Naruto's Makeover Plan

Amid the laughter and cheerful chatter, they quickly finished their meal. There was no training planned for today either, so Sakura suggested heading home first to help her mother with the housework, displaying the demeanor of a well-behaved child.

Just as she was about to leave, Naruto suddenly shouted a farewell to Sakura: "Sakura! See you at school the day after tomorrow!"

Sakura turned around and replied with a smile, "Mm, see you then!" With that, Sakura left.

Her figure gradually disappeared from everyone's sight, but Naruto continued gazing foolishly in the direction she had gone. Tahm patted him on the shoulder. "Naruto, do you like Sakura?"

"Boss Tahm, how did you know? I haven't confessed yet!" Naruto said in shock, looking utterly disbelieving. Hinata and Tahm were both left speechless.

"You idiot, Naruto! With the way you're acting, who doesn't know you like Sakura?" Tahm said irritably, smacking Naruto on the head.

"That's right. Naruto-kun's feelings are far too easy to see." Even Hinata, who usually did not say much, could not resist adding another blow.

Naruto's face instantly flushed bright red. "Th-then! Doesn't that mean Sakura knows too?"

"Yes." Tahm calmly informed him of the facts.

"What should I do, then?" Naruto was utterly at a loss, as if the Sage of Six Paths had been resurrected and was chasing him down to kill him.

"You silly brat!" Tahm imparted some life experience to him. "Sakura knows you like her, but she hasn't come to hate you. She still laughs and chats with you every day, which means you have a pretty good chance."

"Then I'll go confess to Sakura right now!" Naruto suddenly felt as happy as if a pie had fallen from the sky. "Sakura will definitely agree, right?"

Tahm silently wore an expression that seemed to say that rotten wood could not be carved. "Having a favorable impression of someone doesn't mean you can become boyfriend and girlfriend. Think about yourself. Are you handsome enough? Do you have money? Is your strength good enough? What if Sakura gets to the ninja academy and meets some handsome, talented, and wealthy boy? She might immediately fall for him instead." Tahm quietly told Naruto what was very likely to happen in the future.

Naruto lowered his head and thought for a moment before wearing an utterly hopeless expression again. "I don't seem to have any of those things." Mm, the standard innocent loser with nothing but a sincere heart left. For little girls who were only a few years old, even if they were precocious, this type was hardly popular. After all, they were still at an age when they cared about faces rather than feelings.

Tahm secretly mulled it over. Since he had already decided to mess around with the original story's pairings, he might as well see it through to the end. Thus, Tahm said, "Strength and money aren't things you can solve right now. You'll have to work hard at them in the future. It looks like we need to start with your appearance."

"Appearance?" Naruto and Hinata asked at the same time. Hinata was even more curious, carefully examining Naruto: his messy hair, his tattered and filthy orange tracksuit, and the dust covering his face. No matter how she looked at him, he did not seem like someone who could make a living off his looks.

Naruto also felt embarrassed under their scrutiny. He knew what he looked like, after all.

"Just because no one is taking care of you doesn't mean you have to be this slovenly, Naruto." Tahm earnestly guided him. "This look isn't the type girls like."

"No one has ever cared about this sort of thing for me before." Naruto spoke somewhat dejectedly. "Besides, I don't have money to buy new clothes."

Sigh, this is another harmful consequence of being a problem child. Konoha really needs to improve its children's education and welfare. Tahm could not help lamenting Konoha's livelihood issues. "Looks like I need to take you two shopping."

A moment later, Tahm brought Naruto and Hinata to Konoha's busiest street. Konoha truly deserved its title as the Shinobi World's foremost ninja village. The dazzling array of shops sold all kinds of goods, from trinkets to clothes and from household appliances to ninja tools. The streets were packed shoulder to shoulder, with crowds nearly as dense as those in the major cities Tahm had seen in his previous life.

Hinata was not used to places with so many people and kept gripping Tahm's hand tightly. Naruto, however, was brimming with excitement and happiness. This was the first time a friend had taken him shopping. Come to think of it, Tahm had been in the Shinobi World for nearly two months, yet he had never properly walked around Konoha with Hinata. Unexpectedly, their first shopping trip was actually because of Tahm's "makeover plan" for Naruto.

Tahm first found a decent-looking barbershop and had Naruto go in for a thorough wash, cut, and style. Naruto, who had always let his hair grow wild, felt a little unaccustomed to the idea, but he still steeled himself and entered under Tahm's expectant gaze. The barber did not give Naruto a new hairstyle, merely washing his hair properly and trimming and styling it slightly. The excellent genes Naruto had inherited from his father and mother immediately revealed their advantage. His dazzling, smooth, lustrous golden hair was naturally a perfect hairstyle.

After resolving the hairstyle issue, Tahm took Naruto to a clothing store. He picked out a smaller version of the same Fourth Hokage-style haori and bought it for Naruto, then paired it with a decent pair of trousers and a new pair of shoes. Just like that, Naruto emerged with a completely new look. That was right, Tahm had dressed Naruto in the Fourth Hokage's style. If his father was so handsome, there was no reason for his son to look like a loser, right?

When Naruto appeared before Tahm with dazzling golden hair, dressed in a sharp and heroic haori, and wearing a confident, optimistic smile, even Tahm was stunned despite being mentally prepared. He was practically a miniature Fourth Hokage, handsome enough to play the role of a young heartthrob in a film with a hundred-million-yuan budget. Hinata found it even more unbelievable and said in an astonished tone, "I didn't expect Naruto to look this handsome after dressing up."

Naruto looked at himself in the mirror, wearing an equally disbelieving expression. He was so excited that he could not speak. After a long while, all he said was, "Thank you, Boss Tahm. No one has ever treated me this well before."

"We've known each other for so long, and you're still thanking me." Tahm waved his hand. "If you really want to repay me, work hard and become Hokage as soon as possible, then protect me!"

"Mm! I'll definitely make that dream come true." His azure eyes were filled with determination and confidence.

Tahm then pulled out a handful of money and handed it to Naruto. It was part of the wages the Hyuga family had paid him according to their contract. Tahm said,

"Take this money home and take good care of yourself. Don't eat instant noodles every day."

Before Naruto could say anything, Tahm continued, "Put this down on my account. Pay me back after you become Hokage! Also, I'll be waiting to see Sakura look at you in a whole new light the day after tomorrow. Keep it up!"

Naruto left with the money. Before going, he shouted at the top of his lungs like a fool, heedless of the many people on the street, "Boss Tahm! I will! I will definitely become Hokage!"

The passersby did not think much of it and merely complained, "What is that Kurama kid freaking out about today?" Some of those who turned their eyes toward them and took a few glances simply exclaimed in admiration, "That kid looks so much more handsome today!"

Amid the hustle and bustle, a determined seed took root and began to sprout in the young boy's heart.

This kid was supposed to be learning how to pick up girls today. How did he turn it into such a passionate and touching scene? Tahm silently complained.