Rin yawned as she and Obito slumped next to a tree, Kakashi only doing marginally better as he leaned against a light pole. Minato was signing some paperwork while talking to the guards of Konoha's North Gate. "Their first mission out?" He asked as Minato smirked. "Yep." The man chuckled as he shook his head. "They're always excited until they get dragged out at four in the morning."

Minato nodded as he went through his students' papers for them. "Oh it was even better with me. They wanted to stay the night so they could get up nice and early."

"Owf. Yep that happened with my team too. Last time we did that." The two men had a laugh as Minato finished the paperwork and the man stamped it, finally allowing them all to leave the village. "Welp, see you guys in a few weeks then." the guard said as Minato nodded and called for his students. "Let's go you three!"

The three got up as they started to follow their sensei. Minato kept a slow pace, having his team up front in a diamond formation so he could keep an eye on their backs. The kids were still a little tired as they walked but were still alert as they knew they were no longer in the safety of the village. This however didn't stop Obito from cheering as he raised his arms into the air. "Heck yeah!"

Minato just smiled as he shook his head. He knew how excited they all were at finally getting to go outside the village and remembered how they had even asked him if they could all go together to the gates two nights before.

XXX Flashback

"Hey Sensei, can we ask you something?" Rin asked. Minato raised an eyebrow but quickly smiled as he nodded. "Sure. Go on ahead."

All three kids seemed nervous as none of them spoke up. This startled Minato a bit as he became less relaxed and a little more serious. "Is everything alright you guys?"

Rin looked to the two boys who didn't seem to want to speak up as she took a deep breath and looked at her sensei. "W-well, we um. We wanted to know if we could all stay at your home tomorrow. That way we can all go on the mission together, you know." Minato was shocked as he stood there silent. The kids immediately thought the worse as Obito spoke up. "I-it's fine if you don't want to. We're sorry to bother you about that kind of stuff sensei we just thought…"

"Of course you can." The kids were now the ones who were shocked as they looked up to their teacher who had the biggest smile on his face. "You, you mean we can?" Kakashi asked.

"Of course. Me and Kushina would love to have you guys over." The kids were ecstatic as they celebrated amongst themselves. Minato kept smiling as he got their attention. "Come over around 4 and make sure to bring your stuff for the mission." The kids agreed as Minato sent them home.

XXX The next day

Minato paced around the living room as Kushina and Naru watched him begin to overthink things. "What if something happens, what would I do? Oh man, are they ready?"

"Um, I think you're overthinking this." Kushina commented as Naru just kept watching Minato.

"But what if something happens. What am I gonna do? I mean I'm responsible for them and what about tonight. What if they hate it here." Minato began to have a little freak out as Kushina rolled her eyes.

Putting Naru down, Kushina went up to Minato before giving him a hard hit on the head. This caused Naru to laugh hysterically as Minato rubbed at the lump forming on his head. "OW! What was that for!?"

"To get you to focus." Kushina placed her hands on his shoulders as she looked him dead in the eye. "Now listen. You'll do great. They're probably only safer with the Hokage watching them and I doubt that even then. You're their sensei and you've done amazing with them already. And remember that they asked you. That means they trust you to take care of them even in a safe place like the village. Plus you have to remember how important you are to them as kids. They're 10 and all of them have lost their parents in some way. In a way you're the closest to a father they have and so you need to be there for them like you would with that one." She emphasized by pointing to Naru who had calmed down from her laughing fit. "So don't worry. You'll do as great, if not better than you always have."

Minato couldn't believe how much faith she had in him as he could only embrace her. "Thank you. I needed that." He whispered to her.

"I know."

A knock at the door got the attention of the three as Minato went to the door. Opening it he was greeted with his students who all had large bags behind their backs. "Oh, you're here already?" He asked as Rin nodded.

"We had to get Obito beforehand, otherwise he never would have made it." said boy grumbled as the others laughed. "I guess you're right about that. Well come on in. Put your bags by the entrance and I'll take care of them."

The kids did as they were told as they entered into the apartment, being greeted by a smiling Kushina who held a curious Naru. "Welp it's about time you've all met now isn't it. Team this is my girlfriend Kushina Uzumaki, and you've all already met Naruko. The kids bowed to show respect as Kushina did the same, Naru doing so too much to everyone's delight.

"And let me introduce my students. This one here is Rin Nohara." Minato pointed to Rin who smiled at Kushina. "Hello, Miss Uzumaki."

Minato pointed to Obito next. "This is Obito Uchiha."

"Nice to meet you ma'am."

"And this is Kakashi Hatake." Minato finished as he pointed to his final student who bowed once again to Kushina.

"Ohh, you're all adorable!" Kushina said before enveloping the kids in a group hug, much to Kakashi's dismay. After letting them go she stood beside Minato with an embarrassed expression. "Sorry."

Minato just smiled and rolled his eyes before showing them to the living room. "You guys can sit and relax while we get dinner finished." The kids agreed as they looked at their sensei's living room, seeing what it had to offer.

As the kids looked around a small figure peaked from the entranceway to the room. Naru watched the kids with curiosity. She knew them from a few days prior but she didn't understand why they were here. She heard footsteps as papa kneeled beside her to see what she was doing. "You remember them don't you?" He asked. Naruto continued to look at them curiously as Minato just smirked. "It's alright. You can go say hi."

Naru thought for a moment but she was still a little shy as she clung onto Minato's legs. In response he picked her up and walked into the room. "Someone wanted to say hi."

The kids looked to their sensei and then to Naru as they came up to them. Rin and Obito waved to the girl while Kakashi just nodded to her. Naru stared at them for a moment before waving. "Bi." they all laughed as Kushina called them all to have dinner.

XXX

The night went well as Minato and Kushina helped his students feel as welcome as possible. Kushina would talk to the kids while Minato put their bags into a storage seal that only he or the

owner of the seal could open. Something he had taught them throughout the month he had them as his students is seals even if only a basic level of it.

Kushina and Minato would also help them set up for the night as Rin was given the guest bedroom for privacy, the boys sharing the living room. As the night went on Minato had his students get ready for bed so they were able to wake up early the next day. The kids however couldn't sleep at first, too excited for tomorrow, as they laid down in bed just thinking about what could happen.

Eventually however they passed out as Minato, Kushina and Naru went to their room to sleep.

XXX Present Day

Minato blinked as he looked around. The sun was now up as he called to his students. "Alright, let's pick up the pace so we can make it before tomorrow night." The kids, now awake and ready, nodded as they all began to run.