Chapter no.22 Love of a Flower part 2

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Finding naruto was the hardest part, it was especially harder to track him down to a recluse location, one in which she knew billboard brow and a group of other girls would be watching from the bushes, probably ready to watch her make a fool of herself.

She had hoped she'd be the one watching the pink-haired bimbo ask Naruto out, it would have been the most hilarious thing to watch as the blond would have been so ecstatic, ignorant of the girl's own dismay.

Plus the rumours, oh, the rumours!

"Um… Naruto-kun?"

"Huh? Ino?" The blond stared at her, looking both left and right as though uncertain "You talkin' to me?"

Ino felt her anger bubble up, but let it slide low. "I don't think there's any other person named Naruto in Konoha, is there?"

The boy put his hands behind his head and let out an awkward laugh that almost made Ino cringe.

"Yeah! I'm the one and only Naruto Uzumaki dattebayo!"

Ino desperately wished the Shinigami would take her there and then.

"So… Naruto-kun, there's something I wanted to tell you…"

"Huh? Really?"

"You see… Naruto-kun, I've been watching you for a while now, and I didn't want to tell you this… but I…"

The words formed in her mouth, as she stared at the inquisitive blue eyes of the shorter blond, she found herself wondering why they would not come forth. Maybe it was something odd about how his eyes seemed to examine her, or how they lit up with an emotion she could not quite recognize, or perhaps, it was the giggling of the girls she could hear that made her uncertain of how to proceed.

"I…"

She didn't quite understand it herself, this was Naruto of all people… he bounced back from anything… so what if she was going to get his hopes up and lie to his face… she shouldn't care, it shouldn't matter to her… It's not like she was going to break his heart or anything… so why was she unable to find the right words to say?

"Hey Ino!"

The sudden exclamation, threw her off guard, and she found him staring at her with a concentrated gaze she did not know he had possessed.

"Y-yes?"

"Go out on a date with me! To Ichiraku Ramen!"

The girl could not have been any more floored if the Hokage himself had pranced by on a unicycle while crossdressing as a lesbian.

"W-what?"

"I know it's kinda sudden – but you're a really cool person ya know? I mean, we've both got awesome blond hair – though mine is way cooler – and I think you're pretty."

She idly wondered if one of her clan members had taken over Naruto's body with the Clan Jutsu and made him say those words, but instead, she shook it off as the universe being in her favor on this odd particular occasion.

Naruto had asked her out on a date, hence, she couldn't ask him out anymore – the bet was null and void.

She was free!

Ino regained a bit of her confidence, placing her hand on her hips.

"No way! Why in the world would I want to go out with you? I mean, wanting to date someone just because you think they're good-looking? That's really shallow of you Naruto."

"But…" He paused. "…Isn't that the same reason why you like Sasuke-teme?"

"What! No way! I like Sasuke-kun because he's strong and he's cool and he's… he's… he's…"

Words, fickle as they were, failed her. She had an extensive vocabulary of terms that focused on the mind, on plants, on animals, and yet, despite her collective accumulation of adjectives used to describe things which were beautiful - she remained speechless.

"Fine then…" Naruto said, crossing his arms and turning around "Good luck with the teme - you two deserve each other."

It was strange, as to how those words seem to sting much more than she thought possible.

.....

Hidden behind the trees, Hinata felt her nails digging into the bark as she witnessed the confession and rejection unfold. Using her Byakugan, she noticed Sakura and the others also hiding, watching the scene. Anger flared within her.

Naruto-kun's feelings aren't your amusement, she thought bitterly, tempted to confront Sakura, Ino, and the rest.

However, her anger quickly subsided, replaced by a pang of jealousy towards Ino for her boldness. Naruto had been kind enough to help Ino even though she was scheming.

Leaning back against the cold bark, Hinata sighed and sat down.

"Naruto-kun, if I could con-con-confes..." Hinata blushed, unable to even say the word. She clasped her cheeks, feeling a warm flush spread across her face at the mere thought of going on a date with Naruto.

"Hehehe! What a loser!" Sakura's mocking laughter came from the bushes, drawing a sharp frown from Hinata.

Bitch, Hinata thought bitterly.

She remembered the stink bomb Naruto had given her as a gift.

With a flick of her wrist, she threw it toward the bushes.

"No!" Sakura's scream pierced the quiet as the bomb did its work. Hinata's heart pounded furiously, a mix of thrill and guilt washing over her as she fled from the scene.

I can't believe I just did that.

It felt good.

.....

As Naruto walked away from Ino, he found a bench and sat down.

Naruto watched as the system flickered, seemingly uncertain about the outcome of this unusual quest.

"Weird quest," he mused to himself.

The idea of a date was initially exciting, but reading the full details soured his mood. He pondered various strategies but ultimately decided to let Ino off the hook. The thought of forcing a date or playing games didn't sit right with him.

As Naruto walked away, he was deep in thought.

"Am I a hypocrite for calling Ino shallow when I like Sakura mainly for her looks? Do I even really like Sakura?" he questioned himself. Then, another thought struck him. "Why did I have a crush on her? Just because she's pretty? No, that can't be it. Hinata is prettier."

He paused, surprised by his own thoughts. "Wait, where did that come from?"

[ Hybrid Quest: Love of a Flower ]

[ Completion Status: Successful ]

[ Next Step: Claim Your Reward. ]

[ Completion Rewards: ]

  - [ Unique Item Acquired: Skill Rune Stone ]

Naruto clicked on a tab.

[ Item: Skill Rune Stone ]

[ Material: Enchanted Stone. ]

[ Effect Level: Variable. ]

[ Requirement: None. ]

[ Effect: Unlocks a Random Skill. ]

[ Use Limit: Single Use. ]

[ Description: This stone holds mysterious powers capable of unlocking a random skill for the user. The nature of the skill unlocked is influenced by the user's luck, making each activation unique. Ideal for shinobi seeking to expand their abilities in unforeseen ways. The rune's enchantment is expended upon use, granting a potentially game-changing skill based on the wielder's fortune. ]