2 The Kiss

The young girl gazed in astonishment at the strange version of herself on the light screen. For Haruna, as she was now, love was an incredibly distant concept, let alone marriage. Such a future was utterly preposterous; it was impossible for her to ever like Naruto Uzumaki! After all, the person she secretly admired had always been—

Haruna fought the urge to turn around. Everyone in the spectator stands was currently watching her, scrutinizing her every move; turning her head would only draw more attention. Furthermore, she knew that most of those judgments were undoubtedly laced with mockery. They would likely sneer that a mediocre girl like Haruna was dreaming of marriage and romance, and that she only dared to set her sights on a loser like Naruto.

The girl tightened her expression, forcing herself to appear calm and indifferent. In reality, she was absolutely furious. Who would dare to pull such a brazen prank on the Chunin Exams, maliciously disrupting the order of the venue? Weren't they afraid of the Third Hokage’s retribution? Moreover, the dark-haired boy would now see her in this embarrassing state, tangled up with that childish, reckless Uzumaki fellow, being teased by others about a boring marriage game.

But perhaps his impression of her wouldn't worsen, as they were strangers to begin with. In his eyes, she probably didn't have much of a presence anyway. At this thought, Haruna felt her cheeks burn even more fiercely. Yet, she did not cry; her expression only grew more stubborn. Haruna disliked crying. Ever since the day her parents passed away and she was forced to live independently, she had not shed a single tear. Crying solved nothing; it only became fodder for others' gossip. She had already experienced things far more humiliating and desperate than this twice before. She wanted to see just what other lies this sky screen could conjure!

...

In the stands, Shikamaru frowned and looked at Ino beside him. Ino gave a start, her head shaking like a bobblehead: "Don't look at me like that! I don't know anything! That's the future me's doing!"

Sakura muttered, "Haruna has never even called Naruto by his name. Will those two really get married in the future?"

"No."
"Wrong."

Two voices spoke simultaneously. Shikamaru spoke calmly, correcting Sakura: "They will get a divorce."

Standing nearby, Neji Hyuga said coldly: "Why would two losers end up together? Are the weak huddling together for warmth?"

Sakura scratched her head. Why did both of their comments sound so strange? Tenten pushed Neji and said with an awkward smile, "Don't always say that about Haruna-senpai. She's a very good person."

Oh, right. Sakura remembered that Haruna had been Neji's classmate when she was held back a year. But judging by Neji’s cold and dismissive tone, their relationship must be quite poor.

Candidates from other ninja villages were also watching. Although everyone was waiting for the exam to begin, the appearance of the light screen was truly bizarre, not to mention that it was broadcasting the future of their fellow examinees.

"So it's the future of that blond kid?" Kankuro mocked. "He ended up with such a mediocre-looking woman."

Gaara said coldly, "Quiet." Kankuro shut his mouth awkwardly; his younger brother did not like others chatting while he was watching the "television."

As for the five ninjas from the Sound Village, their hidden agendas were even more obvious. The light screen had actually mentioned the future Lord Orochimaru, so they had to listen! They glanced covertly at Kabuto Yakushi. Lord Kabuto was disguised as a Leaf ninja, and the temporary teammate assigned to him during the Chunin Exams was this very woman. If it weren't for Lord Kabuto's guidance, she would have been eliminated long ago. Could it be... that what was happening before their eyes was also within Lord Kabuto's calculations?!

At this moment, the Third Hokage was considering whether to evacuate the candidates. But the timing of this space-time ninjutsu was too strange, and he was more inclined to seal off the area and find the caster hiding among the crowd. After all, there were only 21 candidates who had entered the final preliminary round, and including the proctors and logistics staff, there were fewer than a hundred people; it would not be difficult to control the scene. The Third had initially suspected the caster was trying to incite the masses—but was using Naruto’s marriage gossip as an entry point for incitement a bit too unconventional?

*Cough.*

Since the sky screen appeared, the Third Hokage’s long-dormant desire for gossip was quietly bubbling over. There was no help for it. Such a major event as his own wayward junior getting a divorce was hard for an old man not to worry about. In short, the Third decided to seal the scene, stay put, and observe the aftermath. He did not believe that this mysterious space-time ninjutsu had appeared solely to tell them that the future jinchuriki’s wife was preparing to divorce him. What kind of heart could such gossip possibly shake?!

*

Everyone felt the divorce was unimportant. But the Ino on the light screen clearly thought it was critical. Naruto’s emotional state could potentially affect the order and stability of the entire ninja world. After all, if a Naruto who hadn't won his wife's heart wanted to create a world where Haruna didn't want to divorce him... uh. Would Sasuke have to lead a Ninja Alliance to revolt against Naruto? It was hard to imagine.

[Inside the clinic.]

The blond doctor looked grave: "Can you talk about why you think this way?"

"Unsuitable is just unsuitable," Haruna said. "Perhaps he can keep going, but I can no longer bear it. Every second I spend with him is so suffocating it feels like I'm drowning. But I know no one will support me. So don't ask so many questions; just implant a thought in me."

"What thought do you want to implant?"

Haruna’s tone was devoid of fluctuation: "Naruto Uzumaki is a great hero who saved the world; therefore, I admire him deeply, and his marriage to me makes me feel intoxicated. That will do."

"No, implanting thoughts into a patient without authorization is illegal. There must be a reasonable medical cause," Ino said, suppressing her shock. "Besides, Naruto being a hero is widely recognized, and the logic of the thought you suggest is unlikely to pass review."

More importantly, the optics were bad. Post-war regulations on genjutsu manipulation were strict, and all matters had to be filed in the medical system. If Haruna’s distress were to leak out, it would be a huge headache for Leaf's propaganda efforts, so the high-level leadership would never approve it. But if Haruna used high-level connections—would her husband, Naruto Uzumaki, agree? Thus, it was a deadlock.

The girl looked up and stared steadily at Ino for a few seconds, her sharp, gloomy gaze making Ino feel uncomfortable. Then, Haruna’s tone grew even colder: "Then must I write in my medical record that I have never approved of my husband? Only that he possesses a strong desire to conquer me, and he will only be satisfied enough to divorce me after he has twisted this thought of mine?"

Ino was stunned.

On the stands, everyone was stunned. Haruna was also stunned. *Wait, you—what am I saying???*

Sakura covered her mouth in shock. "Desire to conquer"—wow, what an overbearing word! Was Naruto actually such a terrible person with a hidden personality?

As for Naruto? The boy realized it belatedly—he said in surprise, "Ino, you said I'm a hero recognized by everyone!"

In the extremely quiet Chunin exam venue, where the air of gossip was gradually boiling over, the boy’s bright voice stood out.

"Idiot! Is now the time to focus on that?!" Sakura hammered the railing, unable to stop herself from scolding him. Then, the pink-haired girl looked at Ino and whispered, "But will that guy really be a great hero in the future?"

"Don't look at me, I don't know, it has nothing to do with me." Ino covered her face in despair. Help, please let someone else go up and act; she really couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want to admit that the loser Naruto was a great hero; if Sasuke-kun saw those rumors, wouldn't he misunderstand her to death?

Asuma’s expression seemed serious, but he lowered his voice to make a reasonable guess. "Could it be that he deliberately hid it before marriage, and his wife discovered his jinchuriki identity after?"

"Being a jinchuriki seems to really affect the quality of married life."

Kurenai elbowed him. "With such a big thing as marriage, Naruto’s personality wouldn't lie to his lover... right?"

The Third remained calm for the time being. "At least one thing is clear: Naruto will become a recognized hero in the future." If Naruto could be recognized as a hero despite being a jinchuriki, it meant he was not a threat to the village. So, no matter how messy or terrible his private life was, the Hokage could rest easy. However, the second this thought surfaced, the desire for gossip bubbled up again in the Third's heart.

—Is this sky screen really the future?
—He truly couldn't believe that the child he watched grow up would become a scumbag.
—No, Hiruzen Sarutobi! Think about serious business, stop gossiping about the young couple!

"I think Haruna's statement... must be problematic." As the jounin in charge, Kakashi tried to defend his student. "Naruto would never have such a vile personality."

As a result, on the sky screen, Haruna’s next accusation made the silver-haired jounin shut his mouth in embarrassment.

["Everything he does is so hypocritical that it makes me feel sick," Haruna said wearily.

Ino looked blank. She couldn't fathom how the word "hypocritical" could be linked to Naruto. But Haruna and Naruto were at the level of intimacy where they slept together at night, the person closest to him in life.

"What is your current living situation?" Ino thought carefully, then said seriously, "Does Naruto treat you well on the surface, but abuse you at home?"

"No," Haruna shook her head immediately. The sharpness on her face wavered, seemingly wanting to answer Ino’s question, but—the girl’s tone was even more determined. The heavy words of complaint spilled out as if they had been stifled in her heart for a long time and had finally found a vent. The gloom was so palpable that even just listening made one feel her unhappiness.

"We have been sleeping in separate rooms since we got married. He is on the second floor, I am on the first. Most of the time he leaves through the window for missions, and we rarely see each other."

"I have never loved him; I don't even have a feeling of liking him."

"Even just a casual glance, he makes me feel sick."

"Like mentioning his name right now... so disgusting."

The girl clearly swallowed hard, holding back the urge to vomit. Ino had a gut feeling that these weren't the words Haruna originally wanted to say. But even if she changed her words on the spot, in a marital relationship, feeling disgust was a fairly serious attack. Ino recalled Naruto’s usual sunny and bright appearance, and the gentle, faint smile he always wore when mentioning Haruna. If Haruna didn't say it, no one would ever imagine that the family life of the great hero Naruto Uzumaki was so oppressive.

"It's not that you become Hokage by being recognized by everyone, but that you become Hokage by being recognized by everyone."

Haruna recited her great hero husband’s famous quote fluently. As Naruto’s reputation rang throughout the ninja world, this famous quote of his was known to all. Yet when talking about her husband’s achievements, the girl’s tone was extremely cold, devoid of any warmth.

"The whole village recognizes him, even Sasuke eventually chose to recognize him—I am the only outsider left in this village."

"He pitied me, sympathized with me, married me, and then discovered that I didn't recognize him like everyone else."

"And I realized that he just wanted my recognition."

"So our marriage is ruined."

"That’s the simple logic. Can you understand it?"

Ino wanted to say yes... but she really couldn't.]

Seeing this, the Third frowned slightly. Because of Kakashi, the Third had paid attention to Haruna; he knew that the girl’s conditions in all aspects were, well, ordinary. And what was Naruto’s true background? As for his appearance, he was a bit untidy usually, but if you looked closely, wasn't he a handsome and cute young man? His strength went without saying. Furthermore, with the Third’s relationship with Naruto, it was really hard not to be biased.

...Wait, don't let the sky screen set the rhythm for commenting on the juniors' marriage. Think about serious business, Hiruzen Sarutobi!

["Naruto could not possibly marry someone he doesn't love," Ino said with certainty. "Not just me; anyone who has been on the battlefield of the Fourth Great Ninja War can vouch for him."

"Naruto is a sunny, gentle, family-oriented, and loving good person."

"Haruna, he chose to propose to you because he genuinely loves you. There must be a misunderstanding between you."

"I wasn't on the battlefield of the Fourth Great Ninja War."

Haruna ended Ino’s confident guarantee with a cold reply.]

"Fourth War?" Shikamaru knitted his brows. The hedgehog-haired boy was the only genin on the scene who didn't just eat popcorn, but extracted the most critical information from their explosive dialogue. He had forcibly detached his thoughts, not letting himself focus on the fact that the gloomy woman was the future Haruna. Only then did Shikamaru peel back the layers of information to find the most key point.

The Hokage and the jounin were also thinking. The Third said, "Not long before Naruto got married, the Fourth Great Ninja War broke out."

Kakashi exhaled in relief: "Naruto being regarded as a great hero as a jinchuriki means he must have played a major role in the Fourth War." And he survived the war and got married. Saying that might be a bit dark, but Ino’s unprofessional attitude made Kakashi feel particularly relieved at this moment.

"War is no small matter." Asuma also stopped gossiping, his expression serious. "If only we could deduce the specific time of the war."

The Third Hokage did not answer; he looked behind him, and the Anbu had already received orders to bring in professionals. As the "gold content" of the sky screen became higher and higher, regardless of its authenticity, there was still much to see from the information revealed by this live broadcast.

*

[Haruna’s voice had no emotional fluctuations. As seen before, she was just a rag that had dried out in the rainy season. What color could a rag have of its own?

"In fact, looking at it now, neither Naruto nor I meet each other's criteria for a spouse; we are not suitable."

"A relationship that originates from guilt can never last."

"Responsibility and love are, after all, different things."

Ino was puzzled: "Guilt? Responsibility?"

"Because every time Naruto saves the world as a hero, he leaves me behind."

"It started with Orochimaru’s Konoha Crush plan."

"That turmoil turned my legs into this."

Ino looked at the legs hidden by Haruna’s white long skirt and fell into silence. She was Haruna’s classmate and knew what she used to be like. The original Haruna didn't have such a sensitive and gloomy personality. Back then, she was slightly quiet and reticent, but diligent; she always completed even D-rank missions earnestly. It was only later that Haruna’s body broke down. Her spirit seemed to have broken along with it.

Ino sighed softly. "War, huh..."]

The venue instantly erupted. Wait, did this young lady who wanted a divorce just say that so casually?! What "Crush"? What "plan"?

Only the dazed Haruna suddenly shuddered at this moment—wait, what happened to her legs!?

At that very moment, the live broadcast stopped abruptly.

[Please kiss the target to unlock the subsequent live broadcast content, dear.]

The boiling exam hall fell into instant silence because of the subtitles that suddenly blocked the figures on the light screen.

Dead silence.