56 Chapter 56 - Last Year 01.
[Chapter Size: 2200 Words.]
Third Person POV
Konoha, Year 36.
...
...
Months had passed and Minato was returning from one of his sales with the paper bombs. He had made a lot of money from this for a while, and today, he was especially happy, going to buy some things. He went to a less privileged area of the village and arrived at a house.
There lived a sick woman with a 4-year-old boy. She was Duy's wife, and the boy was Guy. After training for a while with Duy, Minato eventually met his family.
"Minato-san!" the boy exclaimed from the window as Minato approached, looking very happy to see him.
Minato, with a smile on his face, had become a kind of godfather to the child. Now that Duy had been dispatched to the war, he visited his family more frequently and always helped financially with the explosive seals.
"Hello Guy. How are things?" Minato approached.
"I'm fine, I started training my body. I want to be as strong as you and dad!" the boy exclaimed. He sometimes saw Minato and his father training, which inspired him a lot.
"I'm sure of it, little Guy," Minato ruffled his bowl-cut hair.
The boy looked at Minato and seemed hesitant for a moment before speaking. "Minato-San, I heard some people saying the other day that my dad was useless... is that true? Why do people treat him badly?" the boy asked innocently.
Minato sighed and crouched beside the boy. "Don't worry about what people say. Your father is a strong man and will surprise everyone in the future. He's a hidden diamond in the village and will be even stronger than the current Hokage, mark my words," Minato commented with a small smile.
"Really? He will be stronger than the current Hokage?" Guy asked in surprise.
"Yes, I'm sure of it. Hasn't he been studying the human body lately? I'm sure he plans to create a unique technique," Minato said dreamily, knowing that Duy was studying the Eight Gates, not that he was interested in the technique for himself since it wasn't his style. However, that didn't stop the technique from being classified as legendary.
"Yes, he studies every night. If Minato-San, considered the village's greatest genius, says so, then it's true! I will also inherit my father's power of youth!" the boy said excitedly.
Minato was a bit embarrassed by the boy's declaration, as the rumor of the greatest talent appearing in the village now belonged to him, and many talked about it. Even Madame Gorete was receiving many more visitors at the orphanage, and some had tried to adopt Minato, but he refused. With the Hokage's help, it was not possible.
"That's good, I'm sure you will be a great and powerful Taijutsu user," Minato spoke confidently.
"Haha! Yes, I will prove my power to everyone!" Little Guy acted like any child, even starting to do push-ups on the ground, claiming he would do 100, which left Minato a bit lost, wondering if it was healthy for a 4-year-old boy.
After leaving little Guy to his activity, Minato went to the kitchen where Duy's wife was.
"Minato, you're here," she smiled.
"I came to bring some money for you," he said, handing over an envelope.
"You don't need to do this, Minato. You should save this money for yourself," she said, not wanting to accept the money.
"I insist, you know I've been making a lot of money lately and can take care of myself with what's left. I'm doing this because Duy has helped me a lot, so it's the least I can do," Minato said, leaving the envelope on the table.
"Alright... Then at least stay for some coffee," she commented, and Minato ended up spending some time chatting with her and little Guy.
After leaving the place, Minato headed to the orphanage. He was about to move for the first time, as the Hokage had provided an apartment for him. So, he would finally have his own home.
He gathered his belongings at the orphanage, said goodbye to the children and Madame Gorete.
"Good luck, boy, I'm sure you'll have a bright future!" she said proudly.
"Thank you, I'll do my best!" Minato replied confidently.
Minato left the orphanage with his few belongings, arriving at his new apartment. He was impressed. It was a modest space, but well-organized and comfortable, ideal for one person. He began to organize his things, finding a place for each item he had brought with him.
While arranging his belongings, Minato heard a noise coming from the bedroom. Curious, he approached and, to his surprise, found Tsuna sitting on his bed.
"Tsuna, what are you doing here?" asked Minato, a bit surprised by her presence.
Tsuna, with a mischievous smile, replied: "I heard you were moving today and wanted to surprise you. Plus, I brought something to celebrate your new house."
She showed a small box of sweets, a simple gift, but Minato would not fail to thank her for it.
"This looks delicious, so let me finish up and we'll eat." Minato said, storing his things.
Tsuna helped him and Minato couldn't help but notice something in her he hadn't seen before. "Your hair, why did you dye it?" He asked curiously.
"I dyed the tips of my hair, do you like it?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.
"It's different, but I like the look." Minato admitted.
"It's good that you liked it, otherwise you would be in a hole in the wall," she said smiling and joking, and Minato just shook his head.
"You're finally living alone," Tsuna said, eating the sweets she brought, sitting comfortably on Minato's bed, with a slightly teasing smile.
Minato laughed. "Yes, to be honest, it's a new experience away from all those screaming kids all the time. It seems like a big step, but I'm ready for it."
"Hmm, I just hope you don't become one of those lonely and mysterious shinobis. You know, the type that gets obsessed with missions only and forgets to live life," Tsuna joked, but there was a hint of concern in her voice.
Minato shook his head, smiling. "Don't worry, Tsuna. I have many plans besides being a shinobi. And I won't forget my friends."
Tsuna looked at him with an evaluating gaze. "Well, you've always been different from the others. Just... just promise you won't change too much, okay?"
Minato nodded. "I promise."
At that moment, a different atmosphere began to form between Minato and Tsuna, something more intimate and personal than the usual friendship they shared. They were sitting close to each other, talking and laughing, but gradually the tone of the conversation changed. There was a comfortable silence, and they found themselves looking at each other in a way they had never done before.
Tsuna, usually confident and assertive, seemed a bit hesitant, but there was a sparkle in her eyes that Minato couldn't ignore. He, in turn, couldn't help but feel his heart beat faster as he looked at the girl.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, they drew closer. Tsuna's eyes met Minato's, and there was an undeniable attraction between them. Minato could feel her breath, and for a moment, everything else seemed to disappear.
They were just inches apart, their eyes slowly closing, ready for what seemed to be an inevitable kiss. However, at the last second, there was a hesitation. Minato's body moved on its own, but he knew it wouldn't be right to kiss the girl like that.
"Tsuna, I..." Minato began, but couldn't find the right words.
Tsuna smiled slightly, a bit embarrassed, and drew back a little. "I think... maybe this was a mistake. I don't want to ruin our friendship, and you already have Kushina," she said, her voice low.
Minato nodded, feeling a mix of relief and disappointment. "Yes, our friendship is important. I don't want to lose that."
They tried to resume the conversation, but there was a new barrier between them, a recognition that perhaps there was more to their relationship than just friendship.
"I think I better go, it's getting late and Mito asked me to accompany her and Kushina for dinner," she said a bit shyly.
"Do you want me to walk you home?" Minato asked.
"No! It's okay, see you tomorrow on the first day of class, Minato. Goodbye!" Tsuna practically ran out, leaving only Minato alone in the room, not knowing what to think.
"Good night, Tsuna," Minato murmured, but the girl had already gone.
'Geez, dealing with so many women is so difficult, is it wrong for me to feel this attraction for more than one woman? I don't think polygamy is wrong in this world, but still, it's very new to me, and I'm afraid of messing up my relationships.' Minato couldn't help but debate this internally, he liked Kushina and would make her his wife, but he had known Tsuna for so many years,
he liked Mikoto, but Tsuna seemed to stir his feelings even more.
"I hope I don't have to choose between Kushina and Tsuna, can I have both in the future, can't I?" He asked no one in particular while continuing to lie in bed.
Some hours had passed, and Tsuna also seemed equally lost, sitting outside her room.
"Looks like you're quite distracted today, Tsuna." A voice called her, and she quickly looked up to see Mito approaching the girl.
"Great-grandmother... I was just..." She murmured.
"Thinking, but I wonder what you are thinking about. Usually, you're not like this, but I believe there must be a good reason for it... perhaps involving feelings?" Mito joked, and Tsuna blushed.
"I heard you went to see Minato this afternoon. Did something happen between you two?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I... I don't know, we almost kissed..." She admitted.
"Hm... it's normal for a boy and a girl to like each other and express those feelings through affection. I remember how I used to hit Hashirama in my youth when he messed up," she said nostalgically.
"That's not what I mean, I don't hit Minato and I can't even do that to start a conversation." Tsuna said.
"Hohoho. Of course not, there are many ways to express your affection, but if you like him or love him, don't let him slip away," she said.
"But he has Kushina, I see how the two of them act when they're together... I shouldn't get involved..." She spoke with a hint of sadness.
"Little Tsuna, Minato will be a strong boy, I'm sure there will be places for you and Kushina in his heart, if you love him, don't let him escape, I'm sure Kushina won't be the only competitor," Mito spoke.
"Are you saying he can marry two women?" Tsuna asked. Polygamy was uncommon among ninjas, it happened with nobles, but rarely a ninja had two wives at the same time.
"If you love him and he feels the same, I'm sure there will be room for you and Kushina, maybe even more, who knows. But it would be good to think about this after 15 years, you're still very young for a relationship," Mito spoke now in a more stern tone despite using kind words.
"Thank you, great-grandmother. I'm going to sleep now, I have the academy tomorrow," Tsuna said goodbye with a kiss and went back to her room.
"You heard that, our girl is growing up," Mito said with a small smile, and a shadow jumped next to Mito; it was Tsunade.
"Hm... First she dyes her hair and now talks about boys... My daughter is really becoming problematic," Tsunade said in a disapproving tone.
"She's talking about her future husband," Mito said.
"That boy better not hurt my daughter, otherwise, I'll carve a hole in the Hokage's rock with his face," Tsunade threatened.
Mito just laughed, and they returned to their rooms. The next day, the first day of the academy started as usual, but while the kids were gossiping, the atmosphere between Minato and Tsuna was visibly different. They avoided eye contact and barely spoke, a drastic change from their usual interaction. This did not go unnoticed by their friends, especially Kushina and Mikoto, who were used to the closeness and camaraderie that normally existed between the two.
Kushina, always direct and straightforward, was the first to address the issue. "Hey, what's going on with you two, Dattebane? You're acting weird today," she questioned, looking alternately at Minato and Tsuna.
Tsuna, caught off guard by Kushina's direct question, stuttered a bit before answering. "Oh, it's nothing, Kushina. Just... tiredness from the first day of class," she tried to disguise, looking away.
Mikoto, observing the scene, also noticed the tension. She knew Minato and Tsuna well and knew something had happened. "You've hardly spoken to each other since you arrived. That's not normal," she commented, looking suspiciously.
Minato, feeling a bit pressured, tried to ease the situation. "Really, it's just tiredness. You know, the first day of class and all that..." he said, trying to appear unconcerned.
Kushina and Mikoto heard that, but they clearly did not believe those words for the rest of the day.
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