Chapter 63: Kurenei in Naruto's house

As Kurenai stepped into the house, Naruto followed closely behind, his movements steady yet carrying the weight of an unspoken tension.

Karin sat silently on the sofa, her posture composed, but her eyes betrayed the storm within. She wasn't just upset—she was hurt.

Naruto knew it the moment he met her gaze. It wasn't about him leaving; it was about him breaking their promise. They had vowed to train together, to grow stronger side by side, yet he had gone ahead without a word.

He let out a slow sigh. "Karin." His voice was gentle, laced with quiet remorse. "I know you're upset that I didn't tell you."

Karin's lips pressed into a thin line, but she said nothing.

A wry smile tugged at Naruto's lips as he leaned slightly toward her. "But tell me honestly—if I had said I was going to a woman's house, would you have let me go?"

"No." The answer came without hesitation, firm and unwavering.

"That's exactly why I lied," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "But, Karin, you can't learn everything overnight. Even my mom—she didn't master things in a day. She practiced, she struggled, and even now, she's still improving."

He took a step closer, lowering his voice as he leaned down. "Besides…" He smirked, his breath warm against her ear. "She was a terrible cook before."

For a moment, silence hung between them. Then, despite herself, Karin's lips twitched, the ghost of a smile breaking through her frustration.

"Take Tsunade as an example," Naruto continued, his voice carrying a teasing lilt. "She dedicated herself to mastering Medical Ninjutsu and became one of the strongest kunoichi in Konoha. But even after years of trying, no matter how much she practiced… she's still a terrible gambler."

Karin and Kurenai burst into laughter, and Naruto joined in, his chuckles filling the room with warmth.

As the laughter died down, Karin's expression turned thoughtful. "Then, how can I learn everything, Nii-san?" she asked, curiosity laced in her voice.

Kurenai, intrigued by the conversation, leaned in slightly, eager to hear his answer. But what he said next completely caught her off guard.

Naruto bent down, flicking Karin's forehead with a playful smirk. "Because your Nii-san is built different."

For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then, with an exaggerated pout, Karin folded her arms and huffed, "I hate you."

Naruto grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Love you too."

Kurenai watched their playful bickering, a smile forming on her lips. Naruto had a way with people—strong yet warm, capable of lifting those around him with just his presence. 'He knows how to handle emotions. He's powerful. He makes people smile…' Her gaze softened. 'He'd make the perfect boyfriend someday. But for now… he's still just a kid.'

The door swung open.

"I'm home," Tsunade called out as she stepped inside, her presence as commanding as ever. Shizune followed close behind, both returning from the hospital after what was surely another exhausting day.

They barely had a moment to settle in before Kana arrived, strolling in with an air of satisfaction. Fresh from Ramen to Ruretto, Naruto's gambling house, she had business to tend to—after all, it was her responsibility to manage the place.

Then came Sasuke.

His entrance was silent, but his appearance spoke volumes. His body was covered in bruises and dirt, his usual composure weighed down by the sheer intensity of his training.

Naruto let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Sasuke, you need to slow down. Why are you pushing yourself this hard?" He turned to Tsunade, subtly gesturing for her to heal him.

But Sasuke didn't respond.

Without a word, he let Tsunade tend to his wounds. As her chakra worked its magic, easing the pain and sealing the worst of his injuries, he simply turned and made his way to the washroom—to cleanse himself of more than just the dirt.

As Sasuke disappeared into the washroom, Tsunade's sharp gaze flickered to the unfamiliar face in the room. "I didn't notice at first… who's she?" she asked.

Kurenai stepped forward with a polite nod. "I'm Kurenai Yūhi. Naruto asked me to train him in Genjutsu." She bowed slightly, her tone composed yet respectful.

Shizune raised an eyebrow. "You're training him?" There was a hint of surprise in her voice.

Kana, ever casual, offered a small wave. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kana."

Tsunade folded her arms, her expression unreadable. "If you're training him, then you must be good," she remarked, her tone making it sound like training Naruto was more of an odd job than a privilege.

Naruto scoffed, crossing his arms. "You're only saying that because I didn't come to you."

Tsunade smirked but said nothing. The room carried a brief silence before a knowing chuckle escaped from Shizune.

Soon, dinner was ready.

Kushina set the last dish on the table, the rich aroma filling the room. The older ones had sake poured into their cups, while the younger ones had juice or water.

"Let's dig in!" Naruto smirked, grabbing his chopsticks and immediately diving into his food. He scooped up a generous portion of rice, pairing it with a slice of perfectly cooked meat before devouring it with enthusiasm.

Across the table, Kana's gaze landed on Karin's plate. "Karin, don't just pick at your food. Eat your vegetables too," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Look at Naruto and Sasuke—they're eating theirs."

Karin grumbled under her breath but, under Kana's watchful eyes, reluctantly picked up a piece of greens and shoved it into her mouth.

Naruto, still chewing, grinned. "See? That wasn't so hard."

Karin shot him a glare but kept eating.

Dinner was filled with laughter and playful teasing, the warmth of family and friendship lingering in the air.

At the far end of the table, Tsunade and Kurenai—both lovers of sake—had turned the meal into an unspoken drinking competition. Cup after cup, they challenged each other, neither willing to back down.

It didn't take long before both entered their inevitable drunken state. Their moods shifted unpredictably, just as they did when they were sober—except now, there was a dramatic flair to every emotion.

Kurenai suddenly sighed, slumping against the table. "I feel so lonely…" she muttered, her voice tinged with melancholy. "I need a boyfriend."

The table fell silent for a moment. Then, Naruto and the others exchanged glances, unsure whether to take her seriously or brace themselves for more drunken confessions.

Tsunade, swaying slightly, narrowed her eyes at Kurenai. "Hah! A boyfriend? What you really need… is more sake." She poured another cup with all the precision of someone who had long abandoned sobriety.

Kurenai pouted. "That's not the same, Tsunade-sama."

Naruto sighed, shaking his head. "Great… now we have two emotional drunkards."

Both women suddenly turned toward Naruto, their gazes locking onto him like predators eyeing their prey.

Feeling the intensity of their stares, Naruto wisely chose the safest course of action—devouring his food like it was the only thing that mattered in the world.

Kurenai let out a deep sigh, swirling the sake in her cup. "You don't get it… I've never even had a boyfriend." She leaned forward, her words slightly slurred. "And now I'm drinking and spilling out my secrets… in front of kids."

Naruto's chopsticks paused mid-air. His eye twitched. "I'm not a kid." He stated it with the absolute certainty of universal law.

Kurenai, still woozy from the sake, gave him a teasing smirk. "You're good at everything, sure… but it's a shame." She tapped her finger on the table dramatically. "You're still a kid."

Naruto clenched his jaw. He knew arguing with a drunk person was a losing battle, but his pride wasn't about to let this slide.

"Tch." He stuffed another bite into his mouth, pretending he didn't hear her.

Tsunade, watching the exchange, smirked. "Welcome to the world of drunken wisdom, brat."

But even so, Naruto didn't back down. He leaned forward, meeting Kurenai's gaze head-on. "Age doesn't matter in love, Sensei." His voice was firm, unwavering. "If you really need a boyfriend, why are you asking a woman who never even got married despite being so old? You could ask my mom instead."

A sharp choking sound echoed through the room.

"What did you just say, brat?!" Tsunade coughed, nearly spitting out her drink.

Naruto, completely unfazed, shrugged. "It's the truth. I even told you before—when I grow up, you should become my woman. But you just brushed it off."

Kurenai blinked in disbelief. "W-Wait… did he actually propose to you, Tsunade-sama?"

She looked around the table, expecting shock or laughter—but instead, everyone looked oddly unbothered, as if this was old news. That, more than anything, made her believe it.

Karin smirked, puffing out her chest with pride. "You don't know, Sensei. My Nii-san charms most of the girls." She folded her arms, her voice carrying the smugness of someone stating an undeniable fact. "Back in the Academy, almost all the girls were his fans."

Then, without hesitation, she added, "And my goal is to marry him."

The room fell silent.

Kurenai stared at her, then at Naruto, then at the completely unshaken expressions of everyone else.

'What is with this family?' she thought, gripping her sake cup a little tighter.

Tsunade, on the other hand, simply sighed and reached for another drink. "I need more sake."

Even Kushina had known—ever since Naruto was just a baby—that he would grow up to be a playboy. It was simply inevitable. But if there was one thing she was certain of, it was this: no matter how many hearts he won over, he would never hurt the people he cared about.

Soon, dinner came to an end, the lively atmosphere gradually settling into a comfortable lull.

Kurenai, still swaying slightly from the sake, tried to stand—only to realize that balance was no longer her strong suit.

"Looks like I'm not making it home tonight," she muttered, rubbing her temple.

"Obviously," Tsunade smirked, pouring herself another drink. "You're in no state to walk straight, let alone leave."

With a resigned sigh, Kurenai accepted the hospitality. "Fine…"

And with that, another chaotic night in the Uzumaki household came to a close.