In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

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As they passed through the bustling main hall, the air was filled with lively chatter and the warmth of everyday life. Every now and then, they had to dodge the steam billowing from neighboring tables due to some mishap.

Once they reached the third-floor private room corridor, the noise from the busy crowd downstairs faded, replaced by a quiet atmosphere. The soft carpet cushioned their steps, and faint spicy aromas wafted from behind the closed doors.

"I’d actually prefer to eat downstairs, but today’s a special occasion, so we’re up here." Shikamaru lazily explained. Since they were among close friends, he didn’t bother hiding anything.

"We couldn’t let them wait too long, it wouldn’t be right." Ino said.

"Exactly. Women are such a hassle."

Ino: “…”

Although she knew Shikamaru didn’t mean anything by it, she still felt slightly annoyed. Unable to vent her frustration on him, she turned her gaze toward Naruto, who was chuckling beside her.

"Why are you looking at me?" Naruto's expression gradually shifted to one of mock terror.

"This is all your fault!"

"Ah!! Ino, you’re being unreasonable!"

"So what? Humph." Ino doubled down, becoming even more unreasonable.

But the moment she pushed open the private room door, she was all smiles again, instantly joining the other two girls, laughing and joking as if nothing had happened. Like a blooming flower surrounded by other vibrant blossoms, their occasional bursts of laughter were light and sweet, like the tinkling of silver bells.

Naruto rolled his eyes and slumped into a chair next to Shikamaru, taking on the posture of an old man relaxing.

"When did you come back?" Choji asked casually. Dressed in his usual relaxed attire, his tone carried the maturity of someone who had grown up a lot.

Naruto didn’t react much, just raising an eyebrow and casually responding, "Today."

"Great timing! It’s like fate that we ran into you." Choji said, giving Naruto a friendly clap on the shoulder and signaling something with his eyes.

"So... how’s it going with you and that person? When are you two officially together?"

With Ino still nearby, Choji didn't dare to say the princess' name directly, so he could only use ‘that person’ instead. Shikamaru, meanwhile, was leisurely browsing the menu, though his ears were definitely perked up.

"Nothing’s going on." Naruto sniffed, "I’m focused on my career. Unlike you guys, I don’t have time to waste on trivial romance. It’s all so mundane."

Shikamaru, unimpressed, slowly placed the menu down on the table and gave Naruto a look of mild contempt.

"You didn’t want to let go of her hand just now. What’s this? Playing it cool all of a sudden? You’ve been stringing her along for years… don’t tell me you’ve got some devious plan in mind?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Let’s just eat." Naruto deflected.

"The food’s not even here yet." Shikamaru was speechless. He felt that Naruto was really good at changing the subject, but he wasn’t in the mood to press him further.

After all, it was a matter between Ino and Naruto, and as close childhood friends, he was only bringing it up out of concern. Anything more would be crossing a line, since no matter how close they were, it was still their personal business.

The door to the private room opened, and dishes began to arrive one by one. A small pot was set up in the center of the table, white steam rising as the broth boiled. With the room now filled with the fragrance of food and the warmth of a shared meal, the atmosphere quickly became lively.

Soon, bottles of sake were brought out, and cups were filled to the brim

Shikamaru and Choji seem to have gotten used to it. Coming from established Shinobi Clans, they were used to the formalities that came with adulthood, including drinking. As Shinobi, learning to handle alcohol was almost a passive skill they picked up along the way to relieve the stress of their duties.

"I heard that," Shikamaru spoke up, slowly opening the conversation for the rest of the group.

Everyone present knew each other, so even with the addition of two girls, there was no awkwardness. Naruto didn't need to go out of his way to strike up a conversation with them, just occasionally picking up everyone’s conversations would be enough.

After half an hour, the atmosphere at the table became lively. Ino drank some alcohol, though not much, taking small sips. She still hadn’t forgotten the time she got drunk and almost kissed Naruto, an embarrassing moment that made her swear she’d never do something so foolish again.

"The Land of Rain isn’t that scary…" Naruto has been traveling around in the past few years, and the places he has been to are places that the others would rarely visit.

Plus, spending a long time with Jiraiya had also taught him how to engage a crowd, so a few casual anecdotes were enough to keep the conversation flowing.

"Will you be this busy from now on?" Choji suddenly asked.

Ino, who had been laughing with the two girls, paused for a moment upon hearing Choji’s question.

"I don't know, it's not decided yet." Naruto replied, lazily placing his cup on the table with a clink, "If there is nothing to do, I will probably just stay in the village, but I might have to go on missions too."

"Drink less." Ino turned her head to look at him and said with a frown.

No sooner had she spoken than Choji, like a loyal servant, quickly took Naruto’s cup and replaced it with water, wearing a goofy grin.

"Here, have some water."

Naruto: “...”

Sensing that the mood was just right, Shikamaru suddenly stood up, raised the sake cup in his hand and said, "I have something to announce."

It seemed he had been planning this for a while. In settings like these, there were only a few major things one could announce, and his tone suggested it was one of those life-changing events.

Ino looked at Shikamaru in confusion, while Choji seemed a bit nervous. The two other girls had varying expressions, while Naruto sat back, half-closing his eyes, the light casting a long shadow in them.

The room fell quiet, the only sound being the bubbling from the hot pot in the center. Choji had just added fresh ingredients, and they floated in the boiling broth.

"Tamako and I are getting married next week," Shikamaru said, with a slight blush appearing on his usually calm face.

Smart people rarely blush, and they often go to great lengths to control their expressions. But seeing the sincerity and slight shyness in Shikamaru’s eyes, Naruto knew this was his real emotions.

"Awesome!" Choji clapped his hands, and the atmosphere in the room instantly became lively.

The girl named Tamiko blushed as well, clearly expecting the announcement but still feeling shy. She and Shikamaru both blushed as they stood next to each other under the warm light.

Naruto opened his eyes and stood up, offering his congratulations. The butterfly effect finally bared its teeth after so many years, but for Naruto, it was a good thing.

This gathering had shown him the power of the butterfly effect. For someone like Shikamaru, whoever married him would undoubtedly be well cared for.

Naruto glanced at Ino from the corner of his eye and could only see her side profile, her face still lit up with a smile.

The word ‘marriage’ carried a surprising weight. Hearing Shikamaru announce his upcoming wedding didn’t stir many deep emotions in Naruto. Ino was wonderful, and living with her would be just as good.

But the moment he considered settling down seriously, things always seemed to take a turn for the worse.

As the chairs were pushed back and people got up, Shikamaru and Choji, with their girlfriends in tow, excused themselves, each heading in a different direction.

Ino naturally followed Naruto out. Once they stepped outside, the fresh air filled their lungs, and the cool night breeze instantly made them feel more comfortable.

"What are you thinking about?" Ino asked.

"Nothing much, just that time seems to fly." Naruto said, sounding a bit old-fashioned, "It feels like just yesterday we were all laughing and messing around together, but when I turned around, I found some of them are already moving on to the next stage of their lives."

"Shikamaru doesn’t like all those responsibilities, but the elders of the Nara Clan want him to be more involved in higher-level affairs." Ino explained on the side.

"Only by getting married at this time can he slow down his life’s trajectory. It’s because he’s not ready that he’s doing it."

Her eyes were bright as she looked at Naruto.

"Choji actually doesn't have that much pressure, but he's a kind person. Once Shikamaru gets married, it won’t be long before he follows suit."

"Are you envious?" Naruto turned around and asked.

"Mm-hmm."

At the corner of the third-floor stairs, Ino turned around, standing next to Naruto as they gazed out at the countless lights illuminating Konoha in the distance. She smiled and said, "But I know you you’re not envious, so I’m not either. This way, you won’t feel alone."