Chapter 51: Old Wounds

The wooden door creaked softly as Shin pushed it open, stepping inside his quiet home. He didn't bother calling out—there was never any point. His father was likely out on another mission, like always.

Silently, Shin removed his shoes and padded inside.

"Ohi, Shin…"

A voice called out from the living room.

Shin froze mid-step, startled. "Huh? Father?"

He quickly hurried in, eyes wide with surprise. His father, Hiroshi, was sitting on the sofa, arms crossed, a calm yet awkward smile on his face.

"What are you doing here? Didn't you have a mission today too?"

"Well…" Hiroshi turned to face him fully. "I cancelled it."

"What? Why?" Shin asked, brows furrowed in disbelief.

"Because I wanted to spend a day with you," Hiroshi admitted, flustered. His voice was awkward, as if unfamiliar with words of affection.

Shin blinked. "Ah…" He stood frozen for a moment, unsure how to respond. Ever since the Mizuki incident, their relationship had slowly begun to heal, but this… this was something new.

"Oh, and I have something for you," Hiroshi added, standing up from the couch and walking to the table. He picked up a sealed scroll resting there and turned back to Shin. "Here."

He tossed it.

Shin's eyes lit up even before it landed in his hands. The seal, the leather binding—he knew this scroll. His fingers trembled slightly as he caught it.

"This is… Mother's medical scroll…"

He looked up. "Why are you giving me this? Didn't you say medical ninjutsu wouldn't bring me anywhere—"

But before he could finish, Hiroshi placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"I was wrong. Sorry."

Hiroshi's eyes grew distant, a faint ache surfacing in his gaze. "I just… I didn't want you to end up like your mother. Dying to save others. I thought that if I pushed you down another path, you'd be safer…"

Shin said nothing, listening intently.

"But when I saw you fight that Uchiha brat…" Hiroshi continued, a small smile tugging at his lips. "When I saw that new medical jutsu of yours… I realized something. I can't suppress your talent just because of my fears. It's strange, isn't it? One of the strongest shinobi in the village… only now realizing something so simple."

He looked Shin straight in the eyes.

"You're your mother's son. And my son. So go—become the kind of shinobi you want to be."

"Thanks, father!" Shin exclaimed, unable to hold back anymore as he threw his arms around Hiroshi.

Hiroshi tensed at first—but then he returned the hug, firm and warm.

...

The soft rush of water flowed beside them as Shin and Hiroshi walked along the riverside, the amber hues of the setting sun casting golden ripples over the surface. The breeze carried with it the faint scent of wet earth and blooming spring.

For a while, they simply walked in silence—father and son. Peaceful, unhurried.

"Father…" Shin suddenly said, eyes fixed on the river. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, go ahead," Hiroshi replied without hesitation.

"Why did you ask for Naruto to be promoted to a ninja?" Shin's tone was calm, but there was a deeper current beneath his words. "Didn't you hate him… for what happened to Mother? Because of him being the Nine-Tailed Beast's Jinchuriki?"

Hiroshi stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening as if struck.

"…What?"

He turned sharply. "How do you know that Naruto is the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki?" His voice was quiet but tense—uneasy. "That information is top-secret."

Shin kept walking, hands in his pockets, not looking back. "It wasn't that hard to figure out."

Hiroshi stood still, listening.

"Everyone hates him, especially adults. You always cussed him under your breath whenever you looked at Mom's photo—even when he'd done nothing. And the whiskers on his cheeks… they reminded me of a fox." Shin finally turned his head slightly. "When I read about Jinchuriki in one of Mother's old books and then saw that seal on his stomach while he was fooling around shirtless that one time… everything just clicked."

Hiroshi's mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. "Ah…"

Shin stopped and turned to face him fully.

"So why didn't you ever tell Naruto?"

Shin shrugged. "There must be a reason no one has told him, right? If adults like you and Lord Hokage haven't said anything, I figured I should just keep it to myself."

Hiroshi stared at him in silence for a long moment.

'This kid…' he thought, both proud and deeply troubled.

"So," Shin continued, tilting his head, "I'm still waiting for your answer."

Hiroshi exhaled softly, as though letting go of something heavy.

"I asked for Naruto's promotion because…" He looked up at the sky, watching the sun dip lower behind the trees. "When I saw him fighting—fighting for you, for his team, for this village… I realized how wrong I was."

His voice grew gentler, distant. "I spent so many years blaming him for what happened to Naoko. I hated him without ever seeing who he really was. That boy…" Hiroshi's voice trembled slightly, "he's nothing like the monster I told myself he was. That day, I saw my son standing next to him. And I saw Naoko's will in both of you."

Shin blinked, stunned.

"…That was my way of asking for his forgiveness," Hiroshi said. "A small one, but it's all I could do."

The two stood in silence as the final light of day danced over the river. No more words were needed for a while.

They simply walked.

As the wind rustled the leaves and the light dimmed further, casting long shadows along the riverbank, a silence settled between them again.

Until Shin broke it.

"…Father," he said quietly, but firmly. "Can you… teach me Kenjutsu?"

Hiroshi blinked, caught off guard. "Huh? You want to learn Kenjutsu?" He scratched the back of his head. "Didn't we already talk about this? You're not really built for the sword, Shin. Your strength lies in Medical Ninjutsu—"

"Please, father." Shin's voice cut through, not loud, but resolute.

Hiroshi turned to him and saw something in his son's eyes—something that made him pause.

"When I saw you fight against Mizuki… when you drew your blade without hesitation to protect me…" Shin's hands clenched at his sides. "I realized that I'm still too weak."

"There's too much tension in the world right now. Between the great villages, between the clans. If another Great Ninja War breaks out, I want to be strong enough… strong enough to protect the people I care about."

He looked down at the ground, then back up.

"Even if I'm not talented with a sword… learning something more is never a waste."

Hiroshi stood silent for a moment, expression unreadable. Then, after a deep sigh, he gave a small chuckle.

"…You really are your mother's son," he muttered, almost to himself.

He turned toward the river, his voice calm.

"All right."

Shin's eyes widened.

"I won't go easy on you," Hiroshi added. "You want to learn Kenjutsu? You'll train like a swordsman. Not a medic. Not a prodigy. Just like any soldier on the battlefield."

Shin straightened up and nodded firmly. "Yes, sir."

"Good." Hiroshi smirked, the glint of a warrior in his eyes. "Let's get back home then... I have some wooden swords we can use."

To be continued...

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How was this chapter? I am trying to deepen character development, am I doing a good job?

Be sure to check out my original novel Hyperborea!