Another week, another chapter. I seem to be on a roll, which feels amazing tbh. Writing every day really works wonders with managing to keep myself inspired and motivated to update every six to seven days.
Anyhow, here's chap 6. I'll be giving a bit of a spotlight to Koharu Fujiwara, a character I introduced last chapter and that is quite important in Gal Gohan. Still, Miku will get some screen-time as well. Wouldn't feel right if I didn't do so!
Before we move on with today's installment, I wanted to give a big shout-out to everyone who's been reading, reviewing and adding this story to their favorites/follow list. Your support is what keeps me going, so thanks guys!
~ Chapter 6 : A Secret Unveiled ~
Naruto had to take a moment to stare at his newly appointed tutor in complete and utter disbelief, his mind still refusing to believe what he'd just heard coming from her mouth.
"My... secret?", he repeated incredulously, turning his eyes back to the screen of the phone in his hands. He felt multiple shivers running down his spine at the image he was currently staring at, an image that had him quickly growing alarmed.
The picture on Fujiwara's phone was a photo of a very peculiar girl round his age who was wearing the girl's uniform and bore a striking resemblance to Naruto himself, especially due to the six identical whisker-like marks on her cheeks, her bright blond hair and a pair of sapphire eyes that were of the exact same tonality as the Uzumaki's. She also had a voluptous figure, and upon closer examination she seemed to be laughing at something in particular.
All in all, it was like staring at a female version of Naruto.
Koharu hummed in confirmation and leaned slightly forward, her head still resting on her hands. "That's right", her expression turned serious as she noticed how Naruto was starting to sweat bullets. "You see, I happened to be around that day when your... friend, if we can call her that way, assisted you on pulling one of your pranks on Amano Yuuta."
Her words were met with the reaction she was expecting to see from him, which was to look like a deer in the headlights for a couple of long seconds. Then, and almost as if miraculously managing to regain his composture, the blond let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding up until far. "Ah, so this is what you were talking about", Naruto allowed himself to relax a bit, realizing he'd gotten a bit worked up before actually hearing what was it that she 'knew' about him. He leaned back on his chair and smiled in a more confident manner. "I thought everyone knew I had someone lend me a hand with that prank, but I never really expected anyone, much less you Koharu-chan, to actually capture her on camera! She's probably going to be so mad when she finds out, haha."
Naruto chuckled in a rather awkward way as he proceeded to rub the back of his head, but Fujiwara did not respond in kind. All she did was continue to stare at him for what felt like an eternity, before smiling mysteriously. "Oh, perhaps she would be... if she really existed in the first place."
"...!"
It was as if Koharu had thrown a bucket of ice-cold water right at Naruto's face, with the latter being unable to prevent his expression from turning into one of utter shock. "W-What...?"
Fujiwara did not allow him to finish his question as she raised her head and snatched the phone away from the Uzumaki's hands, her smile never leaving her lips. "You heard me, Naruto-san", she said decidedly. "This girl, whatever her name really was, is nothing but something you created to disguise yourself. To hide your true identity so that Amano-san would walk right into your trap."
There was a genuine look of astonishment on Naruto's face as he stared right back at Koharu's triumphant visage. She practically had him at her mercy, and the thought alone was enough for the Uzumaki to feel afraid. Very afraid. He hadn't felt that way ever since he'd fought against Orochimaru and his apprentice, Kabuto, back when he and Jiraiya were still trying to convince Tsunade to become Hokage. And even though the fear he was experiencing right now didn't come remotely close to that, it was almost paralyzing.
"I-I...", was all the Uzumaki could say, his voice getting stuck in his throat. He had to pause for a moment to swallow before trying again. "I d-don't know what you're talking about..."
"Hmmm, is that so?", Koharu put her phone to the side and crossed her leg over the other, getting comfortable in her seat. "Say, Naruto-san... Do the words... 'Oiroke no Jutsu' mean anything to you?", she carefully inquired, and was almost immediately treated to the sight of Naruto gasping. His face grew pale, and Koharu clapped exitedly. "Aha~ So it does ring a bell! I knew I wasn't imagining things!"
Naruto felt all strength leaving his body at her victorious proclamation. His heart was pounding like mad in his chest and he felt as if the whole world was crashing down upon him. The secret he'd tried so hard to keep hidden ever since he arrived to this world had been uncovered by a girl who not only happened to be the student's council president, but also a very well-known and respected figure at the academy.
The only question he couldn't find an answer to was...
"...How?"
Naruto would have inwardly cursed at the weak and pathetic tone with which he now addressed Fujiwara, but he was too overwhelmed by all that was transpiring that afternoon to worry about his voice of all things.
Koharu seemed to realize what was on his mind and steeled herself. "How did I find out about your little secret? To be honest, it was a coincidence", the president commented, folding her arms over her chest. "That day, I was on my way down the staircase to the faculty room when I looked down from the landing and I saw you standing below, at the spandrel. You were making some sort of... seal with your hands; it looked like something I'd seen before, though at the time I couldn't really tell where."
"Then, there was this... weird sound like a baloon bursting and a puff of smoke came out of nowhere and completely engulfed you. At first, I foolishly thought that was just one of your silly pranks, so I quickly hid behind the upper treads just in case. I stood there in silence for a couple of seconds, but when I tried taking a peek to check if you were still there, I didn't see you. Just a girl. A girl who looked a lot like you."
"..."
"'Hehe, just you wait Bakutta! My Oiroke no Jutsu will have you wrapped around my finger in no time!' was the very first thing she, you, said after she took your place", Koharu did her best attempt at an impression of Naruto's female version, trying to imitate her rather sultry voice - the young man was beyond dumbstruck to even bring himself to respond, much less provide a different reaction other than look stupefied. "It left me stunned. I didn't have a clue what was going on and how on Earth you'd done that, but I couldn't move a muscle. The only thing I did think of at the time was to take a picture, just to prove myself I wasn't hallucinating."
By that point, Naruto had resigned himself to this strange and unnerving twist of events. He felt like a complete and absolute moron; after all, and even though he was supposed to have skills no other human of that world had, which included being able to tell whenever someone else was around or when danger lurked around the corner, he'd let his guard down and allowed a civilian to witness his secret Sexy Jutsu firsthand.
He tried easing his ever rising anxiety and fear by taking a moment to think things through. Koharu had found out about one of his jutsus, yes, but that didn't mean she'd figured out who he really was and everything else he could do that other people couldn't. That also meant there was no way she could ever know he possessed chakra, which was the source of all his abilities.
Realizing all that put him a bit more at ease as he turned once again to Koharu, who seemed to be patiently waiting for his response. Naruto stared for a moment at her with narrowed eyes, before sighing. There was only way to make sure she didn't know about his true identity, which was to stop playing dumb. "What exactly do you know about my Oiroke no Jutsu, Koharu-chan?", he asked cautiously, trying to look calm on the outside. On the inside, he was still a little apprehensive at hearing what her response would be.
Koharu flashed another smile at the young man, one that Naruto found endearing for whatever reason. It was a smile filled with excitement. "Nothing much, really. But I was hoping you'd be willing to tell me more about it", her smile turned into a slightly pleading look she sent the Uzumaki's way for a moment, before she caught herself and cleared her throat. "You see, I did some research and I found a ton of interesting stuff, though the most promising lead I got was learning about the shinobi."
Whatever composture Naruto had managed to regain was immediately lost the moment Koharu uttered the word 'shinobi'. Like earlier, the young man felt his heart stopping for a moment and his eyes widening, but Koharu didn't seem to notice this time, her attention elsewhere.
"At first, I thought it was a magic trick. I mean, you dressing up as a girl did cross my mind for a second, but there was no way you could have changed that fast and get such a convincing look", whether that had been a compliment to his Oiroke no Jutsu or not didn't matter much to the Uzumaki at the time. "But then, something you said about a 'jutsu' got me thinking. It is widely known there are tons of different forms of Jutsu out there, like martial arts or meditation, but the way you meant it was different, like you were talking about it in a totally different way."
"So for the next couple of days I pretty much spent what little free time I had searching for everything related to jutsus I could find online or at the library. I found tons of information, particularly on ninjutsu and taijutsu, and even some meditation techniques that involved the usage of our inner energy... if it makes any sense."
Naruto almost gave himself away at the last bit, but managed to keep himself from interjecting in fear of saying something he shouldn't.
"It took a while, but eventually I came across the shinobi. Back then, I knew little about them, other than they'd acted as mercenaries and spies centuries ago, but the more I read, the more I became interested in them. They even created various forms of ninjutsu the japanese military is said to use today", as she explained this, Koharu paused for a moment to check whether Naruto was paying attention and saw he was completely absort in her story, something that secretly pleased her. "Besides the proven facts I found, a couple of sites mentioned there were some shinobi who found a way to take advantage of the inner energy I mentioned earlier to do all sorts of crazy things no human being should be capable of. Again, this is mere speculation but after seeing what you did, I felt more inclined to believe it."
As her story was near completion, Koharu placed her hands on the table and looked straight into Naruto's eyes. "Now, I don't know how much of what I found is true or if you're really a shinobi... or something else, but I really wanted to talk to you about this", she flashed a small, reassuring smile his way. "You don't have to admit or deny it, or tell me anything you don't feel like sharing. I mean, we practically just met so I'm not expecting you to trust me right away. All I'm asking is that if you ever want to talk about it, I'll glady hear you out. And if you choose not to, your secret is safe with me, I promise. "
Naruto could not hide the look of surprise that crossed his features. A couple moments ago, he'd been expecting Koharu to press him into opening up and tell her everything she wished to know in exchange for her silence. Not that was going to work, anyway. He was sure nobody would ever believe her. The worst thing she could have done was to show that picture of 'Naruko' to the headmaster and possibly have him expelled for getting a person who wasn't a student into the academy.
Yet not only was she trying to reassure him by being empathetic, but she was also promising to keep his secret. There wasn't a hint of deception in her voice, which made his nerves and fear of his true identity being discovered disappear like they hadn't been there in the first place.
"...Thanks, Koharu-chan. I appreciate it", Naruto mustered a smile of his own, feeling genuinely grateful at the beautiful girl's noble intentions. Then, that previous smile changed into a curious look and he furrowed his brow. "There's something I don't get though", he began, attracting Fujiwara's attention, "why didn't you come talk to me before? If you saw me doing that jutsu, then that'd mean you have known about it for quite a while, right?"
The president straightened in her chair at that. "Well, I didn't want to confront you without having more information first", she said, making Naruto nod. "Once I felt confident enough, it was a matter of waiting for the right time to find you alone. Though between my duties as the council's president and you arriving late and leaving school as soon as the bell rang, meeting you alone soon proved much more difficult than I anticipated. Especially after you started going out with Okazaki-san."
Naruto had the decency of looking mildly embarrassed at that. "Uhm, no, me and Miku... we're not going out. We're just... friends... Yeah", the way he'd said it didn't fully convince Koharu, and the slight blush on his face only served to weaken his case even further.
"Ah, I'm sorry. It kind of looked that way to me back in the clubroom, but it seems I was wrong", there was an awkward laugh coming from the Uzumaki at her remark, one that Fujiawara did notice but opted not to comment on.
"N-Nah, don't worry about it", unsure of what else to add, Naruto decided that a change of topic was in order and curled his lips into a foxy grin. "But man, you really are cool! You went to such lengths to find out as much as you could about jutsus and stuff, I'm impressed!"
"Eh?", his words caused made Koharu blush and blink in barely concealed surprise. She then shyly diverted her eyes to the side, a timid smile now finding its way to her visage. "I s-see, I didn't really do much anyway", she mumbled, growing silent for a moment. But just as Naruto started wondering whether he'd said something he wasn't supposed to, Koharu looked his way again, this time with a beaming expression. "But thank you, Naruto-san. That you think that way of me really means a lot to me!"
Both adolescents merely smiled at each other as the Sun started its daily routine of setting in the horizon. It was only then that both Naruto and Koharu noticed how late it'd gotten all of a sudden, the former checking the clock by the wall. "So, what's the plan Koharu-chan?", he couldn't help but wonder, feeling much more at ease than earlier. "Are we still getting some studying done or what?"
Koharu noticed the manner in which Naruto began looking hopeful at the prospect of skipping that studying session for the day, his face twisting into a childish attempt of a puppy look. An expression that reminded her of her beloved ototo. "Oh, absolutely! I was actually serious when I said I volunteered to lend you a hand with your studies. Besides, we still have some time left before we can call it a day, so we could start with your weakest subjects. Perhaps, Math, English or...", she saw the way Naruto's puppy expression got even more exaggerated, with actual tears gathering at the corner of his eyes, and she sighed in mock resignation, "...or we can just go home and get to work tomorrow."
"Yatta!", Naruto jolted from his seat and jumped in celebration, not even bothering to conceal his evident joy.
His anctics evoked a laugh from Koharu, who shook her head at the silly blond. "I wouldn't celebrate too much if I were you Naruto-san. When you see what exactly I have in store for you as your tutor, you'll wish you had studied harder on your own", despite that being just a joke, Koharu was treated to Naruto going from ecstatic to scared in the blink of the eye. She felt like laughing even harder at his reaction, but managed to hold back just in time.
"I-I'm sorry, please have mercy on my poor soul!"
"I make no promises", the beautiful girl giggled good-heartedly, standing up from her chair and taking a moment to stretch her limbs. As she felt her joints popping, her pale eyes inadvertently found Naruto's tall figure, and she silently watched as he briefly checked his phone, smiled brightly, and wrote something using the keyboard.
She was about to make a comment on the rather wide smile he was now sporting on his whiskered face, when a sudden thought crossed her mind, a thought that made her stop for a moment and bite her lower lip.
"Naruto-san."
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you to do something for me?"
The aforementioned blinked his azure eyes, staring silently at Koharu. And then, he nodded. "Sure!"
"Could you...", she paused as she struggled to come up with the right words. "Uhm, could you show me that jutsu again?", there was an immediate look of surprise in Naruto's face, which had Fujiwara blushing in embarrassment. "A-Ah, n-never mind! You don't have to do that if you don't want to."
She meant those words, she really did. But Koharu was secretly hoping he'd accept to demonstrate that supernatural ability of his, the one that had eventually led her to confront him. The girl wanted to see Naruto transform into his 'female-version' if only to satiate her curiosity or to confirm what she already knew.
Naruto seemed to think long and hard about her request, weighing his options while rubbing his ching. Eventually, and much to her delight, the shinobi gave her a thumbs-up and grinned. "Okay, fine! But just this once, all right? It's already pretty risky to do this at school, and I don't want other people finding out about it like you did."
"I understand, Naruto-san."
"Good", he nodded. "Then, pay close attention. Don't blink or you'll miss it!"
Koharu tensed in anticipation as she took a step back from the table, intending to give Naruto as much space as possible for him to do what he was about to do. She fixed her sight on his figure and felt her pulse quickening as the Uzumaki brought his hands together into a hand seal. He took a deep breath, smiled, and said:
"Oiroke no Jutsu!"
"I still can't believe you can do that, Naruto-san. I mean, it looked so real! It was like staring at your alter-ego or something!"
Naruto chuckled at Koharu's astonishment as both made their way out the school and down the path leading to the entrance. He took a moment to look around, inwardly hoping to see Miku around, and felt slighty disappointed at not finding her there. Then again, he guessed the cooking's club meeting must have ended a while ago, considering how much time he and Fujiwara had spent at the old koto club in the first place. Yabe usually extended their stay as he wanted to make sure both Naruto and Miku cleaned their working stations properly before leaving, which took a while, but with Naruto not taking part of their meetings for a while, it was likely that Yabe would wrap things up sooner from then on.
The young man felt his spirits dampening at the sudden realization that he'd probably not be able to walk out of club meetings with Miku for a while, like they were used to doing. He inwardly hoped he'd be able to pass all his exams and get back to the club as soon as possible, but that'd prove to be a gargantuan task, especially since he hated studying with a passion. It was even worse than having to go to class and listen to the teachers rambling on for hours and hours.
"Oh, we're here already."
Koharu's voice suddenly broke him out of his daze, and it was after blinking his azure eyes that he realized both he and the president were at the front gates. He scratched his head as he saw Fujiwara fidgeting and glancing his way every now and then, making him feel awkward. Naruto didn't know what could be going through her mind, maybe she was feeling worried about going back home alone? After all, it was pretty late, and darkness would soon be upon them.
"Koharu-chan", Naruto spoke up, startling the president, who turned his way a bit faster than she'd have liked. "If you don't mind me asking, where do you live?"
His question was met with a quick 'Eh?' from Fujiwara, and he saw her getting a bit flustered after her sudden reaction. "Ah! Uhm, I live a couple of blocks", she gestured to the left, "that way. It's pretty close by."
"Huh", the blond blinked in surprise. "Well, what do you know, my house is also that way!", he then flashed her way, not really paying attention to the way her eyes widened ever so slightly, and added, "it's decided, I'll walk you home."
There was an instant blush on Fujiwara's cheeks upon hearing him say that, her previous shyness resurfacing once more. "I-It's okay, Naruto-san, there's no need for you to do that if-"
"But I want to", was all he said, effectively shutting her up. "Plus, I still got some time to spare before my shift. Com'on, I wanna make sure you get home safely."
"...Okay."
Koharu could do nothing but sprint up to his side as he started walking away, placing his bag over the shoulder. She felt strangely nervous for some reason, and said feeling only grew more intense each time she risked a glance at the tall blond by her side. The tall, handsome blond who was currently escorting her home to make sure nothing bad happened to her. The mere thought had her heart skipping a beat. 'Ahhh, what do I do? It's the first time a guy from school walks me home!', she thought, unable to really get why was that making her so nervous. Fujiwara knew it wasn't a big deal, and that Naruto was accompaning her out of the goodness in his heart, but she couldn't help but feel some sort of joy at that.
Still, Fujiwara didn't want Naruto to think she wasn't really looking for conversation or that him walking her home didn't sit well with her, so she opened up her mouth to speak when the Uzumaki beat her to it.
"You were kinda right back there, Koharu-chan."
"...?"
Naruto inclined his head ever so slightly and beckoned for her to get closer so that he could whisper something in her ear; which she did, albeit hesitatingly at first. "You see... I really am a shinobi", he whispered those words as lowly as possible and inched away from her so as to watch her reaction.
It didn't take long for her face to lit up in both astonishment and realization.
"I knew it!", she all but shouted, attracting a few looks from a couple passerbys.
"Shh!", Naruto hushed her hurriedly. "Not so loud, or else I'm going to regret ever telling you this!"
Koharu had the decency of looking sheepish as she nodded in understanding, making the blond sigh. "Sorry", she said, unable to prevent the smile that appeared on her lips. ""You took me by surprise. I wasn't really expecting you to admit it, but you really are a shinobi! I... I don't know what to say", for the first time in forever, Koharu found herself at a loss for words, even as she continued to stare at the silent Uzumaki. "There's so much I'd like to ask you, to know."
"I can see that", the blond chuckled dryly. "But let's hold on to those questions for another time. I'm already trusting you with too much information on myself. Things that nobody knows", he let his words sink in as they passed by a railway cross, glancing both sides in case a train was heading their way. "And, no offense, but before I decide whether I want to tell you more about me I want to make sure I can trust ya."
"Of course!", Fujiwara immediately gave him a hearty response, nodding her head with determination. "Just give me a chance and I will prove to you I can be someone worthy of your trust. Either way, I'll stick by my words and keep your secret safe."
Naruto couldn't resist the urge to raise his hand and pat her head, finding her innocent reaction too cute to hold himself back. "Hehe, for some reason I don't doubt you will", he grinned, and it was that grin which, combined with his ministrations, caused Koharu to blush heavily and turn her head away from his' in embarrassment.
She did not make any visible attempts to put some distance between them even as they walked side by side, their arms almost touching.
Naruto felt his body relaxing as thousands of cold droplets ran down his figure, soothing his aching muscles. He didn't really notice his breathing slowed down as he placed his arms on the shower wall to let the water just wash the sweat away - his mind quickly wandering to idle thoughts.
He had just come back from his daily training routine which consisted of one hour of intense physical workout followed by basic chakra control exercises like tree and water walking, and finally an all out spar against his Kage Bunshin. Sometimes, he'd try out some new ideas he'd come up with on his own, like crazy jutsu that never really worked, but he never skipped morning training if he could help it. The Uzumaki was definitely making some, albeit small, progress. Having someone to train him or to spar with would have proven a tremendous help, but he doubted he'd ever find anyone like him in that world.
Plus, his decision for his true powers to remain hidden from the rest also meant he wasn't going to use them anywhere other than while training.
His thoughts then inadvertently shifted to Koharu Fujiwara, the only person ever to find out about his 'skills'. He didn't doubt the girl had good intentions, and was acting based on a genuine desire to learn the truth about him. Naruto knew he'd probably done the same if he'd been in her shoes, but that thought alone was not enough to ease his worries. He didn't plan on fully opening up about his true identity and past life to the president... at least not yet. If anyone deserved to know that about him first, that would be Miku. She was probably one if not the most important person for him at the moment, and given how closer they grew to each other every day, he knew the time would come when he'd have to sit down and tell her everything if he really wanted no secrets to exist between them.
The real question was... would she be willing to accept him as he was, even after learning the truth?
Naruto sighed as he pulled his head under the showerhead, closing his eyes as water poured over his head. Momentarily taking his mind off those anxiety inducing thoughts, he stepped back a bit, grabbed a nearby bottle and squirted a little bit of shampoo on the palm of his hands before applying the substance to his scalp, massaging it into a rich lather. As he allowed it to act on his golden locks, Naruto took a bar of soap in his hands and applied it to his body; he started at his neck and shoulders, before working his way down the length of his body.
Once he was done, the Uzumaki rinsed his hair and body with the cold water coming from the showerhead, feeling rejuvenated as soon as he turned it off. After quickly drying himself with a towel, Naruto finally stepped out of the shower and placed the towel around his waist, covering his body from the hip to right below his knees. He was about to walk over to the mirror in the bathroom when a loud, ringing noise echoed in the empty house.
'Huh? Who could it be at this time?', he couldn't help but wonder, furrowing his eyebrows. 'It's not even 8 o'clock.'
Naruto was not expecting anyone that day, especially since nobody bothered to visit him or send him anything other than those limited edition ramen packs he ocassionally bought online. The jiji didn't have any family alive and the neighbours tended to keep to themselves most of the time, which pretty much meant he was isolated from everyone else when at home.
The bell rang for a second time as the Uzumaki was brought back to his senses. He took a quick look at himself, and shrugged. No time to get dressed, he mused, before stepping out the bathroom and making his way through the kitchen/living room and towards the entryway. He paused to check that the towel was still firmly tied around his waist before finally opening the door.
"Yeah, what is it?"
He was not expecting to see Koharu Fujiwara standing on the other side.
"Ohayo, Naruto-san!", said girl greeted him with a bright smile, waving her hand at him in a friendly manner. She was holding her school bag in her hands and currently wearing her school uniform. "How are you... this...?"
Naruto scratched his head as he suddenly saw her growing silent, her eyes slowly trailing down. Koharu's kind expression very quickly turned into an absent one as she proceeded to stare at his naked figure. The Uzumaki felt a bit awkward as the beautiful girl just continued to look at him in silence, and he cleared his throat to try and catch her attention.
"Koharu-chan."
"Wah!", as if broken from a spell, the aforementioned jolted at his voice and immediately realized she'd been caught staring. A torrent of blood rushed to her cheeks, dying them red. "N-N-Naruto-san, w-why a-are you n-naked!?", despite her obvious embarrassment, Koharu kept stealing glances at his chest and abs, and she would force her eyes back on the Uzumaki's confused visage each time.
The blond raised an eyebrow. "Me? I was just taking a shower", he said casually, not seeing what the problem was. "More importantly, what are you doing here so early in the morning? Did you need something from me?"
"U-Uhm, I w-was just in my way to s-school and I thought...", Koharu took a deep breath and shut her eyes to avoid looking at Naruto's body one more time, "...I thought maybe we could walk there together. If you don't mind, that is..."
"Together?", Naruto repeated aloud, using his free hand to rub his chin for a moment. He then broke out in a grin. "Sure, why not!", forgetting for a moment she was standing before a half-naked Uzumaki Koharu's face lit up like a kid that had got exactly what they wanted for Christmas. "Ah, but mind waiting 'till I get changed? I won't be long."
"O-Of course, Naruto-san!"
"Well com'on in then!", the young shinobi stepped aside to allow her entrance into his home, which she did, the blush in her cheeks still visible. He locked the door behind her as Fujiwara left her shoes in the entryway and changed into a pair of comfortable slippers Naruto laid out for her. "Take a seat, make yourself comfortable. Want somethin' to drink? There's some ocha* in the pot by the stove. I was planning to pour myself a cup later."
"A-Ah, I'll wait for you then."
"Sure, whatever you prefer Koharu-chan."
All Koharu was able to come up with was an appreciative smile as Naruto turned around and headed for his bedroom, leaving her alone in the living room. She gingerly sat down on a nearby sofa and only then did she acknowledge the way her heart was furiously beating in her chest, probably at now finding herself inside the house of a boy. A boy with a strange power who claimed to be a real shinobi and who was probably fully naked in another room, not too far away from her.
Her thoughts inadvertently shifted back to what had transpired not even a minute ago, especifically to that moment when she had pretty much ogled at Naruto's bare figure. She could still clearly picture his toned physique in her mind, a chiseled body that no doubt was the result of years of arduous training. Koharu's brain gave her even more images of the young man's broad shoulders and wide back, alongside the six pack he sported on his abdomen, and the more she thought about it, the harder she blushed.
'What is wrong with me!?', she felt her body temperature rising as she tried shaking her head to get rid of those thoughts. 'Maybe coming here was a bad idea. I mean, Naruto-san definitely saw me staring at him like some kind of... of... pervert!', the idea was enough to make her pale in shame and slump back in the sofa she was now sitting on.
Koharu was starting to regret stopping by Naruto's house that day, as she'd initially thought of doing so out of a strong desire to get to know the mysterious blond a bit better. She couldn't help feeling that way; after the events that'd taken place the day before, Fujiwara had barely been able to stop thinking about him. Getting confirmation from Naruto on his alledged shinobi identity had left her wanting to learn more about him, his powers and everything else that made the Uzumaki different from her and everybody else.
Whatever her expectations were before deciding to pay him a visit that day, she definitely wasn't expecting to get all flustered around him like she had. Then again, nothing could have prepared her inexperienced self for the sight that greeted her as soon as Naruto opened the door.
"Here, Koharu-chan."
Said girl was so caught up in her own fantasy world that she never noticed Naruto until he was standing right next to her, offering her a steaming cup of tea. And when she did, she yelped in surprise. "A-Ah! Naruto-san, you startled me!", she couldn't help but say, looking like she'd had a mini heart attack.
Naruto merely smiled apologetically. "Gomen, didn't mean to scare ya. You were spacing out a bit, though", as he handed her the cup, he headed to the kitchen and poured one for himself. Koharu took the chance to steel her nerves and let out a calming sigh, before taking a sip of her tea. "What were you thinking about, anyway?"
Koharu couldn't stop herself from spitting out the tea in her mouth at what she then heard, her eyes growing as wide as a pair of balloons.
"O-Oi, Koharu-chan, you okay!?", from the kitchen, Naruto hurriedly turned her way and saw Fujiwara now staring at the small table standing before the sofa she'd spitted over, a deep blush tinting her cheeks once again. She looked comically shaken as she still held the cup in her hands, but refused to answer Naruto's question. Not that he noticed said fact, too engrossed as he was trying to see what the problem was. "Ah, don't tell me the tea was too hot? Honestly, you should have said so!", thinking he'd come to the right conclusion, the blond shook his head in resignation. "Wait, let me get something to clean things up."
And as the young man began looking around the kitchen for something he could use to clear the mess Koharu'd made, he never saw her looking ready to die of embarrassment and shame. 'W-Waaah, why is everything going wrong for me today!?'
Naruto was up and out his classroom as soon as the bell rang, not bothering to wait for the teacher to leave the room. He ignored the shouts of protest coming from his English teacher as he dashed past the door and down the hall, expertly avoiding the students that were now coming out of their classrooms. He ran so fast nobody was even able to tell it was him, as they only spotted a golden blur before it was gone.
It only took him two minutes to reach Miku's classroom, and he dutifully ignored the scowls and sneers some students sent his way as soon as he set foot in. Then, he allowed his lips to curl into his trademark grin for the first time in hours and glanced the way of Miku's desk, excited to finally be able to spend some time with her again...
...Only for said grin to twist into a look of surprise at not seeing the busty gal in her usual seat.
"Ah, Naruto-kun, there you are!", he barely even registered the fact Hana'd approached him and was now flashing a big smile his way. "You here for Miku-chan?"
Slowly acnowledging her presence, Naruto took a moment to process her words before quickly inclining his head in confirmation. "That's right. Do you know where she is?", his question had a worried edge to it, but Hana didn't seem to notice.
"Uh-hum! She said she was heading for the basketball court", Hana watched Naruto frowning in confusion at that, and her smile grew sly. "Why, I thought you and Miku-chan totes texted each other like all the time. I mean, that's what couples do, ya know~?"
Naruto felt his face heating up at her claim - no doubt she'd heard the rumors going on around the campus. Yet, he didn't even bother denying it, his attention on something else Hana'd said before. "The basketball court? Huh, that's weird. Well, guess I'll be going that way too. Catch ya later Hana!"
"H-Hey, wait a minute, now-!"
But he was gone before Hana could even finish what she intended to say. She stared at the last spot he'd been standing around and folded her arms over her chest, pouting. 'Mou~ Miku and Mako get to hang out with their boyfriends and I'm all alone by myself. It's not fair!', her evident jealousy was quickly replaced by one of her carefree smiles and she giggled to herself. 'Welp, it can't be helped then. I'll have to find me a nice stud to keep me company~'
Despite having ran through the school at a considerable speed, Naruto wasn't even winded as he finally made it to the training grounds. Said area was in a complete different location than the trackfield, and comprised a few football pitches, one basketball and two tennis courts, which spoke volumes of how massive the campus really was.
The whole place was practically deserted as everyone else was inside having lunch, save for one blonde-haired girl who was currently in the process of bouncing a basket ball against the ground and subsequently attempting to throw it at the hoop way above her. Naruto did nothing but watch for a little while as Miku Okazaki kept trying and trying to put the ball through the basket, yet failed spectacularly each time.
He stood there for a minute before deciding to make his presence known. "Yo, Miku-chan! Planning to get into sports?", he said casually from afar, his lips spreading into his famous grin as he waited for Miku to realize he was there.
Which she did almost a heartbeat later.
"Naruki! There you are!"
Dropping the ball on the floor, Miku ran up to him and pulled him into a quick hug the moment she was within arms-reach, one he was eager to return. Then, she pulled back, and her initial happiness at seeing him abruptly turned into an afflictionate look.
"Oh Naruki, I'm so happy you're here~ I have a problem", she told Naruto seriously, making him worry. "It's really serious!"
"Wait, what?", the blond gasped. "What's wrong?"
Before he could even see it coming, Miku unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it open, giving Naruto a good view of both her huge breats, covered only by a black lace bra, and her belly. She then took advantage of the fact he'd yet to realize what was going on, grabbed his right hand and placed it on her flat stomach.
"Look, look! D'ya feel them? My fat rolls?", she desperately asked, tears gathering round the corner of her green orbs as she stared at Naruto, who was only now coming out of his daze and literally processing everything that was transpiring right before his eyes. "Be honest, don't lie to me Naruki. I'll never forgive ya if you do!"
Suprisingly enough, his only reaction was to look strangely calm as he merely gazed at her belly for a couple of long seconds, seemingly unfazed even with Miku standing before him the way she was. He then raised his eyes so that he could look back at her and said, "what are you talking about Miku-chan? There're no fat rolls here", as if to prove his point, he used his hand to gently rub her belly. "See? It's flat."
"B-But Mako-chan and Hana-chan said I was totes getting chubby!", she retorted, remaining unconvinced by his affirmation. "They're like my best pals! They wouldn't lie to me for no reason!"
She didn't doubt Naruto would never say anything to hurt her feelings, but she felt a little unsure of herself at the moment, especially at seeing him so relaxed. Inwardly, she'd been half-expecting him to freak out and get as red as a tomato at her boldness, but there he was, smiling calmly at her like she wasn't flashing a ton of skin his way. What if he was starting not to like her anymore?
Naruto's smile turned into a serious look at the last bit. He could see this was important to her, so he decided to be as honest as possible. "I know that, but I don't feel like you're gaining weight", he said sincerely, pulling his hand away from her belly. "Besides, even if you were, I think you'd still look great anyway."
Her heart skipped a beat at the words that had just been uttered by the very same guy she'd fallen in love with, her cheeks growing impossibly red as she suddenly started feeling abashed before him. Naruto claimed he didn't have any experience when dealing with girls, but he surely knew what to say and do to make her fall for him all over and over again.
And it was with that train of thought that all Miku could do was to shyly ask, "...you're not just saying that, are ya?"
"Nuh-uh, I mean it", Naruto didn't hesitate, not even for a second, as the answer was pretty clear to him. But it was right afterwards, that he seemed unable to keep himself together anymore and stopped ignoring something he'd been trying to overlook all this time. He glanced to the side, a slight blush creeping up to his cheeks. "Now, uhm, could you... Ya know, cover up? I-I don't want anyone else seeing you like that..."
Miku was momentarily taken aback at what she heard, but soon a wide smirk was drawn on her glossy lips. 'So Naruki was just pretending to be relaxed the whole time. He's just so cute~', she had to stop herself from jumping him and instead folded her arms under her breasts to make them look bigger. "Ho~? And why is that?", she asked slyly, taking a step closer to Naruto. "Is it something that'd make Naruto-kun jealous? Hmm?"
The blond grew uncomfortable due to the sudden proximity of the blonde beauty and her... assets, and his mind started flooding with dangerous images that he tried hard not to focus on. That soon proved to be an extremely difficult task with Miku standing so close to him and staring at him in a knowing manner. She knew the effect she was having on him, of course she did. She'd proven time and time again she could read him like an open book, so it was no use hiding it from her.
"...M-Maybe a little bit", Naruto mumbled embarrassedly, refusing to meet her eyes or to elaborate any further.
Meanwhile, Miku was practically beaming at his reaction, and though all she did on the outside was to giggle, inwardly she was jumping for joy. "Hehehe, well, all ya had to do was ask~", the tanned gal buttoned her shirt once again, straightened it up, and nodded her head in a pleased manner after checking sure everything was back to its supposed state. "There. All done~", watching as Naruto let out a sigh of relief, Miku seized the opportunity to reach for his hand, intertwining their fingers. "Ah~ much better!"
After having been treated to the sight of Miku in her bra, feeling her hand on his had the sole and momentary effect of making his heart skip a beat, but he quickly relaxed. Holding hands was something he truly enjoyed doing with her, and it was somewhat soothing for some reason. "Hah...", he nodded his head, unsure of what else to add.
"So, wanna go get some lunch before our break's over?", Miku offered, smiling sweetly at him. "It's been like aaages since we saw each other. Maybe you can tell me all about your classes with Fujirawa-chan!"
Naruto smiled humorously. "It's only been a day, Miku-chan."
"Mou~ But a day is still a day", she pouted childishly and tugged on his hand to get him closer to her so that they could walk side by side. "D'ya know how much I've missed ya since then?"
The Uzumaki felt a vertigo in his stomach as they started making their way back inside, away from the sun and the heat. He was sure his cheeks were set ablaze, but he was feeling too happy to care. "M-Me too, Miku-chan."
"Really? Prove it then", as they walked into the empty hallway leading towards the main building, Miku pulled them both to a stop and, without turning his way or releasing his hand, placed a finger on her left cheek, the one facing Naruto. "If ya really missed me, show me. Right here."
"Ehh!? A-Are you for real, Miku-chan?", the blond asked, mustering a nervous smile in hopes of the blonde gal just messing around with him.
He soon realized she was serious, very much so, and they would not be getting anywhere unless he either gave her a... kiss on the cheek, or refused to do so and decided to risk upsetting Miku.
"I am. Unless you were just pretending to feel that way..."
Naruto gulped sonorously and looked around, fearful of anyone that could be around to see them. After checking the perimeter, he turned back to an awaiting Miku and steeled himself before finally leaning in and pressing his lips against her tanned skin. He did so in a very careful and chaste manner, pulling back almost a second later, but it still felt pretty good.
Though his pulse had increased tenfold after doing what he'd just done, he was left feeling giddy as Miku turned to him with a brilliant look on her face. "Hehe~, so you really missed me lots!", she giggled, tiptoeing to reach his cheek and kiss him in the same way he'd done before, an act that had him blushing up a storm. "Ya know, that was totes the first time a guy kissed me on the cheek."
Naruto was actually shocked at the revelation. "Hah? Really?", he asked in an incredulous manner, having difficulty to believe her. "What about your previous boyfriend?"
"My boyfriend?", Miku blinked innocently, tilting her head to the side. "Hmm, never had one", she shrugged. "You see, most guys they are just after my good looks. They don't really care about me. Well, you do, and that's what matters to me."
The Uzumaki inclined his head in agreement, ignoring the last bit as he pondered over what he'd just learned about Miku. All that time, he'd actually thought she had already experienced things like holding hands, kissing and all the other things that couples did - especially considering she wasn't a shy, reserved girl. Miku was a gal, and gyarus were usually more open to romantic stuff than most girls round their age.
Still, hearing her say all those things made him incredibly happy. The fact he was enjoying a priviledge no other boy had filled him with an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction and relief at the same time.
At that point, the idea of another guy taking his place was just unnaceptable to him.
~ To be continued... ~
*Japanese tea.
We're slowly but surely getting closer to summer holidays and to seeing what we want to see. I have some things in mind for Naruto and Miku, especially for the romantic portion of this story. One thing is for sure: it won't be much longer before they act upon their feelings.
If everything goes according to plan, next chapter we'll be covering the cooking's club trip to the farm, otherwise I'll dedicate the entirety of chapter 8 to describing said events. It'll depend on whether I decide to include some more moments between Naruto and Koharu or not.
Just for reference, the prank Naruto pulled on Yuuta Amano (Makoto's boyfriend) is briefly mentioned in chapter 4, when Naruto is paired together with Makoto by Yabe.
Also, I'm sure you've all noticed that I'm planning to have Koharu become interested in our blond troublemaker. Again, I don't intend this to become a harem story, so all I can promise to all Koharu enjoyers out there will be some scenes including her.
Anyhow, that's all from me, everyone. As always, stay safe! じゃね！