[Note: After unsealing Kurama, Kushina's eyes are now permanently red due to her chakra merging with Kurama …The real reason? Because I think it looks cool, that's all… hehe (^^)]
That night, the atmosphere in the Uchiha household was livelier than usual.
In the spacious and orderly dining room, the small family gathered around the traditional dining table.At the center, a variety of warm dishes like miso soup, dango, and sashimi were beautifully served.
Fugaku sat at the head of the table, his expression as serious as ever.To his right, Mikoto smiled kindly as she scooped more rice into her husband's bowl.Itachi sat quietly on the left, with little four-year-old Sasuke beside him, swinging his legs impatiently, eager to eat.
But tonight, something was different.
Mikoto's eyes sparkled as she smiled widely, like she'd just found a new favorite toy.
"Itachi~" she said in a teasing tone that made Fugaku's eyebrow twitch."I heard from the neighbors... you were chased by two young girls at the dango shop today?"
Itachi froze midair, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth.His usually composed face flushed faintly red.
"I-I wasn't chased..." he said quickly, trying to stay calm.
Sasuke, who had been playing with his rice, looked up with wide, curious eyes."Onii-chan got chased? Why?"
Mikoto giggled, covering her mouth with one hand."Because your brother is popular, Sasuke~ Lots of girls like him."
Fugaku finally spoke, his voice low and steady."Hmph. Popularity means nothing to a shinobi."But… if one looked closely, there was the faintest upward curve at the edge of his lips.
'That's my son…' Fugaku thought, filled with pride.
Itachi bowed his head slightly, pretending to focus on his food.But the red on his face betrayed him.
Sasuke stared at his brother with shining eyes."Then I'll be even more popular than Onii-chan!" he declared, raising a tiny fist with determination.
Itachi nearly choked on his soup.
Mikoto laughed heartily at her youngest's antics."Oh, Sasuke... your brother's a genius, you know? But I believe you'll grow up to be amazing too."She affectionately ruffled Sasuke's hair.
Fugaku gave a small nod.Itachi let out a long, silent sigh, feeling both embarrassed and warm inside.
'This family, really…' Itachi thought, smiling faintly.
Mikoto glanced at Itachi again and joked, "If you're not careful, Itachi, the clan might arrange a marriage for you."
Itachi quickly shook his head, his face now fully red."Mom, please don't joke like that at the dinner table..."
Sasuke looked up innocently."If Onii-chan gets married... does that mean I have to get married too?"
Everyone at the table burst out laughing, including Fugaku, who shook his head slightly, hiding a smile behind his teacup.
That night, the Uchiha dining room was filled with warm laughter—something rare, something that would become a precious memory for Itachi in the future.
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The sky stretched wide and clear above, but the training field felt heavy with emotion.
Today was the official disbandment of Team Kushina.
Kushina stood in front of her three students—Kotetsu, Izumo, and Natsu—with a warm yet bittersweet smile.
Kotetsu and Izumo were already wearing the standard green chunin vests, signifying their new rank.Natsu stood tall, though her small hands kept nervously clutching the hem of her shirt.
Kushina took a deep breath, holding back her emotions.
"Starting today…" she said gently,"You're no longer genin. You've become shinobi who can stand on your own feet."
The three bowed their heads slightly, listening seriously.
"I know... your path won't be easy. The shinobi world is full of danger and trials," Kushina continued."But remember this: you are never alone."
She opened her arms wide.
"If one day you feel lost, afraid, or in need of a place to lean on... come to me.Because to me, you will always… always be my sweet students."
Unable to hold back anymore, Kushina pulled the three of them into a tight hug.
Kotetsu and Izumo, who had tried to act cool before, broke down instantly.
"Waaaaahhh! Kushina-sensei!!"
"Don't leave us!!"
They cried like little kids, clinging to her and sobbing loudly.
Meanwhile, Natsu bit her lower lip, trying her hardest not to cry.But the redness in her eyes gave her away.
Kushina chuckled softly, patting each of their heads.
"You kids… Don't make me cancel the disbandment," she said jokingly, though her voice trembled slightly.
After a while, Kotetsu lifted his tear-streaked face.
"Kushina-sensei… thank you for training us... and not giving up on us… even when we were being idiots!"
Izumo, his nose still red, nodded in agreement."Sensei… we promise to be chunin you can be proud of!"
Natsu finally spoke, her voice small but firm.
"Sensei… I'll grow stronger… one day, I want you to proudly say, 'that's my student' in front of anyone."
Kushina beamed, her eyes glistening.
"I already am proud of you. I've always been."
The four of them stood together in the field, letting the moment settle into their memories.
Eventually, Kushina stepped back, wiped her eyes, and said in a cheerful tone:
"Alright! Come on, smile! This isn't goodbye! It's just a new step forward! You're all still in Konoha, right? Don't think you can run away from Kushina-sensei that easily!"
The three of them chuckled softly, the heavy mood lifting slightly.
As the sun tilted westward, Team Kushina—no longer an official team—left the field.Each of them carried a warm feeling in their hearts.
[Author's Thought: As you may have guessed from the title of Volume 3, this arc follows Kushina's journey to becoming the Fifth Hokage! So pay close attention to how she's going to rewrite the story from here on out (⸝⸝> ᴗ•⸝⸝)]