Chương 33: Fifty Shades of Shunsui

"Umm, miss you are very pretty. Umm, would you like to go on a date with me please?" The kid said. Kushina was completely dumbfounded and did not know what to say for a few long seconds. The boy in front of her looked about ten years old, while she was already twenty. He was dressed strangely, wearing a wide straw hat and a loose pink kimono that looked far too big for his small frame. Kushina blinked several times, trying to process the situation. A child was asking her out on a date.

This had never happened to her before. She wanted to gently tell him that he was too young for her, but then she looked at the shy expression on his face. The kid was looking down at the ground, his fingers nervously tapping against each other as he waited for her answer. His cheeks were slightly red, and he seemed genuinely nervous. He was too cute for her to hurt his feelings so directly. The way he stood there, polite and blushing, made her heart soften immediately. Then she recalled the words he had just said.

"Do you really think that I am pretty?" she asked, a small smile forming on her lips. Shunsui nervously nodded his head, still not looking up.

"Yes, miss. You are very pretty. Your red hair looks like fire in the sunset, and your smile is warm." Kushina smiled wider. This kid was only the second person in Konoha to say that to her after Minato. She felt a warm, happy feeling in her chest. Without thinking much, she reached out and gently held Shunsui's hand.

"Aren't you a good and cute kid? What's your name?"

"My name is Kyōraku Shunsui. It's nice to meet you miss." Shunsui politely introduced himself still blushing. Kushina smiled,"What a good name for such a good boy with such good manners. My name is Kushina Uzumaki, dattebane. Come with me. We will have dinner at my house." This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. She held out her hand which Shunsui grasped. She started walking, pulling Shunsui along with her toward her home.

It was like a kid walking with his big sister but if you would ask Shunsui, he would scream at you for thinking it like that. As they were heading to Kushina's home, Kushina noticed the dirtied and defeated-looking Obito standing nearby.

"Obito, you did not wash your clothes again today?" Kushina asked, her tone shifting into that of a scolding older sister. Shunsui answered for him in a calm voice.

"No, miss. He challenged me to a spar after making fun of my kimono and then lost." Kushina placed her free hand on her hip and pointed the wooden spatula at Obito.

"Stupid Obito-baka! Always picking up fights you cannot win! Look at you, covered in dirt like a wild pig! You should train more instead of running your mouth and challenging people stronger than you. Do you want to become Hokage or do you want to become a walking dust ball? Go home and wash up properly before I drag you there myself!" Obito took a critical hit at being reprimanded for nothing. A dark gloom appeared over his face. He looked like he was about to cry. His shoulders slumped and his lips trembled.

But before the tears could fall, Rin came next to him and placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"Obito, I know that you will grow stronger. I believe in you," Rin said softly. Obito's expression brightened up instantly. His eyes sparkled again as he looked at Rin.

"Rin... thank you! I will work harder! I will not lose next time!" Minato looked at the kid speechlessly as he held his girlfriend's hand and walked with her toward home for a dinner date, or whatever this was turning into. He mused quietly, 'If Jiraiya-sensei was here, he would definitely laugh and say that I got cucked by a kid...' Minato was also surprised by the sudden change in Shunsui's attitude. One second the boy had been looking down on Obito with calm, almost cold confidence.

The next second, he had become a shy, blushing boy in front of Kushina. The switch was so smooth and natural that it left Minato wondering what kind of person this genin really was. He then looked at the now-renewed Obito, who was looking pretty determined.

"Obito, it seems that you have got yourself a rival. You would have to do quite a lot of training if you want to beat Shunsui in the chunin exams." Obito clenched his fists tightly.

"I will do it. I will have to do it if I have to become the Hokage." Minato nodded with a smile. Obito then turned to Kakashi.

"Kakashi! You would have to spar with me every day from now on to prepare myself for the chunin exams."

"But why do I have to..." Kakashi mumbled tiredly. Minato looked at him and said firmly, "You have to help your teammates, Kakashi." Kakashi let out a long, suffering sigh. He then looked at Guy and said, "It is all your fault. Now I would have to deal with Obito, who could be just a little less annoying than you, every single day." Guy laughed loudly and patted Kakashi on the back.

"Hahaha! Shunsui is a pretty youthful guy!" He then stopped laughing for a moment and asked seriously, "But my rival, you saw Shunsui. What do you think? Can you beat him in a fight?" Kakashi thought for a few seconds.

"Is he any good with those swords?"

"Kakashi, he can play games with those swords," Guy innocently said. Kakashi, who deeply admired his father and his kenjutsu, felt insulted at that statement.

"Kenjutsu is not a game, Guy."

"No, I mean he can literally play games with it," Guy tried to explain again, waving his hands. Kakashi just ignored him, thinking Guy was being stupid like always. He turned away with a tired expression and muttered under his breath, "This village is getting weirder every day."