Chapter 24: New Friends

As Naruto wandered through the lively streets of Konoha, a rare sense of peace settled in his heart. The sounds of merchants calling out their wares, children laughing, and blacksmiths hammering away at weapons filled the air. Today, there was no intense training, sparring, or expectations—just the simple pleasure of being a kid.

[Truly, Leo, you're enjoying your time,] Aurora's voice resonated in his mind, carrying a note of amusement.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "How could I not? This... this is how childhood should be. Free from burdens, expectations, and trauma—just a time to live and breathe."

[Yes,] Aurora agreed, her voice gentler than usual. [That's what childhood should be.]

Naruto let the moment sink in, allowing himself to relish the warmth of the sun on his skin, the scent of fresh dango in the air, and the feeling of simply existing—not as a shinobi, not as a future warrior, but as a child, if only for a little while.

After savoring the peaceful moment, he made his way toward the friends he had recently made. The warmth of companionship was something he had come to cherish, and today was no different.

Before heading toward them, he made a quick stop at the flower shop, picking up a few roses, and then at the snack store to grab some chips.

With his hands full, he finally arrived at the usual spot, where a familiar group was gathered.

Shikamaru Nara lay on the grass, lazily gazing at the sky, muttering about how troublesome something probably was. Beside him, Choji Akimichi sat cross-legged, munching away on his favorite bag of chips, his content expression unbothered by anything else in the world.

A little farther away, Kiba Inuzuka was stretching, shadowboxing the air with an intense focus, his competitive spirit burning as always.

Under the shade of a tree stood Shino Aburame, quiet as ever, his expression unreadable behind his sunglasses, but his presence steady, like a silent observer of the group's chaos.

Then, there were the two girls—Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka—locked in their usual friendly rivalry. They were close friends, yet their competitive nature made them clash constantly. Their bickering was as familiar as the sunrise, and yet, despite their arguments, they always found their way back to each other.

"Yo," Naruto greeted, his bright grin shining as he approached. All eyes turned to him.

Without hesitation, he extended the roses toward the girls. "These beautiful roses for beautiful girls," he said with an easy warmth.

Sakura and Ino froze for a moment, their cheeks turning pink. They weren't used to being called beautiful—not like this, not in a way that felt so genuine.

"T-Thank you, Naruto," Sakura stammered, her fingers gently grasping the flowers.

"Yeah… thanks," Ino added, twirling a strand of her hair as she accepted hers.

Naruto then turned to the boys and held out the bag of chips. "And these are for you guys."

The boys looked at the chips in Naruto's hands, then at him, before exchanging glances with each other.

Choji, of course, was the first to react. "For real?! Thanks, Naruto!" He eagerly took a bag, opening it immediately and munching away.

Kiba smirked, punching Naruto lightly on the shoulder. "Man, you know how to win people over, huh?"

Shikamaru let out a tired sigh but took the chips anyway. "Troublesome, but… thanks, I guess."

Shino simply nodded in silent appreciation as he accepted his share.

Meanwhile, Ino twirled the rose between her fingers, giving Naruto a teasing smile. "Wow, Naruto. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with us."

Sakura, still looking at her rose, mumbled, "Yeah… I didn't expect this from you."

Naruto just grinned. "What's wrong with flirting with pretty girls?"

They both flushed again due to Naruto's straightforward reply.

Sakura and Ino, still flustered from his bold words, held onto him tightly from both sides, their competitive nature igniting once again as they exchanged sharp glares. It was as if they were silently battling for dominance over him.

Seeing their antics, Naruto simply patted both of their heads in a calming gesture. "Alright, alright, no need to fight," he said with a grin. "There's enough of me to go around."

With that, he turned his attention toward the boys, curious about what they had been up to.

Shikamaru, as expected, didn't even lift his head from where he was lying. "Too troublesome to answer," he muttered, uninterested in the conversation.

Choji, on the other hand, was too busy munching on the chips Naruto had brought, already having devoured the previous bag he had. He gave a simple thumbs-up of gratitude but didn't bother speaking with his mouth full.

Kiba, always the energetic one, perked up immediately. "I was training! Gotta keep my reflexes sharp if I wanna be the best," he said proudly, throwing a few quick jabs at the air.

Meanwhile, Shino adjusted his sunglasses and began mumbling something analytical about insects and strategies, but no one seemed to pay him much attention.

Naruto laughed, feeling at home among his friends. This was what made life enjoyable—not just training and responsibilities, but these simple moments of warmth and companionship.

After spending some time with his friends, Naruto parted ways with them at lunch as they all returned to their homes.

Soon, he arrived back at his own house.

"Mom, I'm back!" he called out cheerfully.

"Welcome home, Naruto," Kushina's warm voice echoed from within.

Without wasting a moment, Naruto sprinted toward the living room, where he found Tsunade lazily sprawled out on the couch, lost in deep sleep, while Shizune sat nearby, quietly engrossed in her book.

As soon as Shizune noticed him approaching, she opened her mouth to greet him, but Naruto swiftly pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for her to stay silent. His mischievous grin made her raise an eyebrow, but she complied, curious to see what he was up to this time.

Scanning the room, Naruto's eyes landed on a stray feather resting on the table. A devious glint flashed in his eyes as he picked it up and slowly brought it near Tsunade's nose, suppressing a chuckle as he prepared to put his little prank into action.

Shizune, watching in silent amusement, covered her mouth to suppress a giggle, curious to see how this would play out.

Gently, Naruto brushed the feather under Tsunade's nose, light as a whisper.

Tsunade twitched, her nose scrunching up slightly.

Encouraged, Naruto did it again. This time, Tsunade's face contorted, and with a sudden jerk—

"Achoo!"

She sneezed so hard that she nearly fell off the couch. Naruto burst out laughing, clutching his stomach, while Shizune turned away, pretending to be engrossed in her book but shaking with suppressed laughter.

Tsunade blinked, confused for a moment before her golden eyes narrowed at Naruto.

"You brat…" she muttered dangerously.

Before Naruto could escape, her strong hand shot out, grabbing him by the collar. His laughter instantly turned into nervous chuckles.

"Uh… Tsunade-chan, let's talk about this—"

"Oh no, no talking," she smirked, cracking her knuckles. "You think you can mess with me and get away with it?"

Shizune sighed, shaking her head as Naruto yelped, already trying to plead for mercy.

And so, the house filled with the sounds of Naruto's exaggerated cries for help as Tsunade gave him a 'lesson'—one he would definitely forget the next time he got bored.