Chapter 24 - Why this is such a drug  - Part  1

Primetime: Chapter 23 

Welcome to Chapter 23 of Primetime. Sorry for the long long delay.

Tags: Uzumaki Kushina, MILF, Corruption, Cheating, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism

Discord server (Sublime Vectors) invite code: nm8hVrk7zr

Well, here it is, and I hope you all like it.

Thank you to my Discord server members for their valuable feedback and suggestions. I hope you like some of them being taken into account. I generally post chapters in advance on discord.

If you liked the chapter, kindly take a minute of your time to leave a review. They help me and encourage me to write the next chapter.

Posted on: November 2, 2025

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Chapter 23 : Why this is such a drug - Part 1

For a moment, Shiro paused, his eyes locking with hers. There was something unreadable in his gaze, a mix of playfulness and something deeper. Then, with a sly grin, he stepped back, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"Alright, alright," he said softly, his voice still carrying that teasing edge. "I don't want to get you into trouble. But I will come and claim my prize soon, wait for me."

(I guess it is better to show Shiro pushing Kushina for a kiss and she lets him and just when she starts to get into it, he stops and tells that he would leave now, making Kushina feel both horny and guilty.)

Kushina exhaled, relieved yet oddly disappointed by the sudden absence of his warmth. She quickly picked up her towel, wrapping it around herself as best she could, trying to regain her composure.

"You shouldn't be doing things like this. I shouldn't be doing things like this," she said, her voice firmer now, though the blush on her cheeks remained. "It's inappropriate."

Shiro gave her a lazy smile, his eyes lingering on her flushed face for a moment before he opened the door. "Just couldn't help myself. You have that effect on people, lovely Kushina." With a final wink, he slipped out of the stall, leaving her hot, bothered, and thoroughly flustered.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Kushina leaned against the wall, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. The encounter had left her shaken in more ways than one, and she hated how her body had reacted to Shiro's bold advances.

'Damn it,' she thought, clutching the towel tighter around herself. 'Why did I let him do as he pleased? Why does he still have this effect on me after all these years?'

Despite her efforts to compose herself, the lingering warmth from Shiro's touch and the memory of his face buried between her breasts refused to fade. She knew she couldn't stay in the bath forever, but stepping out meant facing the possibility of running into him again.

Gathering her resolve, Kushina straightened up. She walked toward the showers, her mind already racing with thoughts of how she would handle Shiro the next time they crossed paths. One thing was certain, she wouldn't let him get the upper hand again.

'Or at least, I'll try,' she thought, biting her lip as she stepped under the water, her cheeks still burning from the memory of what had just transpired.

-----------------------------Primetime-Reloaded------------------------------------------------------------

After waiting a while and ensuring Shiro was long gone, Kushina finally stepped out of the stall, now dressed in a light sundress that flowed gracefully around her knees. The soft fabric brushed against her skin, offering a much-needed sense of normalcy after the heated encounter earlier. She took a moment to steady her breathing before making her way toward the resort's dining area.

When she arrived, she spotted Kurenai seated at one of the outdoor tables, already halfway through her breakfast. Kurenai was dressed in a chic traveling outfit, a fitted blouse and jeans, clearly prepared to leave soon.

Kushina approached the table, offering a warm smile. "Good morning. You're all set to leave already?"

Kurenai looked up, returning the smile. "Morning, Kushina. Yeah, I have to head back early. Danzo-sama asked me to host the 'Meet the Stars' event later this evening."

Kushina sat down across from her, picking up a menu. "Sounds like a busy day for you. I was thinking of leaving too, but Jiraiya said our flights aren't until later tonight."

"You should stay," Kurenai suggested, taking a sip of her coffee. "Make the most of your time here. Uzushio has a lot to offer, and honestly, you deserve a break."

Kushina chuckled softly. "I don't know, maybe I will. It's been a while since I've had some time to myself."

"Exactly," Kurenai said with a nod. "Take a walk around the resort, visit the beach again, or maybe even indulge in one of those spa treatments. You know you could use some pampering."

Kushina smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. "You make a convincing argument. I suppose I could stick around for a while longer."

They continued their breakfast, chatting about various things like work, life, and the upcoming events at KTV. Despite the lighthearted conversation, Kushina couldn't help but feel a lingering tension in her chest, thoughts of Shiro still occupying a corner of her mind.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kurenai asked, noticing her friend's momentary distraction.

Kushina blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Yeah, sorry. Just thinking about... things."

Kurenai gave her a knowing look but didn't press further. "Well, if you need to talk, you know I'm just a call away."

"Thanks, Kurenai," Kushina said sincerely. "Have a safe trip back."

"Will do. Enjoy the rest of your stay," Kurenai said with a wink as she stood up, grabbing her bag. "And don't forget to relax and have fun."

As Kurenai walked away, Kushina finished the last of her breakfast, feeling a mixture of calm and uncertainty. She wasn't sure what the rest of the day would bring, but one thing was clear that she needed to clear her head before her thoughts consumed her entirely.

With that in mind, she decided to take Kurenai's advice and explore more of Uzushio, hoping that a bit of time to herself would help her sort through the emotions stirred by her encounter with Shiro.

--------------------------------Primetime-Reloaded---------------------------------------------------------------

After Kurenai left, Kushina sat back at the table, sipping her coffee in quiet contemplation. She was about to head back to her room when Jiraiya appeared, his usual jovial grin plastered on his face.

"Hey, Kushina, got a moment?" he asked casually, sliding into the seat Kurenai had vacated.

"What's up, Jiraiya-san?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wanted to offer you something special," Jiraiya began, his tone surprisingly serious. "An exclusive photo shoot."

Kushina tilted her head, curious but wary. "What kind of shoot?"

"It's a bedroom shoot," he explained, leaning forward slightly. "More specifically, towels and lingerie. Very classy and sensual. Just elegant shots that showcase beauty and confidence."

For a moment, Kushina wanted to refuse outright. The idea of such an intimate shoot made her uncomfortable. Her first instinct was to shake her head, to draw the line before it even began. But then thoughts of her conversation with Danzo and Minato came to mind. She remembered Minato's words about being bold and embracing new opportunities. 

'He would like it,' she thought, imagining Minato's approving smile, the way his eyes softened when she surprised him. And then there was Danzo-san. Doing something like this would definitely please her superior and show her commitment to pushing boundaries.

"No nudes, right?" she asked, her voice cautious, her fingers fidgeting at the hem of her dress.

"Yes, nothing that you won't allow or agree to," Jiraiya assured her quickly, not exactly answering the heart of her question. "And it'll be just me there. I've arranged a private setup, so no one else will know. This won't be part of the usual shoot. It's for my special private collection that I only release on rare occasions. If you don't give me permission, it stays locked away."

Kushina hesitated, weighing her options. The thought of being alone in such a setup with Jiraiya made her stomach twist nervously, but his words painted it as controlled, secret, hers to allow or deny. The memory of Minato's encouragement pulled at her again, making her chest tighten. 'If I hesitate now, maybe Jiraiya-san will take back his offer,' she thought, biting her lip.

After a deep breath, she nodded, forcing her expression to steady. "Alright, Jiraiya-san. Let's do it," she said, trying to sound confident though her heart raced with anticipation and fear.

Jiraiya's face lit up with excitement, eyes sparkling as if he had just won a gamble. "Excellent! We can start right away." He clapped his hands once, sharp with energy, then motioned for the crew to begin preparing the room and adjusting the cameras.

'Wow, that was fast. I was half-expecting a flat-out no, a rejection that would force me to woo her harder. But she said yes. She actually said yes,' he thought, a grin tugging at his lips as he watched her shift nervously yet resolutely.

As the crew left to make arrangements, Kushina turned to Jiraiya, feeling a twinge of anxiety. "So… how exactly is this shoot supposed to go?"

Jiraiya leaned back, his expression turning serious again. "The idea is to create a cozy, intimate atmosphere. You'll be in a bedroom setting, wrapped in a towel or dressed in elegant lingerie. Nothing revealing beyond what you're comfortable with. We'll focus on capturing your natural beauty and grace."

Kushina frowned slightly. "Almost naked in some scenes, huh?" she muttered, feeling a bit hesitant again.

Jiraiya nodded, sensing her apprehension. "Look, I get it that it's a bit outside your comfort zone. But trust me, we're all professionals here. If it makes you feel better, I can handle everything myself. No crew, just you and me. And think about it, this will be quite a big step."

Kushina bit her lip, considering his words. The thought of presenting something like this to Minato made her heart flutter. He'd always encouraged her to be confident and bold, and this would certainly be a bold move.

"Alright," she said finally, her voice firmer this time. "Let's do it. But no funny business, Jiraiya-san."

"Of course not," Jiraiya said with a grin. "I promise, you'll love the results."

With that, they stood up and made their way toward the prepared room. Kushina took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. She wasn't sure what to expect, but one thing was clear, this would be an experience she wouldn't forget anytime soon.

-----------------------------Primetime-Reloaded------------------------------------------------------------

It was still only 11 in the morning when Kurenai departed back to Konoha. Kushina had been at the front gates, standing beneath the wide arch of the Gatou Resort's entrance, watching as the long black limousine cab rolled in with a soft purr. They were one of the same that they had arrived in, she guessed.. A slight breeze played with the hem of her summer dress as she opened the gate for her friend.

Kurenai stepped out, radiant even in her travel wear, consisting of a business suit with high heels, hair tied back, heels clicking softly on the concrete. Jin was already by Kurenai's side, carrying her bag like some overeager chauffeur. He clearly wanted to escort her all the way to Konoha, but Kurenai had placed a palm on his chest, smiling gently.

"Kurenai-san, let me come with you to Konoha, come on, I insist again," Jin said and this was the fourth time in the last thirty minutes.

"I can handle a cab and a plane on my own, Jin," she said with a wink.

Jin grinned, scratching the back of his head, feigning sheepishness. "Doesn't mean we won't miss you till then."

Kushina stayed silent, offering a small wave to her friend. Her throat felt tight, her chest even tighter. She wasn't sure if it was from the sleepless night, the events of the morning, or the way Shiro kept looming at the edge of her vision.

Shiro.

He'd been relentless since the events of the morning, especially after catching up to her during breakfast with Kurenai.

Every time she turned a corner, he was there. It was no accident or fate, that was definitely intentional and calculated on his part. She still remembers how suffocating and overbearing he was during their short relationship, always trying to stick to her . And worse, he'd been laying it on thick, talking loud, making comments, brushing against her. 

After realizing she was ignoring him, he started flirting with Kurenai, just like he did during the wet T-shirt shoot in morning 

'The gall of him,' she thought.

But what stung more was Kurenai. She had started laughing back. Flirting back. And Shiro acted as if that morning hadn't happened. As if there was nothing between him and Kushina at all.

As if Kushina wasn't still haunted by it. 'Why is he doing this?' she thought, lips pressing into a thin line. 'Why now, when I'm trying to keep it together? Why do I feel jealous again?'

To avoid both his stares and the tightening knot in her stomach, she found herself walking beside Yami instead. Not the most comfortable choice, but better than watching Shiro whisper in Kurenai's ear or Jin trying to ogle her.

Yami, at least, wasn't as obvious as Jin. He kept his gaze hidden, though she knew his intentions well, mostly.

"So, Kushina-san," Yami began with a sly grin, his shoulder brushing hers as they walked slowly beside the koi pond. "This morning's shoot was so hot. I'm sure you heard it all over but that was really the best thing I have seen. "

She tensed. 

"Jiraiya-san told me it was your first time doing these kinds of shoots. I wouldn't have believed it unless he said it himself. I mean, I saw the raw pics. You and Kurenai-san were just... damn. Stunning."

"Thank you, Yami-san," she said softly, forcing a small smile. Her eyes darted back toward the front where Jin and Shiro stood near the entrance, both laughing at something Kurenai said. She clenched her jaw.

"Speaking of that shoot," Yami continued, undeterred. "I still remember how you two came back so wet and drenched yesterday night"

Her steps faltered. Images from last night flashed vividly. She and Kurenai doing skinny dip, nude, free, splashing and exploring each other in the moonlit sea, like some nymphs in the sea. They had walked back to the resort in soaked clothes, water streaming down their thighs, no bras, no panties. Just clinging clothes, slick against skin.

Her face flushed.

"I didn't know you liked dipping in the sea, not many are so adventurous" Yami teased. "If I had known, I would've loved to join."

She turned her face away slightly, murmuring, "It was just... spontaneous."

"Spontaneous is sexy and is in the trend. So, how about tonight? Just you and me? I know a quiet, secluded spot on the beach. There will be no cameras or crew and I promise to keep Jin away as well" . Yami slowly moves closer to her and wraps his hand on her waist and makes it look casual, this makes Kushina think about the morning and could feel the heat rising.

She remained quiet and Yami added "Maybe just like when we were in my car…" Yami whispers this to her ears while slowly pecking her ear as well, just something he would do to tease her a bit.

Before she could answer or even process the suggestion the black limo rolled up in front of the gates, tires whispering against the gravel.

A sleek, silent interruption as well as her escape.

Kurenai walked toward the car. Jin rushed to open the door like a butler in heat, while Shiro leaned in and whispered something in her ear that made her giggle.

Kushina watched them and walked toward them. She hugged Kurenai who said "I didn't want to leave today; it seemed like something worth enjoying. Maybe we could have fun again, but duty calls." Kushina smiled, and then Kurenai leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Maybe you could enjoy instead." Her eyes flicked toward the three men. "There's no shortage of boy toys."

Kushina chuckled softly and pushed her back. "Have a safe trip, Kurenai," she said, choosing to ignore her friend's teasing suggestion.

Kurenai smirked as the door of the cab closed. And Kushina quickly walked back into the resort escaping before the men could focus on her.

--------------------------------Primetime-Reloaded------------------------------------------------------------

It was around three in the afternoon when Kushina heard a knock on her door. She opened it to find Jiraiya standing there, his grin as wide as ever.

"Ready?" he asked.

Kushina gave a small nod, picking up her phone in one hand and slipping her purse over her shoulder before stepping out into the hallway. She had dressed carefully for the occasion, choosing a crisp white shirt tucked neatly into a fitted navy pencil skirt that hugged her hips. A slim belt cinched her waist, and her legs were lengthened by a pair of modest black heels. The outfit had the same sharp, professional air as the one she had worn during her news casting segments, polished and poised, but with a touch of understated elegance that came naturally to her.

As they walked, the soft afternoon light streamed through the wide corridor windows, spilling across the polished wooden floors. The glow caught in her auburn hair, setting it alight in copper tones, while the rhythmic click of her heels echoed lightly with each step beside Jiraiya's stride.

"So, how's your stay been so far?" Jiraiya asked casually, glancing at her as they walked down the wide, carpeted hallway.

"It's been... interesting," Kushina replied, a small smile playing on her lips. "A mix of work and relaxation, I suppose."

"Well, you're in luck. This shoot will definitely lean more toward the relaxation side," he said with a chuckle. "Gatou was kind enough to let us use one of the new honeymoon suites for this."

Kushina raised an eyebrow, tilting her head. "New honeymoon suites? I thought this area of the resort only had private suites."

"It did," Jiraiya confirmed. "But they recently expanded and renovated the top floor. These honeymoon suites are the newest addition that are modern, spacious, and perfect for couples."

"But… honeymoon suites? For a shoot?" she echoed, her voice carrying a thread of self-consciousness. Even as she spoke, her feet kept moving, following him down the corridor.

"Ahh, relax. You know it's just a spot for the shoot, we won't do anything," Jiraiya replied, stopping briefly. Then his grin widened mischievously as he looked at her. "Unless you want me to."

Kushina froze for a moment at his words. "Jiraiya-san?" she said sharply, her steps halting as her ears burned at the suggestion.

"Ah, relax, I'm just joking to ease out the mood," he said quickly, throwing up his hands with an easy grin. "I speak out all the time without thinking. Don't mind me."

"You shouldn't joke like that," Kushina said, trying to speak firmly, though her voice softened as she exhaled deeply. For a fleeting instant, her mind betrayed her images of Shiro's earlier acts and memory with Taikin's flashed across her memory. Her cheeks heated as she tried to shove the thoughts aside, telling herself this was nothing like that.

They continued walking, and Kushina forced her focus onto the surroundings instead. She began to notice the subtle details: the walls here were freshly painted in soft creams, adorned with elegant, minimalist artwork. Ornamental lanterns cast a warm, inviting glow, and the faint scent of fresh orchid flowers drifted through the air. A newness lingered in the atmosphere, polished and refined.

"This is the new area Gatou said he developed," Jiraiya remarked, gesturing toward the corridor as they walked. "A separate wing entirely."

They reached the elevator, a sleek glass-paneled design that reflected the light in soft golden hues. Jiraiya pressed the button for the top floor, and the quiet hum of machinery stirred as it descended to meet them.

"You know," Jiraiya said as they waited, slipping his hands into his pockets, "I was thinking about how much this place has changed since the last time I was here. Back then, it was more of a private getaway for executives and elites. Now it's turning into a prime destination for couples… and of course, anyone who can afford it."

Kushina's eyes drifted toward the polished metal doors, her reflection faint on the surface. Honeymoon suites, she repeated silently. The phrase alone carried a weight, stirring memories she hadn't expected, Minato's nervous smile on their wedding night, his hands trembling slightly as they explored each other with both boldness and unbidden hunger. A blush crept unbidden to her cheeks, and she quickly averted her eyes, silently praying Jiraiya wouldn't notice.

The elevator chimed, and the doors slid open with a soft ding, and they stepped inside. The ride to the top floor was smooth and silent, the only sound being the faint hum of the elevator. When the doors opened, they were greeted by a beautifully designed corridor with soft lighting and plush carpeting with just a single door at the end of the hallway.

"Here we are," Jiraiya announced, leading her down the hallway to the said door with elegant japanese styled engravings . He unlocked it with a keycard and pushed the door open, revealing the honeymoon suite.

Kushina stepped inside and immediately felt a sense of awe. The suite was large and elegantly furnished, with a modern Japanese aesthetic. 'This is almost bigger than my apartment back in Konoha.' It was true and not to be scoffed at. Minato held a high-ranking post, and despite being offered a government cottage, he had chosen instead to buy a flat in a high-rise building at a prime location in Konoha. It was costly, and that reflected in the generous room sizes and 4 rooms compared to other apartments in the city. 'Senju Lane,' the area they lived in, was one of the most expensive neighborhoods. The residents there were all well-off.

But now, standing in this honeymoon suite, her home in Konoha felt like a matchbox in comparison. 'But it's a given, isn't it? I shouldn't be surprised, this is my family's resort after all. No matter what Minato had earned, it would still dwarf what my family built over generations. And Gatou definitely got his ideas from European or American resorts.' She was still mentally thinking of resorts as hers.

The suite spread out on a scale she wasn't used to. It was easily larger than a 4 BHK apartment in a Konoha high-rise. The walls were painted in soft, neutral tones, and the polished wood floors gleamed under the natural light pouring in through massive floor-to-ceiling windows. White drapes framed the view, swaying gently in the afternoon breeze. As she silenced her mobile and placed it inside her purse, which she set on the counter beside the entrance, she looked around the suite.

There was a king-sized bed in the center of the room, draped in crisp white linens and accented with plush pillows. The headboard was carved with intricate floral designs, a blend of Japanese minimalism and European romance. To one side sat a low wooden table with silk cushions placed around it, perfectly positioned near the windows for enjoying the sweeping view of the turquoise shoreline below.

A sliding door opened into the bathroom, which was almost a suite of its own. The floor was laid with smooth river stones polished to a glossy finish, and the walls blended pale granite with dark cedar. A sunken marble jacuzzi tub dominated the center, large enough for two, its edge lined with scented candles and small bowls of floating flower petals. Kushina's eyes lingered on it longer than she meant to, and her breath caught faintly. The idea of sliding into those steaming waters with Minato at her side, his arm brushing against her bare skin, his laugh echoing low and soft made a rush of heat crawl into her cheeks. She quickly looked away, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face, but the blush betrayed the private thought.

Off to one side, an open-air shower stood beneath bamboo piping, the water cascading down like rainfall.Kushina imagined the water washing over her shoulders and back, and then unbidden the picture of Minato stepping in behind her flashed across her mind. But almost immediately, that image shifted first to Taikin, then to Shiro, and then to some other men from her past. Her stomach fluttered, and she bit down gently on her lip, silently scolding herself.

Beyond it, glass doors led to a secluded terrace where a steaming infinity pool seemed to spill directly into the ocean horizon, blurring the line between the suite and the sea. The image was so perfect it almost hurt, and for a moment she remembered their actual honeymoon. She hadn't forgotten the way he reached for her hand that night, tentative but wanting, and the way she'd teased him into letting go of his hesitation. Standing here now, she felt her throat tighten with a mix of nostalgia and sudden longing.

On the opposite end of the room, she found the balcony. It was expansive, more like an outdoor living space than a simple terrace. Wooden lounge chairs with soft white cushions invited her to recline, while a low table carried a chilled champagne bottle waiting in an ice bucket. A private canopy bed draped with white muslin curtains swayed lightly in the breeze, offering a shaded corner for relaxation. Kushina froze, the blush rushing back to her cheeks as her mind instantly betrayed her 'Kami… if Minato and I had stayed here on our honeymoon…' The thought made her chest warm and tight at once, and she wrapped her arms over herself instinctively, fighting the little smile tugging at her lips.

The view stretched endlessly emerald treetops merging into the golden sand and finally dissolving into the deep blue expanse of the sea. At the far edge of the balcony, a glass-sided plunge pool shimmered, its water reflecting the colors of the sky as though it was another piece of the ocean itself. Kushina's heart fluttered at the thought of swimming there with Minato, water droplets clinging to his hair, his blue eyes fixed only on her. The very idea left her biting the inside of her cheek, her blush refusing to fade.

The air carried a subtle fragrance of sandalwood and ocean salt, making the entire space feel like a careful fusion of European resort opulence and Japanese tranquility.

"Wow," Kushina murmured, walking over to the windows. The view was breathtaking, the beach stretched out below them, the waves sparkling under the afternoon sun.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Jiraiya said, standing beside her. "This suite was designed specifically for couples or other elites, but I figured it would make for a perfect setting for our shoot."

Kushina turned to him, her earlier hesitation flickering back in the corner of her mind. She could still feel the warmth in her cheeks from the thoughts she hadn't meant to have. "This really is something new," she admitted softly. Then, a little louder, with honesty in her voice, she added, "I can see why Gatou-san would want to promote it."

And she was genuine. Gatou had built it glamorous, luxurious… maybe too perfectly suited for couples.

"Exactly," Jiraiya said with a grin. "Take your time to get comfortable. We'll start whenever you're ready."

Kushina nodded, drawing in a slow breath as if the air itself could calm her. The setting was undeniably beautiful: the distant crash of the waves, the glimmer of sunlight dancing across the water, and the gentle salt in the air but beneath that serene surface she felt a tight coil of nerves. Jiraiya's easygoing tone helped, his grin warm and reassuring, but she couldn't quite shake the sensation that she was stepping into unfamiliar territory.

Her gaze drifted toward the horizon. The sea stretched endlessly, blue waves rolling in the calm rhythm, and for a moment she lost herself in the sight. 'Should I send Minato a message? Or… should I just talk with him about this later?' The thought lingered, tugging at her.

'Would he allow this?' she asked herself, hesitation flickering in her eyes. Then, with a small nod, she answered her own question. 'Yes… he would.' She remembered the excitement in his earlier messages, the way his voice lit up during their last call. He had always encouraged her to try new things, to step out of her comfort zone when she was uncertain. The memory made her lips curve faintly. 'I'll surprise him with pictures,' she thought, the idea sparking a thrill that chased away some of her unease. 'Besides… I've already done so much. This won't be any trickier than the morning shoot, will it?'

Her cheeks warmed as the memory surfaced, her body slick with seawater during the wet-shirt session, the cling of the fabric, and the daring cut of that tiny micro bikini bottom. She had survived that, even managed to smile through it. Compared to that bold display, what Jiraiya was asking of her now felt like just another step forward.

'And besides… it's only Jiraiya-san here,' she reminded herself, stealing a quick glance at him. She trusted him well, trusted him enough. He was incorrigible at times, yes, but there was no malice in his eyes, only that familiar mischievous twinkle. That thought steadied her, easing the last remnants of doubt.

She let her phone slip into her hand, scrolling absently through a few reels, the glowing screen giving her a momentary distraction. Her thumb moved without focus, her eyes still drifting back to the sea, the rhythm of the waves slowly calming the storm inside her. After a while, she drew in another breath and closed the phone, letting her arm drop to her side.

As she turned back into the suite to urge Jiraiya to get on with the shoot, what caught Kushina's eye above everything else was the meticulous setup waiting for her. The suite now looked like a professional studio in disguise. Three high-end cameras stood firm on polished black tripods, each angled differently, each prepared for its own purpose. The neat order of cables trailing discreetly along the floor hinted at the care Jiraiya had taken.

Kushina's gaze moved from one camera to the next, noting the variety. One bore the weight of a telephoto lens, its length giving the impression of power and distance. Another carried a crisp prime lens, compact yet precise, built for clarity. The third had a wide-angle lens, its glass surface gleaming faintly under the lights, promising breadth and scope. She knew instantly this wasn't part of the room before. 'Did Jiraiya-san bring all of this in himself?' she wondered, her lips parting slightly at the thought of how much work it must have taken.

"You really went all out," Kushina remarked, her tone carrying both surprise and faint admiration. As she watched the man adjusting the lighting on a pod, she realized she hadn't expected him to handle so much of the setup on his own. 'But he's renowned for his shoots, silly me of course he would have his own setup', she thought

Jiraiya's grin widened, his eyes flashing with pride. "Of course. You should feel lucky. Since Tsunade retired, you're the first woman I'm shooting personally. Consider it an honor."

Kushina rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, though she couldn't hide the tiny upward pull at the corner of her lips. "Yeah, yeah, I'm honored," she quipped, her sarcasm softened by amusement. "But seriously, this looks… professional."

Jiraiya walked toward the nearest camera, his large hand adjusting the focus ring with practiced familiarity. "Just Professional? You young lady have no idea, This isn't just professional. This beauty here is a Canon EOS-1D X Mark III. Top of the line. Perfect for capturing every fine detail. Skin, fabric, the curve of a smile, it won't miss anything." He gave the camera body a fond pat before turning to the wide-angle setup. "This one gives me the full view. The entire suite, the light spilling through the windows, the way you fit in the space. It frames the story, not just the subject."

Kushina followed his motion, her eyes then resting on the telephoto lens. "And that one?" she asked curiously.

"That one's for the unexpected," Jiraiya said with an edge of satisfaction in his voice. "From a distance, when you're relaxed and not looking at the lens. That's when the most honest images appear. Natural. Unforced. Sometimes the best shot is when you forget the camera's even there."

Her attention shifted to the rest of the room, and she realised how much more Jiraiya had prepared. Light stands were set in symmetrical positions, their square softboxes glowing with a warm imitation of daylight. The white fabric diffused every burst of brightness, creating a flattering wash that promised to smooth imperfections and bring out warmth in her skin. Near the corners, reflectors leaned casually against the wall, their metallic surfaces catching and bending the light like captured sunshine.

"I see you didn't skimp on the lighting either," she remarked, folding her arms loosely as she studied the golden reflections glinting faintly on the carpet.

"Lighting is the soul of photography," Jiraiya replied with sudden gravity. "Soft light makes every curve and angle look refined. No harsh edges, no distractions. And those reflectors there?" He pointed, almost affectionately, to the gold and silver discs. "They give the glow back to you. Skin illuminated, eyes brighter, hair shining. It makes every frame more than just an image and makes it come alive."

Kushina let the words settle. For a moment, she forgot the casual teasing and the banter. The arrangement, the care, even the thought behind each tool impressed her far more than she had expected. She inhaled slowly, feeling the faint mix of nerves prickling at her chest, but excitement stirred with it too.

"Alright then," she said at last, her voice steady yet curious, "how are we doing this?"

She turned her gaze back to Jiraiya, arms crossed lightly, the faintest spark in her violet eyes betraying a mixture of readiness and anticipation.

Jiraiya straightened, brushing his hands together as though dusting off a job well done. "We'll start simple," he said, his voice calm yet brimming with confidence. "Some candid stills, to get you warmed up. Nothing forced, just you moving, stretching, maybe adjusting your hair, walking across the room."

Kushina arched her brow. "So… basically I just act natural while you click away?"

"Exactly. The trick is, the more natural you are, the more the camera eats it up. Don't overthink." He gave her a lopsided grin, one that walked the line between mentor and rogue. "The lens loves honesty more than posing. As i told you before just be you don't think about me or camera. We are invisible. Imagine we aren't here. "

Kushina exhaled, shaking her head with a small laugh. "You make it sound like the camera's alive."

"In a way, it is," Jiraiya replied, moving over to adjust the angle of one of the light stands. "It records the truth, even when people try to hide it. You'll see what I mean once you catch sight of the playback."

He gave the reflector a small nudge, angling it so that the gold face tilted toward her. A band of warm light skimmed over Kushina's hair, igniting the strands into a brighter flame. Her violet eyes caught the reflection and shimmered with intensity. For a heartbeat, even she was caught off guard by how arresting her own image looked in the mirrored glow.

"See? Told you," Jiraiya said, noticing her pause. "That's why we take our time with setup. Half the job's already done before you even step in front of the lens."

Kushina pressed her lips together, half-smiling, half-thinking. "So you want me to just… walk around? Fix my hair, stretch, all that?"

"Exactly," Jiraiya confirmed. He picked up the Canon with the prime lens and slung the strap around his neck, the movement practiced and deliberate. "No pressure, no lines, no script, No rules. Just breathe, Kushina. Trust me, once you forget the cameras are even here, that's when the magic happens."

Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, studying the seriousness in his expression. For all his teasing earlier, there was no denying how meticulous he had been with this entire arrangement. Slowly, Kushina let her arms drop to her sides, her fingers brushing at the fabric of her shorts as if grounding herself.

"Fine," she said at last, giving him a steady look. "Let's see if your magic really works."

The corners of Jiraiya's mouth twitched upward into a grin as he raised the camera to eye level. The soft click of the shutter filled the air, marking the true beginning of the session.

Jiraiya smiled. "First, we'll start with some simple towel shots. Nothing too complicated, just you standing by the window, wrapped in a towel, with the beach view behind you. We'll focus on natural poses and expressions. Once you're comfortable, we can move on to the more intricate lingerie shots."

"Natural poses, huh?" Kushina muttered, feeling a bit self-conscious. "And what if I mess up?"

"You won't," Jiraiya said confidently. "Just relax and be yourself. This isn't about perfection, it's about capturing moments. Trust me, you'll do great."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

"That's the spirit!" Jiraiya said with a grin. He adjusted one of the cameras and checked the lighting one last time. "Just remember, you're the star of this shoot. Own it."

As he spoke, Kushina couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement. Despite the unusual circumstances, there was something thrilling about stepping into the spotlight, about being the center of attention in such a beautifully crafted setting.

"Alright," she said, standing by the window and adjusting the towel around her. "Let's do this."

Jiraiya lifted the Canon, bringing the lens to eye level. The soft click of the shutter broke the silence, followed by another in quick succession. "Perfect," he murmured, his voice carrying that mix of approval and focus. "Now, just look out the window, like you're lost in thought. Don't force it. Let the view take you away."

Kushina drew in a slow breath, turning her head toward the sunlit horizon. The faint reflection of the sea shimmered through the glass, and for a moment she let her body loosen. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and glanced back over her shoulder, more casually than intentionally.

The shutter snapped again.

"Beautiful," Jiraiya said under his breath, crouching slightly, tilting the camera to catch her from a lower angle. "Hold it just like that. That's honesty right there."

Kushina's lips pressed together, her eyes flicking toward him briefly before returning to the window. 'He's really putting all his faith in me… treating me like I'm more than just some woman he coaxed into this. Like I'm his star.'

Another click. Another frozen moment.

"Ok," Jiraiya finally said, lowering the camera, brushing the strap against his broad shoulder. His grin returned, though his tone carried a weight that pressed on her chest. "Now you're ready. Let's begin the main part. Drop the outfit. We'll do a sensual shoot. Just down to your underwear."

Kushina stiffened slightly. Her violet eyes widened, though she kept her arms folded lightly in front of her. 'The main part? Wasn't this already the shoot? What more does he want…' Her heart gave a faint lurch as the word honeymoon flashed through her mind. The suite, the cameras, Jiraiya's voice suddenly felt more intimate than she had prepared for.

'Minato… if he saw me like this. With another man in a honeymoon suite… would he think I've gone too far? He doesn't know about Taikin but this will be me almost telling him would it?' The thought stung, then softened, replaced by the memory of his excited words mentioning the beach shoot. 'How he had said it was fine, even the topless shots.He already approved. This isn't that far off. It's still just professional… right?'

Her hand tightened the towel reflexively, then relaxed. 'Besides… maybe I can even surprise him with the pictures later. A little gift. Something just for him.'

She exhaled, long and steady.

Unbeknownst to her, the camera on the tripod across the room had its red light glowing faintly. Jiraiya had already set it to record, capturing her hesitation, her breaths, the faint tremor in her fingers as she adjusted the towel again. Meanwhile, he kept the Canon prime lens steady in his own hands, his eye unwavering.

"Trust me, Kushina-chan," Jiraiya said with surprising calm. "This will be perfect."

Kushina shifted her weight as she discarded her high-heels and her hands reached down to the hem of her navy skirt. The snug fabric clung stubbornly to her thighs, and she hooked her fingers against the little metal clasp of the zipper. She had intended to move it down quickly, to get the action over with before her nerves got the better of her, but a deliberate cough from Jiraiya froze her movement mid-gesture.

"Not so blandly," he chided, lowering the camera for a moment. His voice carried both authority and teasing indulgence. "Do it sensually. Imagine you're a wife waiting for her husband who has just come back from a long day at the office. He's tired, and you're aiming to seduce him the moment he steps into the room."

Kushina's cheeks warmed instantly. She turned her head slightly, her long red hair falling across her shoulder as she gave him a look caught halfway between irritation and embarrassment. "You make it sound so simple…" she muttered.

"It is," Jiraiya countered, his eyes never straying far from her figure. "A camera doesn't care if the fabric is lace, silk, or cotton. The lingerie doesn't need to be brand new. What matters is you. Your actions, your emotions, your face, your body. Those are more than enough to seduce any man. I wont lie saying lingerie does not matter but it does not matter more than a Women's charm, An experienced woman of her charms can make any man fall in any attire " He let the weight of his words hang a moment before grinning. "Come on, it isn't like you're wearing something with holes in it, is it?"

Kushina rolled her lips together, biting the inside of her cheek. Her voice was soft, almost reluctant. "No… it's not that bad."

"Exactly," Jiraiya said with a sharp snap of his fingers, lifting the Canon again. "So stop worrying. Let it happen."

Kushina exhaled slowly, her pulse quickening. She turned her head toward the window, narrowing her eyes as though she were looking past the glass into another world. 'Alright… imagine you're waiting for Minato. Imagine he's just walked in. The tired look in his eyes, the way his shoulders drop when he's finally home… and me, standing right here to welcome him.'

Her hand moved down to the slim belt at her waist, unbuckling it with a faint metallic click. She felt the leather loosen and the pressure around her hips ease. Then her fingers found the zipper, drawing it down slowly, deliberately. The faint rasp of the teeth opening filled the silence between camera clicks.

The navy skirt, snug against her curves, began to slide. She guided it down over the swell of her hips, the fabric clinging briefly before giving way and gliding down her thighs. Giving glimpse of her ass 

Click. 

"Good," Jiraiya said, his tone steady, coaxing. "Now hold it halfway. Let it cling for a moment, then ease it down. Don't rush."

She obeyed, pausing with the skirt caught mid-thigh. The waistband pressed against thighs, making her aware of every inch of exposed skin above. She shifted her weight slightly, one hip cocking outward, the pose accentuating the roundness of her ass. Her blouse tugged with the movement, riding just enough to flash a glimpse of the black netted panties hugging her.

Another click. Then another.

She tugged again, slower this time, the skirt dragging down her legs until it bunched briefly at her knees. She hesitated, then bent slightly to push it past her calves, the movement pulling her blouse forward and giving Jiraiya's lens the teasing shadow of her cleavage.

'I'm really doing this,' Kushina thought, her throat tightening. 'I'm standing here in just a blouse and panties… Minato would laugh if he saw me like this. Or would he? No… he'd like it. He'd want to see me this way. He'd want these photos.' The thought made her shiver, her thighs pressing unconsciously together. 'Of course he would. He'd want me like this.'

The skirt slid to the floor with a muted thud, pooling around her feet. Kushina stepped free of it, leaving it discarded on the carpet. Now she stood in just her crisp blouse, the tails brushing the faint edge of her black netted panties that peeked across the curve of her ass. The lace clung snug to her hips, sheer enough to whisper temptation without fully baring her.

"Perfect," Jiraiya said softly, his voice thickening with satisfaction. "Don't pick it up. Leave it. Clothes on the floor tell a story. It makes the scene alive."

Kushina glanced down at the discarded skirt, then back toward the camera. Her fingers smoothed instinctively along the hem of her blouse, tugging it down over her hips for a moment before catching herself. She inhaled sharply and let it rise again, allowing the lens a full, unbroken view of the dark netted fabric underneath.

The camera clicked again, louder this time in the quiet room.

Kushina nodded faintly. She hesitated, then raised her hands to the buttons of her light frilled blouse. Her fingers trembled at first, fumbling against the little pearly discs, but the camera's click pulled her into rhythm. One button came undone, then the next, exposing the faint shadow of cleavage beneath her black matching netted bra.

"Slower," Jiraiya urged, shifting position, crouching down for a lower angle. "Pretend you're savoring it. Like you're teasing him. Teasing is half the work that excites men, it's the part of foreplay."

Kushina parted the fabric, exposing pale skin bit by bit. Her violet eyes flicked toward Jiraiya, then away again, as though embarrassed to be caught. The blouse fell open enough for the cool air to brush over her stomach, raising goosebumps across her skin.

Click. Click.

The blouse slid off her shoulders, hanging for a moment before she let it drop carelessly to the floor beside the skirt.

"Good girl," Jiraiya murmured, moving quickly to the other side of the bed. He climbed onto the mattress without hesitation, steadying his footing as he aimed the lens down from above. "Hold still. Don't move. Look up at me."

Kushina lifted her chin, hair tumbling down her back as she obeyed. From above, the faint swell of her breasts pressed against the patterned netting of her bra, the straps digging lightly into her flushed shoulders.

The shutter snapped again, rapid fire.

"You're a natural," Jiraiya said, his voice lower now, almost reverent. "A perfect wife waiting for her husband."

The words sank into her chest, heavier than she expected. 'Perfect wife. Waiting…. To be claimed' She bit her lip, her heart stuttering.' Is that really what I look like?'

Her hands brushed faintly against her thighs, grounding herself. She shifted, trying to steady the tremor in her breathing. That was when she felt it, her nipples tightening, pressing uncomfortably against the coarse netting of her bra. The realization hit her like a spark.

'Oh no… oh no, he can see them.' Her mind raced. The cool air, the rough texture, it was unmistakable. The sharp points visible even from her own lowered glance. She fought the urge to cross her arms, to cover herself, but Jiraiya's camera clicked again, locking her hesitation into permanence.

She swallowed, a soft flush crawling up her neck. 'Kami… my nipples are hardening. He's seeing this. He's capturing this.'

Another part of her whispered back, quieter, darker. ' But isn't that the point? Isn't that what this shoot is meant to be?' and the very part aroused her more. It made her feel more wanted and for a moment her thoughts when if anyone sw these picture in kunoichihub

Jiraiya moved closer, kneeling at the foot of the bed to snap tighter frames with the prime lens. The distance between them shrank until she could feel the faint hum of his presence, the way his breath caught faintly as he adjusted the focus.

"Oh kami…" she thought, her body betraying her with each shiver.' I can feel my nipples hardening more. They're straining against the fabric. He can see. He has to see. And yet… Why does it make me feel this way?'

Her thighs brushed together instinctively, her toes curling into the carpet.

Click.

"Beautiful," Jiraiya said softly, almost to himself. "The honesty is in the little things. Don't hide it."

Kushina's heart fluttered violently, her blush deepening until she thought her face might ignite. 'Oh, I'm really doing this. I'm undressing for him. In a room like this, with cameras everywhere. This is real. This is even more exhilarating than beach shoot '

Click.

Her mind tried to grab onto something solid, some anchor. 'Think of Minato. Yes. Think of him. He'd want this. He'd be proud of me being brave. He'd smile seeing these shots. He'd love them. He would jack on these' She though imagining Minato using her pictures not thinking other men would do same 

She tilted her head, letting her hair fall partly across her face, giving the lens a shy look that wasn't entirely acted.

Click.

Jiraiya shifted again, angling the camera upward, capturing the curve of her waist where the bra ended and the thin band of her panties began. He zoomed in, the prime lens capturing every trembling line of her skin.

'Oh kami… he's doing closeups now.' Her pulse spiked, heat flooding lower into her belly. 'He can see every detail. Every little twitch. And I'm letting him…'

Click.

She bit her lip hard, her breath unsteady. 'But why… why do I feel somewhat aroused by him seeing me? By him capturing this?'

Click.

"You're a natural," Jiraiya murmured again, his voice steady but his eyes alight behind the lens. "Like a perfect wife waiting for her husband."

The words hit her harder this time, sinking deep. Kushina's lips parted slightly, her chest rising with a sharper inhale. Perfect wife. Waiting. Seducing. Am I… am I really pulling that off?

She exhaled shakily, her body trembling in the smallest of ways, not from cold but from the electric current rushing through her veins.

This is really happening. And I'm letting it happen. No… I want it to happen.

The camera shutter clicked again, immortalising the moment.

-----------------------------Primetime-Reloaded------------------------------------------------------------

Jiraiya adjusted the strap of the Canon against his neck, lowering his stance just slightly. The prime lens gleamed under the softbox light as he turned it toward her. Kushina now stood stripped to her netted bra and panties, the vibrant red of her hair cascading like liquid fire against her pale skin.

He held his breath for a moment, then let the shutter sing.

 Click.

Through the viewfinder, he caught her form in perfect detail. The netting of her bra clung tight, and even beneath the patterned weave, the subtle silhouette of her pinkish nipples was there, faint but unmistakable. Hardened, pressing outward as if desperate to announce themselves. He blinked once, steadying himself. 'She doesn't even realise how much the camera adores that. She thinks she's hiding, but every lens sees more than she knows.'

He angled lower, crouching, catching the swell of her breasts from below. Click. Another shot. This one emphasized the way the light fell through the netting, a faint shadow tracing the rounded curves and the firm outline of her peaks beneath.

"Hold still," he murmured, though his voice was quieter, reverent. 'Her nipples… they're straining, almost pink against that net. Kami, the lens is feasting. Control jiraiya control we can't suck them now'

He moved to her side, circling slowly, catching her profile with the prime lens. From this angle, her waist tapered in beautifully before flaring again at her hips, the band of her panties cutting snug across her skin. His eye sharpened as he leaned in for a closer frame.

Click.

The fabric hugged her lower body, clinging to her like a second skin. His breath caught as the shape beneath pressed against the thin material, revealing the faintest outline, smooth and clean. 'She's completely shaved just as evident from those bikini shoots. Not a hair in sight.' His throat tightened. 'Spotless. Like glass. She knows exactly what she's showing me.'

He shifted again, climbing lightly onto the mattress to get elevation, looking down as she tilted her face toward the window. From above, her bra seemed almost transparent in its refusal to conceal. The faint blush of her nipples peeked through the mesh, teasing against the light.

Click. Click. Two shots in rapid succession.

Perfect. That's honesty, Kushina. You can't hide those details, the body tells its own story.

He adjusted the zoom, lowering his body enough to frame her lower half now. She shifted, unaware, her legs parting just slightly as she turned. The curve of her ass pressed tight against the panties, the cut leaving nothing to imagination. And then, as he leaned forward, the lens caught it: the smooth cleft of her mound, the fabric clinging taut, revealing the spotless skin beneath.

Click.

He pulled back just a fraction, his pulse quick. 'No hair, not even a trace. Perfectly kept. And all of it right here in my frame.' He lowered the camera from his eye for a moment, looking directly, unfiltered. The reality almost burned hotter than the image.

Jiraiya swallowed, then steadied his hands and went back to the lens. He shifted to the back again, letting the wide aperture blur the backdrop while her curves sharpened. Her red hair tumbled down her back, ending just where the bra strap cut across. The shape of her waist, the faint tension in her thighs like it was artistry, living and breathing.

Click.

He leaned forward to take another closeup. His lens was now only inches away, capturing the fine detail of the netted bra stretched taut across her breasts. The faint dark circles beneath, pink nipples almost visible, made the frame more intoxicating than anything lace could offer.

Click.

Another angle, this time low to the ground, shooting upward to catch her silhouette against the warm flood of window light. as if it were something divine.

Jiraiya's throat rumbled faintly. 'Kami… not even Mei Terumi could stand against this. Konoha has no idea what kind of jewel it shelters in Kushina. I made a good decision to come back to Konoha afterall '

He clicked again, fingers steady though his pulse wasn't.

-----------------------------Primetime-Reloaded------------------------------------------------------------

"and cut, you are brilliant, with this I'm sure you will reach new heights"

Kushina blinked at the sudden break in rhythm, the hush after the shutter oddly intimate. She stood there in her netted bra and panties, breathing lightly, skin warm under the softboxes. "But… you said these will be private…" she said, a bit alarmed, a bit excited too at the thought of those images traveling beyond these walls.

"Of course we will not release anything in public you do not want," Jiraiya replied, steady and easy. He did not lower the camera all the way, just enough for his eye to meet hers. "You have the first and last word. Always."

Kushina nodded, shoulders easing, almost at home in her undies in front of a man who was not her husband. The strange comfort of control threaded through the discomfort. 'It is still professional. He is only doing his job. And I am doing mine.'

"Ok, now the next stage," Jiraiya said, not giving her mind a chance to clutch at modesty. He stooped and gathered her discarded blouse and skirt in one hand, then with the other he hooked a fingertip under the waistband of her skirt where it lay and dragged the cloth across the carpet in a neat path. He laid the blouse a few paces ahead, then the skirt, then the towel she had used earlier, forming a soft trail that led toward the washroom. He glanced back at her with a conspirator's smile. "Story beats. Clothes become breadcrumbs. We follow them to the next scene. After teasing her husband, the wife walks to the washroom. Not in a hurry. Seduction does not rush. She knows he is watching, and she makes every step a promise."

Kushina drew a breath and let it out slowly. 'Minato on the bed. The way he sits with his elbows on his knees, tired but smiling. Watching me cross the room like I am the only thing worth looking at.' She turned toward the washroom as directed, the lights painting a warm gloss on her skin. Jiraiya lifted the Canon again and the red standby light on the tripod across the room stayed steady, capturing the motion from a second angle.

"Good. Start walking," he said, voice low. The shutter answered him with a soft series of clicks.

Kushina moved. She set one bare foot in front of the other, toes sinking a little into the rug, hips swaying in a calm, unhurried cadence that felt less like acting and more like memory. She imagined Minato's eyes following the tilt of her shoulders, the loose fall of red hair down her back. 'You are home. I am here. You do not have to ask.'

Jiraiya padded to her left and shot upward from a low angle. "Chin slightly down. Yes. Now a glance to the side. Not at me. Past me. Imagine his face."

She smiled without meaning to, and the shutter caught it. "Like this?"

"Exactly. Beautiful."

"Minato, sit up," she whispered under her breath, almost playful, almost pleading. 'Look at me properly.'

"Pause," Jiraiya said softly. He pointed to her hips with a small tilt of his palm. "Now ease your panties just a touch. Only at the waist. We suggest, we do not give away the whole page. A sliver at the back. A secret he already owns."

Kushina's fingers found the band. She hooked her thumbs and drew the waistline down a breath. The fine elastic gave and settled a fraction lower, revealing the smooth beginning of the cleft, a spotless, delicate line above the curve of her rear. Heat climbed the back of her neck. 'Oh that is shameless. He can see. He can absolutely see.' The thrill hit harder than the shame.

"Perfect," Jiraiya murmured. "Hold that. Now step. Slow."

She stepped. The panties held in the lowered curve, framing the top of her ass with a suggestion that felt more intimate than a full reveal. She was half-teasing now, the role seeping into her bones. With each pace she added a new shade of intent. The light kissed the netting of her bra, the faint outline of her nipples visible when she drew a deeper breath. 

The air across her skin felt like a hand.

"Good," Jiraiya said, circling. "Give me your shoulder. Just the turn of your neck."

Kushina turned her head and looked back. It was not over her shoulder so much as into the thought of a man on a bed. The look sharpened, then softened, then warmed. The camera answered, quick and quiet. She tilted her hips a little more, a promise tucked into the shape. She let the fingers of one hand trail from her waist to her thigh, not touching the fabric, just grazing skin like she was mapping it for him.

"That is it," Jiraiya said, breath hitching just once before settling. "Keep walking."

She tested a pose, the way a dancer tests a step. She let her spine lengthen and then relaxed it. She set her weight into one leg, then the other, letting the shift lift her ass a fraction higher. She felt the netting of her bra pull across her breasts as she turned and the mesh pressed her hardening nipples into a sharper outline. 'Stop reacting so much. No. Do not stop. Let him see. Let the camera see. Minato would want this. He would tell me to be brave.'

She smiled again and the smile reached her eyes this time. She let it sit there for a beat, then released it, trading it for a thoughtful focus on the washroom door. 'Minato, get up and follow me. This is for you.' The thought sent a flush over her collarbones.

Jiraiya moved ahead of her and climbed onto the bed for an overhead. He looked down the line of her hair and shoulders, framing the curve of her waist and the lowered line of the panties. He clicked in short bursts, then held to breathe. He could see her think. He could see her choose boldness instead of fear, and that choice wrote itself across her skin like light.

"Stop at the threshold," he said. "Turn your back to me. Just your back. Eyes to the door."

Kushina reached the washroom entrance and set her feet apart by a hand's width. The angle lifted the round of her rear and gave a clean line down the back of her thighs. She rolled her shoulders once and let the bra strap pull tight across her shoulder blades. She looked at the doorframe like it was a man.

"Now give me one more," Jiraiya said, voice lower. "Sticking out your ass, but subtle. Half a breath more, not a full pose."

She gave it. A small push of the hips, enough to suggest rather than announce. The panties rode a fraction higher at the cheeks and lower at the waist, the lowered front still hidden from this angle, the lowered back a private line that was no longer private to the lens. The camera drank it without apology. She felt it and did not shrink.

"Look back," he said. "Just the head. Eyes at the lens, not the man."

She turned. Her hair slid over one shoulder, baring the other. She gave him a look that was not coy and not brazen, something in between that felt truer. She let the corners of her mouth lift, then she set them again, like she had decided to keep the next smile for someone else.

"Good," Jiraiya said. "Tilt the head. Just a little. Think of the first time you caught him staring at you like he could not stop."

She tilted. The world narrowed to the rectangular tunnel of the lens and the rectangle of the doorway. She could hear the soft whirr of Jiraiya's focus ring and the minute scrape of his shoe on the carpet. She could hear her own breathing. 'This is not only acting. I want him to look. I want Minato to look. I want to be looked at.'

She reached behind her back.

Jiraiya froze for a second and then started shooting without thinking. "If you are going to do it, do it slowly," he said, but her fingers were already there, finding the clasp, pinching and lifting. The strap eased. The netted cups loosened and then fell away from their work, catching for a heartbeat on the swell of her breasts.

Kushina did not face him. She looked away, toward the washroom mirror whose glass caught only the angle of her cheek and throat. She brought the straps forward with one hand, cupping the loosened bra to her chest with the other. The motion was smooth, almost businesslike, and somehow that made it more intimate. Just as he had done in the beach photo shoot with Kurenai when he took off his shirt, she let the net slide off, dragged it down the line of her ribs, and then tossed it aside with a flick, not at the camera but past it. The bra landed near her crumpled shirt in the trail like a period at the end of a sentence.

Jiraiya's heart hammered, then steadied into a hard, clear beat. He kept his frame on her back. He had the curve of her spine and the pale arcs of her shoulder blades, the narrowness of her waist, the rise of her hips, the lowered band of the panties revealing the gentle cleft at the top. Her hair fell in a red spill that almost but not quite covered the outer edge of one breast. He did not see her front. The story did not give him that. The story gave him the back, and the back was devastating.

"Perfect," he whispered, almost to the camera. "Do not move."

Kushina felt naked and yet not naked, claimed by her own choice. She drew a long breath and her back rose and fell. She placed one hand on the doorframe, fingers splayed, like she needed it for balance, or like she was about to step inside and disappear. 'Oh I am really doing this. I am nearly nude at the door to the washroom. He is behind me. He is seeing me like this. He is photographing me. And I am letting him. Minato, would you scold me or kiss me first. You would kiss me right?'

Jiraiya slid to the side for a quarter profile and shot from thigh height, angling up just enough to keep the front still hidden and the back perfectly written. The line from the base of her neck to the small of her back looked like a single stroke of calligraphy. The lowered panties made a quiet frame around the swell of her rear. In the soft light the small dimples above her hips were bright as secrets.

"Damn, she is good," he thought, breath clamped behind his teeth. "I did not think coming back to Konoha would be this rewarding. She even outshines Mei Terumi."

He clicked rapidly, each press precise. "Perfect," he muttered under his breath between frames, the word half prayer, half punctuation. "Perfect. Perfect."

Kushina kept her face turned from him, offering only her cheek and the line of her throat. She slid her free hand to her hip and pressed lightly, shaping herself for him and for someone else at the same time. 'Take this photo. I will choose who sees it. Maybe only me. Maybe him. Maybe I will send one to his phone while he is at his desk and make him ruin his neat schedule.'

"One more," Jiraiya said, as careful as if he were touching her without hands. "Breathe. Let your shoulders soften. Turn the wrist so I can see the fingers."

She did. The shutter lifted the sound again. She felt her shoulders loosen under the heat of the lights and under the look she could not see but could feel. She felt exposed and powerful in the same breath. 'Stop shaking. No. Keep shaking a little. It looks like honesty.'

Jiraiya adjusted his stance and took an overhead again from the bed, then dropped to a knee in the doorway's diagonal, then rose to her height and held the lens level with the notch of her spine. Each time he found a new line to honor. Each time he heard the small thud of his own heartbeat in his ears. He did not rush her and he did not interrupt her. He let the story breathe.

"Talk to him," he said, softer still. "Quietly. He is on the bed. He can hear you from there."

Kushina's lips parted. "You are not allowed to look away," she said in a voice that was almost a laugh. "If you do, I will start over." The words went to Minato in her mind, but the camera kept them.

Jiraiya exhaled in a low huff that sounded like approval. "Again."

"You sit there," she said, eyes on the mirror's edge, "and you watch me go in, and you follow me after ten seconds because you cannot wait."

Click. Click. Click.

He stepped back one pace, then two, and he took a long frame that held the trail of clothes, the bed, the curve of her back, the open mouth of the washroom. It looked like a still from a film that had not been shot yet. It looked like a spoiler and a promise.

"Hold," he said. "Do not move."

Kushina did not move. She let the silence gather. She let the lights hum. She let the air slide over her bare back like a hand that knew her well. She thought of Minato counting to ten and losing patience at five. She thought of herself turning in the doorway and letting him see more than the back. Not yet. That belonged to the next scene. This belonged to this.

Jiraiya lowered the camera at last, but only a little. He did not speak right away. He let the moment finish itself. Then he nodded, just once, solemn as if he had taken an oath.

"Perfect," he said again, this time not under his breath. "We have it."

Her fingers loosened on the doorframe. Her shoulders rose and fell. She lifted her chin a fraction, feeling the flush in her skin begin to fade, the tremble in her thighs settle into steadiness. I did it. I really did it. And I am not ashamed.

She turned on her heel and walked quickly into the washroom, leaving Jiraiya behind. He lowered the camera at last, his jaw tight, a sheen of non-existent sweat on his forehead. His eyes darted to the bulge pressing against his pants, the hard reminder of what she had just given him. He exhaled in a mutter only he could hear. "Damn… not many women can get me this excited."

--------------------------------Primetime-Reloaded------------------------------------------------------------

The pool in the Vip zone of Gatou Resort glittered under the fading light, turquoise waves rolling gently from the laughter and splashes of the girls in bikinis playing tag across the shallow end. Waiters in white shirts moved discreetly between tables, delivering bottles of beer and trays of fruit. Gatou sat back in his padded chair, a cigar clamped lazily between his teeth, smoke curling around his round face. Beside him, Jin and Yami sprawled with their bottles, watching the women dive and squeal as if it were part of the evening's entertainment.

"Not bad, eh?" Gatou said, his grin oily, his hand sweeping toward the pool. "Every man deserves scenery like this after a long day's work."

"Scenery's fine," Yami muttered, voice deep and flat, eyes fixed on the girls. "But it doesn't win back the wager, does it?"

Jin exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I still can't believe it. We put the wager down, and somehow, old Gatou here walks off with the prize. Damn rigged if you ask me." He tipped the bottle against his lips, downing another swallow before thumping it onto the table.

Yami snorted, his heavy arms crossed against his broad chest. "Rigged? You mean bought. You think we don't know you greased Jiraiya's palms?" His eyes cut toward Gatou, sharp with accusation. "Wet T-shirt shoot. Redhead and Kurenai. That didn't just happen out of luck."

Gatou smirked, puffing smoke into the humid air. "Gentlemen, gentlemen. Call it what you want. Rigged, bought, bartered. The fact is, I got what I wanted. And you got the show. You were watching, same as me. Tell me you didn't enjoy it." Inwardly he cringed, remembering the leverage he had given Jiraiya. A favor owed, the suite offered, his reputation tethered to the man's appetite. 'It cost me more than I like to admit. And it's Jiraiya who got the real prize. I hope I can get him to share the results at least.' But he let none of that show.

Yami narrowed his eyes. "Don't dance around it. We didn't agree to this."

Gatou spread his hands in mock innocence, smoke trailing from his cigar. "Well we did not disagree as well did we ? I call it art. Persuasion to win is art children learn and you will get it long in life. The results were the same. You enjoyed the show, didn't you? Every drop, every cling of that fabric. Their run… jiggles… and even camel toes…" His smirk widened. "And it only gets better. Do you know where Jiraiya is right now?"

Jin glanced at him, suspicious. "Where?"

"The honeymoon suite," Gatou said, savoring each word. "Top floor. Private. Best light in the house. And do you know who's in front of his lens?" He leaned forward, eyes glittering. "Our little redhead."

"No way…" Jin muttered.

Seeing the smirk on Gatou's face not wavering, Yami's brow furrowed, his beer pausing halfway to his mouth. "You're serious."

"As serious as the cigar in my mouth," Gatou said, puffing. "Kushina is up there right now, doing what Jiraiya wants. That, my friends, is the fruit of a well-placed favor. The man owes me nothing now, but I owe him a debt for pulling this one off." His grin faltered for half a second, but he covered it with another drag. 'But still that shoot will give enough publicity, As for the redhead or even ravenette they won't be far after all. I am a board member of KTV. '

Jin barked a laugh, ugly and loud enough to startle the girls nearby. "So that's it then. All this talk, all this betting, and it ain't us who won. Jiraiya-san's the real winner. He's up there, fucking the redhead in the honeymoon suite while we're sitting here with our dicks in our hands." He raised his bottle in a mocking toast. "To Jiraiya-san, eh? The real womanizer"

Yami chuckled darkly, his grin sharp. "To Jiraiya. Always knew the old man had no shame. And Kushina… she might act shy, prim and proper, the good wife type, but I've seen that fire in her eyes. She's not the type to just pose and leave. Not if he pushes the right buttons. If I remember right, Taikin-san definitely fucked her, though I can't confirm."

"Taikin… the singer?" Gatou asked, leaning forward with a glint in his eye. His thoughts churned as he spoke.' I was always interested in that redhead. I know she's from here. Some say she was the last heiress of the Uzumaki fortunes, but I can't get confirmation. That's the reason I had interest in her. What a statement it would be… the ex-owner of this resort now becoming a pinup girl to promote it.'

He smirked to himself. "I still have the clothes I got from Danzo when she did that shoot in the KTV office. Maybe if I play my cards right, I can get Jiraiya to sell me the rights to his shoot for real. Imagine if I spread it around that the heiress of the old Uzumaki line is my pinup girl. This whole island would finally bow to me."

And there was truth in his words. Despite buying out Uzumaki Enterprises more than a decade ago, the people of Uzushiore still had not accepted him in their politics. Before his takeover, the Uzumaki had not only owned this resort but also held the majority of businesses across the island. Yet, when their fortunes collapsed, they relinquished most of their rights to the workers and locals who had served them. The big family changing surnames now either lived on this island or across Japan.

The only exception had been this resort. They could not save it, and Gatou had taken it for himself. But that failure left a scar in the minds of the islanders. For them, the Uzumaki still remained the rightful owners in spirit, no matter what the papers said. Gatou had searched for years for the last heiress, and now that he suspected Kushina was the one, his grin widened. The photo shoot in swimsuits and wet T-shirts with the resort logo gave her a good taste of what it could be like. 'If she really is the heiress of the fallen Uzumaki fortune, then using her face, her body, and her name will finally let me break this island to heel. Maybe making her my woman as well '

Jin leaned forward, breaking Gatou's plan of thoughts, his tone edged with envy. "Hell, maybe Shiro already knows it. I swear, the way he strutted after morning, like he'd tasted her none of us had. He told us nothing happened, but I don't buy it."

Yami nodded, his voice low. "He got more than he admitted. You can smell it. She was softer with him after the morning shoot. Women don't change their tone like that for nothing."

"Bastard," Jin spat, shaking his head. "If Shiro's already had her, and now Jiraiya's having his turn, then what does that leave for us? Beer, smoke, and secondhand stories."

Gatou reclined further in his chair, exhaling a long plume of smoke. "What it leaves you is patience. You gamble with me, you take your losses like men. Shiro may have played his hand, Jiraiya plays his now. The redhead is not yours to win tonight. Perhaps in the future."

Jin scowled, slamming his empty bottle down hard enough to rattle the tray. "To hell with patience. If that slut walks out of that suite glowing, we'll know exactly what happened. She is really a fame and power hungry slut ain't it"

Yami smirked, raising his bottle lazily, letting the glass catch the poolside lights. "Maybe true. I'll even drink to that. Because either way, we were right about her. She's fire under all that talk. And fire always spreads." He chuckled low in his throat.

The men joined in the laughter, their voices rumbling over the faint splash of the pool. Then Yami leaned slightly, his lips close to Jin's ear, his voice dropping into a whisper meant for him alone.

"Jiraiya-san may have the bet between us four," he said quietly, "but we still have ours." His eyes gleamed as he tilted the bottle back for another sip.

Jin smirked, shaking his head. "No way you can win now. Kurenai-san is already gone, and that redhead is being fucked upstairs. No way you'll get a chance now."

'Bold words,' Yami thought, watching him with a predator's patience. 'But a night is long, and tomorrow's morning flight still feels far away. Anything can happen before then.'

"Now… our flight home isn't until tomorrow morning, isn't it…" Yami drawled, letting the implication hang between them like smoke.

Jin narrowed his eyes, reading the challenge for what it was.

"Boys, what are you whispering about?" Gatou's voice cut in, his tone casual but laced with suspicion.

Yami turned back with a practiced smile, his expression unbothered. "Nothing, Gatou-san," he said smoothly, raising his bottle as if in salute, though his glance at Jin carried the weight of their silent contest.

"Yeah, nothing," Jin added quickly, forcing a grin. "Just cousin spats." He clinked his bottle against Yami's, sealing the unspoken challenge between them.

At the poolside, the girls shrieked again, laughter and playful screams echoing as they splashed each other with wild abandon. Water glittered under the lights, droplets catching in their hair and sliding down bare shoulders.

Gatou drew slowly on his cigar, exhaling a thick plume into the warm night air. The corner of his mouth twitched into something between a smile and a grimace. Inside, unease coiled low in his gut, though he masked it with practiced ease.

'Damn fools,' he thought, watching the ripples in the water. 'They think they're playing games with bets and whispers. But if I play my cards right, it won't just be a bet. It'll be the whole island.'

His voice, when he spoke again, was light and amused, carrying none of the weight of his thoughts.

"To Jiraiya," Gatou said finally, raising his glass. "The man who turns wagers into legends."

--------------------------------Primetime-Reloaded------------------------------------------------------------

The sliding door closed gently behind her, and Kushina was alone with the quiet luxury of the bath. The sight still made her pause, even though she had glimpsed it earlier when Jiraiya first ushered her into the suite. The floor was a mosaic of smooth river stones polished to a sheen. The walls were a graceful marriage of pale granite and dark cedar beams, lending the room a hushed, temple-like warmth. At its heart, a sunken marble jacuzzi stretched wide enough for two, its rim set with candles whose wicks waited to be lit. Petals floated lazily in small bowls of water along the edge, drifting with a scent that teased memory.

Her eyes clung to the tub longer than she intended. A rush of heat bloomed across her face as her mind conjured an image she knew well, Minato sliding into those steaming waters beside her, his golden hair damp, his arm brushing her bare shoulder. She could almost hear the low timbre of his laugh, the way it always softened when it was just for her. The thought gripped her stomach with longing, and she had to shake her head sharply to steady herself. Stop it… you'll lose yourself.

She turned her gaze to the open-air shower set off to one side. The bamboo piping hung overhead like something out of a ryokan in the mountains, water cascading down in a gentle, endless stream. For a moment she closed her eyes, imagining it striking her shoulders, sliding over the ridges of her back, and the instant the image of Minato followed, his hand resting on her hip, the press of his chest against her spine, another image shoved it aside. Taikin's smirk, Shiro's boldness, the faces of men from her past who had taken their chances. Her lip caught lightly between her teeth. No, not them… why are they slipping in like this?

She stepped further inside, and the glass doors that led to the terrace drew her gaze. Beyond them, the infinity pool spilled like liquid silver into the horizon, its edge dissolving into the ocean beyond. The line between sky and water blurred, carrying her mind backward. Back to her actual honeymoon, the way Minato had taken her hand that night, hesitant but wanting. How she teased him until his hesitation cracked into hunger. The memory pulled at her throat, nostalgia mingling with the ache of something left too long untended.

Kushina pressed her palms against the cool marble edge of the tub, grounding herself. Her reflection flickered in the still water, distorted and doubled.

Then Jiraiya's voice carried from outside, low but clear, filling the washroom with his authority. "Good job, Kushina. Now, the next shoot will be towel shots. Take a shower, wet your hair and body, then come out in a towel like a loving wife preparing herself."

Her eyes fluttered closed, and she straightened slowly. She wasn't thinking of him anymore. The words landed, but her mind was far away. Like a loving wife… Her imagination slid immediately to Minato. She pictured herself stepping out in a towel, his eyes tracing the drops running down her skin. Her body reacted before her reason caught up. And it's true… we haven't touched in so long. This isn't acting. This is what I want.

But the thought tangled, turned on itself, and soon Minato's face began to fade. Another presence replaced him, not a single man, but a thousand invisible eyes. KunoichiHub commentors, faceless admirers, watchers who would see these images and praise her. Her lips parted slightly. If these ever went public… if they saw me like this… would they call me bold? Beautiful? Would they say my body was flawless? The very idea made her stomach clench, her thighs tense.

She shook her head, muttering, "No… stop that." But the thought would not stop. She pulled at the ties of her bra, already gone, and eased down her panties, stepping free of them until she was bare. The cool stone underfoot grounded her, but the rush in her chest only sharpened. 

Throwing panties to one corner, she stepped under the shower, twisting the bamboo handle until water cascaded down in a wide, cooling sheet. It hit her shoulders with a shiver, running in rivulets over her breasts, sliding down her belly to the neat cleft between her thighs. She closed her eyes and tilted her face up into the flow.

'Cool down, Kushina. Cool down.'

But the water did nothing to calm her. The ache inside only grew. The droplets hardened her nipples until they flushed darker, tingling with raw sensitivity. She touched her sternum lightly, fingertips brushing her own wet skin, and the jolt of awareness made her knees weaken. Kami… it only makes me hotter.

Her hair clung to her back in thick, wet ropes. She tilted her hips under the stream, feeling it wash across her shaven mound, clean and exposed. No patch, no softness, nothing to hide her. He must have seen it. Jiraiya… through that lens. He knows I'm bare there. And if others saw… if even one of those pictures leaked… The shiver raced down her spine, and she pressed her forehead against the cool tile for a moment, panting softly.

She tried to fill her mind with Minato, to focus on him waiting for her outside, but the phantom voices from KunoichiHub broke in again. Look at that ass. Those curves. Fox Queen of Konoha. Goddess. The imagined praise, lurid and hungry, filled her ears until she moaned faintly, clutching at the wall.

Her body betrayed her with every thought. She stood there longer than she needed to, letting the water run endlessly, until at last she forced herself to turn the handle off. Silence reclaimed the washroom, broken only by her ragged breath.

On the rack near the tub, two towels hung neatly. One large and plush, enough to cover her entire frame, respectable and safe. The other, small and narrow, barely enough to drape across her breasts or hug her hips.

She reached for the large towel first, fingers curling into its softness. For a heartbeat she held it to her chest, imagining herself stepping out properly wrapped, dignified. Then her lips curved faintly, and she let it fall from her hands to the floor.

'No… Jiraiya-san said I'd be a star. Stars don't hide. Stars shine.'

Her hand found the smaller towel, lifting it lightly. The cotton was thin, the kind that clung when wet. She turned toward the mirror above the vanity, dripping, naked, hair plastered to her back.

She froze at the sight. Her wet skin glistened under the light. Her breasts stood proud, nipples still flushed red, darker than they had been that morning, the lingering mark of Shiro's teeth and tongue teasing them hours ago. She lifted her arm, cupping one, and winced at the tender sensitivity still there. Still red… he left me marked, and I'm wearing it like proof.

Her gaze fell lower, to the smooth, bare plane between her thighs. Water traced clean lines down her mound, no hair to soften or shield it. The sight made her stomach tighten. 

Spotless. Kami, I'm spotless. Jiraiya saw. The camera saw. And if those images… She couldn't finish the thought, too overwhelmed by the ripple of heat spreading through her belly.

She drew the smaller towel against her chest, the fabric catching her nipples immediately, dragging across them until she gasped. She turned her side to the mirror, draping the towel just loosely enough that one curve of her hip peeked out.

The bigger towel lay abandoned on the stones, forgotten. The smaller one hugged her body, too brief to hide what it promised.

Her lips parted as she whispered to her own reflection. "You'll be a star…"

She smiled faintly, dizzy and giddy at the thought. I'll be a star, just like Jiraiya-san said. They'll see me and they'll know.

She tilted her head, studying her image, the droplets still sliding down the curve of her breast, the darkened peaks beneath the towel. She pressed the fabric tighter, as if testing how much more it could reveal.

Her arousal pulsed hot and insistent. This isn't cooling me down. It's only making me burn hotter.

She bit her lip, her violet eyes glimmering in the mirror. Then she turned, towel clinging to her, and walked toward the door.

TBC

Ok, here's chapter 23 of Primetime. 

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