### Chapter 4: A Day at Work with Naruto

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Chapter 4

A Gift from the Heart

### Chapter 4: A Day at Work with Naruto

The next day arrived with the same golden light that seemed to always greet Konoha in the early hours. Naruto and Ino walked side by side through the village streets, their steps in sync, but the air between them was charged with excitement. After all, it was Ino's second time coming with Naruto to his workplace, and although she still felt shy and unsure, she had Naruto by her side to guide her through the day.

As they neared the office, Naruto glanced at Ino, noticing something was missing. She wasn't carrying a bag, and she didn't seem to have a phone with her. *Strange,* Naruto thought. Most people couldn't leave the house without their phones these days. It was practically a part of their daily lives, something people used for everything—from keeping in touch with friends to passing time with games.

Naruto smiled to himself, already forming a plan in his mind. He had always been good at observing small details, and this was one he could fix easily. *Maybe a gift for Ino-chan,* he mused silently. But for now, they had to get to work, and he would take care of the surprise later.

As they approached the main entrance to the office building, Ino's nerves began to spike. The usual bustle of people in the office, the unfamiliar faces, and the thought of being in a crowd made her heart pound. She bit her lip, her steps faltering slightly, but then she felt Naruto's warm hand slip into hers.

"You're doing great, Ino-chan," Naruto said softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. His voice was filled with warmth and reassurance, the kind that made her heart settle.

Ino looked up at him and nodded, her cheeks turning pink. "T-thank you, Naruto-kun," she whispered, squeezing his hand back. She leaned a little closer to him as they entered the building, hoping to draw some comfort from his presence.

They were walking toward Naruto's office when they heard a loud, boisterous voice echoing from down the hallway.

"Naruto!" the voice called, followed by the familiar sound of laughter. Ino's heart sank immediately. She knew that voice—Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin, and perhaps the most notorious pervert in all of Konoha.

Sure enough, Jiraiya came striding down the hallway toward them, his eyes gleaming with his usual mischievous grin. "Well, well, well," he said, stopping in front of them with his hands on his hips. "If it isn't the dynamic duo! Naruto, and..." His gaze shifted to Ino, and immediately, his eyes lit up in a way that made Ino's skin crawl. "Ah! The beautiful Ino-chan. My, my, my, you're looking lovely today."

Ino stiffened beside Naruto, her face turning bright red as Jiraiya's gaze lingered just a little too long. Her grip on Naruto's hand tightened, and she instinctively took a step back, trying to shield herself from the discomfort.

Jiraiya, however, was oblivious. "You know, Naruto," he continued with a chuckle, "you really do have good taste. Ino-chan here is... well, let's just say she's got quite the figure." His eyes dropped lower, and he shamelessly added, "Especially in the chest department."

Ino's face turned a shade of red that matched the deepest sunset. She felt mortified. Her hands twitched at her sides, wanting to cover herself, but instead, she froze in place. *Did he just...* She couldn't even finish the thought. She wanted to hide, to shrink away, but something inside her snapped. The embarrassment turned to something else—something that made her blood boil.

Without even thinking, Ino's hand shot out, and she delivered a swift punch straight to Jiraiya's face with a strength she didn't know she had.

WHAM!

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