That little episode delayed things slightly, and the next Jonin team leader had already appeared at the door.
She was a beautiful woman with long, fiery red hair, held back on the left by a small gold hair clip. Her features were refined, her bearing graceful, combining the poise of a well-bred lady with an unyielding competitive spirit. She was Kushina Uzumaki.
Leaning against the doorframe, she looked curiously around the room. When she spotted Minato Namikaze, whom she had not seen for quite some time since graduation, surprise flickered in her eyes.
In this world, Madara Uchiha had "kindly" brought the Uzumaki Clan to live in Konoha long ago. As the clan's most gifted little princess, Kushina had been showered with attention from childhood, and there were countless outstanding young men from the various clans who wanted to get close to her.
Kushina was straightforward by nature. Despite the Uzumaki Clan's lessons in etiquette, the irrepressibly carefree streak in her bones still showed through in her words and actions.
For instance, she had never noticed the affection Minato Namikaze had shown for her since their days at the Ninja Academy.
Back then, Minato Namikaze had been a shy little boy with a gentle voice. Too embarrassed to crowd in among Kushina's suitors, he had always stood at a distance and stolen glances at her.
Having grown up surrounded by love, Kushina had enjoyed a happy childhood and completely overlooked Minato's feelings.
Nothing was truly destined from birth. Without making an effort to pursue what you wanted, missing each other was all too easy.
Kushina and Minato Namikaze had not interacted much. At the Ninja Academy, they had simply been classmates, and even their few conversations had never lasted more than ten sentences.
Yet after all these years, chance had