Naruto : Minato back to the past

Minato and Kushina moved quickly through the streets of Konoha, their feet light as they weaved through the morning bustle. Despite the mission ahead, Minato couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement as he ran beside her, a spark that had been missing from his life for a long time.

"Kushina, where exactly are we going?" he asked, slightly puzzled. She hadn't given him any explanation for this sudden dash out into the village, leaving him guessing.

Without slowing down, Kushina glanced over her shoulder, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Since you said we need to hide our identity as Konoha ninja, we need a few props!"

"Props?" Minato raised an eyebrow, the idea striking him as a bit out of the ordinary. In most missions requiring stealth, he'd simply use a basic transformation technique or rely on a simple cloak. But, as always, Kushina seemed to have her own ideas.

After a few more minutes of running, they stopped in front of an old shop tucked away in the village's side streets. Kushina gazed at the store with a nostalgic smile, her eyes softening.

"I still remember our first time shopping together," she said, her tone wistful. "We came here, remember?"

Minato chuckled as memories flooded back. The mask shop was indeed the first place he'd gone to with her when they'd taken a rare day off from training years ago. It had been a day filled with laughter, mischief, and one he cherished deeply.

"Yeah," he said, a smile playing at his lips. Time had changed the store slightly—the sign looked freshly painted, and a few of the masks on display were new—but the core of the place felt the same. He could still see echoes of their younger selves laughing as they picked out masks, pretending to be ANBU on a secret mission.

"So, the 'props' you're talking about are masks?" Minato asked, turning to her with a slightly raised brow.

Kushina nodded, grinning. "Exactly! We're not ANBU or Root, and I've never had a mission that needed a disguise before. But I figured we could go undercover with some style!"

Minato couldn't help but smile at her plan. For a seasoned kunoichi, her approach to hiding their identity was almost endearing. But then again, Kushina had a unique way of blending lightheartedness with serious situations.

"Let's go," she said, taking his hand and leading him into the store. Years ago, she might have hesitated, but now, she did it naturally, their connection strong and sure.

Inside the store, a young boy was darting around, his small feet pattering on the wooden floor. He spotted them and, with wide eyes, turned to call to the back. "Dad, Mom, we have customers!"

Without watching his steps, the boy ran forward, tripping over a low shelf in his path. He stumbled forward, his face a mask of shock as he lost his balance.

In a flash, Minato appeared beside him, catching him by the arm and setting him upright.

"Careful there," Minato said, smiling at the boy, who looked up with a wide grin.

"Thanks, big brother!" the boy said with a toothy smile, clearly unfazed by his close call.

"Are you alright?" Kushina asked, squatting down to eye-level with the boy, her tone kind.

The boy gave her a confident nod. "I'm fine!"

A man and woman hurried out from the back, concern evident on their faces. The woman knelt down, placing a hand on her son's shoulder. "I told you not to run around the shop! You're going to hurt yourself one of these days!"

The boy's expression softened, a hint of embarrassment coloring his cheeks. "But I'm fine, Mom! This big brother caught me!"

The man, whom Minato immediately recognized as the shopkeeper, gave a polite bow. "I apologize. He's a handful sometimes. Thank you for helping him."

Minato and Kushina exchanged glances, a flicker of recognition passing between them. They'd met this couple years ago when they first visited the shop as young genin. At that time, the shopkeeper and his wife had been a young couple themselves, filled with warmth and excitement about their business. Now, years later, they had a child who seemed just as lively.

Though the couple didn't recognize them, Minato smiled politely. "It's no trouble at all."

The man's face softened in appreciation. "As a thank-you, let us gift you the masks you choose. It's the least we can do for helping my boy."

Minato started to decline, but the boy's mother gave him a kind smile. "Please, it would mean a lot to us."

After a brief back-and-forth, Minato and Kushina agreed. They browsed the array of masks, choosing ones that would suit their mission while maintaining a sense of nostalgia for the store's offerings.

When they finally left the store, Kushina's face was bright with excitement, her mask tucked under her arm. Minato glanced at her, smiling. "Well, now we've got our disguises. Let's hurry and prepare to head to Rōran."

As he said this, Minato placed a hand on her shoulder, ready to use his Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport them back home. In a blink, they reappeared in front of Minato's house.

"Hey, Minato…" Kushina's voice was softer now, her usual cheerfulness giving way to a hint of shyness. She looked at him, her cheeks faintly pink.

"What's wrong?" he asked, a bit surprised by her sudden shift in tone.

Kushina lowered her gaze for a moment, then looked back at him with earnest eyes. "Those two in the shop… they looked so happy with their little family."

Minato nodded, unsure where she was leading. "Yeah, they've really built a life together. And their son's already that big!"

For a moment, she stayed quiet, and he could see a mix of emotions flickering in her eyes. Then, almost in a whisper, she said, "Do you think… that'll be us one day?"

The question hit Minato harder than he expected. Despite their closeness, it was rare for her to voice such tender thoughts so openly. His heart raced as he thought about a future where they were more than just partners on the battlefield—a future where they had a family, a life beyond the shinobi world's chaos.

Meeting her hopeful gaze, he felt his own cheeks warm. "Of course, Kushina. Will you be my wife, the mother of our future children?"

Her face broke into a radiant smile, and without another word, she threw herself into his arms, holding him tightly. Minato wrapped his arms around her, savoring the quiet intimacy of the moment.

After a while, she pulled back slightly, looking up at him with a playful grin. "So, what do you think our child will be like?"

Minato paused, memories flooding back of the son he had barely known. Though he couldn't share that part of himself with her, he decided to let himself dream aloud. "Our child… I think he'd be a bit of a handful. He might be mischievous, loud, maybe a little stubborn." He chuckled softly, seeing her eyes light up. "And maybe one day, he'd shout about becoming Hokage, no matter who tells him otherwise."

Kushina's eyes softened as she listened, and a quiet warmth spread across her face. She could almost picture it: a child with a blend of their personalities, full of energy and determination. "Well, that sounds about right! But… are you sure it'll be a boy?"

Minato laughed, brushing her hair aside. "Just a feeling. Besides, with us as parents, I think our child would be unstoppable, no matter what."

She held his gaze, her own expression filled with joy and an unspoken promise. "I can't wait, Minato. To marry you, to start a family with you."

For a moment, they stood in silence, letting the future they dreamed of settle into the space between them. But finally, Kushina pulled herself together, a familiar spark of resolve returning to her face.

"Alright, enough dreaming! We have a mission, remember?" she said, smiling. "With your Flying Thunder God, we should be able to reach Rōran quickly."

Nodding, Minato led her inside, and the two of them went to prepare. In the quiet of the house, they changed into their disguises: attire that was distinct from Konoha's typical uniforms, giving them the appearance of traveling mercenaries. The clothes had a rugged look, typical of private bodyguards or wandering shinobi, ensuring they would blend in wherever they went.

Kushina tied her long red hair into a single ponytail, fastening it with a headband. The final touch was the masks they'd chosen, which added an air of mystery to their appearances. She adjusted her mask, giving him a playful wink. "Think anyone will recognize us?"

"Not a chance," he replied with a smirk, adjusting his own mask.

With one final look at each other, they shared a nod, their eyes filled with determination.

"Let's go," Minato said, reaching for her shoulder. The two vanished from the room, ready to face the unknown challenges waiting for them in Rōran.

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