After-Work Plans: Ino Sees His Honesty, and Naruto's Careful Details

"Ninjas don't get married so easily." Kakashi looked up from the pile of documents, his single dead fish eye staring at the blond-haired man in front of him through his mask.

"You're oversimplifying the life of a ninja, aren't you, Naruto?"

"Didn't Asuma and Kurenai get married too?" Naruto found a place to sit down. He had come to Kakashi to ask him to help him transfer Anko to a new job.

It's something that can be done easily, oh, and by "easily" I mean Kakashi and Tsunade. As for Naruto, he's insignificant and has no real power.

Although he didn't inherit the Fourth Hokage's legacy, he did inherit the Fourth Hokage left behind. Being able to meet with the Hokage without any obstacles makes getting things done quite convenient.

With a snap, Kakashi lazily stamped the Fifth Hokage's personal seal on Anko's application form, showing no enthusiasm whatsoever for being drafted by Tsunade.

"Asuma? How can that be the same?" Kakashi glared at his foolish disciple and said, "They've basically retired early and no longer accept missions."

"Being a ninja is a high-risk profession, and you could die at any time during a mission. If you've experienced war and lost loved ones like I have, you'll understand."

Kakashi pressed Anko's application form off the table with his finger and handed it to Naruto, saying earnestly.

"Happiness and stability are fleeting, like flowers in a mirror or the moon's reflection in water. It's best to admire them from afar; when you actually try to grasp them, you'll become unhappy."

Naruto left the Hokage's Office, reflecting on Kakashi's words. He suddenly understood the situation of their generation and also understood what Anko meant by "it's good this way."

After finishing the task, he put away the application form and planned to give it to her tomorrow.

Walking alone on the Konohagakure Street, Naruto suddenly realized that he had recently become much more adept at handling many things. He no longer needed to use his brain; he could simply rely on his connections.

After thinking for a moment, he realized he hadn't seen Ino for the past few days. He decided to go visit her at the Intelligence Department.

To his surprise, he found no one there. Someone told him that Ino had left an hour ago and was probably setting up a signal tower behind the Hokage Rock.

Helpless, Naruto could only follow the trail. He wandered around the streets for a bit, eventually carrying his hands full of her food, and slowly made his way there.

When he arrived at the scene, Ino was so busy she barely had time to breathe and didn't have time to pay attention to him. He wasn't in a hurry either, and sat down to wait.

He wasn't worried about encountering difficulties in the project's construction, since the funding was already in place; there was no problem that couldn't be solved with the funds. If there were, he would simply add more money.

"It can't be laid over there." Ino bit her pencil, looking at the blueprints with a headache. Her blonde hair danced in the Nikko like golden rain.

Now a classic quote came to her mind. "The most valuable thing in the world is talent."

The staff have returned, each reporting on the difficulties encountered during the laying process. Since the Konohagakure shape is circular, the most efficient laying method for the signal towers is a regular hexagonal shape.

Ino paused for a moment, realizing she wasn't omnipotent either. Fortunately, her clever little mind knew what omnipotence truly meant, and she told her subordinates to calm down.

"Add more money, find people, and allocate funds now!"

Practice has proven that the "more money" method is still effective. Seeing their boss being so generous, the subordinates were instantly energized, their enthusiasm for work ignited.

She had been busy all morning and didn't realize she was hungry until long past lunchtime. Just as she was about to head back, a young woman who had just joined the Intelligence Department from the Ninja Academy stopped her and reminded her.

"Ino, it seems like they've been waiting for you over there for several hours."

"Wait for me?" Ino turned her head and saw Naruto sitting in the makeshift shed made of a few sticks.

Behind him stood a colossal tree, its dense canopy providing ample shade, like an open umbrella. Its branches were thick and strong, soaring into the clouds.

Ino ran over and hugged him tightly. She buried her head in his neck and took a deep breath.

Why are you here?

"I missed you, so I came to see you." Naruto picked her up and lifted Ino high, making her laugh and say that it tickled and he should let go.

Ino has always had a very slender waist; she never gains weight no matter how much she eats, her waist is incredibly thin and bony. There's a unique charm to handling her, but how to handle her is best left unsaid.

"But I don't have much time today," she said, her voice lacking confidence.

"Let's do it next time. I just came to check if you've eaten." Naruto put her down and revealed the food behind him.

"No, you're so nice." Ino hugged him tightly and wouldn't let go, giggling foolishly.

"Stop fooling around, the food's getting cold." Naruto pulled Ino off the octopus-like Ino, carried her horizontally into the makeshift shed.

"It's okay if it's cold, it's all my favorite food." Ino pursed her lips, took a couple of bites, and then fed it to Naruto. "You can just tell me when you come next time, you don't have to wait like this."

"It's okay, don't worry about it, just focus on your work," Naruto said. "There will always be times when you have free time. Remember to train people so you won't be so tired later."

"Okay!" Ino clung to Naruto, tilted her head back and kissed him again, her eyes curving into crescents. "You're so good to me."

"Of course." Naruto's words lacked conviction. He had given away all his wealth to get the Communicator Project off the ground as soon as possible, so that Ino could keep busy.

But in reality, Ino really wanted the Communicator Project to come to fruition. It was her long-cherished dream and the cause she had been working on for the past few years.

Zha Ming's move can only be described as going with the flow.

But putting aside all his scumbag behavior, he wanted to see Ino realize her dreams and find her own value. To shine brightly and remain proud forever.

Liking a flower isn't about cutting it down and putting it in your room to admire; it's about finding the perfect soil and watching it bloom in the wind. Ino is Ino; she's not anyone's appendage.

The two ate most of the cold food, feeling the mountain wind blowing back over the Konoha Forest. Ino was resting when she noticed Naruto sitting calmly on a bench beside her, his long legs stretched out.

He braced himself with one hand on the other, presumably to maintain his balance. With his other hand, he played with his own hand, pinching and kneading it repeatedly.

Ino suddenly thought of certain scenes, and her face immediately turned hot.

"Stop fooling around."

"What's wrong with me?" He looked at Ino with a smile, his face completely innocent. "Haven't we seen each other for a few days, can't we even hold hands?"

"I didn't say I couldn't hold hands, why can't you just behave yourself?" Ino said this without much confidence, and looked up to meet his gaze.

In that instant, their eyes met with an indescribable interplay of light and shadow. Ino felt as if someone had lit a small ember between them, instantly making the atmosphere tense and heated.

Both of them were at an age where they were already enjoying the fruits of their labor, and after not seeing each other for a few days, their feelings for each other were bound to run deep. But Naruto hanging on, watching with a smile and subtly flirting with her.

"How am I being dishonest?" He stared at Ino, thinking about what happened that day, and a hint of possessiveness inevitably appeared in his eyes.

Ino suddenly realized that this person was indeed a bit restless, and she didn't know what he was thinking. He actually wanted her to wear stockings, insisting that they looked good.

Hmph, I won't wear it.

She instinctively resisted and glared back fiercely.

The Maid Outfit was a disgrace to her life, and one day she would smash his head in and make him forget it completely. Otherwise, if it were brought up again later, it would be incredibly embarrassing.

"Anyway, you're not being honest. I'm leaving." Ino hurriedly got up.

Where are you going?

"I... I'm going back. I have work this afternoon." Ino tossed her hair to hide her panic. She had no doubt that Naruto, that lecherous devil, was capable of doing something outrageous.

"What time do you get off work tonight?" he asked, still not letting go of her.

"It's too late, I have to go home," Ino explained, stealing a glance at him. His sharp, direct gaze made her legs go weak.

I swallowed hard, and my thoughts immediately became jumbled. My heart pounded twice, and I couldn't control myself.

"Eight o'clock, you probably won't make it. I don't know where I'll finish work tonight either. You don't need to come, it's too much trouble."

Even if a hammer falls from the sky, he'll still go out. At this point, you have to take it the wrong way; anyone who believes that is a fool.

"I'll go with you tonight. I'll come over when you're almost off work this afternoon," Naruto said, finalizing the plan for the day in a few words.

"Let's grab something simple to eat together, and then I'll accompany you to work. That would be fine."

"Oh? Isn't that too much trouble?"

Yes, it is indeed troublesome. But how can there be a rainbow without going through wind and rain? Without a little trouble, the mood when eating cake wouldn't be so pleasant.

That's just how people are; they only value what they've worked hard to obtain.

Ino has to be home before 11 PM, and even if she leaves work right on time, she only has three hours. Three hours is far too short, and the commute takes time too.

Hateful!

"I don't mind the trouble. I miss you anyway, so I might as well keep you company." He said frankly, clearly speaking sweet nothings.

Ino turned to look at him and saw his bright, piercing eyes, like a glistening, moonlit night. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt a surge of emotion.

To be honest, she's still a little worried since that incident. Both Shikamaru and Choji's wives complained to Ino about the same thing after their marriages.

After getting what she wanted, her husband became lazy. When playing cards, he was often too lazy to even play a pair of threes and would immediately draw the Jokers.

The two women took turns complaining, making Ino blush to the roots of her ears. Married women are indeed wild; they all look gentle and refined, but when they get together with their girlfriends in private, their mouths are full of wild and raunchy talk.

She had worried about it before, but now that concern is slowly dispelling. She's filled with happiness, even if she doesn't show it.

To be honest, she's not as good as Naruto. He never hides his feelings; if he thinks something, he says it, and he wants to give you all his thoughts at once.

Ino puts on airs, but sometimes she can't help but blush, pretending not to miss him even though she really does. When she's caught, she blushes again, which is even kind of cute.

"Alright then, whatever you want." Ino tossed her ponytail and stopped looking at him.

Naruto found it amusing and rubbed her hand. He thought to himself that tonight's business was tonight, and it would be a loss not to collect some interest now. So he pulled her close and picked her up in his arms.

"Ah! You waah!"

They kissed tenderly and closely until Ino herself got into the mood. They separated, looked at each other, and then instinctively embraced and continued kissing.

The communicator project was successfully launched, with funding secured. From the technical aspects to the construction investment, it didn't take much time; the main reason was that the money was in place.

After all, who can resist cash? As long as it's fast, you get paid as soon as it's finished—it's incredibly friendly. With the power of money, even a comic book superhero like Superman would have to come and lay a couple of bricks before leaving.

Having arranged to meet Ino in the afternoon, Naruto, with nothing to do, returned to the Hokage Building. He didn't know when Tsunade would make her move, but the witness was already there.

He only had a partial involvement in bringing down Danzo. Tsunade the overall strategy, spending her days hiding in her Shizune office waiting to Danzo.

They're all ancient foxes, each more patient than the last.

As for Naruto, he was also aware of his own limitations. Professionals do professional things; he was good at underhanded tactics. But things that were out in the open were beyond his ability to handle with his dirty tricks.

He lacks both the qualifications and the means. The idea of having a hundred followers at your beck and call only exists in dreams.

But he didn't care about those empty titles. The Fifth Hokage was Tsunade, the Sixth Hokage was Kakashi. What was there for him to strive for? To work himself to death and queue up to become the Seventh?

By then, who would still want to stay in Konohagakure?

He had thought it through clearly. He should save where he could and spend where he could—no, instead of wasting time in the village, he should get something tangible sooner, like a system reward.

For example, resolving the issue between Hinata and Ino. He wants both, but the problem is that his fathers-in-law from both families would absolutely not agree.

This is an almost unsolvable problem. There's no perfect solution unless one's influence rivals that of the First Hokage. But the problem is, he has no interest in getting involved in those power struggles.

If the Hinata and Yamanaka Clan families were from smaller clans, there might have been some chance. But he was unwilling to use despicable means and hurt the two girls' feelings.

He does have a ruthless streak in his personality, but he treats Hinata and Ino differently. In his heart, one is his white moonlight and the other is his cinnabar mole.

Ideally, he'd like to achieve both, but even if he couldn't, he would minimize the impact of the situation. At the very least, he would protect the two people from being affected.

Thinking about it this way, I suddenly felt that the task ahead was arduous and the road ahead was long.

Naruto entered the Hokage Building with practiced ease, pausing briefly at the entrance to Shizune's office. He peeked inside cautiously, only breathing a sigh of relief when he saw Tsunade wasn't there.

"Naruto?" Tenten stood up from her seat and asked curiously, "Why are you here? Are you looking for Lord Tsunade? She just went out."

"Shh!" Naruto exclaimed in surprise. "I know she went out. I saw her from afar."

"Then you...?" Tenten looked him up and down. "You haven't done something shady again, have you?"

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