Naruto, my father's name is Uchiha Madara.

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the most important--

Increase the word count of that damn mission report!

He immediately clutched his stomach, feigning pain, and said to Misaki and the driver, "Ouch! I'm so sorry! I think I ate something bad this morning! I'll be right back! You two take your time!"

Then he vanished instantly behind the trees not far away.

A few seconds later, a series of extremely brief, forcibly suppressed muffled thuds and groans came from the bushes, as if some heavy objects had fallen to the ground one after another.

A few seconds later, Naruto strolled out of the woods as if nothing had happened, looking refreshed.

He clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Ah! That feels much better! Let's keep going!"

Misaki asked with concern, "Is Naruto alright? Would you like to rest for a bit?"

Naruto waved his hand dismissively: "It's nothing! No big deal! It's a minor issue! It's already resolved!"

Misaki was still a little worried: "Really?"

Clearly, Naruto's definition of "solving" is not the same as what Misaki understands.

Meanwhile, the bandits who had been lying in ambush were now sprawled out deep in the bushes.

One by one, they were bruised and swollen, their limbs bent at strange angles, completely unable to move, their eyes filled with fear and confusion—

They didn't even see who did it; they just felt a gust of wind and then they were all seriously injured.

The same thing happened again in the afternoon.

Naruto once again left for a short while under the pretext of "surveying the terrain ahead." When he returned, another group of bandits who did not believe in the evil followed in the footsteps of the previous group.

Therefore, the convoy arrived safely at the bustling Tanabata Street by evening.

No more foolish bandits dared to target this seemingly ordinary caravan.

All potential threats are discovered without the parties involved even realizing it, with someone using "reducing the word count in the report" as the top guiding principle.

It was cleaned up quietly and in advance.

The mission went so smoothly it was outrageous.

After successfully handing over the goods at the herbal medicine warehouse in Tanabata, and receiving the mission completion certificate, Misaki's face did not show much joy.

She hesitated several times before speaking, watching Naruto carefully checking the vouchers and thinking to himself, "This report should be very short."

I was filled with a sense of frustration.

Throughout the journey, she used almost every trick in the book, hinting and probing indirectly.

She might even casually show off her new, more figure-flattering clothes.

But Naruto either completely missed the point, or he responded to her with that "brotherly" open and honest look.

He always manages to magically steer the conversation toward ramen, tasks, or complaints about reports.

She began to deeply doubt life and her own charm.

Am I really that unattractive?

They can't even make this piece of wood understand?

An unprecedented sense of loss enveloped her.

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the ancient streets of Tanzaku Street in a warm golden light.

The convoy was preparing to set off back to the Yamamoto family's base, and Naruto and his companions were also about to embark on their journey back to Konoha.

Misaki sat dejectedly on the edge of the carriage, her head bowed, her mood at its lowest point.

Just then, a steaming cup of red bean soup with a sweet aroma and a small packet of freshly made, adorably shaped tricolor meatballs were placed in front of her.

Misaki paused for a moment, then looked up.

What came into view was Naruto's slightly embarrassed yet incredibly sincere and warm smile.

“Look, Miss Misaki, you don’t seem to be feeling very energetic.”

"These are the signature red bean soup and three-colored meatballs from Tanzaku Street. I've heard they taste really good. Shall we try them?"

"When you're in a bad mood, eating something sweet is the best remedy!"

Naruto's voice was clear and pure, without any impurities, just like his eyes at that moment, which were purely out of concern for a friend.

Looking at Naruto's genuine smile, so free of any gloom and so sincere it seemed to melt ice and snow, and feeling the warmth from the food in her hands, Misaki suddenly froze.

In an instant, it was as if something suddenly became clear!

The scenes of their first meeting three years ago and their time together over the past few days flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.

Yes...that's it...

The reason she was so determined to attract Naruto's attention was...

She wanted him to "fall in love" with her.

It wasn't because she was particularly confident in her charm, or simply because she wanted to conquer a powerful ninja.

It was because, from beginning to end, the way Naruto looked at her was different from how she had looked at everyone else.

There was no flattery directed at her family background.

There was no lust for her appearance.

There was no unsettling possessiveness.

His eyes held only equality, sincerity, and an almost clumsy concern.

He will do his best to protect her because her father is the client.

They felt reassured about the task because she was an "acquaintance".

When she's feeling down, he'll foolishly buy her sweets to comfort her.

Simply because they think "eating sweets makes people happy".

He treated her just like he treated Konohamaru and the others, with sincerity and honesty.

It is this unique sincerity that is unaffected by any external conditions.

This feeling is that she is treated purely as "Yamamoto Misaki".

She unknowingly became immersed in it, developed a longing for it, and eventually it evolved into liking it.

That's why she tried every means to attract him with worldly "charm".

She tried to pull him into her familiar world, a world where he was the center of attention.

However, she overlooked the fact that what initially attracted her to him was precisely his unique quality that made him belong to a different world.

Once she understood this, Misaki's disappointment and frustration vanished instantly.

Instead, there was a sense of relief and a faint, warm bittersweet feeling.

She looked up at Naruto's still somewhat confused blue eyes and suddenly laughed.

The smile was no longer the deliberate and calculated one of the past, but had become incredibly clear and natural.

"Mr. Naruto,"

She spoke softly, her voice trembling slightly, yet unusually firm: "Do you...like me?"

Naruto was taken aback by this direct attack.

Without hesitation or hesitation, he nodded emphatically and flashed a big smile: "I love it! It's so much fun being with Misaki-san! Just like I love Konohamaru, Iruka-sensei, and everyone else!"

As expected... it's still the same answer.

Misaki's smile grew even brighter, but there was a hint of tears glistening in her eyes.

She took a deep breath and nodded vigorously: "Yes! Mr. Naruto is truly a very, very gentle person."

That's why I like you so much—

She added silently in her mind.

The next second, before Naruto could react...

Misaki suddenly stepped forward, stood on tiptoe, and quickly and gently touched that face that always said infuriating things but was also incredibly sincere.

She left a kiss as soft as a feather.

Naruto froze completely, his mind seemingly cleared in an instant, leaving only the fleeting, soft, and warm touch on his cheek.

Misaki quickly retreated, two blushes rising on her face.

But she bravely looked at the dumbfounded Naruto and exclaimed, "This! This is my farewell gift!"

"Next time you come to Tanabata Street, I'll treat you to cherry blossom cakes again! See you next time, Mr. Naruto!"

After saying that, without waiting for Naruto's response, she turned around and ran back to her carriage as quickly as a startled and excited fawn.

The carriage curtain fell, separating the inside from the outside.

Naruto stood there dumbfounded, one hand unconsciously touching the spot where he had just been kissed.

For the first time, a look that could be described as "confused" and "shy" appeared on her face.

The tips of his ears turned bright red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Wow!!!"

Konohamaru and his two companions, who had been hiding nearby and watching, suddenly jumped out and started shouting at Naruto.

Konohamaru pointed at Naruto's flushed face and laughed the loudest: "Hahaha! Big brother Naruto! You were kissed by a pretty big sister! You blushed! You actually blushed!"

Moegi covered her mouth and chuckled, "So Naruto-sensei can be shy too."

Udon observed intently: "A rare sight indeed."

"You...you little brats! What...what nonsense are you talking about!"

Naruto was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; he instantly bristled and tried to cover up his embarrassment by yelling.

But his flushed face and darting eyes completely betrayed him: "Who...who's shy! That was just...just a friendly way of saying goodbye! Yes! A way of saying goodbye! Kids shouldn't look around and talk nonsense!"

He frantically tried to shoo away the three mischievous kids who seemed to enjoy the chaos: "Mission accomplished! Pack your things! Time to go back to the village!"

"If you keep nagging, you'll all be punished by having to write ten...twenty mission reflections each!"