In Which There is a Scandal

When the sun peaked in from the window, Kushina was convinced it was going to be a good day. At least, that's what she hoped. Pulling herself out of bed, Kushina expected to find Mikoto in the kitchen, but naturally the woman wasn't there. It was going to take awhile for Kushina to get used to Mikoto's absence.

Taking her time to do her morning routine, and grabbing a piece of toast for breakfast, Kushina made her way to the bus stop peacefully. It wasn't hot outside, but it wasn't cold either. The weather was perfect. It already helped brighten Kushina's mood.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" Jiraiya asked once Kushina reached the bus stop. It had been awhile since she saw him.

"Where have you been?" Kushina asked, not missing the strange scribbles the elderly man was making on his notepad. He seemed to be buried in his work, whatever it was he was doing.

"Just went on a little trip," Jiraiya replied, not looking up at her again. Kushina quirked an eyebrow.

"Really?" she asked, leaning closer to read what he was writing. Her stomach churned when she realised what it was.

"You alright?" Jiraiya asked, noticing her discomfort.

"You're disgusting," Kushina grumbled as she looked away from him, "why do you write such...such..."

"Erotic novels?" Jiraiya helped her. A blush formed on Kushina's cheeks. "I don't know," Jiraiya continued, "my shrink thinks it's because Tsunade hates me."

"How does that work?" Kushina asked, "And you have a shrink?"

Jiraiya threw his head back in laughter, then locked gazes with Kushina again. He winked. "I'm not crazy, if that's what you're wondering."

"I doubt that," Kushina snorted.

Jiraiya sighed and snapped his notepad shut, turning his gaze upward to the clouds hovering in the sky. "Do you have something that distracts you, Kushina? Something that takes you from the crap in your life?"

"Uh," Kushina pondered, she truly did not know if she really did have a distraction like that. Her mind flashed to images of her father, and her childhood and she froze. Feeling a sense of dread, Kushina looked down at her lap. "I suppose, but mine is not something trivial like writing erotica."

Jiraiya laughed. "No, I suppose not. Really, I write the Icha Icha series because it distracts me. When I write something serious, it's different – I don't get that escape."

"What on earth could depress you that much?" Kushina asked. This man was incapable of being depressed, she knew that, despite the short time she has known him.

Jiraiya glanced at her, and she froze. Never had she seen such emotions on his face. It was different from his usual, goofy self.

"Oh," Jiriaya explained, "this and that. Although, I suppose the main thing is the war."

"The war?" Kushina echoed.

"Ah, that's right," Jiraiya hummed, "you were but a child when the war ended. You wouldn't remember. But I do. I remember it well. I was part of it."

Of course, Kushina had suspicions that he had been part of it – he was the right age. But Kushina didn't like to think about the war. It brought back painful memories. Memories she didn't want to remember. Jiraiya claimed that she didn't remember the war, but he was wrong. She did remember. She remembered it all too well.

Just then, the bus arrived, officially ending their serious conversation. They did not speak again, even when they reached the office.

"Why he writes erotica?" Minato asked, surprised by Kushina's question. They were sitting in his office, going over a pile of paperwork. Minato had a steaming cup of coffee in his hand, while Kushina sipped on hot chocolate.

"Yeah," Kushina nodded, "he says it's a distraction. And then he also rambled on about how his shrink thinks it's because Tsunade hates him...or something."

Minato snorted as he took a sip of his coffee. "That's ridiculous. I get why he would use it as a distraction from the memories of war – but Tsunade hating him? Pfft. She doesn't hate him. She just actively dislikes him."

"Why?" Kushina asked, intrigued. She had admired Tsunade for several years. Tsunade was famous for many things, but she was most notorious for her gambling.

"He didn't tell you?" Minato asked, "He grew up with Tsunade. He doesn't say it loud, but he's in love with the woman."

Kushina's eyes widened. "Oh my god! Really? He's in love with the Senju Tsunade?"

Minato chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Oh yes. He denies it though."

"Wow," Kushina breathed, "I mean...wow. I bet she finds it amusing."

"Very," Minato nodded, "but she does care for him, despite his idiocy."

"I wonder where she is right now," Kushina whispered, her gaze on the city outside the window. Minato took another sip of his coffee. No one knew what had happened to 'The Legendary Sucker'. Of course, there were rumours of sightings, but the woman never stayed in the same place. Whether she would return to her old home, was unknown, but people hoped. After all, she had once been an admired member of The Senate.

"Um," Kushina broke the silence, "what are you doing for lunch today?"

Minato did not miss the excitement on Kushina's face, and it hurt him that he couldn't spend more time with her. "I have another parliament session. We still have not come to a conclusion on a new bill introduced."

"Oh," Kushina's disappointment was obvious.

Minato smiled apologetically. "How about dinner, tonight?"

Kushina's face lit up again. "Alright."

Minato smiled. God, he loved this woman, he just didn't know how to admit it to her without making a fool of himself. "I'll pick you up at seven. Parliament should be finished by then."

"I'll be waiting."

On the way home, Kushina's phone rang. She hated speaking on the phone on the bus, it was noisy and nowhere near private, but when she noticed who was calling she couldn't bear not answering.

"Mikoto!" Kushina exclaimed. She missed her friend.

"I'm sorry," was Mikoto's first words, "I know you're on the bus. I wouldn't have called if it wasn't an emergency."

Kushina's heart clenched in dread. Oh no. Did Fugaku do something to upset the woman? Because if he did, Kushina was going to murder him.

"What's wrong?" Kushina asked, "Did Fugaku do something?"

"What?" Mikoto asked, astonished, "No, no. Fugaku has been the perfect gentleman. He made breakfast this morning. And not just any breakfast – breakfast in bed!"

"Geez," Kushina sighed, "he's spoiling you. So, what's wrong?"

"It's Fuka," Mikoto whispered. A deathly silence followed, despite all the noise on the bus. Kushina's brows furrowed.

"Is she alright?" Kushina asked.

"I don't know," Mikoto replied, "she came here last night. She was a mess, Kushina. I offered for her to stay the night, but when I went to wake her up her room was empty. She's gone."

Kushina's eyes widened.

"I tried calling her cell phone," Mikoto continued, "but it's switched off."

How strange. Fuka never switched off her phone. She was glued to the thing. And she wasn't the type to just disappear off the face of the earth either.

"And to make things worse," Mikoto interrupted Kushina's thoughts, "Kazuma approached Fugaku at work this morning. He was looking for her too. Apparently she was with him before she came to me. He's worried that he did something wrong."

"Kazuma?" Kushina echoed. She knew Fuka had her eyes on the man, but she didn't know the two had actually done anything together.

"I'm worried Kushina," Mikoto whispered, "what if she's done something stupid?"

"I don't know," Kushina replied, "I'll call her parents. Maybe they know something."

"Okay," Mikoto seemed a little relieved, "I miss you."

"I miss you too."

When Kushina reached her apartment, she noticed there was a foreign car standing before the entrance. It probably belonged to a guest of one of her neighbours, so she shook it off and headed for her apartment which was at the back of the block. However, someone was standing outside the front door, waiting for her. Kushina could not see who it was from the distance she was, so she checked her watch. It was nowhere near seven, so it wasn't Minato. The person didn't have blonde hair either. Perhaps it was Fuka? Feeling a little nervous, Kushina continued to move towards her apartment, and ultimately the stranger in front of her door.

The closer she got, the more she could make out of the stranger. It was a woman, judging from the frail figure. She was dressed in a brown pencil skirt and a matching jacket. Her hair was chestnut brown and short, which rules out the possibility of it being Fuka. Fuka had red hair, a shade and length that rivalled Kushina's.

Kushina was very close now, and she had an idea of who the person was. But she wished that it wasn't. Fear was now coursing through her veins, and it doubled when the woman turned around, revealing a pair of violet-coloured eyes, a wrinkled forehead and a warm smile. Kushina froze, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

"Hello Kushina," the woman greeted, her voice soft and friendly.

Out of habit, Kushina looked around her, waiting for a dark-haired elderly man to step from the shadows, a dark smile on his face. But he never showed. The woman noticed Kushina's discomfort, and her smile broadened.

"He's not here," she stated, "I'm alone."

Kushina looked the woman in the eyes and furrowed her brows. "What are you doing here?"

"Can a mother not visit her own daughter?" the woman asked.

Kushina sighed and moved past her mother, their shoulders brushing. Kushina fumbled for her keys, her hands shaking, and slowly unlocked the door. She hesitated on inviting her mother inside, but when she looked around again, realising that her mother really was alone, Kushina stepped aside for the elderly woman to enter.

"Lovely," her mother commented when she spotted an antique doll sitting on the cabinet in the hallway. "How much did you pay for her?"

"Um," Kushina trailed off, "I'm not sure. I think I got her at a garage sale."

"Ah," her mother hummed, her smile still wide. The elderly woman removed her shoes and waited for Kushina to lead her into the kitchen.

"Tea?" Kushina asked.

"Yes," her mother nodded, "tea would be lovely."

Kushina put the kettle on, her hands still shaking. Her mother sat down at the dining table, her soft gaze focused on her daughter.

"I really am alone," she repeated.

"I know," Kushina replied quickly. Perhaps too quickly.

"Then why are you shaking?" her mother asked. Kushina bit her lip.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. Her mother closed her eyes and shook her head.

"No need to apologise. I should apologise for showing up uninvited."

"Why are you here, really?" Kushina asked as she poured the hot water into a tea pot. She was preparing chrysanthemum tea; her mother's favourite.

"I was in the area," her mother replied, "and I was curious to see how you are doing, with the new job and all."

"It's fine."

"Just fine?" her mother asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Yes," was Kushina's short reply as she handed her mother her tea. She took it gratefully.

"I wouldn't be so sure," her mother continued, "I saw a rather interesting picture in a magazine the other day."

"Magazine?" Kushina asked, confused. Where was her mother going with this? Her mother's smile vanished and was replaced with a worried expression. She opened her hand bag, an old battered leather thing, and pulled out a glossy piece of paper obviously ripped from a magazine. She handed it to Kushina.

Kushina nervously took the sheet and unfolded it. She recognised the small title in the corner. It was a local magazine from the small town her mother lived, at least an hour from the city centre of Konoha.

Kushina's face paled when she saw the article. There wasn't much writing, but the paper was plastered with a large coloured image. A photo, obviously taken at the party she had attended with Minato several weeks before.

"Oh," was all Kushina could muster to say.

"So," her mother began, "you and the Prime Minister?"

"Is that a problem?" Kushina snapped, her anger boiling to the surface. How had she not known about this picture? When did the paparazzi even take the bloody thing? Do they not have any decency?

"Not at all," her mother replied, "I was just wondering when you were going to tell me."

"Eventually," Kushina grumbled.

A knock on the door snapped Kushina from her angry daze. She glanced at her mother, who merely smiled. Annoyed, Kushina went to open the door.

It was Minato. The sun was starting to set over the horizon, and the orange hues were dancing on his blonde hair. Dressed in a white button-up shirt and a pair of black trousers, Kushina had to admit he looked very handsome. The anger melted away.

"Oh," she managed to say, "is it seven already?"

"Nope," Minato grinned, "I'm early. You look pale, are you alright?"

"Fine," Kushina lied. Minato was not convinced. The two stared at each other for several seconds.

"Are you going to invite me in?" Minato asked with a smirk playing on his lips. Kushina blushed and stepped aside, allowing him room to step inside. Kushina's mother appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, curious to see who the new arrival was. Her eyes landed on Minato and her eyes widened.

"Oh my," her mother exclaimed, her hand over her mouth. Kushina glanced at her mother and groaned. Great, she forgot her mother was still here.

"Hello," Minato greeted, "I'm not sure I know who you are, but it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Namikaze Minato."

"Oh," Kushina's mother smirked, "I know, young man." She stepped closer and held out her hand for Minato to shake.

"I'm Uehara Chie. Her mother," she motioned her head to Kushina as she said this. Minato seemed surprised for a second, but his shock melted into a warm smile.

"I wasn't intending to meet you like this," Minato admitted.

"That's alright," Chie smiled, "I wasn't aware the two of you had plans." Chie let go of Minato's hand and turned to her daughter. "I better get going. Your father is waiting for me."

Kushina stiffened. Minato and Chie noticed her discomfort. While Minato wrapped an arm around Kushina to comfort her, Chie felt her heart clench. She shouldn't have mentioned him...

"Well," Chie trailed off, "I shall see you some other time. Perhaps you should come over for dinner?"

"That would be lovely," Minato agreed. Kushina did not say a word. Chie excused herself, put on her shoes and disappeared into the sunset.

"Kushina?" Minato snapped her from her reverie. Kushina sighed and buried her face in Minato's chest.

"Just hold me for awhile," she mumbled.

"Alright," Minato agreed, wrapping his arms around her tightly. He could wait for an explanation.