Hinata froze the moment Kushina's bright, sharp blue eyes locked onto her at close range. They resembled Naruto's eyes, yet carried an even fiercer light. Being stared at with such open curiosity and delight by the legendary wife of the Fourth Hokage, by Naruto's own mother, made Hinata's cheeks flush red like an overripe tomato.
She instinctively tried to lower her head, but Kushina's overwhelming presence held her in place. Her hands twisted together helplessly, and she could practically hear her heartbeat thundering in the otherwise quiet seal space.
A tiny whimper slipped from her throat. Heat rose all the way to the top of her head, and she felt like she might faint.
But she had to endure it.
She was standing in front of Naruto's parents. She did not want to leave a bad impression.
"What a lovely girl! Such a good child!" Kushina exclaimed, completely ignoring Hinata's embarrassment. Her smile was warm as sunlight.
She circled halfway around Hinata as if examining a rare jewel, her eyes gleaming. "A girl from the Hyuga clan, huh? Look at this grace, this expression." She gently patted Hinata's shoulder.
"Why are you so shy? You are absolutely adorable." Kushina's voice overflowed with sincere affection and her trademark bold sincerity.
"That brat Naruto actually has pretty good taste."
Her warm praise washed over Hinata like a comforting wave. Hinata finally managed a shaky breath. Her face was still burning, but her rigid posture softened ever so slightly.
"Mom!" Naruto hurried over, torn between pride and worry that Hinata would collapse from the sudden onslaught of attention. He spoke with a helpless smile. "You are scaring her."
"Scaring her? I am thrilled!" Kushina waved dismissively, although her eyes stayed glued to Hinata, brimming with satisfaction.
"Naruto! For a girl this wonderful to choose to be your girlfriend..." Her expression shifted into a proud, emotional smile, as if declaring that her son had finally grown up. "You better listen carefully! You must treat her well."
"If you dare make her cry, I will not forgive you. Even like this, I can still use chakra to beat you up." She tried to look fierce, but her eyes sparkled with warmth. When she looked at Hinata, all her toughness melted into tenderness.
"Hinata, right?" Kushina softened her tone, her voice filled with maternal warmth and a quiet understanding only someone who had lived long and loved deeply could possess.
She looked at this gentle, resilient, painfully shy girl and saw a reflection of another possible version of herself. Someone who would sacrifice everything for the person she loved.
A fierce urge to protect her rose naturally.
"If Naruto ever upsets you, or if you ever need anything, you can talk to me, dear." Kushina took Hinata's hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Hinata's hands were cool, so Kushina held on even tighter to warm them.
She seemed to completely forget that she was no longer living.
Minato stood nearby with a soft smile that could melt stone. Watching the way Kushina showered Naruto's girlfriend with affection filled him with quiet joy.
He understood her excitement. She had missed all of Naruto's life. Now, seeing such a kind girl by their son's side made all the motherly love she had stored for fourteen years overflow straight onto Hinata.
"Kushina is right." Minato stepped forward, his voice gentle and calming, easing Hinata's nervousness beneath Kushina's enthusiasm. He nodded to Hinata with warm respect. "Thank you for being with Naruto. Seeing him surrounded by people like you both comforts and reassures us."
His gaze moved from Hinata back to Naruto, filled with deep paternal love and pride.
"N no, Naruto has always taken care of me," Hinata whispered, her face scarlet. Her fingers tapped against each other unconsciously. Standing before Naruto's parents made her feel like the shy little girl she used to be.
"So adorable." Kushina could not resist pinching Hinata's slightly round cheeks.
Minato then turned to Sasuke. "And you are Sasuke? Fugaku's son?"
"Yes. My father is Uchiha Fugaku. You are the Fourth Hokage, sir?" Sasuke answered with respectful composure.
It was not only because Minato was the Fourth Hokage. He was also Naruto's father, and for Sasuke that mattered deeply.
Minato's expression softened with genuine nostalgia. He nodded warmly. "I see. So you are the child of Fugaku and Mikoto. Time flies. You have grown so much."
"Your parents were remarkable people, worthy of respect." His voice carried both the admiration of a former comrade and the kindness of an elder speaking to a young man.
Kushina's reaction, however, was far more dramatic.
Her face, still glowing with motherly warmth from fussing over Hinata, suddenly lit up with an explosion of joy and affection.
"Mikoto?! You are Mikoto's son?!" Her blue eyes widened to the size of saucers. Her voice shot up several pitches, filled with disbelief and happiness.
She strode forward and grabbed Sasuke's shoulders in both hands, firmly and without hesitation, leaning close to examine him from head to toe with almost desperate familiarity.
"Oh my goodness! You are Sasuke? Little Sasuke? You grew up so handsome! Those eyes and that expression look just like Mikoto. But that cool attitude, that serious stare, that is definitely Fugaku when he was young."
Her voice overflowed with affection, the kind given to a beloved friend's child.
"The last time I saw you, you were this tiny." She gestured to show an infant-sized Sasuke.
She took a deep breath, trying to rein in her excitement, but utterly failing. "Mikoto was my best friend. We were inseparable. We trained together, talked together, she made the best rice balls I ever tasted. We even made a promise once..."
Kushina paused. Her expression shifted from excitement to a mischievous, nostalgic warmth. She ruffled Sasuke's hair vigorously, then jabbed a finger at Naruto.
"Yes! We made a promise! If my baby turned out to be a girl, we would arrange a childhood betrothal to her son."
Her declaration exploded through the quiet seal space like a thunderclap.