Kushina's Thoughts

They left the Hokage's office.

Namikaze Minato said goodbye to them, and the soaking-wet adult, Jiraiya, led him off in another direction. Kushina couldn't help feeling jealous, thinking that he'd definitely turn into a sloppy old man like that someday.

Before leaving, Minato had smiled warmly and said, "We're rivals from now on, so let's work hard together." That only made Kushina feel even more irritated.

...Work hard at what...

Becoming the first female Hokage?

Kushina pouted, doing her best to keep her emotions under control and not let herself look too angry.

She didn't want to act so childish around Hiroki.

But...

That guy really was annoying! He was such a sissy, and during this test, neither he nor she had even done anything, yet he still thought he could become Hokage?

Kushina couldn't help sneaking a glance at the bean sprout beside her.

His smooth black hair, slender, tall figure, and neat features.

He wasn't the most striking person in their class, but the way he spoke was always different from everyone else. Even when he called her by her nickname, he did it differently.

When other people called her Red Pepper, their tone was mocking or provocative, and sometimes they even pulled faces at her. But when Hiroki said Red Pepper, his tone was always calm.

As if it were simply a fact.

Of course her hair looked like a red pepper. Even Kushina couldn't deny that. Otherwise, why would she get mad when people called her Red Pepper or Tomato?

They were right.

But Kushina really didn't like it when people deliberately teased her with those names! She didn't want to seem so different.

But the bean sprout didn't call her that way. When he said it...

Kushina glanced around without thinking. The annoying Namikaze Minato had already disappeared around the corner. Now only she and Hiroki walked side by side along the sun-drenched street, and the bustle around them seemed to fade into silence.

She stole a look at the boy beside her from the corner of her eye.

When he called her that, it was just like calling any of his other classmates—matter-of-fact, calm, and completely unremarkable.

Hiroki didn't seem to think her red hair was special at all. He seemed to think she was no different from any of the other kids in the village.

That was why Kushina liked interacting with Hiroki.

What was Hiroki thinking about now?

Kushina studied him as they walked.

Hiroki hadn't said a word, and the joy of becoming a Genin didn't seem to have stayed on his face for long.

He just walked quietly, his gaze lowered to the ground, yet he seemed to be walking absentmindedly. His brow was slightly furrowed, and his eyes looked unfocused.

Was he thinking about something?

What was he thinking about?

The thought popped into Kushina's mind.

Could he... be worried about that teacher called Orochimaru? Minato had said he was really powerful. Was Hiroki feeling pressured because he'd have to face such a strong teacher?

No, that wasn't it. Kushina quickly shook her head.

As far as she was concerned, Hiroki was the strongest.

He could defeat three Cloud Ninjas on his own, and he could use that mysterious ninjutsu she couldn't understand to make the exam instructor vanish with a "poof." How could someone like that worry over a teacher he hadn't even met yet?

Little Kushina unconsciously disregarded the way the bean sprout usually acted—the guy who pretended to avoid group activities for tactical reasons was definitely hiding his true strength.

Little Kushina pondered what Hiroki might be thinking about.

Had he discovered something during the test? Or was it because... Lord Hokage and the others had said something?

Kushina tried hard to remember, but she realized she couldn't quite keep up. She didn't really understand the complicated looks on the adults' faces or the deeper meaning hidden in their words.

A small sense of inferiority settled in her heart like a pebble dropped into a lake, sending ripples across the water.

It wasn't just that she couldn't understand what the adults were talking about. It was also because of her own abilities.

She hadn't actually done anything in this test.

Minato's Body Flicker Technique was so fast, and his attacks were powerful. If she'd gone up against him, he would've knocked her down with ease. He always seemed to find the perfect moment.

Hiroki had been at the center of everything. He could see through Genjutsu, and he'd used a method no one could have expected to decide the outcome in one blow.

And what about her?

It seemed like... she'd just charged in recklessly, only to be easily dodged. Aside from getting in the way, she hadn't really contributed anything.

Hiroki was so clever. Whatever he was thinking about now must be something profound that she couldn't understand at all. If she was so clumsy that she couldn't even figure out why he was unhappy, how could she possibly help him?

And besides...

Little Kushina pouted. More importantly, if things went on like this, she'd only end up a mediocre, ordinary kunoichi. There was no way she'd become a female Hokage!

That helpless feeling left her a little dejected.

It also made her even angrier about what Minato had said before he left.

She looked at Hiroki's slightly thin profile. The sunlight cast faint shadows across his long eyelashes. He still looked like the same skinny "bean sprout," yet he was always carrying worries she couldn't understand.

No! She couldn't just stand by and watch!

Kushina silently gave herself a pep talk.

Even if she didn't understand what he was thinking, even if she couldn't do much to help, she couldn't let him brood all by himself!

She took a deep breath, as if making a huge decision, then stopped abruptly and reached out a small hand to gently, tentatively tug at Hiroki's sleeve.

"Hey..."

Hiroki's thoughts were interrupted. He turned around and looked at her in confusion.

"You... You haven't said a word this whole time." Kushina puffed out her cheeks, trying to make her voice sound like she was complaining instead of carefully showing concern. "We passed the test! We're Genin! How come you're not happy at all?"

Hiroki looked at her. The distant, deep look in his eyes slowly faded. He blinked, as if he'd finally returned to the bustling street. He shook his head and said softly, "It's nothing. I was just thinking about... the future."

"The future?" Kushina tilted her head.

His answer was too vague. She still didn't understand. But she had her own way of handling things.

"Thinking takes the most brainpower! When your brain gets tired, you get hungry!" she declared with sudden conviction, as if she'd discovered some great truth.

Before Hiroki could react, Kushina had already taken his cool wrist in her hand. A smile as radiant as the sun bloomed on her face.

"I know a shop that has the best salt-flavored ramen in all of Konoha! Come on! It's my treat! There's no problem a bowl of ramen can't solve!"

Without waiting for Hiroki to answer, she pulled him along toward another direction.

The warmth and strength in her grip made Hiroki pause for a moment.

But before he could react, little Kushina asked in a soft voice, her eyes full of anticipation,

"Um... Hiroki... after we eat ramen, could you teach me how to get stronger?"