"Ryoma, you're back so early?"
"Mm."
Ryoma nodded, reaching out to ruffle Kushina's hair.
"Nasty!"
Kushina blushed and swatted away his teasing hand. "Have you met your students yet?"
Changing his sandals at the door, Ryoma replied, "Yeah. One's named Obito, one is Rin, and the last is Kakashi."
"Kakashi? I know him—he's that prodigy, the son of the White Fang!"
Ryoma raised a brow. "You actually know about him?"
"Hmph, of course I do! You think I don't know anything?"
Kushina puffed her cheeks but quickly softened, standing by Ryoma's side like a timid kitten.
"Come inside."
Ryoma naturally took Kushina's hand. She flushed but didn't pull away.
"What about the other two?" she asked softly.
"One's from the Uchiha clan. The other's from the Nohara family."
"Ryoma, your students are all amazing—Konoha's White Fang's son, and even an Uchiha."
"They're strong," Ryoma admitted with a nod.
The moment he stepped further in, Tsunade's booming voice cut through the air. "Oi, brat! You still haven't proposed to Kushina yet? Stop stalling already!"
Kushina immediately pulled her hand back, face crimson. Ryoma clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to smack Tsunade.
Tsunade grinned wider. "What? It's true! Kushina's the next jinchūriki of the Uzumaki clan. Whoever ends up as her partner better be prepared."
Ryoma only chuckled faintly when Uzumaki Mito emerged from within the house.
"Ryoma, you're already a jōnin. Were you sleeping through the meeting yesterday?"
Tsunade's eyes went wide. "What?! He's a jōnin already? But he hasn't even been promoted to chūnin yet! Since when do we skip ranks in Konoha? And the Third agreed to this?"
Mito ignored her granddaughter's outrage and simply said, "Come inside. Dinner's ready."
As they sat eating, Tsunade continued to grumble about Ryoma breaking the long-standing promotion rules of the village.
Ryoma only smiled faintly. "Rules are made by people. Naturally, they can be broken by people. Isn't that normal?"
Tsunade scowled, but before she could retort, Orochimaru appeared at the doorway.
"Tsunade. To the hospital. Now. Emergency case."
Without hesitation, Tsunade dropped her chopsticks and left. Saving lives always came first.
Ryoma's sharp ears picked up Orochimaru's quiet whisper to her as they departed—something had happened in Kirigakure.
Kirigakure?
His mind immediately went to the incident tied to the Three-Tails and Rin's tragic fate. Back then, Madara had manipulated the Third Mizukage, sealing Isobu into Rin and planning to send her back to Konoha as a living bomb. To protect the village, Kakashi himself had been forced to strike her down.
The scheme carried Madara's stench all over it…
Ryoma's thoughts darkened, but Kushina gently interrupted, placing a piece of meat into his bowl.
"Ryoma, tomorrow will be your first time leading a genin squad. You'd better think carefully about how you'll train them."
"I know, Kushina," he said with a smile.
But inwardly, he thought: This is the beginning of the Third Great Ninja War…
In truth, it had already begun—few realized it yet. Otherwise, children like Kakashi, Obito, and Rin wouldn't be pushed to grow up so quickly.
The so-called twenty-year peace treaty Danzō signed with the Cloud was nothing but an illusion. Ryoma never once believed such agreements would hold.
The next morning, Ryoma was still fast asleep when a familiar voice shrilled into his dreams.
"Ryoma!"
He cracked one eye open groggily, scanning the figure in front of him just in case his sleepy mind misrecognized them.
It was Kushina, hands on her hips and cheeks puffed in frustration.
"How many times have I called you? You're still in bed? Do you know what time it is? You're going to be late meeting your students!"
Ryoma yawned. "It's still early. No rush."
Even after he washed up, Kushina kept nagging at his back. "Hurry up already! You're really going to be late!"
She couldn't understand why he was always so lazy in the mornings.
But before she could press him further, Ryoma suddenly reached out and caught her hand.
"What are you—?"
Kushina's cheeks flushed a deep red.
Ryoma had been thinking all night, especially about what Tsunade had teased him with at dinner. She was right—Kushina was shy, and if he wanted to move things forward, it was his responsibility as the man to take the first step.
"Kushina," he said firmly, "I like you. Will you marry me?"
Her crimson eyes widened, sparkling as she stared at him. "Are you… proposing?"
Ryoma froze. Wait—wasn't that what I just did?
Kushina's chest tightened at his silence. This blockhead! Who proposes like that?
People prepared rings, flowers, something romantic. If she accepted him so casually, wouldn't it feel… cheap?
Ryoma scratched his head and spoke again, more directly. "Kushina, I'm proposing to you right now. Promise me, will you?"
Kushina couldn't hold back a laugh. She reached out, poked his arm, and muttered, "You idiot! Couldn't you at least bring me flowers?"
Ryoma's eyes lit up. He slapped his forehead. "Ah, right! What was I thinking?"
With a loud puff, a shadow clone appeared behind him and darted out of the house. Moments later, it returned holding a bouquet of roses.
Kushina giggled as she accepted the flowers, her smile brighter than the sun. "Hmph. Fine. I'll marry you!" she said in a teasing tone, but her eyes betrayed her overflowing joy.
Then she added, "But… you still need Grandma Mito's permission. She's my elder."
At that moment, Uzumaki Mito stepped into the room, her expression gentle. "I already agree," she said warmly.
"Grandma Mito!" Kushina rushed over to her side, tugging on her sleeve with an embarrassed pout. "You were eavesdropping on us!"
Mito chuckled, her gaze soft as she looked at the young couple. "Seeing the two of you together like this truly gladdens my heart. As your elder, I couldn't be more pleased."
She gave a small nod of finality. "Your marriage is settled."
Kushina's head lowered shyly, her face burning crimson. To think… I'm really going to marry Ryoma, just like that…
Ryoma's chest swelled with a strange mix of joy and responsibility. So this is love…
Not only joy—but also the weight of protecting her, no matter what. She was his, and he would never let go.
Kushina suddenly gasped, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Ryoma! Hurry! If you don't leave now, you'll be late!"