Minato was an orphan who grew up in the orphanage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He didn't know who his parents were. It was not obvious at first, but soon it became clear.
Tsunade-sama… she was not his mother, of course. But that was the first thing that came to his mind when he first saw her. She avoided him, but she sent Jiraiya-sama to spend time with him. So, he assumed she was related to her.
One day, curiosity got the better of him. He sneaked into her house, heart pounding in his chest as he crept through the silent halls. He entered her study and rummaged through everything, his hands shaking as he rifled through papers and drawers. He kept doing this every day, the thrill of discovery mingled with a gnawing fear of getting caught, until he found a family album tucked away in a dusty corner.
Opening it felt like opening a treasure chest. There were pictures of the First Hokage, Lady Mito, and their kids. Tsunade-sama, Nawaki-san. The Second Hokage, however, didn't seem to have a family of his own. But at the very end, there was another picture.
A white-haired man and a pregnant blonde woman with blue hair…
It hurt so much… why was he abandoned? He was not a bastard, that much was sure if their engagement photos were any indication. Minato was not autistic, in fact, quite the opposite. He was sharp, observant, but this… this was beyond his comprehension.
"Why?" he whispered to the empty room, his voice breaking. "Why?"
Tears blurred his vision, but he forced himself to keep looking at the photos. He needed to understand. Each image was a fragment of a past he had been denied, a puzzle missing too many pieces. His fingers traced the faces of the people he had never known but desperately wanted to.
The revelation didn't bring closure, only more questions and a deep, aching void. But he played along. When Jiraiya-sama came, he would treat him as a friend, masking his turmoil with smiles and politeness. He, however, always avoided Tsunade and Nawaki. Because deep down, he hated the Senju.
Every encounter with them was a reminder of what he had lost, what he had been denied. He would watch them from a distance, a mixture of envy and bitterness swirling in his heart. They had a family, a legacy, and all he had were fragments and whispers.
That is why he wants to become the Hokage. Of course, he wants to protect the village, but…
He wants to prove himself. To show that he is more than an orphan, more than the child abandoned in a world of ninjas and war. He wants to rise above his pain and claim his place in the village's history, to be someone his parents would have been proud of.
He clenched his fists, determination hardening his resolve. "I will protect this village," he vowed quietly, "and I will find my place. No matter what."
At present, Minato sat in class, his eyes drifting over to Kushina.
The girl was cute. Kawai. She was just his type…
But something was off about her today. She was barely paying attention, her usual focus replaced by a strange absentmindedness. He watched in disbelief as she absentmindedly picked her nose, her finger deep in one nostril. She seemed completely unaware of what she was doing.
Then, a faint, unmistakable sound reached his ears. She had farted, loud enough for those nearby to hear.
"Damn, I really should have pooped this morning," she muttered to herself, her voice loud enough for those around her to catch.
Minato's face turned bright red. Tsume, sitting a few rows behind, goggled at Kushina, her inhuman senses undoubtedly picking up both the sound and the smell. She covered her nose and made a face.
"Focus on the class, Minato," he told himself, tearing his eyes away and trying to concentrate on the lesson. But it was hard. Kushina was scratching her head like a monkey, her fingers running through her messy red hair as if trying to untangle knots that weren't there.
The teacher, noticing Kushina's distraction, called her out. "Uzumaki, why don't you come up here and solve this trigonometry problem on the board?"
"What? What ninja needs that boring stuff to kick ass?"
"Just come here and solve it."
Kushina got up with a sigh, trudging to the front of the room. She picked up the chalk and stared at the problem for a moment, her brow furrowing in concentration. She did a few things right, drawing some lines and writing a few equations. But then, she faltered, scratching her head again in confusion. It was a simple problem, one she should have been able to solve easily.
Angle C of Triangle ABC is 30 degrees while AB is 20 meters. What's the value of AC?
Minato had seen her breeze through much harder questions before. What was going on?
"Can't you solve it?"
"Of course not, it's so hard, ya' know!"
The teacher frowned but didn't say anything as Kushina returned to her seat, looking frustrated. She plopped down with a thud, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
When the lunch break came, Minato opened his lunch box and started eating his rice ball. Just as he took his first bite, Kushina plopped down beside him with a grin. Her clothes were odd – wrinkled and messy, like she had just thrown them on without a second thought. Her hair was a tangled mess, and she looked like she hadn't slept properly.
"Hey, Minato!" she said cheerfully, biting into a mango. Juice dribbled down her chin as she ate, smearing all over her mouth. Minato blushed, trying not to stare.
"Uh, hi, Miss Uzumaki," he mumbled, feeling nervous.
"Tough class right?"
Not for him. "Um…yeah, I g-guess."
She leaned closer, his blush deepening. She furrowed her eyebrows. "You have a better face than me, damn you must be popular among girls."
Oh no. "S-sorry?!"
"I mean you look…nah, forget it." She muttered. "Hey, have you created the Rasengan yet?"
"The Swirling Sphere?" Minato blinked. "What's that?"
"Oh you haven't?" She licked her fingers. Don't stare. "I guess you are not as talented as I thought you would be at this age."
Is she mocking him? Well…"Is this 'Rasengan' a jutsu?"
"Duh,"
"I have no idea about that."
Silence for a few minutes. She leaned closer, again. She smelled like ramen, sweat and mango— a bad combination.
She looked at him, oblivious to his discomfort. "So, what's your dream, Minato?"
"My dream?" he echoed, caught off guard. "Uh, I want to become Hokage someday."
Her eyes lit up. "Really? Me too! I want to protect everyone in the village."
He smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. "That's a great dream, Miss Uzumaki."
"But too bad, I'll become the one before ya'"
Challenge accepted. "Then we're rivals."
She nodded vigorously, then suddenly leaned in closer, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Hey, Minato, do you have a sleepwalking problem? Do you snore?"
He blinked, confused. "Uh, no, I don't think so. Why?"
She chuckled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Just wondering. Your future children might have that issue, 'ttebane!"
Minato froze, his mind racing. "F-future children? How can you be so sure?"
Kushina shrugged, a mysterious smile on her lips. "Just a hunch."
Before he could ask more, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break. She patted his back like a dude, then got up and walked away to her seat, leaving him sitting there, stunned.
"She's different from what I thought," Minato muttered to himself, watching her go. Something was definitely up with Kushina Uzumaki, and he was determined to find out what it was.
It was Taijutsu class, and the students were gathered on the school ground. The sensei, a stern-looking man with a deep voice, addressed his students with a serious expression.
"Today, you will be sparring against one another. Pair up, and remember, this is a learning exercise. No serious injuries. Show respect to your opponent and learn from each other."
Maito Kai immediately exclaimed happily, pumping his fist in the air. "Yes! The springtime of youth is upon us!"
The sensei smiled slightly at Kai's enthusiasm before continuing. "First up, Fugaku Uchiha versus Shibi Aburame."
Fugaku and Shibi stepped into the circle. Fugaku's eyes narrowed as he assessed his opponent, while Shibi remained calm, his hands hidden in his coat. The sensei gave the signal, and Fugaku launched himself at Shibi with a swift kick. Shibi dodged effortlessly, countering with a palm strike to Fugaku's chest. The match continued with both boys exchanging blows, but Fugaku's speed and precision gave him the upper hand. With a final sweeping kick, Fugaku knocked Shibi off his feet, ending the match.
"Next, Tsume Inuzuka versus Minato Namikaze," the sensei announced.
Tsume growled playfully, baring her teeth at Minato, who smiled nervously. They both took their stances, and the sensei gave the signal. Tsume lunged at Minato, her movements quick and feral. Minato dodged, his reflexes sharp, and countered with a series of rapid punches. Tsume blocked most of them, but Minato's speed was too much for her. With a swift roundhouse kick, Minato sent Tsume sprawling to the ground.
"Good match, Tsume," Minato said, extending a hand to help her up.
"Next, Hizashi Hyuga versus Mikoto Uchiha," the sensei called out.
Hizashi and Mikoto stepped into the circle. Hizashi's Byakugan activated, veins bulging around his eyes, while Mikoto's took a defensive stance. The sensei gave the signal, and Hizashi immediately went on the offensive with a series of precise Gentle Fist strikes. Mikoto dodged and parried. The match was intense, with both fighters displaying incredible skill, but Hizashi's Byakugan gave him the advantage. With a final strike to Mikoto's shoulder, he ended the match.
"Well fought, Mikoto," Hizashi said respectfully.
"Next, Hiashi Hyuga versus Shukaku," the sensei announced.
Hiashi and Shukaku entered the circle. Hiashi took his Gentle Fist stance, while Shukaku flexed his muscles, ready for a brawl. The sensei gave the signal, and Hiashi moved in with a series of precise strikes. Shukaku tried to counter with brute strength, but Hiashi's technique was too refined. With a well-placed palm strike, Hiashi knocked Shukaku out of the circle.
"Next, Choza Akimichi versus Inoichi Yamanaka," the sensei called.
Choza and Inoichi stepped into the circle. Choza's size gave him an advantage in strength, while Inoichi's speed and agility were his assets. The sensei gave the signal, and Choza charged at Inoichi with a powerful punch. Inoichi dodged, countering with a series of quick jabs. Choza absorbed most of the hits, using his size to his advantage. With a mighty swing, Choza knocked Inoichi off his feet, ending the match.
The sensei then announced the final match. "Finally, Maito Kai versus Kushina Uzumaki."
Everyone expected that the girl would lose in seconds because the boy was the undisputed champion of hand-to-hand combat in their class. The students whispered among themselves, some already predicting Kai's victory.
"Kai's gonna wipe the floor with her," one student muttered.
"Poor Uzumaki," another added. "She doesn't stand a chance."
Kushina stepped into the circle, her expression determined. Kai faced her, his eyes full of fiery determination. The sensei gave the signal, and Kai immediately launched himself at Kushina with a powerful punch. Kushina dodged effortlessly, her movements smooth and precise. Kai went again, throwing a flurry of punches and kicks, but Kushina sidestepped each attack with ease.
The other students watched in shock as Kushina effortlessly dodged Kai's attacks. Kai's face twisted with frustration, his punches growing more desperate. Kushina remained calm, her eyes never leaving her opponent. However, despite looking like she had the upper hand, Minato noticed that her movements were clumsy, as if she was expecting to cross more distance with her limbs. If it wasn't for the aggressive nature of Kai, the boy could exploit her faults and win easily.
Finally, she saw her opening. With a swift, powerful punch to his solar plexus, she knocked the breath out of Kai. He stumbled back, gasping for air. Before he could recover, Kushina pushed him out of the circle with a gentle but firm shove.
"Hehe, what can I say? I'm just that good," she grinned at the stunned audience. "'ttebane!"
The sensei nodded, impressed. "Well done, Uzumaki. Excellent display of skill and composure."
The other students were left in awe, their previous assumptions shattered. Minato couldn't help but smile, his respect for Kushina growing even more. She was full of surprises, and he had a feeling that there was much more to her than met the eye.
TBC