Ino's face flushed as she looked away, her eyes glistening with embarrassment.
"I moved to a new place and wanted to check on you." Naruto said, handing Ino the gift bag, "Are you alright from the other day?"
"I'm fine." Ino replied, her face growing even redder.
When she heard Naruto mention that day, memories of her lace lingerie being lifted by a sword and the feeling of being held flashed through her mind.
Suddenly, she felt like there were ants crawling in her heart, making her feel sour, bitter and itchy.
She looked down as she took the bag, murmuring a soft acknowledgment. But soon after, she lifted her head as if something had suddenly come to mind.
"Do you want to come inside the shop for a bit?"
"My parents aren't home."
"Not home?" Naruto showed a puzzled look on his face.
Ino instantly realized the implication of her words and became flustered. Her pupils dilated slightly and her face turned bright red instantly.
"I-I didn't mean it like that…"
"Oh~" Naruto nodded knowingly.
"Ahhhh!!!! You know nothing! Stop pretending to know everything! Take that 'oh' back!"
Ino, fuming with embarrassment, grabbed Naruto and dragged him into the shop.
"Just wait here."
The female customer had already left, and Ino hurried upstairs with the gift bag, leaving Naruto to sit idly in the shop, looking at the flowers.
To be honest, he didn't recognize many types of flowers. He only knew that this was probably a rose and that was a white rose. When he saw the yellow and white flowers, Naruto immediately gave up thinking.
After looking around for a while, he heard some creaking noises from upstairs, followed by the sound of Ino coming down.
She carried two cups of hot drinks, which seemed to be freshly made cocoa.
Naruto could smell the bitter aroma from a distance. He wasn't particularly fond of cocoa, but since Ino had made it, he decided he could tolerate it.
"Where did you move to?"
"To the top floor of 404 Konoha Street." Naruto replied, putting down the cup and frowning slightly.
Ino's face instantly fell, and she pursed her lips and said, "If you don't like it, I'll just throw it away."
"I'll drink it with a heart full of gratitude," Naruto declared firmly.
"You don't have to be so exaggerated." Ino said, clearing her throat, the blush on her face finally fading, "I really like the gift you gave me. Thank you."
Not hearing a response, Ino looked over curiously, only to find Naruto staring at her legs without blinking. She immediately became furious.
"You pervert!!!"
"I'm going to die, I'm going to die! Please stop pinching me!" Naruto quickly begged for mercy.
After a long while, Ino finally let go of Naruto.
Naruto showed sincere expression and apologized earnestly, "I'm really sorry, Ino."
Looking at this guy, who was both more skilled at being perverted and more sincere in his apologies than anyone, Ino sighed in exasperation. She kicked Naruto down with a socked foot and lightly pressed it against his chest.
Her naturally firm leg muscles tensed as her eyes darkened ominously, "Go to hell, you worthless pervert."
"I'm sorry." Naruto said guiltily.
"You idiot, don't apologize with that satisfied look on your face! You're such a creep!!"
Ino was on the verge of losing it. She sat back down, holding the cocoa in her hands. The residual heat created a layer of mist on the wall of the cup. The hot air steamed her face, and Ino's eyes were a little erratic.
'This person always says the strange things. I can't say I hate him, but I can't say I like him either.'
"Ino." Naruto stood up, holding his cup as he gazed out the window.
"Do you remember what you promised me?"
"Sorry, I forgot." Ino was stunned for a moment, then she calmly stood up and was about to go upstairs.
"People who lie have to swallow a thousand needles."
Ino froze in place, standing on the first step of the staircase. She pursed her lips and looked back at Naruto, who grinned mischievously and took a deliberately annoying sip of his cocoa, "I just said that casually."
Ino clenched her fists and said through gritted teeth, "Fine, I'll wear it."
After saying that, she stomped up the stairs, her heavy footsteps making Naruto wonder if she was going up to grab a knife instead.
This time, she took so long that Naruto started to think Ino might have fallen asleep upstairs.
He had been exhausted from moving earlier in the day, and the cocoa he drank hadn't helped at all. So his mind began to drift into a haze.
He thought about Jiraiya and then about Sandaime, who had passed away.
'Tsunade was likely to succeed as the Godaime Hokage, and it wouldn't be long before Jiraiya would seek me out. As long as I don't have to accept the fate of being the Child of Prophecy, everything will be fine.'
Naruto's eyelids grew heavy as faces flashed in his mind: Itachi's eerily calm expression, Kisame, and Orochimaru, Kyubi and Sasuke.
"Naruto, Naruto." Ino's voice pulled him back to reality, followed by a gentle shake, "Honestly, Naruto, how can you fall asleep at a time like this?"
"Sorry." Naruto lifted his head from the table and saw Ino standing before him in a maid outfit.
"Hurry up and look! I'm changing back right after, you pervert!" Ino's face was bright red, her expression filled with reluctance as she glared at Naruto with disdain.
In a daze, Naruto stared at Ino in a maid outfit for a long while.
Her golden hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she wore a pair of cat ears on her head. Ino's face was a mix of embarrassment and shame, while a fluffy, wide collar adorned with a red ribbon sat around her neck.
Her entire arm was covered in long, slender black sleeves, revealing only her pale hands.
The bust is raised and the waist is slim.
Her chest was modestly emphasized by the form-fitting outfit, and the lace-trimmed skirt barely covered her upper thighs. White knee-high socks continued up toward the skirt, creating a seamless connection.
Ino's reluctant look gave her a somewhat saintly aura. She looked down upon Naruto with contempt as she narrowed her eyes.
"Thank you for the treat."
"Don't say weird things like that!" Ino grabbed Naruto by the shirt, her face so close to his as she ground her teeth in a threatening manner.
Naruto was about to apologize when he heard a noise coming from the entrance of the shop.
"Ino, you shouldn't be rude to the customers…"
The sound of a wind chime echoed as the door swung open, revealing a middle-aged couple standing in the doorway, staring at Ino and Naruto in stunned silence.
Rino's words caught in her throat as she saw her daughter in a maid outfit, gripping a young boy by the collar.
The two had obviously just returned from shopping, as the Inoichi was holding several bags in his hands. Seeing this scene, he was stunned at first, and then silently turned his gaze elsewhere.
"Dad, Mom?" Ino was petrified instantly.
The night wind was howling. Above the Hokage Rock, Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, stared at the night view of Konoha Village in silence. Beside him were two of the village's elderly Advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
"Jiraiya, we need the Godaime Hokage."
"What does that have to do with me?" Jiraiya didn't even turn his head, his face was unusually serious.
"Yesterday, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire arrived in Konoha. During an emergency meeting between the village's higher-ups and the Daimyo, we decided to appoint you as the Godaime Hokage."
"Jiraiya."
"The village needs a strong leader. This is our decision."
"I'm used to being free and undisciplined, and I'm not the type to sit in the Hokage's Office." Jiraiya refused directly, "Tsunade is more suitable to be the Hokage than me."