"…"
Namikaze Minato was left speechless. How could his girlfriend just blurt out something like that?
He wasn't as oblivious as Uzumaki Kushina and had correctly identified Ren's gender. Though, he had to admit, if this kid grew his hair out, he'd look even more like a girl… His mind briefly conjured an image of Ren with long crimson hair and found… an uncanny resemblance to a younger Kushina? Could it be…? He quickly suppressed the strange thought. Being the more socially adept of the two, he offered Ren an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, she doesn't always express herself well. There was no malice intended."
"…" Kushina, realizing her gaffe, felt her cheeks grow warm. However, she was straightforward by nature and didn't dwell on embarrassment. She just laughed it off. "Hahaha, yeah, yeah! It's just that you're so… um, very cute! That's why I… Sorry, sorry! Let this big sister treat you to some dango as an apology!"
Perhaps it was the shared vibrant hair color, but Kushina felt an immediate, inexplicable fondness for the boy. Of course, Ren's delicate, handsome features didn't hurt either. Being good-looking and adorable came with certain privileges. That was a universal constant, it seemed.
"I'm not angry." Ren wasn't the type to get worked up over such things. He waved a dismissive hand. "And the treat isn't necessary. I haven't suffered any loss."
Watching his composed, almost adult-like response, Kushina's eyes sparkled with even more interest. She stepped forward and ruffled his hair with gusto. "Acting like a little grown-up! Are you mimicking your parents? So adorable!"
Ren: "…"
He smacked her hand away. He enjoyed patting others' heads; he did not enjoy having his own patted. He was not an actual child. He frowned, putting on a stern face. "Miss, please show some respect. Otherwise, I'll start yelling. Bullying a child isn't something to be proud of."
"Miss?" The unfamiliar, formal address struck Kushina as hilarious. She found Ren even more fascinating, and her earlier frustrations melted away into giggles. "Hehe, what an interesting little guy!"
Minato smiled too, sensing something unique about the boy. His demeanor didn't quite match his age, yet in another way, it perfectly captured a certain childish precociousness. A strange contradiction.
Deciding not to tease him further, Kushina asked with a friendly smile, "Come on, tell your big sister, what's your name? We've both got this hair—that's fate right there!"
Building a positive connection with these two wasn't a bad idea. Ren saw no harm in it. "My name is Ren. Miss, with your red hair, are you from the Uzumaki clan?"
What was the best icebreaker with these two? Naturally, it was the Uzumaki connection.
"You know about the Uzumaki clan?" Kushina was taken aback, her expression shifting subtly. "Could it be… you're from the clan too?"
"…" Minato's gaze also sharpened. Was my earlier guess on point? Is this boy, like Kushina, a survivor of the scattered Uzumaki?
Ren looked at Kushina and gave a nonchalant shrug. "I don't know. The reason I'm in Konoha is that Hokage-sama thought I might be Uzumaki. Red hair seems to be one of the indicators. So when I saw you, I had to ask."
Meeting Minato and Kushina was pure chance. The conversation was flowing naturally. There was no reason for anyone to suspect ulterior motives. He didn't have any grand schemes—at most, he was open to the idea of befriending some future powerhouses.
"Red hair is one of the hallmarks of the Uzumaki!" Kushina felt a surge of warmth and kinship. A possible clan member! And such a cute one at that! How could she not be excited?
"This big sister is definitely Uzumaki!" she declared proudly.
Minato chimed in at the right moment, his tone gentle. "Ren, you said you don't know if you're Uzumaki? Haven't Hokage-sama or your guardians confirmed it?"
He was already piecing together a likely story. Ren's background probably mirrored Kushina's in many ways.
Ren shook his head, adopting the perfectly logical perspective of a child. "I'm just a kid. Do you think adults discuss those kinds of things with children? It's not really my business to know."
"But," he added, "Uncle Shinku, the man who took me in, thinks I am a descendant of the Uzumaki clan. As for whether I actually am… I have no idea."
He was just a child. He wasn't privy to the Third Hokage's internal assessments or strategic considerations. That was a level beyond his current reach. It didn't matter if he wasn't Uzumaki, but it would certainly be a beneficial twist if he was.
"Uncle Shinku?" Minato's eyes widened slightly in recognition. Could it be the Senior Shinku I know?
"Ren! Ren! I'm back!" At that moment, Kurenai Yūhi came trotting out of the dango shop, clutching several sticks of tri-colored dumplings. Her eyes immediately landed on Minato and Kushina standing beside Ren. She looked startled. "Oh? Ren, who are they?"
Ren said, "I don't know. They haven't introduced themselves."
Kurenai grew even more puzzled. "You don't know them? Then what do they want with you?"
"Ah…" Minato realized their oversight and offered a charming, apologetic smile. "Sorry, we forgot our manners. I am Namikaze Minato, a jōnin of Konoha." He gestured to Kushina. "And this is my girlfriend, also a Konoha jōnin. Her name is Uzumaki Kushina."
Kushina smiled and nodded, noting that Kurenai was also an adorable little girl. Hmm, I shouldn't say 'also'—Ren isn't a girl.
"Uzumaki?" The surname struck a chord with Kurenai. Her father believed Ren was Uzumaki. And now there were other Uzumaki right here in Konoha? A spike of alarm shot through her.
Were they here to take Ren away?
The thought triggered a visceral reaction. Kurenai instantly spread her arms, placing herself between Ren and the two strangers like a mother hen shielding her chick. She stared at them with open wariness. "Are you trying to take Ren away? I won't let you! Ren is my brother! He's part of the Yūhi family now!!"
Ren had just promised he wouldn't leave. She wasn't about to let some red-haired strangers show up and change that.
"Aww, you're so cute too! Protecting your big brother~~" Kushina couldn't help but laugh again, utterly charmed by Kurenai's display.
"But," she added warmly, "we're not here to take your brother. Don't worry, we're not bad people."
"Really?" Kurenai didn't lower her guard, muttering under her breath, "What kind of bad person admits they're bad?"
Yūhi family? So it is Senior Shinku after all. Minato's assumption was confirmed. He now understood Ren and Kurenai's background.
Ren gently pulled Kurenai back, a soft chuckle escaping him. "It's alright. They're wearing Konoha headbands. They're Konoha shinobi. They won't do anything to harm us. And I'm not going anywhere."
This little sister of his was awfully tense about this subject.