Brothers

On the way, Namikaze Minato clutched the scroll containing the Flying Thunder God Formula tightly in his hands, overcome by an indescribable sense of unreality.

He couldn't help thinking back over everything he had experienced lately, trying to find the source of that feeling.

Minato's gaze settled on the figure walking ahead of him, two years his senior, and he began to reflect.

Hmm... now that I think about it, it probably started the day I met Big Brother Zhenyi.

Before I met Big Brother Zhenyi, my heart was like a little boat drifting on the sea. My parents' deaths were like a violent storm, and the raging waves had left my little boat on the verge of capsizing.

Then Big Brother Zhenyi had suddenly appeared, like a gentle breeze rising amid the storm and blowing my little boat toward a harbor where it could safely come to rest.

To me, Big Brother Zhenyi was like that gentle breeze, carrying me to a new haven. I had regained the warmth of a "home," and that feeling made me feel completely safe.

During the days I spent with Big Brother Zhenyi, I had gradually found the things I'd lost, along with my love of life and hopes for the future.

Not only that, Big Brother Zhenyi had also kindly introduced Jiraiya to me as my teacher, taught me all kinds of ninjutsu techniques, and now he had even exchanged a precious Flying Thunder God Formula for me.

Big Brother Zhenyi had shown me care and support in his own way, and without realizing it, I had come to regard him as my closest family, the last person I could rely on deep in my heart.

Lately, I'd noticed that Big Brother Zhenyi had stopped ruffling my hair and had started patting my shoulder instead. Had he accepted me as his little brother?

All of this felt like a dream to Minato, as though he were living inside one.

He wondered to himself: if he hadn't met Big Brother Zhenyi that day, perhaps he'd be alone by the waterfall right now, grieving and weeping in silence. He could never have had the wonderful life he had now.

In this cruel world, Big Brother Zhenyi had become someone he could trust without holding anything back.

With Big Brother Zhenyi in his life, he was no longer afraid of facing the long, thorny road ahead alone and helpless.

With Big Brother Zhenyi by his side, he believed that no matter how great the storm or danger, his little boat would make it through safely.

As Minato thought about this, his vision began to blur. Walking ahead, Hyuga Shinichi sensed that something was wrong behind him and turned around in confusion.

The little blond following him was shedding tears right there in the street for some reason. Huh? What was going on?

The passersby all turned curious eyes toward them. At a loss, Shinichi could only walk over and hug Minato tightly.

Looking down at Minato, who was sobbing softly in his arms, he asked in a concerned whisper,

"Minato, what happened? Why are you crying?"

Minato seemed to notice the strange looks around them and felt embarrassed, so he buried his face in Shinichi's embrace.

Seeing this, Shinichi had no choice but to hug him even tighter. Then he leaped onto the roof of a nearby building.

Once they were steady on their feet, Minato's voice came from inside Shinichi's embrace.

"It's nothing, Big Brother Zhenyi. I just suddenly remembered some things..."

Shinichi looked down at that thick head of golden hair, smiled, and gently ruffled it.

"You really are impossible. You're such a troublesome little brother! I thought all that training these past few days had helped you grow up and mature, but you're still the same."

In Shinichi's eyes, Minato was so emotional because he'd been moved by what they'd done, which had made him remember his parents, who had passed away long ago.

Minato took a deep breath to steady himself, then looked up at Shinichi and said,

"Big Brother Zhenyi, thank you. Without you, I might still be lost in the pain of my parents' deaths. You gave me a home again."

Shinichi patted his shoulder with his other hand and said with a smile,

"We're family. You don't have to thank me. If something's bothering you, make sure you tell me instead of bottling it up. I'm your big brother, and I'll help you. But... you little brat! Why have you wiped your snot on me again?"

The tender moment between brothers was ruined by a glistening strand of snot stretching from Minato's nose to Shinichi's chest, forming a precarious "snot bridge."

Shinichi stared wide-eyed at Minato, but the culprit hadn't noticed a thing and was still grinning foolishly at him.

Was he just naturally clueless?

Thinking back to the first time he'd met Minato, Shinichi remembered that after comforting him, Minato had done the same thing, wiping snot on him and pulling out an identical "snot bridge." Remembering it, Shinichi couldn't help laughing.

It wouldn't affect their brotherly bond. After all, that was what family was like: no matter what happened, they could accept, understand, and support each other.

"Minato, listen carefully. In the future, you'll have a family of your own. You'll spend happy days with the person you love, and the two of you will have a child together.

"As for me, maybe I'll marry a woman I love and build a warm home of my own. Or maybe I'll travel the world.

"But even if we're apart, each following a different path in life, that doesn't mean our bond as brothers will weaken in the slightest.

"We may not be related by blood, but this deep affection is still a strong bond that holds us together.

"No matter how much time passes or how life changes, we'll always be the closest of brothers!

"When you're facing trouble, don't forget you can rely on me, your big brother. And when I'm in trouble, I trust you'll be there to help me, too.

"That's what family is, isn't it?"

As Minato listened to Shinichi's words, his eyes reddened again, and he started shedding tears once more.

"Stop, stop! Wipe your tears and snot away. You're a man, but you're always crying. If a girl sees you and thinks you're pathetic, you'll never find a wife—and then your big brother will have a real headache."

Minato smiled awkwardly and wiped the tears and snot from his face.

"Come on, we still have to study the Flying Thunder God Formula."

"Okay, Big Brother Zhenyi. Thank you," Minato said softly.

Shinichi turned around, wearing a gentle smile.

"What are you thanking me for? We're brothers."

In the afternoon, sunlight poured down like shattered gold, draping all of Konoha in a golden veil.

The gentle, warm light fell over Minato as well.

The sunlight warmed his skin, and deep inside, he felt just as warm.

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