Night.
Naruto's new home glowed warmly under the light of dozens of lanterns and lamps. The soft wooden floors and newly painted walls reflected a sense of peace and comfort. Laughter and the sounds of cooking filled the air.
In the kitchen, Kushina, Hinata, and Minato were bustling with energy. Pots clanged, dishes simmered, and the smell of roasted fish and miso soup spread through the entire house.
Tonight was special — Naruto had invited all of his closest friends and comrades for a grand housewarming banquet.
One by one, they began to arrive. Shikamaru, Temari, Sai, Ino, Chōji, Shino, Kiba, Tenten, and Neji were the first to appear.
As soon as Shikamaru received Naruto's invitation, he sighed, "What a drag… but fine," and yet, he'd still rallied everyone together. He'd even suggested they all buy gifts for Naruto — though he didn't exactly enjoy the shopping part.
When they entered, the lively chatter began immediately. But then—
The front door opened again, and everyone froze for a moment.
Sasuke walked in — holding hands with Karin and Sakura.
Shikamaru, who had just taken a sip of water in the living room, instantly choked and sprayed it all over the table. "Pfft—!"
The room fell silent for a second.
Temari patted his back, half laughing. "Slow down! Why are you drinking like you're in a race?"
Shikamaru coughed violently, eyes wide. "Troublesome… didn't expect that kind of entrance…"
Indeed — Sasuke arriving with both Karin and Sakura hand-in-hand was not something Konoha's finest shinobi saw every day.
Chōji, who had already started snacking on chips, only muttered, "Man… this is gonna be interesting."
His partner Karui had returned to the Hidden Cloud Village (Kumogakure) for some business, so she couldn't make it to the dinner.
Naruto welcomed everyone warmly, his grin wide. "Sasuke, you made it! Come in, both of you — oh, all three of you."
Sasuke simply nodded. Sakura smiled gently, while Karin gave Naruto a teasing wave.
Then the door knocked again.
"Brother Naruto, I've informed everyone!" said Konohamaru, standing at the entrance.
Naruto bumped fists with him and said, "Thanks, little bro! Come on in, grab a seat."
Konohamaru grinned and went inside.
Soon after, more guests arrived — Iruka-sensei, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Tsunade. The living room was nearly full when Rock Lee pushed Might Guy's wheelchair through the door, both of them radiating energy.
"Yosh! Naruto! Your new home burns with the fires of youth!" Guy exclaimed, raising a fist dramatically.
Lee echoed, "Indeed, Sensei! It's truly inspiring!"
Finally, Captain Yamato arrived, carrying a medium-sized potted plant with vibrant green leaves and tiny white flowers.
"Here," he said warmly. "A potted plant I grew myself. Perfect for your living room."
Naruto accepted it with a big smile. "Thank you, Captain Yamato. It's beautiful!"
Yamato laughed and stepped inside as Naruto closed the door. Everyone was finally there — family, friends, and mentors alike.
The warmth of the gathering filled the air.
Soon, delicious dishes began to flow from the kitchen. Kushina and Hinata moved quickly, assisted by Minato. Naruto had even rearranged his dining tables, combining them to make one large enough for everyone to sit together.
As Kushina carried a plate out, Sakura and Ino immediately got up. "Let us help, Hinata!" Ino said cheerfully.
Hinata waved her hands. "No, no, you're all guests. Please, sit down."
Tenten laughed and joined in anyway. "We can't just sit here while you do all the work. The more hands, the faster we eat!"
From the other side of the room, Kiba sniffed deeply and said, "Naruto, the wood in your house — it smells fresh! Don't tell me these planks were cut just yesterday?"
Naruto chuckled. "You'll have to ask Captain Yamato about that. He built the whole thing using Wood Release."
Everyone froze in shock.
"What?!" Ino exclaimed.
"Wood Release?!" Kiba echoed.
It wasn't their fault — for most of them, Yamato's legendary Wood Release: Row House Technique had only been seen once before — after Pain destroyed Konoha. That was when Yamato's construction skills had first come to light during the village's reconstruction.
But since Naruto's rebirth and the changed timeline, that event never happened — meaning no one here had actually seen Yamato's house-building ability before!
Everyone turned toward Yamato, eyes wide.
Yamato scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Heh… don't look at me like that. I only got into construction because of Kakashi-senpai's suggestion."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow and smiled beneath his mask. "Well, I do have an eye for hidden talents."
Neji, sitting calmly with his cup of tea, asked curiously, "So this entire house was built at once using Wood Release?"
Naruto nodded and began explaining the whole construction process — from the design to the quick assembly, and finally the interior work. Everyone listened with fascination, occasionally chiming in with questions. The story was surprisingly engaging.
Meanwhile, the smell of food thickened in the air, and soon, Kushina began serving the dishes. Steaming bowls of ramen, grilled meat, rice, dumplings, and curry filled the tables.
Three minutes later, everyone had a plate. The chatter continued even as they started eating.
Shikamaru leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "Man… building a house sounds like too much trouble. I think I'll just stay with my folks forever."
Ino snorted. "Same here. My house is big enough anyway."
Chōji, still chewing, nodded. "It's delicious!"
Kushina laughed heartily at his enthusiasm. "Hahaha! Eat up, Chōji! There's plenty more."
Chōji grinned. "Thank you, Aunt Kushina!"
Naruto smiled, glancing around the table filled with laughter. "At first, it was tiring, but after seeing the results, it feels worth it. It's something beautiful."
Hinata added softly, "Yes. Building a home together… it's such a happy thing."
She looked at Naruto lovingly, her smile pure and full of warmth.
Tenten clasped her hands dramatically. "Ugh, you two are so sweet! It's almost painful to watch!"
Everyone laughed — except Sasuke, who ate quietly, expression neutral.
Karin leaned closer to him with a sly grin. "What's wrong? Seeing Naruto so happy, are you jealous?"
Sasuke glared at her. "Outside. Calm down."
Karin only smirked and kept eating. Sakura, sitting on Sasuke's other side, noticed but said nothing. It was strange — but there was a quiet, balanced peace between the three of them now.
Across the table, Jiraiya laughed boisterously. "Alright! If anyone else wants to build a house, they can just ask Yamato! We'll all pitch in!"
Yamato raised his glass of sake. "Jiraiya-sama's right. Anyone who wants to build a home in Konoha — come to me!"
From his wheelchair, Guy turned to Kakashi with a grin. "Kakashi! How about you? Want to renovate your house and give it the spirit of youth?"
Kakashi waved both hands quickly. "No, no. I'd rather save the money and travel when I retire."
Yamato chuckled. "If you ever do build, Kakashi-senpai, I won't charge construction fees — but you'll have to handle all the decorating yourself!"
Kakashi groaned. "Even more reason not to."
Tsunade, sipping her drink, glanced at Kakashi. "Kakashi, you're not getting any younger. Still single, too. It's about time you went on a blind date. Have you thought about the person I mentioned before?"
Kakashi froze mid-sip. "Tsunade-sama… please, spare me. I'm busy enough as it is!"
Tsunade smirked. "Busy doing what? If you marry her, I'll even give you some extra time off. She's been with me for years, you know."
Kakashi blinked in horror, realizing where this was going.
Across the table, the younger kunoichi gasped and giggled.
"Oooh~!" Tenten, Ino, and Sakura all made teasing Eight Trigrams sounds, leaning closer. Even Shino tilted his head slightly, intrigued.
Shikamaru muttered, thinking aloud, "Someone who's been with Tsunade-sama for years? That can only mean… Lady Shizune."
Chōji froze mid-bite. "Wait, what? Kakashi wants to marry Shizune-san?!"
Kakashi shot him a deadly glare. "Chōji, don't talk nonsense!"
The room burst into laughter.
Naruto, trying not to spill his drink, teased, "Kakashi-sensei, you're blushing! So shy!"
Kakashi groaned, covering his face with his book. "I should have stayed home…"
The room erupted again in cheers and laughter, echoing through the halls of the new home.
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