When I Grow Up, I Want to Be Hokage Too

"Big sister, can I really eat this?"

Naruto swallowed hard and asked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. That idiot—he had told him not to call her big sister!

Mikoto smiled. "Of course. This is for Naruto."

Takuya said, "Thanks for the meal," then immediately dug in.

He had originally planned to come back for ramen, but never got the chance to eat it. He had been starving for ages.

"Then, then, thanks for the meal!"

Naruto's eyes lit up as he prepared to dig in, but Uchiha Mikoto stopped him. "Naruto, wash your hands first. You need to keep clean."

"Okay!"

Naruto shot to his feet and eagerly asked, "Where do I wash them?"

Mikoto kindly led him to the bathroom.

Sasuke was already insanely jealous. Looking at Naruto's portion, he really wanted to add some special seasoning to it—like burying all those little snacks in his bowl...

But after glancing at his father, who was eating heartily with a stern expression, Sasuke gave up on the idea. He only dared to think about it.

Naruto soon came running back. He grabbed his chopsticks, excitedly said, "Thanks for the meal," and began wolfing it down, his face glowing as if he were eating some miraculous elixir.

Mikoto sat on her knees beside him, her face full of smiles.

Seeing this, Sasuke had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, not long after Naruto finished eating, Mom thoughtfully poured him a glass of juice.

Naruto picked it up and drained it in one gulp, juice still on the corners of his mouth. Mikoto had just taken out a tissue to wipe it for him when Naruto wiped his mouth with his sleeve and shouted with a satisfied look, "I'm full! Thanks for the meal!"

Sasuke's disgust was practically spilling out of him. Naruto was so sloppy and unhygienic!

He scooted farther away in disgust, only to see Mom pat Naruto on the head and say gently, "Naruto, this will be your home from now on."

"Huh?" x2

Naruto and Sasuke both cried out in confusion.

"My home?"

Naruto seemed to realize something. He stopped calling her big sister and hurriedly said, "Auntie, I have a home. It's at number XX, XX Street, XX Road."

Then he abruptly stood up. "It's getting late. I have to go home, or Hokage Grandpa will scold me."

Sasuke, on the left, voiced his objection as well. "No! I don't agree to Naruto living in our house!"

Mikoto glared at Sasuke. He shrank back and did not dare argue further, but he suddenly stood up and ran upstairs to show his displeasure.

Mikoto could not be bothered with him and merely looked at Naruto, who had run to the entryway.

Naruto ran to the door, then suddenly smacked his forehead and turned around to run back. "Oh, right! Auntie, Uncle, you still haven't told me who my mom and dad are! Why did you say they were heroes who protected Konoha? Where are they now?"

Mikoto looked at Naruto with a smile, as though she had expected this. She glanced at Takuya, and only after seeing him nod did she say, "All right, Auntie will tell you. Come, sit down first."

Naruto immediately sat cross-legged in front of Mikoto.

Mikoto gathered her thoughts before saying, "Your mother was Kushina Uzumaki. She had red hair and was a very beautiful woman!"

Naruto's eyes widened. Countless questions rose in his heart, such as why his mother's hair was red while his was yellow.

He had once heard his classmate Shikamaru Nara say that children took their father's surname, so why did he share his mother's surname instead? But he held himself back and waited for Auntie Mikoto to continue.

Mikoto paused before continuing, "Your father was Minato Namikaze. He was very smart, kind, and responsible, as well as an outstanding ninja.

"His healing smile always made people feel warm without realizing it, and his optimistic, cheerful personality always brought hope to the villagers."

Naruto found that strange. Why did she say his father could bring hope to the villagers? Mikoto's next sentence answered his question.

"Your father was Konoha's Fourth Hokage!"

Boom!

It was as though something exploded in his head. Naruto's entire face flushed red with excitement.

"My dad was Hokage?

"That's amazing! So my dad was Hokage!

"I knew it! I knew it! They were all lying to me! I'm not someone without a father! I have a father! My father was the Fourth Hokage!"

Naruto could not hide his emotions as he jumped around in excitement.

"When I grow up, I want to be Hokage too!"

Naruto declared with conviction.

Mikoto smiled and glanced at her husband, who was watching television, then nodded with a smile. "All right, all right. Naruto really has ambition. Auntie believes you'll become Hokage."

"Then, Auntie Mikoto, where did my mom and dad go?"

Naruto suddenly asked.

Mikoto's smile stiffened. Naruto noticed it, and the excitement on his face slowly faded away.

He was no longer that little child.

He was seven years old now.

He did not understand nothing.

Seeing the lonely look on Naruto's face, Mikoto patted his head. "Your mother and father had something very important to do. They both went somewhere very far away."

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they were not dead. He smiled again. "Then when will they come back?"

"Naruto, Auntie doesn't know that either. Maybe they'll come back soon, or maybe they won't be able to return for a while. But your mother wrote Auntie a letter saying she wanted you to live in Auntie's house!"

"Ah, is that so?"

Naruto's eyes widened.

"Of course. Would Auntie lie to you?"

Naruto looked at the gently smiling Uchiha Mikoto. Thinking of how she had given him snacks and delicious food, he firmly shook his head. "Auntie wouldn't lie to me."

"That's right. Come on, Naruto. Watch some television with Uncle first. Auntie will go tidy up a room for you."

"Okay."

Naruto agreed obediently, without the slightest suspicion.

After Auntie Mikoto went upstairs, Naruto looked toward Takuya, who was sprawled across the sofa, then sneaked over to him like a little mouse.

He scratched his head and said,

"Uncle, I forgot to tell you. Hokage Grandpa told me to go home early."

Takuya casually replied, "Your Hokage Grandpa also went somewhere far away to handle something. Don't worry. Just settle down here and live peacefully."

"Got it, dattebayo!"

Naruto quieted down.

Takuya glanced over and noticed that while Naruto appeared to be watching television, his eyes were actually slanting toward the pile of snacks on the table. He was even secretly swallowing.

Takuya smiled, grabbed a handful of snacks, and placed them in front of Naruto. "Here, don't be polite. Treat this place like your own home and eat whatever you want."

"Thank you, Uncle! You and Auntie are the second people, after Hokage Grandpa, who aren't afraid of me and are nice to me!"