Uzumaki Kushina

Seeing that only a few students remained in the classroom, Umino Ikkaku sighed and walked up to the podium. He straightened his teaching materials, then said helplessly, "Class dismissed."

After a pause, Umino Ikkaku glanced around. His eyes lingered on Uchiha Obito for a moment before he continued, "But don't slack off just because school's over."

"You're already a whole lesson behind. The students who just ran out all have chakra."

"They have a head start on you. You'll need to work two hundred times harder to catch up!"

Umino Ikkaku taught Class A. In other words, he taught the elite class.

However, not all the students came from shinobi clans. Every class had students from shinobi clans as well as civilian students.

That was true even in his Class A. The top-scoring clan student and the top-scoring civilian student on the entrance exam were assigned to his class. It was a Konoha tradition.

The other classes were arranged the same way.

Seeing how dejected everyone looked, Umino Ikkaku sighed.

In every class he taught, the civilian students were usually somewhat insecure.

Their insecurity came from their family backgrounds and their lack of strength.

There was nothing he could do to change that.

While Umino Ikkaku was earnestly lecturing the students, Yuki Yuichi had already run out of the school with a red-faced Yuhi Kurenai in his arms.

Just as they reached the street, Uzumaki Kushina happened to pass by on her way to Ichiraku Ramen.

She had just reached the Ninja Academy gates when Yuki Yuichi came rushing out with Yuhi Kurenai in his arms. A knowing smile spread across her face.

"Yuichi, put me down."

Yuhi Kurenai spoke quietly from his arms. If Yuki Yuichi hadn't had such good hearing, he probably wouldn't have heard her at all.

Noticing everyone around them smiling at the two of them, Yuki Yuichi's face reddened.

Even with his thick skin, he felt a little embarrassed and set Yuhi Kurenai down.

"If you do that again, I'll... I'll..." Yuhi Kurenai thought for a while, then pouted with a flushed face and said indignantly, "I won't talk to you for three days!"

Yuki Yuichi scratched his head, then took Yuhi Kurenai's little hand. They looked straight at each other. "Kurenai, I didn't do it on purpose!"

"I..."

He was about to say more when he suddenly sensed someone behind him. Thinking it was Yuhi Shinku, his heart started pounding.

He hurriedly turned around. When he saw that it was Uzumaki Kushina, he let out a slow breath, and his nerves settled.

If it really had been Yuhi Shinku, he'd probably have been beaten up again.

For some reason, even though Yuhi Kurenai wasn't from the Hyuga Clan, he could always sense the Byakugan in the people around her.

"Kid, you look pretty nervous," Uzumaki Kushina said, looking at Yuki Yuichi with an amused smile.

"What's the matter? The future legend of the Shinobi World is flirting with a girl at school. Afraid her family will find out?" Uzumaki Kushina teased, narrowing her eyes slightly.

At that, Yuki Yuichi jumped up and protested, "No way!"

"I just thought there was danger!"

"Is that so?" Uzumaki Kushina still looked amused, but when she saw Yuhi Kurenai's flushed face, she didn't say anything more.

Seeing Yuki Yuichi rush out with Yuhi Kurenai in his arms had reminded her of when Minato Namikaze rescued her from being kidnapped by another village and carried her away.

Minato had held her just like that.

Thinking about it, Uzumaki Kushina couldn't help smiling happily. She'd been just like this girl, blushing as she lay in Minato's arms.

It was after that that she and Minato had started dating.

Yuki Yuichi looked up at Uzumaki Kushina's smile, feeling that something about it seemed strange, though he couldn't say what.

As a fake member of the Uzumaki Clan standing in front of a real one, he couldn't help feeling a little guilty.

Yuki Yuichi had no idea that he really did have Uzumaki Clan blood, and that it was no secret among the higher-ups.

Noticing that Uzumaki Kushina seemed lost in thought, Yuki Yuichi quietly backed away a few steps, grabbed Yuhi Kurenai's hand, and bolted.

"Hm?" At his movement, Uzumaki Kushina came back to herself. Watching Yuki Yuichi's fleeing figure, she couldn't help smiling.

A little while later, Yuki Yuichi stopped with Yuhi Kurenai on another street. She opened her mouth and panted softly, then asked curiously, "Yui... Yuichi, why... why are we running?"

"I don't know, but I just wanted to get away from—"

Before Yuki Yuichi could finish, Uzumaki Kushina's voice came from above. "Get away from what?"

Yuki Yuichi's expression froze for a moment, but then he replied without batting an eye, "Away from school. It's just a shame I didn't get to talk more with that pretty big sister."

"I hope that's really what you were thinking, kid."

Uzumaki Kushina jumped down from the rooftop, then ruffled Yuki Yuichi's hair with both hands until it looked like a bird's nest.

"Don't touch my head! I hate it when people touch my head!" Yuki Yuichi swatted Uzumaki Kushina's hands away, fixed his hair, and gave her a resentful look.

"One day, I'll get you back!"

"Hah. That day will never come." Uzumaki Kushina snorted and reached for him again, but Yuki Yuichi dodged her.

"I'll develop a head-touching jutsu that you can't block!"

"We'll see about that." Uzumaki Kushina winked at Yuhi Kurenai, then smiled.

"I was planning to eat here anyway. Since you're here too, I'll treat you both to ramen."

Uzumaki Kushina pointed to Ichiraku Ramen behind Yuki Yuichi and Yuhi Kurenai, then led them inside. "I really like this place. The ramen's delicious."

"Hahaha, I'm glad you like it!" Teuchi, who was busy preparing the noodles, laughed when he heard Uzumaki Kushina. "I've sworn to make the best ramen in the world!"

Yuhi Kurenai curiously looked around the shop, then pursed her lips and turned to Uzumaki Kushina. "Big sister, we're supposed to go home for dinner."

Yuhi Kurenai looked so adorable that Uzumaki Kushina's maternal instincts kicked in. She pulled her into a hug.

"It's fine. I'll explain it to your dad later."

"Mmph... mm!" Trapped in Uzumaki Kushina's embrace, Yuhi Kurenai could barely breathe, smothered against her ample chest.

Yuki Yuichi watched with envy, then glanced at Yuhi Kurenai's tiny frame and thought to himself, I hope I get this treatment someday too.

As if realizing how Yuhi Kurenai felt, Uzumaki Kushina let her go and looked at Yuki Yuichi.