Like You, So You Won't Be Lonely

Walking through the bustling hall, surrounded by the lively sounds of people and the aroma of cooking, you also have to watch out for the sizzling sound of steam rising from the next table due to improper handling.

As you ascend to the third floor and enter the private room corridor, the surroundings immediately fall silent, the sounds of diners completely shut out from the first floor. Soft carpet lies beneath your feet, and the faint aroma of spiciness wafts from behind the various doors.

"I actually preferred to eat on the first floor, but the situation is special today, so we have to come here." Shikamaru introduced lazily, since the two people behind him were his own people and there was nothing he couldn't say.

"We can't keep people waiting forever, that's not good," Ino said.

"Yes, women are such a hassle."

Ino: "."

Although she knew that Shikamaru didn't mean it that way, she was still a little unhappy. Unable to hit Shikamaru Naruto was smirking beside her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Naruto's expression gradually turned terrified.

"It's all your fault!"

"Ugh!! Ino, that's a bit unreasonable of you!"

"So what? Humph." Ino is becoming increasingly unreasonable.

But as soon as she pushed open the door to the private room, she immediately started playing around with the two girls again. Surrounded by them like flowers, the girls would burst into silvery laughter every now and then.

Naruto rolled his eyes, sat down next to Shikamaru, leaned back in his chair, and looked like an old man.

"When did you get back?" Choji greeted him skillfully, dressed casually, his tone already showing a hint of adulthood.

Naruto didn't react much, just raised an eyebrow and uttered a sentence.

"Today."

"We're kindred spirits, aren't we? We just happened to run into each other today." Choji patted his shoulder with his thick palm and gave him a wink.

"How are things between you and so-and-so? When did you get together?"

Ino was right there, and Choji didn't dare to mention the princess's name directly, so he could only use "that person" instead. Shikamaru slowly looked at the menu, his ears perked up.

"Nothing much." Naruto sniffed. "Young people should focus on their careers. I'm not as idle as you guys. Romantic relationships are so mundane."

With a thud, Shikamaru casually tossed the menu onto the table, giving Naruto a slightly disdainful look.

"You wouldn't even let go of my hand just now, what's wrong? Now you're putting on an act. I've been flirting with you for years without any action. You wouldn't happen to be hiding something bad, would you?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Eat your food," Naruto said.

"The food hasn't been served yet." Shikamaru was a little speechless. This guy was good at changing the subject, but he didn't press the matter further.

That's ultimately Ino and Naruto's private matter; I only mentioned it because they're childhood friends. There's no point in saying more, since it's their business no matter how good their relationship is.

The door to the private room opened, and dishes were laid out one by one. A small pot was lit in the center, and white smoke rose up. The atmosphere instantly became lively.

The wine was slowly brought out, and the bottles were opened and filled.

Shikamaru and Choji seemed to have gotten used to it; the relationships within the old clans remained quite serious. Now that they were adults, drinking had become a passive skill that ninjas learned to suppress their emotions.

"I heard that..." Shikamaru began, slowly opening up the conversation among the others.

The people present all knew each other, so even with two more girls, the atmosphere wouldn't be awkward. Naruto didn't need to actively engage in conversation; simply joining in on the others' chatter occasionally was enough.

Half an hour later, the atmosphere at the table became completely lively. Ino also drank, but not much, just small sips. The last time she got drunk and tried to kiss Naruto, she was almost ashamed to death and vowed never to do such a stupid thing again.

"The Land of Rain, it's not that scary." Naruto has been traveling around for the past few years, visiting places that the others would almost never go to.

Having spent so much time with Jiraiya, I also know how to start conversations that interest people. A few casual anecdotes from the journey are enough to handle this kind of situation.

"Will you be this busy in the future?" Choji suddenly asked.

Ino was chatting and laughing with the two women when he heard this, and he suddenly paused for a moment.

"I don't know, it's not decided yet." Naruto slammed his glass down on the table and said lazily, "If nothing's going on, I'll probably stay in the village, but I might also have to go out on a mission."

"Drink less," Ino said, turning to look at him with a frown.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Choji immediately snatched Naruto's wine cup like a lackey, and said with a goofy face.

"Have some water."

Naruto: "."

Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Shikamaru suddenly stood up, raised his wine glass, and said.

"I have something to announce."

It seemed like it had been planned for a long time; there were only a few things one could say in this kind of setting. Judging from the tone, it was probably about the most important things in one's life.

Ino looked up at Shikamaru with a puzzled expression, Choji seemed a little nervous, and the other two girls had different expressions. Naruto leaned back in his chair with his eyes half-closed, the light appearing as a narrow strip in his eyes.

The private room fell silent. The pot bubbled and churned, and the fresh ingredients that Choji had just put in simmered and danced in the boiling water.

"Tamako and I are getting married next week," Shikamaru said, a blush creeping onto his face.

Intelligent people don't blush easily; they might even try unhealthily to control their expressions. But Naruto, seeing the seriousness and shyness in Shikamaru's eyes, knew it was probably true.

"Great!" Choji clapped his hands, and the atmosphere in the private room instantly became lively.

The girl named Tamako blushed, probably expecting this, and she blushed when she stood next to Shikamaru under the lamplight.

He opened his eyes, stood up, and congratulated him. The butterfly effect had finally revealed its true colors years later. For Naruto, it was also a good thing.

The significance of this dinner party demonstrates the power of the butterfly effect. A man like Shikamaru would be treated very well no matter who marries him.

He glanced at Ino out of the Ino of his eye and could only see her profile, which was always smiling.

The word "marriage" was unexpectedly heavy, and Naruto didn't feel much when Shikamaru announced his marriage. Ino was good, and their life together was good.

But things often don't go well once he tries to settle down seriously.

The chairs were pulled out, and a few people got up. Shikamaru and Choji still had things to do. After saying goodbye, they each left in different directions with their girlfriends.

Ino naturally followed Naruto out. The two stepped out of the private room, breathed in some fresh air, and felt instantly refreshed by the cool night breeze.

"What are you thinking about?" Ino asked.

"I wasn't thinking about anything, I just felt like time was flying by." Naruto sighed in a somewhat old-fashioned way, "We were laughing and joking together just yesterday, and now I realize those guys are already getting ready to move on to the next stage of their lives."

"Shikamaru doesn't like those jobs, but the elders of the Nara Clan want him to participate more in high-level activities," Ino explained from the side.

"Only by getting married at this time can you slow down your life trajectory; it's precisely because you weren't ready that you got married."

Her eyes were bright as she looked at Naruto.

"Choji doesn't have that much pressure, but he's a kind person. Shikamaru got married not long ago, and he'll choose to get married too."

"Are you envious?" Naruto turned and asked.

"Um."

At the corner of the stairs on the third floor, Ino turned around and stood side by side with Naruto in front of the window, looking at the lights of Konohagakure in the distance, and said with a smile.

"But I know you're not envious, so I'm not envious either, that way you won't be lonely."