"Dattebane?"
Hearing this strange verbal tic, the students below the stage laughed one after another.
"Look at her hair color, it's unbelievable!"
"It's so red! How can it be that red?"
"It's quite strange..."
Hearing the discussions from below, Kushina's face turned slightly red, and she touched her hair unnaturally.
So annoying!
I didn't want it to grow so red either.
But it grows on me, it's a part of me, what can I do about it?
Her heart, which had just relaxed, was once again filled with tension at this moment.
Just then, Minato's voice rang in her ear: "I think it's very beautiful, just like a flame, it looks so full of life."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it seemed to contain a certain steady power, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
Hearing Minato's words, Kushina's mood suddenly calmed down, and she stared blankly at Minato.
This was the first time anyone had ever complimented her hair for being beautiful.
"Yeah, I think it looks very nice too."
Yakushi Nonou heard Minato's words and chimed in with a gentle tone.
Hearing the two of them, the class quieted down a bit, but Kōta snorted and looked at Minato provocatively: "It looks just like a tomato. Minato, you couldn't possibly like her, could you?"
Eh?
Why is there even someone providing an assist?
Minato looked at Kōta and broke into a smile: "Is there something wrong with that? I like everyone who is optimistic, kind, and positive. Similarly, I also hate every dark-minded, ill-intentioned piece of trash."
"Bastard! Who are you calling trash?!"
Hearing this, Kōta was instantly enraged and slammed the table as he stood up.
"Ah-re? I didn't say it was you, why are you so worked up?"
Minato tilted his head slightly, his smile as sunny as ever, but anyone could hear the banter in his tone. The class immediately burst into laughter.
"Damn you, you guy—!"
Kōta's face flushed red as he clenched his fists tightly. He just wanted to punch that annoying smiling face right now.
"Alright, everyone quiet down!"
Iruka Umino frowned and stopped Kōta, then gently patted Kushina's shoulder: "Kushina, tell us about your hobbies and dreams."
"I... I like eating ramen! My dream is to become this Village's first female Hokage!"
Becoming the Hokage was the dream of the vast majority of Konoha's children.
Kushina wasn't obsessed with that position; she just felt that by doing so, she could better integrate into the Village.
The air went silent for a moment, but no other blind fools jumped out.
Minato clapped lightly and then raised his hand: "Teacher, I have an empty seat here."
Iruka Umino nodded: "Mm, then Kushina, go sit next to Minato. Everyone, get along well!"
Kushina nodded, walked quickly to Minato's side, and sat down, then let out a long sigh of relief.
"It's nerve-wracking being watched by so many eyes, isn't it?"
"I'm nervous to death!"
Kushina curled her lip, suddenly relaxing, which caused her to unconsciously reveal a bit of her true nature. She gritted her teeth and asked in a low voice, "What's the name of that bastard who made fun of me just now?"
"His name is Kōta."
Minato didn't hide it. To be honest, compared to her timid appearance when she first arrived yesterday, he preferred this real Kushina.
"Just because of a different hair color, he speaks out to mock me. What a disgusting guy!"
Kushina snorted, then noticed Minato's smiling gaze and realized she had exposed her true nature.
"What... what are you laughing at?"
Kushina lowered her head in embarrassment, her small chubby face turning slightly red, looking very cute.
Minato said gently, "Nothing, I just think this Kushina is a bit more real."
Hearing this, Kushina subconsciously remembered him complimenting her hair earlier, and her face turned even redder.
She looked up timidly: "Do you really think... my hair is beautiful?"
"Mm!"
Minato nodded firmly: "It suits you very well!"
"Is that so..."
Kushina felt like her face was so hot she could even fry an egg.
She didn't know what was wrong with her; she felt dizzy, and her mind was filled with Minato.
The tranquility when he cooked, the gentleness when he spoke, and the decisiveness when he defended her.
At this moment, it was as if a seed had quietly sprouted in the depths of her heart.
Kushina didn't hear a single word of this lesson. It wasn't until the bell rang that she snapped out of her thoughts.
"I... I'm going to the restroom!"
Kushina stood up with her head down and walked quickly out of the classroom.
In the front row, Kōta and the other two looked at each other and followed silently.
Catching their movements out of the corner of his eye, Minato's expression was subtle, but it returned to normal in an instant as he walked out of the classroom unhurriedly.
Inside the restroom, Kushina leaned against the sink with both hands, looking at her flushed face in the mirror, her eyes containing some indescribable emotion.
Splash—
She turned on the faucet, dampened her palms, and patted her face gently, trying to cool it down.
Just then, a blonde girl came over to her side, turned on the adjacent faucet, and washed her hands gently.
Kushina recognized her as the girl who had just spoken up for her.
"Um... thank you for what happened just now."
Kushina thanked her politely: "My name is Kushina. May I ask what your name is...?"
"Yakushi Nono, just call me Yakushi Nonou."
Nono smiled friendly: "No need for thanks. Minato said this morning that a friend would be transferring to our class. Minato's friend is naturally my friend too."
Hearing this, Kushina was stunned, and an inexplicable emotion welled up in her heart.
"Um, are you and Minato very close?"
"I suppose it's pretty good?"
Nono's eyes flickered slightly as she feigned contemplation: "We were seatmates at the start of school, and we occasionally sit together afterward. But Minato is gentle to everyone, so I'm not sure what he thinks of me."
Gentle to... everyone?
Nono's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the heat on Kushina's face.
So that's how it is... The smile on Kushina's face was slightly stiff: "Is... is that so? No wonder he takes such care of me, haha..."
No, the one specially cared for by Minato... you're the first!
Nono didn't say these words out loud, but simply chimed in gently: "Right? He really is a very gentle person."
Looking at Kushina's gradually dimming gaze, Nono suddenly felt a surge of disgust toward herself.
"Let's go, let's head back to the classroom together."
Pursing her lips, Nono gently took Kushina's hand, and the two of them walked toward the classroom together.
Before they had gone far, three figures suddenly blocked their path.
Kōta, Tetsuo, and Yukio stood side by side with their arms crossed, blocking the two of them.
"It's you..."
Kushina frowned.
"Wow! The tomato can actually talk~"
Yukio shouted with an exaggerated expression, and Kōta and Tetsuo burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?"
Glancing at the number of opponents, Kushina silently pulled Nono behind her.
Noticing Kushina's action, a flash of surprise crossed Nono's eyes, and then her face darkened, her thoughts unknown.
————