14 Date x Embrace

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Naruto declared with complete confidence, “Where do you want to go, Koharu? The park? The boulevard? The hill behind the village?”

The Hokage Tower’s suggestion had been that they let their romantic journey cover the whole of Konoha and discover which place made their hearts flutter most.

But Naruto felt that the best place would be wherever Koharu liked most.

Besides, he had done his homework for every possible destination.

He had worked so hard for so long, all for the sake of making their first date perfect!

“That sounds rather difficult to choose.”

“Then let’s go somewhere you visit most often.”

The boy brightened, offering what he had decided the previous night was the best possible answer.

Haruna said expressionlessly, “The place I visit most often is the Hero Memorial Cemetery.”

How was he supposed to respond to that?

It was only when he saw a faint smile appear in the girl’s eyes that Naruto realized she had been teasing him.

Didn’t that make him look like an idiot?

Ah, never mind! At least Koharu was smiling.

She had originally been a girl as cold and pale as snow, but whenever she smiled, she no longer seemed quite so icy—or quite so burdened.

He liked seeing Haruna happy.

Whenever he managed to make the girl laugh, he always felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

In truth, whenever Naruto saw Haruna, he thought of hoarfrost on pine branches in winter.

Hoarfrost possessed delicate, intricate patterns that reflected the light of the sun. It was not dazzling, yet it was crystal clear—a pure, lucid blossom unique to winter.

Just like Koharu.

Remembering how the Pervy Sage had told him to praise girls more often, saying that a sweet tongue made people easier to win over, Naruto loudly exclaimed, “As expected of Koharu! Even your lame jokes are just a little better than everyone else’s!”

For some reason, however, Koharu merely twitched the corner of her mouth before her smile vanished.

Had he praised her incorrectly again?

Aaaaah! He would never trust the Pervy Sage again!

The Pervy Sage himself was a bachelor. What did he know about pursuing girls? This so-called master of love was probably just bragging!

Haruna brought the conversation back on track. “Let’s stroll through the boulevard. We can buy some snacks at Sweet Chestnut.”

Sweet Chestnut was famous for its desserts and small delicacies. Its chestnut yokan and chestnut cakes were signature specialties, and many of their classmates were fond of them.

Haruna had never tried them before. Cooking for herself was cheaper.

Fortunately, the village would reimburse every expense incurred during her date with Naruto, giving her a rare opportunity to explore the shop on public funds.

Sweet Chestnut’s business was excellent, however, and familiar faces were constantly coming and going.

As the stars of the Chunin Exams, Haruna and Naruto attracted a great deal of attention.

Everyone who knew about the situation had received internal orders not to interfere with or affect their date.

Even so, the gossiping glances exchanged by onlookers, the suggestive and knowing smiles, and the occasional “Ohhh, you two~” made both of them extremely uncomfortable.

Naruto, especially, blushed easily and grew flustered at the slightest provocation, making him an even more tempting target for all those suggestive cheers of “I understand, I understand.”

So in the end, they bought some snacks and desserts and found a secluded place to spend their date alone.

…

Haruna and Naruto sat beside the river on the hill behind the village, sharing the sweets and snacks they had just bought.

The riverbank was shaded by luxuriant trees. It was cool and quiet, free of any embarrassing romantic atmosphere—there was only the gentle murmur of the stream.

The first item Haruna sampled was the famous Konoha delicacy she had long heard about: chestnut yokan.

Chestnut yokan was a dessert made from red bean paste, chestnuts, and other ingredients. Even before it reached her lips, its rich, sugary fragrance filled the air. Once tasted, its sweetness seemed to sink straight into the heart.

Haruna did not find it particularly delicious. At least, it fell short of what she had initially expected.

The three-colored dumplings were the same.

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There had once been a senior she knew who loved three-colored dumplings and had invited her to try them.

But apart from the gentle, handsome features of the black-haired boy and the exceptionally sweet glutinous rice dumplings, she remembered little else.

She knew why.

She always cooked for herself and could never bring herself to use many seasonings. Snacks were an additional expense, too, so whenever someone treated her to something, she was unaccustomed to the taste.

Desserts made with so much sugar were simply too sweet for her.

When she thought about it, her life really was rather pitiful. It gave her the feeling of someone who would never be able to afford three proper dishes in an entire lifetime.

Well, perhaps not.

She would marry rather well in the future. Naruto was not the sort of man who would skimp on household expenses, and he was plainly a high-quality husband.

So…

When she fell silent, Naruto asked in confusion, “Koharu?”

“Naruto, why do you think the future me won’t like you?”

He honestly shook his head. Then, with a little bit of self-serving cunning, he shifted all the blame onto his future self.

“It must be because future me bullied you and made you unhappy. But…”

Naruto frowned. Once again, he could not picture himself bullying Koharu at all.

Haruna could not imagine it either. Though they had known each other for less than a month, Naruto’s personality was already perfectly clear.

Generous, passionate, straightforward, innocent, and far more sunny and cheerful than she was.

Never mind. There was no point thinking about it.

Neither she nor Naruto had any intention of getting married anymore. The future had already changed.

For now, the most important things were to fill her heart-flutter meter and acquire as much ability to protect herself as possible.

She had tried out that limited-time Healthy Legs trial card the previous night, but it was not that simple.

“We should hug,” Haruna said.

The words left her with force and certainty. There was not a trace of shyness in her eyes, only an intense desire to obtain heart-flutter points.

Naruto, on the other hand, immediately began coughing violently. He struggled to swallow his soda and narrowly avoided an even more embarrassing display.

A hug?

That was far more intimate than holding hands.

Haruna reminded him, “We’re heart-flutter partners. Don’t be so nervous. You’re making me feel embarrassed too.”

Naruto’s face grew even redder, and he obediently nodded. “Okay!”

Although he agreed, he had not actually figured out what he was supposed to do.

No one had ever taught him how to embrace another person.

But when all was said and done, it was simply a matter of—

The blond boy’s thoughts abruptly stopped. His eyes widened slightly.

Haruna had assumed an expression of faint exasperation, then taken the initiative and moved closer to him.

“I’m not going to waste time with you.”

As her words fell, that unfamiliar, warm, soft, slender body pressed against him.

It was the first time he had realized that a girl’s body could feel like this.

Koharu was so soft.

She carried a faint fragrance—the scent of soap and sunlight, like a warm quilt fresh from the clothesline.

It was strange yet familiar, an intimate scent that made him want to nuzzle closer.

The boy was somewhat entranced. A powerful urge to breathe her in deeply rose from the depths of his heart, but then he thought: Wouldn’t that make him seem like some kind of pervert?

So he desperately held his breath.

“Your heart is beating very fast,” the girl whispered beside his ear. “It’s practically deafening.”

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The spot where Naruto’s ears and cheeks met grew hot as if scorched by flames. He was dizzy and could no longer tell whether it was he who was blushing and burning—

Or whether Koharu was embarrassed too.

He could hear it.

Koharu’s heartbeat was racing as well.

The entire world seemed filled with the sound of their heartbeats.

But just as Haruna was calculating the points transferred by their heartbeats and trying to dispel the excess embarrassment, her gaze happened to pass over Naruto’s shoulder.

Then it stopped on the figure of a boy who had appeared at some point before the woods across the river.

Haruna’s body suddenly stiffened.

The handsome black-haired boy still had sweat on his brow, and dust clung to several places on his clothes. He looked as though he had just finished training.

Yet the slight dishevelment did nothing to diminish his appearance. When the black-haired boy met Haruna’s gaze, he faintly furrowed his brow.

…Sasuke Uchiha.

The person Haruna secretly loved.

Why had he frowned?

Did he think this was improper?

How humiliating. How awkward. He had definitely misunderstood!

During this period, her time had been consumed by the Celestial Screen mission, while the village had taken care of all her food, clothing, lodging, and transportation. It had been a long time since she had allowed herself to dwell on such feelings.

But there were always certain people who, the moment they appeared, could make your heart tremble and steal away your entire gaze.

“If you’re not training, what are you doing?”

Sasuke Uchiha seemed to regard her as air. He ignored her completely and spoke coldly only to Naruto.

…Haruna’s already racing heart suddenly sank.

The girl withdrew her arms and silently slipped out of Naruto’s embrace.

Naruto did not release her at once, so there was a faint struggle in her movement.

The blond boy paused, then shouted, “I train all the time! Don’t think that just because you have Chidori, I can’t beat you! The Rasengan is powerful too! We’re completing a mission right now!”

Naruto was always arguing with Sasuke, yet they still seemed to have an excellent relationship.

The realization made her feel even more awkward.

She had thought she had found courage and confidence, but now she realized that they existed only in front of Naruto.

Whenever she encountered Sasuke, she was still that awkward, ordinary girl.

“You two talk. I’m going back first,” she said.

“Huh? What? Who wants to talk to him?” Naruto glared at Sasuke indignantly, then suggested, “Koharu, let’s go play somewhere else.”

Haruna shook her head and hurriedly prepared to turn away.

At that very moment, she heard the boy’s cold voice ring out.

“Just now.”

“Was the dead last forcing you to do that because of what the Celestial Screen required?”

Haruna’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

The blond boy looked at her in astonishment. She had reacted almost as though jolted by electricity, immediately stopping when Sasuke called out to her.

Then he turned toward Sasuke, whose expression remained cold. The smile on Naruto’s face had faded considerably.

Koharu…

She would admit it, wouldn’t she?

Naruto pressed his lips together.

He vaguely sensed something, yet was unwilling to acknowledge it.

And for some reason, the blazing heart that had been beating so rapidly suddenly fell silent.