Knock, knock, knock.
"I'm coming!"
Hearing the sound of knocking at the door, Kushina nudged Minato beside her. Minato chuckled, pinched her nose playfully, and went to open the door. But when he saw who was standing outside, he froze in surprise.
"Hoshiyomi-sensei? What brings you here? Shouldn't you be busy preparing for your wedding right now?"
Kushina, who had been sprawled lazily across the bed like a salted fish, perked up instantly at those words. She leapt up like a spring and exclaimed:
"Hoshiyomi-nii, congratulations on your marriage!"
Smiling at their greetings, Hoshiyomi wasted no time with pleasantries. He got straight to the point.
"You want us… to be the best man and maid of honor at your wedding?"
Kushina and Minato blurted out together in surprise.
The two exchanged glances, and then Minato spoke with hesitation:
"But… we're still just juniors, aren't we? What about Jiraiya-senpai and Orochimaru-senpai? Shouldn't it be them instead…?"
Hoshiyomi sighed, a little helpless.
"I did consider them. But you both know—Tsunade grew up mostly with us, and she never had many close female friends who could serve as bridesmaids. As for Orochimaru, he's been completely absorbed in some new research lately. And Jiraiya? Well, you know how unreliable that guy is. So in the end, the two of you are the most dependable choice."
Then Hoshiyomi glanced at the pair and grinned mischievously.
"Besides, once our wedding's done, it won't be long before it's your turn, right? Think of this as a little rehearsal to get you used to the process in advance."
Minato and Kushina looked at each other and laughed. Neither of them denied Hoshiyomi's teasing words, and without hesitation, they accepted the role of best man and maid of honor.
Kushina even dashed back into her room and came out carrying two large gift boxes.
"If we're going to be the best man and maid of honor, then we should give you and Tsunade-neesan our gifts early. Don't worry, Hoshiyomi-nii—your wedding will definitely be even more beautiful with me and Minato there!"
...
Seven days later.
The day of Hoshiyomi and Tsunade's wedding had finally arrived.
Konoha was livelier than ever. From early morning, the villagers poured out onto the main streets of the village. Just like the day four years ago when the Second Great Ninja War had ended, the streets were utterly packed with people.
But this time, even though the crowds were dense, they had spontaneously left a long, wide-open passageway down the center—untouched, perfectly clean, with a long red carpet laid out for the bride and groom.
All eyes turned toward the distant bell tower.
When its chimes rang out nine times, the long-awaited ceremony would begin.
Everyone in Konoha was filled with anticipation. What kind of wedding would this most celebrated couple hold? What would they look like on this momentous day?
Compared to the villagers, Hoshiyomi and Tsunade's friends were even more excited. They had already gathered early at the Senju compound, waiting eagerly for the ceremony to start.
At last, as the bell tower tolled nine times, the great doors of the Hokage Building slowly opened.
On the other side, friends of the couple, holding their carefully prepared gifts, set out for the wedding site. As they arrived, they greeted one another cheerfully, all the while waiting for the bride and groom to appear.
Inside the Hokage's office, Hoshiyomi, dressed in a black-and-gold kimono, snapped shut his folding fan as the chimes rang out. Seeing this, Minato smiled knowingly and stepped forward to push open the heavy doors.
The doors creaked open—revealing Tsunade, standing just behind Kushina, dressed in a white-and-gold bridal kimono. She was smiling at Hoshiyomi.
The moment Hoshiyomi saw her, he was transfixed.
Tsunade, in her daily life, always dressed casually, comfortably, with little makeup. Even so, she had always been one of the most stunning women of her age.
But today—today, after the careful touches of the wedding preparations—she was radiant, more dazzling than ever before.
Even Hoshiyomi, who had spent years at her side, found himself utterly captivated, unable to tear his eyes away.
Kushina, always the impatient one, noticed Hoshiyomi staring in a daze at Tsunade and couldn't help teasing:
"Alright already—after the banquet you'll have plenty of chances to stare at her. Let's get going, don't miss the lucky hour!"
Hoshiyomi gazed at Tsunade, his eyes overflowing with tenderness. He shifted his folding fan to his left hand and gently extended his right. Tsunade seemed to hesitate for a moment, then slowly reached out and placed her delicate hand into his calloused one.
After sharing one last look, the two walked out of the Hokage's office with firm steps.
Behind them, Minato and Kushina, carrying flowers and rings as best man and maid of honor, exchanged a small smile before following closely after the couple.
The four of them set off, bathed in the warm, vibrant morning sunlight, stepping out of the Hokage building.
When Tsunade and Hoshiyomi appeared on the streets of Konoha, the entire village erupted in cheers.
The groom stood tall and handsome, the bride graceful and radiant—and with their careful attire, their beauty reached almost impossible heights.
Amidst the chorus of admiration and heartfelt blessings from the villagers, the couple walked slowly toward the wedding venue: the Senju compound.
By the time they arrived, the place was already filled with guests.
With Hiruzen Sarutobi acting as officiant, the wedding formally began.
High above in the seats of honor, Rie and Moka—the mothers of the bride and groom—watched their children's ceremony. Their eyes shone with tears, yet their faces were lit with irrepressible smiles.
Rie looked at her handsome son in the center of it all, then lifted her head toward the sky. "Eiichi… Our little Hoshiyomi is starting a family today. Are you watching?
The ceremony went on step by step, time passing in its gentle flow, until the final rite concluded just as the sun began to set. With that, the formal wedding ended, and the evening's private banquet began.
Hoshiyomi still wore his black-and-gold kimono, while Tsunade had changed into another formal attire—a brilliant robe of red and gold. The vivid colors softened her aura, making her appear more approachable, even warm.
Unlike the solemn ceremony, the private banquet was full of laughter and lively conversation.
Jiraiya, true to form, shouted dramatically to stir the crowd:
"If I'd known Tsunade could look this stunning, I'd have fought Hoshiyomi for her back then, no question!"
That earned him nothing but a beautiful white-eyed glare from Tsunade and a sarcastic jab from Orochimaru:
"You? If your eyes are really that bad, I suggest you visit Konoha Hospital's ophthalmology department tomorrow."
Even Orochimaru rarely showed such humor, drawing laughter from everyone present.
After the feast, the guests each came forward with their gifts, every one of them carefully chosen and prepared with thought.
Even the usually careless Jiraiya had gone out of his way to prepare a grand fireworks show.
At last, after everyone else had finished, Orochimaru approached carrying a gift box. He studied Hoshiyomi with a slight smile, his tone mysterious as he said:
"Congratulations on your marriage, Hoshiyomi-kun. The gift I'm giving you took a great deal of effort to acquire. I'm sure it's something you'll find very satisfying."
With that, Orochimaru, the final guest, departed.
Thus, Hoshiyomi and Tsunade's wedding concluded perfectly!