Evil Hokage: Naruto over Tsunade

Time always slips by unnoticed.

The panic brought about by the war had long since faded with the passage of time.

It had been 365 days since Naruto was reborn.

Today might not hold any special meaning for others in this world.

But for Naruto, today was an extraordinary day—one filled with profound significance.

The Lunar New Year!

For Naruto, this day was perhaps the only remnant from his previous life to which he could cling to express his longing.

He woke up early and got to work, cleaning the inside and outside of his house until it was spotless.

This world had no tradition of Spring Festival couplets, so Naruto could only head to the shopping district to buy a large piece of red paper to write his own.

Dressed in a thick cotton coat, he pushed open the door and stepped outside, greeted by a world blanketed in white snow.

Crunch, crunch, crunch—

His Martin boots pressed against the thick snow, making crisp creaking sounds.

The buildings along the street were wrapped in heavy snow, leaving the streets almost deserted. Most residents were indoors, enjoying the warmth.

Naruto exhaled a puff of hot air into his hands and rubbed them together, feeling a bit helpless.

After searching the shopping district for ages, he finally found red paper at a stationery store.

Returning home, he cut the paper with a kunai, held a calligraphy brush in hand, and began by writing a large "福" (fortune) character.

Then, after a moment of thought, he composed a pair of couplets on the red paper:

Upper Line: The rain falls drop by drop, carrying my longing for you, drifting away with the wind.

Lower Line: The wind blows gust by gust, taking your affection for me, vanishing in an instant.

Horizontal Inscription: Parting in the wind and rain.

The handwriting was lopsided and uneven, and if the characters weren't so large, it might be hard to recognize them at all.

From a pot, Naruto scooped out a bowl of paste he had boiled earlier.

One sniff and—ugh!—the smell was overpowering.

He pasted the couplets on both sides of his door, stretching with a deep yawn afterward.

With the couplets up, the festive feeling was finally there.

"Hey, Naruto, what are you doing all by yourself?"

A familiar voice called out from below.

"Kushina?"

Naruto turned to see Uzumaki Kushina waving at him from downstairs.

---

"Why are you here in this freezing weather? Don't you have a perfectly good home to stay in?"

Naruto stood in the kitchen, wearing an apron as he washed dishes, speaking slowly.

"It's snowing, school's on break, and staying home is boring, so I came to see you!"

The red-haired girl showed no concern for the annoyance etched on the blond boy's face.

Without hesitation, she peeled off her thick outerwear, leaving only a beige short-sleeved shirt.

The house was heated, so wearing short sleeves didn't feel cold.

She casually walked to the fridge, grabbed a pudding, and began eating it.

Kushina curled up lazily on the sofa, her bright red hair cascading over her shoulders, exuding a unique charm.

"Miss Kushina, my dear, couldn't you go bother someone else? It's the perfect chance to scam some food off them since you're not close with them yet."

Naruto wiped his hands, removed his apron, and suggested, "Go straight for five kilometers, and you'll reach Tetsu's house. If you hurry, you might even catch dinner."

"As your deskmate, I'm entitled to a free meal at your house, and you're begrudging me this? And you have the nerve to kick me out in this cold weather?"

Uzumaki Kushina blinked her lively black eyes, her expression one of feigned grievance.

"I'm very begrudging, and I have all the nerve."

Naruto frowned slightly, his lips moving, "And stop taking off your clothes the moment you enter. You'll catch a cold."

"No way—it's so warm!"

---

That evening, a bright full moon cast its gentle light.

Limited finances meant there were no lavish decorations, which left Naruto feeling slightly regretful.

For this Lunar New Year's Eve, Naruto only managed to cook a pot of meat dumplings.

Meanwhile, a pot of vegetable dumplings ended up as dumpling soup—thanks to Kushina's enthusiastic but clumsy attempts at making them.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Who could it be at this hour?" Naruto wondered, opening the door.

Standing there was Uchiha Mikoto, holding a scarf, her small face red from the cold.

She hesitated, her eyes darting nervously. "This is for you, Naruto-kun."

"Get in here, you idiot," Naruto said, pulling her inside.

Her hands were icy cold, sending a shiver through him when they touched.

Mikoto hesitated, her gaze flickering when she saw Kushina inside.

Though the two girls barely knew each other, their eyes exchanged an unmistakable message: Don't get in my way.

Naruto placed a large tray on the table, holding three bowls of dumplings and small bowls of vinegar.

Steam swirled above the food.

Kushina sniffed the air, wrinkling her nose. "Doesn't look too appetizing."

"Shut up. You're already freeloading, and you still have the nerve to be picky?"

"Hmph, because I can!"

Uchiha Mikoto took a bite and suddenly exclaimed, "This is delicious! What kind of dish is this?"

Her taste buds were completely satisfied.

"By the way, Naruto, what's that thing you pasted on your door earlier?" Kushina asked, recalling the red paper.

Naruto's eyes grew distant, and his voice turned somber. "It's just… a fragment of longing."

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