Naruto: Journey to Reach You-Chapter 29

At seven in the morning, Kushina woke up with a smile to the sound of birds chirping.

"How wonderful... I haven't slept this peacefully in a long time," she said.

She got out of bed, went to the bathroom, then prepared breakfast. She glanced at the young man sleeping on the couch, walked over quietly, and sat on the floor beside him, looking at his face. She smiled to herself and thought:

Even though you're a stranger to me... and I know nothing about you except your name... this is the first night since my father's death that I've slept peacefully and without fear. I don't know how... but all I feel now is safety and happiness.

She kept gazing at his face and then whispered gently,

"Naruto-san... Naruto-san... wake up."

He furrowed his brows slightly and opened his eyes slowly, seeing her smiling at him with a childlike innocence. He looked at her in surprise and smiled.

"You're up so early!! Didn't I tell you to rest?"

Kushina: "I'm used to it..."

Naruto: "So, are you feeling better?"

Kushina: "Yes, don't worry... Come on, get up—I made breakfast."

Naruto: "You made breakfast?! ... Alright."

As he tried to get up, he felt a pain in his back. Kushina noticed and said,

"Sorry... it's my fault you had to sleep on the couch. Let me help you."

She stood behind him and placed her hands on his back.

"Forgive me... my hands are a bit rough... Miyuki-sensei always told me that."

He looked at her with a wide smile.

"On the contrary... they're very soft."

Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment and she quickly moved her hands away, saying nervously,

"Come on... before your food gets cold."

She quickly walked to the table. Naruto followed her and sat on one of the chairs, and was stunned to find ramen served for breakfast.

Surprised, he asked,

"How did you know this is my favorite food?!"

Kushina smiled: "It was the only thing I found in the kitchen... so I figured it must be your favorite. Actually, I've never made it before... so I hope you like it."

Naruto tasted it and then said,

"Are you sure it's your first time?! ... You've outdone Ichiraku!"

Kushina, confused: "What's that?!"

Naruto: "Maybe I'll take you there someday."

She smiled at him and continued watching him eat. Noticing her gaze, he asked:

"What is it?"

She hesitated:

"Since you're... Uzumaki Naruto... that means your mother is... Uzumaki Kushina..."

Naruto: "Yes."

Kushina, nervously:

"And that also means you're... the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki."

He looked at her and asked,

"Are you scared?"

She looked at him for a moment and then said,

"No."

He turned back to his food. Sensing his sadness, Kushina gently placed her hand on his and said kindly,

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

He looked at her in surprise. She continued,

"I know how much you must've suffered because of it."

He looked at her, then smiled.

"Thank you, Kushina."

Later, Naruto went out to explore the village. Meanwhile, Kushina went to the sea—a place with a huge mountain where the water crashes against slightly elevated land.

She stayed there for a long time. When Naruto returned home and didn't find her, he asked someone and was told she went to the sea, so he went after her.

He saw her sitting quietly at the edge, a sketchbook resting on her lap, as if she were drawing something. He walked closer and asked,

"What are you doing?"

As soon as she heard his voice, she clutched the sketchbook tightly to her chest. He sat beside her and noticed the worry and tension on her face.

He reached for the sketchbook and gently pulled it from her hands. As she looked at him nervously, she loosened her grip slightly, and he took it and looked at what she had drawn.

His eyes widened.

"What?! ... That's me! You were drawing me?!"

She looked down at the ground, blushing deeply.

He asked,

"How were you able to draw me so accurately even though I wasn't in front of you?!"

Kushina, shyly:"When I looked at you this morning... I memorized your features well. That's all."

Naruto: "You memorized my face that fast?! ... You're really talented... I'm very impressed."

Kushina: "Thank you."

Kushina (narrating):

"From that day on, Naruto never left me. He decided to buy a house for us to live in together... Anyway, life went on normally until the day came..."

Everyone looked at her in surprise, so she continued:

"One day, as usual, I decided to clean Naruto's room. While I was fixing the bed, I found a photo hidden under one of the pillows..."

Ino:

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"A photo?!!"

Kushina looked at one of the girls, then after a moment of silence said:

"That photo... was of a girl."

Everyone, surprised:

"A girl?! Who?!"

Kushina turned to the girl she had glanced at earlier and said:

"You... Sakura."

Sakura, in utter shock, almost unable to process it:

"Me?!!! ... Naruto... kept my picture... under his pillow?"

Kushina smiled gently and continued:

"I held the picture and stared at it for a while... and suddenly, without realizing, Naruto walked into the room and froze in place the moment he saw me holding that photo.

I looked at him slyly and asked, 'Is this the girl... you love?'"

He looked at me for a moment, as if cornered, then suddenly rushed over and snatched the photo from my hands.

"Where did you find this?!" he asked.

Kushina:

"Under your pillow."

Naruto, angrily:

"And why are you going through my room?!"

Well... he was right. I had no right to look at the photo. That was his privacy, so I didn't blame him for being upset.

Kushina:

"I wasn't snooping... I was just—"

He cut me off sharply:

"From now on, you're not allowed into my room without permission. Is that understood?"

I looked down and began to cry.

"I'm really sorry... I didn't mean to... I was just cleaning your room and found the picture by accident... but please forgive me... I'll do exactly as you said... I apologize again."

I ran toward the door, crying hard, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me to face him again. He placed his hand gently on my head and pulled me in for a forehead kiss.

I looked at him in surprise, tears still on my cheeks, and he said with a calmer smile:

"Forgive me... I don't know what came over me. I couldn't control my anger... and I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. It wasn't your fault... it was mine."

He wiped my tears and said:

"Stop crying now, Kushina..."

Then, joking to lighten the mood:

"Also... I'm starving. Didn't you make lunch yet?"

I looked at him for a moment, then smiled brightly.

"It'll be ready in just a few minutes!"

I left quickly toward the door.

Kushina (narrating):

"Well... I was curious about what he'd do with the photo, so I watched him from behind the door..."