More like a whisper that escaped from a heart that was beginning to thaw.
And for the first time that night, Kushina's constricted heart began to have room to breathe.
A few minutes passed in silence.
Not awkward.
Not restless.
Just two kids sitting in the cold night, letting time flow without haste.
Kushina glanced over again.
This time, Kushina's expression was a bit softer.
"Don't you want to know... why I was crying?" Kushina asked, her lips slightly pouting, as if afraid of an answer that was too honest.
"If you don't want to talk about it, I won't force you," Minato replied, still wearing a thin smile that, for some reason, didn't make him look foolish.
Kushina sighed, for quite a long time.
"I... I'm sad. I heard my family is in danger." Kushina's voice sounded small.
But it was enough to make the quiet night hold its breath.
Minato stared, confused.
"... Can't you contact them? Or... at least find out if they're okay?"
Kushina seemed startled.
"Ah!" Kushina exclaimed, her eyes suddenly wide open.
She turned to her wrist and pressed a small button on the side of her watch.
"Show menu."
A soft blue light emanated from the watch's screen.
A triangular shape formed in the air, looking like a hologram—modern, cool, and full of mystery.
[Menu: Clock | Phone | Map | Emergency Signal | Teleportation | Automatic Shield | Invisibility]
Minato tensed.
"What... is that?" Minato murmured, astonished.
Minato's eyes stared at the light as if witnessing a miracle.
"Map." Kushina's voice was flat but firm.
[Map: 5 Meters: 2 Living Beings | 10 Meters: 2 Living Beings | 15 Meters: 2 Living Beings...]
Kushina breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew... So it's just the two of us." Kushina whispered.
Minato still hadn't taken his eyes off the light.
Minato's eyes widened, filled with curiosity he couldn't hide.
"What... what is it?" Minato finally asked, softly.
Kushina squinted, then lifted her chin with a characteristic expression—proud, confident, like someone who had just rediscovered their strength.
"Hmph!"
Minato blinked, then scratched his head, slightly stepping back because Kushina's expression was so sudden.
"Promise me," Kushina said, her voice suddenly heavy and serious.
"Never say anything about what you see and hear here. To anyone. Do you understand?"
Minato paused for a moment, but after a while, he straightened up and nodded quickly.
"Okay! I promise! Not even to the Hokage, I won't say a word!"
"...Alright... This is a gift from Brother Reiji," Kushina said softly, her fingers touching the small watch that fit snugly around her wrist.
Kushina's tone became softer, as if the memory of the person she mentioned warmed her heart.
Kushina looked at the watch as if it were something more than just an object—like a support, a reminder of home, or perhaps, a little hope for the future.
Kushina's gaze then darted to Minato sitting beside her, and she smiled faintly, a smile that was half shy, half proud. "Brother Reiji is someone I know... and maybe... my future brother-in-law, hehehe..."
That smile grew along with a pink hue spreading across Kushina's cheeks, contrasting against her pale Uzumaki skin.
Kushina's soft laughter sounded like the gentle ringing of a bell—not loud, but enough to warm the atmosphere between them a little.
Minato blinked twice, then looked at Kushina with wide eyes filled with curiosity.
"Brother-in-law?" Minato murmured, his voice soft and slightly raised, indicating genuine confusion.
"Yes!" Kushina replied enthusiastically, as if the question opened a gap for her to explain something she had long wanted to share.
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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