"I didn't expect Grandpa's Hokage robe to actually come from the hands of an obasan..." Nawaki muttered in a state of shock. He truly had not expected that such an ordinary-looking middle-aged woman was actually the master craftsman behind the official Hokage attire.
"Nawaki, don't be rude!" Tsunade patted Nawaki's head with a firm hand. "How can you call her an obasan so casually?"
"Haha... I am an obasan after all. Time really flies; when I was sewing the haori for the First Hokage, I was still just a young girl." The proprietress chuckled softly. She waved her hand and spoke in a reminiscent, nostalgic tone. "Back then, my craftsmanship was the best in the Village. Speaking of which, the Second Hokage personally came to commission me for his work, and later, the Third Hokage also had his custom-made right here. By the time it reached the Third, it had become a tradition."
"Thanks to the successive Hokage, my reputation for quality craftsmanship has grown quite a bit. Many wealthy clans and nobles come to ask me to custom-make clothes for them now."
"You're kidding, right..." Nawaki was a bit skeptical as he looked around the room. "This house is clearly so run-down."
"Hahaha, there always has to be a storefront." The proprietress laughed at his blunt honesty. "This was originally just a simple tailor shop, and later it was changed into a clothing store looked after by my son and daughter-in-law. They went to visit relatives yesterday, so I'm just helping out occasionally."
"I didn't expect there to be such a connection." Tsunade's tone was genuinely surprised by the history.
"Tsunade-sensei didn't know either?" Minato asked curiously.
Tsunade shook her head. "I only knew this was an old shop with a full range of clothing styles and very affordable prices."
"They're all designed by me personally. I even opened a garment factory." The proprietress smiled proudly and pointed at the haori currently on Minato. "The haori you're wearing was improved by me based on the actual Hokage robe."
"Eh? Really?" Hearing this, Nawaki had a face full of pure envy.
"It really is like that. Speaking of which, it's because of the Third Hokage." The proprietress explained with a smile. "Because the Third Hokage has a relatively thin and small build, it makes the Hokage robe look a bit hunched when he wears it. It was then that I realized that although the haori of the successive Hokage are solemn, they are not always convenient for active battle."
"Although the Hokage has a noble status, their primary job is still being a Ninja. So I thought of the Gods Robe. I raised the collar of the Gods Robe to make it look more solemn. I've designed several other styles of similar haori over the years."
"The one you're wearing is a children's version I specially designed. Short hem and high collar—doesn't it look very handsome?"
"Yes, I like it very much!" Minato nodded with a polite smile. From his aesthetic point of view, the style of the Yondaime's robe was indeed the most handsome among the successive Hokage. Beneath his polite mask, Minato felt a cold sense of satisfaction; wearing this was a calculated step toward the image he needed to project.
"So there are other styles? I want one too!" Nawaki looked at Tsunade, his eyes full of pleading. "Sister—"
"Sigh..." Tsunade pointed at Nawaki. "Pick one for this child too."
The proprietress looked Nawaki over, nodded, said nothing, and silently took out a size that Nawaki could wear. Nawaki couldn't wait to put it on and stood in front of the full-length mirror. Looking at Minato in the mirror and then at himself, Nawaki suddenly went silent. For some reason, when the same clothes were on Minato, they brought out the other's handsomeness to the extreme. But wearing it himself, he looked a bit silly, as if he were trying too hard to look cool.
As the saying goes, wearing the same outfit isn't scary; whoever is uglier is the one who's embarrassed. In an instant, the atmosphere in the shop suddenly became quiet.
The proprietress looked at the scene. "As expected, a round face isn't suitable for high-collared clothes..."
"I can see that!" Nawaki's face darkened in frustration. "I never want to wear the same clothes as Minato again."
Minato was a bit embarrassed. "Sorry..."
Nawaki curled his lips. "It has nothing to do with you..."
A child's psychology is most sensitive. Just now, he vaguely felt that the way the proprietress looked at Minato carried a sense of destiny, as if she were looking at a future Hokage. This also made him feel a bit dejected and brought many things to mind. For example, this outfit was designed with the Hokage robe as inspiration, and Minato fits it so well. Does this mean some kind of sign? Does it mean Minato is destined to become Hokage?
Thinking further about Minato's powerful strength and his terrifying talent with dual Bloodline Limits, he immediately felt an even greater sense of frustration. Seemingly seeing the disappointment in Nawaki's heart, Tsunade rubbed Nawaki's head. She didn't choose to use words to comfort him, saying he would definitely become Hokage. If Minato wasn't there, she might have done so.
But from the day Minato appeared, there was no longer any suspense about the succession to the Hokage position. Minato would definitely become Hokage! If Minato could grow to the strength of her grandfather, then even if he didn't want to be Hokage, a group of people would push him into that position. Because while the Hokage doesn't necessarily have to be the strongest in the Village, they definitely cannot be too far behind the strongest.
In comparison, factors like personal morality and villager recognition are secondary. If Minato wasn't made Hokage, then once a Hokage's order conflicted with his will, who could command him, the highest combat power in the Village? As an adult, Tsunade knew very well the principle that the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment, so she didn't comfort Nawaki.
Rather than blindly immersing himself in a dream and waiting for the day it shatters, she hoped Nawaki could recognize reality earlier, then cheer up and continue to work hard toward his dream. She believed her younger brother could definitely do it. Sure enough, after a brief moment of dejection, Nawaki cheered up again.
"One day, I will definitely have the Hokage robe that fits me best!" Nawaki looked at Minato with burning eyes. "This time, I'll let you win, Minato!"
"Eh?" Minato was a bit bewildered, not knowing what kind of fit he was throwing.
Tsunade smiled faintly, and the proprietress on the side also looked at the scene with a smile.
"Just these clothes?"
"Let's buy a few more pairs of pants."
Soon, the morning passed, and the three of them bought quite a few things. There were clothes, pants, Ninja shoes, brand-new Ninja tool pouches, and Kunai and Shuriken sets. Everything needed for the start of school was bought. Minato also bought many plant seeds, intending to try cultivating some vegetables and fruits later.
After sending everything home, the few of them went to the delicious sukiyaki shop Tsunade mentioned. Just as Tsunade said, the sukiyaki here was very delicious. The shop also had sushi and sashimi, but the price was also very expensive; a single meal for the three of them cost a full 6,000 Ryo.
Fortunately, being a Ninja is a high-paying profession. This amount of money was nothing to Tsunade. Although she was fond of gambling, her household money was still sufficient, not to the point where she would be chased all over the Ninja World by creditors like in the future.
After lunch, the three of them strolled around the streets for a while, went home to grab their toiletries, and made their way to the Hot Spring Street. Then, while passing through an alley, they happened to encounter a certain white-haired man peeking through the wooden fence outside the women's bath...
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion