In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

Ino's whole body went completely limp. That single 'Nee-chan, I'm sorry' from Naruto sent waves of forbidden emotions crashing through her mind, pushing away all the rationality she had built up.

She had completely forgotten what she was angry about, and when she wanted to push him away, she found that she had no strength at all.

Tsunade, lying in the chair, cracked her eyes open just a sliver. Her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the two of them before she closed her eyes again. The warm evening breeze carried by the setting sun gently coaxed her back to sleep.

Naruto grabbed Ino by the wrist and led her out of the office, then softly closed the door behind them.

In the corridor, Ino, dressed in her professional suit skirt, had slender, fair wrists. After struggling for a while, she finally managed to pull her hand free, panting as she did so.

"Y-you! What do you think you're doing!?"

"Tsunade-sama said it's after hours, didn't you hear?" Naruto said with a smile, standing in front of the open window where the sunset bathed his broad back in a warm glow.

His frame appeared lean and tall, the edges of his figure outlined in a golden light.

"I haven't finished my work yet." She stammered, turning her head to the side, her face flushed. Her heart was pounding as her mind kept replaying the electrifying 'Nee-chan'.

She had no idea where he had picked up that way of calling her, but whatever it was, she wasn't going to let herself fall for it.

"Then, I'll go back in with you." Naruto looked at her with a teasing smile, "I'll help you finish up. If not, I'll just keep following you."

The mere thought of returning to the office with Tsunade still resting there made Ino panic, 'If this guy acted up again and caused a scene, I'd never be able to show my face again.'

"No way! It's after hours!" She said, almost pouting.

She didn't know why, but she wasn't really that angry right now.

Every time she saw him, she couldn't help but feel irritated, yet he always seemed to brush her frustrations away so easily.

Naruto grabbed her hand, his eyes sparkling with a youthful energy that was uniquely his. In the quiet hallway, warm evening air swirled around them, and their shadows intertwined on the wall.

He pushed Ino against the wall, leaning in close to her neck, his breath tickling her, making her squirm.

"Are you mad? You're even avoiding me, hmm? Hiding from me."

"I'm not." Ino's psychological defenses completely collapsed, her eyes brimming with mist as she trembled, trying to deny it, "I'm not hiding from you."

"If you weren't hiding from me, why didn't you tell me you were reassigned to the Hokage Tower?" Naruto let go of her, his eyes a little cold, as if he would leave at any moment.

"I… I wasn't." Ino's voice grew softer and softer.

"Really?" He asked, as if he would disappear immediately after she nodded.

"I was a little mad, but just now, when you… in the office, I wasn't mad anymore." She said with an embarrassed look on her face.

Hearing this, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Wanna go out tonight?"

"Where?"

"Well, let's just walk around and have something to eat on Konoha's Main Street." Naruto replied casually, and then asked, "Do you have to go to work tomorrow?"

"Yeah." She nodded, "It's been busy lately. I'll probably finish late again."

"Even later than today?"

"Probably… around midnight. Tomorrow is the end of the month, so I need to sort out the mission documents." Ino explained in a low voice.

After hearing what Ino said, Naruto realized it was already the end of March and April was just around the corner.

"Alright, I'll come pick you up around midnight." He said, taking her hand and leading her down the stairs.

"Why?" She asked in a muffled voice, looking at the figure who was half a step ahead with questioning gaze.

"Why so many questions? I don't want you walking home alone that late." He said, "If I didn't know, it'd be one thing, but since I do, I can't just pretend I didn't hear it."

"But… what if there are other times when I'll have to walk at night?" Ino followed him down the stairs. Her steps felt light, as if she was walking on clouds.

"Just tell me and I'll come get you."

"Mm." Ino softly responded, a small wave of happiness rising within her, like a piece of broken cookie that only revealed its sweetness after you took a bite.

On the staircase, Naruto kept holding her hand, and he walked in front of her, making his figure a little lower than hers. At the corner of the stairs, their gazes met for a brief moment, one looking up and the other down.

In the dimly lit, narrow space, Naruto's cool, restrained gaze made Ino's heart skip a beat. Somehow, she could read what his eyes were saying: He wanted her.

Naruto's gaze quickly shifted down the stairs, as if he were focusing on the path ahead.

Ino's face suddenly turned red at a visible speed, as if it was on fire. As she thought about a certain possibility, her face turned red all the way to her ears. Her teeth clenched from nervousness, and her heart was pounding loudly in her chest.

Konoha is actually quite prosperous, with a high population density, various shops, and stores selling all kinds of daily necessities. The spending power of the village's Shinobi wasn't lacking, and under Tsunade's governance, the village seemed to show signs of entering a new golden age.

The bustling streets of Konoha were brightly lit. Ino seemed a little uncomfortable with being held by the hand, but when she tried to break free, she found it was impossible to break free, so she gave in and let him lead her.

"What are you so nervous?" Naruto asked in surprise the moment he turned his head.

"I'm not." She quickly denied.

"You're a terrible liar. Next time, try to cover it up a bit better." Naruto commented casually as he glanced at her slowly. He found that she looked a little cute when she was trying to argue.

But when he thought about how her expression just now was like that of a little girl who stole the forbidden fruit for the first time, he couldn't help but frowned and asked another question, "Did you misunderstand something?"

"No." She denied at first, but then, taking advantage of the relatively quiet street, she leaned closer to his shoulder and whispered, "Are you trying to take me to that place?"

"What place?"

"You know…" Ino bit her lip, her pale hand hooking around Naruto's neck as she pulled him down closer, pressing her lips to his ear. Her hand clamped tightly over her mouth, as if to prevent the words from leaking out.

"***."

"Oh~!" Naruto pulled her hand away and looked at Ino in shock, "I really should've recorded that."

"You!" Ino punched him in annoyance, "I was just joking."

At an outdoor barbecue stall, Ino had kicked off her shoes, revealing her snow-white feet, and dangled them under the table. She took a bite of the sweet, oily grilled meat and washed it down with a drink, her face lighting up with happiness as she squinted her eyes in contentment.

"Ahh! This is great!" She exclaimed with emotion. "Thank goodness I got off work on time today. I've been so exhausted these past few days, I feel like I'm about to fall apart."

Looking at Ino, whose mood seemed to have improved, Naruto sat leisurely while slowly grilling more meat. The early summer night was lively, filled with the sound of clinking glasses and cheerful conversations.

The atmosphere made him feel a little envious, as summer was certainly a good time for drinking. But he reminded himself that there was no rush. He just needed to wait a few more years and then enjoy it properly.

"Ah~" Ino extended a piece of perfectly grilled meat toward him, smiling mischievously as she waited for him to take it.