At the Yamanaka household.
Ino sat quietly in the backyard, her chin resting on her knees, her gaze unfocused as she stared at the evening sky. Her thoughts were heavy, her heart tangled.
Although the whole ordeal with Sasuke had left her devastated, her emotions had become more complicated ever since Sai's sudden confession. More than that, when she had unconsciously used her Mind Reading Jutsu to feel Sai's heart, she was struck by his raw sincerity.
She really hadn't expected it—Sai actually liked her.
The heart doesn't lie, and she could feel it clearly. His feelings weren't fabricated or fleeting—they were real.
When she thought about it carefully, Sai wasn't bad at all. He was handsome in his own way, his skin pale and smooth, and though his expressions were awkward and his words often blunt, there was something cool about him.
Unlike Sasuke, whose aloofness always carried a sharp, cold edge, Sai's personality was different. He was cold and blunt on the outside, but warm and earnest on the inside. And Ino, being trained in sensing emotions, could see that contrast more clearly than anyone else.
But even so, when confronted with that pure sincerity earlier, she hadn't known how to respond. Overwhelmed, she had lashed out at Sai and stormed off.
Now, sitting alone in the quiet of her home, she sighed deeply, the confusion in her chest only growing heavier.
At that moment, her father, Yamanaka Inoichi, returned home. He noticed his daughter's troubled expression and made his way over. Sitting down beside her with a smile, he asked gently:
"Ino, what's the matter? You look… unhappy."
Ino quickly tilted her head with a forced smile. "Ah, Dad. It's nothing, I'm fine."
Inoichi chuckled knowingly, taking a deep breath before letting it out. "You? Fine? Hah. You've never been able to hide your feelings since you were a little girl. If you really were fine, you wouldn't need to tell me you're fine. Come on now—what happened?"
Ino lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers. She knew she couldn't hide anything from her father—after all, he was also a master of mind techniques, and the Yamanaka Clan's Mind Reading Jutsu had been passed to her directly from him.
"Dad…" she muttered, hesitant at first, before blurting out: "Have you ever… fallen out of love before?"
Inoichi blinked, and then realization struck him. His daughter was heartbroken.
"Who?" he asked sharply, his expression immediately hardening. "Which brat from which family dares to hurt my daughter?!"
Like any protective father, the thought of his little girl being rejected filled him with anger.
But Ino quickly shook her head. "No… it wasn't like that. It was just me… having a crush. A one-sided crush. And now it's over."
Inoichi blinked, his face softening. "Ahh… so that's it. A secret crush, huh? This boy must've been something, if my Ino fell so hard for him that she's feeling heartbreak like this."
Ino sighed again, finally recounting the details of her feelings for Sasuke.
Inoichi listened carefully, then exhaled and patted her shoulder. "It's alright. Forget about Sasuke. There are plenty of men in Konoha. My daughter is beautiful, strong, and kind. You'll definitely find someone better."
Ino knew he was only trying to comfort her. But his words made her hesitate. Slowly, she turned to look at him with serious eyes.
"Dad… tell me something. In marriage, is it better to be with someone who loves you… or someone you love?"
The question caught Inoichi off guard. His daughter rarely asked such deep, emotional questions—it was the first time he'd seen her this contemplative about relationships.
He smiled faintly. "Ino… in my experience, marrying someone who truly loves you is often the wiser choice."
Ino frowned, pondering his words.
"But," Inoichi continued, "if you feel nothing for the person who loves you, then it's not right either. Marriage is about mutual affection. If only one side gives love, while the other remains indifferent, it won't last long."
His voice grew gentle. "You've grown up now, Ino. You can take your father's advice as reference, but in the end, it's your life. Whatever happens, remember this: Dad will always be your harbor."
Moved, Ino leaned against her father's shoulder, closing her eyes.
That same night.
Sai, back in his own home, had already followed Naruto's advice. He'd bought several bottles of alcohol from the store, eaten snacks, and filled his floor with sketch after sketch of Ino's face. Before long, after drinking too much, he passed out on the wooden floor, surrounded by her portraits.
Meanwhile, Sasuke and Sakura were on a date, spending their evening wandering through the Konoha night market. Sasuke even escorted Sakura home personally before heading back.
As for Naruto…
"Damn it…" Naruto muttered, clutching his waist as he staggered toward home.
Inside his mindscape, Kurama let out a deep laugh. "Heh. Kit, I didn't think you'd be this fragile. Pathetic!"
Naruto grimaced. Hinata's Gentle Fist and her Kaiten had left him sore all over. "Kurama, don't just sit there mocking me! Give me some chakra so I can recover already!"
But the Nine-Tails just snorted proudly. "Hmph. Who told you to seal away my chakra whenever you're with her? Now you're paying for it. Serves you right."
Naruto clicked his tongue. Kurama had a point—he couldn't risk the fox watching his private life, so he always sealed his chakra flow when with Hinata.
"You damn fox…" Naruto muttered as he hobbled forward. Without Kurama's aid, he'd have to rely on his natural recovery.
While limping along, he bumped into Sasuke, who had just finished escorting Sakura home.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the sight. "What the hell kind of posture is that?"
Naruto quickly straightened, pretending he was fine. "Nothing, nothing. Just stretching my muscles. Anyway, what about you? Out late because you were with your precious little lover?"
Sasuke's cheeks immediately flushed.
Naruto burst out laughing. "Ha! I knew it! You actually went on a date with Sakura already! Damn, Sasuke, you move fast."
Sasuke frowned. "How do you know? Did you send someone to follow me?"
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Like I have that kind of free time. I just guessed—and by the look on your face, I was right."
Sasuke scowled, but before he could retort, Naruto leaned against him, clearly using him as a crutch while they walked.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "You're heavier than usual. What's wrong with you? Even when we fought Kaguya, you weren't limping like this."
Naruto gave him a half-smile. "You'll understand in the future… just don't ever piss off a girl with monster strength like Sakura. Trust me."
Sasuke tilted his head in confusion. "…What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Naruto just grinned knowingly and waved him off before disappearing into his home.
Sasuke, still confused, sighed and continued on his way.
The next morning.
Naruto woke up refreshed, his body finally healed. After breakfast prepared by Kushina, he set off to check on Sai first, and then to meet Ino.
When he reached Sai's house, he knocked on the door. No response. Frowning, Naruto leapt over the wall and entered, noticing the door wasn't even locked.
"Sai! You here?" he called out.
The smell hit him immediately. A strong stench of alcohol lingered in the air. As Naruto moved further inside, he stopped short.
"Holy crap…"
The floor was covered in portraits of Ino—sketch after sketch of her face, scattered across the wooden planks like fallen leaves. Three empty bottles of soju sat on the table, next to half-eaten dishes.
And on the floor, lying amidst the portraits, was Sai—passed out cold, a faint smile on his lips.
Naruto crouched down, shaking his head. "Man, you really went all out, huh?"
He leaned over and patted Sai's cheek. "Hey, Sai! Wake up!"
Sai groaned, eyes half-opening. When he saw Naruto, he giggled, his words slurring. "Naruto… you're here!"
Naruto frowned, glancing at the bottles. "How much did you drink?!"
Sai just sat up woozily, grabbed a half-filled cup, and shoved it toward him. "C'mon, Naruto… drink with me! Drink!"
Naruto could only sweatdrop. "…You've gotta be kidding me."
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