153.GG

Naruto was awoken by a round of applause.

Perhaps the exhaustion of training had seeped into his very marrow, and he had only been holding on by a thread; perhaps the barber's skills were so masterful that he couldn't even feel the hands dancing above his head; or perhaps the chair was simply too comfortable... In any case, after stating his request, Naruto had drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

When he opened his eyes, bleary with sleep, he saw the barber clapping and cheering with tears in his eyes, even pulling out a camera from somewhere to take a commemorative photo with him. Xin, meanwhile, was beaming as he held up a white sheet of paper with "[So handsome!]" written on it, waving it back and forth vigorously.

--But none of that was the point.

The point was that Ino was right in front of him, less than ten centimeters away, occupying his entire field of vision. It felt as if they were sharing the same breath with every inhalation.

She scrutinized him with a serious expression, as if confirming some minute detail, her eyes burning with a light that made Naruto instinctively feel a sense of dread... it was just like looking at a delicious piece of meat on a cutting board.

"Too close, Ino..."

Naruto instinctively tried to turn his head to avoid that scorching gaze, but Ino immediately reached out and turned his face back, scolding him, "Don't move!"

So, is this the second habit after the forehead-poking? Naruto could only comply obediently, his mind wandering in confusion.

Ino checked Naruto over once more, nodded in satisfaction, stood up, and strode toward the barber.

"This is the one."

"Pleasure doing business with you."

"What are you two trading, hey! And Ino, why are you acting like you're the client who just signed off on the final inspection!"

Watching the barber and Ino high-five, Naruto could only vent his frustration internally.

However, almost the very next second, Naruto realized exactly what they had been trading.

It was him.

No, to be precise, it was trading the old him for a new him.

As Ino stepped aside, the Naruto in the mirror finally locked eyes with the Naruto sitting in reality.

Both Narutos wore expressions of astonishment, as if they found the other completely unfamiliar. As a standard straight guy, Naruto had no idea that simply changing a hairstyle could bring about such a massive transformation.

"...Is this, me?" Naruto couldn't help but murmur.

The boy in the mirror had features so clear they were almost sharp. The forehead and brow bone, previously hidden by messy hair, were now fully exposed, making his eyes appear even brighter. That dazzling blonde hair no longer exploded in every direction; it had been carefully layered, with the bangs falling perfectly across his forehead and the sideburns naturally framing his ears, outlining a crisp facial structure that looked both spirited and sharp.

This hairstyle suited Naruto with startling perfection. Compared to the unkempt Naruto from before, he now looked like a gemstone that had been suddenly polished, radiating a presence that even he found unfamiliar.

And why wouldn't it suit him?

This was his father's hairstyle.

When the barber had first asked what kind of cut he wanted, this thought had been the first to surface in his mind.

Perhaps it was an instinctual desire to draw a little closer to the father he had never met...

Naruto stared blankly at the brand-new version of himself in the mirror, a version that faintly carried the shadow of his father. A strange emotion spread silently through his heart, a mixture of shock, bewilderment, a faint glimmer of excitement, and a complex, bittersweet ache. For a moment, Naruto was completely stunned.

Ino stood not far away, neither approaching nor retreating, just quietly watching the dazed Naruto.

[Aren't you going to talk to him?] Xin sidled up, holding a sheet of paper with writing on it—this was his way of communicating with those who didn't know sign language.

"...No, let him look at himself properly for a while," Ino said softly. "He rarely ever looks at himself in his own eyes."

"..." Xin nodded thoughtfully, then began scribbling rapidly on the paper again.

[Your boyfriend is so handsome. Sister, I'm so happy for you to have such a good-looking boyfriend.]

Ino, who had just been feeling sentimental, turned bright red instantly and hurriedly denied it: "What boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend! We aren't boyfriend and girlfriend yet!"

[Don't lie to me.] Xin's writing speed had never been so fast. [What kind of ordinary friends go to a barbershop together? People who spend time here together either want to see the other person slowly become better-looking, or want the other person to be the first to see them looking their best. People only care this much about their own things; you two must like each other.]

"Wait, wait, wait!" Ino hurriedly pulled Xin into the hallway to avoid Naruto hearing or seeing them, lowering her voice to deny it again, "It's really not like that, I'm not lying to you!"

[Oh my.] Xin even wrote out the interjection. [Little Ino, you're so pretty, this boy must like you. With a guy who looks like that, you'd better not let him get away!]

"Oh my, not at all, hehe."

Ino said this, but without even realizing it, the corners of her mouth were curling upward uncontrollably.

To be honest, Ino had originally just wanted to tidy Naruto up; she hadn't thought that much about it. At the time, she just felt that Naruto's life was too miserable and that she had to make others see Naruto's changes, and a change in appearance was the most intuitive way to do that. If Naruto continued to be sloppy, everyone would surely just keep treating him like the old Naruto.

That was why she brought him here, to what she considered the best barbershop in all of Konoha. Anything would have been better than that explosion of hair he had before... but who knew this guy would transform the moment he took a shower? He had shot up from a 60 or 70 to a 95. In school, the only one who could compare to him in looks now was Sasuke, right?

That's right, when she saw Naruto after his shower, Ino had truly been startled. She never expected that one day she would be comparing Naruto to Sasuke... and in terms of looks, no less?

So how had this guy managed to hide this for so long in school? Or had he even fooled himself?

But soon, Ino changed her train of thought and stopped dwelling on it.

Who cares about all that.

Isn't it great that he's good-looking?

It's absolutely wonderful that he's good-looking!

Not only could she make those people realize their mistakes, but she could also see the look on Big Forehead's face—it would be fantastic. Let the day after tomorrow come quickly!

Ino's smile grew wider. In truth, she had realized her feelings for Naruto during this time. She was never one to deceive herself, but Naruto's previous appearance had always given her pause... Yes, for someone who prioritized looks, the considerations were just that shallow, and she was unapologetic about it.

But now, those problems no longer existed.

What?

You think someone else will snatch Naruto up now that he's become so good-looking?

Don't joke, I was here first, I discovered him!

And who am I?

Ino of the Yamanaka Clan!

Whether it's appearance or strength, Miss Ino has absolute confidence.

The more she thought about it, the more ambitious she became, like a knight about to welcome a princess who had been framed but finally restored to her true form—ready to slay gods and Buddhas alike. She prepared to walk over and pat Naruto on the shoulder. How should she start the conversation? Right, she'd use, "What made you think of getting this haircut? It looks just like the Fourth Hokage on the Hokage Rock," as an opening.

"What kill who?"

Suddenly, a familiar male voice rang in Ino's ear, as if he were standing right behind her.

Ino's expression froze. She turned her head tremblingly, and the man who came into view had familiar blonde hair, tilting his head as he examined her with a blank expression: "Not let who go?"

"Fa-fa-father?"

The knight had fallen.