Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

Hearing someone call him a cheapskate, Naruto Uzumaki looked up and locked eyes with Ino Yamanaka at the fork in the road.

He had figured Asuma would try to save face after being humiliated, and sure enough, Ino had been sent after him not long after to give him a piece of her mind.

But if Naruto wouldn't spare Asuma Sarutobi any respect, why would he do so for a Genin under his command?

Without even looking at her properly, Naruto turned to the side and tried to walk around her.

He didn't say a word. Didn't even spare her a glance.

Ino's expression visibly darkened.

Ever since Shikamaru woke her up after graduation, Ino had felt like she was possessed by something. She suddenly started noticing everything about Naruto… and began to suspect he'd always had feelings for her.

She thought back carefully—reflecting on the past, trying to piece things together. And slowly, she came to a strange conclusion:

Naruto had fallen for her a long time ago—maybe because of a chance meeting, or maybe it was love at first sight.

But he had never confessed.

Instead, he'd kept that love buried deep inside, choosing to watch her quietly from the sidelines.

It wasn't until the argument she had with Sakura over Sasuke that he stepped in—trying to cheer her up, even though he clearly knew the fight had been about another boy.

She now believed that Naruto had purposefully made a fool of himself by chasing Sakura around… all so that Sakura would be embarrassed and that she, Ino, wouldn't have to feel so bad.

Then came the graduation exam. When Naruto realized he wouldn't be seeing her as often anymore, he finally dropped the clown act and began to reveal his true strength—defeating Kiba in one blow just to prove he wasn't the fool everyone thought he was.

But she hadn't understood back then.

She was still cold to him. Still dismissive.

She'd even blocked his path and challenged him, cheered for Sasuke when Naruto was fighting him, and made fun of him without thinking.

But now, when she thought back to Naruto's frustrated words that day—"I won't let you cheer for Sasuke"—and remembered the hurt in his eyes when she rejected him, something twisted in her chest.

She had defeated her "love rival," but the boy who'd always admired her was now avoiding her like the plague.

After stepping back and looking at things from Naruto's perspective, Ino couldn't help but feel miserable.

And it wasn't like this was just any guy—it was Naruto. Naruto, who had done all of this without asking for anything in return.

Still, this wasn't entirely her fault!

How was she supposed to know any of this if he never told her? If he had just said something—if he had explained—even if she didn't like him that way, she wouldn't have hurt him so casually.

Honestly, if Shikamaru hadn't brought it up, she would never have realized any of this at all.

And now that she had, she needed to make things right.

But they were both Genin, always out on missions or training. It wasn't easy to find a chance to talk like this.

And when she finally did—when she actually caught up to him—he didn't even look at her?

Frustrated, Ino stomped her foot, ran in front of Naruto again, and stretched out her arms to block him.

"Uzumaki Naruto! You stingy jerk!" she repeated, louder this time.

Naruto gave her a deadpan look. "Yeah, I am stingy. So why don't you just go away?"

His tone was cold. Dismissive. He didn't even look her in the eye.

Ino couldn't take it anymore. Her eyes started to mist up, and she bit her lip.

"Can't you at least explain everything clearly?!"

Naruto frowned. "…???"

What was she even talking about?

Did she expect him to say, 'Yeah, I was just messing with Asuma on purpose'? Seriously?

No criminal ever walks up to the cops and confesses voluntarily.

Naruto yawned and tried to step around her again, but Ino was being persistent. When he stepped left, she blocked the left. When he stepped right, she blocked the right.

"…Move."

"No!"

"If you don't move, I'll hit you."

"Then hit me."

Naruto instinctively took a step back. Something was off.

Last time he let his guard down, she knocked him out in one move. Now here she was, picking a fight again?

This smelled like a setup.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"I want you to tell me the truth," Ino said seriously, her voice unwavering.

No way.

There was absolutely no way Naruto was going to explain things to cover for Asuma. Not happening.

Looks like the only way out was to knock her out and toss her somewhere quiet.

He shook his head and was just about to move into a combat stance when suddenly—

[Passive Selection Triggered!]

[While heading home in the evening, you were stopped by Ino. She's persistently asking you to explain your feelings and clear up the misunderstanding between you. What will you do?]

[Choice 1 – Stay Friendly: Make up a false backstory that fits her beliefs to reconcile. Reward: (Talent – Mouth Full of Lies)]

[Choice 2 – Be Rational: Tell her never to seek you out again, then leave. Reward: (5% Control of the Nine-Tails' Chakra)]

[Choice 3 – Act Recklessly: Invite her home, knock her out when her guard is down, and tie her up. Reward: (15% Control of the Nine-Tails' Chakra)]

[Choice 4 – Ruthless: Kill her in public. Reward: (Devil's Contract ×)]

…What the hell?

She wanted to "clear up a misunderstanding"?

What misunderstanding??

Naruto was completely baffled. He'd assumed Ino came chasing after him because of the Asuma incident earlier—but apparently, that wasn't it at all.

But then, what was she even talking about?

Was this about the time he tricked her into doing that embarrassing pose?

Or the time he knocked her out?

Or when he pinched her cheeks on graduation day?

That couldn't be it. If it were, she'd already have attacked him by now. There wouldn't be all this awkward, emotional build-up.

Still confused, Naruto gave her a good look.

She was dressed in her usual black top and skirt combo. Her exposed waist and thighs were bandaged in the standard kunoichi fashion. Honestly, it looked pretty good on her.

Her fair skin practically glowed, and her eyes shimmered like she was about to burst into tears.

She really was pretty.

But Naruto had no idea what she wanted.

"What exactly do you want me to explain?" he asked sincerely.

"You know what I mean!" she said, eyes widening with hope.

Naruto wanted to scream.

No, I don't! If I knew, I wouldn't be asking!

And since she clearly wasn't going to tell him what the misunderstanding even was, it looked like he wasn't getting that sweet new talent reward after all.

Naruto sighed deeply, then looked her square in the eye.

"…Ino," he said quietly."Please don't come looking for me again."