"Thank you for reminding me."
Uzumaki Naruto helped Hinata up from the ground. Looking at this shy, clumsy girl, his heart was filled with emotion.
"Don't move."
Naruto took a band-aid from his bag and carefully placed it on the bridge of Hinata's nose.
Earlier, this little klutz hadn't dodged the book thrown at her, and it had hit her right in the face, leaving a small cut on her delicate skin.
"Ah, ah, ah!"
Hinata had never been in such close contact with a boy before.
Seeing Naruto so close, feeling his warm breath, watching him with such focus and care as he used his hands to tend to the wound on her face, Hinata felt a strange sensation in her head.
A tingling, numbing, yet comfortable feeling spread across her scalp, gradually causing her to lose her ability to think.
Too, too close!
Hinata's face quickly turned bright red. Her eyes started to spin rapidly, turning into spirals.
"You... you... you carry these with you."
Feeling like she was about to die of embarrassment, and wanting to escape this flustered feeling, Hinata shyly asked Naruto about it.
Naruto replied in a tone that suggested it was no big deal.
"Oh, when I was little, I would always get hit in the head with stones when I went out. I bled a lot, so I got into the habit of carrying these things."
Behind them, Iruka's body jolted. He turned around in disbelief, looking at the boy who was helping Hinata treat her wound, the bag on his back, and then at the solitary figure walking out of the classroom alone.
In an instant, his heart was also sharply pierced by guilt and self-blame.
Was the reason Naruto beat those three kids so severely because Hinata got involved and hurt because of him?
...
"I'm home..."
To the empty house, having thoroughly beaten up those three brats and feeling much better overall, Naruto habitually called out.
As he was taking off his shoes at the genkan, he suddenly stopped. Because there was another pair of shoes, neatly placed there as well.
A strange expression appeared on Naruto's face.
He looked at the house in front of him, pretended not to have noticed anything, and walked step by step into the main room.
Then, the moment he turned to enter the bedroom, the bedroom door was flung open.
Hyuga Shiro, with a smile on her face, hugged Naruto tightly, pulling his head into the embrace of her ample chest.
"Happy, Naruto?"
Naruto flailed his arms and legs, 'struggling' vigorously. His hands and face were practically buried in the soft flesh.
Even through a layer of light clothing, he could smell the milky fragrance wafting from beneath her clothes.
A scent sweeter than who knows how many glasses of milk.
A scent that was making Naruto's heart beat faster, his cheeks flush, and his body grow increasingly stiff.
Right now, a soft body was pressed tightly against his rigid form.
"Let me go!"
Naruto pressed his hands against the place where his head was buried, 'forcefully' pushing against it, trying to break free.
"Giggle..."
Hyuga Shiro laughed. This guy Naruto was really too funny.
Obviously enjoying it, getting so shy like this, but his body was so honest!
Why don't you really use some force and push me away!
Hyuga Shiro released Naruto, then took his hand and led him to a table full of prepared dishes.
The smell of home washed over him in an instant, making Naruto feel an enormous warmth.
"This... this is..."
"Hokage-sama asked me to take good care of you, Naruto. So from now on, I'll be living here too. Please take care of me in the future."
Naruto stared dumbfounded at everything in front of him. Hyuga Shiro was going to live here from now on?
"You... you're not happy?"
Hyuga Shiro, on the other hand, was thrilled. Due to the Hokage's request, she received special permission from the Hyuga clan not to return to live with the Hyuga.
Even though the "Caged Bird" seal on her forehead still existed, even if it was just symbolically being able to leave the clan for a few days, not having to go back every day to feel that oppressive, stifling atmosphere made Hyuga Shiro exceptionally happy.
"So, my dear master, would you like to eat first, take a bath first, or eat me first?"
Naruto's face turned red. This Shiro-nee was really starting to let loose!
He, Uzumaki Naruto, was only a few years old! He didn't have that capability yet!
"Of course, eat... first!" (He meant the food).
Naruto threw his bag into the bedroom and eagerly sat down at the table, ready to dig in.
Shiro being able to come live here and live together with him from now on was truly the happiest news of the day.
Both of them wore happy smiles as they finished their warm meal.
Only, after Naruto went into the bedroom, things became a bit awkward.
His house was originally small, and the bedroom was just one room with only one bed, barely enough for him to sleep alone.
Should he let Shiro sleep on the bed, and he'd take the floor?
But even so, it would still be a young man and a woman sharing a single room, right?
Naruto's heart pounded *thump-thump-thump*, and he couldn't help but feel some strange anticipation.
Although right now he was just a kid who couldn't even load a blank cartridge, as long as there's love, there's always a way to solve problems, right?
Just as Naruto was starting to let his thoughts wander, Hyuga Shiro, having finished washing the dishes, stretched and walked into the bedroom.
"So relaxing!"
Even though this house was small and simple, Hyuga Shiro felt it was much freer and more comfortable than living in that place.
"I'm going to take a bath, Naruto. Want to join me?"
Hyuga Shiro, with her heart open, was completely letting herself go.
Seeing her teasing, sure that he wouldn't dare to bathe with her, Naruto instantly gritted his teeth.
Hyuga Shiro's face blossomed into a smile. A faint layer of blush slowly spread across her delicate neck.
After all, he's just a child. Seeing him teased until his face was bright red was really too much fun!
Hyuga Shiro raised both hands, reached up, and grasped the collar of her top.
Her slender, jade-like fingers slowly began to undo the buttons, gradually revealing the undergarment beneath.
But in that instant, just as she was about to make Naruto blush furiously and shame him into leaving, Hyuga Shiro suddenly realized the Naruto in front of her was gone.
She turned around. At the bathroom door, Naruto stood by the bath, having stripped down to just his underwear, holding a basin filled with bath things. He seemed to be waiting eagerly for her to finish undressing so they could go in together.
You undressed way too fast!
"I'm going to take a bath, Naruto. Want to join me?"
Hyuga Shiro, with her heart open, was completely letting herself go.
Seeing her teasing, sure that he wouldn't dare to bathe with her, Naruto instantly gritted his teeth.
Hyuga Shiro's face blossomed into a smile. A faint layer of blush slowly spread across her delicate neck.
After all, he's just a child. Seeing him teased until his face was bright red was really too much fun!
Hyuga Shiro raised both hands, reached up, and grasped the collar of her top.
Her slender, jade-like fingers slowly began to undo the buttons, gradually revealing the undergarment beneath.
But in that instant, just as she was about to make Naruto blush furiously and shame him into leaving, Hyuga Shiro suddenly realized the Naruto in front of her was gone.
She turned around. At the bathroom door, Naruto stood by the bath, having stripped down to just his underwear, holding a basin filled with bath things. He seemed to be waiting eagerly for her to finish undressing so they could go in together.
You undressed way too fast!