Chapter 3: Turnaround

The next day, team 7 and their two guests made it to Konaha, Kakashi took Akemi and Tayuya to the Hokage Tower while Naruto went to the hospital for a mild case of chakra exhaustion. Thankfully, Shizune was there and was more than happy to treat her surrogate little brother.

"Naruto, I am glad you are OK, how was your mission?" Shizune asked.

"It was fine, Shizune, we saved our client's daughter and another girl who had been kidnapped as well, they are talking to Baa-chan right now."

Naruto, after being checked out by Shizune decided to go to Ichiraku's, as he walked he felt the cold and hateful eyes of villagers on him, then someone had come up to the blonde armed with a steel pipe, the man's eyes were full of malicious intent.

"Filthy demon brat!" the man yelled before raising his weapon to strike Naruto, when Sakura appeared and snatched the pipe away from the villager.

"Don't you dare attack Naruto!" Sakura screams at the man before snapping the pipe in two.

"Whatever, you'll change your mind soon enough, you stupid girl." the man says before storming off.

Sakura sighed before turning to face Naruto.

"You OK, Naruto?" she asked, genuine concern in her voice.

"Yeah, Shizune just told me to rest for a few days. I was on my way to Ichiraku's for a bowl of ramen."

The pinkette smiled, she knows how much Naruto loves ramen and being away from his favorite food and the family that he had gained as a result were really special to him, and now that she is seeing him differently, Sakura wants to enjoy the time she has with Naruto now.

"Hey Naruto, can I come with you?" Sakura asks shyly, a faint blush warming her face.

Naruto smiled.

"Of course, Sakura, but it's my treat." Naruto said with a kind smile.

As Naruto and Sakura make their way to the ramen stand, Tayuya and Akemi quickly join the pair.

"We're not interrupting anything, are we?" Akemi asks as she took Naruto's right arm.

Sakura grumbled something under her breath, but Naruto smiled, shaking his head no.

"Oh no Akemi, Tayuya, we are going to get some ramen, you two are invited to join us if you like, I'm buying." Naruto said with mirth.

The trio of girls all laughed at the blonde. Sasuke walked past Naruto, Sakura, Akemi, and Tayuya. He still couldn't believe that Naruto had three girls falling all over him. As much as he hated to admit it, the Last Uchiha was jealous of Naruto Uzumaki.

Ayame and Teuchi were stunned to say the least when they saw Naruto enter the stand with Sakura on his right arm and two other girls also with him and one of the girls was Akemi Shiziwa, Daughter of Councilmen Tatsusu Shiziwa.

Naruto let the girls order first before placing his order, Ayame smiled as she watched as the three girls were all over the young blonde.

After their meals Naruto paid bill and he and his three lovelies went for a walk around the village. While they were walking Tayuya pointed something out to Naruto, when he, Sakura, and Akemi looked where the redhead was pointing they saw four boys shoving Hinata Hyuuga to the ground and beginning to kick and stomp her.

"Stay here." Naruto tells Sakura and the others, he then flashed over to the foursome and commenced to whooping all their asses handily, he then helped Hinata get to her feet before using a slight wind jutsu to get the dirt off of her clothes.

"There you go, you OK, Hinata?"

"Y-yes, th-thank you N-Naruto-k-kun." the bluenette stuttered and blushed feverishly.

"You know what Hinata, you're really cute when you blush." Naruto said before he went back over to Sakura, Akemi, and Tayuya who were all swooning over his gallant act.

Later, Naruto was on his way home when he heard a scream coming from the Yamanaka Flower Shop, he turns and sees a trio of thugs coming out of the shop with Ino, who has apparently been knocked out by one of the robbers.

Naruto leapt into action, taking down the thugs, saving the platinum blonde and recovering the ryo that they had taken.

The next day, the village is buzzing about how Naruto had helped both Ino and Hinata, this earned the blonde a place in the hearts of all the young girls and even a few of the older women in the village, like Ina Yamanaka, Ino's Mom and Mebuki Haruno, Sakura's Mom. More importantly, many of Sasuke's fangirls were leaving him, choosing to become fangirls of the blonde instead.

Kikayo Hanaga is one of these said fangirls to along with her best friends, Usumi Amizuki and Maemi Nishiwa.

Naruto is now at Training Ground 7, sparring with two of his clones, he is shirtless. Several of his fangirls, Usumi, Sakura, Tayuya, Ino,Hinata, Tsunade, Ina, Maemi, and Kikayo are watching their guy train with either hearts in their eyes or drool coming out of their mouths.

Just then, Sasuke appeared and destroyed Naruto's clones.

"OK Dobe, I've enjoyed your game long enough, now I will put you in your place."