Minato and the other two stared at Mikoto in stunned silence.
"Teacher Mikoto… what exactly is going on here?" Minato finally asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
Mikoto paused for a brief moment, her expression calm and composed. Then she replied flatly, "That's my private matter. It's not something I can conveniently explain."
Her refusal was absolute.
Minato, Kushina, and the others exchanged glances, disappointment clearly written across their faces. They wanted answers—desperately so—but there was nothing they could do. When Mikoto set her mind on something, persuasion was pointless.
Still, their eyes kept drifting back toward her, full of concern and curiosity.
Mikoto noticed, of course. She simply chose to ignore it.
Thankfully, the steaming bowls of ramen arrived soon after, their rich aroma filling the air. Food had a way of solving many problems, and this was no exception. Once they began eating, the topic was quietly dropped.
After finishing their meal, the four parted ways.
Unlike the others, Mikoto did not head straight home.
Instead, she made her way toward Aomizu's apartment.
Using the spare key she kept with her, she unlocked the door and stepped inside. The apartment was quiet—just as she expected. At this hour, Aomizu was most likely still on duty at Konoha Hospital.
Mikoto placed her sandals neatly by the entrance and looked around the familiar space. It already felt like home.
She went straight to the bathroom, soaking herself in warm water to wash away the dust and fatigue from her recent mission. Afterward, she changed out of her ninja gear and slipped into a set of comfortable casual clothes she kept here for moments like this.
Once she was ready, she headed out again.
She moved quickly through the village streets, buying fresh vegetables, meat, and seasonings before returning to the apartment. After setting everything down, she rested briefly, then rolled up her sleeves and began preparing dinner.
Though she and Aomizu were not officially living together, she had done this many times before.
Unlike Tsunade, Mikoto had always known what she wanted.
From a young age, her dream had been simple—to be a good wife and a loving mother. To her, family was everything. If she had already married Aomizu, she would have retired from being a ninja without hesitation.
Soon, the apartment filled with the comforting sounds of cooking and the fragrant aroma of homemade food. Dish by dish, a generous dinner took shape on the table.
By the time she finished, the sun had already dipped low.
It was around the hour Aomizu usually returned from work.
As if on cue, the door opened moments later.
"I'm back."
Mikoto immediately knelt by the entrance, her posture graceful and familiar.
"Welcome home."
Aomizu froze mid-step, staring at her in surprise. "Huh? Mikoto? When did you get back?"
Normally, when Mikoto went on missions, she was gone for ten days, half a month—sometimes even one or two months. Five days was unusually short.
"I came back today," she replied softly, handing him the slippers she had already prepared.
She looked up at him with a gentle smile. "Dinner is ready, and the bath is already drawn. Do you want to eat first, or bathe first?"
Aomizu didn't answer.
Instead, he bent down and swept her straight into his arms.
"I want to eat you first."
Before she could respond, his lips pressed firmly against hers, cutting off any words she might have spoken.
By the time they finally separated, they were already at the dining table.
"Let's eat first," Aomizu said with a laugh. "I'm starving."
He sat down without letting go of her, pulling her onto his lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Mikoto's cheeks warmed, but she didn't resist.
"Your cooking really is the best," Aomizu said sincerely as he tasted the food. "I wish I could come home to your meals every single day."
Aomizu could cook well enough, but compared to Mikoto, he was clearly lacking.
"I'm glad you like it," she replied, clearly pleased.
She picked up a bite of food with her chopsticks and gently fed it to him.
After a brief pause, Mikoto spoke again, her tone casual—but her eyes sharp.
"Aomizu… have you and Sister Tsunade already crossed the final line?"
Normally, Mikoto always addressed her as Lady Tsunade.
But ever since learning that Tsunade had fallen for Aomizu as well, that formality had disappeared. Now she called her "sister."
The ninja world was, at its core, a feudal society. Daimyo, nobles, and powerful clans ruled the land. In such a world, capable men maintaining multiple relationships was not unusual—it was widely accepted.
Aomizu immediately understood what she meant.
He looked at her and smiled teasingly. "What's this? Is my little jealous jar getting sour?"
Mikoto puffed out her cheeks at once.
That reaction alone was answer enough.
"I was clearly first!" she said, her voice tinged with indignation.
She really was jealous.
She had been the first to acknowledge her relationship with Aomizu. The first to stand beside him openly. Yet because of her traditional values, she had chosen to wait until marriage before giving herself completely.
And during the time she was away on a mission…
Tsunade had taken the opportunity and moved ahead.
Calling Tsunade "sister" did not mean Mikoto had given up or accepted defeat. It was simply respect—Tsunade was older and held a higher status.
Aomizu laughed softly and reached out, poking her cheek.
Mikoto immediately retaliated, lightly punching his chest with her fists.
"Relax," Aomizu said, catching her hands. "I treat you all equally."
Seeing she was still sulking, he leaned down and silenced her with a kiss.
House rules.
Under Aomizu's firm presence, Mikoto finally relaxed.
Since things had already come to this, they decided it was best to finish dinner properly.
Meanwhile, deep inside the Hokage Office, the atmosphere was far more serious.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, pipe in hand. Across from him were Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Utatane Koharu—the four highest authorities in Konoha gathered together.
"The Jonin promotion assessment for this year is about to begin," Hiruzen said calmly, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. "Do you have any candidates to recommend?"
That was the reason he had summoned them.
Just as the Chunin Exams required a Jonin instructor's recommendation, promotion to Jonin also required nominations—this time from Konoha's top leadership.
After all, once someone became a Jonin, they entered the core of Konoha's power structure.
Only a limited number of slots were available each year. Careless decisions could not be afforded.
"Hirakawa Aomizu. Yakushi Nono."
Danzo spoke first, listing two names without hesitation.
In truth, Aomizu's strength had already qualified him for promotion the year he became a Chunin. However, he had been occupied assisting Tsunade with research on White Zetsu cells and had missed two promotion cycles.
Now that the research had produced results, there was no reason for him not to participate.
"Agreed," Hiruzen nodded. "Any other candidates?"
Danzo closed his eyes. "No."
As long as those two could participate in the assessment, his plans concerning Aomizu could proceed. The others were irrelevant.
The rest were long used to Danzo's attitude and did not comment.
"Minato Namikaze also qualifies," Homura said. "He can take the Jonin assessment as well."
"What about Kushina?" Koharu added. "She meets the requirements too."
Hiruzen's expression hardened immediately.
"Minato can participate," he said firmly. "But Kushina cannot."
Having only recently become the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, Kushina's control was still unstable. When emotionally agitated, the Nine-Tails' chakra could leak—or worse, run wild.
There had already been a dangerous incident not long ago. Fortunately, Aomizu had been present and managed to suppress the Nine-Tails in time.
For safety reasons, Hiruzen had no intention of allowing Kushina to participate this year.
"You should hand Kushina over to Root," Danzo said suddenly, opening his eyes. "Let me train her into Konoha's strongest weapon."
At the mention of Kushina, Danzo's interest flared instantly.
The corners of Hiruzen's, Homura's, and Koharu's mouths twitched.
They had known each other for decades. No one was fooled by Danzo's intentions.
"Danzo," Hiruzen said coldly, "I already have my own arrangements for Kushina. Do not bring this up again."
The discussion ended there.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)