章節 117: Chapter 117 Doing Things Others Don't Know About

"I'm not happy!" Ino said frankly.

"Why?" Naruto looked Ino up and down, "Did Tsunade-sama say something that made you so angry?"

"I'm not angry."

"Okay, you're not angry." He glanced at the door, then back at Ino, "So, are you planning to stay here tonight, or go home?"

Ino hesitated for a moment, "Go home."

'Good, her rationality was still intact. This made things easier.' Naruto took off his shoes and led Ino back to the living room.

"Wait a minute."

The water was boiling in the kitchen, crickets chirped outside, and beyond the window, the night was pitch black. The light in the living room was clear and steady, like a lighthouse in a dark sea.

Standing in the kitchen, Ino watched as Naruto prepared cocoa and quietly said, "I'm not angry anymore."

"What did Tsunade-sama say to you?" Naruto asked.

"She said... She said you took the panties from the Sunagakure's Princess, so you two must have… have…" Ino trailed off, not finishing her sentence, "Well, it's actually not a big deal."

"That Godaime Hokage is really..." Naruto was speechless, feeling Tsunade really didn't act like a responsible person.

"It's just a pair of socks, and I already threw them away."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

There was a click as the water finished boiling.

"Let me do it." Ino pushed Naruto towards the living room, and he went along, lying down on the couch.

He glanced at the dark night outside, then back at Ino bustling in the kitchen, and suddenly felt a sense of what married life might be like.

'Although Temari's incident had been a bit of a hassle, but in the end, nothing really happened. I guess she has returned to normal now.'

Naruto was also relieved that he hadn't taken advantage of the situation. Otherwise, Temari wouldn't have represented Sunagakure in extending a gesture of goodwill towards Konoha before she left.

Although this matter didn't directly involve him, being specifically called upon did connect him to it. At the very least, the written records of Temari and Shizune's conversations would have some impact during the high-level meetings.

After all, the handling of the Jinchuriki was the first significant matter Tsunade had to deal with after the loss of the Last Uchiha during her tenure as the Hokage. In other words, it was a power struggle between the old and new factions inside Konoha.

Everyone assumes that Kyubi and the Jinchuriki are inseparable, and that there is a certain possibility of creating a perfect Jinchūriki.

But in reality, Naruto planned to release Kyubi, and even found a new container for Kyubi.

"What are you thinking about?" Ino came out carrying cocoa, pulling the lounging Naruto up off the couch with an annoyed look, "Get up."

"I was thinking about when I'll get to see a maid outfit, no, a maid with black stockings."

"You pervert!" Ino gritted her teeth.

"But there's no such outfit here, and I left those clothes at home, so it's really a shame."

"No worries, I have one," Naruto immediately responded.

"Eh?" Ino backed away ten steps and looked at him with disdain, "Why would you have something like that? Pervert!!"

"I've always had one."

"You're definitely a pervert, a complete pervert!"

"Isn't that perfectly normal?" Naruto was puzzled, "It's good to have a few sets stored away, just in case."

"You are really not just a pervert!" Ino pressed herself against the wall, the light in her eyes fading, "That stuff should just disappear!"

…

Late at night, on the streets of Konoha.

The two walked side by side, occasionally exchanging a few words.

"The high-level meeting should be tomorrow, right?" Ino said, with her hands behind her back. "I heard from my dad that the Yamanaka Clan will also make a statement, but we share the same opinion as the Nara Clan and the Akimichi Clan."

"The Ino-Shika-Cho trio has always been united." Naruto murmured, "That's just how it is."

"You don't have to worry, we're all on Tsunade-sama's side." Ino said, "Tsunade-sams is really amazing, you know, she's one of the Legendary Sannin and now, the Godaime Hokage."

"Yeah, I guess." Naruto said.

"Anyway, don't worry." Ino glanced at Naruto out of the corner of her eye, noticing that he seemed to be growing taller. He no longer wore his forehead protector, and his golden hair fell freely around his face.

"Okay." ," Naruto didn't say much more.

"Um... The fireworks festival is in a few days. Are you going?" Ino asked.

"When?"

"Three days later."

'Three days later? The 23rd… I think it was Ino's birthday, I can't remember exactly. Oh well, I'll just ask Shikamaru and Choji tomorrow.'

"Then, are you going to wear a yukata?" Naruto asked.

"Duh, how could I not wear a yukata to a fireworks festival?"

"Then I'll definitely be there."

"… You really are…"

Because Naruto's mind was preoccupied with the upcoming high-level meeting, he felt a bit tense. It was not until they reached the Yamanaka Flower Shop that he snapped out of it.

"I should head back now." said, glancing at the Yamanaka Flower Shop, "It seems that my parents have already gone to bed. It's already so late."

"Go ahead."

Naruto didn't leave immediately, but watched as Ino walked to the door of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. Ino reached out to push the door, but then she froze. No matter how she tried, the door wouldn't budge.

"Locked?"

She looked up at the window, which seemed to be locked too.

She called out a couple of times, but there was no response.

In the end, Ino returned to the big tree with an outrageous expression on her face. She pointed at the Yamanaka Flower Shop, then at herself, and was so shocked that she couldn't speak.

"Looks like you missed the curfew. What a shame."

"It's only eleven!" Ino's face turned bright red.

"Maybe Uncle was too tired from work. Anyway, you can't get back in now." Naruto grabbed Ino's arm and pulled her over.

"Come on, let's go back."

"Where to?" Ino quickened her pace to keep up, the night breeze lifting her hair as she held it down, "But... I don't have any clothes."

"I have three sets of maid outfits, four sets of aprons, and..." Naruto began listing off, but quickly got his comeuppance as Ino pinched him hard on the waist.

"Go to hell, you pervert! I'm not wearing any of that it!"

"Really? We look like a couple right now."

"What!! No... There's no way that's true!" Ino hurriedly denied it, "Don't say such weird things! My parents will hear it!"

They continued walking back, bantering along the way.

"Ino, your face is so red."

"Huh? Maybe it's because it's too hot." Ino was a bit flustered from being exposed.

To divert the topic, Ino asked quietly, "Um... I mentioned I wanted to secretly hide it last time, right? Like keeping it from my parents and all, but now it seems like I can't even keep the keys hidden."

She was referring to how she often visited Naruto's house, feeling a bit uneasy about it.

"Well, even if they know, there's nothing we can do about it." Naruto suddenly took Ino's hand, and she froze, her bright blue eyes widening like glass marbles as she looked at him.

He stared directly at her face.

"What?" Ino's eyes were brimming with moisture.

"Then, let's do something they don't know about." He suggested with a hint of mischief.

"Have you ever held hands with anyone else?"

"Do my parents count?" Ino's voice trembled.

"No."

"What about with other girls?"

"I'm envious."

"What's there to be envious of? You're holding hands with girl right now, aren't you?" Ino was so nervous that her palm quickly became sweaty. She tried to pull away but found her hand firmly held.

"Your hand is so soft."

"Stop saying things like that. It's too embarrassing." Ino bit her lower lip, her face flushed, "… It makes me uncomfortable."

Naruto enjoyed seeing this softer, more vulnerable side of Ino. Despite her usual bravado, a little pressure would make Ino panic, and she couldn't maintain her composure.