Naruto: Journey to Reach You-Chapter 38

The next morning, Naruto was feeling better and went out for missions as usual. He returned home at 9 PM.

Kushina opened the door. Before she even looked up at the person standing there, she sneezed. She looked up to see Naruto raising an eyebrow at her.

Caught off guard, she said,

"No, no... I'm not sick. It's just the dust."

She quickly covered her mouth to stop a cough. Naruto stared at her and said with a smirk as he walked in,

"Yeah... I can see that."

She couldn't hold back her cough and let out another. He looked at her as she stood behind the door.

Naruto, slyly: "And now?"

She turned her face away shyly,

"Okay, I'm a little tired, but don't worry—it's nothing serious."

Kushina, thinking: Damn... I'm still sick... This is what I was afraid of. I thought he'd be late like usual and I could heal myself before he noticed.

"And what are you doing back now?" she asked.

"You usually come much later."

Naruto, smiling: "Just as I thought... I told you not to sleep next to me last night, but you insisted."

Kushina, cutting him off: "And I don't regret it... It's a small matter—I'll get better quickly. Don't worry. Just don't sleep next to me again, so you don't get sick again."

Naruto: "I won't. I'm actually on a mission. I just came to check on you since I don't think I'll be able to tomorrow. And since you're sick—just as I expected—and I know you'll hide it from everyone so you won't be a burden, I'll request someone else take my place. I can't leave you like this. I'll stay and take care of you until you recover."

Kushina, nervous: "No... don't do that. Like I said, I'm fine. You don't have to... Go on, leave."

Naruto, suspiciously: "Kushina..."

She cut him off:

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"Go... Please, Naruto. Don't look at me like that—I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. Go, darling."

Naruto, thinking: You're not okay at all... You can barely stand.

He looked at her worriedly and said,

"Alright... but rest and don't push yourself."

She smiled,

"Of course I will. When you return, you'll find me completely healed."

He smiled and placed his hands on her shoulders, leaning in to kiss her. She pulled away,

"No... I just recovered miraculously. I don't want you to get sick again."

Naruto, stepping closer: "Really?!"

She turned away shyly, but he leaned in and kissed her forehead,

"Take good care of yourself, my princess... I'll try not to be late."

Kushina, smiling: "Take your time, love. Don't worry about me. I promise, when you come back, I'll be better."

He smiled and left quickly. Kushina closed the door, leaned back against it, and sighed,

"I can't believe I actually fooled him... I can barely open my eyes. I don't even know why I promised him... I probably won't be able to keep it."

She coughed violently,

"I feel so dizzy... Everything's blurry... I better get to bed before I collapse."

Meanwhile, Naruto was walking down the street when he spotted Sakura and quickly approached her,

"I was looking for you."

Sakura, surprised: "Me?! ... What are you doing here now? Aren't you supposed to be on a mission and gone for a while?!"

Naruto: "Yeah... but Kushina insisted on sleeping next to me last night, and now she's sick. I was looking for you to take care of her until I come back."

Sakura: "Actually, I'm busy—"

He cut her off,

"Please, Sakura... If I could do something for her, I would. But I don't know anything about medicine... You're skilled—you can help her."

She smiled,

"Alright... Don't worry, I'll take good care of her. I'll ask someone else to cover for me."

He smiled happily,

"Perfect... Don't leave her side until she's completely better."

She nodded with a smile. Naruto rushed off, and Sakura headed to Kushina's house.

When she arrived, she knocked, but no one answered. She pushed the door open—it was unlocked. Inside, she spotted Kushina sitting on the staircase, leaning her head against the wall, sweating and breathing heavily.

Terrified, Sakura rushed to her, sat beside her, and called her name while shaking her gently,

"Kushina... Kushina... Can you hear me?"

Sakura, thinking: Oh my god... I didn't expect it to be this bad... She looks really exhausted. No wonder Naruto was so worried about her.

She stood up, placed Kushina's arm around her shoulder, and helped her to the bedroom.

She laid her down on the bed and began treating her. Kushina's face slowly relaxed, and she appeared to fall asleep. Sakura stared at her sleeping, seeing the exhaustion etched on her face.

Sakura, thinking: I didn't know anyone could be as stubborn with Naruto... But your stubbornness made you really sick. Honestly, I didn't realize how painful it was... Did Naruto hide all this pain and still go on missions just so we wouldn't notice? And if he was in this much pain, why didn't he let me treat him?! Maybe... maybe he just doesn't want me near him anymore... He keeps pulling away, and I don't know why...

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Tsunade's unexpected entrance.

Sakura, shocked:

"Tsunade-sama! ... What are you doing here?!"

Tsunade, bored: "That Naruto... he made it a condition that I come, or else he wouldn't finish the mission. Whatever... How is she now?"

Sakura looked at her sadly and said, "She's not doing well... Her fever just won't go down."

Tsunade: "Get up, I'll treat her myself."

Sakura nodded and stepped aside so Tsunade could sit. As she began treating Kushina, she muttered:

Tsunade: "What is this?! Her condition is really serious... Even though she was able to get Naruto back to full health in less than a day, she couldn't even heal herself... Her body is too weak to handle it."

Then she looked beside her and picked up one of the medicines, saying:

Tsunade: "Hah... this medicine is expertly made. No need for the hospital... Did she make all of these herself?!! That girl is very skilled... Good choice, Naruto."

Sakura looked at her and said dryly, "Looks like I'm no longer your favorite, sensei."

Tsunade looked at her nervously and said, "Of course you're still my favorite, and my first student too."

Their conversation was cut off by Kushina's weak and fearful voice, muttering between heavy breaths:

Kushina: "Naruto... Where are you... Don't... Don't leave me..."

Then tears streamed from her eyes as she continued:

Kushina: "Don't leave me... Please... Naruto..."

Tsunade and Sakura looked at her in shock. Tsunade said:

Tsunade: "Seems the illness is affecting her badly... She's starting to hallucinate."

She glanced at the bowl of water nearby and said:

Tsunade: "Sakura... go refresh that water so I can keep checking her."

Sakura: "Got it."

As she walked, she thought to herself:

"What could make you so scared of Naruto leaving you like that, Kushina? Especially when all I see from him toward you is love, care, and tenderness... How strange!"

Sakura returned with fresh water and asked:

Sakura: "How is she now, Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade: "I gave her some of the medicine she had beside her and checked her vitals... She's starting to improve."

Sakura sighed in relief: "Good... Naruto was really scared for her."

Tsunade: "Yeah... I didn't realize how serious it was. Good thing he told us before it was too late."

They stayed by her side all night, and the next day she gradually started to recover.

More than 8 extra Chapters are available at [patreon.com/AbyssEye]