Chapitre 34: Gift

"Don't even dream I'll ever fight like that again" Snorting, Naruto continued "I ended up not being able to train my body for two days, I've almost lost the habit of using the training weights."

"Tsk"

Waving his arms, Naruto continued "You said you had vests with weights."

"Mn."

"Are they too thick?"

"They're ninja vests"

"I don't like them at all, don't you have something else hidden?"

"No, but we could have something made."

"You're paying for it?"

"Take it as charity for the poor"

"It's great to be poor" Giving a thumbs up to Sasuke, Naruto continued "Arriving at the village we'll have about two more weeks to train and then come the exams."

"Do you think that guy will participate?"

"I have faith in it, it really will be entertaining" Nodding while smiling, Naruto continued "Maybe what kind of monsters we'll run into."

"What do you think about what Kakashi said?"

"Having to go alone?"

"Yeah."

"I don't see any problems"

"Won't they say something to us for arriving alone?"

"I doubt he'll actually leave for a long time, it's likely we won't notice and he'll show up next to us along the way"

"You seem to have a lot of faith in him" Raising his eyebrows, Sasuke continued "Don't forget that a ninja can fall at any time while fulfilling his missions"

"Don't you know Kakashi-sensei's reputation?" shaking his head, Naruto continued "He was not only the strongest ninja of his generation, but thanks to his Sharingan, it is said that he has managed to copy hundreds or thousands of techniques, so I see it very difficult for him to fall... not to mention that he will possibly be the future hokage in one or two more generations"

"..." Nodding with understanding, Sasuke was silent for a moment and asked "You said you knew a lot of things... do you know how he got that Sharingan?"

"It's a complicated story...promise not to say anything about it?"

"Mn."

"I don't know many details, but just like us, he formed a team of 3 under the command of the fourth Hokage before he became Hokage" Thinking for a moment, Naruto continued "There was a mission that went very wrong and ended with the death of two of his two partners that marked him for life... in that mission he lost an eye and his partner who was an Uchiha, used his last strength to remove his own eye and give it to Kakashi"

"..."

"All this was confirmed by the fourth Hokage, who came to the situation just at that time, and that's why your clan never tried to get it back even though they were always very wary of his eyes... they decided to go along with the last will of that Uchiha"

"I see..." Frowning slightly, Sasuke muttered "Now I remember hearing something about that...I didn't think it was Kakashi-sensei."

"Kakashi-sensei is a good person who really cares about his own, you can trust him wholeheartedly" Turning his gaze to Sasuke, Naruto continued "Never forget that."

"Mn" Quizzically, Sasuke nodded.

Following the rest of the way in a comfortable silence, the duo arrives at the house and looked at Kakashi who was waiting for them already fully ready to leave.

"We're here."

Looking at the trio standing in front of him, Kakashi watched their faces carefully and nodded "What had to be said has already been said. You will take the same route we came by and aside from stopping by to replenish supplies to villages, you are not to approach anyone else, understood?"

"Mn" Nodding, Sakura continued "Don't worry sensei, I control these idiots."

"I trust that" Nodding, Kakashi continued "Talk to Tazuna and he will get them cloaks to hide their ninja identities, they have to use them if or if, understood?"

"Sensei, from the way you talk it sounds like we're kids leaving home for the first time."

"Aren't they?"

Rolling his eyes, Naruto snorted and fell silent.

"Well, that's it" Having said everything, Kakashi walked over to them and rubbed Naruto and Sasuke's hair "I'll ask you both to please don't kill each other on the way or you'll get me in trouble."

"..."

Turning his gaze to Sakura, Kakashi continued "Sakura, if it occurs to them to train until they can't move in the middle of the road to Konoha, leave them to their fate, let them learn that their actions are stupid"

"Yes, sensei!"

"See you then" Waving his hand as he waved goodbye, Kakashi quickly disappeared from his spot and left the trio behind.

"So... let's go train?"

"Let's go."

Looking at the duo leaving towards the forest, Sakura sighed and shook her head, then shouted "Tazuna-san said that tonight there would be a party to celebrate the construction of the bridge, so don't overdo it!"

"A party... nice" With a smile while nodding towards Sakura, Naruto murmured "I hope there's seafood this time."

"I hate seafood"

"You don't know what's good"

"Do you want to fight?"

"I'll pass for today, I'll train with Zabuza's sword and I have a lot to learn with my element."

"As you wish"

***

"This... is this for us?" looking at the neatly folded ceremonial yukata on the table, Naruto asked towards the smiling Tazuna and Tsunami.

"The whole village came together to give you this gift" Nodding with a smile, Tazuna continued "In a way we wanted to thank you for your help and so we wanted to hold the party in your honor, and although it's a pity that your sensei isn't here, you're enough."

Looking at each other doubtfully, Naruto finally shrugged and took the one that was supposed to belong to him, and caress the soft fabric with interest.

"It is made of a rare silk that is blended with cotton that is only made in the south. Our king took them out of his private coffers as a way of thanking you for your contributions" Approaching Naruto, Tsunami continued "And even though he can't come to the party, he sent his best cooks to make sure the party is to your liking"

"You know I'd be happy even if the party had bread" Smiling while shaking his head, Naruto continued "But please get our thanks to him, they really are beautiful pieces."

With Naruto taking the nod, Sasuke shrugged and grabbed his yukata, then turned to Tazuna and nodded silently.

"I'll go change clothes, I'd hate to keep them waiting" Looking out the window at the sunset, Naruto smiled and walked towards the stairs, then upstairs and headed to the bathroom.

Taking a quick shower and drawing cold water from the bucket, Naruto stretched out the yukata and raised his eyebrows at its exquisite embroidery.

The yukata really is stunning.

Having a predominantly dark color on the back and chest area, the yukata was especially highlighted by the collar with exotic blends of colors between blue and white, delicately forming numerous sea waves with an obvious representation to the country, while, in the lower area of the yukata, more giant waves extend to the center of the back and having the particularity of having crimson strokes that sincerely combine especially well with his hair.

[A/N: reference photo of Naruto with the yukata here, remember that the hair is different]

"Now... how the heck do I wear this?" noticing the fabrics, strings and what appears to be a dark blue robe, Naruto scratched his hair and muttered.

Knock Knock Knock Knock.

"Yes?"

"Naruto, it's me."

Hearing Tsunami's voice from the other side, Naruto asked "Is something wrong?"

"I wanted to see if you need help with your yukata? Sakura and Sasuke had some problems, and I thought you'd be a little iffy too."

"Well... I don't know how to wear any of this."

"Are you in your underwear?"

"Yes."

"May I come in?"

"Go ahead" Without a second thought, Naruto nodded.

"Excuse me..." Opening the door and stepping inside to close the door behind her, Tsunami stared at Naruto's sculpted body and blushed slightly in embarrassment, then looked down and walked over to him "What don't you understand?"

"I don't know what comes first, I don't know what comes after and I don't know what comes after all. In short, I don't know anything."

"Let me help you" Taking what looks like a robe, Tsunami stretched it out and stood behind Naruto "Stretch out your arms."

"Mn"

"..." Stopping her movements, Tsunami stared at the thick shoulders in front of her and gave her toned back a long look.

"Tsunami?" Sensing strange emotions coming from her, Naruto gave her a sidelong glance and asked with confusion "Is something wrong?"

"N-no, nothing" Shaking her head quickly as her blush grows, Tsunami tucked Naruto's arm over one sleeve and then tucked the robe around her shoulders, then tucked the other arm in and stood still for a moment.

"..."

With a slight hesitation, Tsunami took the open parts of the robe and hugging Naruto from behind, she carefully closed it, then took the two dangling pieces of cloth and tied them with some difficulty around his waist.

"What's this thing called?" feeling no shame at all despite the fact that the woman behind him never fails to convey those emotions, Naruto asked with interest.

"Yukata."

"This is the yukata?"

"Yes."

"So what is that fabric with embroidery on it?"

"Think of it as a decorative cape."

"Oh... cute."

Taking a long piece of gray cloth with more wave embroidery but having golden strokes, Tsunami wrapped it around Naruto's waist and began to carefully tie it.

"What is this?"

"An Obi, it's to highlight your figure and keep the yukata in place" Finishing tying it, Tsunami took the thin silver rope and wrapped it over the Obi "And this is an Obijime. It serves to keep the Obi in place and for decoration."

"It's cute."

"Well... the rest is intuitive" Looking at the navy blue sandals and socks, Tsunami continued "Those sandals go next to the Yukata, they are called Geta, while the socks are their complements and are called Tabi"

"Let me put them on" Taking the socks, Naruto put them on with ease and then put on the sandals, then looked at the cape and asked "How do I use that?"

"Let me help you" Smiling, Tsunami held the cape and helped Naruto put it on, then grabbed his shoulder and made him turn around to start fixing the folded fabric around his neck.

"..."

"..." Looking up and noticing the blue eyes staring at her, Tsunami took a step back a little more blushing and looked closely at Naruto's body in silence.

"How do I look?" Cocking his head to one side, Naruto asked as he raised his arms and turned slightly.

"You look..." Blinking silently as she raised her gaze up to Naruto's face, Tsunami muttered "Amazing."

"Thank you" Showing his teeth with his smile, Naruto turned to the mirror and looked at his messy hair "Now what do I do with this?"

"..."

"Tsunami?"

Waking up from her stupor, Tsunami stared at Naruto's long hair that already reaches halfway down his back and thought for a moment "Will you let me do some touch-ups?"

"You want to cut?"

"Mn"

"Go ahead" Shrugging, Naruto nodded.

"Wait a second" Quickly leaving the bathroom, Tsunami went to her room and took a wooden box in her hands, then went back into the bathroom and closed the door.

Opening the box, Tsunami took a pair of scissors and spoke "Sit down and look at me."

"Mn" Sitting down, Naruto stared at the woman in front of him and waited in silence.