38
The Reunion of Mentor and Pupil
It had been three months since Yuki announced her pregnancy and things were starting to get a little strenuous. Tetsuya with excitement could not wait to be a father but he is doing his best to comfort Yuki throughout this memorable time. To top it off Tetsuya and Yuki came back from an ultrasound appointment which revealed the gender of the baby. So, Tetsuya and Yuki decided to share the news by bringing their family to the bakery. On the way to the bakery from the gynecologist's office, Tetsuya held Yuki's hand with a big smile on his face while looking at Yuki and the growing belly.
Once they arrived at the bakery, Tetsuya and Yuki noticed that their family was in the living room. Yuki started to feel a little nervous about doing the gender reveal, but Tetsuya reassured her that no matter the reaction their family is going to give they will be filled with happy feelings. In that moment, Tetsuya let Yuki into the living room first so he can think of a way to tell the gender revealing news until it dawned on him.
"Come on, honey. Everyone is waiting in anticipation for us to reveal what our baby is going to be." Yuki stated as she was going to get Tetsuya.
Tetsuya felt confident enough to tell Minato, Kushina, Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia the news. Yuki was looking at Tetsuya with a big smile on her face.
"Me and Yuki are going to have a baby girl." Tetsuya stated the news after pulling out a pink towel.
Kushina, Shiznae, and Shia were filled with joy based on hearing the news contrary to Minato and Yosaki who had calm looks on their faces. In that moment, Yosaki wanted to have a private conversation with Tetsuya at the playground across from the bakery. Tetsuya was baffled at first into why Yosaki wanted to talk to him privately.
"Congratulations, Tetsuya. There is a piece of advice that I want to share to you now." Yosaki said in a calm voice.
"Thank you, Yosaki. What is the advice you want to tell me?" Tetsuya responded with a curious look on his face.
"Remember this, Tetsuya since you are going to have a daughter. There will be times when she will come up to you sad and wanting you to comfort her. This is basically like how you love your wife; however, the kind of love you will gain is a fatherly love. That type of love will give you more intuition on things that are like no other." Yosaki stated his advice to Tetsuya.
Tetsuya thanked Yosaki for the advice and promised that he will give that advice into very serious consideration. Then Tetsuya and Yosaki decided to head back into the bakery before their wives get very concerned about their whereabouts. By the time Tetsuya made it back to the living room, he noticed that Yuki had a calm look on her face.
"While you and Dad were out talking, my mom suggested that the four of us should have an outing tomorrow which we are going to do some shopping for preparing the baby's room. Is that ok with you, honey?" Yuki stated once Tetsuya entered the room.
"That will be fine with me since I had nothing planned anyways for tomorrow." Tetsuya responded with honesty.
"Well we did try asking Minato and Kushina if they wanted to come with us but they told me and Yuki that something urgent came up which is why they did not want to come. In case if Yuki didn't mention that to you earlier." Shiznae stated after hearing Tetsuya's response.
Yosaki agreed to accompany Yuki, Shiznae, and Tetsuya for their outing the next day. With that plan figured out, Yuki was starting to feel tired and wanted to head back to the apartment. Then Tetsuya and Yuki left the bakery for the apartment since they needed to get plenty of rest for the anticipated outing.
Unbeknownst to Tetsuya, the urgent business of Minato and Kushina's that Shiznae was referring to a phone call that Minato had two days prior to the gender reveal with Hiruzen. It was just like any ordinary day; Minato was looking through a book while Kushina was knitting a piece of her torn clothing before the phone started to ring. Then Minato had placed the book down and picked up the phone to see who it was.
"Hello, Minato. How are you and Kushina doing?" Hiruzen stated once the phone call went through.
"Oh, hello Lord Third. Things are going good with me and Kushina. It's that Kushina is excited to hear what the gender of Tetsuya's baby is going to be which is two days from now." Minato responded to Hiruzen's question.
"That is good to hear. However, there is something very urgent I need to tell you and Kushina but promise me to keep it a secret from Tetsuya. If you can put your phone on speaker so Kushina can hear this as well." Hiruzen said to Minato in a stern voice.
Minato then proceeded to have Kushina sit right next to him before putting the phone on speaker. Kushina was baffled at first into why Minato wanted her to sit next to him and Minato verified to Hiruzen that the phone was on speaker.
"It was yesterday, I had been summoned to the entrance to the Pure Land because Jiraiya had notified me that there was a familiar face arrived into the afterlife. Once I got there the person that Jiraiya was referring to had been none other than Tsunade." Hiruzen stated with honesty.
"Wait a minute, you mean Tsunade's here in the Pure Land. Why do you want us to keep this secret from Tetsuya? We all know that Tsunade was Tetsuya's sensei." Kushina said with a shocked look on her face.
"After Tsunade greeted me, I had proceeded to tell her everything that happened to Tetsuya since he came to the Pure Land. Tsunade was amazed to her everything I told her and she wants to visit the area three days from now. However, Dan as you know is Tsunade's lover when they were alive is going to accompany Tsunade on the trip. Basically, it's a surprise for Tetsuya." Hiruzen responded back with clarity.
That was when Minato and Kushina realized the plan is to pick up Tsunade and Dan from the train station three days from the phone call or in other terms the day following the gender reveal. Both Minato and Kushina promised Hiruzen to keep the secret from Tetsuya until the reunion of him and his sensei. Even though Kushina almost blabbed the secret out while they were at the bakery for the gender reveal but she kept her mouth quiet about it after Minato reminded her not to.
Then the day came not only for Tetsuya and Yuki's outing with her parents; but it was the day that Tsunade and Dan were to arrive in the area. Minato and Kushina had got up early to head for the train station since the train containing Tsunade and Dan was set to show up around midday. On the way to the train station, Kushina was wondering if Tetsuya and Yuki were having a good time on the outing. Minato assured Kushina that everything was going to be alright with Tetsuya and Yuki. Not even after a few minutes they got to the train station, Minato and Kushina saw that the train had shown up a half hour early. Taking a few steps near the waiting benches, Kushina noticed a woman with long blond hair and a purple diamond shaped marking on her forehead sitting alongside a tall man with sky blue hair a few feet away from Kushina. After noticing who it was, Kushina signaled Minato to come by her location immediately.
"So, you guys made it. I'm surprised the train showed up a half hour earlier than it is supposed to, you know." Kushina stated upon greeting Tsunade and Dan.
"It sure has been a long time since I last you and Minato. So, have you guys come up with a plan to surprise Tetsuya with me and Dan's arrival. Sarutobi-sensei told me that you guys were going to have a plan." Tsunade stated her greeting towards Minato and Kushina.
"In a way yes, Lady Tsunade. But me and Kushina would like give you and Dan a quick tour of the area. You see we can't surprise Tetsuya immediately because he is at an outing with his wife and in-laws. Besides that, will give us time on how to carry out the plan." Minato stated to Tsunade before they were leaving the train station.
"That will be fine with us. Besides me and Tsunade are not in a big hurry since we are visiting the area for a while or at least until Tetsuya's baby arrives." Dan said with a calm look on his face.
This had surprised Minato and Kushina about the length of Tsunade and Dan's stay in the area. In some ways, Kushina thought that makes perfect sense since the only other people who fully understood Tetsuya and his dreams were Tsunade and Dan. With that Minato and Kushina gave Tsunade and Dan a quick tour of the area before stopping at the gateway to Minato and Kushina's house.
"There is one place that we have yet to show you guys and it's about four blocks south of here. Also, this place we are going to is the same place where Tetsuya works and his in-laws live in the building." Minato stated towards Tsunade and Dan.
Immediately, Minato and Kushina walked to the bakery with Tsunade and Dan not far behind them. Once the bakery was in sight, Kushina noticed that the Sakagamis and the Fujibayashi sisters were in the bakery conversing with one another. That is when Kushina signaled Minato, Tsunade and Dan to come inside the bakery.
"Oh, hello Minato and Kushina. If you are looking for Tetsuya and Yuki, they left here around a half hour ago to put their things from the outing away at their apartment. However, they did mention something about them eating at the noodle shop for dinner a little later." Shiznae said to Minato and Kushina with a smile on her face.
"Ah I see. Oh by the way there are a couple of people I want you guys to meet. The person standing behind me is Dan and the other person standing behind Kushina is Tsunade. Dan was Tetsuya's senpai when we were alive; Tsunade is Tetsuya's mentor. We were going to ask where Tetsuya was being because he does not know that Tsunade and Dan are here to surprise him?" Minato stated with a hesitant look on his face.
The Sakagamis and Fujibayashi sisters then proceeded to introduce themselves to Tsunade and Dan. After learning about Tsunade's profession when she was alive, the Sakagamis, Kyou and Ryou were surprised that Tetsuya never mentioned this to anyone. Kushina thought the reason for this is like the time when Yuki found out that Tetsuya was an uncle.
"How come Tetsuya did not want to be in the medical profession like you, Tsunade was it?" Kyou asked out of curiosity.
"Tetsuya wanted to protect the people he deeply cared about the most mainly Kushina and Minato. However, he wanted to learn the background behind the medical profession. You see he in some ways wanted to be like myself in how to achieve peace. However, his views on the feelings of being loved is very strong which he learned that from me. Wouldn't you agree with that, Dan?" Tsunade stated the honest answer to Kyou's question and started to look at Dan.
Dan nodded his head in agreeing to Tsunade's statement. This had everyone around them have surprised looks on their faces since it gave them a broader insight into a part of Tetsuya's real personality and his past. Then Kushina had found the perfect way to execute their plan on surprising Tetsuya with Tsunade and Dan's arrival.
"Wait a minute, that's it. Even though we have done this countless time in having people meeting Yuki, I was thinking that we should have dinner at the noodle shop tonight you know." Kushina stated out the first thing that came into her mind.
"Why did not I think of that before when Shiznae mentioned it to us earlier. Speaking of that, did Tetsuya mention what time him and Yuki were heading out to the noodle shop?" Minato said after hearing Kushina's statement.
"I think he said that they were heading over there in about an hour and a half actually from right at this moment." Shia responded to Minato's question.
With that in mind it gave Minato and Kushina some time to have Tsunade and Dan unpack their things at Minato and Kushina's house. This happened right after leaving the bakery in a little bit of a hurry since the distance from the noodle shop to Minato and Kushina's house was farther than expected. After Tsunade and Dan finished getting their things settled in at Minato and Kushina's house is when the four of them left for the noodle shop. Luckily there was not a long wait at the noodle shop so the planned surprise was still intact. Kushina requested the receptionist to have her, Minato, Tsunade and Dan sit at the farthest table in the shop hidden behind the restrooms. The receptionist accepted the request knowing that it is Yuki's sister-in-law making the request.
"You know what is so different about this than last time, Minato?" Kushina asked Minato who was getting ready to sit down.
"Yes I do. Yuki is not working this time unlike all of the other times where either us or Tetsuya embarrassed her while she was working." Minato responded with a honest answer.
Minato then explained to Tsunade and Dan about the other instances when he and Kushina had been in the noodle shop when Yuki was on shift. For Tsunade and Dan it made sense about Minato's explanation; however, this had Tsunade go into a deep thought.
"So, based on what Sarutobi-sensei told me and what you said just now, Minato. It sounds like Yuki is in some ways like Tetsuya." Tsunade said with a smirk grin on her face.
Before they can tell the waiter their orders Minato, Kushina, Tsunade, and Dan notice that Tetsuya and Yuki were just entering the noodle shop. However, for Minato and Kushina they needed to come up with a way to reveal their surprise to Tetsuya.
"Hmm…something seems very suspicious about the noodle shop." Tetsuya stated once he and Yuki entered the noodle shop.
"Tetsuya, I have worked here for the past couple of years and trust me there is nothing suspicious about this place. Let's get us a table. *sighs*" Yuki said with a sigh underneath her breath not wanting to cause stress on herself, Tetsuya, and the growing fetus inside her stomach.
Based on observing the situation, Kushina was starting to get in a panicked mood and wanted Minato to hurry up with a plan. Tsunade and Dan calmed Kushina down for a few seconds until Minato thought of the perfect solution for the surprise.
"Alright, here is how we are going to initiate the surprise. Tsunade and Dan, you guys will stay here at the table while Kushina preoccupies Tetsuya. I will sit on the empty booth a few feet from us until he notices me. Then I am going to put a blindfold on him once I get to his table and place him on a chair right next to this table." Minato stated out the plan to Kushina, Tsunade, and Dan.
"When are you going to bring this chair you were mentioning about, Minato?" Kushina asked out of curiosity.
Minato then proceeded to explain that he was bringing out the chair when Kushina starts carrying out her part of the plan. Dan thought the plan was very reasonable unlike Tsunade who had very few doubts about the plan. Reluctantly, Tsunade put those doubts aside since after all it was going to be the first time in five or six years that she last saw her former student, Tetsuya. Once they got done giving the waiter their orders is when Kushina's part of the plan began.
"I had great time having an outing with you and your parents. We got mostly everything we need to set up the baby's room. But it might take a few weeks before the room can get finished." Tetsuya stated at Yuki who had noticed Kushina's presence.
"That is very sweet of you to say that. I think your sister is here in the noodle shop." Yuki said trying to have Tetsuya pay attention to Kushina's presence.
Tetsuya thought Yuki was crazy at first until Kushina showed up at their table and he apologized to Yuki for his thought. This had Tetsuya and Yuki baffled into why was Kushina at the noodle shop during the same time they were. Kushina then started to ask Yuki how her and Tetsuya's day was; also, she proceeded to ask how the growing fetus was doing. Halfway through that conversation is when Kushina raised Tetsuya's hand to indicate for Minato to come their direction.
"Hello, Tetsuya. I am really sorry that I have to do this to you." Minato stated right before he put the blindfold on Tetsuya and escorted him to the table where Tsunade and Dan were sitting.
"Kushina, what's Minato doing to Tetsuya? I'm starting to get scared." Yuki stated with a concerned look on her face.
In that very moment, Kushina had told Yuki what was going on to make her feel better and avoid getting scolded by Tetsuya for making his wife sad. After hearing what Kushina told her, Yuki felt very happy that not only she gets to meet Tetsuya's mentor and senpai but the feeling of nervousness is on Tetsuya this time. Before Kushina got up from the table, Yuki asked her if she can sit over there by them. This was after Yuki gave a waiter her and Tetsuya's order; she notified the same waiter to have them bring the order to Minato, Kushina, Tsunade, and Dan's table.
"Why am I in a blindfold, Minato? You better have a good explanation for this or else I am going have Kushina pull a prank on you." Tetsuya stated once Minato got him to the designated chair.
"My explanation is very simple. Just answer the question I am going to ask you and that will give you my explanation. From everything you have done since arriving here, which two people who were also an integral part of your life before Naruto was born that is not myself or the Sarutobis can be very proud of your actions, Tetsuya?" Minato responded to Tetsuya's question with a honest look.
Tsunade realized that Minato picked the right question to ask to pull off the surprise since that question is the truth behind her and Dan's affiliation with Tetsuya. Realizing that Minato was going to reveal the surprise, Kushina had Yuki step back a few inches until it was over. Then Tetsuya gave it some serious thought to Minato's question.
"The only two people that I can think of based on your question would have to be Tsunade-sensei and Dan-senpai. I only wish that they were to see all the accomplishments I made in the past five years being in the Pure Land." Tetsuya answered honestly and behind the blindfold had a frown look on his face.
Before taking off the blindfold, Minato had whispered into Tsunade's ear indicating that she was going to be the one to reveal the surprise. Dan realized that what Minato was quietly saying to Tsunade made sense since after all she was Tetsuya's mentor and he had viewed him as one that would always watch Tsunade on his behalf after his arrival in the Pure Land several years prior. Tsunade felt confident enough to go through with her part of the plan while Dan looked on with a smile on his face.
"From the first day I met you and became my pupil, I knew there was something special about your passion for achieving peace and views on loving others so far to even protecting them from futile situations. I am very proud of the person you have become and same thing applies to the other person you mentioned in the answer." Tsunade stated with pure conviction and honesty in every single word.
"She is right, every single of word it is true." Dan said in agreeance to Tsunade's statement.
"Wait a minute, I know those voices. Oh, my god that can't be possible. There's no way that it can be who I am thinking it is." Tetsuya said in a shocking voice.
Once Minato gradually took of the blindfold, that is when Kushina and Yuki reached the table with smile on their faces. Yuki quietly introduced herself to Tsunade and Dan with the fact that is quite an honor to meet them both while proceeding to take her chair and placing it right next to Tetsuya. Kushina had pulled out her cell phone out of her purse and began recording the surprise reveal so she can send it to Inoichi for him to show it to the Sarutobis. After the blindfold was taken off, Tetsuya looked at Tsunade and Dan which he was speechless with a tear starting to drip on his eye.
"*sniffles*Dan-senpai and Tsunade Se... Sen…Sensei. Is it you guys or am I dreaming?" Tetsuya asked with a surprised look and tear slowly dripping down his face.
"Yes, it is us, Tetsuya. Hiruzen told us everything and we could not be any prouder of you. So, surprise." Tsunade and Dan said in unison.
Once he realized that it was his mentor and senpai sitting right there next to him; Tetsuya started to weep tears of joy and proceeded to hug his sensei while shaking Dan's hand at the same time. Looking on, Yuki felt very happy to see her husband happy about reuniting with his sensei and senpai. That was when Kushina stopped recording the reveal and did send it to Inoichi; Kushina got a reply a few minutes before the orders were to come out that he showed it to the Sarutobis and stated that they were very happy to see the reunion of Tetsuya and Tsunade.
After wiping off the tears on his face, Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was sitting in the nearest empty chair to the entire time. That is when Minato and Kushina told Tetsuya about the entire situation behind the surprise including their involvement in it. Tetsuya was surprised to hear the entire story behind the surprise.
"Don't worry about introducing me to your sensei and senpai, Tetsuya. We did that while you were trying to figure out the surprise. Oh, our orders are here and I will try to finish my bowl this time unlike the last time." Yuki stated with a smile on her face.
"That's good to hear, sweetheart. Are you sure on eating the entire bowl because I don't want to see you getting sick like the gynecologist told me that if you get sick it can harm the baby…" Tetsuya starting to get severely concerned.
"Little brother, really. You're saying this in front of somebody who had a bad habit of eating ramen while they were in Yuki's current state, you know. I know you're looking out for the safety of your family." Kushina said putting her two-cents into the conversation.
Minato and Tsunade looking on remembering the times where Kushina had gotten involved in parts of Tetsuya's life when it concerned him the most. Dan was a little wondrous in what Minato and Tsunade were thinking while eating their dinner. Everyone had gotten done eating dinner except Yuki who had at least a quarter of ramen left in her bowl. Tetsuya felt concerned as Yuki started to feel a little bit strange once she finished her dinner.
"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Tetsuya asked out of concern.
"Yes, I am alright. It's just that for some reason the bottom of the ramen bowl tasted a little funky. Don't worry, I am going to be ok." Yuki responded by placing her hand on Tetsuya's face.
After that everyone left the noodle shop and proceeded to head back their separate ways. Not before, Tetsuya stopped Tsunade so he can have a private chat with her and told Yuki to wait for him. While Dan, Minato, and Kushina headed back to Minato's house realizing that Tsunade knew her way back to the house.
"Sensei, I was wondering. How long are you and Dan-senpai going to be around here for?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity.
"At least until your baby is born, Tetsuya. Me and Dan are staying by Kushina's house until then. Your wife is very pretty and she is like you in many ways. If you and Yuki ever need any help, you can always contact me. Like I was trying to say earlier, you are one of the best pupils I have had the honor of teaching. Before I head off, I was wondering what is the gender of your baby?" Tsunade responded with a smile on her face before heading to Kushina's house.
"Thank you for those words, Tsunade-sensei. To answer your question, it's going to be a girl. I will see you guys later." Tetsuya said before heading off to meet up with Yuki.
Tetsuya and Yuki had a nice walk back to the apartment which their day was filled with fun also one of several long-awaited reunions into the mix. After entering and locking up the apartment, Tetsuya felt exhausted and let Yuki take her shower first while he was organizing things to begin preparing the baby's room which he has time for that. Yuki got out of the shower and she wanted to talk to Tetsuya in the living room before he went to take his shower.
"So, what did you and your sensei have to talk about earlier?" Yuki asked with a curious look on her face.
"Well she told me that her and my senpai were staying in the area until the baby is born. They are staying by my sister and brother-in-law's house for the time being. I was surprised to hear that but realized how happy that made me because my sensei stated if we ever need any help that she will be there. *yawns*I wish I could talk more but once I get out of the shower it's off to bed I go." Tetsuya responded back to Yuki's question.
"That's okay, sweetheart. I am heading off to bed as well. Good night, I love you." Yuki said with a kiss to Tetsuya's forehead before heading to the bedroom.
Once Tetsuya took a soothing shower, he entered the bedroom and started to close his eyes before looking at the growing fetus starting to develop in Yuki's belly. With Tsunade around, it was the beginning of a crucial time for the duration of Yuki's pregnancy and Tetsuya's preparation for fatherhood.