In training ground three,
Yawn…
Naruto slowly opens his sleepy eyes.
"I fell asleep again while training."
He slowly stands up and notices the sun overhead.
"It's almost time for lunch. I will eat some ramen from Ichiraku."
Gulp…
Naruto gulps his saliva as small drool leak from his mouth.
Whoosh…
He flickers to the nearby lake and washes his face.
Ten minutes later,
"I am here."
Naruto walks towards the ramen stall.
"Boss! Give me a bowl of Char-sou Ramen. Make it extra-large."
"Alright! Aye! Coming right up."
Teuchi nods his head as Ayame walks out of the shop.
"It's been a while Naruto since I last saw you."
"Oh! I was busy completing some missions."
Naruto scratches his head. He looks around the shop as his gaze lingers on the calendar.
"Uh! Ayame-san! What's the date today?" Naruto asks Ayame.
"Oh! It's 10 October."
Ayame answers him as she prepares the flour.
"October 10! Which means…"
Naruto mumbles to himself.
Bam…
Teuchi places the bowl in front of him.
"Your ramen kid! This one is on the house."
"It has been a while since you last visited us and also today is a special day."
Teuchi winks at him.
Sob…
Naruto's eyes turn teary.
"Thank you, Boss!"
"It's nothing much." Teuchi shakes his head.
Naruto slowly eats his ramen as various thoughts flow through his mind.
'No one came to wish me a happy birthday. Did they forget about it?! No, it can't be.'
He shakes his head.
'There must be a surprise party for me. It has to be. I have to check it out.'
Naruto's mood cheers up and he slowly savors the ramen.
Meanwhile,
Hanabi and Konohamaru invite all of Naruto's friends.
Ayaka returns to her house.
"Mom! Today is Naruto Nii-san's birthday. I want to give him a surprise party."
"Oh! Our little Ayaka has grown up. She is even planning a birthday party." Akira chuckles and ruffles her hair.
Hmph…
Ayaka puffs her cheeks and smugly folds her hands in front of her chest.
"Of course!"
"Alright! Your Onii-san already told us about it." Aiko waves her hand.
"Then help me with the celebration. Let's decorate Tsunade Nee-san's house." Ayaka tugs her sleeves.
"No! This time the venue is a little different."
Aiko shakes her head.
"Oh! Tell me! Tell me!" Ayaka jumps in excitement.
"Let's wait for your Aunt Mikoto and Fumiko. We will go there together."
"Alright!"
Ayaka nods her head.
-------------
In the Konoha Hospital,
"Here!"
Izuna takes out a set of keys and passes them to Minato.
"These are…"
Minato questions him.
"The keys to your house. After your supposed death, I bought your house with all the money I had saved from my missions. I am quite rich, you know."
"Haha! You brat! You are bragging in front of me. Remember the days when I lent you the money to buy the material for your Fuinjutsu training."
Kushina chuckles.
"Alright! Let's go. I can't wait to see Naruto."
Minato shakes his head.
"There is still some time before the surprise. Before that, why don't you meet someone else?" Izuna walks towards the window.
"He is already here."
Swoosh…
Izuna opens the window and a long white-haired man in red haori jumps inside.
"Oi Uchiha brat! Why did you call me on such note…"
Jiraiya's jaw drops midway, and he gasps in astonishment.
"M… mmm… Minato!!... K.. kukuku… Kushina!!"
"Hey! Sensei!"
Minato waves his hand.
"How are you, Jiraiya-Sensei?! It's been a while."
Kushina also waves her hand.
Haah…
Jiraiya takes a deep breath and turns to Izuna.
"Oi brat! Is it one of your weird Genjutsu again? If it… it's not funny."
Jiraiya grabs Izuna's collar.
Sigh…
Izuna sighs and signals to Kushina.
Swish…
Kushina pinches Jiraiya's ears.
Aww… Aww…
Jiraiya winces in pain and hurriedly turns to Kushina.
"See Sensei!! You feel pain. So, it's as real as it can be. It's not a dream and not a Genjutsu." Minato chuckles and walks towards Jiraiya.
"Also…"
Minato whispers something in Jiraiya's ear whose expression turns pale.
Hmm…
Izuna perks his ears to eavesdrop on their secret.
"Stop! Stop!! You are the real Minato. I believe you."
Jiraiya hurriedly stops Minato from speaking further, yet Izuna is able to hear a few words.
'Tsunade… Panties!! Oh!!'
Izuna's mouth opens wide as he stares at Jiraiya.
'This is a big scoop… definitely a big scoop.'
He calmly stares at Jiraiya's panicked expression.
'I will let it slide this time.'
Somehow, Izuna feels pity for Jiraiya and looks at him with a sympathetic gaze.
"Oye! Oye! What's with the pitiful gaze of yours? Why do I feel like you are making fun of me?"
Jiraiya stares at Izuna with hatred.
Ahem…
"I am also here." Kushina clears her throat.
"…"
Minato sweat drops and retreats. Kushina glares at him and turns to Jiraiya with a smile.
"Sensei! Looks like I need to have a long chat with Tsunade-san!"
"No!"
Jiraiya panics as he hastily performs a dogeza in front of Kushina.
"Kushina… Why don't you let bygones be bygones?"
Creak…
The door to the room opens up.
"Huh?! What's the matter? What bygones?"
Tsunade enters the room.
Whoosh…
Jiraiya hurriedly stands up and clears his throat.
Ahem…
"Nothing!! Nothing!! I was just reminiscing some memories with my student."
Haah…
Jiraiya's eyes turn teary as he stares at Kushina and Minato.
"I would have to live with the fact that my Sensei and student departed right in front of me while I was helpless to do anything. Looks like I can finally die in relief."
Bam…
Tsunade elbows him.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"You old pervert!! Don't raise a flag!!" Izuna shakes his head.
"Alright!"
Jiraiya takes a deep breath as his expression turns serious.
"So, will anyone fill me on the details?"
Half an hour later,
"So, that's the gist of it?"
Minato finishes narrating the entire series of events.
"I see."
Jiraiya turns to Izuna and nods his head.
"Brat! I never knew you were this capable."
Izuna rolls his eyes.
"Don't try to act cool, you pervert! Besides, I am more capable than you think." Izuna retorts.
"Yeah! Whatever!" Jiraiya shrugs his shoulder.
Clap…
Izuna claps his hands to get their attention.
"Let's go for Naruto's birthday party celebration. This time Ayaka has planned a surprise birthday party for him."
"Oh! Ayaka!! I can't wait to hug her." Kushina hugs herself with a flushed face.
"…"
Izuna sweat drops as he remembers the bear hugs Kushina used to give him in his childhood.
'Ayaka! Your brother is with you. I will pray for you from a distance.'
----------------
In the evening,
Sigh…
Naruto sighs to himself as he exits the Uchiha compound.
"No one! There is no one at home."
Just now, he paid a visit to Sasuke's house and Uncle Fugaku told him that Sasuke, Itachi, and Shisui left for a clan mission.
"Even Izuna Nii-san is not at his house and Ayaka is probably at the academy."
Sigh…
He sighs again and walks towards the Senju compounds.
"Wait, a sec! Could it be they are preparing a surprise party at home?"
Naruto cheers up in excitement.
Whoosh…
He hurriedly dashes through the streets and reaches the Senju compound.
"I am home."
Naruto pushes open the door in excitement.
"Oh! You are back, Naruto. Wash up and I will prepare dinner."
Shizune greets him.
"It's only you, Shizune Nii-san! Where is Tsunade Baa-san?" Naruto asks depressingly as his excitement dies down.
"Tsunade-san is busy with her hokage duties. The next chunnin exam is on the horizon and she has to make arrangements for it." Shizune responds to him as she enters the kitchen.
"I… I see…"
Naruto enters the bathroom and washes himself up.
"Guess, everyone forgot about my birthday!"
He mumbles to himself while bathing.
"Naruto Nii-san!! Help! Naruto Nii-san!!"
Ayaka's weak voice falls in Naruto's ears.
Huh!
Naruto immediately stands up from the bath and quickly wears his outfit.
He walks towards the gate and notices Ayaka in a battered state with some blood leaking from her mouth.
"Naruto Nii-san!"
Ayaka weakly falls to the ground.
Whoosh…
Naruto flickers towards her and supports her
"What's going on? What happened? Who did this to you?"
His expression turns gloomy and anger rises from the bottom of his heart.
"Nii-san, it's a chunnin. I beat up his brother, and he called his elder brother for revenge." Ayaka hugs him tightly as tears flow from her eyes.
Naruto remembers some previous incidents where Ayaka beats up many bullies including some chunnins.
'But for a chunnin to beat her like that?'
"How dare he?!"
Naruto's eyes turn red as a wisp of red chakra leaks from his body. The whiskers on his cheeks become more prominent.
"Ayaka!! Just tell me where is he?" Naruto growls in anger.
"Yes. Follow my directions!"
Ayaka points out the direction, and Naruto quickly follows the path.
Soon, they arrive in front of a two-story house with an orange-tiled roof.
"He lives there."
Ayaka points towards the house.
"Alright! Leave it your big brother."
Whoosh…
Naruto flickers in front of the door.
Bang…
He forcefully kicks the door, breaking it in the process.
"Come out! How dare you bully my sister?"
"…"