Chapter 450: Guests
"It's time..."
"Mm, it's time..."
Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto stood side by side in the shadows of the main hall's side corridor, gazes slowly sweeping across the shrine courtyard and connected banquet venue.
In the courtyard, guests had all arrived. Carefully arranged seating was filled without vacancy. The crowd flowed gently between the shrine's ancient architecture and flourishing cherry trees. Low voices, laughter, and gentle clinking of cups wove into a celebratory background soundscape.
The air was permeated with flower fragrance, wine aroma, and food's warm scent. Sunlight filtered through cherry blossom gaps, falling on people's formal clothing and smiling faces.
Sarutobi Asuma carefully supported Yuhi Kurenai whose abdomen had visibly swelled, face radiating a blissful glow. The two walked slowly along the corridor carpeted with red felt, gazes lingering on venue decoration details and overall atmosphere.
Asuma spoke quietly into Kurenai's ear. Kurenai nodded with a smile, fingers gently brushing across her abdomen—they were silently referencing, imagining and planning for their own ceremony soon to come.
Wearing a rarely well-fitted suit appearing especially vigorous, Ichiraku Ramen shop owner Teuchi, accompanied by daughter Ayame, was all smiles greeting and conversing with acquainted guests.
Inuzuka Kiba was forcefully pulling Akamaru who, upon seeing Soukyo, could barely walk, tail wagging like a windmill, throat emitting excited whimpering sounds.
Akimichi Choji's gaze was completely attracted by that multi-tiered wedding cake in the banquet area's center that could be called artwork.
A cake fully over ten tiers tall, with pure white cream as base, using frosting to outline exquisite Uzumaki and Uchiha family crests, adorned with edible cherry blossoms and star sugar pieces. Choji watched with glowing eyes, planning his strategy for the upcoming meal.
Nara Shikamaru conversed with Sunagakure's representative who'd traveled far—Fifth Kazekage's older sister Temari—in a relatively secluded corner.
Temari today wore formal attire combining Sunagakure style with the Land of Fire's elegance, appearing capable and spirited. Shikamaru seemed to lazily lean against a pillar, but his gaze was focused. His dialogue with Temari clearly transcended ordinary pleasantries.
On another side, Kankuro's face carried undisguised worry. His gaze was locked tightly on Gaara beside him.
Gaara wore Sunagakure's highest specification dark formal wear, expression calm to the point of indifference. However, Kankuro perceived his brother's hand hanging at his side, concealed under wide sleeves—fingertips were trembling slightly beyond control.
Gaara's breathing was also somewhat more rapid and shallow than usual. Kankuro felt secretly anxious but didn't know how to offer comfort.
In the venue, Umino Iruka also wearing a well-fitted suit, having groomed himself especially neat and tidy, was conducting final conversation with Hatake Kakashi, trying to ease his inner tension.
Kakashi maintained his classic half-masked appearance, but the visible eye was smiling cheerfully, appearing relaxed and pleased.
"Alright, time to go, brother. Go see Naruto."
A gentle smiling voice transmitted from behind. Iruka's entire body tensed. He immediately turned around to see Namikaze Minato had somehow already approached nearby.
Minato's handsome features appeared especially warm in sunlight, smile sincere and without airs.
"Mm, yes!" Iruka responded almost reflexively, then hurriedly waved his hands, face somewhat flushed. "Also, also... Fourth-sama... You truly needn't address me that way..."
The address "brother" made him feel both warm and terribly flustered.
"That won't do." Minato smiled and shook his head. "We already agreed—you're attending today as Naruto's other spiritual father. We're family of the same generation. This address is necessary. Rather, please truly stop calling me 'Fourth Hokage' in the future. Just call me Minato."
Speaking thus, Minato turned his head, gaze crossing Iruka's shoulder toward Kakashi standing to one side. The smile on his face deepened as he gently nodded.
"...Sensei."
Kakashi called quietly, quickly raising his hand to inconspicuously rub his somewhat stinging eye corners. He forcefully suppressed the inappropriate grief and more surging gratitude welling up at this occasion that should be entirely celebratory.
Even though some time had passed, every time personally seeing Sensei Minato so vividly, smilingly standing before him, that enormous impact and joy of loss-then-recovery still easily made him instantly break down. He inhaled deeply, returning Minato's gaze with as relaxed a smile as possible, indicating he was fine.
Soon, Uzumaki Kushina, Namikaze Minato, Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Mikoto, plus Umino Iruka naturally clustered among them striving to straighten his spine—the group began walking toward the room behind the shrine specially prepared for the newlyweds' final arrangements and waiting before the ceremony.
Walking along the quiet corridor carpeted with soft rugs, Iruka's heart pounded like drums in his chest. He frantically, repeatedly recited in his mind the already-prepared speech he needed to deliver as "matchmaker" in the upcoming ceremony.
Those sentences he'd clearly memorized thoroughly, almost to the degree of reciting them in dreams.
However, under this moment's enormous tension and solemnity, those clear words suddenly slipped away from his taut memory gaps. His brain went completely blank.
He began unconsciously reaching to touch his suit's inner pocket, fingertips trembling slightly from panic—he remembered that to prevent emergencies, he'd placed a small note card with speech keywords there.
Namikaze Minato walking beside him perceived Iruka's panic. He slowed his pace, extending his hand to pat Iruka's somewhat stiff shoulder.
"It's alright, Iruka-sensei. Relax. Whatever you say later, even just the simplest blessing, that child Naruto will definitely, definitely be very happy."
Feeling the warmth and support transmitted from his shoulder, hearing Minato's confident words, Iruka's taut nerves relaxed somewhat. He stopped his searching motion, raising his head to look at Minato's azure eyes full of understanding and encouragement.
Finally, that bit of panic on his face was replaced by a deeper emotion. He smiled somewhat embarrassedly.
"Mm... I understand." He spoke softly, straightening his back and keeping pace with everyone.