Naruto left the bar after spending some time there, having a few drinks to unwind. After stepping out, he teleported straight back to his apartment. To clear his head, he decided to head up to the rooftop of the building. It was his go-to spot whenever he needed to feel refreshed. Most of the time, sitting on the ledge, watching the sky, and feeling the wind around him helped him relax and forget about everything else.
Tonight, though, as soon as he reached the rooftop, he realized he wasn't alone. There was someone else already there, sitting on the ledge and staring up at the sky. She looked... sad. Naruto couldn't help but wonder what was going on with her. He didn't recognize her either, which made him curious.
"You're gonna freeze to death out here," he said casually but firmly as he approached her, his voice cutting through the quiet of the night.
She seemed startled, almost losing her balance. Naruto's reflexes kicked in instantly—he lunged forward, grabbing her wrist to steady her. For a split second, their eyes met. Hers were red and swollen, like she'd been crying.
"Let go," she snapped, yanking her arm away.
He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax. Just didn't feel like scraping you off the pavement tomorrow."
She glared at him, but then recognition flickered in her eyes. "Wait… you're that hunter. Naruto." Her voice cracked, a mix of awe and resentment. "The guy who soloed the S-Rank gate. Shouldn't you be busy being a celebrity or something?"
Naruto smiled lightly. "Nah, no time for that. But what about you? I don't think I've seen you around here before."
She shook her head and looked away. "I just moved here today. My mom thought this would be the safest apartment for me to live in for now."
"Safest apartment? Why's that?" Naruto asked as he sat down on the ledge a small distance away from her, swinging his legs toward the other side and glancing down at the road sixteen floors below.
"Well, isn't it obvious? Because of the 10th S-rank Hunter in the country," she replied, using air quotes, as if she were quoting someone else—probably her mom.
"What do you need safety from?" he asked casually.
"Nothing, really. It's just… I'm living on my own for the first time, so my mom thought this would be the best place," she answered, equally casual.
"I see," Naruto said. "But she should've known living in the same building as me might cause some problems, right?"
"Like the reporters and all the attention your celebrity status brings?" she asked.
"You could say that," Naruto replied.
"No, that's not a big deal. Plus, I was just joking. My mom got the apartment here way earlier. The value of each place has shot up since, you know… after everything," she explained.
"Yeah, I know," Naruto said. A brief silence settled between them before he finally asked, "What's your name?"
"Emma. Simple," she answered, her voice so quiet it was barely audible. Naruto only caught it because his hearing was sharper than most.
"I think we should both get down from here," Naruto said. "You might fall again, and I might not catch you this time."
She steadied herself and managed a small smile. "Why? Don't you think I'm a good catch?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she bit her tongue, clearly embarrassed. "Ugh, what a cliché thing to say," she muttered to herself.
Naruto chuckled softly. "Well, I don't know about a 'good catch,' but you've definitely caught my attention." He winked playfully before turning serious. "But, seriously, sitting on those chairs over there would be much safer than perching here."
Emma hesitated for a moment, her cheeks still flushed from her slip-up. She glanced at Naruto, who was now standing and offering her a hand to help her down. His playful grin was oddly disarming, and she reluctantly took his hand, her fingers brushing against his rough, calloused palm.
"Thanks," she muttered, her voice barely audible over the wind.
"No problem," Naruto replied lightly. "You know, for someone who just moved here, you're already making quite the impression."
Emma rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Yeah, because nearly falling off a rooftop is so impressive."
They walked over to the chairs and sat down side by side. Emma leaned back comfortably, her gaze fixed on the sky, while Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the cool breeze. After a while, he glanced over at her. She was still staring at the stars.
"What?" she asked suddenly, without turning to look at him. It was like she could feel his gaze.
"Nothing," Naruto replied, shifting in his chair and closing his eyes again. "Why'd you come up to the roof at this time anyway?"
"For the fresh air," she answered.
A small silence stretched between them. After a few moments, Naruto broke it. "Why'd you need the fresh air?"
"No reason," she said softly.
Naruto didn't press further, and the silence returned. About five minutes passed like this before Emma spoke up again, breaking the quiet.
"You know…" she started, her voice thoughtful, "this—us sitting in chairs on the rooftop—it reminds me of something."
"What's that?" Naruto asked, his tone soft.
"I don't know… a book I read had a similar scene. I can't remember the name of it, though."
"Ah, I see. I'm not really big on reading, or I might've tried to guess the book you're talking about," Naruto said.
"I don't know if it's any good or not," Emma continued, "but I remember a game from the same book. It's a pretty interesting one."
"I'm all ears," Naruto said, sitting up and turning toward her.
"It's called 'Naked Truth,'" Emma explained.
"'Naked Truth'? Interesting," Naruto replied, leaning back slightly.
"Yeah, it's exactly what it sounds like. You tell one complete truth about yourself—no filters, no facades—and then I do the same. We take turns, like a normal game."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Naked truth, huh? Sounds like a game for people who have secrets to spill. Do you have any, Emma?"
Emma hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her jacket. "Maybe. Doesn't everyone? But it's not about spilling secrets. It's just… being honest. No masks, no pretending. Just raw truth. You don't have to play if you don't want to."
Naruto leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm not one to back down from a challenge. But let's get one thing straight—if we're playing this game, there's no backing out halfway. We go all in. Deal?"
Emma met his gaze, her eyes steady despite the nervous flutter in her chest. "Deal."
"Alright, then," Naruto said, his tone casual but with a hint of seriousness. "You brought it up, so you go first. Lay it on me."
Emma took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly as she stared at the sky. "My boyfriend died two days ago," she said, her voice quiet but steady. "And the thing is… I don't feel bad about it. I don't feel anything, really. I should be sad, right? But I'm not. I just… feel nothing."
Naruto was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and looked at her. "You don't have to feel anything you don't feel, Emma. Grief doesn't work the same way for everyone. Sometimes, it takes time to hit. Or maybe… you already grieved in your own way, and now there's just… nothing left."
Emma glanced at him, her eyes searching his face for judgment or pity. But all she found was understanding. "You're not going to tell me I'm heartless or something?"
Naruto shook his head. "Nah. I'm not here to judge. I'm here to listen. That's the point of the game, right? Naked truth."
Emma let out a small, shaky laugh. "Yeah. Naked truth." She said, "Now your turn."
Naruto leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he locked eyes with Emma. "Alright, my turn. Here's my naked truth," he said, his voice dropping just enough to send a shiver down her spine. "Right now, I'm imagining what you'd look like if I unzipped that jacket of yours and let it fall to the ground. And I'll be honest—it's kind of all I can think about at the moment."
Emma's eyes widened, and a deep blush spread across her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say something but seemed to struggle for words. Finally, she let out a nervous laugh. "Wow. I didn't expect that."
Naruto chuckled, leaning forward slightly. "You said no filters, no facades. That's as naked as it gets."
Emma shook her head, still blushing, but a small smile crept onto her face. "Fair enough. I guess I walked right into that one."
Naruto shrugged, his grin widening. "Your turn again. Ready to top that?"
Emma hesitated, then let out a breath. "I'll try. Just give me a second to recover from your honesty first."
Naruto laughed, the sound light and carefree. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."