Naruto Senju Shippuden

Chapter 3

Naruto was walking through the village of Konoha. It isn't the first time he has done it, and hopefully not the last. It has been a while since he has walked through the streets. He is basking in the late-night air and activity. He walks up to the Yamanaka flower shop. He knocks on the door. Inomi opens the door. "Naruto? Is that you? It is you! Look how you have grown!" She exclaims. "It is me. I'm back for, hopefully, a long time. This place makes you miss it like crazy!" Naruto says back. "Is Ino awake? I kind of promised her something when I left," Naruto says while scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, I saw her just a few minutes ago..." Inomi says with a sly smirk. Naruto's cheeks became dusted with a slight blush. "Ino! You have a visitor! He is really handsome!" Inomi screams out to her daughter. Naruto looks away, slightly embarrassed. "Mum! You don't have to say that!" Ino says as she walks down the stairs. She looks great. Her hair has regrown since the Chuunin Exams, which was good. Naruto likes hair long on girls. She was wearing a purple crop top and the same colour on her skirt. It showed her more filled out figure. 'She looks good... Wait is that really the first thought that comes to mind!' Naruto thinks to himself and gains a new small almost unnoticeable blush. "Naruto..." She says when she sees who is there to see her. 'He is blushing from seeing me! Ah!!! those cute little cheeks makes me want to squese them!! And those cute little whiskers! He has gotten so tall he is even taller than me now!' Ino thinks, and gets a blush of her own. "Hello there, Ino..." Naruto says with a slight wave. "I... came to make good on my promise..." Naruto says with a blindingly bright smile. "Yeah... sure..." Ino says. Naruto shows the way out.

Naruto and Ino walk in silence. Three years was too long. "So how's Team Ten?" Naruto tries to open up the conversation. "Good... good," Ino answers. "How was your training?" Ino asks after a few seconds of silence. "Good I learned a lot..." Naruto explains everything that happened with great enthusiasm. They were back to normal now. "Is it okay if we eat at Ichiraku? I didn't excatly have time to book a fancy resturant..." Naruto says after some time, wandering the streets. "Yeah... that is fine but you owe me a proper date some other time then..." Ino says. "Absolutley!" Naruto says as he grabs her hand and pulls her towards his favourite restaurant. "Naruto! Slow down! It isn't going anywhere!" Ino says between her laughs. They both laughed all the way to the ramen place.

Naruto leads Ino into the establishment by her hand. "Hiya! Occhan! Do you remember me?" Naruto asks the ramen cook with a big smile. "Naruto? It is you right Naruto!" He exclaims. "Naruto! Look how you have grown!" His daughter clamours, seeing their previously shortest regular. "And you brought a girl! Is it a date this time?" The older man asks Naruto. "This time?" Ino asks while crossing her arms and tapping her finger on her arm. "Sakura and I had a chat in here before the Sasuke mission... I swear I set him straight right away!" Naruto says as he puts his hands together in front of him and bows to show remorse. "Well, as long as you understand," Ino says and takes a seat on the counter. 'She is more reasonable than Sakura... thank the gods for that...'  Naruto thinks as sighs in relief. "You are going to be the death of me Occhan..." Naruto sits down next to Ino. "As a sorry, today is on me..." He says with a small understanding smile. "Thank you!" Naruto perks up. Ino sighs and shakes her head. But a smile spreads on her face anyway. How could she have fallen for such a dunce?

The meal went great. Naruto and Ino talked about all sorts of things. But it was coming to an end. Naruto was walking his date home. "I had a really good time tonight Naruto..." Ino says when they reach her home. "Yeah. Me too," Naruto says as he smiles. "But since I do owe you a proper date let's do this again?" He asks. "Yeah... Let's," Ino answers with a smile. Naruto begins to turn around to walk back home. "Naruto!" Ino says loudly enough to get his attention. He turns back to face her but a soft prick on his cheek stops him from turning all the way. A red explosion goes off on his face. "Goodbye!" Ino screams and slams the door behind her. Naruto stands there in the middle of the street for several minutes processing what just happened.