Shinichi did not reach home as quickly as he had planned.
He had just left the Hokage Building when he was called back. By the time he finished dealing with the urgent matters, the sky over Konoha was already getting dark.
Standing outside his home, Shinichi let out a small breath. Tsunade had said tomorrow, but even today had not been free.
He did not think about it for long. Behind the door, two people were waiting for him. One was as lively as always. The other was warm and calm, though heavier than he remembered.
The small irritation in his chest slowly faded.
Shinichi reached out, opened the door, and walked inside.
"I'm back."
As soon as he spoke, two soft pops rang out above him.
Colorful streamers drifted down, landing across Shinichi's hair and shoulders.
"Welcome home, Shinichi!"
Kazuto and Chie spoke almost at the same time. Kazuto was smiling brightly, while Chie stood beside him with one hand resting on her belly, her expression gentle and pleased.
Shinichi stood in the doorway for a moment, a few streamers still hanging from his hair.
He had expected something like this from his father, but when it actually happened, he still paused for a moment.
A year ago, when he had returned after graduating from the Ninja Academy, they had welcomed him the same way. The same doorway, the same two people, and even the same party poppers.
Only this time, the home was about to welcome one more person.
Thinking of that, Shinichi's lips curved slightly.
"Yeah," he said. "I'm back."
Kazuto laughed and stepped forward, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "Alright, alright, don't just stand at the door. Come in first."
Chie followed beside them and reached up to brush the streamers from Shinichi's hair. "The food has been ready for a while. We were just waiting for you to come home."
With his parents on either side, Shinichi walked toward the dining room.
After they sat down, Shinichi looked at the table full of food and asked, "How did you know I was back?"
Kazuto immediately puffed out his chest. "What kind of place do you think the Ninja Hospital is? People come and go all day. If something big happens in the village, we hear about it before dinner."
Chie smiled helplessly. "Your father has been listening for news since morning."
"Of course I have," Kazuto said. "My son finally came home. What, was I supposed to pretend I wasn't waiting?"
He picked up his chopsticks, still smiling, but his voice became a little more serious.
"Besides, today wasn't an ordinary day. Kumo, Mist, and Sand all came to Konoha. With Iwa before them..."
Kazuto stopped there for a moment.
He and Chie had lived through war, so they knew what it meant. Peace meant fewer parents waiting for bad news and fewer empty seats at the table.
Kazuto looked at Shinichi, pride and disbelief mixed in his eyes.
"Because of you, the Ninja World might really stay peaceful for a long time. That's something your mother and I can be proud of for the rest of our lives."
Chie stayed quiet for a moment. She put a dish in front of Shinichi and looked at him, worry showing in her eyes.
"Shinichi, I need to tell you something."
Shinichi looked up. "What happened?"
Chie did not answer right away. After a moment, she said, "I went out this afternoon. I wanted to buy some flowers from the nearby shop."
Kazuto's expression changed slightly.
"At first, nothing seemed strange," Chie said. "People still greeted me when they saw me. Some asked about the baby, and some told me to take care."
She paused for a moment.
"But they stayed away from me."
Kazuto frowned. "Maybe they were worried because you're close to giving birth?"
"I thought so at first," Chie said. "But that wasn't it."
She looked down at the table, her fingers resting on the side of her bowl.
"Usually, people come over and talk for a bit before leaving. Today, they saw me from far away, greeted me, and stepped aside before I got to them. It did not happen with everyone, but it happened enough that I could not ignore it."
Shinichi listened quietly.
"They were still polite, Shinichi," Chie said. "No one said anything rude."
She looked at him again, worry still clear in her eyes.
"But I know the difference between respect and fear."
Kazuto's brow tightened. "Fear? Toward you?"
Chie shook her head and looked at Shinichi. "Not toward me. Toward you, Shinichi."
Kazuto's fingers paused around his chopsticks.
"After Iwagakure, and with the other villages coming to Konoha today, people are starting to understand what kind of power you have," Chie said. "They are glad Konoha is safe, and of course they are proud of you. But to them, you are no longer just a child from the village. You are someone who can make great villages lower their heads."
Shinichi listened quietly.
"I am not blaming them," Chie continued. "Today, when I saw their faces, I remembered Lady Kushina."
Her fingers tightened slightly around the bowl.
"She never did anything to me. She was kind, and everyone who knew her understood that. But after I learned what was sealed inside her, there were times when I could not look at her without thinking of the Nine-Tails first."
She paused for a moment.
"It was unfair. I knew that even then. But fear does not always listen to reason."
Chie looked at Shinichi again.
"That is what worries me. I do not want people to start looking at you the same way."
The dining room fell quiet.
Shinichi looked at Chie for a moment, then reached across the table and lightly held her hand. "It's fine, Mom. You don't need to take it to heart."
Chie frowned slightly, but before she could speak, Shinichi continued, "After all that, people were bound to look at me differently."
His voice remained calm.
"It would be strange if they were not afraid. Power at that level is not something ordinary people can accept right away."
He gave Chie's hand a light pat, then let go and picked up his chopsticks again.
"Their fear is only natural."
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