throwing pots and chairs until I was scared for Ayame's safety and had to grab her. She spit in my face, called me a dickless wimp and left with all the savings hidden in the rice jar. I think she left town with a drummer from a folk band she had been going to see every night."

"I don't know what to say."

"It's not like you didn't try to warn me. I guess I should apologize for slugging you then. But I love her. If she was standing here even now I would take her back."

"Will you be returning now that she's gone? After… what happened... we could use someone as strong as you."

"I can't Nato. I won't leave Ayame-chan alone. She needs at least one parent to love her."

Kushina stood uncomfortably, shifting from foot to foot. It was difficult to watch. She hadn't realized the two emotionally injured men were friends, close friends. Teammates? It didn't seem likely. As the silence stretched out, she forced herself to say something if only to interrupt the brooding. "Did the old man at least give you a severance?"

"Master Ichirou was quite generous. He gave me an extra month's wages and told me he wished it was possible for me to keep Ichiraku Ramen open. He even put a first refusal buyout clause in the contract, though he knew that it would be impossible for me to come up with such a high purchase price."

Minato brightened up, "If it is only money, I told you long ago I would help any way I can. How much?" He gave a low whistle as Teuchi held out a scrap of paper. "So many zeroes. I'm sorry, most of my capital is tied up in my new house. Even if I sold the apartment Otemba is renting I could barely raise half."

Kushina interrupted in her most condescending tone, "How nice, he wants me to move in with him, but I don't think we are ready for that on a permanent basis yet. Let me in on this deal. I still have the reward money from the Wind Daimyo and a bunch of A-rank..." The number stopped her dead and her whistle echoed Minato's. "Ichirou-sama negotiated that high a sale price from Gazetto for a storefront he wants to tear down! I'm triply impressed. I don't have half that much. It still leaves us a million or so ryo short." She pondered for a short while before jumping up. "I know just the person who just sold his Dad's mansion and probably never even thought about investing."

Minato tried to stop her, "But Red, that wouldn't be ethical for me to get him involved."

"Yer right. You can't. But I'm not his Sensei," she laughed as she leaped over the adjacent buildings.

… … …

Naruto jumped up and started tearing through the cardboard boxes piled in a corner. Sakura yelled at him, "Dobe, what are you doing?"

"It must be in here somewhere."

"Stop, just slow down before you destroy my filing system. Let me look. I told you to go over the accounts that Homura-sama gave you of your parents' property, but you never touched them, did you?" It was five minutes before she found the right ledger book. "Here it is. Ichiraku Ramen, current shares – Teuchi 40 percent, Ayame 11 percent, Naruto Uzumaki 39 percent, Kakashi Hatake 10 percent. Here are the income and expenses as well as the dividends paid for the past twenty years."

Naruto's face turned red and his whiskers darkened. His eyes were yellow with split pupils. "That bastard. That bastard I'll destroy him!"

Sakura took a step backward, suddenly frightened by an ugly temper rolling off her teammate. Hinata placed a calming hand on his shoulder, "Naruto-kun, what is wrong?"

His anger immediately shrank down to human proportions. "I'm sorry Hinata-chan. I wanted to take you to eat someplace fancy tomorrow for our one month anniversary, but I need to go to Ichiraku's instead. I own almost half of it and still that bastard has been charging me full price for the last sixteen years."

Next: Chapter 5

Makeover

Aiji – Beloved child

Omochaya – Toy Shop