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Naruto always thought of himself as a strong ninja. No matter what hardships he faced, he could always smile through them.
But today… he cried.
Tears flowed uncontrollably from his eyes, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop them. He wiped his face again and again, but more tears kept coming.
For the first time, he knew his parents' names.
For the first time, he knew what they looked like.
For the first time, he heard stories about them, what they were like, and how they lived.
But most importantly… for the first time, he felt the gaze of his parents.
It was different from Iruka-sensei's. Different from Pervy Sage's. Different from Tsunade-baachan's, or Kakashi-sensei's.
This was the gaze of parents looking at their children something Naruto had longed for his entire life.
He had never experienced it before.
But the moment their eyes met, he knew if I had parents, they would definitely look at me like this.
If this is a dream… please, let me sleep just a little longer.
Naruto threw himself into Minato and Kushina's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. His shoulders shook as years of pent-up loneliness, and longing spilt out.
Minato gently stroked his hair, letting Naruto rub his tear-streaked face against his clothes.
Kushina softly patted his back.
Though this Naruto was from another world, she and Minato couldn't see him as a stranger.
After what felt like forever, Naruto finally cried himself out. Looking up at them, he hiccupped and choked out, "C-can I… can I call you…?"
Minato tilted his head slightly as if he already knew what Naruto was trying to say. He smiled warmly and answered without hesitation, "Of course."
His gentle voice soothed Naruto's heart.
Naruto looked at their encouraging expressions. His mouth opened and closed, but every time he tried to speak, his nose stung, and the words got stuck in his throat.
He had called out those words countless times in his heart, but now, at the moment he could finally say them, they wouldn't come out.
"I… I…"
Seeing Naruto's struggle, Minato reassured him, "It's okay, no need to rush. We'll have plenty of time together. How about we go home first?"
"That's right! Tonight, I'll make you a proper home-cooked meal!" Kushina flexed her arm, grinning.
Home. A meal cooked by Mom.
Naruto sniffled and nodded firmly. "Yeah!"
The three of them left the office together. Minato deliberately walked at a slower pace, giving Naruto time to take in the sights of the village and calm his emotions.
Due to the butterfly effect, many parts of Konoha looked different from the village Naruto remembered. There were many unfamiliar faces in the streets, but the biggest difference was… the attitude of the villagers.
Wherever they went, people smiled at the family warmly, greeting them with genuine kindness. Many even went out of their way to say hello to Naruto specifically, their faces filled with gratitude.
Naruto, still unused to such treatment, stiffly nodded and smiled back, mimicking Minato.
"Why are they… treating me—no, the other me—so kindly?" he asked.
"Because of everything he's done for them," Minato explained. "After certain events, he protected many people. Their gratitude is real."
"He protected the village?" Naruto wanted to ask more, but before he could ask—
"Huff… huff…"
Three… exotic individuals appeared before them, each carrying six large bags of rice on their shoulders, panting heavily.
"Lord Fourth! Lady Kushina! And Naruto-kun, good afternoon!"
Despite speaking, they continued jogging in place, refusing to stop moving.
A fourth person, walking calmly beside them, gave a respectful bow.
"Father, Mother," Kimimaro greeted. "And… Naruto. Have you just returned? I'm glad you're safe."
Apparently, the three runners had long since outgrown low-level missions, but a devious rice merchant had convinced them that this was an excellent way to train, earn money, and help the economy all at the same time.
The three had happily accepted.
Kimimaro didn't stop them. It was better than the absurd training methods they usually came up with themselves. But he did plan to have a "chat" with that merchant later.
Minato nodded. "Naruto's situation is complicated. I'll explain everything later tonight. You all carry on with your training."
With a blur, the group dashed off.
Naruto stood frozen.
"Three thick eyebrows…? No, wait, their eyebrows aren't even that thick. And… was that Kimimaro?! Why is he—?"
"Ahaha! A lot has happened." Kushina giggled and began telling Naruto about all the unexpected changes in this world. She also told him about Karin and Haku, so he wouldn't be too shocked when they got home.
Naruto didn't know what to feel. Should I be happy?
People who were supposed to die… hadn't.
People who should have been enemies… were now family.
He glanced at Minato's profile.
Is this man… capable of anything?
As they walked, they compared the differences between their worlds and shared their favourite foods. Before long, they arrived home.
Unlike the old, broken-down apartment Naruto had lived in all his life, this house belonged entirely to their family.
Neatly arranged trees lined the yard. A well-maintained fence surrounded the property. The garden was tidy and welcoming.
A wooden swing hung in the yard, swaying gently in the breeze. Various training tools were carefully arranged nearby. A section of the ground was marked by white lines, evidence of Naruto and Kimimaro's sparring matches from childhood.
Leading Naruto upstairs, Minato opened the door and, together with Kushina, cheerfully called out—
"We're home!"
Inside, Haku and Karin sat in the living room, studying ninjutsu scrolls.
Karin, restless as always, fidgeted and asked Haku random questions. Other times, she simply zoned out, staring at the table absentmindedly.
Hearing the door open, they quickly stood up.
"Welcome home!" they responded in unison.
Minato removed his shoes and hung up his Hokage robe. Kushina did the same with her flak jacket, both moving naturally into the house until they noticed Naruto had stopped at the entrance.
"Naruto?" Kushina asked, concerned.
Haku and Karin also turned to him, puzzled.
Naruto stared at his feet, hesitating.
Finally, he lifted his head and, in a small voice, murmured—
"…I'm home."
Minato and Kushina blinked, then exchanged a glance.
Smiling, they replied in unison—
"Welcome home."
Naruto's eyes burned again.
His chest tightened, and his heart pounded.
Something inside him ached a longing finally fulfilled.
As if trying to reassure himself, he clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and said it again, this time louder.
"I'M HOME!"
Even though they didn't fully understand what was happening, Haku and Karin quickly joined in.
And this time, the response came from four voices at once—
"Welcome home!"
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