Kushina couldn't stop thinking about it.
That was the problem.
Not the hunters.
Not the trap.
Not even the fear.
The invitation.
It sat in the back of her mind like a splinter she couldn't reach.
Every answer she wanted.
Every question she had.
Waiting.
⸻
Three days.
That was what the crow had said.
Three days.
And now—
there was only one left.
⸻
The forest was quiet as evening settled over the camp.
Daichi had spent most of the day reinforcing their position.
Again.
More seals.
More routes.
More precautions.
As if preparation alone could solve everything.
Minato had helped without complaint.
As usual.
Kushina had spent most of the day pretending she wasn't counting the hours.
⸻
"…still thinking about it…"
"…yes…"
"…still going…"
Kushina stared into the small fire.
"…I don't know."
The low rumble that followed felt almost amused.
"…liar…"
⸻
The worst part was—
Kurama was right.
She knew exactly what she wanted to do.
She just didn't know if she could live with it afterward.
⸻
The fire crackled softly.
Minato sat nearby, quietly cleaning dirt from one of his kunai.
Daichi was at the edge of the camp again.
Watching.
Always watching.
Kushina wondered if he even realized how exhausting that looked.
⸻
"…he knows."
The thought came suddenly.
She frowned.
"…what."
"…he knows you're thinking about leaving…"
Her stomach tightened.
Because part of her suspected that was true.
⸻
She glanced toward the edge of camp.
Daichi hadn't looked at her once in nearly an hour.
Yet somehow—
she felt watched anyway.
⸻
Night arrived slowly.
Darkness spread between the trees.
The fire burned lower.
The world became quieter.
One by one—
the sounds of the forest faded.
⸻
Eventually Minato stood.
"I'll take first watch."
Daichi nodded once.
Kushina didn't say anything.
She simply watched the flames.
Thinking.
Always thinking.
⸻
Hours passed.
The fire died down.
The camp settled.
The forest slept.
But Kushina remained awake.
Again.
⸻
Her eyes drifted toward her pack.
Toward the folded map hidden inside.
Toward the marked location she wasn't supposed to know.
⸻
The invitation.
The meeting.
The answers.
⸻
Ren.
⸻
Akane.
⸻
The truth.
⸻
"…you've already decided…"
Kushina closed her eyes.
Because that hurt.
Because it was true.
⸻
Very slowly—
she stood.
⸻
The movement felt impossibly loud.
Every small sound suddenly mattered.
Every step.
Every breath.
Every heartbeat.
⸻
She looked toward Minato first.
Still watching the forest.
Calm.
Focused.
Unaware.
Or pretending to be.
It was hard to tell with him.
⸻
Then Daichi.
Asleep.
Or appearing asleep.
Also hard to tell.
⸻
Kushina hesitated.
Just for a second.
A single second.
⸻
"…you can still stay…"
"…I know…"
"…you can still choose them…"
Her chest tightened painfully.
⸻
Because that was the problem.
She wasn't choosing against them.
She was choosing answers.
And somehow that felt worse.
⸻
Quietly—
she knelt beside her pack.
Pulled out a small piece of paper.
And began writing.
⸻
The note was short.
Very short.
Because anything longer would make leaving harder.
⸻
She stared at the finished words for a long time.
Then folded the paper carefully.
And placed it beside Daichi's supplies where neither of them could miss it.
⸻
For several seconds she remained there.
Looking at it.
Thinking.
Wondering if she should tear it up.
Wondering if she should sit back down.
Wondering if she should forget the entire thing.
⸻
She didn't.
⸻
Slowly—
she stood.
Adjusted her pack.
And stepped toward the darkness beyond the camp.
⸻
One step.
Then another.
Then another.
⸻
The forest swallowed her quickly.
Silent.
Cold.
Waiting.
⸻
Behind her—
the camp remained still.
Unmoving.
Peaceful.
⸻
Until—
a pair of blue eyes opened.
⸻
Minato stared quietly into the darkness where she had disappeared.
For a long moment he said nothing.
⸻
Then—
very softly—
he sighed.
⸻
"…I knew it."
⸻
Across the camp—
Daichi's eyes opened too.
Already awake.
Already watching.
⸻
And for the first time in a long while—
he looked genuinely afraid.
⸻
Far away—
hidden beyond the forest—
a single lantern flickered to life.
⸻
Someone was waiting.
And Kushina was already on her way.