In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

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“Not close?” Sakura’s smile was beginning to falter.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Naruto glanced at her sideways, "Wouldn't it be better for everyone to just pretend nothing's wrong and continue with our missions?"

"I thought you've already figured it out." Sakura replied.

"So what? I can pretend I don't know." Naruto sighed and said, "But now that you've suddenly decided to confess, you've made things really difficult for me."

"Can't there be a bit of mutual understanding between us? Or perhaps a shared secret? If I don't say anything, and you don't say anything, and with Sasuke far away, who would know your secret?"

"I'm surprised by your thinking." Sakura said, still smiling.

"There's nothing surprising about it." Naruto spread his hands, revealing a somewhat unfriendly smile, "The so-called companions are those who accompany each other through life and death."

"But if Sakura's heart has gone with Sasuke, it puts me in a tough spot. I just need a companion. It makes no difference to me whether it's you or Sakura, right?"

"Well, have you convinced yourself with that?" Sakura asked with a bit of amusement, tilting her head slightly, "I thought you might be angry or even have a breakdown."

"If you'd like, I can act that out for you now."

"No need." Sakura replied with a smile.

"Then can we start over? Let's forget everything that happened tonight, and pretend that nothing happened." Naruto's face showed a trace of unhappiness.

‘I had carefully played dumb, but this idiot turned around and lay everything out in the open.’

"No, I want to tell you, Naruto." Sakura shook her head.

Naruto closed his eyes in despair and sighed deeply, "I don't want to see anything, I don't want to hear anything, I don't want to know anything. Why do you have to tell me?"

Under the dim streetlight, Sakura remained silent for a long time before lifting her head, and said seriously, "I want to be remembered. In case I disappear one day, I might not even leave a trace of my existence. Everyone would only remember her, not me."

"My memory isn't that great, and I tend to forget a lot of people and things." Naruto scratched his face, looking up at the dark sky, "I might even forget by tomorrow after a good night's sleep."

Upon hearing this, Sakura stepped forward and picked up a takoyaki with a bamboo skewer, offering it to Naruto.

"Here."

Naruto stared at the takoyaki for a moment but didn't reach out to take it.

"What’s wrong? Afraid I poisoned it?"

"Tsunade-sama once did. You're her student…" Naruto said with a look of disbelief, "What if you’re trying to silence someone who knows your secret?"

"Then, do I need to take such a big risk and go through so much trouble?"

"Maybe you just enjoy the process of committing the crime." Naruto stroked his chin and mused, "Or maybe you want to satisfy some twisted desire, like killing someone with lies, watching them drown in endless hatred before they die."

Sakura: "… You are obviously the more twisted one here."

"Don't worry, I know you won't tell anyone about this secret between us." She handed over the takoyaki and said, "You can think of this as me trying to win your favor."

"Huh? Why?" Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Naruto-kun, you’re the only one who knows that I exist. If you forget about me, then I will really cease to exist." Sakura said with a smile.

"I want you to remember me, Naruto. Even if I disappear one day, I want to still live on in your memories."

"So, there's no way I would harm you!"

Naruto glanced at Sakura sideways and said disdainfully, "I don't believe a single word women say."

Sakura's face twitched slightly and her smile froze on her face.

Back at home, he opened the door.

In the end, he still didn't eat the takoyaki. After saying something that shattered Sakura's composure, he turned around and left. Just thinking about Sakura now gave him chills, so there was no way he was going to get close to her.

Today, he got caught, and there was nothing he could do about it.

But Sakura wouldn't usually be on missions with him unless there were special circumstances. Whether it was the old Sakura or the inner Sakura, Naruto felt that it was best to stay away from a yandere with a dual personality.

Sakura's situation was indeed rare, but he didn't really care. He didn't want to deal with the old Sakura, who was obsessed with Sasuke, nor the inner Sakura.

If he has such free time, he’d rather spend it lying around.

With a click, the lights came on, filling the living room with brightness.

"Kurama, get out here!" Naruto called out as he walked, placing the food he had brought on the dining table, "Hurry up, I brought you something to eat. Next time, you need to help me buy things."

As soon as the words fell, there was movement in the room where Kurama was. Due to the absence of ‘certain part’, Kurama usually walked upright when no one was around.

The way he swaggered out and opened the door was reminiscent of Tom the Cat.

"You're the real dog here." Kurama grumbled as he deftly jumped onto the sofa, lying down while complaining, "How am I supposed to buy you food? Walk around with money in my mouth like a dumb dog?"

"You could."

“Get lost." Kurama scoffed, "Now hurry up and present your offering to the great me!"

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, Kurama jumped off the sofa and hurried to the kitchen, grabbing some alcohol from the fridge. With a practiced motion, he popped it open.

"Hey, Kurama, how about coming with me on a mission next time?" Naruto suddenly suggested.

"Another mission with those pet-loving idiots? No thanks!" After saying that, Kurama picked up the bottle of alcohol with his paws and started complaining.

"It probably won't be with them." Naruto ate the fried tempura, frowned, and swallowed it with difficulty, "You should get out and stretch your legs. Staying cooped up at home all the time will make you rusty."

"As if the great me could ever be weakened by mere indulgence." Kyuubi mumbled, taking another swig, "I can go, but you have to bring the booze with you."

Naruto thought for a moment. Since he had a seal space, carrying a few things wouldn't be a problem. So, he readily agreed, and the matter was settled.

Since the arrival of autumn, the weather in Konoha had become increasingly strange.

Faced with the embarrassing situation of only having one day left of vacation, Naruto calmly devised a plan to pass the time, intending to quietly enjoy this hard-earned vacation time alone.

He no longer expected anyone to be free to spend time with him at this time, after all, all Shinobi had different schedules for their time off.

He just happened to meet Ino today. He guesses that she was probably already out on another mission tomorrow, likely under Asuma's lead.

…

The next day.

"Anyway." Naruto said, curled up in his thin blanket, only his head peeking out as he grinned at Kurama, "As long as I'm home sleeping, no one will bother me."

"You're the real lazy one." Kurama muttered, taking a swig of alcohol, "It's so quiet. But I have a feeling you won't be getting any sleep today."

"You better shut your trap." Naruto retorted. His room was wide open, and his sword was placed near the room’s door. He did that so that he could draw his sword and rush to the entrance the moment there was a knock on the door.