CH 6: Jiraiya, Ink, Secrets, and Sake

That afternoon, Kushina's home felt a little warmer than usual. Naruto was fast asleep in his cradle, his tiny mouth twitching as if he were still suckling in a dream. Kushina sat cross-legged on the floor, her long red hair tied up halfway, her face looking more refreshed than it had in days.

But a knock at the door caught her attention. It was firm and steady.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Kushina stood up slowly and opened the door—and standing there was a tall, white-haired man with a crooked smile on his face, one that was slightly awkward.

"Yo, Kushina..." he greeted softly, as if afraid his voice might ruin the moment.

Kushina froze for a few seconds. Her eyes widened, then her lips curled into a small, surprised smile. "Jiraiya-sensei…?! You're back?"

Jiraiya nodded slightly. "I wasn't planning to return to Konoha yet... but after I heard about Minato... I thought…"

A moment of silence passed. A breeze slipped through the half-open window, stirring the thin curtain in the corner of the room.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Kushina," Jiraiya said at last, his voice heavy and sincere.

Kushina lowered her head and smiled bitterly. "Thank you... But I'm still alive, and so is Naruto. That's enough."

Jiraiya took a deep breath and gave a sheepish smile. "Well then… mind if I come in? I brought some sake, but... I guess we could swap it for tea today."

A few minutes later, they sat together in the living room. Steam rose from the cups in their hands, and Naruto still slept peacefully nearby.

"It's been a long time since we sat like this," Jiraiya said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Kushina nodded, then chuckled. "You're usually busy being chased by women or writing that perverted novel of yours…"

"Hey, hey! It's not just smut, it's—"

"Art, I know," Kushina cut in sharply, eyes narrowed. "But speaking of art... you're working on a new novel, right?"

The question made Jiraiya pause. He sipped his tea and pretended to be fascinated by the tatami mat.

"Hmm... well… I don't know… inspiration's been kinda... dry lately…"

Kushina stared at him sharply, analyzing his expression. The usually bold man now looked like a kid caught stealing snacks.

Seeing that hesitation made her smile inside. At least Jiraiya still knew his boundaries and wouldn't dare act rash in front of his student's widow.

After a moment, Kushina stood and walked to a small cabinet in the corner of the room. She pulled out a large folder filled with freshly inked manuscript pages.

"I want to collaborate with you," she said, handing over the folder. "I know you're a pro at publishing, and you've got the name for it."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow high. "Collaborate?"

Kushina nodded. "Let's call it… speculative fiction. But the contents are a bit spicy, so…"

Jiraiya's expression lit up with curiosity. "Spicy? You mean…?"

"Yeah, and that's why my name cannot be on it. That's the main condition. Total secrecy!"

Jiraiya grinned mischievously. "You know, that only makes me even more curious…"

Kushina crossed her arms and squinted. "Revenue split 40:60. You get 60 since you handle publishing and distribution."

Jiraiya blinked. "You're really serious about this, huh…"

"I still want to be known as Kushina Uzumaki, the honorable wife of the Fourth Hokage. Not some 'fiery author' infamous for sultry fiction."

Jiraiya nodded quickly, barely hiding the amused grin threatening to break through. "Fine, fine. I swear on the frogs of Mount Myoboku."

Once the manuscript was taken care of, Kushina glanced at Naruto's cradle, then at Jiraiya.

"Take care of Naruto for a bit, will you? I haven't been out in ages. I need some fresh air… maybe a quick little mission."

"Mission?" Jiraiya frowned.

"Don't worry, nothing dangerous. I just need something to break the monotony. Being stuck indoors too long drives people crazy."

Kushina then gave him detailed instructions about feeding, changing diapers, and Naruto's sleeping position. Jiraiya could only nod along helplessly, clutching his head.

"This is more complicated than infiltrating an Iwa base…"

"Good luck, Ero-Sennin," Kushina said with a small laugh before waving and stepping out with a renewed spring in her step.

Once she left, Jiraiya finally settled down and opened the manuscript. He read the first few paragraphs… and his eyes widened.

"...Oi oi... this... this is really…"

His cheeks flushed slightly, and a mischievous smile slowly spread across his face.

"Tch tch tch… no wonder she wants to stay anonymous… Kushina… I never expected you to have such a talent in that kind of 'art'..." he whispered, eyes gleaming with excitement and perhaps a little too much enthusiasm.

Naruto squirmed slightly in his sleep, as if sensing that something very strange was happening in the living room.

Meanwhile, at the Hokage's Office.

The room was filled with paperwork and the quiet monotony of a typical workday—until suddenly...

"Old man Sandaime! Give me a mission!" Kushina burst into the office, pushing the door open without knocking.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been reading a mission report with his pipe hanging from his lips, looked up calmly. A thin wisp of smoke curled into the air before fading away.

"Ah, so Kakashi is here too. What a coincidence," Kushina said with mild surprise, noticing the silver-haired young man standing stiffly in the corner, looking a bit awkward.

Kakashi, no longer hiding his Sharingan—perhaps due to the casual atmosphere—glanced at Kushina. His eyes widened slightly, then returned to their usual flat expression. He gave a slow nod.

"Good morning, Kushina-san."

Hiruzen could only sigh, then smiled wryly.

'She hasn't changed at all. Still fiery like always,' he thought, observing her vibrant expression.

"Alright," Hiruzen finally spoke, his tone wise but light. "Since you're here, Kushina, you might as well take this mission together."

Kakashi furrowed his brow. One of his hands shifted uneasily in his pocket. He glanced at the mission report on Hiruzen's desk—a red A-rank symbol stamped in the top right corner.

"But... this is an A-rank mission, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said seriously. His gaze was firm. "Shouldn't we add a third member?"

"It's fine," Hiruzen replied, lowering his pipe and stroking his chin with two fingers. "I trust both of you—especially you, Kakashi."

Kushina huffed and crossed her arms, cheeks puffing like a sulking child.

"Huh?! Are you doubting me, Kakashi?" she said, glaring at him. She stepped forward and clapped him hard on the back, making him flinch slightly.

"Uh... no… that's not it," Kakashi replied, clearly uncomfortable. 'Why is it always like this with Kushina-san...' he thought, averting his eyes.

Hiruzen chuckled softly and raised his hand to calm things down.

"Please, Kushina… be nice to Kakashi, okay? For this mission, he'll be the team captain."

Kushina raised an eyebrow, then smiled wide. With a dramatic gesture, she stood straight and saluted.

"Understood, Captain Kakashi!" she said with enthusiasm. It sounded exaggerated, but her tone was sincere and respectful.

Still, in Kakashi's eyes, Kushina looked... very charming.

He cleared his throat, forcing away an inappropriate thought that had flashed through his mind upon seeing her so cheerful.

'Focus. Focus. She's your sensei's wife. Sensei's wife. Recently widowed. Focus.' he reminded himself.

"In that case, Kushina-san," Kakashi said finally, his voice steady again, "gather your gear. We meet at the gate in thirty minutes."

"Got it!" Kushina gave him a confident thumbs-up before turning and striding out the door, her steps light.

Once the door shut behind her, Hiruzen turned to Kakashi, his gaze thoughtful.

"Take good care of her."

Kakashi nodded silently, though a heaviness settled in his chest.

'This won't be an ordinary mission… and she's definitely not an ordinary partner.'