Chapter 447: The First
"...Be careful... hiss! That hurts! Wahhh!"
In Konoha's residential district, inside Umino Iruka's home, warm lamplight couldn't mask the intermittent suppressed cries of pain and annoyed mutterings.
Once again Iruka's hand trembled. The sharp carving knife failed to land precisely on the clay form before him that had begun taking human shape, instead deeply slicing his left index finger already sporting several bandages.
Bright red blood beads immediately seeped out, dripping onto the workbench's scattered wood shavings and clay debris.
He frantically dropped the carving knife and clay form, grabbing nearby bandages and disinfectant to clumsily treat the fresh wound, mouth unable to suppress pained hissing sounds.
"Sigh..."
After bandaging his finger, looking at that sculpture whose features remained blurry and details rough, Iruka heavily sighed.
"This is really difficult... that kid Naruto's hands are too skilled... Will I even be able to finish this before the wedding..."
Umino Iruka was now Konoha Ninja Academy's principal. Though in terms of personal strength he fell far short, the weighty honor and recognized educational achievements as "hero's teacher" and "instructor who cultivated the village's savior" were sufficient to make any possible gossip vanish into nothing.
Not long ago, when Naruto personally delivered that exquisitely crafted wedding invitation to his hands and somewhat embarrassedly informed him of the wedding date, Iruka's eyes immediately reddened. Tears of excitement and gratification couldn't be held back no matter how he tried.
After joy's wave passed, practical considerations surfaced. As one of Naruto's teachers, what wedding gift should he give? Honeymoon travel package? Premium ninja tools? Custom sealing scrolls? Multi-tiered custom wedding cake? Or practical new furniture...
Ninja tools seemed too unoriginal. Naruto probably didn't lack these now. Those other things... he was merely a teacher after all. Giving something too personal or too expensive seemed somewhat inappropriate.
After much deliberation, Iruka finally decided to personally craft a gift filled with heartfelt meaning—just like that carefully carved sculpture Naruto had once given him.
That sculpture remained treasured in his home's most prominent position to this day.
However, ideals were full while reality was skeletal enough to make him cry.
For several consecutive days, all spare time outside work had been consumed by this pile of clay and carving knife. The result was only making his fingers covered in wounds while the finished product remained barely satisfactory. Could he truly make a sculpture before the wedding that would satisfy both Naruto and Satsuki? Iruka fell into deep self-doubt.
Ding dong.
Just as he gathered courage to start over again, the doorbell suddenly rang.
"Mm? At this hour..." Iruka somewhat puzzled raised his head to glance at the wall clock, set down his tools, and rose toward the entrance.
Opening the door, standing outside was a figure incomparably familiar yet whose appearance at this time quite surprised him.
"Naruto?"
The visitor was precisely Uzumaki Naruto, this young man who'd just recently become an adult and was about to enter marriage's halls.
He wore simple casual clothing. Golden hair appeared soft under corridor lighting. His handsome face carried the usual gentle smile, though between brows and eyes seemed to carry something unclear compared to usual—somewhere between anticipation and nervousness.
"Iruka-sensei, good evening." Naruto properly greeted.
"Naruto? You, why did you come? At this hour... shouldn't you be home accompanying Satsuki or busy with wedding preparations? Why would you run here?"
"...Yeah, I didn't expect everything would progress so quickly either."
Naruto scratched the back of his head, smile carrying happiness and busy embarrassment. "It's because I'm getting married soon—feels like so many things suddenly piled up. Plus recently... mm, truly quite busy. Haven't visited Iruka-sensei for a while."
"So I thought, before getting married, I absolutely must visit sensei one more time no matter what... Oh right, Iruka-sensei is still single, right? Will this really be okay continuing like this? Should I help keep an eye out..."
However, facing Naruto's concerned inquiry and his current behavior "abandoning" his fiancée to run to his teacher's home, Iruka's complexion rapidly transformed from surprise to seriousness.
"...No."
Iruka spoke decisively, voice carrying rare severity.
"Eh?" Naruto froze. "Why? Previously when I came over, you were always very happy every time. I was thinking, after getting married I probably won't have as much free time to come over often like this..."
"What foolish talk are you saying?! Idiot!"
Iruka's voice suddenly rose. "What do you mean by this? Wanting to enjoy 'single' indulgence one last time before marriage, so you run here while neglecting Satsuki instead? At this critical timing? Naruto, you're usually such a mature child who knows how to consider others—how can you do something so unreliable now!"
He spoke increasingly agitated, tone increasingly urgent. "Now! Immediately! Go home right away! Properly accompany Satsuki! If running here makes her feel displeased or lonely, you must apologize to her immediately! Do you hear!"
Just as Naruto was somewhat stunned by Iruka's sudden "lecture," opening his mouth wanting to explain something—
"...Um, may I interject?"
A gentle voice carrying helplessness lightly transmitted from behind Naruto.
Iruka's scolding words abruptly stopped. He instinctively followed the voice looking back, gaze crossing Naruto's shoulder.
When he clearly saw that golden-haired man standing silently at Naruto's side-rear, face carrying gentle apologetic smile, Iruka's entire person instantly stiffened. The stern expression on his face was rapidly replaced by shock and loss.
"Fo... Fourth-sama?!"
"No no no! Please absolutely don't do this!" Seeing this, Namikaze Minato hurriedly stepped forward, avoiding Iruka's instinctive bow.
Iruka naturally knew about the Fourth Hokage's resurrection news. Though the official explanation sounded somewhat... beyond common sense, as a member of Konoha, especially as someone deeply concerned about Naruto, he was genuinely happy for Naruto from the bottom of his heart.
He just never expected to face this legendary figure so unexpectedly, in this manner, at his own home.
Seeing Iruka become incomparably nervous, somewhat at a loss from his appearance, Minato's apologetic expression deepened. He softened his voice, trying to ease the atmosphere.
"Please just call me Minato. I'm no longer Hokage—now just an ordinary Konoha jonin, Naruto's father. Coming to visit so rashly with Naruto today while causing you such misunderstanding... I really don't quite know how to begin."
The Fourth Hokage's attitude toward him so humble and respectful—Iruka not only didn't relax but felt even more nervous. "Um... Fourth... Minato-san, I, I didn't mean that just now. I didn't know you came together too. I was talking about Naruto he..."
"I understand. You're concerned about Naruto and Satsuki." Minato nodded understandingly, then smiled somewhat troubled. "Naruto, this... seems you still need to personally explain clearly."
Naruto took a deep breath. Azure eyes looked at Iruka, no longer carrying earlier mischief or casualness but replaced by solemnity and entreaty.
"...Iruka-sensei, actually coming today, I wanted to ask you to agree to something."
Iruka's heart lifted, temporarily suppressing nervousness about the Fourth's presence, focusing on Naruto.
"Father, Mother, and I have all discussed it... I hope at the wedding, you can attend as my 'other father.'"
"...Eh?" Iruka momentarily didn't fully comprehend this sentence's meaning.
"I hope you can serve as my spiritual father, acting as 'matchmaker' at the wedding reception." Naruto explained word by word, gaze earnest.
"Wha... what?! This, this is too..." Iruka finally understood Naruto's meaning, shocked speechless. "This is too presumptuous! I cannot... How could this be allowed! I'm merely your teacher, while Fourth-sama he..."
"Please absolutely don't refuse, Iruka-sensei."
Minato spoke again. This time, his tone carried bitterness. "Naruto... has already told me everything about you in detail."
"As Naruto's biological father, I haven't fulfilled even a single day of a father's responsibilities, completely absent during his childhood when he most needed parental companionship and protection. Whenever thinking of this, I... don't know how to face Naruto, much less how to properly thank you."
He stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Naruto, gaze incomparably sincere looking at Iruka. "Naruto personally told me, 'Iruka-sensei is my first teacher, also an existence like a father.'"
"..."
Iruka didn't know what to say. A powerful emotion surged to his heart—sour, warm, moved, plus the honored surprise of being so treasured. His nasal cavity stung, nearly unable to control his expression.
Minato continued.
"During those long years when Kushina and I were absent, you gave Naruto the feeling of 'family,' filled the void we left, guided him onto the correct path."
"This kindness, to me, weighs like mountains. Therefore, please allow me to call you brother. Now, I'm only speaking as an incompetent father and an endlessly grateful elder brother—please answer Naruto's request."
The room fell into brief silence, only faint insect chirping transmitted from outside the window.
Iruka looked at the father and son standing shoulder to shoulder before him—Naruto's eyes held undisguised anticipation, Minato's eyes held deep entreaty and respect—he felt his chest filled completely with some scalding emotion.
Finally, he forcefully sniffled, raised his hand to quickly wipe his eye corners, straightened his spine, face showing an incomparably resolute smile.
"...!! Mm! I understand! Leave it to me! I'll definitely do well!"
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