Meeting Jiraiya Together

"The Pervy Sage."

"Oh, um?"

Ino sat on the sofa and pondered for a while about Pervy Sage. Then she suddenly remembered that there was only one person in Konohagakure who could call himself a sage, and her pupils dilated sharply.

"Huh?"

"You don't think it could be Lord Jiraiya, do you?"

"Yeah." Naruto leaned against the kitchen door, glancing at the pots and pans in the kitchen from time to time, and said casually, "Besides him, there is no other Pervy Sage in Konohagakure."

"That's Lord Jiraiya!" Ino's body stiffened, her eyes widened, and her fingers gripped the sofa. "One of the legendary Legendary Sannin."

"What's so strange about that? Haven't you seen the other Legendary Sannin? Tenten 're always in the Hokage Building, and they're not that rare or precious."

Ino was speechless. When she turned around, Naruto had already gone back to the kitchen to continue working.

"Of course it seems ordinary to you, but he is the Lord Hokage after all." She sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the drunken Nine-Tails, and muttered to herself.

"It's rare to see her even once before a mission. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her more than a few times since Hokage Lord Tsunade."

"Maybe you're the only one who thinks Lord Tsunade is nothing special, but the Hokage isn't someone you can just meet whenever you want. You're thinking too simply."

"I don't know, maybe, we're quite close." Naruto's voice came from the kitchen. "Anyway, you'll see when you meet him. The Pervy Sage isn't that great; he's just like an ordinary person."

"Even though you say that, you're definitely still nervous, aren't you?" Ino clenched her hands, then placed them on her thighs, shook them nervously, and turned to look at the kitchen before asking.

"Should we prepare some gifts? Isn't today the New Year Festival?"

"I actually forgot about that, and I haven't prepared anything yet. Oh well," Naruto said while stirring the soup. "Just bring some food with you; he won't mind."

"Ugh, suddenly I'm too scared to go." Ino collapsed onto the sofa, her face burning as she buried it in the pillow.

Bubbling sounds came from the kitchen; Naruto seemed to be chopping vegetables, the rapid thud of his knife against the cutting board filling the air. Washed slices of meat, coated in flour, slid into the hot oil, their golden coating gradually swelling like cotton.

His voice, mingled with the sizzling of hot oil, could be heard clearly across half the living room.

"I won't force you to do this, it's just that the Pervy Sage is about to go on a mission. There's definitely no time to celebrate the New Year Festival together, and I also got the time wrong."

"I don't have anything good to give him, so I'll just make some food and take it with me. If I leave alone, you'll probably be bored here, so why don't we come together?"

"Okay," Ino said sullenly.

After a while, Ino got up from the sofa again and hurriedly went into the bathroom. She turned on the light with a click, stood in front of the large mirror in the bathroom, looked at herself again and again, and immediately her face fell.

"Why didn't you say so sooner?" she complained.

"What?" Naruto didn't hear Ino clearly because the kitchen was too noisy, even though it was across the living room. "What pink bra strap?"

"Go to hell! You pervert!" Ino's frantic voice came from the bathroom.

"That's weird." Naruto stood in the kitchen, taking the fried tempura out of the pan, and glanced out the window at the gray, snowy landscape.

It wasn't dark yet, and the kitchen was warm and cozy. Footsteps came from the other end of the living room. Naruto glanced around and saw Ino standing at the kitchen doorway, nervously preparing to speak.

The ultimate romanticism on a winter night is found in a warm, brightly lit living room, and a girl in a sweater, her thoughts impossible to hide. Standing there, her inner turmoil is written all over her face.

"Am I dressed too casually? Is it really appropriate to go see Lord Jiraiya like this? I look so ugly!"

"How about I go home and change my clothes?"

"What do you think looks good? But I don't seem to have any very formal clothes, they're all like this."

"Huh? Why are you spacing out? Honestly, aren't you listening to me?"

Naruto snapped out of his daze, calmly looked down to turn off the stove, and reached for the plate, pretending nothing had happened.

"I look good in anything, and I don't need to dress up much."

"This won't do!" Ino blushed. "How can you dress like this to meet your elders? It's so impolite!"

"An elder?" Naruto was about to pick up the soup, narrowed his eyes. "You mean the Pervy Sage? He should be considered an elder, but there's no need to be so formal."

After the meal.

"Hurry up!" Ino urged from the doorway, carrying a lunchbox, her ears slightly red. "Let's get out of here quickly, or the snow will get even heavier."

"It's alright, he can't run away. That Pervy Sage is holed up in that tavern drinking." Naruto slowly came out of the kitchen washing dishes and wiped his hands clean as he spoke.

"The Love Hotel isn't bustling yet, so he won't leave so soon."

Ino: "... There's no need to explain things in such detail, and how do you know so much about Love Hotel!"

"What are you thinking about?" Naruto put on his thick coat, picked up the scarf from the sofa, glanced at Ino, and said, "I just know, but I can't go to places like that."

"Who knows!" Ino turned her head away.

Naruto didn't say anything, but handed the scarf to Ino, and the two of them slowly went out.

Ino was still dressed the same way, and despite Naruto's strong persuasion, she didn't waste time going home to change. She was wearing a light-colored coat over a pink sweater.

She's shed her usual energetic and lively demeanor, and now she has a cool and aloof vibe.

Downstairs, the two walked along the snow-covered street. With a whoosh, Naruto opened a large black umbrella. It was like a black lotus suddenly blooming in the snow, exceptionally conspicuous.

Her body was trembling slightly, but it wasn't entirely because of the cold weather. Thinking about what that person had said at the kitchen door, she couldn't help but feel a little hot-faced.

This feels like we're meeting the parents.

Shaking her head, Ino desperately dismissed the idea. This was just a side trip to meet the legendary Legendary Sannin; Lord Jiraiya was always very mysterious, so she'd just treat it as an opportunity to broaden her horizons.

Such opportunities are rare, so stop overthinking.

"It's so cold." Ino exhaled a puff of white breath.

Fine snow fell silently onto the black umbrella. Naruto turned to Ino, tilted the umbrella toward her, and then naturally took the food box she was carrying.

"It's a bit far, let me carry it."

"Oh."

Outside the tavern, Ino paused outside the noren curtain. Naruto, about to go in, noticed Ino's movement, turned back to look at her, and asked in confusion.

Why did you stop?

"I," Ino lowered her eyes, her fingers intertwined, and spoke somewhat hesitantly, "I'm a little nervous."

"What's there to be nervous about? He's just a Pervy Sage." Naruto glanced Ino up and down, grabbed her hand, and pulled her inside.

"Huh?" Ino was caught off guard and was pulled into the tavern, where her surroundings suddenly became bright.

"Pervy Sage, how did you get so drunk after just a few dishes?" Naruto placed the food box on the table.

"Why are you here?" Jiraiya looked up from the table, a white wine cup placed to the side, his body reeking of alcohol.

"I got the date wrong. It 'New Year Festival, so I brought you some dishes," Naruto said calmly, opening the food box. "Are you planning to stay here all night?"

"How could that be? I'll wait a bit longer." A lewd smile appeared on Jiraiya's drunken face.

Just as he was about to say something, he noticed a pretty young girl standing behind Naruto. He was slightly taken aback and immediately swallowed back the words "Love Hotel" that were about to come out of his throat.

"Who is she?" Jiraiya asked, pointing at Ino.

"Friend, you should remember the daughter of the Yamanaka Clan."

Ino's face was flushed, and she was trembling all over. She hadn't heard what Naruto and Jiraiya saying at all. It wasn't until Naruto pulled her up that she suddenly looked up.

"This is the Pervy Sage," Naruto introduced to Ino. "His name is..."

"Lord Jiraiya- sama!" Ino bowed sharply, looking adorably flustered. "My name is Ino Yamanaka, yes..."

"Hahaha!" Jiraiya chuckled, clapping his hands as if holding the sake bottle loosely, and said, "You're that brat from the Yamanaka Clan's daughter, aren't you? How's your father's health?"

"That's good, Lord Jiraiya," Ino said with a smile.

She immediately relaxed, surprised that Jiraiya, one of the legendary Legendary Sannin, was so easy to talk to. She had been so nervous before entering the room, her heart practically leaping out of her chest.

Naruto rolled his eyes as he watched the two exchanging pointless pleasantries. Wasn't that Pervy Sage about to say "Love Hotel" just now?

Good grief, in order to maintain his image, he swallowed it back.

"I'll go order some juice, so I can have some with you," Naruto interjected at the opportune moment. "Try some of the food before it gets cold."

"Alright." Jiraiya put down the bottle with great interest, looked at Ino, and said, "Don't be so reserved, everyone sit down."

Naruto went to get the juice, Ino smiled and nervously sat down next to the chair.

"Are you living together?" Jiraiya asked suddenly, picking up a piece of food with his chopsticks.

"Ah!" Ino quickly waved her hand, "No! No! It's just that today is the New Year Festival, and my parents are busy going out, so I don't really want to go."

"Then I didn't want to mind the shop, so I happened to go to his place!"

"Oh, what a coincidence." Jiraiya nodded. "You two have such a good relationship, it's truly enviable."

"That kind of thing..." Ino blushed, her ears turning red, and stammered, "Actually, our relationship wasn't that good; we just bumped into each other occasionally."

"What's the relationship?" Naruto asked casually as he returned carrying a bottle of juice.

"No, nothing!" Ino denied, blushing.

"What did you ask, you Pervy Sage?" he asked, glancing at Jiraiya who was calmly drinking.