In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

Support me at Pat /IamPoorGuyToo

remove the *

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto stood by the door, his gaze drifting to something behind her. There were a few trinkets on the desk, likely things she used to pass the time.

"What I mean is, you shouldn't invest all your hopes in me. Your whole life can't revolve around me. You should have other things to live for. Sometimes..."

"You said you needed some time to think about it. Is this your answer?" Tayuya stared at him without much expression on her face, but feeling a little sour in her heart.

"No." Naruto frowned. He felt that Tayuya seemed different from before… her personality has subtly changed. She has become more expressive, more aware of things, more emotional.

If the old Tayuya was like a blank sheet of paper gradually being painted, the current Tayuya had started to think things through and care about more. Her emotions were surfacing.

"Then what is it?" Tayuya didn’t move aside, standing there as if waiting for Naruto to finish his words.

"I have a long life ahead of me." He said.

"Hmm? I don't understand." She looked at him, but made no move to close the door.

"You enjoy traveling, seeing both bustling cities and desolate landscapes. I, on the other hand, prefer staying put. You get what I mean, right? I just like to find a place and stay there."

Naruto frowned as he tried to explain further.

"Sometimes I’ll stay in one place for a long time, then switch to another, but I’m not the type to wander constantly. I don’t want you to feel trapped, staying in one place just for me."

Hearing this, Tayuya bit her lower lip and clenched her hands into fists.

"I can stay."

"How long can you stay? A year, two years? I still won’t have much time. If I stay in Konoha in the future, the number of times we meet will be few and far between."

"I... I don’t know."

She vaguely understood that it was due to her identity. Even if she went to Konoha, it would be too easy for people to recognize her. So she could only stay outside, making it hard for them to meet.

"Actually, that’s not the issue. I won’t stay in Konoha forever either." Naruto added, snapping Tayuya out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"What I’m saying is, you don’t need to feel bound by me. I won’t be tied to Konoha for the rest of my life. I’m not sure how long it’ll be, but…" Naruto continued.

"No matter how far you travel or how many places you visit, you’ll still be able to find me. I love you, and maybe one day, we’ll even have children. You won’t have to choose between the two."

"Before I leave Konoha, you can go as far as you like. Even the longest journey has an end. By then, I’ll probably be somewhere, settled down."

"The Land of Snow, the Land of Rain, the Land of Grass… I am not too sure myself, but there is one thing I can be certain of: I love you. No matter how far you go, you won’t be alone. We’ll always meet again."

"Is this your answer?" Tayuya clenched her fists, trying to maintain her composure. In that moment, her mind raced through many thoughts, but she hadn’t expected him to give such an answer.

‘No matter how far I go, I won’t be alone. We’ll meet again.’

Tayuya felt that this man in front of her was still as good at lying as ever, but his words left her powerless to resist. There were only two things that Tayuya wanted to do, to see more of the world and to be with him.

When the two conflicted, she would always choose the latter. Waiting? That was fine. She could wait a year or two. If he asked, she would say that having him was enough.

These were just her thoughts, but all her plans had crumbled.

Yet, it seemed like he had truly thought it through and given them the most appropriate answer. She stood there, lost in thought, and by the time she came back to her senses, Naruto had already come inside.

With a click, the door closed behind him, and he smiled at her.

As the night deepened, they became tightly entwined, and Naruto could feel the softness of her back. In the dead of night, when all the passion had faded, the moonlight outside was serene and clear.

Tayuya crawled out from under the blanket, found a comfortable position in Naruto’s arms, and opened her eyes. She glanced at the blurry window and hesitated before speaking, "I won't bother you. No matter what, I will come back here every year at the end of the year. I can wait, no matter how many years it takes."

"If you miss me, just come back here when it’s snowing. Is that alright?"

"Mm." Naruto responded with a simple sound.

He knew this was the kind of thing Tayuya would say. There was no need for him to add more; it was enough just to acknowledge it. She offered, and he accepted, it was as simple as that.

Saying more would be pointless. This was just her nature, a result he had caused from the very beginning. Starting from the infinite debt, the process was not smooth, but after a lot of twists and turns, he still managed to trick her into his grasp.

[Name your price, sell your soul to me, and I’ll pay you triple]

[One thousand... no, ten thousand ryo! I’ve changed my mind, I meant thirty thousand ryo! Wait no, I mean... One hundred thousand ryo!]

[Stop! Don’t throw it away! You’re throwing so much, I can’t possibly pick it all up! Waaaah!]

[The higher the debt, the greater your obligation, and the more control I have over you!]

[So, I’m really looking forward to the moment when I completely control your life!]

[You wouldn’t want your savings to shrink by twenty thousand ryo, would you? Hmm?]

[No! Don’t take my money?]

[Fifty thousand ryo! Will you talk now?]

[Okay, okay! I’ll say everything!]

[I’m your debtor, I won’t restrict your freedom. But I didn’t expect you had such a hobby… staying at home without wearing clothes?]

[Mind your own business!]

[Fine, do what you want.]

[Let go of me!!]

[I’ll let go in a moment. Stop moving.]

[I don’t want to stay here anymore. I’ll pay back all the money I owe you.]

[No, that won’t work. It’s not about the money. It’s not calculated that way.]

[I was just fooling you! I only tricked you for some food and drink]

[... I know. I give you money because I like you, not because you tricked me. I don’t care. You have so many things to like, for example, you’re really good at fixing air conditioning. A girl who can fix air conditioning is super cool.]

[I... I know more than just that.]

For a girl who had never been cared for, suddenly meeting someone who was always trying to deceive her into selling her life, with a smile, no less, felt surreal.

Love isn’t just about giving; it’s about being noticed and cared for. Even though she had no remarkable qualities, and she wasn’t gentle or considerate, he still found something to like about her.

Naruto said he liked her, and she believed him, even if the reason was as absurd as her air-conditioning skills.

She wasn’t too concerned about most things. Even after understanding the importance of money, she was still like a blank sheet of paper, separated from the world by an invisible barrier, strange and detached.

Unable to grasp emotions, whether joy or sorrow, she could hold onto nothing but a little bit of money in her hands.

So she believed without hesitation. Naruto, who played along with her childish debt game, who praised her for fixing air conditioners, who spent an entire day with her, must have liked her.

Villainous side characters are always overlooked. When Naruto’s attention finally fell on her, the feeling of being noticed made her realize that the world wasn’t always so cold.

Eighty million ryo couldn’t buy her heart. She had never thought about possessing him, and it was enough that he sat high on his throne, with people crossing mountains and rivers just to love him.

This was the love she gave, and the affection she received in return.