1 week later...
Naruto flopped onto his bed, his legs dangling off the edge as he scrolled through his phone. The glow from the screen illuminated his tired face, and his lips twisted into a grimace as a notification popped up—a reminder to pay the hefty fine from his recent court case. He groaned, running a hand through his short blond hair.
The past week had been a whirlwind of chaos. His dramatic, heart-pounding dash across the city to confess his feelings to Hinata had left more than a trail of emotional devastation. It had left a literal trail of destruction—damaged cars, shattered streetlights, and a hole in his wallet that would take months to recover from. But the real kicker? The court case.
Naruto threw his phone onto the mattress and sighed. His mind replayed the absurdity of it all, the courtroom scene unfolding like some twisted comedy.
•••
"Mr. Uzumaki," Judge Nakamura's stern voice echoed through the courtroom, silencing the murmurs of the audience. She adjusted her glasses, her expression grim. "You stand accused of three hit-and-runs, exceeding speed limits on four separate roads, and causing significant damage to state property. How do you plead?"
Naruto sat at the defendant's table, his shoulders slumped. "Uh…" He glanced sideways at his lawyer, Itachi Uchiha, who looked as composed as ever, flipping through a thick stack of papers.
"Don't worry," Itachi murmured, his voice calm. "I've got this."
Naruto wasn't so sure.
Itachi rose smoothly to his feet, every movement deliberate, his suit immaculate. He turned to address the judge and jury, his voice steady and persuasive.
"Your honor," he began, his words measured, "my client is guilty—guilty of nothing more than following his heart."
The courtroom fell silent. The jury leaned in, intrigued.
Itachi cleared his throat, continuing, "Naruto Uzumaki was not driven by malice or disregard for the law. No. He was driven by the purest, most powerful force known to mankind—love."
A collective "aww" rippled through the jury, followed by a few dreamy sighs.
Naruto blinked in disbelief. "Wait… this might actually work."
Itachi continued, gesturing elegantly with one hand. "Mr. Uzumaki was in a race against time to confess his feelings to the young woman he loves. His heart overruled his mind. He was not thinking like a rational man—he was thinking like a man smitten."
Naruto stared at Itachi, mouthing the word, Smitten?
The opposing lawyer, a sharp-eyed woman named Sato, stood abruptly. "Objection, your honor! The defendant's actions endangered lives. Love is not a legal excuse for vehicular destruction."
Itachi didn't miss a beat. "But can we truly blame someone for being in love? The heart wants what it wants."
Naruto turned to him, whispering. "Smitten? What the hell does that even mean?"
Itachi ignored him, focusing on the jury. "My client pleads smitten."
The judge arched an eyebrow. "Mr. Uchiha, 'smitten' is a tricky legal defense to put forward. You'll need to prove that your client's actions were driven purely by emotion."
Sato, stood abruptly, a confident smirk on her lips. "Your honor, I intend to do just that—by proving the opposite. The prosecution calls Hinata Hyuuga to the stand."
Naruto's heart dropped to his stomach. "What the hell is she doing here?" he muttered under his breath.
Hinata entered the courtroom timidly, her hands clasped in front of her. Her cheeks turned pink when her eyes met Naruto's. "H-Hi, Naruto," she said softly, smiling.
"Please don't fuck this up. Please don't fuck this up..." Naruto prayed, sending her a silent plea with his eyes.
Sato wasted no time. "Miss Hyuuga, is it true that Mr. Uzumaki drove across the city to confess his love for you?"
Hinata nodded, her blush deepening as she clasped her hands together. "Yes!"
"And would you say he was in a… love-induced trance during this drive?" Sato's tone was sharp, her smirk widening.
Hinata tilted her head thoughtfully. "Oh no. Naruto is a wonderful driver. He wouldn't drive recklessly. It must be a misunderstanding."
Naruto's blood ran cold. "Oh, no. No, no, no."
Hinata beamed at the jury, oblivious to the damage she was doing. "He even made it across town and back in under an hour! Isn't he amazing?"
Naruto slumped forward, burying his face in his hands. "I'm cooked."
Itachi leaned in, his voice low. "We may need a miracle."
Naruto hissed back, "You're supposed to be the miracle, dammit!"
Meanwhile, Sato smirked triumphantly. "Thank you, Miss Hyuuga. No further questions."
As Hinata left the stand, she smiled sweetly at Naruto. "Good luck, Naruto!"
Naruto groaned.
He turned, whispering furiously to Itachi. "You got a Plan B, right? Tell me you got a Plan B."
Itachi thought for a moment, then nodded. "It's risky. And it'll cost you."
"I don't care! Do it."
Sato, her smirk triumphant, turned back to the judge. "Your honor, I believe we have all the evidence we need. The defendant was fully aware of his actions and acted with complete disregard for the law."
Itachi stood again, his movements slow and deliberate. He adjusted his tie, his dark eyes flashing with determination. "Your honor," he said smoothly, "I'd like to present additional evidence in my client's favor."
The judge looked intrigued. "And what evidence is that, Mr. Uchiha?"
Itachi turned slightly, his face tilted downward. Then, with practiced precision, he lifted his head, allowing the light to catch the sharp angles of his jaw. His dark eyes smoldered as his lips parted ever so slightly.
The courtroom gasped audibly. The jury, transfixed, sighed in unison. A single tear rolled down the judge's cheek.
"This," Itachi said simply, "is my evidence."
Judge Nakamura wiped her tear discreetly, nodding. "Compelling evidence indeed. I find the defendant… not guilty."
"What?!" Sato exploded, rising from her chair. "Your honor, he didn't even say anything! He just—" She gestured wildly at Itachi. "—posed!"
The judge raised a hand to silence her. "No man as beautiful as Itachi Uchiha would defend a criminal."
Even the banker who had been suing Naruto begrudgingly nodded. "She's got a point."
Sato sat back down, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
Naruto leaned over to Itachi, a grin stretching across his face. "You're unbelievable."
Itachi smirked, smoothing his tie. "You're welcome."
•••
The memory of the courtroom faded, and Naruto chuckled softly to himself. As ridiculous as it had been, it was still a win. But next time? He wasn't about to let Itachi's smoldering good looks be the only thing between him and jail time.
"No more cross-city chases," he muttered, staring at the ceiling. "Next time, she's coming to me."
Despite his complaints, a small smile crept onto his face. He had confessed his love, and she'd said yes. It had been worth it. Well… almost.
Naruto rolled onto his back, the worn springs of his mattress creaking under him as he lazily scrolled through his messages. A goofy grin spread across his face when he saw Hinata's latest text:
Bae : Made it to campus! It's beautiful here. Wish you were with me
Naruto sighed happily, quickly typing back: Not as beautiful as you. Miss you already, princess.
He hit send, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. Sure, he'd lost the tournament—badly—but he'd gained something even better. Hinata Hyuuga was his girlfriend now. And this time, it wasn't about her deep, borderline-bottomless pockets. He genuinely cared about her.
Well... mostly not about the money.
Naruto chuckled to himself, remembering how he used to roast Sasuke for turning into a love-struck puppy around Sakura. "Who's the idiot now?" he muttered under his breath.
"NARUTOOO!"
His mom's voice boomed from downstairs, shaking him out of his thoughts.
"LUNCH!" Kushina yelled again.
"Coming!" Naruto hollered back, rolling off the bed and trudging out of his room.
Their apartment looked... different now. Thanks to a surprising twist of fate—Ino sending him her cut of the prize money out of nowhere—they'd upgraded practically everything. New furniture, a stocked fridge, and even curtains that didn't look like they'd survived the Second World War.
Naruto plopped down at the table, where Kushina was already setting plates. She nudged a chair toward him with her foot, a skeptical look on her face. "You hear anything from your father?"
Naruto snorted, picking up his chopsticks. "You think Dad's coming back? He left after watching me crash out on live TV, remember? Said he needed 'a drink to clear his mind.' It's been a week, Mom."
Kushina frowned. "He'll be back, you know."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Sure. Any day now. And maybe pigs will sprout wings and start putting on air shows while they're at it."
Kushina swatted him on the head. "Be respectful, brat!"
He grinned through a mouthful of rice. "You're the one who called him a deadbeat last week!"
"That's my right as his wife," Kushina snapped, though her lips twitched upward. "Anyway, are there any new tournaments coming up? Maybe something less... reckless?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Wow, so now you're okay with me racing?"
Kushina huffed. "In my defense, I didn't know it could pay that much. What kind of idiot quits when the prize is that big?"
Naruto smirked. "So now I'm an idiot for not risking my life?"
"Yes," she said flatly, stabbing a piece of grilled fish. "Go pro, maybe. You're actually decent at it."
"Decent?" Naruto gasped, mock-offended. "I'm amazing."
"Sure," she said, deadpan.
Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll keep an ear out. Maybe I'll find something that doesn't involve, you know, explosions."
Before Kushina could retort, his phone lit up on the table. He picked it up, expecting another sweet message from Hinata, but the name on the screen made him pause.
"Temari?" he muttered.
Kushina narrowed her eyes. "Is that your girlfriend again? No phones at the table!" she snapped.
"Relax, Mom," Naruto said, setting the phone down. "And Hinata's the reason we've even got this new fridge, so maybe cut me some slack?"
"Don't get cocky," Kushina warned. "I'm grateful to her, but if you screw this up and lose that girl and her money, you're out on the street, Uzumaki."
Naruto laughed nervously. "Noted. Won't fumble. Promise."
The phone buzzed again, and his curiosity got the better of him. This time, he excused himself, leaving Kushina grumbling about rude kids.
Temari: Saw you crash and burn on live TV. Sad. Must've hurt your pride.
Naruto blinked. "What the hell does she want?"
Kushina raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"Temari," he muttered, typing back: No shit it hurt. What do you want?
The reply came almost instantly.
Temari: An opportunity. Interested?
Naruto narrowed his eyes, intrigued but wary. He typed: What kind of opportunity?
Temari: 20 million bucks.
Naruto's breath hitched. His chopsticks clattered to the table.
Kushina frowned. "What now?"
"Uh... nothing." He pushed his chair back, standing abruptly. "I need some air."
He made his way to the balcony, the cool breeze hitting his face as he stared at Temari's message. Twenty million. That was... absurd.
How the hell do I even get that kind of money? he typed.
Temari: Easy. Follow my lead. All you need to do is drive.
His pulse quickened. Drive where?
Temari: Suna. Streets aren't for the faint of heart. Think you're up for it?
Naruto hesitated, his fingers hovering over the screen. Why me?
Temari: You're a decent driver. Plus, I know you're greedy. You won't say no.
Naruto huffed. Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.
Temari: Think about it. Give me a call when you've made up your mind.
Naruto exhaled slowly, staring out at the street below. He could still feel the sting of his last loss, the frustration of watching someone else walk away with his prize. And then there were the legal fees…
But Temari's schemes were never simple. If she was involved, it was definitely dangerous.
Three days later, Naruto sat across from Sasuke and Shisui at their usual fast-food joint, idly poking at his fries.
"You've been zoning out all night," Sasuke muttered, sipping his soda. "What's up?"
"Nothing," Naruto replied, though his mind was still stuck on Temari's offer.
Shisui smirked. "Bet it's about his girlfriend."
Naruto perked up instantly. "What about her?"
"Relax, I'm just saying you're whipped," Shisui teased.
"Am not!" Naruto protested, but the flush on his face betrayed him.
Sasuke stood, grabbing his tray. "We're heading out. You coming?"
"Nah, I'll catch up later," Naruto said distractedly.
As his friends left, he sighed, pulling out his phone. His thumb hovered over Temari's name in his contacts for a long moment.
20 million.
His lips curled into a small, uncertain smile. He tapped her name.
Call...