In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

Someone in the Intelligence Department noticed that Ino had quietly skipped work, but no one was too surprised, after all, they did it often themselves.

In fact, as long as you weren't caught, it wasn't a big deal. At most, you'd get a light scolding, and they wouldn't even dock your pay. This leniency was due to the rarity of skilled talent in the department, which granted them certain unspoken privileges.

It wasn't strange for others to sneak off like this, but it was quite unusual for someone as well-behaved and popular as Ino, the 'Flower of the Intelligence Department', to do so. People started to notice that Ino left work early today and went away with a young man in an intimate manner.

"Who's that guy?"

The Intelligence Department has a constant stream of new recruits, all of whom are not still quite young.

The rumors of Naruto being a fox demon had ceased four years ago, thanks to Tsunade's intervention. Naruto had spent these years working mostly on field missions. He would either stay cooped up at home or be off on some missions for months at a time.

The village had changed quite a bit over the years, and with a new generation of Shinobi coming in, not everyone recognized Naruto anymore. Some of the newer recruits weren't aware of the more complex and hidden truths of the village, as their knowledge was limited to what the older veterans shared during work.

"That guy? Oh, he's a big deal. But it's normal if you don't recognize him." A young man who looked to be in his early twenties, holding a thermos cup and leaning against the desk, reminisced with the air of an experienced senior.

"Another member of some great clan?" The newbie grumbled, feeling a bit annoyed.

"If you really think so, then you're way off the mark..." The young man opened his mouth and wanted to brag a little, but suddenly he remembered that this guy had just abducted the Flower of the Intelligence Department, so why was he acting all high and mighty?

With this thought, he quickly shifted into what seemed like a wise man's mindset, no longer interested in showing off. He waved his hand dismissively.

"Just don't get involved with him, that's all I'll say."

The 'experienced' twenty-something sighed, thermos in hand, shaking his head as he walked off, brooding.

If some fool did end up messing with Naruto, it wasn't his problem anyway, as nothing too serious would come of.

Over the years, plenty of people had tried to court Ino, but her suitors were mostly people from the same generation, who had grown up with her. So what chance did they have?

A bunch of clueless guys assumed Ino was approachable because she was friendly to everyone, so they boldly made their advances. But they didn't consider that she was the beloved daughter of the Clan Head of the Yamanaka Clan, Inoichi, and a true princess of the Yamanaka Clan.

Her warm demeanor wasn't because of a lack of standards. Every year at the New Year Festival, who doesn't know that the next generation of Ino-Shika-Chou could easily command a presence on their own?

Moreover, although there are Genin graduating from the Academy every year, the most outstanding grade in recent years is undoubtedly the group of next-generation Shinobi, many of whom had already earned the rank of Jonin several years ago.

Meanwhile, Naruto remained unaware that he was being discussed by others.

He was casually walking through Konoha's main street with Ino, chatting idly as they strolled along. The golden hue of the setting sun made the streets seem quieter and more serene than usual.

"Do they know you're back?" Ino asked, glancing at him.

"Them?" Naruto's gaze wandered over the storefronts as he walked, his long legs moving rhythmically, neither fast nor slow, just enough to be half a step ahead of Ino.

"Shikamaru, Choji... and Hinata."

Hearing this, Naruto raised an eyebrow, realizing that something was wrong, 'We had just chatted so much, but it turned out to be just a prelude.'

The cold early-spring wind blew harshly, making the golden sunset feel frozen in time. As soon as those names left her lips, Ino regretted it. She hadn't meant to let them slip out.

In that brief moment, all her senses sharpened. Her heart pounded like a drum, and the surrounding sounds seemed to amplify infinitely, the soft crunch of their footsteps on the street becoming louder.

"Shikamaru?" Naruto responded calmly, "When I got back, of course, I came to see you first. I can't contact them either, unless a communicator is finally developed in the future."

"Besides, why would I look for them? As soon as I get back, I'll naturally look for you first."

Naruto thought to himself, 'Sakura didn't count since she had come to me first, and I hadn't expected it. So technically, aside from reporting to Tsunade, the first person I actively contacted was indeed Ino.'

"Is that so?" Ino cast Naruto a sidelong glance, not minding his attempt to play dumb. Instead, she looked up and smiled sweetly in the freezing golden sunset.

"Even if you're lying to me, hearing that makes me happy. Let's… let's go find something to eat."

But how could Naruto let Ino off so easily? She was so young yet already prone to jealousy, so he figured there needed to be some consequences to prevent her from being jealous again in the future.

"So, you think I went to see Hinata first, then came to find you?" He asked directly, turning to look at her, "Do you think I prefer Hinata over you?"

"I never said that… I didn't mean it like that."

"Are you seriously bothered by this?" A trace of surprise flashed across Naruto's face.

"I…" Ino blushed slightly.

People are like this, they hide their emotions in their hearts and want others to notice them, but when they are really noticed, as soon as they speak out, it seems as if they have done something wrong.

"Is it that obvious?" She asked quietly, sneaking a glance at Naruto.

"Um."

The New Year Festival had just passed, and Naruto wasn't wearing many layers. He was dressed in a thin, form-fitting black tracksuit, his soft golden hair casually tousled.

Thanks to the 'support' of Gato-sama, Naruto had never lacked money and had always had proper nutrition, resulting in a tall, slender figure by the age of eighteen. When he wasn't speaking, he had a cool and aloof aura. When the two of them walked together, they exuded a youthful vibe which attracted the attention of some passers-by along the way.

Ino occasionally stole glances at the boy she liked. Whether they were talking or teasing each other, she couldn't help but think that if they ever ended up together, Naruto would be the only one who would stick with her through the hardships and the sweetness of life.

Seeing Naruto walking in front with his hands in his pockets without saying a word, she couldn't help but poked him in the waist and asked, "What if I really am jealous of Hinata? What would you do?"

He tilted his head to glance at Ino, thinking silently in his heart, 'Ino seemed more like a girlfriend in love. She would get jealous, act like a spoiled child, and pour out endless love without reservation like the scorching sun.'

'Such a character could only come from a family filled with affection, where everyone loved her, teaching her how to love genuinely in return.'

"Well, then I'd just have to go find Hinata." He said.

Immediately, he felt the pinch of soft flesh on his side as Ino twisted it firmly. She snorted, leaning almost completely onto him as she protested, "Can't you at least pretend for once?"

"You know me I've never lied." He replied without missing a beat, and stretched out his hand to embrace Ino, "Are we even a couple?"

"Wha… how could we be!" Ino's face turned redder by the second as she stammered, "I-I…"

"Exactly." Naruto playfully patted her head, "We're not a couple, so why are you so controlling of me that I can't even see my friends?"

"I didn't say that!" Ino was momentarily at a loss for words, but she felt like something felt off about the whole situation. However, she couldn't pinpoint it right away.

By the time she realized Naruto had already started walking ahead, all she could do was grumble and catch up, muttering words like 'sneaky' and 'slippery' under her breath. She had finally figured out his game.

The two continued their stroll and eventually stopped at a small shop for a meal. At the table, Ino didn't bring up the jealousy topic again. Instead, she focused on discussing the Chakra communication device.

She wanted to complete the project, partially due to her own personal reasons and also out of a sense of idealism. Her personal reason was that even if they weren't together, they could still stay in touch.

Her idealistic motivation was to advance Konoha's technological development by integrating a Chakra-based communication system, which could revolutionize the village's communication capabilities. For her, her personal desires and her ideals were perfectly aligned.

"You know…" Ino has fair skin, and a smooth and elegant jawline. Being a Shinobi is a profession that requires a lot of physical training, so her body shape is naturally impressive.

Passersby outside the shop would steal glances through the window, catching glimpses of her face and silhouette, instantly recognizing her as a genuine beauty.

They probably had no idea that the Naruto sitting across from Ino wasn't all that knowledgeable about technical matters. While Ino excitedly explained her ideas, his face showed no trace of impatience at all.

Even though he didn't fully understand what she was saying, it didn't stop him from appearing deeply interested. Even if most of what she said went in one ear and out the other, he'd still chime in every so often, asking a question or two to make it seem like he was following.

When Naruto spoke, though, he still had a mischievous streak. Out of nowhere, he'd slip in comments like, 'Where are we going tonight?' or 'Wanna come over to my place on your day off?' His remarks came one after the other, catching Ino off guard.

But Ino wasn't falling for it. She'd grown up and learned to be cautious. If she had a clear conscience, there'd be no need to avoid such invitations, but she didn't. She was certain that if she went over to his place now, they might end up with a baby in the not-so-distant future.

She doesn't want to have kids so early and she is still not mentally prepared yet.

Two years ago in the store, during that time in the shop, she'd almost given in, and this became an itch that would come back from time to time in Ino's heart. Whenever she thought about him, she'd recall the heavy breathing they had once shared.

Even though she would never say these things out loud and carefully hid her emotions, she forgot one thing: eyes can speak too.

"By the way, in a few days I'm going to visit my grandmother. Do you want to come along?"

"What?" Naruto was taken aback.

'Isn't the topic changing too quickly? We're meeting the family already? Isn't this a bit too sudden? No, it seems that I have already met her parents, so there is actually no pressure.'

"Don't you have time?" Ino asked, resting her chin on her hand.

"It's not that. It's just… a bit unexpected." Naruto said, fidgeting with the water cup on the table, his gaze drifting, "Why ask me all of a sudden?"

"Your parents will be there too, right?"

"No." Ino shook her head. "I used to go alone. Every year after the New Year Festival, I'd always find an excuse to sneak off and visit my grandmother."

Naruto caught onto a key word, 'sneak'.

He thought to himself, 'No wonder every year during the New Year Festival, Ino seemed to vanish like she was invisible, and it's impossible to track her down. So, there was this secret involved, sneaking away. But wait, wasn't Ino's grandmother just Rino-san or Inoichi-san's mother?'

'Did they have a falling out? Was there internal tension between the clan members, so strained that only Ino could sneak away to visit?'

Naruto could already picture the scene: a stern-looking elderly lady, leaning on a cane, sitting there with an air of authority, looking down on everyone.