After Minato Namikaze returned home, a gentle smile rose on his face as he saw Miyuki Uzumaki bustling about in the kitchen, humming softly while preparing dinner.
"I'm home," Minato said warmly.
Miyuki turned around with a bright smile. "Welcome back. Dinner will be ready soon—just a little longer. Did the Third Hokage summon you for a mission?"
Minato shook his head, eyes calm but proud. "Not exactly. He asked me to become the Fourth Hokage."
Miyuki froze in place, staring at him blankly.
Minato waved a hand in front of her face. "Miyuki? What's wrong?"
Suddenly snapping out of it, Miyuki let out an excited squeal, quickly tore off her apron, and dashed toward the door.
Minato raised an eyebrow, bemused. "Where are you going?"
"I'm buying more ingredients! We need to celebrate!"
Minato chuckled, following after her. "Alright, I'll go with you."
---
At Chi Yu's home.
Uzumaki Kushina stared wide-eyed at the table loaded with dishes.
"Chi Yu... you made all of this?"
Even Kakashi, standing beside her, looked stunned.
Chi Yu had cooked for them before—on missions or during field operations—but his meals then were barely edible. Serviceable, but certainly not flavorful. Presentation? Nonexistent.
But this? This was on a different level entirely. Colorful, fragrant, perfectly plated.
Chi Yu smiled, modest but teasing. "Of course I made them. You've always taken care of the cooking, Kushina. I never got the chance to show off."
Then, without warning, he smacked Kakashi lightly on the head. "Quit staring like that. You think I had time to make proper meals in the middle of a war?"
Kakashi rubbed his head, pouting. Why does Kushina get gentle explanations and I get whacked? He hadn't even said anything!
Kushina had already grabbed her chopsticks and taken a bite.
"Mmm!" she exclaimed, eyes sparkling. "This is amazing!"
Chi Yu's smile widened. "Then eat as much as you like."
Kushina playfully punched his arm. "You really hid this well! I thought you could barely boil rice!"
Chi Yu kept smiling, though he winced a little inside. That punch, innocent as it looked, came from someone with Uzumaki-level strength. He was pretty sure she just bruised him.
As the meal continued, Kushina and Kakashi ate with gusto. Chi Yu, however, sat there watching Kushina with a gentle, almost bittersweet smile.
Kushina paused mid-bite, cheeks puffed out adorably. She tilted her head and asked, "Mmm... Chi Yu, why aren't you eating?"
Without warning, Chi Yu said, "Kushina, let's get married."
Kushina blinked. "Mm? Marry this dish?"
Kakashi choked violently, nearly spitting his food. His eyes bulged in disbelief.
A moment later, realization dawned on Kushina's face. Her cheeks flushed crimson—and then she started coughing, choking on her food.
Chi Yu immediately leaned over, patting her back with concern.
After she finally managed to swallow, she grabbed his sleeve, eyes blazing. "Say that again!"
Chi Yu met her gaze and, for the first time, looked deadly serious. "We've been together for over ten years. My future wife can only be you. So... will you marry me?"
Kushina bit her lip, eyes welling up. Then she nodded, tears running down her cheeks. "I will!"
She threw her arms around him and began sobbing into his shirt.
Chi Yu rubbed her back gently. "This is a happy occasion, y'know. Why the tears?"
"These are tears of joy!" she sniffled, wiping her face on his clothes.
Chi Yu chuckled, eyes soft.
Meanwhile, Kakashi looked like a man who had accidentally walked into a melodrama.
Why was I even invited...?
He glanced at the untouched dishes, then back at the couple, and let out a sigh.
---
Later that night, on the streets of Konoha.
Kakashi walked alone, his expression gloomy.
He came for food. Instead, he got force-fed a mountain of emotional "dog food."
If I'd known this would happen, he grumbled internally, I would've eaten everything before they started getting all mushy...
---
Inside Orochimaru's lab.
Danzo stood with arms crossed, looking displeased.
"It went just as Hiruzen planned," he growled.
Across the room, Orochimaru continued working, his hands deep in a series of delicate experimental procedures. "Indeed. The Third intends to use Minato as a figurehead. A puppet Hokage, with his own influence operating from the shadows."
Thanks to Chi Yu's earlier analysis, Orochimaru had already anticipated this. He felt no surprise—nor disappointment.
He was never interested in the Hokage title. It was power, not position, that mattered.
Danzo paced, face grim. "If things continue like this, Konoha will become soft. We'll lose our edge."
Orochimaru finally turned around, a wicked smirk playing at the edges of his lips. "Don't be so hasty. This research… once perfected, will let us control power itself. At that point, the title of Hokage will be irrelevant."
Danzo narrowed his eyes. "We'll use any means necessary when the time is right. But we must be patient."
The research in question was the reactivation of the Hashirama Cell Project—abandoned after too many test subjects died.
After the First Hokage's death, Wood Release, the only reliable method to restrain Tailed Beasts like the Nine-Tails sealed in Kushina, was lost. Hiruzen had poured massive resources into replicating it, but the human cost had grown too high.
The project was buried, labeled forbidden.
Now, Orochimaru wanted to restart it.
Logically, Danzo should have supported him without hesitation. But even he had limits—or at least, better instincts for timing.
That hesitation intrigued Orochimaru.
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