In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

Chapter 334 Discovered Some Peculiar Trait

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"Are you really not afraid of being seen?" Naruto stared at Sakura, speechless. He couldn’t understand how she had the guts to be so bold.

"What’s the big deal? Don’t couples do bold things like this?" Sakura showed no sign of restraint at all.

Naruto: “…”

‘What kind of excitement is this? Who would be excited by this kind of thing?’ Naruto grabbed her feet mercilessly, then sipped his tea with one hand while playfully toying with her foot under the table before sending it back.

"Why are you thinking about me all of a sudden?" He redirected his attention to the table, focusing on picking up his food, "Aren't you usually busy with training and work at this time?"

"I'm here to freeload a meal. Shizune-san is handling things at the Medical Department, and Ino’s at the Hokage’s Office, so I don’t need to run between the two anymore." Sakura said after taking a bite of the food.

"Why is Ino working in the Hokage’s Office?" Naruto was stunned for a moment. He put down his chopsticks and asked as he looked up.

"It’s just a temporary reassignment. Who knows what’s going on at the Hokage Tower?" Sakura said without even looking up, "Now that you know where she is, aren’t you going to go make up with her?"

"I’ve got to eat first. Can’t go on an empty stomach, can I?" Naruto replied.

"How are you going to thank me for telling you this news?" She asked.

"Free meal?"

"Deal." Sakura ate seriously, taking bite after bite, "I’m counting on you for the next two weeks, I’m almost too broke to afford food."

‘A two-week reassignment? That long?’ Naruto made a mental note but didn’t dwell on it too much. After all, it was just a reassignment, not something too unusual.

"Are you short of money?"

"Of course! The salary from working at Konoha Hospital is barely enough to cover my living expenses." Sakura complained after finishing her meal and setting down her chopsticks.

"Being Tsunade-sama’s disciple is already lucky enough, so asking for special treatment would be pushing it. Besides, I have my eyes on a house recently."

"Hmm???" Naruto was genuinely intrigued, ‘Buying a house in Konoha?’

"Aren't you the only child in your family?"

"Yeah." Sakura replied, clenching her small fists, "But I’m not telling my parents. I want to buy it secretly."

"Let me guess, you’re not planning on buying the one next to mine, are you?" Naruto asked Sakura with a frown, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Nope.”

"Good."

"I'm buying your apartment and become your landlord," She added casually.

"What?!" Naruto nearly jumped out of his seat, "Are you crazy? Why would you waste money like that?!"

"I already looked into it. You are renting that apartment. I want to buy it outright." Sakura said, counting on her fingers, "I'm just a little short on money right now."

"Wait, do you have a grudge against me or something, Haruno Sakura?"

"Um, no." Sakura turned away, acting shy.

Seeing her like this, Naruto's eyelids couldn't help but twitch, and he stared at her and said, "No grudge, yet you’re trying to make me homeless?"

"Hehe, I just want to see what it feels like to be your landlord." Sakura replied half-jokingly, making it hard for Naruto to figure out what was going on in her head.

"Whatever you want." Naruto said, "How much more do you need?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"You’re going to lend it to me?" Sakura’s eyes lit up with excitement.

"Maybe. It’s not great luck to say ‘lend’ between friends, so I’ll just give it to you." He said after thinking for a while.

"Really?"

"Nope." Naruto rolled his eyes at her and reached out to ruffle her hair again, "What the hell are you thinking about? I’d have to be crazy to give you money."

"You got anything to offer in exchange?" Naruto leaned back in his chair and asked casually.

"Everything." Sakura half-jokingly responded.

Naruto turned his head away from her. He thought for a moment and didn’t say anything.

Seeing his silence, Sakura also chose to stay quiet, and the two exchanged a glance across the table.

"Are you serious?" He asked.

"Yeah, serious!" Sakura nodded.

"Alright, let's talk about it later. Make sure to show up tomorrow for the meal." He stood up and said.

"You’re cooking?" Sakura was a little surprised, then thought to herself, ‘You’re not seriously cutting costs just because I’m freeloading, are you?’

"No, of course not."

"Oh, so where are we going to eat tomorrow?"

"Where?"

"Yeah?"

"I’m not cooking, you are."

"????" Sakura was stunned and looked at Naruto with a puzzled expression, "Are you serious?"

"Of course." Naruto replied, already heading for the door, "Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know. Gotta save where we can. As for the ingredients, I'll prepare them for you, don’t worry."

"It's going to be cold tomorrow, so remember to wear black stockings with your jeans."

Sakura was dumbfounded, watching as Naruto paid the bill and walked off. She lowered her head and thought, ‘Isn't this basically selling myself? A free chef?’

‘It didn’t seem like a bad deal, but it didn’t feel like a win either. What an odd situation.’

…

Later that afternoon.

Naruto found Hinata, who was just starting her day off, and as soon as they met, he grabbed her hand and led her to a secluded bamboo grove. The place was cool and shady, with a gentle spring breeze blowing.

Hinata’s face flushed bright red, and she didn’t dare look up the whole way, afraid of bumping into any of her clan’s members. She cautiously controlled her breathing along the way, and after what felt like an anxious eternity, they finally reached the bamboo grove safely.

"Uh… Hinata, do you still have some of that sake from last time?"

"Huh?" Hinata was stunned for a moment, then looked up and asked in doubts, "What sake?"

"The kind you gave to the foxhound. Give me some more? Please?" Naruto held onto Hinata’s hand as he spoke.

"Th-that’s no problem." Hinata's voice gradually became quieter, "But… Naruto-kun, could you… let go of my hand first? I’ll go get it."

"Make sure it’s a whole bottle." He did not let go immediately, but gently squeezed her soft hand instead, "Do you have a bottle?"

"I-I do." Hinata’s voice trembled, especially as she saw a clan member approaching from a distance. Her body nearly went limp from the nerves.

"Huh?" Naruto turned his head and obviously noticed the person passing by. Without thinking too much, he pulled Hinata close and hugged her in front of him, then hid behind a nearby tree.

He wanted to ask Kurama to do something, but he couldn't let go of his pride and didn't want to lower his attitude. He figured asking Hinata to get the Hyuga Clan’s special sake would be a way to bait Kurama.

As he held Hinata close, his mind was still preoccupied with how to lure Kurama to take the initiative. Suddenly, he felt the girl in his arms move, so he lowered his head to check.

Hinata’s face was flushed all the way to her ears, and her body was so soft it felt like she was melting. This momentary feeling nearly threw Naruto off.

"Hinata, are you okay?" He asked as he supported her.

"I-I’m fine." Hinata stammered, quickly escaping from Naruto’s embrace. She stumbled a bit as she backed away, almost tripping, and said, "I’ll go get it now. Wait for me."

Looking at Hinata's hurriedly departing back, Naruto glanced at the now-gone passerby, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

He knew that Dark Sakura just liked to talk, and if things got real, she’d back out in a heartbeat, too scared to follow through.

‘But Hinata? She wouldn’t be the type to enjoy the thrill of the moment, right?’

‘It seemed like I had discovered some peculiar trait about Hinata.’