Naruto climbed up to the third floor of Konoha Hospital's inpatient area. Probably due to the early spring weather, the doors along the hallway were either slightly ajar or completely closed.
He reached out and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Sakura, with her striking pink hair, was dressed in a blue and white striped hospital gown, holding a book in her hands, sitting up against the bed. Her demeanor was calm and composed, giving off a serene and tidy vibe.
In the same room, Koyuki's slightly wavy black hair added a lazy elegance to her appearance, even in a hospital gown.
Perhaps due to her dual identity as a princess and an actress, Koyuki, in her hospital gown, looked less like a patient and more like someone playing the role of a patient.
"Oh, it's you." Koyuki was reading a magazine, and glanced up at him briefly upon hearing the sound. From the cover, it didn't seem like any serious magazine.
However, when Naruto caught sight of the Icha Icha Paradise book in Sakura's hands, he found himself at a loss for words, 'Well, neither of them were reading anything particularly respectable.'
"Don't look so disappointed, jeez." Naruto, unconcerned, grabbed some snacks that were meant for the two women, tore open the packaging, and casually started eating.
"How are you both feeling?" Naruto asked casually as he sat down.
"It's nothing serious, but it will take some time before we can be discharged from the hospital." Sakura put down the book, her eyes calm, "I want some water."
"Oh, sure." Naruto got up to pour some water. When he turned around, he noticed a slight smile at the corner of Koyuki's mouth, and a bad feeling flashed through his heart.
Sure enough, as soon as Sakura took the glass, Koyuki's elongated voice followed, "I want some water too~."
"Can't you pour it yourself?" Naruto grumbled a little unhappily, but still poured a glass of water for Koyuki.
"I don't feel like moving." Koyuki said lazily.
"Here! Drink it all."
"So rough." Koyuki's voice carried a hint of teasing as she smiled and took the glass.
"Heh." Naruto didn't bother responding to her.
He could handle Koyuki's clumsy flirting tactics, but now wasn't the best time, as Naruto didn't want Sakura to realize how good he was at flirting.
'In any case, showing off such skills was best reserved for moments alone with Koyuki. Then, I could leave her thoroughly impressed and begging for mercy.'
"I really want to get out of here. It's so stuffy here..." Koyuki obviously talked more than Sakura. She kept sipping her water and talking incessantly.
"Can you slow down a bit? Won't your mouth break?"
"You are the one who broke." Koyuki shot him a glare, then fell silent, lowering her head to continue reading her magazine.
The days of drifting at sea in constant fear were over, but they seemed to have left a significant impact on Koyuki. It affected her body, and it seemed her personality had changed quite a bit too.
"I want to go to the bathroom." Sakura suddenly said.
"Huh?" Naruto glanced around, then pointed to himself, "Do you need me to help you up?"
"Yes."
"Uh....."
Naruto wasn't sure what that "yes" meant, but he went over to help Sakura up from the bed. There was a bathroom inside the room, so it wasn't as troublesome as having to go outside.
After opening the door, Sakura let go of him and started undressing. Naruto stepped out, listening to the sound of water splashing. Once it stopped, Sakura's voice came through again.
"I'm out of strength."
Opening the door, Sakura looked at him with a calm expression. Naruto said nothing, just took care of her and helped her out.
There wasn't much reason to stay at the hospital, so after chatting with the two women for a bit longer, Naruto left the room before Sakura's parents arrived.
It seemed both Sakura and Koyuki would need to stay hospitalized for some time. In that case, Naruto felt there was no need to rush into revealing his true intentions.
Visiting a few more times and then subtly making his purpose clear would be more tactful, increasing the chances of restarting the mission.
All he needed to invest was some time, which, compared to the potential rewards, was a very worthwhile trade.
In essence, it was a win-win situation. Koyuki couldn't avoid her responsibilities forever, and eventually, she would have to return to the land that birthed and raised her, sooner or later.
As for Naruto, he simply wanted to upgrade his Flying Thunder God Technique.
…
Another week passed.
Just when Naruto thought Tsunade had completely given up on him, she finally sent someone to summon him.
Yugao's voice was still cold and businesslike. She was squatting on a branch near the window, with an ANBU mask on her face.
"Godaime-sama wants to see you."
"Oh." Naruto calmly put on his pants, got out of bed shirtless, put on slippers and washed up.
It was infuriating how shinobi nowadays seemed to have no privacy. The only consolation was that his body was still developing well, and he was in good shape.
Though he couldn't compare to Sasuke, the kind of stoic, ascetic-looking handsome guy, Naruto still had the vibes of a rough-around-the-edges young man.
Looking at his reflection, Naruto saw his spiky blond hair, fair complexion, and straight nose. His gaze was laid-back, and his smile carried a hint of mischief, yet he still had the youthful aura of someone who seemed to have a bright future.
That boy doesn't look like a good person, but in a weird way, he's somewhat good-looking… That was Anko's assessment of him.
In this regard, Naruto's opinion is that the phrase 'doesn't like a good person' can be removed.
Looks were something he couldn't control, but fortunately, his face wasn't bad, about a seven or eight out of ten. With a little effort, he could make a striking impression to others.
For the first time ever, Kurama was not asleep. Seeing that Naruto was about to go out, he peeked his head from behind the couch and asked, "Are you going out?"
"Yeah." Naruto yawned and bent down to change his shoes at the entrance.
"I'm going out for a while too, for takoyaki." Kurama said excitedly, as if it was a holiday.
Naruto didn't have the habit of rejecting Kurama, so he let him go wherever he wanted. He waved his hand, signaling him to follow. The man and the foxhound then went downstairs and headed straight for the takoyaki stand.