Kushina flashed a look of realization and laughed, "Hello, I'm Kushina, nice to meet you."
"I'm Nara Shikaku, pleased to meet you as well," Shikaku replied, looking somewhat uncomfortable.
His discomfort stemmed mainly from the legendary tales of Kushina's fiery temper that persisted throughout the school. He'd always heard from other students how fierce Kushina could be, so his nerves in finally meeting her were understandable.
"I'm Uchiha Mikoto," Mikoto introduced herself next.
Compared to Kushina, Shikaku felt Mikoto might be easier to get along with since she was known for her gentle demeanor during their school days.
Is it my imagination, or does this guy with the ponytail seem a bit scared of me? Am I really that frightening? Kushina wondered, observing that Shikaku seemed perfectly normal when interacting with Mikoto but somewhat intimidated by her.
Kushina's gaze towards Shikaku shifted slightly—there was a hint of murderous intent.
While engaged in a conversation about recent events with Takuya, Shikaku suddenly felt a chill down his spine and instinctively turned around, only to meet Kushina's fist-clenched, hair-floating fierce demeanor.
I haven't done anything wrong, have I? Is the fiery Kushina about to explode? Is this directed at me?
"Cough, cough, alright, Kushina, Shikaku is visiting for the first time; you're scaring him," Takuya intervened just in time, seeing Shikaku almost ready to bolt, possibly fearing a beating was imminent.
"What happened? Who upset Kushina?" Noticing the tension in the living room, Minato shook off the water from his hands and rushed out from the kitchen.
He was immediately met with Kushina's nearly blazing gaze.
"...."
"The vegetables aren't washed yet; I'll go back to washing. You all carry on, carry on."
Decisively, Minato retreated back to the kitchen, acting as if he hadn't seen anything, implying it was none of his concern.
Seriously... Shikaku was dumbfounded by Minato's exaggerated escape.
"Alright, let's go get the desserts out," Mikoto, always understanding, smiled and pulled Kushina away.
Crisis averted.
Phew... Shikaku thought, I really shouldn't have come. The fiery Kushina is too dangerous. I must stay away from her in the future.
After the meal, which Shikaku ate with his heart in his throat and sweat on his brow, he quickly found an excuse to leave, looking as if something dreadful was chasing him.
I never want to see him again! If you invite such a friend next time, I'll beat you up!! Kushina fumed internally, the meal leaving her with a simmering anger.
She felt something was off. It seemed as if Shikaku was deliberately avoiding her, always dodging around. Am I a monster? How dare he!
"Ahaha... well, I've got something else to do, I'll head out first, see you tomorrow!" Originally planning to drag Takuya along for training, Minato thought it wise to make a quick exit, lest Kushina actually start throwing punches.
"You're lucky you're fast!" Kushina snorted and flicked her nose, clearly unhappy.
It took some persuasion from Mikoto to finally calm her down.
"Father, Yagami Takuya has refused, not even giving me a chance to persuade him," Fugaku reported, kneeling ashamedly in front of the Uchiha clan head, his head bowed.
He didn't dare look up at his father, fearful of seeing disappointment.
Glancing at his trembling son, the Uchiha clan head spoke evenly, "If his mother were still alive, there might have been a chance, but unfortunately..."
He shook his head and poured himself a cup of tea.
"You needn't worry about this matter anymore. Focus on taking over the police force. Our Uchiha clan won't decline just because we lost one genius. I believe he will come around one day, after all, no one understands the Sharingan better than us Uchihas."
"But what about the elder's opinion..."
"Idiot!!" The clan head slammed his tea cup onto the table, sternly chiding, "Your concern should be how to take charge of the police force and how to convince its members to follow you, not the elder's opinions."
"Yes."
Fugaku kept his head even lower after being scolded.
With his son chastised, the Uchiha clan head felt somewhat appeased.
"Go talk with Mikoto's mother at her house. Tell her I suggest her daughter join the police force."
If they couldn't sway Yagami Takuya, why not pull Mikoto into the police force? As long as Mikoto was part of the police force, Takuya wouldn't openly oppose the Uchihas, unless they provoked him first. After all, the Uchihas had only refused to let him return, without actually harming him.
With Mikoto and her mother's maneuvering, even if Takuya continued to rise, he wouldn't likely cause trouble for the Uchihas in the future.
What did it matter if Takuya held some grudges against the Uchihas? Could the leading ninja clan of the village really fear one child?
"Yes, I will visit immediately."
Fugaku breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how many times he faced his father, he always felt nervous, always worried about disappointing him.
In the dead of night, Fugaku, carrying gifts, set out to visit Mikoto's home, conveying the clan leader's intentions.
How should I convince Mikoto? At the same time, Takuya was at home, troubled by the same issue.
With the new war breaking out, even if Sunagakure's ninjas flooded into the Land of Fire, they would eventually be driven out. Konoha would never allow the battlefield to reach its doorstep.
Pushing the battlefield into the Land of Wind was a certainty; if not, then into the Land of Rivers.
Sooner or later, whether at the River Country or Rain Country battlegrounds, Takuya might be deployed to either. The village wouldn't let him idle away his days doing nothing.
Takuya wasn't afraid of war, but he needed to consider those around him, like Mikoto.
Minato might well look after himself on the battlefield, under Jiraiya's watchful eye, but if Mikoto were to be deployed to the front lines with him, she could face many dangers.
Thus, Takuya hoped she could stay in the village, or, to be straightforward, join the police force first.
Joining the police force would ensure that even if the village called up ninjas, they wouldn't call on her.
It was a good plan, but convincing Mikoto was another matter altogether. Takuya feared she might explode the moment he broached the subject.
*****
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