Genya laughed a few times and, seeing how shy she looked, added,
"An enthusiastic Ino is lovely, and a shy Ino... is lovely too."
Even the tips of Ino's ears turned red now. She stamped her foot and turned away, pretending to keep looking at the flowers, but she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips.
The two lingered in the garden a little longer before leaving.
They wandered idly through Konoha's streets.
As they walked, Genya spotted a member of the Konoha Military Police Force patrolling nearby.
He went over, exchanged a few quiet words with him, and handed him the Starlight Flower Ino had given him.
"Please take this to my house and give it to my mother. Tell her I saw it on the street and thought it was pretty, and ask her to put it in a vase."
"Yes, Young Master Genya!"
The Uchiha officer respectfully accepted the little flower and carefully tucked it away.
Watching from beside them, Ino felt a sweet warmth in her heart.
Genya was taking the flower she had given him home.
"It's almost noon. Shall we find somewhere to eat?"
Genya suggested.
"Yes! Let's!"
Ino nodded.
Holding hands, they strolled down the street, looking for a restaurant that caught their fancy.
As they passed a somewhat aging residential neighborhood, Genya's gaze happened to sweep over a lonely-looking apartment building, and his steps briefly faltered.
"Naruto..."
He murmured the name.
It seemed... with all the clan affairs and the string of upheavals, he hadn't visited that lonely dead last in a while.
"Hm? What did you say?"
Ino followed his gaze and recognized the place where Naruto Uzumaki lived.
"Nothing. I just remembered I haven't hung out with Naruto in ages."
As he spoke, Genya took Ino's hand and changed