After the third clean unsealing, the scroll settled with a soft click, the chakra dispersing perfectly—no sparks, no backlash, no instability.
Naruto stared at it for half a second. Then his eyes widened.
"I did it."
Tenten blinked once—then grinned. "You did it!"
They both jumped up at the same time.
"Yes!" Naruto pumped a fist into the air.
"That's three!" Tenten said, clapping once before she could stop herself.
Their voices echoed louder than either of them realized.
"Shh!"
A sharp sound cut through the air. They froze. Slowly, both of them turned toward the front desk.
The librarian stood there, arms crossed, glasses reflecting the overhead lights like twin blades. She didn't raise her voice. She didn't need to.
"Out."
Five seconds later, they were standing outside the library doors, rain beginning to patter against the stone steps.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Then Naruto snorted. That was all it took.
They both burst out laughing, the sound spilling freely now that there was no one to glare at them for it.
"Guess she didn't mind the pop, but laughter was where she drew the line," Naruto said between chuckles.
Tenten wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "People practice sealing there all the time. Noise is fine—as long as you're miserable while doing it."
Naruto laughed again, then looked at her more seriously. "Hey… thanks. Really. You're a lifesaver. I'd probably still be buried in scrolls if you hadn't shown up."
Tenten waved it off, but her cheeks pinked just slightly. "It's nothing. Just… helping a friend, I guess."
Naruto smiled at that.
"Well then," he said, stretching his arms, "let me repay the favor. Food's on me."
She stopped walking and turned toward him. "Nope. As your senior, it's my responsibility to feed you."
He raised an eyebrow. "Is that a real rule?"
"It is now." She smirked. "Come on. I know a good place."
Naruto shrugged. "Lead the way."
They didn't get far before the rain picked up, droplets tapping faster against rooftops and umbrellas popping open along the street.
By the time they ducked inside the sushi shop, the smell of rice and vinegar already filling the air, the rain was coming down steadily.
They slid into a booth by the window, steam rising from warm dishes as plates were set down.
As they ate, Tenten talked.
She spoke about missions—about Gai-sensei's "youthful" training ideas, Lee's boundless enthusiasm, and Neji's quiet intensity.
Naruto mostly listened, chiming in now and then, watching the way her eyes lit up when she spoke about her team.
After the third mention of Neji, Naruto leaned back slightly.
"…You like him, don't you?"
Tenten nearly dropped her chopsticks.
"Huh? Me? No—! What are you talking about?" she said quickly, waving a hand. "We're just teammates. Friends. That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. Now eat your sushi—your senpai ordered."
Her face was bright red.
Naruto chuckled. "Yeah… you definitely do."
She groaned. "I do not."
"Then why not tell him?" Naruto asked casually. "Neji's single, right?"
The thought alone made her freeze.
Her face heated up even more, faint wisps of steam practically rising from her head. Naruto blinked at that—but wisely chose not to comment.
"He'd reject me," she muttered.
Naruto's smile faded a little. "How do you know?"
She stared down at her plate. "Have you seen Neji? He's serious all the time. He doesn't seem like the type who'd even think about romance."
Naruto was quiet for a moment.
Then he leaned back, arms resting behind his head. "Maybe. But trying wouldn't hurt."
Tenten didn't reply right away.
Outside, rain streaked down the window, blurring the lights of the village into soft lines of gold and gray.
Naruto glanced toward it, thoughts drifting.
' Neji dies in the war…Like it was genuinely the most dumbest death in all of anime. Ok nah Tsunade's brother was the worst. Yeah' Naruto thought.
Naruto noticed the way Tenten's shoulders tensed the moment Neji's name came up again, the faint flush creeping up her neck. He decided to drop it. Pushing any further would only make things worse, and besides—he wasn't trying to corner her.
The conversation drifted naturally after that, jumping to lighter things: stupid mission mishaps, Guy-sensei's over-the-top speeches, Lee's habit of shouting encouragement at the worst possible times.
By the time they finished eating, the rain outside had grown violent.
Sheets of water hammered the street, the sound loud enough to drown out passing voices.
When they stepped outside the shop, the cold rain soaked them almost instantly, clinging to their clothes and hair.
Tenten hissed softly. "Great. No umbrella."
Naruto glanced down the street, then pointed the other way. "My apartment's closer than yours. We'll catch a cold if we try to make it any farther."
She hesitated for only a second before nodding. "Alright."
They ran.
By the time they reached his building, both of them were completely drenched—hair plastered to their faces, clothes heavy with water.
Naruto fumbled with the door, heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with the run.
Why did I bring her here again? he thought as they stepped inside.
He moved fast, suddenly hyper-aware of everything.
"Towel—here," he said quickly, handing her one.
"Thanks," Tenten replied, pressing it to her face, squeezing water from her hair.
Naruto turned away almost immediately, grabbed another towel, and spread it carefully over his bed before motioning for her to sit.
She did, watching him with quiet curiosity as he darted around the apartment, clearly trying not to look nervous.
"You should warm up in the bath," he said, holding out a bundle of clothes. "They're clean. Sorry if they're… big."
She took them, fingers brushing his for just a second. "It's fine," she said softly, then disappeared into the bathroom.
The door closed.
Naruto let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
The apartment felt strangely quiet.
' Good thing I always clean, ' he thought, glancing around automatically. His gaze landed on the table—and immediately locked onto Kakuzu's wallet.
His stomach twisted.
He grabbed it, moved fast, and shoved it under the bed before she could come out.
In the bathroom, steam slowly filled the air. Tenten sank into the tub, warmth seeping into her muscles, washing away the cold and the tension she hadn't noticed building up.
Her cheeks warmed again—not from the water.
' I always thought the first boy I'd visit like this would be Neji,' she thought, staring at the ceiling. ' Funny how life works.'
When she finished, she slipped into Naruto's clothes. The shirt hung loosely off her shoulders, the sleeves swallowing her hands, the pants bunching awkwardly at her ankles.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
…It felt oddly comfortable.
When she stepped out, Naruto was in the kitchen, shirtless, pouring hot water into cups. She froze for half a second, heat rushing to her face.
He didn't notice immediately.
She walked past him as casually as she could and sat on the bed.
' When did he get so muscular?' she wondered, staring a bit too long before looking away.
Naruto turned, finally noticing her, and quickly focused on the tea instead of her oversized outfit.
"Uh—here," he said, handing her a cup before retreating to the bathroom himself.
When he came back, dry and dressed, the rain was still pounding against the windows. They sat together at the table, tea steaming between them, listening to the storm.
The silence wasn't awkward.
"Wanna play some cards?" Naruto asked after a while.
Tenten smiled. "Sure. It's been a while though—go easy on me."
"No promises," he said, grinning.
TO BE CONTINUED