Outside the Ninja Academy training grounds~
As an adult, Kushina often wore her signature fiery red curls in a high ponytail, with a few loose strands falling beside her ears, vibrant yet gentle.
Her oval face was fair, her features soft and bright, and her black eyes gentle yet hiding resilience. She had shed her youthful sharpness and gained the poise of a wife and mother.
Shallow dimples appeared beside her smiling lips. Her figure was full yet slender, and her simple red dress made her look radiant and warm, combining softness with spirited grace.
When Uchiha Lei saw that Kushina Uzumaki had come to pick him up, he suddenly remembered what she had said six days earlier.
Kushina Uzumaki had said, "Lei, I'm so lucky. You come of age when I do, and our coming-of-age ceremonies happen to fall on the same day. Be ready."
The corners of Uchiha Lei's mouth lifted into a smile. He raised his right hand high and waved, greeting her warmly:
"Good afternoon, Kushina."
"Lei, stop fooling around and come home with me." Kushina Uzumaki looked stern as she raised a hand and beckoned to him.
Uchiha Lei turned and waved goodbye to the bewildered elite-class students watching the match. "Kids, I probably won't be coming for the next week. See you next week."
"Huh? You won't come for a whole week?" Kurenai Yuhi looked a little sad and turned an envious gaze toward Kushina Uzumaki.
Kushina Uzumaki noticed the excessive adoration in Kurenai Yuhi's gaze. Her eyes filled with wariness, and her hands blurred through hand seals as she used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of Uchiha Lei, blocking him from view.
Seeing Kushina Uzumaki guard the Uchiha like a mother hen protecting her chick immediately stirred Kurenai Yuhi's competitive