Chapter Four
"I don't know, I feel kinda bad. True he did break one hell of a movie, but I think you were too rough with him," Naruto murmured, glancing back as groaning sounds escaped to the outside.
Chie huffed, slamming the door to the classroom shut, ignoring the whimpers. "You're too nice, Naruto! And trust me, it's for his own good!"
She took out her dvd case and hugged it closely in her arms. "Sshhh. Nobody can hurt you now, my beloved. Everything's gonna be alright."
Chie suddenly felt the world go round, her nose getting a bit runny as tears pricked at her eyes.
"It's alright." Naruto lent Chie a supporting tap on the shoulder. "The disk may be damaged, but the memories that accompanied us when we first watched it will always be there."
"Oh, Naruto!"
"Chie!"
The two hugged it out while breaking out in tears.
Yukiko's lips twitched at the sight. Already amazed by how close Chie and Naruto were despite just meeting each other for the first time today.
"Although, Yukiko kind of surprised me," Naruto said once he separated from Chie. He glanced back at the surprised girl. "I didn't expect her to stand on the side and watch her classmate be beaten up."
Yukiko's jaw proceeded to drop. "W-What? Stand aside and watch…"
Chie placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "Now that you mention it, Naruto. I too am surprised that Yukiko didn't mention anything. If she had only spoken up earlier I would have let Yosuke go. Sigh."
"H-Huh?" Yukiko sputtered out. "Excuse me, but I-I was trying to…"
Naruto gave a dramatic shout, "Oh how cruel of you, Yukiko!" he looked to the side as if seeing something in the distance. "You are like a rose, but have thorns of sharpness on you!"
He proceeded to cry out, "Poor Yosuke! He transferred here from the city and stayed here for six months. Six months! But I guess that wasn't enough time to warm the everlasting frost of Amagi Yukiko!"
"True. True," Chie bobbed her head like a chicken. Her face slightly frowning. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm always protecting Yukiko when she's so frightening by herself. Poor Yosuke. He didn't deserve any of this."
She looked at Yukiko as if it was the first time meeting her.
Yukiko was stunned.
"Tch." Naruto peeked at Yukiko with disappointment in his eyes, "It's always the quiet ones. I should have known better than to trust you, Yukiko. Especially after all this time we've been friends together. I thought I knew ya, but I guess I was wrong…"
Both Chie and Naruto sported 'hurt/pain' expressions.
Yukiko on the side couldn't believe what was happening. She pointed a shaking finger in the two's direction. "I'm the scary one? Is it my fault that Yosuke-san is like that? I…"
She then stomped her foot on the ground. "I have been saying how wrong you two were and now you're blaming me? And Naruto-san, we… we have only just met today!"
Looking off at the fuming Yukiko, Chie and Naruto shrugged with one eye closed and their tongues sticking out.
Naruto cutely tapped the side of his head, "Shucks. Guess I was wrong, oh well."
Yukiko only looked at Naruto before reaching a hand out.
Naruto yelped as Yukiko pinched his ear. He stepped back with a tearful face, "What was that for, dattebayo?"
Yukiko merely rolled her eyes before walking forward with Chie following her like a puppy. "It's because you were being mean to me, Naruto-san. I hope you realize where you were wrong in your actions."
"B-But…" Naruto jogged to join up with them, "But Chie also did it? Why you only pinch me?!"
"I get the pass because I'm her best friend!" Chie put on a confident look. "You, an outsider, can never understand the bond she and I have. One that transcends reality, one that transcends space, one that…!"
"I'm not helping you with today's homework, Chie." Yukiko huffed, not forgetting about Chie joining hands with the transfer student to bully her.
Hearing this, Chie leaped and wrapped her arms around Yukiko's waist. "You d-don't really mean that right? Right, Yukiko?! You said you will help me. A-And you promised! Besides, how was I supposed to know we would get homework on the first day of this semester!"
Chie panicked, without Yukiko's knowledge, the tomboy knew that she would have a difficult time answering the questions.
And even if she did attempt to answer the questions then she knew she would spend a long time on it. Precious time for watching television or reading comics would go to waste by just doing the homework.
Chie sniffled, "Yukiko…"
Naruto snorted. "Good luck on today's homework, Chie."
He walked past her with the smuggest of tones, "Cause you're gonna need it."
Yukiko simply untied Chie's arms around her waist before walking.
Chie was stunned. "W-Wait up!"
As the group went outside, the friendly atmosphere that they had returned.
"So, we were just wondering," Chie chimed in eagerly, "what kind of stuff are you into? Any hobbies or interests?"
"Me? Well I guess I kind of liked reading, cooking, and I guess training too," Naruto answered with a genuine smile.
Chie's eyes lit up at the mention of training. "Training like martial arts? No way! I'm totally into martial arts too! Do you practice a specific style? What's your favorite stance?"
Yukiko, ever the diplomat, nodded encouragingly. "And reading! That's wonderful. What kind of books do you enjoy?"
Naruto was feeling a bit happy. Maybe it was the earnestness in Yukiko's voice or the genuine look of eagerness on Chie's face that made the room feel positive.
"Yeah," Naruto replied with some thought, "I've trained, but not in martial arts. For me it's just kind of like street fighting ya know? Throwing left and right hooks with a few kicks here and there. And as for books, I like adventure stories, especially ones about heroes and legends, oh, and I'm also interested in fantasy like how the knight braved the dungeon to save the princess who was held captive at the top of the castle..."
As Naruto rambled on, he gave a small blush, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry, too much?"
"No no. Keep going," a warm smile spreading across Yukiko's face. "I didn't expect you to be a fantasy type lover. That seems interesting."
Chie listened intently with eagerness as well. After all, besides Yosuke-eh scratch that thought, sometimes he makes eyes at Yukiko as well. Anyway, this was one of the rare moments a guy could actually talk about stuff and not ogle at Yukiko as if she was a piece of juicy tender meat waiting to be picked up.
Also, the fact that Naruto wasn't flirting with Yukiko added brownie points in Chie's book.
Yukiko then tilted her head, humming as her eyes were soon attracted to the marks on Naruto's face. They looked exactly like whisker marks like those seen on the many wandering cats on the street.
She had an urge to just pet them, but then again. Invading someone's personal space would be considered rude.
"Um, Naruto?"
"Hm. What's up?"
"I was meaning to ask, but what are those mar-"
Yukiko was soon interrupted when a voice intruded on the group's conversation.
"Y-You're Yuki, right?" from behind the gates at the entrance of the school an odd boy appeared in front of the group. He was wearing a school uniform from another school in the district.
He had short hair and eyes that made Yukiko a bit uncomfortable.
Naruto and Chie stopped as well.
Chie was frowning.
"Yuki? If you mean Yukiko then yes. I am Yukiko," the friendly tone that Yukiko used for Chie and Naruto became hesitant and unsure when talking to the boy. "Is there anything you need from me?" Yukiko looked up only to divert her eyes to the side.
Inside she was feeling extremely uncomfortable.
It felt like the other was stripping her down with his gaze.
Her body squirmed, a frown etched on her lips.
The boy didn't answer her at first as he laid his eyes on Yukiko. His droopy eyes scanned Yukiko's body from top to bottom.
His breathing turned slow and heavy.
Chie looked on with disgust.
Naruto furrowed his eyebrows, but kept quiet in the end. He did consider stepping up if anything went wrong.
Creepy guy with a creepy vibe.
Definitely bringing a chill on Naruto's back for that reason.
After what seemed like forever, the strange student spoke up. "Y-You want to go hang out somewhere?"
"What?" Yukiko blinked at such a request. "Wh-Who are you?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow when he saw two students watching from the side.
Perhaps hearing the question, the two students crept a bit closer, close to the point their whispers could be heard.
"What's up with him? I don't recognize that uniform. What school is he from?" one of the onlooking students said.
The Spectacled student also looked on with interest. "Never mind that, he's going for Yukiko-san? The Yukiko-san! Man, you'd think he'd at least wait until she's alone to make his move…"
His companion smiled as if enjoying the sudden form of entertainment, "I bet you a can of TaP he gets knocked out."
"No bet. Haven't you heard how difficult the Amagi Challenge is? There were many challengers, but none of them succeeded. You'd think Yukiko-san would just agree instead of standing there all mysterious like, showing off what she gots and stuff."
Chie's knuckles turned white, her chest heaved up and down.
Naruto's finger twitched.
Seeing that he had an audience looking at him, the strange boy puffed his chest up with confidence. "S-So. Are you coming or not?"
"I'm," Yukiko turned her head, her hands pressing against each other, "I'm not going."
"What?" the boy shrunk back. Not expecting to be rejected, "What did you say?!"
At the sudden volume, Yukiko flinched.
Her face looked wrong as she bit her lips. "I-I said… I'm not going."
At this answer, the boy gained a weird light in his eye as he stepped up. "Why?!"
"B-Because I…" Yukiko trailed off, her frame shaking slightly.
Chie was gritting her teeth.
Boys. Not all of them, but many of them are the same!
But before Chie could step forward to defend Yukiko, Naruto was the first to make that move.
"She said she wasn't going." Naruto's voice was calm but firm as he stood protectively in front of Yukiko, his presence a shield against the strange student's simmering anger.
"Naruto-san." Yukiko softly whispered.
Chie quietly stood next to Yukiko, a stern look on her face.
Being rejected in plain view in front of everyone had the strange student's face contorted with frustration, his eyebrows knitting together in disbelief. "What's it to you, h-huh?" he snapped, his tone laced with a mix of irritation and wounded pride. "Mind your own business!"
Naruto didn't flinch, meeting the boy's glare with unwavering resolve. "She said..."
He stepped until the two were face to face.
Looking at the student badge on the uniform, the name read as 'Kubo Mitsuo.'
Naruto spoke up again, "She said no," he repeated evenly, his eyes locked on the other boy's. "That should be enough, Mitsuo."
The boy named Mitsuo, clenched his jaw, his fists balling at his sides. "She's just playing hard to get," he retorted, his voice tinged with bitterness. "She knows she wants to go out with me!"
At this, Yukiko flinched, her discomfort evident in the slight tremor of her hands as she clutched her arm. Chie moved closer, her expression a mix of concern and readiness to intervene if things escalated further.
"No means no, Mitsuo," Naruto stated firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Respect her decision, dattebayo."
The tension crackled between them, the air thick with unspoken challenge. Mitsuo glared daggers at this, this, this pretty boy with his wounded pride and the unexpected defiance in Naruto's stance.
Naruto didn't move, but his standing caused Mitsuo's confidence to waver.
Before the situation could escalate further, Chie stepped forward, her voice calm but commanding. "Let it go, whatever your name is. She's not interested."
She lifted a fist up, "Don't blame me if you get a black eye for staring at Yukiko for too long."
Looking at both the pretty boy and the famous Yuki-protector, Mitsuo sputtered out a response, shooting one last venomous look at Naruto before finally turning away, muttering under his breath as he stalked off.
Naruto exhaled slowly, the adrenaline of the confrontation dissipating as he turned to Yukiko, offering her a reassuring smile.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly, concern etched in his eyes.
Yukiko nodded, her relief palpable as she glanced gratefully at Naruto. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I appreciate you for stepping in. As well as you too, Chie."
Naruto shrugged nonchalantly, a modest smile playing on his lips. "No problem. Just don't let it bother you again. If any of them bother you, just ignore them or…"
"Or…?" Yukiko asked.
Naruto gave a confident smirk, raising an arm as he flexed. "Send them my way and I'll send them packing!"
Chie nodded in agreement, her gaze flickering between Naruto and Yukiko with a mix of admiration and gratitude. "He's right," she chimed in. "You don't have to put up with that."
Chie made a kung fu stance, "Don't worry, Yukiko! I'll protect you!"
"Chie... Naruto..." Yukiko smiled.
Her gaze was soon attracted to their onlookers, and a frown appeared again.
Naruto and Chie turned.
"... The hell are you looking at?" muttered Naruto.
"Yeah!" Chie screamed, "Get lost!"
The two students, who were enjoying the show, jumped and ran away under the fierce eyes of Uzumaki and Satonaka.
Yukiko giggled.
She hugged Chie's arm on the right.
Looking to her left, she shyly hugged Naruto's arm.
The two looked at her in surprise.
"Come on." Yukiko's eyes were once again shining. "Let's get a move on already."
Seeing her friend act more cheerful made Chie grin, "Yes, sir!"
Naruto saluted with his free hand, "What the side commander said, sir!"
"Yeah, what he- wait a minute. Why am I the side commander?"
"Duh, because I'm the main vice commander. I one-up you in every way."
"No, you don't!"
"Yes, I do!"
Chie huffed, she leaned on Yukiko's body complaining. "Yukiko~ Can you believe this guy?"
"Ah. Just ignore her, Yukiko, guess Chie can't handle the responsibility and coolness of a true vice commander." Naruto whistled while Chie waved a fist in his direction.
Yukiko snorted.
The trio began to talk once again as they ventured down the road.
"Ah. I see." Chie said, getting the whole picture. "So you came here because of your mom's job. Haha, I thought it was way more serious, like I thought you fought your classmates over a dispute or something way worse."
She hummed in thought, "I know there's not much to show here, but that's what makes it nice. Besides, there is nothing much we can show to people from outside. Though, there is something from Mt. Yasogami… I think our dyed clothes or pottery or something is kind of famous."
"Is that so?" Naruto's eyes were glued to a butterfly flying past them.
"Yup." but then something clicked inside her head, "Oh wait, and there's the Amagi Inn!"
Chie grabbed a surprised Yukiko who squeaked. "Yukiko's family runs it. It's the pride of Inaba!"
"Huh?" Yukiko smiled, "It's just an old inn."
"Look at how modest Yukiko is!" Chie cooed, "But seriously. The Amagi Inn has even popped up in a variety of magazines as a hidden treasure! It's a great inn and has been going for generations. And Yukiko here is going to take over someday."
Yukiko gave a wry smile.
Naruto gawked, "Wait that means..." he leaned forward in a secretive way much to Chie's and Yukiko's curiosity. "You're... filthy rich right? I don't want to be one of those guys, but ya wanna hook a poor guy like me up? I won't ask for much, just 7,966,350 yen."
Yukiko and Chie jolted back in shock.
"Huh?! 7,966,350 yen! You might as well go rob a bank while you're at it!" Chie shouted.
Yukiko watched as Naruto pulled out a cute wallet in the shape of a frog, and Naruto opened it with tears.
Yukiko and Chie peered in only to see a single napkin and spider cobwebs on the side.
They sweatdropped.
"I'mma broke boy!" He proceeds to lift an empty hand to the girls.
"Thank you for your patronage. Would you like to donate? I take both cash or credit."
A simple question deserves the simplest of answers.
Chie responded to that with a simple karate chop to his head.
"Eh, it was worth a try." Naruto put back his wallet.
"Besides you being broke…"
"Hey!"
"... so, tell me. You think Yukiko's cute. Huh?" Chie smirked.
"Chie?" Yukiko questioned before she found herself staring into Naruto's eyes.
She averted her gaze with a blush.
"Meh," Naruto shrugged, "I guess she is, but..." he smirked in what he thought was a handsome pose.
"Not as cute as me, though."
Suddenly, a familiar orange cat was passing by and paused while looking in Naruto's direction.
The cat looked at Naruto, made a puking sound before walking away while wagging its tail.
The area fell silent.
As Chie and Yukiko laughed, Naruto dropped his head.
A dark cloud could visually be seen hanging above him.
"I'm starting to hate cats," muttered Naruto.
Staring at the two girls who were laughing their asses off made Naruto scowl, "Yeah yeah. Laugh it up."
They proceeded to laugh even louder.
It was only after everyone got their bearings, that they continued forward.
Arriving at the intersection, the group noticed a large crowd gathered on the side of one of the houses.
"What's that?" Chie asked.
"Don't know, but let's check it out." Surprisingly, it was Yukiko who said the sentence.
As the trio drew closer to the crowd, they listened in on a conversation two housewives were discussing.
"So that high schooler left school early, and as she came down this street…"
"Wow. Who could imagine something like THAT hanging from an antenna."
"I wanted to see it too."
"Uh, no you don't. Anyway, you just got here too late… The police and fire department took it down just a moment ago."
"Well," a shudder could be seen on her shoulders, "I think it's terrifying. I can't believe a dead body showed up around here…"
Naruto, Chie, and Yukiko widened their eyes in shock.
"D-Did she just say what I think she said?" Naruto looked over at Chie and Yukiko.
"Y-Yeah." Chie nodded just as shocked as Naruto, "A dead body?!"
"What could have happened?" Yukiko muttered.
"Hey, Naruto, what are you doing here?"
The group turned to see a middle-aged man approaching them.
"Old Man, Uncle, Pops!" Naruto said in the fastest of manners.
Dojima groaned, massaging his temple. "Answer the question?"
"School just ended. We were the last ones to leave school because some pervert wanted to aim a date for my friend. Chie, Yukiko, this old man-"
"I'm not old. The wrinkles… are just from stress from working…"
"-is my uncle, Dojima Ryotaro." Naruto smiled.
Dojima nodded over to the two girls who smiled back.
Though, Chie's was much more confident than Yukiko's own.
"The school gave out an announcement to us, saying something about an accident inside the school district. They said not to disturb the police, but with them talking about it and the sirens being too noisy to ignore I can guess what happened." Naruto gestured to the crowd, where several Yasogami High School students could be seen.
"Tch." Dojima clicked his tongue, "That damn principal. We told him not to let them through here…"
"You guys want to know something even cooler?" Turning to Chie and Yukiko, Naruto pulled Dojima into a side-hug.
Dojima scowling lightly.
"He's a detective! Not only that but he's also housing the best person he could ever have in his life!" Naruto said proudly.
Dojima smiled, "Well, Nanako is-"
"Huh?" Naruto turned to Dojima in confusion, "I was talking about me. You're my guardian, right? Hahaha!" he slapped Dojima on the back.
Dojima's face twitched.
Seeing the girls look at him with a sense of pity made Dojima feel a bit embarrassed.
He bowed to the girls, "Please get along with him."
The girls bowed back.
"Don't worry, Mr. Dojima! We'll watch him for you!" Chie said.
"I-I'll make sure he won't get into trouble, Dojima-san." Yukiko promised.
Dojima nodded with a smile.
"Huh?! I don't need anyone to look after me!" Naruto defended.
All three of them ignored his outburst.
"Anyway. You three be careful on your way and head straight home. After what happened here, I'm sure many other parents would be concerned about the safety of their children," Dojima sternly said.
"W-What about Nanako-chan? Should I pick her up now?" Naruto asked with concern.
"Oh, no. She should already be back home, usually a few of her friends like to come over and drop her off, so she should be fine." Dojima said.
He looked at Naruto with appreciation, thanking him for his concern.
"I… can't!"
The group jumped at the sudden shout.
A person in a suit ran past the group before leaning over a pair of bushes.
"Ngh….Uuuuurrrrrghhh!" the person proceeded to vomit this morning's breakfast.
"Adachi!" Dojima barked out. His eyes irritated at the sight, "How long are you going to act like a rookie? You want to be sent back to the central office?!"
"I'm sorry..." the person named Adachi stood up with shaky legs, "It's just… a dead body! My stomach can't handle seeing such a sight. I… I feel weak all over."
Dojima bit back whatever he was going to say.
"Just, go wash your face. We're gonna go around and gather information!" Dojima sent a knowing look to Naruto.
"I'll go back home. Besides, I have to make sure Nanako is safe." Naruto promised with a serious look in his eyes.
Dojima nodded before leaving to patrol the surroundings and gather clues on what might have happened.
"Was this what that announcement was about…?" Chie murmured.
For Yukiko, there was another bit of information crossing her mind, going back to the conversation the housewives had earlier. "What do they mean… it was hanging from the antenna…?"
Naruto solemnly stared upwards.
Chie and Yukiko followed his gaze to the television antenna pole that overlooked the area.
A chill crawled up their spines.
"H-Hey, Yukiko? Why don't we go to Junes some other time?" Chie asked. Her face turned a bit pale.
"Good idea…" Yukiko nodded, also looking a bit paler than usual.
"I, uh, got to head over to the house to watch my cousin, so… er, yeah." Naruto scratched the back of his head.
Chie clapped her hands, bobbing her head. "Alright then, then let's call it a day."
"Welp," Naruto saluted before running away like Sonic, the hedgehog. "See you guys tomorrow!"
Looking at the dust trail, Chie and Yukiko were baffled.
He ran so fast…
The two friends looked at each other.
"N-No shame in holding hands, right?" Chie nervously said.
"Y-Yeah. There's n-nothing wrong with that." Yukiko said.
The two held hands as they quickly walked away from the supposed crime scene.
Arriving home, Naruto opened the door with his keys. "I'm home!" He entered the house, taking off his shoes by the entrance.
"Welcome home!" Nanako said over in the living room.
Hearing her voice, the tense shoulders lowered. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."
Dropping his umbrella to the side, the first thing he did was greet his cute little cousin with a smile.
He then roughly rubbed her head, messing up her hair.
"H-Hey!" Nanako complained, looking at him with pursed lips.
"Just making sure you're safe." Naruto sat down next to Nanako as she watched television. "I just met your old man on the way home."
"You did," Nanako perked up, "is he coming home now?"
Naruto winced a bit, "Uh. Actually for today he might be a little late coming home."
Seeing Nanako's face turning sad, Naruto waved his hands in front of her face. "H-Hey, don't worry! You're not alone, you got your cool and hip cousin, Naruto, to keep you company!"
"T-That..." Nanako sweatdropped, "I don't think that makes things feel better."
This time, it was Naruto's turn for his eyes to look sad.
"B-But!" Nanako waved her hands in front of Naruto's face in panic. "I enjoy h-having you beside me!"
Depressed, Naruto spat on the side. "You say that, but I bet y-you don't even mean it."
"U-Uh." Nanako helplessly patted Naruto's hair, "Let's just watch cartoons. Okay? Cartoons will always make you happy."
"I guess..." Naruto pouted.
And somehow, it was the child who comforted the teenager that day.
After watching a few cartoon shows with Nanako, Naruto asked if she could put it on the news.
Just as he expected, the news was already talking about today's incident.
"Our top story this evening concerns a bizarre case in a quiet suburb." the Announcer showed a picture of the long river that Nanako and Naruto passed this morning. "Around noon today, a woman was found dead near the Samegawa River in Inaba."
The channel then showed the School Zone on the tv.
Naruto frowned.
The Announcer pulled up a picture of a short-haired woman smiling in her profile. "The deceased has been identified as Ms. Mayumi Yamano, a 27-year-old announcer at the local television station. The initial results of the Inaba Police Department's investigation have revealed…"
"Ah!" Nanako cried out, sitting up. "The Inaba Police Department! That's where dad works!"
But then she suddenly quieted down.
"It'll be all right." Naruto smiled. "Groovy Uzumaki will keep you company for just 100 yen a minute."
Nanako jolted back in shock.
"That's expensive! And… Nevermind, I know. That's his job, so this stuff happens a lot."
"... the body was found hanging from a large television antenna atop a local resident's roof. I have just gotten word that the authorities are uncertain as to why the body was in such a state. With the cause of death also uncertain, police continue to investigate whether the death is an accident or a homicide."
This time, a picture showed up, but it was too foggy to see what was being viewed.
"A thick fog common to the area has slowed down their progress, and plans to fully canvass the area are delayed until tomorrow."
Naruto tilted his head back in thought. "The local TV station's announcer was suddenly found dead near the Yasogami High School campus… Why did it have to happen when I just got here? But, then again… anywhere is a better place than his. Even if that place so happens to be a crime scene."
Nanako was a bit spooked. "They found her on the roof? That's scary…"
"Yeah, it is scary." Naruto agreed before taking out his microphone to at least try to lighten up the mood in the household. "But not as scary as my rapping skills! Hold on, lemme just get on it quic-"
"Oh, look!" Nanako panicked, clicking the remote, just in time as her favorite commercial came on. She pointed to the tv, at the same time lowering Naruto's microphone down. "Look, Naruto, it's Junes!"
"At Junes, every day is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products!"
Ending the commercial was a little song. "Every day's great at your Junes~!"
Nanako sat up straight, her twin tails bobbing. She waved her finger back and forth, as she sang.
"Every day's great at your Junes~!"
"Is this thing on…"
"Ah!" Nanako shouted, turning to Naruto. "I was distracted!"
But unfortunately for her, it was too late to stop him.
Nanako could only helplessly watch in 'amazement' as Naruto started rapping.
"Every day's great at your Junes~ The wind be blowing. The moon is soaring. Joyous moments it's true. Discounts discounting out of the blue~!"
Nanako just stared with a blank look on her face, unable to withstand the awesomeness in Naruto's voice.
"... from starry nights to late night's grace. Memories created, time cannot be erase-ed. Well, all I gotta say is that 'Every day's great at your Junes~'!"
Ending it at a note, Naruto smirked. He brought the microphone to his mouth, "And Mic drop." he coolly placed the microphone in front of it before dropping it. As the microphone hit the ground, he made an exploding motion with his hand, "And boooom~!"
Naruto looked arrogant.
Nanako looked torn between laughing and crying.
"What the hell did I just walk into?" a voice sounded out.
Naruto and Nanako jumped.
Turning around, Nanako was surprised before smiling happily. "You're back!"
She ran up and hugged her father's legs.
Meanwhile, Naruto awkwardly looked at Dojima.
Dojima was looking at him in return.
His lips curving up, "W-Why the hell were you torturing my poor daughter like that?"
"Huh? What did you say?!" Naruto sneered at Dojima. He tapped his chest with pride, "That ain't torture. That was art! And for your opinion~ She likes it very much~ Am I right, Nanako!"
"Oh, Daddy! It was horrible!" Nanako cried out, her grip tightening around his legs. "H-He was singing and then fire!"
"See!" Naruto's smile grew, "She agreed that my rapping skills were fire!"
Nanako groaned loudly into her father's pants.
Dojima laughed.
A big smile on his face.
Naruto pouted. "So they let you off early?"
"Yeah. It's because of the fog. I turned in my report to the office before they allowed me to go home." Dojima said as he sat down on the couch.
Nanako took her father's coat to put away.
Dojima gave her a tired smile.
"Alright! Since everyone is here, why don't I make dinner?" Naruto offered up with his signature grin.
Remembering the taste of the food that Naruto cooked last night, both father and daughter were happy.
"Well." Dojima wasn't going to deny the offer. "If you're offering…"
"One super delicious dinner meal coming right up." Naruto walked into the kitchen to put on an apron.
"Hey, Nanako! Want to help me cook?"
"Oh, alright!" Nanako stood up. She frowned when her father was about to get up.
"Here. Let me hel-"
"Nonono." Nanako angrily pouted, pushing her father back down.
She placed her hands on her hips and gave him a stern attitude. "You came back from work and you're tired. Rest while Naruto and I cook."
Dojima's eyes softened.
"Yeah. What she says!" Naruto came back with a tiny apron.
Nanako wore it with pride.
"So just relax and let us take care of everything!" Dojima looked at Nanako and Naruto who were standing side by side against him.
His smile widened, "Sure thing, boss."
Naruto nodded before writing down something on a piece of paper.
Giving the slip to Nanako, Naruto winked.
"Um," Nanako looked down. Rereading it twice to make sure she got the information correct.
She looked at her curious dad. "For a lovely class dinner from Nana's and Naru's, your total will be… 315,690 yen. Please."
Dojima jolted back in shock.
Outrageous!
At the end of the day, everyone had a good laugh as they ate dinner together.