Telepathy

Amidst the lush forest of Konoha, the dense foliage retreated as they moved forward, with the breeze gently brushing against them. Hinata felt as though she was floating until the dappled sunlight faded away.

After rounding a bend in the woods, the view ahead suddenly opened up. The sound of rushing water filled the air, surrounding them with white noise.

A massive waterfall appeared before them, with a turbulent stream cascading down.

"Where is this?" Hinata murmured in slight surprise.

"By the river," Naruto replied, letting go of Hinata's hand and carrying a large bundle toward a shady area near the water.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees, blending with the sound of cicadas and the waterfall, making the forest unusually noisy. Yet, Hinata's heartbeat rose and fell with the sound of the waterfall, strong and youthful.

Standing in the shade, she watched Naruto busily unpack, spreading a long cloth on the grass.

Before long, Naruto had set up a camping area, complete with a picnic blanket, fire pit, barbecue grill, a few spices, and even a pot.

Hinata watched, awestruck, covering her mouth in amazement.

"Doraemon Naruto?" she whispered to herself.

"Hinata!" Naruto waved at her.

Hinata quickly responded, walking over in a daze. She stared at the picnic setup on the ground, her curiosity piqued. Being born into the Hyuga family, she had never experienced something like this before.

As the Hyuga family's eldest daughter, the biggest challenge Hinata ever faced was her inability to surpass her father, who loomed like an insurmountable mountain.

"Naruto-kun, what are you doing?" Hinata asked.

"Outdoor barbecue." Naruto smiled at her. "The fish in this stream are delicious because the water flows so fast."

Hinata nodded, feeling a bit nervous.

"My father and the others enjoy eating sashimi, but I don't like it, so I rarely eat fish."

"Sashimi?" Naruto looked slightly puzzled. "I only know how to grill fish and make fresh fish soup."

"That's fine, I've... I've never tried Naruto's grilled fish." Hinata blushed deeply, afraid he would misunderstand, waving her hands.

"It's not that... I mean..."

"No need to explain so much." Naruto stepped closer to her. "Come on, I'll take you fishing by the river."

"Hinata, have you ever fished before?"

"No," Hinata answered, her face reddening as she looked down. "Whenever I approached the river, I would be taken away. I've only seen others fishing from afar."

Indeed, the Hyuga clan, which prided itself on being noble in Konoha, would never allow someone like Hinata to engage in what they saw as a common activity.

"It's fine, I'll teach you." Naruto took her hand again, guiding her to a spot by the trees.

Not far away, an ANBU and a Hyuga clan member stood on the treetops, exchanging wary glances.

Hyuga Ninja: "What's that kid doing with the young lady?"

ANBU Ninja: "Into the woods, apparently."

"…"

"Why don't you use your Byakugan to check?" the ANBU suggested.

"I don't want to disturb the young lady," the Hyuga ninja replied firmly. "Why don't you go check yourself?"

"Not worth the risk; my paycheck isn't enough to risk getting caught."

"What if the young lady is in danger? What if that boy…?" The Hyuga ninja trailed off.

"That's your problem. If something happens, worst case, I lose my job. Better to stay back and keep an eye on them from here."

The Hyuga ninja ground his teeth in frustration.

Naruto soon emerged from the woods with Hinata, holding a long wooden pole he had fashioned into a fishing rod. He handed it to Hinata, who stepped back nervously.

"M-me? I don't know how," she said, retreating a bit.

"No problem, I'll guide you," Naruto said, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around hers to show her how to hold the rod. Hinata blushed a deep shade of red, feeling his presence close to her.

"Naruto-kun, there's no bait on the hook."

"We don't need bait," Naruto reassured her. "Just cast the line like this; the fish here will bite even without it."

At a distance, the Hyuga ninja clenched his teeth.

"As if! If he catches a fish without bait, I'll pluck out my own eyes!"

[Kurama's Approval: 4.5%]

[Kurama's Approval: 6.7%]

Suddenly, a panel appeared in front of Naruto with a soft chime.

Option 1: Tell Hinata that you generally dislike gentle girls because they're gentle to everyone. She simply likes heroes, like all princesses admire pure heroes, but you're not a hero.

Reward: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique.

Option 2: Tell Hinata she's wonderful and that she will make a gentle wife in the future. Reward: Telepathic Communication Technique (ability to create a convincing illusion; what's said will be remembered within a certain range of people).

Naruto glanced at the first option with no reaction and instinctively dismissed it. But upon seeing the reward for the second option, he paused for a moment.

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