❝ may I? ❞

Shizuka's house. Without notice, as usual. After all, Shizuka lived alone. And he's been in this house too many times that he feels like this is his second home. His hand swung the plastic bag he was carrying as he hummed softly. Turning towards Shizuka's room, he used that hand to slide the door excitedly.

"Shi-chan!! Look what I brought for you!!!" he shouted excitedly as he closed his eyes. "It's red bean steamed buns!!!"

After he opened his eyes, Naruto immediately froze. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open. A red tinge colored his cheeks. Because in front of him, Shizuka was wearing a black sports bra and black leggings. Sweat also soaked her body. She seemed like she just finished working out.

"Aa... Um...Ack!!!!"

"Don't come unannounced, nanodayo!!!" A pillow hit his face, and because Shizuka threw it with force, it pushed Naruto down.

"Aack!!! Sorry, Shi-chan!!" Naruto stood back up. And after he entered her room, Shizuka was already wearing a light brown cardigan and there was a green towel wrapped around her neck.

Actually, he was fine seeing women dressed like that. It's just that it was Shizuka, who always wore closed clothes. So it's just a new thing for him. And how her toned body and scars make Shizuka look even more charming.

Argh, he sounds like a pervert. Curse you Pervy Sage!!

Wait a minute, scars?

"So, what do you want?" asked Shizuka as she seated herself on zabuton. Head on her elbow as she leaned on the chabudai.

Naruto was still silent as he sat right next to her. Not the zabuton Shizuka had prepared. He put the plastic bag on the table and then he opened Shizuka's cardigan swiftly. Showing a nasty wide diagonally shaped scar on her stomach that nearly hits her chest.

"O-Oi! What are you doing, nanodayo!" Shizuka blushed, trying to cover up her stomach but Naruto's hand wouldn't budge. "Naruto!"

"Who did this to you?" Naruto's voice immediately turned deep and low with his eyes fixed at the scar.

Shizuka lowered her head so she could understand what the boy meant. "Oh, the wound is old. You don't have to worry about it."

"I ask, who did this to you?" Naruto asked again.

The girl raised an eyebrow, confused by his attitude. "I'm sure you won't like who it is."

"Shizuka, name?" now Naruto was staring at her. His gaze seemed cold, especially with his eyes that were shaped like fox eyes.

Shizuka sighed as she stared back at him. "It's you."

"W-what?" his defenses crumbling as Naruto leaned back with wide eyes. His mouth widened in disbelief. "When?"

"At the bridge, our first mission with the new members," explained Shizuka as she tightened her cardigan. Naruto just blinked and she decided to continue. "When Orochimaru appeared, you turned into four tails. And when I wanted to save you, one of your tails knocked me down."

Naruto was still silent. Putting all that information into his mind while remembering that incident. But he didn't think he'd remember turned into four tails.

If he looked back on the incident at that time, Naruto remembered how Shizuka looked like she was hurting. And how she always protects her stomach. So that's why ...

Naruto let out a sigh as he slicked back his hair. He let out a bitter chuckle as he finally knew the truth. He's the one who did it. He was the one who made Shizuka in pain.

Seeing his expression, Shizuka huffed. "It's not your fault. Your consciousness has disappeared and you don't know which is your friend and which is your enemy. Don't feel guilty," she said while pushes up her glasses. "Besides, it's an old thing. And I don't feel the pain anymore."

"But I hurted you," Naruto mumbled, looking down at the tatami floor.

"Tch, I told you it wasn't your fault, nanodayo," Shizuka scoffed and she thought of changing their topic. "How's your hand?"

Naruto looked down at his severed hand. "I'm quite used to use one hand. Although I often use my shadow clone to help," he said while moving his broken right hand. "Granny Tsunade said that the fake hand would be finished soon."

"Is that so?"

The man nodded firmly. Then he tilted his head. "Hey Shi-chan, we're on the same year, right? How come I never saw you at the Academy?"

Shizuka raised an eyebrow at that question. "We were in the same class. At our first year entered the academy," she explained. "And I graduated from the academy the following year."

"Eh?? You already graduated?!!" he exclaimed. And Shizuka is grateful that he has returned to his usual self. "Continue, continue!!"

"I've become a genin and put on a team," she continued.

"So team 7 is not your first team huh?" Asked Naruto who then got a shake from her. "What happened to your old team?"

"They are dead," said Shizuka with a flat gaze.

Naruto widened his eyes. "What... happened? If you don't mind me asking."

"At that time we were doing a class C mission and we were attacked by rogue ninjas on our way home. Our jounin leader was killed first, then one of my teammates too. My other teammate was badly injured and I can't stay silent on healing him with the rogue ninja still there. It didn't help when I only can use a small scale healing ninjutsu."

Naruto still listened intently as she continued. "As the last ninja, I inevitably have to fight them or run away. I chose the former. I managed to kill one of them and make the other injured so I can immediately run away with my injured friend," she sighed. "And when I made it to the Konoha hospital, he only lasted 3 days before he died too."

Naruto immediately took her hand and intertwined their fingers. "You can stop now. Sorry, I asked that."

"You don't need to apologize. It's been a long time," Shizuka looked down at their hands. "Besides, you look like you want to know something about me."

"May I?"

Shizuka hummed. "So what do you wanna know?"

"After that incident ... "Naruto trailed off. "Did you join a new team?"

"No. Lord Third gave me solo missions or missions together with the other jounin."

"Wait, wait... Jounin?!"

"Oh, I've become a jounin," said Shizuka flatly.

"What?!!!" Naruto shouted. "You've already become a jounin? So, during the chunnin exams you didn't take it because of that??"

"It was one of the reasons," Shizuka nodded in agreement.

Naruto sighed, then dropped his forehead on Shizuka's shoulder. Today, he knew a lot of things about the girl. And Naruto honestly felt disappointed and happy. Disappointed by how little he knew about her and happy that he had finally learned something.

"I really don't know anything about you, huh?" Naruto chuckled bitterly.

"It's not your fault," said Shizuka. "I'm the one who doesn't like to talk about myself."

He let go of her shoulder to stare at her eyes properly. "Are you okay?"

"Back then? Maybe I'm a little traumatized. Now? I'm used to it," She pushes up her glasses. "We live in a shinobi world, we have to get used to it. All we have to do is how you can prevent that from happening."

He leaned his head on the table while facing her. "...You really are so awesome, Shi-chan," he whispered.

"Tch, there is nothing to be amazed at, nanodayo," she huffed, but her eyes then noticed the plastic bag beside his head. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's steamed buns that I bought," Shizuka immediately took it and opened the plastic. "I'm sure it's not as hot as before though."

Naruto observed how the girl took one bun and immediately ate it. Smiling a little when he saw her chubby cheeks and happy expression. Well, it's red bean, her favorite.

Then a bun was right in front of him. "No, I bought it for you."

As if she didn't hear it, Shizuka shoved the bun into Naruto's mouth instead. Which made the man finally open his mouth and bite the bun. His left hand took the food so that Shizuka didn't have to hold it.

"The war is over and Akatsuki is gone, the world feels so quiet and peaceful," complained Naruto while chewing. "Shi-chan, what are you planning to do?"

"Me?" Shizuka glanced up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I don't know. Probably go on a mission. How about you?"

Naruto moved his head so that his chin was supporting his head on the table. "I want to travel the world. Like Pervy Sage did. Then when I come back, I'll become a Hokage, dattebayou!"

"..."

Then Naruto turned to her with sparkling eyes as he let out a wide grin. "Shi-chan, let's travel the world together!"