Chapter-70

"I've come to visit Rei Todoroki," Shiori approached the reception desk where a sickly woman with blonde hair and a slender figure attended to her. Before she could respond, the woman froze when she saw who was accompanying Shiori.

"Are you Uzumaki Naruto?" The woman asked slowly, capturing Naruto's attention. He raised an eyebrow as he observed the woman, who appeared as though she was about to call the police.

"No, I'm Batman," Naruto responded icily, causing the woman to frown at his snarky reply.

"Batman! I've always wanted to meet you!" Unfortunately, a patient from the mental institution who was passing by took the remark too seriously, leaving Naruto to regret his joke.

"Do you still think it was a good idea to invite me?" Naruto asked Shiori with annoyance, eyeing the elderly man who now believed he was a fictional American character. Shiori simply sighed, and they proceeded to avoid further complications as they made their way to the upper floors, eventually reaching the designated room.

Shiori hesitated, her uncertainty about whether her mother would continue to fear her, just as she feared her father, was evident. She worried that her mother might reject her. These thoughts made her hands tremble with anxiety as she stared at the door.

Naruto took a step forward, approaching the door. With a sigh, he turned to look at Shiori, and she met his gaze. He had a distant look in his eyes as he spoke, "You know... I haven't seen my mother in almost three years." His words drew her attention, and he continued, "Even though we weren't on the best terms the last time I saw her, I'd give anything just to see her one more time... and tell her that I love her."

He gently turned the doorknob and opened the door partially, placing his free hand on Shiori's shoulder. "Don't waste this opportunity," he urged, and with that, he pushed her into the room.

Shiori couldn't resist as she was gently pushed into the room. Her posture was rigid as she looked at her mother, who hadn't changed a bit over the years.

In the room, Reí Todoroki, a woman in her forties, sat with a pretty appearance. Her long white hair resembled snow, her eyes were gray, and her pale skin was noticeable beneath her typical patient attire that concealed her slender figure. She had been gazing out of the window, lost in thought, until the door's creaking drew her attention. She was surprised to see her youngest daughter accompanied by a blonde teenager with peculiar cat-like marks on his cheeks.

Seeing Shiori's hesitation, Naruto gently pushed her towards her mother, uttering, "I'll leave you alone." Slowly, he retreated and made his way to the door, exiting the room. Shiori, though tense at first, regained her composure as she observed her mother's soft smile and cautiously approached.

"Oka-san…" Shiori's voice was choked with emotion. She struggled to find words but felt as though her mind had gone blank. Her legs trembled, and a knot formed in her stomach. She pondered what to say. Should she apologize? Ask how her mother was doing? Confess her love? There was so much she wanted to express, but the words eluded her. She took a deep breath to steady herself. Just as she was about to speak, she felt it.

"My girl." Reí rose from her chair and moved closer to her daughter. She embraced Shiori tightly, pulling her as close as she could. Tears welled up as she looked at her daughter and said, "You've grown so much... you're such a lady." Her voice cracked as she separated from Shiori and gently cupped her face, tears streaming down. "You have no idea... how much... how much... how much I've longed to see you." She hugged her daughter again, her touch tender, and stroked her hair.

Shiori reciprocated the hug, resting her head on her mother's shoulder. This was a moment she had longed for, dreamed about, but it had always seemed out of reach. Now, it was real. "Oka-san," she murmured, her grip on her mother tight. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to embrace the warmth of her mother. Tears flowed freely as she cherished this precious moment.

Outside the room, Naruto leaned against the door, listening to their conversation. His arms were crossed, and he wore a serious and detached expression. However, he absentmindedly raised the sleeve of his left arm to reveal a seal tattooed on his wrist, something a simple genjutsu could easily conceal.

In an explosion of smoke, something appeared in his hand. He gazed blankly at the photograph in his hand. It depicted his mother holding a young Natsumi, while he stood by her side, holding her hand. "That's in the past," he mumbled. Naruto clenched the photograph and then crumpled it, letting it fall to the floor. He took a deep breath and reached for a flask tucked in his sweatshirt, taking a sip to calm his emotions. Ignoring the curious glances of nurses and patients around him, he listened to the Todoroki mother and daughter's ongoing conversation. He knew it was time to depart from this place.

He left at a leisurely pace, unaware that the door to the room had opened, revealing a curious Reí. She watched as the boy accompanying her daughter left, stepping on something. Picking it up, she noticed that the blonde had already disappeared into the maze-like hallways of the psychiatric institute.

[ If you want to read advance Chapters then go to Pat reon and support me there as I have already uploaded more than 20+ advance Chapters there.

PAT REON I'D:- Skythe ]