"Naruto-kun!" Hinata looked up, her face turning bright red at the sight of his white Hokage robe. "We're not... We're on patrol..."
"Is that so?" Naruto leaped down, ruffling Hinata's hair before turning to Team 8's jonin leader, Kurenai Yuhi. "Kurenai, how much longer is your patrol?"
"We can head back to the village once the welcoming ceremony is over," Kurenai replied, her expression complicated. How did these two look even more in love than she and Asuma? she thought. And we're the ones supposed to be in the honeymoon phase...
The members of the Hokage Guard Unit appeared beside them, their expressions carefully neutral as they watched their young Hokage's public display of affection.
While everyone else watched the couple, Torune Aburame's gaze found his less-noticeable cousin, Shino. A faint smile touched Torune's lips. "Lord Hokage, why don't you leave this to us?"
Hinata stammered, "N-No, that's not necessary..."
"No need," Naruto said at the same time. He ignored Hinata's disappointed look and formed a hand seal. "Wood Style: Wood Clone Jutsu!"
A clone, nearly identical to the young Hokage, appeared before them. Naruto instructed it softly, "No one except the First Hokage can tell my wood clone from the real me. You guys go to the welcoming ceremony. Hinata and I will take over the patrol here!"
Yamato: "..."
Torune Aburame: "..."
Seeing their stunned silence, Naruto rubbed his forehead. "This is a Hokage's order. Now go! Shino, Kiba, Kurenai—you're with me!"
Kurenai: "..."
She had just been about to praise Naruto's emotional intelligence, but now he was making her, Kiba, and Shino stay behind as chaperones. Weren't they just going to be in the way?
Yamato, Torune, and the others reluctantly went to the village gate with the wood clone. Ever since Konoha had annexed the Land of Mist, they had learned not to question the Hokage's orders.
Kiba couldn't help but mutter, "Hey, Naruto, I thought you were going to let us off the hook for the patrol!"
Shino pushed up his sunglasses. "Kiba, Lord Hokage cannot show favoritism."
"Ahem..." Naruto was actually a bit embarrassed. Officially, the Hokage couldn't show favoritism, but secretly, he still enjoyed a lot of perks from the village. Even the selfless Hashirama and Tobirama Senju had enjoyed the privileges that came with being Hokage.
Naruto took Hinata's hand. "The patrol is about protecting the village. I can't end the mission early and set a bad example, but I can patrol with you..."
"...It's... it's okay..." Hinata shook her head, biting her lip. "Naruto-kun... you shouldn't be here. You should be back in the village. Lady Tsunade and the others worked so hard on this welcoming ceremony!"
"The ceremony is just to celebrate acquiring the Land of Water's territory. A wood clone can handle it." Naruto looked at her, a flash of guilt in his eyes. He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hinata, I just want to spend more time with you... Let's go!"
"Thank you... Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered, lowering her head.
The young Hokage gently tapped her forehead with a finger. "You don't need to thank me for this. Come on, let's go!"
He and Hinata didn't get to spend a long time together.
Less than half an hour later, Naruto's expression soured. He turned to Kurenai, who was walking ahead. "Kurenai, your patrol is over. Escort me back to the village!"
"Huh?" Hinata looked at him in surprise. "Naruto-kun, did something happen?"
Naruto slapped his forehead. "Granny Tsunade punched my wood clone... and it exploded."
Hinata Hyuga: "..."
It had been a pure accident. Tsunade had heard that Naruto hadn't stopped Tobirama from slaughtering the Mist ninjas. As a medical ninja, that was the kind of thing she despised most. Although she knew it was unavoidable, she still habitually took her anger out on Naruto, punching him in the head. Fortunately for him, this happened in the Hokage's office, away from the villagers' eyes.
-----
Tsunade stared at the splinters of wood littering the Hokage's chair and clenched her fist. "That little brat is just like his Great-Grandfather!"
"Hahahaha..." Jiraiya laughed carelessly. "We can't even tell that brat's wood clones apart anymore!"
"You bastard, you think this is funny?!" Tsunade kicked him into the wall before turning her furious gaze on Yamato. "And you, the Hokage Guard Unit! If this had happened during the ceremony, could you have taken responsibility?"
Yamato wore a wronged expression. "..."
If Lady Tsunade hadn't punched the clone, this whole matter wouldn't have been exposed in the first place!
"Alright, alright..." Koharu Utatane tried to smooth things over. "The Fifth has been busy in the Land of Water for over three months. We can't be too demanding. He's still young, after all..."
"That's right," Homura Mitokado chimed in. "It's not a big deal. We've taken over the Land of Water, and the Fifth's prestige has grown. The villagers won't blame him for being absent, especially since they don't know about the clone..."
"Shut up!"
The Hokage's office was particularly lively.
When Naruto returned, the office was in chaos. His wood clone had been torn to shreds by the furious Tsunade. Koharu and Homura were pretending to be invisible, while Yamato and the other guards were still getting an earful.
As he walked in, Tsunade's sharp gaze immediately locked onto him. "The whole village came out to welcome you, and they were greeted by a wood clone. What a grand display, Lord Fifth Hokage!"
"Ahem..." Naruto coughed, spreading his hands helplessly. "This... wasn't how I wanted things to go..."
"Hmph! Get over here for the meeting!" Tsunade gave him a cold look, then slammed her fist on the desk. With a loud crash, the entire desk shattered into a pile of wood.
The corner of Naruto's eye twitched. He scanned the room and noticed someone was missing—someone who usually absorbed Tsunade's anger. "Where's Master Jiraiya?" he asked. "I haven't seen him in three months, I was really starting to miss him..."
Yamato tiptoed over to Naruto's side and whispered, "Lord Hokage, Lord Jiraiya just..."
"He's at the hospital!" Tsunade snapped, her glare shifting from Yamato back to Naruto. "I just approved his medical leave. Do you have a problem with that? Or do you want to go keep him company?"
"...No. Of course not."
-----
Bonus:
Naruto: Where's my master?
Tsunade: He's in the hospital.
Naruto: ???
Tsunade: I was a little angry, so I hit him.
Naruto: Did he... do something wrong?
Tsunade: He provoked me.
Naruto: How?
Tsunade: He said something stupid.
Naruto: ???
Jiraiya: ???
Tsunade: I was in a bad mood and needed to hit someone, okay?
Naruto: ...Okay.
Jiraiya: ???