Become My Mom

"Mom Lino, it's about time. I have to leave."

"Stay for dinner before you go."

"No, I have to go home to eat."

"Ah, Naruto, are you saying this isn't your home? Looks like you weren't sincere about treating me as your mom."

"No, no!"

"Then stay!"

After gaining a new mom, Naruto wanted to leave, but Lino Yamanaka wouldn't let him.

Lino Yamanaka led Naruto to the second floor, pushed him toward the small square table in the upstairs sitting room, and pressed him into a seat. She threatened that if he didn't obediently wait for dinner, she wouldn't acknowledge him as her son.

Faced with his seemingly elegant but secretly playful new mom, Naruto Uzumaki could only sit obediently, lest he lose the Mom Coins he could earn every day.

The evening breeze drifted gently through the window, carrying the crisp chime of the wind bells and the faint fragrance of flowers from outside.

The pure wooden walls and floor had been scorched by the sun and gave off a subtle scent as well.

Bored out of his mind, Naruto's gaze finally settled on the tiny figure who had appeared at some unknown point and remained completely silent.

It was rather strange. Ino Yamanaka was usually loud and boisterous, but after coming home today, she had been as quiet as a demure little girl, as though Hinata Hyuga had possessed her.

Taking advantage of the time Naruto and Lino Yamanaka were talking, Ino Yamanaka had apparently changed into a pink dress, pairing it with loose socks and little red leather shoes adorned with bows.

The dress fell to mid-calf, revealing a small stretch of fair, beautiful skin between it and her socks. She looked utterly girlish.

Just looking at that outfit was enough to lift one's spirits. Naruto Uzumaki couldn't help revealing the loving smile of an old father.

[I really want to shout "Mom" right now!]

Your mom!

Could you stop ruining the mood?!

To reiterate, the Valorant System really deserved to be shot.

"Naruto, what are you thinking about? Why are you smiling one moment and gritting your teeth the next?"

The girl's back was ramrod straight, her head slightly lowered, and her hands tucked behind her back. Her eyes darted between the floor, the ceiling, and Naruto seated by the table.

She had been watching Naruto Uzumaki's every move the whole time.

Naruto Uzumaki snapped back to his senses and realized that Ino Yamanaka had seemingly finally gathered her courage. Step by step, she was making her way toward him.

Without drawing attention to it, he shifted outward slightly and left half a seat open, then replied casually,

"Nothing. I just feel pretty happy."

After answering her offhandedly, Naruto turned to look out the window. Today's sunset was quite beautiful, the clouds burned into vast stretches of color by the sun.

The instant he turned his head, Ino Yamanaka shuffled over to his side and sat in the half-empty spot he had left for her, continuing to peek at his every movement from the corner of her eye.

When Naruto showed no intention of turning to look at her, a flash of annoyance passed through Ino Yamanaka's eyes.

This was the first time in her life that she had taken the initiative to wear a little dress in front of a boy.

Of course, Naruto Uzumaki could guess what Ino Yamanaka was thinking.

But right now, he was clearly more concerned with other matters, such as his bet with Sasuke Uchiha and how to change people in order to gain more bonus Mom Coins.

There was no helping it. This world was simply too terrible. In the future, he was destined to encounter all sorts of enemies—the rice-carrying one, Obito Uchiha, the one whose heart got ripped out, and the one who, like Naruto, was always trying to find a mom all over the world.

And...

Those terrifying aliens who would invade decades later.

If he didn't find every possible way to become stronger, Naruto was afraid that the new life he had finally obtained would end in a GG within a few years.

So before he became strong enough, everything else had to be put aside.

After considering the crises he would face in the future, Naruto began planning his next course of action and turned his gaze toward the delicate little girl beside him.

Seeing Naruto turn to look at her, Ino Yamanaka lowered her blushing face. She wanted to find a topic to chat with him about, but before she could speak, her mother Lino Yamanaka's gentle voice drifted up from the stairs.

"Here it comes. We're having sukiyaki today."

Ino Yamanaka quickly shut her mouth, lowered her head again, and swung her little feet without saying a word.

Hmm...

She had to act cool in front of Mom. She couldn't let her know that she had actually been the one throwing herself at him all along.

"Naruto, I put in lots of beef, so make sure to eat plenty."

"I don't eat beef!"

Naruto Uzumaki's brain short-circuited, and he instinctively blurted out the meme. When Lino Yamanaka froze, he hurriedly corrected himself. "Thank you, Mom Lino. I meant that I've never had beef before, so I don't know what it tastes like."

"Hehe, then eat more." Lino Yamanaka sat across from him and picked up her chopsticks first. "Come on, Naruto. Mom will get you some beef."

"Alright, thank you, Mom Lino." Naruto Uzumaki was deeply grateful as he wolfed down the tender, fatty beef Mom Lino had given him.

Ino Yamanaka glanced at Naruto's movements, held her chopsticks in her hands, and softly said, "Thanks for the meal!"

"What are you pretending for, Ino?" Lino Yamanaka smacked Ino Yamanaka's chopsticks and said righteously, "I've never seen you be this polite before. Now that Naruto is here, you're pretending to be a good girl."

"And this dress—you've never worn it even once since the day I bought it for you, have you?"

Lino Yamanaka rolled her eyes, wondering why her daughter was so silly.

Being gentle and well-behaved was a good thing, but why was she comparing herself to the boy she liked?

Mother and daughter understood each other perfectly. Ino Yamanaka, who was rather mature when it came to romance, quickly understood her mother's intent. She pouted, nodded, and stopped speaking gloomily.

The meal did not take long. Naruto still had things to do, and Lino Yamanaka could see that he was in a hurry, so after quickly finishing dinner, she no longer tried to stop him from leaving.

Still, as Naruto was about to go, she specifically reminded him, "Naruto, remember to come to my house and play often."

"Okay, Mom Lino!" Naruto solemnly bowed to Lino Yamanaka.

His adorable appearance made Lino Yamanaka smile like an auntie. Then she reached out, nudged her daughter, and said,

"Ino, hurry and see Naruto off."

"Okay~!"

Ino Yamanaka nodded and followed Naruto out of the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

The two walked one behind the other, their shadows stretching long, long behind them.

She silently watched Naruto's back as he walked ahead. She had so many things she wanted to say, but Naruto never spoke first, so she could only kick stones all the way along.

Eventually, with the sky nearly dark, Ino Yamanaka could no longer hold it in and took the initiative to speak.

"Naruto..."

"Yeah?"

"What... are we now?"

Although she already knew the answer, for some reason, she still wanted to hear it confirmed again.

The girl shyly lowered her head.

She was very curious how straightforward Naruto's answer would be this time. Would he say it as plainly as he had when he asked her mom to become his mom?

"What kind of relationship do you want us to have?" Naruto asked.

"Of course... of course... of course, something close." Ino said in a trembling voice, then softly added, "Idiot!"

"Alright, then let's become as close as possible right now." Naruto Uzumaki took a deep breath and extended his hand toward Ino.

"Huh?!" Ino froze. She had expected Naruto to be bold and straightforward, but she hadn't expected him to be this bold and straightforward.

Her heartbeat immediately began to race.

Th-this... this... how was she supposed to answer that?

Suddenly, the boy spoke again. His gaze was firm, and his tone allowed no doubt. "Become my mom, Ino!"

"Yes!" Ino, who had long been prepared, immediately nodded in agreement.

Happily, she reached out her hand toward Naruto.

But she quickly realized that something seemed wrong.

"What did you... just say?"

PS: Dear handsome, dashing, charming readers, this little author is begging for votes~!

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