...He pulled his thoughts back to the present.
Today was another ordinary day, so peaceful it was almost excessive. There were no urgent missions to handle, no sudden attack alarms, and no signs of any potential crisis.
And precisely because of that, Naruto felt a rare sense of... having nothing to do.
As usual, he naturally headed to the Uchiha Clan Compound, planning to find Satsuki. Maybe they could train together, or maybe simply spend time together.
However, at the entrance to the clan head's residence, Fugaku Uchiha gave him some unexpected news.
"Satsuki is with Mikoto today. They have some matters to take care of, so she probably won't have time to keep you company."
Fugaku's tone was as calm as ever, merely stating a fact.
But for Naruto, this kind of experience... was far too unfamiliar.
In his memories, whether he had gone to see her directly or arranged something in advance, this seemed to be the first time Satsuki—or rather, a parent representing Satsuki's wishes—had turned him down on the grounds that "she has something to do today."
Obviously, this was perfectly normal in any ordinary relationship—everyone had their own schedules, private space, or times when they needed to be alone with their family.
Yet a faint but distinct sense of disappointment still spread uncontrollably from the depths of Naruto's heart.
He was even startled by this sudden, intense disappointment and hurriedly shook his head, trying to dispel this slightly "excessive" possessiveness.
"Satsuki is with her mother... That's normal. Completely normal."
He told himself this inwardly, trying to use reason to persuade emotion. Just as Kushina sometimes had days when she especially wanted to spend time alone with her son, mothers and daughters needed private time too. It was entirely reasonable.
Despite his efforts to console himself,