Naruto: Journey to Reach You-Chapter 25

Kushina: I was returning to my village after a long journey, and while I was on my way, I bumped into someone... I looked up at him angrily and said, "Watch where you're going!"

Honestly, I thought he was one of the village folks—they're always trying to annoy me.

He replied, "For your information, you're the one who bumped into me, not the other way around."

Even though I realized he wasn't from my village, I still glared at him and thought to myself, Rude.

Naruto (thinking): Weird.

Then both of us turned away and continued on our paths. But suddenly, Naruto's eyes widened as if he just realized something.

Naruto (thinking): That hair...

He reached back and grabbed her arm, turning to look at her.

Kushina: He pulled me towards him so suddenly that my hand touched his chest. I stared at him fearfully... I couldn't understand the look in his eyes. It was very strange. Then he asked me with intensity in his voice while still staring deeply at me:

Naruto: "Who... are you?"

I was startled by the question and stared at him nervously... I couldn't say a word under his intense gaze. Then suddenly, my stomach growled—I hadn't eaten anything all day, and I was starving.

As soon as it happened, my cheeks turned red, and I lowered my head in embarrassment.

Naruto (smiling): "It's okay... come with me."

He took her hand and brought her to a nearby restaurant. Naruto kept looking at her in amazement while she ate.

Naruto (thinking): This must be madness... This girl looks exactly like my mom... but that's impossible... I can't believe what I'm seeing. There must be at least one small difference...

Kushina, while sipping her juice, noticed his gaze and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?!"

Naruto: "What clan are you from?"

She looked at him curiously and said, "Uzumaki."

His eyes widened.

Naruto (thinking): Now what... This is getting weirder. Okay, this next question will settle it.

Naruto: "What's your name?"

Kushina (surprised): "What?!"

Naruto (firmly): "Answer."

Kushina (nervous and confused): "My name is... Kushina."

Naruto was shocked. He stared at her and thought:

Naruto (thinking): Now I'm sure—I've gone insane.

Kushina, seeing his reaction, said, "I didn't know my name was that bad!"

Naruto (snapping out of it): "No, it's not bad at all, but..."

Naruto (thinking): Calm down, Naruto... Calm down... This must be a coincidence. She has my mom's hair, the same color and length, similar features and body type... There has to be at least one difference...

He kept staring at her, then suddenly leaned in and said, "Your eyes..."

Kushina: "What about them?!"

Naruto: "They're red."

Kushina: "And what's... the problem?!"

He looked at her for a moment, then sat back in his chair and thought with relief:

Naruto (thinking): Finally... That girl's eyes are red. My mom's were violet.

Naruto: "Sorry... I mistook you for someone else."

Kushina: "It's okay... and thank you very much for the meal."

Kushina (narrating): We each went our separate ways, but neither of us could stop thinking about the other... Fate had us meet again...

The next day, Naruto was leaving the hotel he stayed in when he heard a man shouting angrily. He looked toward the voice and saw a girl on the ground being harshly scolded by a man.

Naruto (thinking): That girl!

He looked around at the people nearby—bystanders and shop owners—all staring at her with disgust and malicious smirks.

He was shocked by how they were treating her, then looked back at her and heard the man saying:

Hotel Owner: "Listen... You didn't pay for your stay last night at my hotel (not the one Naruto was staying in)... and I won't let you stay again."

She was clearly weak and terrified of everyone around her.

Kushina (fearfully): "Just give me one more day... I'll try to get the money."

Hotel Owner (contemptuously): "And why should I wait? Either I get my money now... or I throw you out of the hotel, you little—"

Tears streamed down Kushina's cheeks as she shut her eyes, the man raising his hand to hit her. But before he could strike, someone grabbed his hand.

Naruto: "I don't think it's very noble to hit a weak woman who can't defend herself."

Hotel Owner (with disdain): "And who are you?"

Naruto: "Doesn't matter."

He pulled some money out of his pocket and tossed it to the man.

Naruto: "This is what matters to you."

Hotel Owner (greedily looking at the money): "Fine... And why would I care who you are?"

He then looked at Kushina and said, "With this money, you've got one week in my hotel. After that, you're out." Then he walked back in.

Kushina kept staring at Naruto in shock.

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Kushina (thinking): This guy... Why did he do that for me? He doesn't even know me... He helped me last night, too, without expecting anything in return... Who are you?!

Naruto turned to her and offered his hand with a smile to help her up.

Kushina (narrating): I usually don't trust people. I hesitated, staring at him for a long time, unsure whether to take his hand. But as I looked at his kind face, his pure smile untouched by hate or bitterness, I felt something strange inside me. My hand moved on its own and touched his. I leaned on it to stand up.

Kushina (brushing off dust): "Thank you so much for your help... I promise I'll repay the money you spent on the meal and the hotel... and I'm really sorry for the trouble."

Naruto: "But I don't want anything back from you..."

She looked at him in surprise, and he added with a smile:

Naruto: "Just take care of yourself."

He turned to leave, and she watched him walk away. Then suddenly, she called out:

Kushina: "Sir!"

She ran toward him until she was beside him. He stopped and looked at her.

Kushina (hesitantly): "I don't want to trouble you but... can I stay with you?"

Naruto: "Stay with me?!"

Kushina: "I mean... can I stay with you for a little while... I'm just not ready to go back to the hotel yet."

Naruto (smiling): "It's okay."

She looked at him, a small smile forming on her face.

As the sun began to set, Kushina watched it disappear with a smile that came from deep within her. The sky filled with orange light, and seeing her so happy, Naruto said:

Naruto: "What do you say to a little break?"

She snapped out of her daydream and looked at him. "Sure."

They went and sat on the grass in a high place like a hillside, surrounded by trees and green fields stretching toward the sun. Kushina kept watching the sunset, a smile never leaving her lips.

Naruto looked at her and thought:

Naruto (thinking): I'm not usually the type to stare at girls like this... but I can't deny I've never seen beauty like this before. Her hair flows in the wind like ribbons, and her ruby-red eyes sparkle like gems, as if they're reflecting the sunlight.