Minato, Warmed by the Sun

"Hey, sis, what's wrong? Feel like throwing up?" Nawaki asked, supporting Tsunade by the arm.

"Don't be ridiculous. Your big sister can hold her liquor. This is nothing."

"Never mind. It's nothing. Take me home."

For some reason, Tsunade had just felt a sudden, unpleasant sensation, as if someone had snatched her drink away.

"You really did drink too much. I'll make you some more hangover soup when we get back," Kushina said with concern.

"Hehe, little Kushina is much cuter than that brat Nawaki."

Tsunade rubbed her cheek against Kushina's. The strong smell of alcohol made Kushina's little face turn away in discomfort.

"Boss."

Seeing Tsunade being supported by Nawaki and Kushina, Qingguang hurried over.

"Boss, was there enough wine to go around today?"

"Emmm, just barely. We'll do it again next time." Tsunade lifted her head and pursed her lips, seeming to think for a moment before mumbling.

Qingguang shook his head regretfully. "There won't be a next time. Uncle Shifang brought out all his reserves this time."

At that, Tsunade immediately sobered up. "What? It's all gone?"

She gripped Qingguang's shoulders and shook him back and forth.

"Damn it! Those old geezers must've drunk too much. My good wine!"

"Hmm?"

"Young man, why do you smell so nice?"

As a Medical Ninja, Tsunade was very sensitive to scents. She caught a faint fragrance coming from Qingguang.

Nawaki rolled his eyes. "What a nose. You reek of alcohol, and you can still smell something else? Qingguang's been surrounded by flowers on the platform all this time. He's practically been marinating in them. Of course he smells nice."

He could smell a fragrance too, just not the same one Tsunade was talking about.

"Is that so?" Tsunade tilted her head, puzzled.

Why did it smell like some kind of perfume?

Never mind. Qingguang had been around so many people today; it was normal for him to have picked up a scent or two.

Then Nawaki and Kushina took Tsunade home.

Qingguang, meanwhile, organized the cleanup after the wedding.

As the Police Department chief, Fugaku had naturally shared drinks with plenty of people. He would have to handle the remaining tasks.

As he worked, Qingguang noticed a small figure among the Police Department members: a spiky-haired blond boy wearing a gray tracksuit.

"Your name's Minato, right?"

"Thanks for helping, but you should head home soon. We can take care of the rest." Qingguang came over and gave Minato a friendly pat on the back.

Minato turned his head, surprised to find that the person speaking to him was Qingguang, the host from the wedding—the man burdened with so many titles.

He immediately grew nervous. "N-no, it's okay. I want to help everyone."

"Is that so?"

"You'll definitely become a dependable ninja one day. Then let's do this together." Qingguang ruffled Minato's spiky blond hair.

It was a little prickly, but Qingguang couldn't help feeling secretly pleased to get to ruffle the future Yellow Flash's hair.

Back in his previous life, Ao had ruffled his hair countless times. Giving the original a head rub felt like getting even.

The two of them carried a table to the side. On the way, Minato suddenly remembered something and asked, "How did you know my name, Qingguang-senpai?"

"I heard Kushina mention you at Tsunade's house. She said you were the only person in her class who didn't seem that annoying."

"Uh... The other students in our class aren't that annoying either. They might just be a little shy."

Minato defended his classmates, though he was still secretly pleased.

"Oh, and Kushina also said you're kind of girly."

"Huh?" Minato froze. The excitement he'd felt a moment ago was instantly doused.

"I-is that so?"

"Haha, don't worry about it. Kushina's a lot like Boss Tsunade—boisterous and carefree. Don't take it to heart."

"But when you're at the Ninja Academy, if you can, please look out for her. She hasn't been in Konoha long and hardly has any friends."

"She really wants to be friends with everyone, but... well..."

Qingguang shook his head regretfully.

Minato wasn't stupid. He could tell there had to be something difficult to talk about, or perhaps Qingguang-senpai simply wasn't very good at hiding things.

As a top student, Minato could already work out a lot from the clues.

"Don't worry. We're classmates, and we're comrades from the same village. I won't let anyone bully Kushina."

Minato wouldn't turn down a request from his idol. Besides, even if Qingguang hadn't asked, he would've done the same.

They set the table down. Qingguang smiled, patted Minato on the shoulder, and gave him a thumbs-up. "Then it's settled. This is a promise between men."

"As thanks, if you ever run into a problem with ninjutsu, you can come ask me."

"Really, Qingguang-senpai?"

Minato's eyes lit up, and he could barely contain his excitement.

As a civilian orphan, Minato knew all too well that being able to study in Class A at the Ninja Academy at just nine years old was already a rare opportunity. Most of his classmates came from Ninja Clans. Their families either passed down secret techniques or possessed a Kekkei Genkai.

Others at least had ninjutsu traditions to rely on.

But although Minato consistently ranked first in theory, in practical tests, he could only use the basic Three Body Technique. No matter how proficient he became, he had to rely on Taijutsu in battle.

He ranked near the top, but the same few people always took first place.

He was dissatisfied, but he also understood the gap between them all too well.

Qingguang's offer was nothing less than the greatest hope he could have right now.

But then Minato noticed the troubled look on Qingguang's face, and a feeling of disappointment suddenly welled up inside him.

Still, he could understand. Qingguang-senpai had so many accolades. Why would he sacrifice his precious time to train a civilian orphan over such a small matter?

"Emmm... What's your Chakra nature?"

"Huh?" Minato looked surprised.

"Didn't they check your Chakra nature at the Ninja Academy?" Qingguang asked with a frown.

Minato shook his head. "They did tell us that Chakra has five natures, but they've only taught us to throw Kunai and Shuriken and use the Three Body Technique."

"I see..." Qingguang nodded, his expression serious.

When Qingguang was little, he'd been enrolled at the academy and taken the exams, but powerful ninjas had tutored him privately. He wasn't very familiar with what was taught in regular classes.

"How about this? Come to the Police Department training ground every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. The Uchiha training ground is too far away."

"Tomorrow's Sunday, so you can come see me then."

Considering that Minato probably lived in the suburbs, closer to the Police Department, Qingguang made that decision.

"Yes! Thank you, Qingguang-senpai!"

In that moment, Minato finally felt the warmth of the "sun" for himself. Unlike the Hokage, who hung high above, visible but out of reach, the sunlight called Qingguang fell upon him, and he could feel the warmth and hope it brought.

He would forever remember this kindness, no matter what.