After lunch break, Tsunade refused to give Hoshiyomi even a glance. Every time he so much as looked like he might turn in her direction, she would immediately look away and stare out the window with exaggerated focus.
But when she realized that Hoshiyomi genuinely had no intention of speaking to her, she started grinding her teeth in frustration—feeling strangely ignored.
After several rounds of this emotional whiplash, she gave up entirely. With a huff, she buried her face in her arms on the desk and pretended to sleep, trying not to think about it anymore.
That afternoon dragged on like nails on stone. The moment the school bell rang, Tsunade threw on her backpack, grabbed Yako's hand, and stormed out of the classroom.
Jiraiya watched her bolt and scratched his head.
"What's with her today?"
Hoshiyomi just shrugged.
"Beats me. I was good at flirting back in my old life, but I'm not some child psychology expert. If she were sixteen, maybe I could make sense of her moods. But six? That's beyond my knowledge base."
And with that, he chose the path of simplicity—dragging his best buds off to train, followed by a steaming bowl of ramen to end the day.
Meanwhile, in one of the quiet courtyards of the Senju compound, Lady Mito sat calmly sipping tea, admiring the vibrant greenery around her as she listened to Sarutobi Hiruzen give his daily report.
Sarutobi was meticulous in his update, explaining everything he'd overseen and how each issue had been addressed. He showed deep respect to Lady Mito; at times, gazing at her, he couldn't help but feel he had taken the Hokage seat that rightfully should have remained hers.
When he finally finished, Mito's expression remained neutral. Her voice was soft but pointed:
"Hiruzen, how long have you been Hokage now?"
"Just about a year."
"A year..." Her gaze drifted off for a moment, eyes filled with some distant memory. When she came back to herself, her tone was still calm—but a little colder.
"You've held this office for a year now. And yet you still feel the need to report every little detail to me?"
"Ask yourself—does that seem right?"
Her words carried no direct criticism, no sarcasm. But they hit Hiruzen harder than a scolding. His face flushed red with embarrassment.
He lowered his head and mumbled, almost ashamed:
"I wasn't thinking clearly..."
Seeing him bow like that sparked a rare flash of irritation in Mito's heart.
"Raise your head."
The sharpness in her tone startled Hiruzen. He looked up quickly and met her eyes—finally understanding something unspoken in her gaze.
Satisfied that the message had landed, Mito softened slightly.
"You're the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village—chosen personally by Tobirama. You are the one entrusted with this village's future, not me.
I'm just an old woman, my days are numbered. I can only offer guidance as an elder, but the decisions must be yours.
You need to have your own conviction and presence. Trust your instincts, act decisively, and once you've made a choice—don't look back.
As long as your actions are for the good of the village, time will judge whether you were right or wrong.
But continuing to hesitate like this... that's the real betrayal of Tobirama's trust."
Hiruzen felt deeply moved. He bent low in a formal bow.
"Thank you, Lady Mito, for your guidance."
This time, unlike before, there was no trace of guilt in his movement—only sincerity and resolve. When he stood again, his posture was straighter, and his spirit felt lighter.
Truth be told, Hiruzen had never truly seen himself as the Third Hokage. His dream had always been to become a Hokage like his teacher, but when he finally assumed the mantle, he realized just how far he still had to go.
The more he compared himself to Tobirama, the more cautious he became. That caution had led him to lean heavily on Mito's counsel.
But her words today had stirred something in him—though how long this newfound clarity would last remained to be seen.
Mito looked at the quiet determination returning to Hiruzen's eyes. She opened her mouth to speak again—but in the end, held her tongue.
What she feared most wasn't his lack of ability, or even his reliance on her. It was the deep-rooted indecisiveness within his nature.
In matters of policy and leadership, Hiruzen was sharp, but his over-cautious nature kept him from being the Hokage he could be.
Where Hashirama would act boldly and Tobirama would pre-plan everything to the last contingency, Hiruzen would weigh pros and cons until paralyzed by doubt—subconsciously seeking affirmation from others.
That habit could, someday, be his downfall.
Mito longed to spell all of this out clearly. But her wisdom told her that saying too much might shake his confidence—or worse, breed resentment. There would be time. The future was still long. One step at a time.
Just then, the peaceful stillness of the courtyard was broken by the sound of light, hurried footsteps.
"Granny! I'm back!"
Tsunade burst into view and ran straight into Mito's arms. Mito laughed softly and ran her hand through Tsunade's blonde hair, her eyes full of love.
"Tsunade, how many times have I told you? Announce yourself properly."
After a bit of snuggling, Tsunade finally noticed Hiruzen nearby. Realizing she'd been impolite, she stuck out her tongue, then offered a sweet:
"Hello, Uncle!"
Hiruzen smiled and nodded. Seeing such an adorable version of the future "Slug Princess," he reached out to gently pinch her cheek—but Tsunade darted behind Mito before he could.
Hiruzen pulled back his hand with an awkward smile.
Mito, meanwhile, was already lost in doting grandmother mode. She pulled Tsunade into her lap and began combing her fingers through her silky blonde hair.
"So? Anything fun happen at school today?"
At that, Tsunade immediately remembered that annoying boy, Hoshiyomi. She shook her head hard, trying to scrub his image out of her mind.
"N-nothing really… Oh, right—Gekkō Hoshiyomi said he and some others want to apply for graduation in six months. He told me to pass the message to you."
Despite herself, she still relayed the message as Hoshiyomi had asked.
Mito blinked, momentarily surprised. She hadn't expected those kids to get so restless so quickly.
Hiruzen was equally taken aback.
"Tsunade's classmate wants to graduate? Already? It's only been two months since the term started…"