----
Minato Namikaze was alive.
Naruto Uzumaki was alive.
And regardless of the situation, Kushina didn't need to punch her son in the head to get her point across she could speak perfectly well.
When Kushina learned that Naruto's antics were actually part of a mission Minato had assigned to him, her initial frustration turned into mild annoyance.
She guessed Minato must have had some reason, even if he hadn't shared it beforehand. Meanwhile, Naruto's behaviour gradually returned to normal.
Though Naruto occasionally pushed his limits, even teasing Tsunade and attempting to prank Kakashi, Kushina knew he was a good-hearted boy. That much was clear.
"Don't worry about it," she said reassuringly. "Minato said he'd deduct your pay, but he's probably just trying to scare you. If I really didn't want you to track me, I could've pretended not to notice."
"That's not necessary," Naruto replied, smirking. "I figured Dad just wanted to scare me anyway. And if it doesn't work, I can always cling to his leg and beg him to forgive me."
He crossed his arms, adding mischievously, "Is it embarrassing for a fourteen-year-old to cling to his dad's leg? Well, whoever sees it will regret it!"
Naruto then took the basket of groceries from Kushina's hands and asked, "By the way, how did you know I was following you? Did I mess up somewhere?"
Kushina tapped her chin with her finger, pretending to think deeply. "Hmm… no, I don't think so. I just felt you were nearby, and when I focused, I found you."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, sceptical. "That's it? You're not even a sensory ninja! I mean, I'd understand if you could sense the Nine-Tails' chakra or if the fox ratted me out, but this? What, is this 'women's intuition' or something?"
Kushina chuckled and shook her head. "Nope, the Nine-Tails has been busy lately. He's locked himself in and hasn't been talking much. Kami knows what he's up to."
"Busy? That's weird… Is he hosting a secret meeting with the other Tailed Beasts or something?"
Kushina shrugged, deciding to respect the fox's privacy. "Who knows? He'll tell us when he's ready. In the meantime, it's been a bit quiet without him complaining in the background."
When the two returned home, Minato was already aware of the outcome of Naruto's mission, though he didn't mention anything about deducting Naruto's reward.
Instead, he said, "Well, Naruto, I didn't expect you'd be discovered that way, but no matter. I've got something urgent to handle, and then I'll take you somewhere."
"Got it! I'll check in on Kakashi-sensei first and then meet you at the training ground," Naruto replied eagerly.
Before leaving, Naruto carefully prepared a small condolence gift for Kakashi. He spent time on it, confident his sensei would appreciate it.
---
As Naruto headed toward the hospital, he bumped literally into Tsunade.
"First a casual collision, now a neck grab… perfect," Naruto muttered as Tsunade glared at him. Trying to escape her grip, he offered a sheepish greeting, "Good morning…"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, her hands on her hips. "Good morning, huh? And what did you promise me yesterday?"
"I promised not to report to you unless you lost everything," Naruto replied with confidence, straightening his back. "And since the police force hasn't come knocking, I guess you haven't lost it all yet."
Tsunade huffed and tilted her head. "Hmph, thanks to you, I actually saved this month's wine money."
Naruto stared at her suspiciously. "Isn't that a good thing? Maybe you should get Shizune to manage your budget. It's pretty harsh to keep using her money for booze, you know."
"Quiet, brat! I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let it slide," Tsunade declared, spinning on her heel and walking away.
Watching her retreat, Naruto muttered, "Drinking this early in the morning? Bet there's another shady casino waiting for her."
Tsunade's stride faltered momentarily before she quickened her pace.
Naruto smirked and proceeded to Kakashi's ward, where he spotted Shizune exiting with a washbasin in hand.
"Shizune-sensei, how's Kakashi-sensei doing?"
"He's recovering well," Shizune replied cheerfully. "Your visit should cheer him up."
Naruto knocked gently on the door. "Kakashi-sensei, it's me!"
"Come in," came Kakashi's neutral voice.
Naruto stepped inside, grinning as he saw Kakashi propped up against the bed, gazing out the window with an air of boredom. "Sensei, I'm here to see you!"
"Thanks, Naruto," Kakashi said, still not turning to face him. "How's your test going?"
"It failed, of course." Naruto waved it off nonchalantly. "But that's not important. I brought you a gift!"
"Oh?" Kakashi's interest was piqued. "Just leave it on the table."
Naruto dragged his words teasingly. "Oh, it's very special… something meaningful, too."
Kakashi's ears perked up as he finally turned to look. "Naruto, it's not… that, is it?"
Naruto smirked and handed him a book with a familiar cover.
Kakashi's eyes lit up. "This… This is exactly what I needed! Naruto, you're the best student ever!"
"Of course, sensei. Take your time. I have to head out now."
Kakashi eagerly opened the book but froze as he flipped through the pages. His face turned pale as realization struck. Peeling off the fake cover, he gritted his teeth. "Naruto… you little brat!"
The "book" was actually a childhood picture book from the Land of Snow a keepsake Kakashi had given Naruto on his third birthday. Though it held sentimental value, it wasn't what Kakashi wanted now.
Naruto, already out of earshot, smirked as he imagined Kakashi's reaction. "I really am a thoughtful student," he chuckled to himself.
---
Naruto arrived at the training ground early, finding a tree to sit under. The summer sunlight filtered gently through the leaves, warming him as he leaned back and yawned. The early morning chase with Kushina had left him more tired than he realized.
Before long, he drifted into a peaceful sleep.
When Minato arrived, he found his son sleeping soundly beneath the tree. Smiling softly, Minato sat down beside him. By chance, Naruto stirred in his sleep and leaned over, resting his head on Minato's shoulder.
Minato remained still, savouring the quiet moment with his son.
----
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