Kushina, You Really Came to Sleep with Me?

When Shin and Kushina arrived at school, they were only just in time to avoid being late.

But someone really was late: Nawaki. Poor Nawaki was sent outside to stand as punishment while Shin watched with barely concealed glee.

"Hey, why isn't Uzumaki Akiko here?"

Shin glanced around the classroom and noticed that Uzumaki Akiko hadn't come.

"Shin, what are you thinking about?"

Mikoto looked at Shin, who had spaced out, and asked curiously.

"I was just wondering why Uzumaki Akiko isn't here."

Kushina, who had been looking drowsy beside him, instantly woke up and stared intently at Shin.

"Shin, don't tell me you've got your eye on Akiko?" Kushina gave him a "kind" look.

"Kushina, that's a pretty scary look," Mikoto said with a light laugh behind her hand.

"I'm not interested in Uzumaki Akiko. I was just curious."

Shin replied, feeling a little helpless. What interest could he have in a little girl? Sorry, but he wasn't a pervert.

Besides, Uzumaki Akiko wasn't nearly as pretty as Kushina or Mikoto.

"First, I have something to tell everyone. It's about classmate Uzumaki Akiko. I'm sure many of you have been wondering why she isn't here."

Teacher Tanaka stood at the lectern and spoke.

"Actually, Uzumaki Akiko asked for leave this morning because something came up. She probably won't be able to come to school for a while."

Teacher Tanaka's words gave Shin pause. He began to suspect what had happened.

After class, Shin went over to Uzumaki Kai and asked, "Uzumaki Kai, you live with Uzumaki Akiko, so you should know why she isn't here, right?"

"Why should I tell you?"

Uzumaki Kai glanced at Shin and replied indignantly.

Why should he tell him just because he'd asked? Who did he think he was?

"Good question. How about this?" Shin raised a hand and pressed it down on Uzumaki Kai's shoulder.

Cold sweat instantly broke out on Uzumaki Kai's forehead. It felt as if the bones in his shoulder were about to be crushed.

He didn't want to yell in pain and lose face, but he quickly backed down.

"Akiko was called away first thing this morning. I think she went to see Lady Uzumaki Mito."

"Thanks for telling me." Shin smiled faintly, took his hand back, and returned to his seat, his suspicions all but confirmed.

Shin guessed that Uzumaki Akiko had been chosen as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He didn't know why she'd been picked, but it was good news for both him and Kushina.

Becoming the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki wasn't a good thing. Not everyone could be like Naruto Uzumaki and earn the Nine-Tails' acceptance.

"Shin, you never seemed to care about Uzumaki Akiko before. Why are you suddenly concerned about her?"

After Shin returned to his seat, Kushina asked him.

Although Kushina understood that Shin probably didn't have feelings for Uzumaki Akiko, she couldn't help feeling a little jealous.

"Because this is important to us," Shin said.

If he and Kushina really had been chosen to become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Shin would have had to find a way to turn it down.

Now he didn't have to go to all that trouble.

Uzumaki Akiko had surely taken leave to receive instruction from Uzumaki Mito. Becoming the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki wasn't simple; she would have to undergo rigorous training.

When Shin and the others got home after school, they received word that they didn't need to go to Uzumaki Mito's place for lessons for the time being.

Shin had already expected this, so he wasn't disappointed. Besides, they'd already learned everything they needed to.

"Mind's Eye of the Kagura, activate."

Shin closed his eyes. In an instant, everything around him appeared in his mind, and he could sense chakra with exceptional clarity.

That's right, Shin had learned the Mind's Eye of the Kagura. It was a secret technique that only members of the Uzumaki Clan could potentially learn, and Uzumaki Mito had taught it to him.

She hadn't held back from the others, either. She'd taught it to all of them.

Shin didn't know if they'd learned it. He had, but Kushina hadn't. He doubted Uzumaki Kai and Uzumaki Akiko had managed to learn it, either.

It was an extremely wide-range sensory technique. He scanned the entire Senju Clan Grounds and the surrounding area.

Shin continued using the Mind's Eye of the Kagura. After an hour of nonstop use, he opened his eyes, fatigue showing in them.

It was mental fatigue. Chakra consumption was a minor concern; using the technique for a long time took a much greater toll on his mind. But there was an upside: it slowly increased Shin's mental strength. It was one of the ways he'd found to strengthen it.

The other way was to use the system's Copy Card to copy the Uchiha Clan's ocular powers.

"Looks like Tsunade isn't coming back. Let's eat," Shin said as he came out of his room and called to Kushina.

"I've been waiting for you. I'm starving," Kushina said weakly, making Shin chuckle.

Shin prepared a lavish dinner. Now that they had money, there was no reason to deprive themselves.

After dinner, Shin practiced Taijutsu and swordsmanship on the training ground. Then he dispelled his Shadow Clone and received the memories of the clone he'd secretly sent out to practice ninjutsu.

He organized the knowledge in his mind, refined chakra for an hour, then took a bath and got ready for bed.

But just after Shin lay down, his bedroom door opened, and Kushina walked in carrying her bedding.

Shin stared at Kushina, who had barged into his room, and gaped at her in confusion.

"Kushina, why are you coming into my room instead of going to bed?"

"Did you forget what you said this morning? That we'd sleep together from now on? You agreed, so are you trying to take it back?"

Kushina glared at Shin "fiercely," but he didn't see anything fierce about it. She just looked cute—adorably fierce.

"Kushina, you really came to sleep with me?" Shin asked, stunned.

"Of course. Are you trying to go back on your word? Besides, it's not like we've never slept together before."

As she spoke, Kushina climbed onto the tatami and lay down beside Shin. She wrapped her arms around him and naturally rested her head against his chest.

"We were little back then. Doesn't it feel awkward now, Kushina?"

Smelling Kushina's fragrant scent, Shin couldn't help asking.

"No. Sleeping with you, Shin, feels perfectly natural!"

As she spoke, Kushina snuggled comfortably against Shin.

Since Kushina had put it that way, Shin would have been an idiot to say anything more.

"Then let's get some rest. But behave yourself while you sleep. Don't toss and turn," Shin whispered to Kushina.

"Oh? Shin, do you not like me?"

Kushina pouted. Even in the dark, with the moonlight shining in, Shin could see her little pout.

"I'd never dislike you. Now get some rest."

Shin pinched Kushina's cheek, then closed his eyes with her in his arms, like a real-life body pillow.

Held in Shin's arms, Kushina felt comfortable and safe. She soon drifted off into a sweet sleep.