Misunderstandings and Mishaps

As soon as Haru noticed the members of Team 7 approaching, he tilted his head and smiled warmly. Sasuke froze for a moment, captivated by the sight.

Meanwhile, Naruto, determined not to fall under the charm of the pretty boy, began mentally conjuring up an image of Granny Chiyo in a swimsuit as a countermeasure.

"Ugh—" Naruto gagged, visibly retching at the mental image.

The thought of giving Kakashi-sensei a similar mental image as a birthday gift crossed Naruto's mind. Maybe then, he could wean Kakashi off his unhealthy obsession with those racy novels.

Sakura, who had been observing Haru, quickly latched onto Sasuke's arm, feeling protective.

Damn! This guy is dangerous!

Sasuke! Snap out of it!

Sakura felt utterly exhausted. It was one thing to fend off women vying for Sasuke's attention, but why were they all men now? Was there no end to it?

Kakashi, on the other hand, was merely hunched over, appearing nonchalant. Perhaps the bed he slept on last night was too soft, causing a bit of back pain.

Haru, noticing Naruto's sudden retching, merely brushed a few strands of hair behind his ear. Then, finding the loose strands troublesome, he set down the basin he was holding and removed a rubber band from his wrist. Holding it between his lips, he gathered his hair into a high ponytail.

Sakura's eyes nearly popped out of her head, her anger rising. She was beginning to seriously suspect that this effeminate man was deliberately trying to seduce the male members of Team 7.

Unable to contain her frustration, she jumped in front of her teammates, spreading her arms wide and yelling, "Wake up! He's a man!!"

Both Kakashi and Sasuke snapped out of their daze, averting their eyes in embarrassment. Naruto, however, remained unphased, having successfully countered the temptation with his earlier mental image.

Haru, still smiling politely, picked up the basin again, gesturing for them to follow. "Please, come with me."

As Sasuke followed, he blushed slightly and glanced at Sakura. Kakashi, hands in his pockets, stepped forward, cautioning the group, "Remember, be polite when visiting someone's home, okay?"

His eyes briefly lingered on Sakura, who felt increasingly aggrieved. She could barely process the fact that they had all been momentarily entranced by Haru.

After following Haru for several minutes, they arrived at a small house where Zabuza emerged, holding a hammer and some nails. He was wrapped in bandages and walked with a slight limp, evidence of his injuries from their last encounter.

Zabuza's gaze briefly rested on Naruto before shifting to the oversized sword strapped to Sasuke's back.

Naruto was surprised to see Zabuza up and about. Given the severity of his injuries, he should have been bedridden for weeks.

Noticing Naruto's confusion, Haru quickly explained, "We found a medical ninja at a nearby casino who treated Zabuza's injuries. She charged 80 million ryo, but it was worth it."

"Casino? Medical ninja? 80 million ryo?" Naruto and Kakashi exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing: Tsunade.

The mere thought of the price tag made Naruto clutch his chest in pain.

Sakura, however, noticed something different. Observing Zabuza's movements closely, she realized his legs seemed fine.

"Wait a minute...!" Sakura gasped, piecing together a shocking conclusion. She pulled Haru aside, a blush creeping across her face.

"Um... Haru, are you...?" she began hesitantly, making a thumbs-up gesture.

Haru blushed furiously, stammering, "I... I... will be careful..."

Sakura's mind reeled. Did Haru just imply that...?!

"You should learn to say no to him!" Sakura whispered urgently, casting a wary glance at Zabuza.

"Even if Mr. Zabuza is lying down, it... it won't affect his injuries," Haru stammered, his blush deepening.

"You... You're the one in charge?!" Sakura exclaimed in disbelief.

The conversation had become increasingly awkward, but Haru's red face and stuttering confirmed Sakura's worst fears.

"Oh my God!" Sakura clapped a hand over her mouth, staring wide-eyed at Haru. Her mind raced with images of Zabuza and Haru in ways she never wanted to imagine.

Naruto and Kakashi, who had been eavesdropping, took a step back, both of them sucking in a sharp breath.

Naruto, his childhood admiration for Zabuza now thoroughly shattered, could only think of one thing: Mr. Zabuza was being bossed around by Haru!

Fearful that Haru might turn his attention to him next, Naruto grabbed Sakura by the back of her collar and bolted.

"Sorry, I just remembered the gas at home wasn't turned off! We've gotta go!" Naruto shouted over his shoulder as he dragged Sakura and Sasuke through a portal he'd hastily opened.

Kakashi was already gone, having vanished the moment he heard Haru's admission.

As Team 7 disappeared from view, Haru and Zabuza exchanged bewildered glances.

"You should go get the food," Zabuza finally said, scratching his head. "I'll, uh, fix the bed."