After sitting for a while, Obito realized it was a mistake.
Kushina couldn't sit still to save her life.
She tapped her heels against the bench, shifted positions every few seconds, and kept pointing at random things with bright-eyed enthusiasm.
"Look! That snow sculpture looks like a frog!"
"Is that a popcorn machine?!"
"Wait—why are there penguins here?! Are they real?!"
He knew that sometimes, despite being an adult, when you've been suppressed to your limits and finally given a bit of freedom, that buried child within you can't help but surface.
It's the last fragment of innocence that people hide from a world ruled by schemes and betrayal.
Some people, he thought, never truly lose it.
Even as they grow older, a piece of that childish self lingers on — sometimes naturally, sometimes out of desperation.
They're stuck somewhere between their past and their longing — the desire to finally experience something happy, even if just once.
Obito exhaled quietly through his nose. "You have the energy of a hyperactive academy student."
"Hey! That's rude!" she said, turning to glare at him — though the grin on her face betrayed her mood. "You just don't appreciate art, dattebane!"
"I appreciate peace and quiet," he corrected.
Kushina gasped dramatically. "Peace and quiet?! In a place like this?! Are you some kind of grandpa now?"
Obito tilted his head slightly. "Do you want to go back to the bench?"
"...No," she admitted after a pause.
"Then walk."
And so they did.
The two strolled through the village streets again, passing glowing lanterns and softly lit shopfronts. The air smelled faintly of roasted chestnuts and sweet milk steam drifting from nearby cafés.
Couples passed by them, laughing, sharing scarves, their voices muffled by the falling snow.
Kushina's eyes darted from one thing to another. "Everything here feels so alive. Even the snow doesn't seem cold anymore."
"That's because the entire area's temperature is regulated by chakra systems beneath the streets," Obito explained casually.
"That's so amazing!" she said, stopping mid-step, then continued to walk forward.
Obito stopped mid-step.
A faint shiver ran through him.
He turned slightly, scanning the empty air around him. Snowflakes drifted down lazily, the street calm and quiet.
"…Something wrong?" Kushina asked, noticing the brief pause.
Obito shook his head, his tone calm as ever. "No. Just… a sudden chill."
Kushina blinked. "You're seriously saying that while we're standing in a frozen country?"
He glanced down at her, that faint smirk tugging beneath the mask. "Fair point."
"Sometimes I swear you say things just to sound mysterious," she muttered while crossing her arms.
"Sometimes?" Obito mused. "You make it sound like it's not intentional."
Kushina blinked — then realized he was teasing her again. "You—!" She swung at him lightly, but he caught her wrist effortlessly, the motion smooth and unhurried.
The brief contact made her heart skip, though she tried to hide it behind a glare. "One of these days, I'm gonna actually hit you, you know that?"
Obito chuckled softly, releasing her hand. "I'd be impressed if you could."
"Is that a challenge?"
"Consider it… encouragement."
Kushina narrowed her eyes, half tempted to throw another punch but her attention quickly shifted when she noticed a small stand nearby selling steaming skewers of something that smelled heavenly.
Her eyes lit up instantly. "Ooh! Is that grilled snow eel?!"
Without waiting for an answer, she bolted straight toward it. The vendor blinked as Kushina pointed eagerly at the skewers, her breath fogging up in the cold.
"One of those! No, two! Actually, make it three!"
Obito walked up behind her, his voice calm as ever. "You really think you can eat three?"
"Of course! I've been starving since that roller coaster!" she said, turning to him with a grin. "You didn't even let me eat lunch, dattebane!"
Obito sighed lightly and handed the vendor some coins. "Fine by me. But if you get sick, I'm leaving you here in the snow to freeze."
Kushina accepted the food triumphantly. "Don't make me laugh, just a little bit of food can't beat me."
"You look really interesting right now!" Obito said as he looked at her eating happily.
"Excuse me?!"
He chuckled quietly, watching her huff in mock outrage. "Don't pout. It doesn't suit someone as beautiful as you."
Kushina froze, color rushing to her cheeks. "W-What—You can't just—say things like that!"
"I can," he replied calmly. "I just did."
"Ugh! You—" she tried to speak, but her voice came out a flustered mess. "You're such a—!"
"Charming?" he offered helpfully.
"I was gonna say bastard!" she snapped, but there was no real anger behind it... just the embarrassed tremble in her voice.
--
After bickering for a while, even Obito had to admit it was... interesting.
He didn't often get moments like this... to simply walk beside someone, to talk about nothing important, to feel the world as something more than a mission.
They walked until they reached a small bridge overlooking a frozen river. The surface glittered like glass, and beneath it, streams of chakra light pulsed softly, painting the ice in slow, shifting hues of blue and pink.
Kushina leaned over the railing, mesmerized. "It's like the stars fell into the water."
Obito watched her quietly for a moment, then said, "There's a reason it's called the River of Wishes."
She turned to him, curious. "River of Wishes?"
He nodded slightly. "People throw coins into it while thinking of something they want to protect. The chakra flow amplifies intent. Some say it makes your wish travel faster to whoever's listening."
Kushina's face softened, her eyes drifting back to the glowing river. "That's… kind of beautiful."
Obito slipped a small coin from his pocket and handed it to her. "Here."
She blinked in surprise. "You're not making a wish?"
"I already got mine," he said simply, looking at her.
Her breath caught for a second, the words catching her off-guard. "You—"
Before she could finish, he turned slightly away. "Just throw it before you drop it."
Kushina's heart skipped as she looked down at the coin in her hand. Then she smiled faintly, whispered something under her breath, and tossed it gently into the glowing river.
The ripples spread across the surface — soft, shimmering, almost magical.
"...What did you wish for?" Obito asked after a moment.
Kushina grinned. "If I tell you, it won't come true."
"I see."
--
As they were talking and laughing, two pairs of eyes watched them from a nearby alley.
"Umm… can you tell me why we're hiding again?" one of the figures whispered, scratching her hair with that familiar charming pout.
"Shhh!" hissed the other. "That woman with the red hair—she looks exactly like Chihori-san! I almost fainted when I saw her, but… looking closer, it's not her."
"This pervert's hiding another woman outside," the first one muttered, half-amused, half-annoyed.
The two figures — no, the two women — were Terumi Mei and Yugao.
Terumi Mei had been dragged here by Yugao, who had spotted them first.
"It's not surprising," Mei said at last, scratching her chin thoughtfully as she peeked around the corner. "That woman should be Kushina Uzumaki, if I'm not mistaken."
"WHAT!?" Yugao's eyes widened. "You mean his sensei's wife!?"
Mei smirked, resting a finger on her lips. "Mhm. The very same. She looks pretty happy too… though who would've thought the legendary Yellow Flash's wife would end up being stolen by his own student. Scandalous~"
"Uhh…" Yugao blinked, her conscience doing backflips. "That sounds way worse when you say it out loud."
"You two…" Obito's calm voice drifted into their minds through a silent chakra transmission — smooth, unhurried, and absolutely speechless.
"Although I want to spank you for your behavior," he said evenly, "I have something to ask of you. Tell Chihori to come here."
"Ahhhh!" Yugao yelped, nearly jumping out of her hiding spot.
Terumi Mei, who was watching from beside her, sighed and quickly clamped a hand over the younger woman's mouth. "Quiet, idiot!"
Her eyes flicked toward Obito and Kushina, still visible in the distance. "Did you really think he wouldn't notice us?" she whispered dryly, shaking her head.
"Urghh…" Yugao groaned, rubbing her temples. Her brain felt scrambled from the encounter — between Obito and that unknown red-haired woman, she could barely process what just happened.
She let out a weary sigh as they walked away through the snowy street, her boots crunching softly against the frost. "Fine… let's just go tell Chihori-san before my brain freezes."
With that, the two women vanished into the drifting snow — one grinning, the other still visibly suffering from second-hand embarrassment.
--
Obito on the other hand, sighed helplessly before glancing at Kushina.
"Get ready. You'll be meeting someone important soon."
Kushina blinked, looking up in surprise. "Someone important?"
"You'll see," Obito replied casually, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "She's… interesting."
Kushina frowned, suspicion rising. "She? Don't tell me—"
Before she could finish, Obito leaned slightly closer, his voice dripping with amusement.
"Oh? Are you perhaps jealous? That's so cute."
"What!? Me—jealous?! Don't be ridiculous!" Kushina snapped, her face instantly flushing red as she folded her arms. "You must be delusional!"
Her voice cracked halfway through, betraying her flustered tone. Whatever she'd wanted to ask vanished under her tsundere pride.
Obito just chuckled quietly, eyes gleaming beneath the mask.
--
After a few minutes of waiting, Kushina's patience started to wear thin. She tapped her foot and huffed, crossing her arms.
"So… when's this 'Miss Important' supposed to show up, huh?"
Obito didn't answer. His gaze shifted past her shoulder instead.
Before Kushina could question it, a soft, familiar voice came from behind.
"Ara~ I'm sorry if I made Kushina-chan wait so long."
Kushina's eyes widened slightly.
She turned around and froze. The woman standing there had the same brilliant red hair, flowing down like a mirror of her own.
"Chihori?" she asked hesitantly, her tone somewhere between disbelief and warmth.
Chihori smiled gently. "It's been a while since we last saw each other, hasn't it?"
Meanwhile, Obito quietly stepped aside, hands in his pockets, giving them space to talk as the reunion began.
--
Both of them sat down on a nearby bench.
At first, their conversation stumbled, a little awkward, a little hesitant but before long, it began to flow naturally, like an old melody rediscovered.
Kushina glanced at Chihori for a moment, then smiled softly.
"You seem to be doing well here, Chihori."
Chihori nodded, her gentle smile touched by calm contentment.
"Yeah… I didn't expect it either. Back then, I thought it was over for me. But my lord found me... saved me and my daughter."
Kushina's eyes softened. "Your daughter… she must be around Naruto's age now, right?"
Though she already knew the answer from Obito, she couldn't help but ask.
Chihori nodded proudly. "Mm. She's growing fast... fiery and loud, just as the Uzumaki blood demands." Her voice carried a quiet fondness.
"I've been teaching her the sealing arts you passed on. Never thought I'd have the chance to share them."
"...So Thank You, Kushina."
Kushina blinked, a little flustered. "Eh? No, no — what's there to thank me for? It's what I should've done!" She grinned wide, scratching her cheek. "I'm just happy for you both, Chihori."
Chihori chuckled, warmth filling her tone. Her gaze drifted toward Obito, who stood a short distance away, hands tucked in his cloak as he watched the frozen river in silence.
"It's all possible thanks to him." she murmured. "He brought us here. Said we deserved to live without looking over our shoulders."
Kushina followed her gaze quietly. There was a strange comfort in seeing him like that — detached, yet somehow… dependable.
She could hear the pride, respect, and quiet gratitude in Chihori's voice whenever she mentioned Obito.
When it was her turn, Kushina spoke about her own life, her son, and everything she'd been through since the war.
Chihori listened in silence, eyes kind, before finally speaking.
"Why don't you stay here for a while?" she suggested gently. "The Land of Snow is different now. Peaceful. You don't have to go back to that village… the one that only takes and never gives."
This time, Kushina didn't answer right away. Her fingers tightened slightly in her lap as she stared ahead at the falling snow... lost in thought.
--
Obito stood silently, eyes fixed on the slow, graceful fall of snow. His thoughts drifted like the flakes themselves... scattered, weightless, and unanchored.
A light tap on his shoulder brought him back.
He turned, meeting Kushina's gaze. The bench behind her was empty now.
Chihori must've left, he thought quietly. So their talk's over.
"So," he asked, his voice calm but curious, "how was it?"
Kushina looked unusually peaceful, though a faint hint of emotion still lingered in her eyes. She took a slow breath before speaking.
"Thank you… for everything you did for me today. Honestly, I hated you very much at the beginning, but now…"
Her voice trailed off. She looked away, her cheeks slightly pink as she muttered, almost too quietly to hear,
"I found that… I don't hate you so much anymore."
Obito blinked, watching her small smile form.
"But don't get any weird ideas, okay?" she quickly added, flustered again as she tried to explain her self.
How she hadn't meant it that way and it was simply her nature...generous and forgiving.
Obito couldn't help but laugh softly — a low, amused sound that made her pout in embarrassment.
--
Later, the date finally came to an end. Both Obito and Kushina disappeared into the swirl of Kamui, her expression showing a trace of reluctance as the world of snow faded away.
When they reappeared inside her home, a quiet emptiness settled in. Kushina could already feel the difference.
She was back in the same village she had called home, yet somehow, it felt dull and lifeless again.
She looked at the masked man beside her and smiled faintly. Stepping closer, she rose on her toes and pressed a soft kiss against his lips.
"Don't make me regret saying that," she whispered, a teasing grin forming as her breath brushed his mask.
Obito stayed silent for a moment, his gaze unreadable. Then, in a calm but slightly playful tone, he said,
"Well then, let me tell you something too."
Kushina raised an eyebrow, curious. "Oh? What is it?"
Obito leaned in just a little closer, his voice lowering. "Since you're always so curious about who I really am… I'll give you a hint."
Kushina blinked. "A hint?"
"I'm someone you knew in the past."
And with that, he turned and disappeared into the distortion of Kamui, leaving her standing there... wide-eyed and silent as the words repeated in her head.
"Someone I knew…?" she murmured softly, staring at the empty space where he had been just moments ago.
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