Naruto: Naruto's Uchiha girlfriend is too arrogant

Chapter 447 Initially

"...Be careful... Ouch! That hurts! Waaaaaah!"

In the Konoha residential area, at Iruka Umino's home, under the warm light, suppressed cries of pain and frustrated whispers could be heard from time to time.

Iruka's hand trembled again, and the sharp carving knife failed to land accurately on the clay figure that was beginning to take on a human shape. Instead, it deeply cut his left index finger, which already had several bandages on it.

Bright red blood immediately seeped out, dripping onto the wood chips and mud scattered haphazardly on the workbench.

He hurriedly dropped his carving knife and clay model, grabbed a bandage and disinfectant from the side, and clumsily treated the new wound, involuntarily letting out a painful gasp.

"well……"

After bandaging his finger, Iruka looked at the statue, whose features were still blurry and whose details were rough, and sighed heavily.

"This is so difficult... Naruto's hands are so skillful... Will I be able to finish this before the wedding...?"

Today, Iruka Umino is the principal of the Konoha Ninja Academy. Although his personal strength is far inferior, the weighty honor of being a "teacher of heroes" and "the teacher who nurtured the people who saved the village," along with his recognized achievements in educating people, are enough to silence any possible gossip.

Not long ago, when Naruto personally handed him the beautifully crafted wedding invitation and somewhat shyly informed him of the wedding date, Iruka's eyes immediately welled up with tears, and he couldn't hold back his excited and gratified tears.

After the initial wave of joy subsided, practical considerations began to surface. As one of Naruto's teachers, what kind of wedding gift should he give him? A honeymoon package? High-end ninja tools? A custom-made sealing scroll? A tiered wedding cake? Or perhaps some practical new furniture...?

Ninja tools seem too unoriginal, and Naruto probably doesn't need them now. As for the others... after all, I'm just a teacher, and giving them something too personal or too expensive seems a bit inappropriate.

After much thought, Iruka finally decided to make a heartfelt gift himself—just like the meticulously carved statue that Naruto had given him years ago.

He still cherishes that statue and places it in the most prominent position in his home.

However, his ideals were lofty, but reality was so harsh that he wanted to cry.

For several days in a row, all his free time outside of work was spent on this pile of clay and carving knives, only to end up with his fingers covered in sores and the finished product was always unsatisfactory. Could he really make a statue that would satisfy Naruto and Satsuki before the wedding? Iruka fell into deep self-doubt.

"Ding-dong."

Just as he mustered the courage to start over, the doorbell rang suddenly.

"Hmm? This time..." Iruka looked up at the clock on the wall with some confusion, put down his tools, and got up to walk towards the entrance.

He opened the door, and standing outside was a figure he knew all too well, yet whose appearance at this particular time was quite unexpected.

"Naruto?"

The visitor was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, a young man who had just come of age and was about to enter the hall of marriage.

He was dressed in simple casual clothes, his golden hair looked soft under the corridor lights, and his handsome face had his usual gentle smile, but there seemed to be an indescribable look in his eyes, somewhere between anticipation and trepidation.

"Good evening, Iruka-sensei," Naruto greeted politely.

"Naruto? You, what are you doing here? At this time... shouldn't you be at home with Satsuki, or busy preparing for the wedding? Why are you here?"

"...Yes, I didn't expect everything to progress so quickly."

Naruto scratched the back of his head, his smile a mix of happiness and embarrassed busyness. "It's because I'm getting married soon, and it feels like so many things are piling up all at once. And lately... well, I've been quite busy, so I haven't come to see Iruka-sensei for a while."

"So I thought I should bother you one last time before getting married... Oh, by the way, Iruka-sensei is still single, right? Is this really okay? Should I keep an eye out for you...?"

However, when faced with Naruto's concerned inquiry and his act of "abandoning" his fiancée to come to his teacher's house, Iruka's expression quickly changed from surprise to seriousness.

"……no."

Iruka said firmly, his voice unusually stern.

"Huh?" Naruto was stunned. "Why? You were always so happy to come over before, weren't you? I was just thinking that after we get married, I might not have as much free time to come over like this often..."

"What nonsense are you talking about?! You idiot!"

Iruka's voice suddenly rose, "What do you mean by this? You want to enjoy the last bit of 'single' indulgence before the wedding, so you come here and neglect Satsuki? At this crucial moment? Naruto, you're usually such a mature and considerate kid, how could you do something so unreliable!"

He grew increasingly agitated, his tone becoming more and more urgent. "Now! Immediately! Go home right now! Spend time with Zuoyue! If coming here has made her unhappy or lonely, you must apologize to her immediately! Do you hear me?!"

Just as Naruto was a little confused by Iruka's sudden "instruction" and opened his mouth to explain something...

"...Um, may I say something?"

A gentle, yet helpless voice came softly from behind Naruto.

Iruka's reprimanding words came to an abrupt halt. He instinctively turned around, looking past Naruto's shoulder.

When Iruka saw the blond man standing silently behind Naruto with a gentle, apologetic smile on his face, he froze instantly, his stern expression quickly replaced by shock and bewilderment.

"Four...Yondaime-sama?!"

"No, no, no! Please don't do that!" Minato Namikaze quickly stepped forward to avoid Iruka's instinctive bow.

Iruka, of course, knew about the Fourth Hokage's resurrection. Although the official explanation sounded somewhat... illogical, as a member of Konoha, and especially as someone who deeply cared about Naruto, he was genuinely happy for Naruto.

He never expected that he would be in his own home, in this way, and unexpectedly face this legendary figure.

Seeing Iruka become incredibly nervous and somewhat at a loss because of his appearance, Minato's apology deepened. He softened his voice and tried to ease the atmosphere.

"You can just call me Minato. I'm no longer the Hokage; I'm just an ordinary Jonin of Konoha, and Naruto's father. I'm really at a loss for words to say that I came here so abruptly with Naruto today, causing this misunderstanding."

Despite the Fourth Hokage's humble and respectful attitude, Iruka didn't relax; instead, he felt even more nervous. "Um... Fourth Hokage... Mr. Minato, I, I didn't mean that. I didn't know you were here too. I was talking about Naruto..."

"I understand, you're concerned about Naruto and Satsuki." Minato nodded understandingly, then smiled somewhat troubledly. "Naruto, well... it seems it's better if you explain it to him yourself."

Naruto took a deep breath, his azure eyes looking at Iruka. Gone was the mischievousness or casualness from before; replaced by solemnity and pleading.

"...Teacher Iruka, actually, I came here today to ask you for a favor."

Iruka's heart skipped a beat. He temporarily suppressed his tension at the Fourth Hokage's presence and focused intently on Naruto.

"My dad, mom, and I have discussed it... I hope that you can attend the wedding as my 'other father'."

"...Huh?" Iruka didn't quite understand the meaning of those words at first.

"I hope you can be my spiritual father and serve as the matchmaker at the 'Disclosure Banquet'," Naruto explained earnestly, word by word.

"Wh...what?! This, this is too..." Iruka finally understood Naruto's meaning, and was so shocked that he couldn't speak coherently, "This is too terrifying! I can't...how can this be! I'm just your teacher, and the Fourth Hokage, he..."

"Please don't refuse, Iruka-sensei."

Minato spoke again, this time with a bitter tone, "Naruto... has told me everything about you in detail."

"As Naruto's biological father, I haven't fulfilled my responsibilities as a father even for a single day. I was completely absent during his childhood when he needed his parents' company and protection the most. Whenever I think about this, I... don't know how to face Naruto, let alone how to thank you."

He stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Naruto, his gaze fixed intently on Iruka. "Naruto himself told me, 'Iruka-sensei is my first teacher, and like a father to me.'"

"..."

Iruka didn't know what to say. A surge of emotions welled up inside him—bitterness, warmth, gratitude, and overwhelming feeling of being treated with such care—making his nose sting and almost unable to control his expression.

Minato continued.

"During the long years that Kushina and I were absent, you gave Naruto the feeling of being 'family,' filled the void we left behind, and guided him onto the right path."

This kindness is as heavy as a mountain to me. Therefore, please allow me to call you brother. Now, I implore you, as an incompetent father and an endlessly grateful older brother—please grant Naruto's request.

A brief silence fell over the room, broken only by the faint chirping of insects outside the window.

Looking at the father and son standing side by side before him—Naruto's eyes filled with undisguised expectation, and Minato's eyes with deep pleading and respect—Iruka felt his chest fill with a burning emotion.

Finally, he sniffed hard, quickly wiped his eyes, straightened his back, and revealed an extremely determined smile.

"...!! Okay! I understand! Leave it to me! I'll definitely do a good job!"