Reliable

Hinata and Ino sat on the swing set, waiting for Uzumaki Menma, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji to return with the flowers.

However, Ino had a bad feeling in her heart.

Ino forced a rather strained smile and asked Hinata, "Hinata, Menma and Naruto are pretty reliable, right?"

Hinata tilted her head and thought for a moment.

Reliable?

She thought of Uzumaki Menma and Naruto climbing over the wall into her house, in front of her father, and taking her over the wall to escape.

Then, they took her to the Hokage Office, led the Hokage away, and stole the Hokage's Crystal Ball.

The word "reliable" didn't seem to have anything to do with Uzumaki Menma and Naruto.

But...

After finishing her thoughts, Hinata said decisively and seriously, "Menma and Naruto are very reliable!"

"Really? Good to know."

Ino breathed a slight sigh of relief. After all, Hinata seemed much more reliable than the four of them and shouldn't lie to her.

But why was her right eyelid twitching faster and faster?

An hour later.

Shikamaru and Choji had already returned after delivering the flowers.

However, another half hour passed.

Uzumaki Menma and Naruto were nowhere to be seen.

Ino muttered in confusion, "Why is it taking so long? Why haven't they come back yet?"

"Shikamaru! Choji! Hinata! Ino!"

Uzumaki Menma and Naruto's voices came from a distance.

Ino stood up from the swing set in surprise and looked in the direction of Uzumaki Menma and Naruto.

She saw Uzumaki Menma and Naruto's mouths moving as if they were saying something, and there were several people chasing them.

"Eh, what's going on? Why are so many people chasing them? What are they saying?"

Shikamaru, Choji, and Hinata also stood up and looked at Uzumaki Menma and Naruto.

Choji tried hard to read Uzumaki Menma and Naruto's lips: "They seem to be saying 'delicious'?"

"How could they be saying 'delicious' when they're being chased by so many people? Quick... run... they're saying 'run'! We need to run!"

After Shikamaru read Uzumaki Menma and Naruto's lips, he immediately ran.

When Choji saw Shikamaru running, he followed closely behind.

Ino looked blankly at Shikamaru and Choji running away, then turned her head to look at Uzumaki Menma and Naruto, who were about to approach.

"What on earth is going on?" Ino's mind was about to explode.

Hinata said to Ino, "Although I don't know what happened, Ino, let's run quickly too."

Hinata ran a few steps forward, and when she noticed that Ino hadn't followed, she turned her head and called out, "Ino, hurry up and catch up."

Ino gritted her teeth and stomped her foot.

Never mind, she'd run first!

After a fierce chase.

The six of Uzumaki Menma reunited in the forest, all slumped on the ground, panting heavily.

Ino scratched her hair in frustration: "Menma! Naruto! What on earth did you do to make so many adults chase you?! I just asked you to deliver some flowers, not Exploding Tags!"

Uzumaki Menma put his hands on his hips and defended himself and Naruto: "This isn't just our problem! Shikamaru and Choji, you guys are involved too!"

Shikamaru and Choji exchanged confused glances: "We're involved too?"

"Of course, you're involved, after all, we did it together!"

Shikamaru had already realized something and guessed, "Could it be about the Hokage Rock incident a few days ago?"

Uzumaki Menma and Naruto nodded their little heads at the same time: "That's right!"

Ino asked suspiciously, "Hokage Rock? What happened?"

Hinata also perked up her ears curiously, wanting to hear what happened with the Hokage Rock.

Shikamaru pursed his lips and said, "Ino, you should have heard about the Hokage Rock being vandalized, right?"

"I heard the adults in the village mention it, saying that there were four mischievous brats who always vandalized the Hokage Rock every now and then, painting the Hokage's faces in a mess... No way? Are you saying that the four mischievous brats are you guys?!"

Ino looked at the four of them in disbelief.

Shikamaru nodded: "Yeah, it's us."

Ino didn't know how to respond, especially since she didn't expect Shikamaru, who usually had no motivation, to do something like this.

Ino looked at Uzumaki Menma and Naruto and asked, "So, during the flower delivery, you two were discovered by those adults, and then you were chased, right?"

Uzumaki Menma and Naruto scratched their heads, embarrassed. "Sorry, Ino, we lost your flowers when we were being chased."

Ino sighed. "It's okay, it's just a few flowers. I can always deliver them tomorrow. Come with me."

Uzumaki Menma and Naruto were taken aback. "Where to?"

"To the flower shop, of course. Didn't I promise you that after delivering the flowers, you could each pick one from my family's shop?"

"But we didn't even deliver them. Does that still count?"

"It's fine, let's go quickly, or it'll get late."

Uzumaki Menma and Naruto cheered. "Yay! You're such a good person, Ino!"

The group arrived at Ino's family's flower shop.

Ino's mother, Yamanaka Rino, was pleasantly surprised to see Ino bringing so many people to the shop. "Ino, are these all your friends?"

"Yeah, friends I just met today. I wanted to give them some flowers, is that okay?"

Yamanaka Rino said enthusiastically, "Of course! Pick whatever you like from the shop."

Uzumaki Menma chose a hydrangea because it was round and looked fun.

Naruto chose a Bird of Paradise flower because it looked like a crane's beak.

The two of them weren't looking for pretty flowers, just fun ones.

Hinata picked a sunflower, a daisy in her left hand and a sunflower in her right. Judging by her smile, she seemed to really like both of them.

Shikamaru and Choji were already familiar with Yamanaka Rino and weren't particularly fond of flowers, so they didn't choose any.

It was getting late, and everyone started saying their goodbyes.

"Ino, we'll come find you again tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll be waiting for you."

Ino waved to the five of them, feeling like the days ahead would be very interesting.

Next was taking Hinata home.

Uzumaki Menma said to Shikamaru and Choji, "Shikamaru, Choji, you guys can head home first. Naruto and I will take Hinata back."

"Is that okay?"

Hinata's father seemed pretty strict, and Shikamaru was a little worried that Uzumaki Menma and Naruto might get scolded.

"Don't worry, Hinata's father won't eat us. Maybe Naruto and I can even mooch a meal at Hinata's house."

Hearing about food, Choji got even hungrier, his little tummy rumbling wildly. "Menma, Naruto, I need to hurry home and eat. See you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow."

Shikamaru didn't insist either. If he got home too late, he might get a beating from his mom.

Shikamaru put his hands behind his head. "Then I'll leave it to you guys. I'm heading back."

After watching Shikamaru and Choji leave, Uzumaki Menma stretched and said, "Alright, Naruto, let's take Hinata home now!"