DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO (AND PROBABLY NEVER WILL HAHA)

Ch.17 - Chores Galore

- Naruto's Apartment: 5:00 AM -

The morning sun was beginning to rise, signaling the start of a peaceful day in Konoha. Naruto, having no missions or work obligations, decided to make good use of his free time. As he rose from his bed, he noticed the state of his messy apartment. Recalling that a clean environment promotes productivity, Naruto resolved to turn over a new leaf and tidy up his living space.

After freshening up, Naruto grabbed a broom and started sweeping, astonished by the amount of dust he collected. He filled a garbage bag with all the clutter and unnecessary items he no longer needed. Taking the bag outside, he disposed of it in the dumpster before returning to his apartment to tackle another task.

Naruto faced a mountain of dirty dishes, evidence of his past habit of leaving them lying around. Determined to change his ways, he spent a considerable amount of time washing plates, bowls, utensils, and cups. In fact, he washed so many dishes that he had to purchase more dishwashing soap. With the dishes finally cleaned, Naruto turned his attention to organizing his cupboards, wardrobe, and fridge.

Taking stock of his wardrobe, Naruto realized he owned only four sets of identical orange jumpsuits, a few pairs of underwear, some pants and t-shirts, a red scarf, and his old goggles. He made a mental note to diversify his clothing collection. As he checked his fridge, he carefully examined each item and discarded anything that had gone bad. Making a grocery list, Naruto resolved to buy more than just ramen for a change.

Next, Naruto directed his attention to the sad state of his indoor plants. Ino had been right in her assessment that he tended to overwater them, resulting in the demise of some and the wilting of others due to excessive sunlight exposure. Determined to improve his plant care skills, Naruto discarded the dead plants and planted new ones using the seeds Ino had given him. Ino had assured him that these seeds were forgiving for beginners. He had Nigella, Sunflower, and Marigold seeds, and after reading the instructions, he planted them in empty pots, promising himself not to repeat his past mistakes of overwatering and neglect.

Thoughts of Ino's insistence on him working full-time at her flower shop crossed Naruto's mind, but he dismissed them for the time being. There were other things he could focus on to make the most of his day off.

- Naruto's Apartment: 9:30 AM -

After completing the cleaning tasks, Naruto felt a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. His entire apartment, including the bathroom, was now spotless. However, a new problem emerged in his mind — how was he going to buy groceries? Naruto anticipated that stores wouldn't welcome him and would likely overcharge him. He pondered possible solutions, considering asking Teuchi and Ayame for help, but decided against it. He didn't want to burden Iruka either. Just as he was contemplating his options, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. It was Ino.

"Oh! Hey Ino, what brings you here?" Naruto asked.

"Good morning to you too, Naruto. My mom told me to bring these to you," Ino replied, handing him the three books he had borrowed.

"She's alright with lending me these books?" Naruto asked, slightly surprised.

"Well yeah, she trusts you with them. Plus, I believe you haven't finished reading them all, right?" Ino responded.

"Oh, yeah hehe. I'm still not finished with the one about botany," Naruto admitted.

"I see. Well, just return the books when you're finished reading them all," Ino said with a smile.

"You got it!" Naruto assured her. As Ino was about to leave, Naruto had a brilliant idea. "Wait! Uhhh..."

Ino turned around to face Naruto once more. "Hmmm? What is it, Naruto?"

"Could you uhhh... Perhaps... M-Maybe help me with buying groceries?... It's okay if you don't want to, I complet—" Naruto was cut off mid-sentence when Ino agreed.

"Sure," she said curtly.

"Really?... You don't mind helping me?" Naruto asked again, seeking confirmation.

"Yeah," she responded.

"Ya sure? And that's it? No strings attached?" Naruto made sure to clarify.

"Well, I don't know about that... But I am willing to help you, Naruto, if you do me a favor," Ino said, a mischievous grin forming on her face.

"F-Favor? What favor?" Naruto asked, feeling a sense of unease.

"That I have not decided yet, but you do owe me one favor," Ino said, maintaining her grin.

Naruto groaned inwardly, realizing that he had just agreed to an unknown favor. "I am going to regret this later on..."

"So, is it a deal or not?" Ino raised an eyebrow and placed one hand on her hip.

Naruto sighed, feeling slightly trapped. "Alright Ino, deal."

"Good. No take-backs, alright?" Ino emphasized, making sure Naruto understood the terms.

Naruto grumbled, resigning himself to the situation, fully aware that retreating was no longer an option. "Alrighty then, what do you need, then?" Ino inquired, her tone expectant.

Naruto scratched his head, a sheepish expression crossing his face. "That... I do not know," he admitted, his voice carrying a hint of embarrassment.

"Seriously?... Alright, can I come in so that I can have a look at your fridge?" Ino requested, and Naruto immediately agreed without hesitation.

Ino entered his apartment and saw how spotless it was compared to her last visit. "Wow, someone's been busy. What came over you to motivate you to clean your apartment?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"I just felt like it, I guess, hehe," Naruto replied proudly.

"Well, good for you that you decided to take cleaning seriously. And I hope it stays that way from now on."

"No promises, but I'll try dattebayo!" Naruto said with a foxy grin. Ino rolled her eyes, knowing that old habits die hard.

"Let's have a looksie, shall we?" Ino suggested, as she opened Naruto's fridge.

She was taken aback by the meager contents she found inside — just pitchers of cold water, three eggs, a tomato, and some cheese.

"Jeez... Your fridge contains little to no food, Naruto. What have you been eating then?" Ino questioned, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Uhhh... I'd rather not say..." Naruto replied, his embarrassment evident in his voice.

"Well, you don't have to tell me since I think I know what it is. Do you have a pen and paper?" Ino asked. Naruto nodded and quickly fetched a sheet of paper and a pen, handing them to Ino.

Ino took a seat at the table and began jotting down the items Naruto needed.

- The List -

More eggs

Bread

Milk

Meat (Chicken/Pork/Beef/Fish)

Rice

Condiments

Cereal

Canned Soup

Fruits (Apples/Bananas/Oranges)

Veggies (Broccoli/Peas/Potato /Carrots/Mushrooms)

More Cheese

Butter

- End of the List -

"Whoa, that's a lot, Ino. Are you sure I need all of that?" Naruto questioned, eyeing the long list of groceries.

"What do you mean 'a lot'? This is nothing compared to the groceries my family buys, and we don't eat a lot," Ino replied confidently.

"Alright then, I won't question you since you're the expert on this," Naruto conceded.

"You're damn right I am. Besides, you need some diversity in what you eat. You simply can't live off of ramen alone," Ino emphasized.

Naruto then asked, "How much do you think this will cost?"

"How much do you have, though?" Ino inquired.

Naruto handed her his wallet, Gama-chan. "Yep, this is more than enough. How come your wallet is still filled to the brim? It's been so long since the last time I saw it," she commented.

"Well, I simply pay rent, which is not that much considering the fact that this building is rather old and rickety. The payment also includes all my utilities and stuff. As for food, I just buy ramen in bulk," Naruto explained.

"I see. How come you were able to buy ramen? Did the store rip you off?" Ino asked curiously.

"Nah, I used Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique) and disguised myself. I could technically use the same jutsu to buy groceries, but I don't know what to buy in the first place. That's why I asked for your help," Naruto replied.

"Ah, makes sense. Well, come on, and we'll fill up your fridge for once," Ino said, motioning for Naruto to follow her.

They headed to a store that was a long way from Naruto's apartment. Naruto wondered why they were going so far when they had passed countless similar stores. Ino explained that this particular store offered quality products for a reasonable price, emphasizing the idea of getting the best value for their money — a concept her mother had instilled in her.

Before entering the store, Naruto performed the Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique) in an alleyway as a precautionary measure. He changed his facial features and clothes but retained his blonde hair for some reason. The shopkeeper wasn't at the counter to notice the blondes enter, making it easier for Naruto to slip by unnoticed.

- Moments Later -

"And I believe butter is the last item. Why don't you go wait for me outside while I check these out? Hand over your wallet for a sec, will you?" Ino requested.

"Wait... What do you mean 'wait outside'? Why, though?" Naruto asked, puzzled by her request.

"You clearly don't know what haggling is, do you?" Ino responded.

"Haggling?" Naruto repeated, unfamiliar with the term.

"It's when you negotiate for an agreed price," Ino explained.

"Okay... But didn't you say this is a good place to get the 'best bang for the buck'?" Naruto questioned, confused by the sudden change in approach.

"Well, there's no harm in further lowering the price. If I were you, I'd be begging me to haggle with the shopkeeper," Ino stated confidently.

"Okay, fine. I'll go wait outside," Naruto reluctantly agreed and exited the store.

- With Ino and the Shopkeeper -

Ino approached the shopkeeper and placed the basket full of items on the counter. "Ahhh, Ino-chan, shopping for groceries, I see? Where's your mom?" the woman behind the counter asked.

"Oh, it's just me and my friend over there," Ino replied, pointing towards the disguised Naruto.

"Friend? This is the first time I've seen friends buying groceries. Are you sure he's not your boyfriend? Does your mom know?" the shopkeeper teased.

"WHA- B-Boyfriend?! He's my teammate and friend, plus that would be weird. And besides, I already like someone" Ino argued, flustered by the suggestion.

"All right, all right, if you say so. I'm guessing this is the part where we begin haggling, I assume?" the shopkeeper said, ready to negotiate.

"Exactly my thoughts," Ino confirmed.

It took a while for Ino and the shopkeeper to settle on a price, but Ino successfully saved Naruto more money than he expected. They then returned to Naruto's apartment to stock up his fridge.

"Thanks again for helping me out, Ino, even if you asked for something in exchange. I really appreciate it," Naruto expressed his gratitude.

"Don't worry about it, Naruto. I'm glad I could help," Ino reassured him.

"Oh yeah! Why'd you yell back there in the store? Did something wrong happen?" Naruto asked, curious about the commotion.

Ino blushed and became flustered, recalling the mention of a boyfriend. "I-It's nothing, so don't worry about it," she quickly dismissed.

"All right, if you say so... By the way, want to go grab something to eat?" Naruto suggested.

"You mean eat outside?" Ino questioned.

"Sure, I guess. Any place you have in mind?" Naruto inquired.

"After that incident? No, and we're definitely not going to Ichiraku right now. The whole point of buying groceries is for you to eat something else other than ramen," Ino explained.

"Well, I got nothing then," Naruto admitted, both of their stomachs grumbling in agreement. Ino sighed and decided to whip up something for them to eat for lunch.

"You can cook, Ino?" Naruto was genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, why? I don't look like the type to cook, is that what you're thinking, huh?" Ino retorted.

"Honestly... Yeah, but it is nice to know more stuff about you though," Naruto admitted.

"Well, there's more to learn about me than meets the eye, Naruto," Ino replied with a smirk, hinting at her hidden talents and depths.

"Oh yeah? Like your passion for shopping, pudding, cherry tomatoes, the color purple, and your unyielding love for Sasuke-teme," Naruto retorted playfully.

"Like you're any better? Ramen this and ramen that, 'I'm gonna be Hokage dattebayo!', your passion for the color orange for some reason, 'The Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is the coolest jutsu in existence,' and many more. Yeah, that sounds better," Ino replied sarcastically, as she rummaged through Naruto's kitchen for cookware to use.

"I'm not denying the ramen thing, but first of all, I rarely ever talk about being Hokage ever since Asuma-sensei dropped that truth bomb on me before meeting the Daimyo. Second, what's wrong with the color orange? It's a nice color. Third, the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu thing is a fact, it is the coolest jutsu to ever exist," Naruto defended himself.

"Okay, I'm glad we agree on the whole ramen issue, and I guess you do have a point when it comes to the Hokage topic. I rarely hear you even mentioning the word 'Hokage' anymore. And orange is just a loud color in general. And about the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, sure, whatever lets you sleep at night. Pretty sure there are cooler jutsus out there compared to your specialty. Anyway, what do you want to eat?" Ino asked, moving on from their banter.

"Since you're cooking for me, chef's choice then hehe," Naruto replied.

"Alright then, I'll knock your taste buds out and show that ramen is nothing compared to my cooking," Ino teased.

"Well, let's see about that," Naruto challenged.

Ino began cooking using the ingredients they bought from the store. As she cooked, she engaged in a conversation with Naruto about various trivial things, but despite the seemingly unimportant nature of their conversation, she genuinely enjoyed it.

- After A While -

"Alright, Naruto, go pull up a chair so that we can eat," Ino called him over.

"It does smell good, but the real question is, does it taste good as well?" Naruto wondered.

"Why don't you come over here and find out?" Ino playfully challenged him.

Naruto took a chair and sat at the table. He asked Ino what the dish was called.

"The main course is simply fried fish we bought from the store. I was going to grill it, but you lack the equipment. We'll have to expand your cookware some other time. And to go with the fish, I made Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice). I made some shiitake dashi using the mushrooms we bought, chopped it up too. Added some chopped carrots and peas for more vegetables. To add meat, I sliced up tuna and added it in. Go ahead and dig in," Ino explained the dish.

Naruto took his chopsticks and looked at the food in front of him. "Itadakimasu," he said before taking a bite of Ino's cooking.

Flavors burst inside his mouth, and he couldn't help but show his delight. "Wow, this is really good, Ino. I could get used to this," he praised as he continued eating.

"You really think it's good?" Ino asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"Good? It's amazing, Ino. I wish we could do this more often, though," Naruto expressed with genuine enjoyment.

"I mean, we could if you want to. You just have to ask, y'know," Ino suggested, her blush still lingering on her cheeks.

"Well then, it's settled hehe. This stuff is great," Naruto replied, happily devouring the food.

"I'm glad you like it, Naruto," Ino said, her smile widening.

They continued to eat their meal, savoring the flavors and enjoying each other's company. Naruto ended up going for seconds and thirds, while Ino contented herself with one and a half servings of her own cooking. Eventually, Naruto was stuffed, and Ino knew it was time for her to head back home.

"I need to get back home now, Naruto. There's more food on the stove so you can have more for dinner. I enjoyed hanging out with you. See you tomorrow, Naruto," she said, waving goodbye.

"Bye, Ino. Thanks for helping me, and also, thank you for the meal," Naruto expressed his gratitude as she walked downstairs to leave the building.

As Ino made her way back to her own home, she couldn't help but feel a warmth in her heart. Cooking for Naruto and seeing him enjoy her food had brought her a sense of fulfillment. She cherished the moments they spent together and looked forward to more shared experiences in the future.

(A/N: Yep, another wholesome chapter if I do say so myself. I just felt like writing more heartwarming chapters y'know? Perhaps it's just me yearning to experience the same and the only way to feel it somehow is by writing it? Nah, I'm overthinking it haha (Or am I? ;)). JK, regardless though, I do hope all of you are still enjoying the fic. Almost a hundred followers and 63 faves, damn thanks for the continuous support. Sorry for the slow pacing, I did mention this will be slow and stuff so yeah, that's all haha. Show me some love and rate and review or something, cheers ^^)