Namikaze Minato's Wedding
At the wedding venue of Namikaze Minato, Chi Yu and Hyūga Hizashi reached a verbal agreement: Chi Yu would take Hizashi's son, Hyūga Neji, as his disciple.
Uzumaki Kushina leaned over and pinched Neji's chubby cheek.
"Looks like Neji will have to start calling me 'Master's Wife' like Kakashi does from now on," she teased.
At that moment, Hatake Kakashi was on patrol in the streets of Konoha.
Although Minato had extended an invitation, Kakashi chose not to attend. The wounds from the Kannabi Bridge mission were still fresh; Minato's well-meaning words about "forgiving others" only deepened Kakashi's quiet resentment. In Kakashi's eyes, Minato—the famed Yellow Flash—had never been there in time to save his teammates. Rather than confront those emotions at the wedding, Kakashi used his patrol shift as an excuse to avoid the event entirely.
Chi Yu and Hizashi hadn't lowered their voices during their exchange, so many guests overheard that Chi Yu intended to take Neji as his second disciple. The crowd was surprised. Neji was less than a year old; his talent had yet to show. Taking him in at such an early stage seemed risky—what if the boy lacked potential?
Hyūga Hiashi, standing nearby, took note. His brow furrowed. It displeased him that Hizashi had agreed without consulting him. If another shinobi had wanted to train Neji, Hiashi might not have cared. But Chi Yu's position was… complicated.
Chi Yu was closely aligned with Shimura Danzō, and Hiashi—as head of the Hyūga Clan's Main Family—knew full well that Danzō and Hiruzen Sarutobi had positioned Chi Yu to counterbalance the Uchiha Clan. Aligning too closely with such a politically loaded figure could bring the Hyūga unwanted trouble.
If the agreement had been made in private, Hiashi could have convinced Hizashi to decline quietly. But now that so many witnesses had heard, retracting the arrangement would risk antagonizing Chi Yu—a man known for holding grudges and pursuing them relentlessly.
Expressionless, Hiashi raised his teacup and took a measured sip. Whatever his feelings as a brother, his duty as clan head demanded that he think of the Main Family first.
Kushina eventually returned the sleeping Neji to Hizashi. Ten minutes before the ceremony began, Danzō arrived, his face as stern as if someone owed him a debt.
Chi Yu gave him a small nod in greeting. Danzō acknowledged it with a curt nod of his own before taking his seat.
The ceremony was officiated by Minato's mentor, Jiraiya. Minato and his bride, Miyuki Uzumaki, stood on the stage in formal attire, recounting their journey together before making their vows. Jiraiya guided the proceedings with surprising composure, and before long, the wedding concluded.
Kushina tilted her head. "This feels different from ours. Too simple… not much of a special feeling."
Chi Yu explained, "That's because this is a public wedding. It's straightforward—more like signing a marriage contract before witnesses. Ours was a traditional Shinto ceremony, full of rituals and symbolism. The Fourth Hokage can't exactly hold a private, shrine-based wedding in the middle of Konoha; this was the only realistic choice."
Kushina sighed. "So even a Hokage can't have the wedding they want. That's a pity."
Chi Yu smiled faintly. "Maybe they're perfectly happy with it. Alright—the banquet's starting. We'll eat, then leave."
To most guests, the wedding doubled as a political reception for Konoha's new Hokage to mingle with the clan heads. For Chi Yu, it was meaningless, and he preferred to go home early.
After the toasts, Danzō was the first to leave—no one was surprised. Chi Yu and Kushina stayed only a little longer before making their exit.
"Clan Head Hizashi," Chi Yu said in parting, "please enjoy yourself. Kushina and I will be heading home."
"In two days, Neji and I will visit," Hizashi replied. He wanted to leave as well, but as long as Hiashi remained, he could not depart first.
On the walk home, Chi Yu and Kushina spotted Kakashi leaning against a utility pole, his expression distant, his posture relaxed to the point of laziness.
"Yo, isn't that Kakashi?"
The younger man blinked, snapping out of his daze. When he recognized them, he straightened. "Teacher. Master's Wife."
"How are you?" Chi Yu asked. "Had dinner yet? If not, come have ramen with us."
Kakashi tilted his head. "Didn't you just eat at the Hokage's wedding?"
Chi Yu rubbed his stomach. "Not full. If I'm still hungry, Kushina definitely is too."
Kushina jabbed an elbow into his side. "Are you saying I eat a lot?"
Hands up in mock surrender, Chi Yu grinned. "I didn't say that. Come on—I'm getting a large pork-bone ramen."
The three of them headed off toward Ichiraku Ramen together.
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