Naruto - Leader of Kusagakure

Tsunade, sitting at the table, was utterly shocked by Kushina's revelation. After leaving the guard post, Kushina had led them to the Grass International Hotel, reserving a private room to talk more comfortably. The hotel was known for its pricey but delicious food, and they decided to skip the expensive Grass Wine, opting instead for a few bottles of cold beer. Even Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannins, couldn't justify the cost of the ridiculously priced sake.

Taking a big gulp of beer, Tsunade fell silent, her eyes on the now more mature Kushina. She sighed deeply, "I didn't expect so much to have happened!"

Kushina had been taken to Grass Village and nursed back to health after the Nine-Tails incident, remaining hidden until Naruto's arrival. Normally, a Jinchuriki losing their Tailed Beast would mean certain death, and not even Tsunade's pinnacle medical ninjutsu skills could save them. Yet, this small village had such advanced medical technology that Kushina survived.

Moreover, they had successfully kept her hidden all this time. It's likely that Konoha still doesn't know Kushina is alive. This was truly incredible.

"I originally came here to check if your child was being bullied," Tsunade said with a chuckle, smiling warmly at Kushina. "But it seems you've been with him all along. My worries were for nothing!"

"Tsunade-nee!" Hearing Tsunade's words, Kushina's eyes reddened slightly, the emotion overwhelming her for a moment.

Back when she was taken to Konoha, Granny Mito was too old to watch over her all the time, so it was Tsunade who often stepped in. Despite Tsunade's sometimes unreliable nature—sneaking off to drink, gamble, and often speaking her mind with her fists—she always made sure to avenge Kushina whenever she was bullied, no matter who the bully was.

Kushina wiped the corner of her eyes and smiled through her emotions. "Naruto is doing well here, so you don't need to worry," she said, her voice softening. But then, her expression turned playful, and she put her hands on her hips, speaking with a tone of exasperation. "But that brat... He's always fighting at school, never paying attention in class, and his grades in cultural and history subjects are terrible. And don't get me started on what he says sometimes—he's so infuriating! He's nothing like me!"

The three of them—Tsunade, Shizune, and Akihiko—fell into a brief silence, listening to Kushina's complaints. Internally, they couldn't help but think, Isn't that just like you?

Even Shizune, who had left Konoha early with Tsunade, had heard plenty about the 'remarkable feats' of the Fourth Hokage's wife.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at her friend's fiery words. However, seeing how well Kushina was doing now, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. Still, her thoughts drifted back to Konoha, and she hesitated. "About the village..." she started, but before she could continue, Kushina cut her off.

"Tsunade-nee, there's no need to bring it up!" Kushina clenched her fists, her hair standing on end as she spoke fiercely, "If I ever see that Third Hokage, I'll beat him to a pulp, burn off his beard, and leave his face looking like a pig's head! Those bastards promised to take care of Naruto, yet they let him be bullied like this? If I hadn't been alive, I would've never known!"

Tsunade was momentarily taken aback, but then she burst into laughter, patting Kushina's shoulder. "That's right! He definitely deserves a good beating!"

Her tone shifted to one of quiet disappointment, a hint of bitterness creeping in. "Those old fools have really messed up the village."

She quickly put on a cheerful smile again and turned her attention back to Kushina. "But enough about that. Since you're here, I don't have to worry about your child anymore. By the way, where are you living now, Kushina? Mind if I crash with you for a bit? This place is such a rip-off. Plus, we need to catch up. I'm dying to know how you've been living all these years."

Turning to Akihiko, she added with a grateful nod, "And... thank you for everything you've done for Kushina and for handling today's situation. I didn't expect you to be so generous, even helping out ninjas from other villages!"

As soon as the words left Tsunade's mouth, the room fell into a brief, awkward silence.

Kushina gave a nervous smile, glancing at Akihiko before responding with a somewhat evasive look in her eyes. "Um... where I live... well, you'll find out later, Tsunade-nee. It's just a bit inconvenient, hahaha~"

"Inconvenient how?" Tsunade asked, her cheeks slightly flushed from the several bottles of Grass beer she'd already consumed. She looked at Kushina, a mix of confusion and curiosity in her expression. "Didn't we used to sleep in the same room all the time?"

Kushina flustered, trying to find an excuse. "It's just inconvenient! The room... there's no room left!" she said quickly, her words tumbling out.

"No room? Is your place too small now?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow, then relaxed a little. "Makes sense. You've got a kid to raise now. And this isn't Konoha, so I guess you couldn't bring all your savings with you. Must be tough, huh? Money's tight."

Kushina fell silent for a moment. Then, forcing a smile, she chuckled awkwardly, not sure how to explain herself, and simply gave Tsunade a sheepish grin.

Seeing Kushina's embarrassed expression, Tsunade immediately realized she might have made her uncomfortable.

Not wanting to press further, Tsunade sighed and gave Kushina a gentle pat on the shoulder. "It's a shame. If I hadn't nearly spent all the Senju Clan's money, I'd help you out. But don't worry, I'll make sure to pay you back for bailing me out. Honestly, Shizune and I are fine with sleeping on the floor."

"No, no!" Kushina quickly shook her head at the thought of Tsunade and Shizune sleeping on the floor. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she added, "Don't worry about a place to stay, Tsunade-nee. I've already booked a room for you here. You can stay here."

"Wait, you booked a room here? Isn't it too expensive?" Tsunade asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

"D-Don't worry, I get an employee discount," Kushina stammered, trying to explain with an awkward smile. "It's really cheap~"

"Honestly, I'm fine with sleeping on the floor. You don't have to go out of your way." Tsunade insisted, not wanting to be a burden.

"No way! I can't let you sleep on the floor, Tsunade-nee. That's not happening." Kushina shook her head firmly, her tone serious.

"I don't mind. You should save your money. If Granny Mito found out I was troubling you, she'd scold me fiercely," Tsunade said with a wistful tone, her smile tinged with nostalgia.

Kushina wasn't having it. "It's really no trouble. The room is actually really cheap! Tsunade-nee, just stay here!" she insisted firmly. "We're not short on money. It's settled! No more arguing!"

"Really cheap? Hic~" Tsunade blinked in surprise at Kushina's firm insistence, a hiccup slipping out. She narrowed her eyes, giving Kushina a suspicious look. "I feel like you're hiding something... like you're worried I'll find out."

"Hahaha~, no, not at all!" Kushina quickly averted her gaze, laughing nervously. "I just don't want Tsunade-nee to end up sleeping on the floor!" She added, her voice a bit more rushed, "It's getting late, and I'm exhausted after a long day at work. You should get some rest too. I'll have someone show you to your room."

"I'll come find you tomorrow, Tsunade-nee!" With that, she stood up, grabbed Akihiko, and hurried towards the door. "Come on, Akihiko, let's go!"

Tsunade opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, both Kushina and the Grass leader were already out of sight. They were surprisingly quick—one moment they were there, and the next, gone.

Tsunade fell silent, her face flushed from the alcohol, her gaze distant as she stared at the doorway, lost in thought. Her brow furrowed, clearly pondering something.

Shizune, cradling Tonton in her arms, followed Tsunade's gaze with a mixture of surprise and contemplation. It seemed as though something had clicked in her mind. She glanced back at Tsunade, wondering, Tsunade-sama must have figured it out too, right?

After a brief pause, Shizune hesitated before speaking, "Tsunade-sama, about Kushina-sama, she..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Tsunade, a serious look now on her face despite the lingering effects of the alcohol, nodded. "You noticed it too?"

"Indeed..." Shizune felt a wave of relief and nodded in agreement. "Tsunade-sama, you noticed it too!"

They exchanged a brief glance, then, almost in perfect sync, both spoke at the same time, "That's right! Did we pay for this meal and drinks?" "Yes! Kushina-sama and the Grass leader have an unusual relationship!"

The moment hung in the air, and they both stared at each other, momentarily confused by their own words. What was she talking about?

Shizune, her face flushed in embarrassment, covered her face with a sigh. "Tsunade-sama, you were talking about that?" she asked, exasperated and slightly irritated.

"What else did you think I meant? We're out of money. What if we get into trouble again?" Tsunade blinked, her expression puzzled as she looked at Shizune.

As she spoke, a sudden realization seemed to dawn on her. Her gaze shifted toward the doorway, and her eyes widened in disbelief. "Kushina and the Grass leader..."

The alcohol-induced haze seemed to vanish in an instant as her mind cleared. She gasped, "No way... could it be true? Is it really true that the Grass leader has a thing for widows?!"