The fire had burned out hours ago.
Only faint warmth remained beneath the ashes.
Kushina sat awake anyway.
She hadn't slept much.
Every time she closed her eyes—
she saw him again.
Empty eyes.
Shaking hands.
"…help…"
Her fingers tightened slightly against the fabric around her knees.
"…still thinking about him…"
"…he's still alive…"
"…barely…"
She exhaled slowly through her nose.
The forest around them was quiet again.
Too quiet.
Daichi was already awake.
Of course he was.
He stood near the edge of the clearing, arms crossed, watching the treeline like he expected the darkness itself to move.
Minato sat nearby on one of the exposed roots, adjusting a small kunai pouch without much attention.
Calm.
Always calm.
Kushina hated how noticeable that had become.
"…annoying…"
"…you've mentioned that…"
She blinked immediately.
"…did I say that out loud?"
Minato looked up briefly.
"Yes."
A pause.
"…multiple times."
Kushina groaned softly and dropped her forehead onto her knees.
"Great. I'm losing my mind."
"…arguably already happened…"
"Not helping."
A faint pause.
"…probably not."
For a second, the corner of Kushina's mouth twitched upward despite herself.
Small.
But real.
Daichi glanced toward them briefly.
"You should eat before we move."
Kushina looked up immediately.
"There it is."
"…what."
"The daily disappointment."
Minato looked between them silently.
"…is this normal?"
"No," Daichi answered flatly.
"Yes," Kushina answered at the exact same time.
Silence.
Then Minato nodded once.
"…understood."
Kushina snorted softly.
The moment faded quickly though.
Because once the quiet returned—
the thoughts came back too.
Akane.
The battlefield.
That choice.
That ending.
Kushina stared down at the ground again.
"…she thought she was helping…"
"…yes…"
"…and she destroyed everything…"
No answer this time.
Just silence.
Minato noticed the shift immediately.
Of course he did.
"You're comparing yourself to her again."
Kushina didn't look up.
"I don't want to."
"But you are."
A pause.
"…yeah."
Minato rested his arms loosely against his knees.
"You're not the same."
Kushina let out a quiet laugh.
"You barely knew her."
"No."
A beat.
"But I know you."
That caught her off guard.
She looked up immediately.
Minato's expression hadn't changed.
Still calm.
Still steady.
But there was certainty in his voice.
And somehow—
that made it worse.
"…you really say things like that naturally?"
"…unfortunately."
Kushina shook her head slowly.
"That's still annoying."
"…you keep saying that."
"…because it keeps being true."
A faint shift crossed Minato's expression again.
Almost amusement.
Almost.
Daichi's voice cut through the moment.
"We move in ten minutes."
Kushina groaned dramatically and leaned backward against the tree trunk.
"Can we not survive quietly for one day?"
"No."
"…rude."
Daichi ignored her completely.
Again.
Kushina watched him for a second before her expression softened slightly.
"…he's worried…"
"…he's paranoid…"
"…same thing…"
She looked away immediately.
"I'm surrounded by impossible people."
"…accurate…"
For a moment—
things almost felt normal.
Almost.
Then Minato's posture shifted.
Subtle.
But immediate.
His eyes lifted toward the trees.
Focused.
Kushina noticed instantly.
"…what."
Minato didn't answer right away.
That alone made her straighten.
Daichi had already turned toward the forest.
Silent.
Listening.
Then—
a sound.
Faint.
Metal.
Kushina's body tensed immediately.
"…they found us…"
"…no…"
Minato stood slowly.
"…too quiet."
Another sound.
Closer this time.
Not movement.
Dragging.
Kushina's chest tightened instantly.
"…that's wrong…"
Daichi stepped forward.
"Stay behind me."
Kushina rolled her eyes immediately.
"You really need new lines."
Then—
the figure stepped into view.
And Kushina froze.
It wasn't one of the masked hunters.
It wasn't the boy either.
It was a man.
Older.
Thin.
Barely standing.
Chains wrapped around his wrists.
His clothes torn.
Eyes hollow.
But alive.
For now.
The man stumbled once before collapsing to his knees at the edge of the clearing.
Daichi moved instantly.
Careful.
Controlled.
Kushina followed before he could stop her.
"…wait…"
The man lifted his head weakly.
His lips trembling.
"…run…"
Silence crashed over the clearing.
Kushina's eyes widened.
"…what."
The man's breathing shook violently.
"They… let me go…"
Daichi's expression darkened immediately.
"…trap…"
Minato's gaze sharpened toward the forest.
"…they're already here."
The man grabbed weakly at Daichi's sleeve.
"They wanted me to find you…"
Kushina's stomach dropped.
"…why."
The man looked toward her.
And for the first time—
real fear entered his expression.
"…because they know what you are."
The forest shifted.
Every instinct inside Kushina screamed instantly.
"…MOVE—"
The explosion hit before the warning finished.
The ground erupted beneath the edge of the clearing.
Trees shattered outward.
The shockwave slammed into them hard enough to throw Kushina backward.
Her ears rang violently.
Smoke filled the air.
And through it—
figures moved.
Not hidden anymore.
Advancing.
Slowly.
Confidently.
Like they already knew how this would end.
⸻
Far beyond the smoke—
a familiar pair of empty eyes opened slowly.
And this time—
they were smiling.