Despite his best efforts to appear unbothered by Sama's casual bombshell, Renjiro could feel the tension settling in his chest, gripping at him like a vice. Outwardly, he maintained an impassive expression, lazily twirling his chopsticks before picking up another bite of noodles. But inside?
Inside, his mind was spinning.
'How the hell is this happening?'
He forced a bite of pork, the meat tasteless as ash. Across the counter, Hiro slurped his noodles with the vigour of a man who hadn't eaten in days, while Sama twirled her chopsticks, her gaze sharp as a kunai edge.
The timing was all wrong. He knew Minato and Kushina were supposed to get married—but not yet.
Not now.
In the original timeline, their wedding was probably supposed to happen after the Third Shinobi War. But the war hadn't even started yet. Hell, the tensions had only just begun to rise, with each nation quietly sharpening their blades behind the scenes.
'Is this because of my existence?'
That was the question that haunted him the most.
Renjiro had always known that his presence in this world would have ripple effects. That much was inevitable. He wasn't some ghostly observer in the Naruto universe; he was a living, breathing participant, making choices and leaving footprints in the sand. He had accepted that.
But up until now, he had told himself that the major events—the big moments that shaped the world—would still happen as they were meant to. That the war, a monstrous inevitability, would follow its original course. His entire plan revolved around knowing the future before it unfolded.
'But this... this changes things.'
Minato and Kushina's early engagement was more than just a minor deviation. It was a sign—a warning. If something as monumental as their wedding had shifted forward, what else had changed?
How many other events were already off course?
For the first time, a genuine sense of urgency settled over Renjiro. He had been waiting, thinking he had time to prepare before the storm hit. But if the butterfly effect was accelerating, then he might lose his greatest weapon—his knowledge of the future—sooner than he had anticipated.
He needed to push his plans forward.
Renjiro was so lost in thought that he barely noticed Hiro elbowing him lightly in the ribs. The sudden impact jolted him, snapping him back to the present.
"Oi, what's with you?" Hiro asked, raising an eyebrow.
Renjiro blinked and looked at him. "Huh?"
"You completely zoned out," Hiro smirked. "Not used to hearing about romance? Are you getting ideas, Renjiro? Maybe you are reconsidering the Nakada situation. I did hear she was beautiful!"
"Shut up," Renjiro shot back before turning to Sama. "When's the wedding?"
Sama rested her chin on her palm, looking thoughtful. "They don't have a set date yet. It just happened yesterday, so they're still figuring things out. But Minato thinks they'll have it after the war."
Renjiro let out a slow breath. 'Oh, so it just happened. That makes me feel a little better.'
It meant that things weren't too far gone yet. There was still a window where things could follow their due course. But something else gnawed at him.
'I was with Kushina just a few weeks ago, and she didn't mention anything about this.'
That part stung more than he expected.
He had always considered Kushina an older sister figure, someone who he could confide in and vice versa. The only other person he had in the same capacity was Miwa. Yet, she hadn't told him about something as life-changing as her engagement. Instead, he had to hear it from Sama.
'Did she not trust me enough to tell me?'
No, that didn't feel right. Maybe it was too fresh, too new, and she simply hadn't had the chance. Or maybe she knew how he'd react—how it would affect him.
"Hah!" Hiro suddenly laughed, shaking his head. "Minato and Kushina are already making plans for after the war? I don't even know if I'm gonna survive it."
Renjiro stiffened slightly.
'Shit, Hiro's raising the flag, isn't he?'
Sama must have thought the same thing because she immediately turned to Hiro, giving him a pointed look. "That's exactly why they're doing this."
Hiro blinked. "Huh?"
"When you live under the constant threat of war, it forces you to think about your mortality." Sama exhaled. "People make rushed decisions because they don't know if they'll be around tomorrow to enjoy the fleeting moments of happiness they get."
Happiness. The word tasted foreign. Renjiro's betrothal to Nakada flashed in his mind—Daichi's Mangekyo, the elders' calculating stares. No happiness there. Only strategy.
Sama's gaze flickered briefly toward Hiro as she said it, but the way he suddenly avoided her eyes made Renjiro raise a brow.
'Oh? Interesting.'
'Wait, so if I do get married to Nakada, I will technically be Naruto's and Sasuke's Uncle. Getting married does not seem that bad anymore.'
Hiro coughed into his fist, clearing his throat. "Anyway—are we even sure the war is going to happen?"
Renjiro placed his chopsticks down and smirked. "It's either that or I don't live to see Kushina's wedding."
A heavy silence settled over their table at his words.
Despite the joking tone, the grim reality of the situation was inescapable.
For all their banter and lightheartedness, they were shinobi—soldiers. And deep down, they all knew that the coming years would be ugly.
Hiro broke the tension first, his face turning serious as he looked at Renjiro. "Speaking of... how are you holding up?"
Renjiro's fingers stilled around his chopsticks.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb," Hiro said, frowning. "You're not even allowed to leave the village. It's been weeks since the whole Kumo incident, and the higher-ups are still keeping you on a leash."
Sama crossed her arms. "Yeah. And you barely talk about it. We know you, Renjiro. You bottle things up."
Renjiro let out a slow breath.
"I'm fine," he said, shrugging. "Besides, I won't be stuck here forever. I'm leaving the village soon."
Hiro and Sama exchanged glances.
"Seriously?" Hiro asked.
Renjiro nodded. "Yep. I've got things to do."
Neither of them pushed further, though he could tell they still had their doubts. But that was fine. He didn't need them worrying about him.
After finishing their meals and paying their tabs, which mostly consisted of Hiro and Sama begrudgingly forking over more money than they lost to Renjiro earlier, the three of them stepped out of Ichiraku Ramen.
The streets of Konoha were calmer now, the earlier hustle of the day giving way to the quieter atmosphere of the evening. Lanterns flickered to life, casting warm glows over the cobblestone paths.
"Well, I'm heading this way," Sama said, stretching her arms over her head. "Try not to start another international crisis, Renjiro."
"No promises," Renjiro quipped.
Hiro snorted. "See you later, man."
"Yeah, yeah."
With that, they went their separate ways.
Renjiro stepped into his apartment, shutting the door behind him before exhaling deeply.
What a day.
He had gone into that spar expecting nothing more than a workout, and now he was going to bed with a dozen new concerns about the timeline.
Shrugging off his outer layer, he tossed his weapons aside, kicking off his sandals before flopping onto his bed.
"Tomorrow's gonna be a long day," he muttered to himself.
Then, without another thought, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him.
=====
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