Even Minato was left completely speechless.
How could his girlfriend say such confusing and strange things?
Unlike Kushina, who tended to be a little too straightforward and careless, Minato was able to tell immediately that Asahi was a boy.
Though… he had to admit, if this young boy were to let his hair grow long, he really would look even more like a beautiful young girl…
He even found himself imagining what Asahi would look like with long hair – and to his surprise, he realized that he would look quite similar to how Kushina had looked when she was a little girl…
Could it be…?
He quickly pushed this strange thought out of his mind.
Minato was naturally a gentle and kind person, so he apologized sincerely to Asahi.
“I’m very sorry.
She’s just not very good at expressing herself clearly, and she certainly didn’t mean any harm or insult by it…”
“…” Kushina herself finally realized just how foolish and silly she had sounded, and her face immediately turned bright red with embarrassment.
But she had a bold and open personality and didn’t let such things bother her for long.
Instead, she threw her head back and laughed loudly.
“Hahaha!
You have to understand, you’re just so… well, so cute and charming, that’s why I made that mistake…”
“I’m really sorry, I am.
Let me treat you to some dango as a way of making it up to you, okay?”
Perhaps it was because they shared the same distinctive red hair, or maybe it was simply because Asahi was so good-looking and adorable, but Kushina found herself feeling inexplicably fond of him and well-disposed toward him.
Of course, it could also simply be that being attractive and cute brought you special treatment and kindness wherever you went.
It was the same rule no matter which world you lived in.
“I’m not angry or upset at all,” Asahi said, waving his hand casually.
“And you really don’t need to treat me to anything – I haven’t lost anything or suffered any harm, after all.”
Watching Asahi’s calm and composed mannerisms, Kushina’s eyes lit up with delight.
She walked forward and gently ruffled the top of his head while laughing happily.
“You look and act just like a little grown-up!
Are you trying to copy the way your parents or older family members behave?
You really are just too cute for words!”
Asahi: “…”
Slap!
Asahi immediately swatted her hand away.
He loved patting and touching other people’s heads, but he absolutely hated it when other people did the same to him – after all, he wasn’t really a young child no matter what his age was.
He frowned slightly and said, “Young lady, please treat me with a little more respect and courtesy.
Otherwise, I’m going to start shouting and making a fuss – and picking on small children isn’t something to be proud of or brag about, is it?”
“Young lady?” Kushina had never heard anyone use this way of addressing her before.
She found Asahi more interesting and charming with every word he spoke, and she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“Hehe… you really are such an interesting little guy!”
Minato smiled quietly to himself.
He also found Asahi quite special and unique.
His behavior and way of speaking sometimes seemed far too mature and wise for someone of his age, and yet at other times he acted exactly like a normal child his age would.
It was a very strange and difficult feeling to describe.
Kushina stopped teasing him and spoke with a friendly smile.
“Come on now, tell me your name!
We both have red hair, you know – this must be fate bringing us together!”
Building a good relationship with these two certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing, so Asahi had no objection to getting to know them better. The source of this chapter is g.com.
“My name is Asahi.
And you, young lady… you also have red hair.
Are you by any chance from the Uzumaki clan?”
What was the best way to approach them?
Of course!
It had to be through the Uzumaki connection!
“You actually know about the Uzumaki clan?” Kushina was taken aback for a moment, and her expression changed slightly as she asked, “Could it be that you are also from the Uzumaki clan yourself?”
“…” Minato’s eyes also flickered with surprise.
So his earlier guess had been correct?
Was this young boy in front of him really a member of the Uzumaki clan, just like Kushina!?
Asahi looked at Kushina and shrugged his shoulders casually.
“I’m not sure.
But the reason I was able to come to Konoha is because Lord Third Hokage thought there was a possibility I might be from the Uzumaki clan.
Red hair seems to be one of the ways to identify us, right?
That’s why I asked you the moment I saw you.”
Meeting Minato and Kushina had been a complete coincidence.
And the topic of conversation felt so natural that there was no risk of anyone suspecting he had any hidden agenda or ulterior motive.
Not that he had any bad intentions anyway… he mostly just wanted to get close to them and use their influence as a stepping stone, that’s all…
“Red hair is indeed one of the most distinctive traits of the Uzumaki clan!” Kushina immediately felt an even stronger sense of closeness and affection toward Asahi.
Someone who might actually be her kinsman!
How could she not be excited about that?
Especially since he was also so incredibly cute and charming!
Kushina smiled broadly and said, “That’s right!
Big sister here is definitely a member of the Uzumaki clan!”
Standing beside her, Minato chimed in at the perfect moment.
“Asahi, you said you don’t know for sure if you are from the Uzumaki clan?
Has Lord Hokage or your guardians not confirmed it yet?”
He had already guessed most of what had happened.
Asahi’s situation was probably very similar to what Kushina had gone through herself…
Asahi shook his head.
“I’m just a little kid.
Do you really think adults would sit down and discuss serious matters like this with me?
That kind of thing is way above my pay grade, you know.”
“But Uncle Shinku, who adopted me, believes that I am a descendant of the Uzumaki clan.
Whether it’s actually true or not… I really don’t know.”
He was just a child after all; there was no way he would be told all the details.
He didn’t even know what the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, really thought about him.
That was information on a level he simply couldn’t access yet.
If it wasn’t true, it didn’t matter much to him.
But if it was true… then that would be even better!
“Uncle Shinku?” Hearing this name, Minato was slightly surprised.
Could it be the same Shinku-senpai that he knew?
“Asahi!
Asahi, I’m back!” Just then, Yūhi came running out of the shop holding several sticks of three-colored dango in her hand.
The first thing she noticed were Minato and Kushina standing right next to Asahi.
She looked surprised and confused.
Asahi, who are these people?”
Asahi replied simply, “I don’t know.
They haven’t told me yet.”
Yūhi looked even more puzzled.
“You don’t know them?
Then what do they want?”
“Ah… right!” Minato finally realized that he and Kushina hadn’t even introduced themselves properly yet.
He smiled warmly and said, “I’m so sorry, we almost forgot.
I am a Jōnin of Konoha, my name is Namikaze Minato.”
He pointed toward Kushina and continued, “And this is my girlfriend, she is also a Konoha Jōnin.
Her name is Uzumaki Kushina.”
Kushina smiled and nodded, looking at Yūhi.
She thought to herself that this was also such a cute little sister…
Wait, no.
She shouldn’t say “also” because Asahi wasn’t a little sister.
“Uzumaki?” Yūhi recognized that surname immediately.
Her father believed that Asahi was from the Uzumaki clan.
So there were actually other members of the Uzumaki clan here in Konoha?
Wait a minute… were they here to take Asahi away?
The moment this thought crossed her mind, Yūhi immediately spread her arms wide and stood protectively in front of Asahi, shielding him like a mother hen protecting her chick.
She looked up at the two adults with eyes full of suspicion and wariness.
“Are you here to take Asahi away?
I won’t let you!
Asahi is my older brother, and he belongs to the Yūhi family!!”
Asahi had only just promised her that he would never leave them.
How could something happen like this so soon?
She had to be on guard!
“Aww, you really are adorable!
Standing up to protect your big brother like this~~” Seeing Yūhi’s actions, Kushina couldn’t help but laugh and find her even more charming.
Kushina smiled gently and reassured her, “But don’t worry, we’re not here to take your brother away.
We aren’t bad people, I promise.”
“Really?” Yūhi didn’t look convinced at all and muttered quietly under her breath, “Bad people never go around saying they are bad people, do they?”
The Yūhi family… so it really is Shinku-senpai.
Hearing Yūhi speak, Minato now understood exactly who Asahi and Yūhi were.
Asahi gently pulled on Yūhi’s sleeve and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
“Relax.
Look, they wear the Konoha headband, so they are ninja from our village.
They won’t do anything bad to us.
And besides… I already told you I’m not going anywhere, right?”
This little girl really was taking things way too seriously…
“Schedule”
Monday – Friday – Update 3 Chapters a Day
Saturday – Sunday – Off