Inside the classroom, lunch carried on with its usual hum. The chatter had thinned since most students had rushed to the cafeteria, leaving only a handful still eating quietly at their desks.
Minato sat in his usual calm way, the last rice ball between his hands. He chewed slowly, thoughtful, his gaze drifting once toward the empty seat near the back. Kushina's.
He'd seen her run off earlier, heard the laughter ripple after her, and it sat wrong with him. He pressed his lips together, lowering his eyes to the rice ball. 'She puts on such a fiery front… but no one should have to face that kind of bullying. Not on their first day.'
A few feet away, Mikoto whispered to Sayomi, careful not to be overheard.
"She looked upset… did you see her run out?"
Sayomi fiddled with the edge of her bento box, eyes downcast. "…I think she just needs a friend."
Minato smiled faintly at their words, finishing the last bite of his rice ball. 'Maybe so… someday, I'll talk to her too.'
The academy cafeteria sat at the far edge of the building — not really big, more like a bakery corner with sliding glass panels and the warm scent of bread drifting out into the corridor. Students were already crowded around, chattering, trading tickets, waving their ryō in excitement.
Kushina's footsteps were steady at first, her small hands clenched into fists at her sides. The smell of baked bread made her stomach tighten, and her violet eyes locked on the display counter.
Behind the counter stood a young woman in her twenties, her hair tied neatly back, apron spotless. She spotted Kushina immediately. Her gaze lingered — red hair, bright and impossible to miss. Her lips pressed into a polite smile, but her eyes softened knowingly. She'd already heard the children whispering before the girl had even arrived:
"That's the Uzumaki kid."
"She's an outsider… weird, right?"
"They say she's from another village."
Kushina pressed her lips together and stepped closer, raising her chin just slightly to hide her nerves.
"Excuse me… do you have any red bean paste bun left?"
The bakery lady glanced toward the trays stacked neatly behind her. A few of the buns, still warm, sat in plain sight. She hesitated — then shook her head gently. 'The owner said to not give it to a weird kid today... sorry child but I have to lie so that I won't lose my job.'
"I'm sorry, dear. We've run out."
Kushina blinked once, frozen for a moment. Her hands twitched at her sides. She nodded quickly, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"O-okay… thanks."
She turned away, her small sandals scuffing lightly against the wooden corridor. The crowd around the counter parted easily, their curious eyes following her. A few whispers rose again — low, but piercing enough.
"She wanted the sweet buns?"
"Red hair and a sweet tooth, huh."
"Bet she's trouble."
Kushina's stomach growled audibly, betraying her brave front. She froze mid-step, cheeks flushing. 'Ughhh! Not now, stomach!' She gripped her shirt over her belly. 'Maybe… maybe I'll just eat something else instead. Anything will do.'
Her mind made up, she turned sharply on her heel, heading back toward the counter. But as she rounded the corner — she froze.
The lady was smiling softly at a pair of younger boys, sliding two warm red bean paste buns across the counter.
"There you go. Eat up while it's still warm."
The boys grinned, tearing into the bread as they walked away without a thought.
Kushina's violet eyes widened. The air in her lungs burned as if she'd swallowed smoke. 'So there were few buns left… She lied to me… because I'm an outsider?'
Her hand trembled at her side. She bit down hard on her lower lip, willing the tears not to fall. 'Don't cry. Don't cry here. Not in front of them. You'll just look weak again… stupid, stupid!'
She spun around on her heel and broke into a run, her sandals slapping against the wooden floor. Past the laughing students, past the chatter of coins and tickets. She didn't stop until she burst out the side door into the garden.
The academy garden stretched wide, dotted with simple flowers — daisies, lilies, tiny violet buds. Kushina dropped down onto the grass, hugging her knees to her chest.
Her stomach growled again, but she pressed her forehead against her arms, hiding her expression.
'I just wanted… one stupid peice of bun. Is that too much? Why is it always like this… no matter where I go? Why do they always push me away?'
Her small shoulders trembled once, but she squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the tears back. Anger burned hotter than sadness.
"Fine. I don't need them. I'll show them by becoming a hokage. One day, they'll all regret this, ya know…!"
Meanwhile, in another corridor of the academy—
Asteru stretched his arms lazily as he strolled out of class, the faint buzz of lunchtime chatter fading behind him. His hands slid into his pockets, his pace casual.
"Well… that was fun. Shared my second rice ball with Minato like a cool guy, smacked that idiot earlier, kept my rep up… not bad." He amused to himself, "but the whistle thing failed so badly, I should have known that I can't whistle as a child yet."
He fished a few coins from his pocket, letting them jingle softly in his palm. 100 ryō. He flipped them once, catching them smoothly.
"Let's see… maybe I'll buy something sweet for myself to cheer myself. Been a while since I ate at the cafeteria... that bald uncle would not even let me have what I want just because I'm a little weird..."
As he turned the corner toward the cafeteria, the sight stopped him mid-step. Kushina. She was there, standing stiff as stone at the counter, then spinning on her heel, running away with that look — he caught just a glimpse of her face, her clenched jaw, and the way she practically bolted down the corridor.
Asteru's brows knit together faintly. 'The hell was that about…?'
He slowed, eyes narrowing as he glanced back at the bakery lady. The woman was already handing a red bean paste bread to another student, cheerful as ever.
Asteru exhaled through his nose, irritation flickering in his chest as he peiced the scene together. 'So she lied to her. Just because she was an outsider? Tch… what a pain. She didn't even hide it well...'
He shoved his coins back into his pocket and stepped toward the counter.
"Red bean paste bread... bun. Got any?"
The lady looked up, startled by his blunt tone. Then she smiled politely. "Ah, yes, we still have a few left."
Asteru gave a small smile in return — a mask, smooth and calm.
"I'll take two."
She wrapped them quickly in paper and slid them across. He counted out 30 ryō, pocketed his change and ticket, then walked away without another glance than realisation hit him since the lady smiled and gave the package to him. 'ohh... now I get it. it's my fault Kushina didn't got this to eat, this lady is new and that baldy must have said to her not to give it to a weird kid...'
As he stepped into the open air, he loosened the mask from his face, his expression flattening.
"Ugh... He should have mention it was a boy not girl, poor kushina..." He looked around to spot her if she was there nearby, 'I should find her first...'
He followed the faint sound of footsteps, then spotted her. Kushina, sitting alone on the grass, shoulders tense, her red hair catching the sunlight like fire.
Asteru slowed his pace, watching her for a moment in silence. The breeze stirred the flowers gently, carrying the scent of grass. 'She looks small like that… smaller than she acts in class. Hungry, sad, angry. I know that face.'
His gaze narrowed sharply at some memory of his in same situation as her in previous life, his grip tightened faintly on the paper bag. 'Guess I'll be the idiot to ruin my own lunch for this. I tried to avoid a talk to her as much as possible but now I just can't...'
Asteru walked closer, his steps soft on the grass. Kushina didn't notice at first, her face still buried in her arms. He stopped just a few paces away, tilting his head slightly as if deciding whether to speak.
Then he crouched down, resting one elbow on his knee, the other hand holding out the small paper packet.
"…Red bean paste bun. Want one?"
Kushina's head snapped up, violet eyes wide, rimmed faintly red. For a second she just stared, unsure if she'd heard him right.
'Is he… talking to me? Why? Is he showing pity on me? He'll laugh too, right? seeing me cry like this...'
She quickly turned her face aside, sniffling softly but masking it with a huff.
"I—I don't need your pity, ya know."
Asteru smirked faintly, though his eyes stayed calm.
"Pity? Please. You think I'd waste extra 15 ryō just to pity on someone?"
He shook the paper bag lightly, letting the sweet smell drift between them.
"I bought two. I can't eat both, unless you want me to get fat in one week."
Kushina's stomach betrayed her again with a loud growl. She froze, cheeks flushing red like a tomato.
Asteru raised a brow.
"Sounds like your stomach disagrees with you."
For a second, Kushina glared at him, fists trembling at her knees. Then, reluctantly, she reached out and snatched the bread from his hand.
"Hmph! Fine! But I'm only taking it because I was planning to eat it anyway!"
Asteru sat down, sitting cross-legged now, tearing into his own bread casually.
"Sure, sure. Whatever makes you sleep at night."
Kushina tore open the wrapper and took a huge bite. The sweet bean paste filled her mouth, and despite herself, her eyes softened. For the first time that day, her shoulders dropped, her body relaxing just a little.
'It's… warm. Sweet. Just like I wanted.'
She quickly stuffed more into her mouth, cheeks puffing like a chipmunk.
Asteru glanced sideways at her, a small smirk tugging at his lips. 'So loud in class, but quiet when she eats. Guess food works better than words with this one.'
After swallowing, Kushina finally muttered, almost grudgingly:
"…Thanks."
Her voice was so low it was nearly lost in the breeze, but Asteru caught it.
"If you are thanks than eat slowly. No one will steal your food."
She looked at him with slight blush.
"I know that, ya know!"
He smiled faintly and than stared at the sky by lifting his head up.
"yeah, yeah~ Just don't cry in the garden next time. People will think you're weak."
Kushina's cheeks flared red again, and she nearly choked on her bread.
"I-I wasn't crying! I was just… thinking, ya know! Stupid purple-eyed jerk!"
Asteru chuckled softly under his breath, not denying it. 'Still has fire even when she's down. Figures.'
For a brief moment, silence hung between them, broken only by the crunch of bread crusts and the rustle of flowers in the wind. Despite her glare, Kushina didn't move away. Despite his teasing, Asteru didn't leave.
Kushina had slowed her eating, though crumbs still dotted her lips. The warmth of the bread eased the knot in her chest, and for a moment, she could breathe again.
She glanced sideways at Asteru, then quickly looked away. Her voice wavered, but she forced it steady.
"You know… when I came to this village… Konohagakure… there was this kind woman, I met."
Her hands tightened around the half-eaten bread, knuckles pale.
"She… told me to be strong. That people wouldn't understand me right away, but that one day… they might. She was the only one who made me feel like I wasn't… just some outsider dropped into someone else's home."
Asteru watched her without interrupting, 'hmm... she is taking about Mito Uzumaki. Guess she had most influence on her before she died during the extraction process... the fūinjutsu expert's and hokage's tried to hide her existence... now that I think about it they must have kept it a secret because she was growing weak day by day... and enemies may take this chance to capture nine-tails.'
Kushina exhaled shakily, her gaze fixed on the flowers swaying in the breeze.
"I told her… I'd become the Hokage. Not just for me, but so everyone would finally have to acknowledge me. If I become Hokage… they'll have no choice but to accept me as part of Konoha, ya know."
Her words hung heavy in the quiet garden, her small shoulders squared as though bracing herself against invisible weight.
For a moment, only the rustle of petals answered her. Than Asteru looked at her direction.
"yeah... I figured that may be the reason, you said it out loud in class."
Kushina blinked at him, surprised.
"You… figured that out?"
Asteru shrugged lightly, leaning back on his hands again.
"Well, you shouted it in front of the whole class. Not exactly a subtle dream."
Her cheeks puffed in embarrassment, but her eyes dropped to the grass. "...Tch. I didn't mean to shout it. It just… came out."
For a moment, she twisted the bread in her fingers, her voice softening, almost hesitant.
"But… I meant it. I'm not gonna let anyone treat me like I don't belong here. I'll make them see me. I'll make them remember me, ya know!"
She clenched her free hand, determination sparking again.
Asteru watched her, the corner of his mouth twitching faintly.
'She's trying so hard to belong… even when the world pushes her away. And, now that I notice it she is getting easier to approach now, guess she really was hungry.'
He exhaled quietly, letting his eyes drift skyward.
"Then good luck. Just don't cry your way to Hokage, or you'll have no chance."
Kushina's head snapped toward him, her face red again.
"I told you I wasn't crying!"
Asteru smirked, not looking at her.
"Sure. Whatever you say, tomato-head."
She jumped to her feet instantly, fists clenched, face bright red from both anger and embarrassment.
"Wha—!? Who are you calling tomato-head, ya know!?"
He tilted his head lazily toward her, smirk deepening.
"You. Who else has hair like a ripe tomato in the sun?"
"Arghhh! You jerk!" she yelled, stomping her foot, but the fire in her voice carried more life than her earlier bitterness.
Asteru chuckled under his breath, rising to his feet as well and dusting off his pants.
"Relax, I'm just saying… tomatoes are tough. They grow anywhere, even if people don't take care of them. And I like tomato's unlike those jerks hehe~"
Kushina froze mid-glare, caught off guard. Her mouth opened, then closed again, unsure what to say. Slowly, the redness in her cheeks shifted from pure anger to something warmer.
"…Hmph. That doesn't mean you get to call me that, ya know."
Asteru slipped his hands into his pockets, glancing toward the academy building where the bell was about to ring.
"Yeah, yeah~ Let's head back before we're late."
She stared at him for a second longer, then followed with a small huff. But this time, the weight on her shoulders was lighter.
As they walked side by side, Asteru's thoughts lingered quietly. 'She's trying so hard to belong… and here I am, knowing very well that I'll never belong to this world or these people around me.'
His eyes narrowed slightly, the memory of a different lifetime flickering across his thoughts. 'Still… guess I can play along for a while. Even if these memories bridged the age gap mentally with kids.'
The bell rang out across the garden, pulling them both back toward the classroom