Kushina Draws Closer

The morning class had Uchiha Yi on pins and needles. He could clearly feel Kushina Uzumaki glancing his way every three or four minutes.

It gave him the sinking feeling that she was coming for him. If he could, he would have shouted, "Stay away from me!"

If he had known this would happen, he would never have helped Kushina with her problem.

Being noticed by Hiruzen Sarutobi was manageable; Yi could act like an ordinary person. But if Shimura Danzō took an interest in him, wouldn't he be finished?

He still needed time to grow.

With Indra's Chakra nourishing him, Yi was confident he could become a top-tier fighter. The Battle Space also let him fight all kinds of powerful opponents, so he would have no shortage of combat experience later.

Last night, Yi had used his remaining three challenge attempts, only to discover, much to his frustration, that he couldn't beat a single opponent.

A Jonin was beyond what he could handle at his age.

Even Izumo Kamizuki was a veteran Chunin. Yi had managed to put up a fight, but he had still lost, mainly because he lacked experience.

After those defeats, he had also lost the chance to challenge those opponents in the Battle Space.

Yi knew just how dangerous Danzo could be. There was even a good chance the man had killed his father.

All he wanted was to get through his school years in peace. Why was that so hard?

Morning classes finally ended. Just as Yi was about to look for Uchiha Mikoto, Kushina quietly stepped up to him. He could tell she was a little nervous.

"Did you need something, Uzumaki?" Yi sighed inwardly before asking.

"Thank you for speaking up for me earlier." Gathering her courage, Kushina looked at him earnestly. "Can I call you Yi?"

Yi's mouth twitched. Yi? Since when were we that close?

He glanced toward Minato Namikaze, who was watching them with a cheerful grin.

Go on, keep watching. At this rate, you won't have a wife anymore.

"We're classmates, and all I did was tell the truth." Yi waved it off.

"I see." Kushina nodded thoughtfully. Yi was as gentle as his father.

Before Kushina could say anything else, a familiar figure entered the classroom carrying lunch boxes.

Mikoto looked surprised to see Kushina beside Yi. She walked over with a sweet smile. "Yi, it's time for lunch."

"Mm." Yi nodded, then turned to Kushina. "If there's nothing else, Uzumaki, we should eat lunch.

"We only have an hour. If we don't eat now, we'll have to wait until after school."

Lunch break at the Ninja Academy was short, though classes ended early in the afternoon, before three o'clock.

Of course, some of the more dedicated students stayed to train on the school grounds.

It was a little like a relaxed approach to teaching. Whether a student became an excellent ninja depended entirely on their own discipline.

"Lunch?" Kushina froze. She had forgotten to bring any. Should she go home to eat? With the travel time on top of lunch itself, an hour wouldn't be enough!

"Did you forget your lunch?" Mikoto noticed her predicament and offered gently, "If you don't mind, I can share my lunch with you."

"Really? Won't you go hungry?" Kushina's gaze lingered on the two lunch boxes. They seemed to be packed with delicious food.

She couldn't help swallowing.

Before Uzushio Village fell, Kushina had been a princess, but that didn't mean she had eaten lavishly. Uzushio Village was a small island nation, after all.

Fish had been easy enough to get, but Kushina had rarely had delicacies from the mountains.

Mikoto caught the little gesture and found it endearing. This classmate seemed so open and sweet. "It's fine. I always make a little extra.

"There's enough for the two of us."

"Okay, then I won't turn you down." After a moment's hesitation, Kushina looked at Mikoto with gratitude.

There really were plenty of good people in Konoha.

This girl must be from the Uchiha Clan too.

Kagami Uchiha, Uchiha Yi, and Uchiha Mikoto—what a warm, kind clan!

Back in Uzushio Village, Kushina had heard stories about the Uchiha Clan. Some people had even called them a clan born evil. Supposedly, Second Hokage Tobirama Senju had made the remark in private, and someone had overheard and spread it.

But seeing was believing. Grandma Mito bore no ill will toward the Uchiha Clan, and now Kushina had met three good Uchiha herself.

Maybe it wasn't the Uchiha who were evil, but Second Hokage Tobirama Senju.

Prejudice really was a mountain.

"This is delicious! It's so good!"

"Mikoto, did you make this? I've decided—you're going to be my best friend for life!"

Yi and Mikoto exchanged glances as Kushina devoured her food. She ate as though she had never had enough to eat.

It was a little much.

Even Yi gave Kushina some of his own lunch, leaving her with an even better impression of him and Mikoto.

They're such good people! I'm going to be friends with Yi and Mikoto for life.

For Kushina, who had only just arrived in Konoha, a little kindness and help meant a great deal.

That might well have played a part in Minato and Kushina's relationship in the original story, too.

At the thought, Yi let out a quiet sigh. He couldn't deliberately distance himself from Kushina. That would be too obvious and would only draw attention.

Besides, he couldn't bring himself to give a girl the cold shoulder. It wouldn't fit the "Will of Fire" at all.

Forget it. I'll take things as they come.

What he didn't know was that Hiruzen Sarutobi was aware of everything. At this stage, they hadn't decided to make Kushina a Jinchūriki. She was only a candidate.