"Huh? Mikoto, what are you doing here?" Kushina stepped through the door with a confused expression. This was supposed to be Aoshi's office.
And at such a late hour, Mikoto should've already returned to the Uchiha compound.
"Aoshi was too busy during the day, so I brought him dinner. Otherwise, he'd have to cook for himself once he gets home." As she spoke, Mikoto naturally began clearing away the bowls and bento box.
Kushina glanced at Mikoto, then at Aoshi. Something about the situation felt… off.
But she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Before she could think any further, Aoshi's question pulled her back.
"Lady Mito wants to see me? So suddenly?"
Uzumaki Mito held a unique status in Konoha. Although she no longer held any official power, she was the First Hokage's wife—and the current jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
Even the present Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, treated her with great respect.
More importantly, Mito was now aged. To keep the Nine-Tails stable, she was supposed to avoid unnecessary contact with others.
"Because you saved me from the Cloud ninja today, Granny Mito wants to thank you in person." But as she spoke, the always brash, tomboyish Kushina inexplicably blushed.
Her eyes, as they turned toward Aoshi, carried a rare trace of shyness.
If any of the boys Kushina had previously beaten up were to see her like this, their jaws would drop. They'd probably think someone was impersonating her.
Meanwhile, Mikoto, watching from the side, noticed Kushina's reactions completely—and her expression turned thoughtful.
"If that's the case, let's go. We shouldn't keep Lady Mito waiting."
After bidding Mikoto goodbye, Aoshi and Kushina left the hospital and headed toward the Senju compound.
"By the way, how's Mai doing these days?" On the way, Aoshi suddenly thought of Kushina's fellow clanswoman.
He couldn't help but marvel—Minato truly had a thing for red-haired girls.
In this timeline, unlike the original, where Minato rescued Kushina from the Cloud ninja, he had saved Mai from the Grass ninja instead.
"Mai studies sealing techniques with Granny Mito every day. Maybe in a little while, she'll join the Sealing Division."
Kushina gave a simple update, and soon the two of them arrived at the gates of the Senju Grounds.
Aoshi wasn't unfamiliar with the place. He'd once escorted a drunken Tsunade back home. But this was his first time actually entering the Senju residence.
Contrary to what one might expect, the compound—despite its vast grounds—was modest in design. If a stranger unfamiliar with Konoha were to step inside, they'd never guess this was home to two generations of Hokage.
Suddenly, as Aoshi followed behind Kushina, he was struck by a sight that would be seared into his memory.
It was Tsunade!
Fresh from the bath, she stepped out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel loosely wrapped around her. Her unconcealed curves, brighter than the moonlight outside, immediately drew attention.
As she walked, her figure shifted and bounced with gravity, making it impossible to look away.
"Yo, Kushina, you're back." Completely unaware of the effect she was having, Tsunade cheerfully greeted both Kushina and Aoshi.
"Oh, Aoshi, you're here too? Great—join me for a drink later." She hadn't had the chance to drink or gamble lately, being cooped up in the research facility every day.
"Drinking this late? And Tsunade-sama, can you please be more careful?!" Kushina rushed over and tightened the towel around Tsunade's chest. Then she turned and snapped at Aoshi.
"No looking!"
With great difficulty, Aoshi forced himself to avert his gaze.
Scoffing, Kushina shoved Tsunade toward her room. "Go to bed already!"
"Stop pushing, Kushina. I can walk on my own," Tsunade protested.
But Kushina ignored her, continuing to push with a determined glare. Once Tsunade was safely back in her room, Kushina returned to Aoshi, giving him a suspicious look.
"You didn't see anything just now, right?"
"See what? Let's go. Lady Mito's waiting for us."
Seeing Aoshi dodge the topic, Kushina huffed but chose not to press it further.
Soon, the two arrived at Uzumaki Mito's room.
Though she usually retired early, tonight she sat by the bed, quietly reading a scroll.
"Granny, I brought Aoshi." Hearing Kushina's voice, Mito finally looked up.
Time had taken a toll on her. Her once vibrant red Uzumaki hair had dulled with age. There was no trace of her former grace and beauty.
Such was the life of a ninja—despite their immense power, they were not immune to aging, illness, or death. It was precisely this reality that made Orochimaru's obsession with immortality seem so out of place.
After all, even the legendary Sage of Six Paths—the so-called ancestor of all shinobi—had grown old and passed away.
To many, seeking immortality was considered unnatural. But in truth, it was a deeply human desire.
"Lady Mito." Aoshi greeted her respectfully. He had long admired her. She was a woman even Uchiha Madara had remembered.
"You're certainly as talented as I've heard. No wonder Kushina can't stop talking about you." Mito smiled kindly at Aoshi, like any gentle grandmother.
"Granny, what are you saying?! I never—!" Kushina immediately turned red, burying her face in Mito's chest—though she couldn't help but sneak a glance at Aoshi's reaction.
"Alright, Kushina. I have something to discuss with Aoshi. Give us a moment."
Naturally, Kushina didn't dare defy Mito's instructions.
Once she'd left, Mito turned back to Aoshi. "Aoshi, do you know about the Nine-Tails? About jinchūriki?"
Of course, he did—even without his past-life memories, any Konoha shinobi would know.
After all, the distribution of Tailed Beasts by the First Hokage was part of the village's historical curriculum.
Still, Aoshi remained silent, simply listening.
"Becoming a jinchūriki is a painful fate. Former friends and loved ones instinctively distance themselves. For someone already sensitive, it can be emotionally devastating."
"The only way to ease that burden is to help fill the void in their hearts."
"Though Kushina always puts on a bold front, inside, she's incredibly sensitive. I've long worried that being a jinchūriki would weigh too heavily on her."
As Mito spoke, her elderly face was etched with concern. "At first, I thought Mai might be the answer—but she has struggles of her own."
"Thankfully, Kushina met you." Mito looked at Aoshi seriously.
"You're one of the few people she truly considers a friend. In fact, you're the only one who's truly entered her heart."
"So I ask you, Aoshi—be her pillar of strength in the future. Don't let her face this world alone."
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