All four left the shop, stomachs full and spirits high, having paid for their meals—even though Ayame and Teuchi had, as always, offered them on the house.
Naruto, standing by the counter with his usual sunny grin, shook his head and placed the Ryo firmly on the counter.
"Ojisan, Nee-chan… I won't be around much longer—maybe just a few more days or weeks. So please, let me pay this time. You've treated me like family for years, never asking for anything in return… always giving. Let me return a little of that."
Teuchi chuckled, eyes soft beneath his chef's bandana. "You've already repaid us more than enough just by growing up into the man you are, Naruto."
But he accepted the Ryo with a nod—quietly proud.
Ayame stood beside her father, her hands tucked behind her apron. She wore a soft smile, but her eyes lingered a little longer on Naruto's face than usual. There was something unsaid in them—a quiet farewell that hung between them like steam from the broth.
As Naruto stepped toward the door, he turned and gave her one last look.
"Ayame-neechan… until we meet again."
Ayame blinked—caught off guard for half a second by the gentle weight of his words. But when she met his gaze, that bright, goofy smile of his lifted her mood like sunshine breaking through a rainy morning.
"Yes, Naruto… until we meet again," she replied, voice warm and sure.
Naruto gave a final wave and stepped out onto the street.
Ayame watched the door swing closed behind him, her fingers gently tightening around the cloth of her apron. Then, as the bell rang again and the next customers entered, she turned back to the counter—carrying a quiet little ache in her chest, and a smile that didn't fade.
With full bellies and lazy smiles, the group stepped out into the warm midday sun.
"So," Naruto asked, stretching his arms behind his head, "where are you three headed now?"
Ino let out a long, satisfied sigh. "Honestly? A nap sounds perfect."
"Yeah, same here," Karin added, patting her stomach. "That ramen hit the spot. Midday food coma incoming."
Hinata nodded softly in agreement, her lavender eyes a little drowsy from the meal and the training.
Naruto chuckled. "Alright then. You three go get some rest."
He paused, then added, more seriously, "I still have one more person I need to tell—Sakura. Haven't spoken to her about me leaving yet."
The girls nodded. No teasing, no protest—just quiet understanding.
"Tell her properly," Ino said, throwing him a small smirk. "Don't get punched."
"I'll try not to," Naruto laughed.
With that, they split paths—Karin slinging an arm lazily over Ino's shoulder, Hinata walking beside them, while Naruto turned and made his way toward the hospital.
The Konoha Hospital loomed ahead, bustling with its usual mid-day rush. Patients came and went, nurses moved swiftly between wings, and clipboard-holding shinobi darted in and out like ants on a mission.
Naruto stepped through the entrance, scanning the front desk.
Time to find Sakura.
"Excuse me," Naruto said as he approached the front desk, flashing his usual bright grin.
The nurse looked up and smiled warmly. "Oh, Naruto-kun! If you're looking for Tsunade-sama, Sakura, or Shizune, they're all in the operating room right now. Rock Lee's surgery has just begun."
Naruto blinked, caught off guard. "Oh, I didn't know it started already. Thanks!"
He gave a sheepish bow, scratching the back of his head.
The nurse chuckled at his familiar antics and pointed down the hall. "Just follow that corridor, take the second left. You'll see the observation window."
Naruto nodded and walked briskly through the corridor. The air grew a little more sterile, a little more tense, as he neared the operating room.
Outside the room, he spotted two familiar figures—Neji, arms crossed, leaning against the wall; and Might Guy, seated stiffly on a bench, back straight, fists clenched on his knees, face pale from trying not to cry.
Naruto slowed his pace. "Whoa, you two got here quick," he whispered.
Neji glanced over and gave a short nod. "Naruto. Keep your voice down."
He motioned toward Guy with a subtle tilt of the head. "They warned us already—especially Tsunade-sama. If Sensei starts wailing, she swore she'd throw him out."
Guy, for once, was completely silent. His eyes were red-rimmed, but his lips were pressed into a firm line. Not a tear had escaped yet… but you could feel the dam ready to burst.
"Lee's in good hands," Naruto said, quietly. "If it's Tsunade and Sakura, he couldn't ask for better."
Guy nodded slowly, visibly swallowing emotion. "My… my student is strong. His flames of youth… they won't flicker today."
Naruto smiled faintly and stood beside them.
Now all they could do… was wait.
But Naruto—being Naruto—couldn't stop himself. He gently knocked on the operating room door.
Tap tap.
Neji's eyes widened. Is this idiot serious?
"What are you doing?!" he hissed, rushing forward. In one swift motion, Neji grabbed Naruto by the collar and yanked him backward—so fast and smooth not even a squeak escaped from Naruto's sandals.
Naruto now dangled a few inches off the ground, blinked at him. "Hey! I'm an Iryō-nin too, you know! I can help!"
Neji's voice was calm but sharp. "Tsunade-sama specifically said—especially you—are not allowed inside."
"...What?" Naruto blinked, lower lip twitching. "Why especially me?"
Neji deadpanned, "Do you want the list in alphabetical order or ranked by danger level?"
With his ego bruised and spirit wounded, Naruto slumped down beside Guy, who hadn't moved from his place on the bench. Guy looked like a statue carved from raw emotion—eyes misty, lips trembling, one mighty tear ready to fall but refusing to break rank until the moment was right.
Naruto sat, his soul seemingly having left his body, arms hanging limp like a puppet with cut strings. "This sucks," he muttered.
Time dragged.
One hour passed.
Two.
Naruto didn't twitch. Not a fidget. Not a sigh. He just stared blankly ahead like a man who'd been denied both his ramen and his dignity in one day.
Then finally—click—the operating room doors opened.
Out stepped Tsunade, Shizune, and Sakura, all removing their masks. A fourth nurse trailed behind, rolling away a tray of tools.
Tsunade looked exhausted. Shizune's sleeves were stained. Sakura wiped her forehead with the back of her glove, her eyes showing both weariness and pride.
Neji stepped forward. "Tsunade-sama. How is Lee? Was the operation successful?"
Tsunade pulled off her gloves with a sigh, tossing them in a nearby bin. "Yes. It was difficult, but the operation was a success. He's stable now. But he'll need at least a month of rest—strictly no training."
Behind her, Guy's eyes lit up like the morning sun. "LEE—!"
"Don't," Tsunade said sharply, giving him a glare that could probably shatter bones faster than a Rasengan. Guy instantly shrank back into silence, giving a sheepish thumbs-up.
That's when Tsunade's eyes landed on the mess that was Naruto—still slouched, eyes blank, hair slightly disheveled like he'd just lost a duel with depression.
"…What's with him?" she asked, pointing her thumb at him.
Sakura looked over and nearly chuckled. "Let me guess… he tried to knock on the door, got banned from helping, and now he's having a dramatic spiral?"
Neji nodded. "Correct."
Tsunade rolled her eyes and sighed. "Honestly. He's lucky I didn't hear that knock, or he'd be under my operating table."
Shizune giggled, leaning in close to Naruto's ear, her voice a playful whisper. "Naruto, you can either have Tsunade-sama… or me. Which do you want?"
At that moment, the lights in Naruto's head flicked back on like a thunderclap of joy. His ear twitched, a devilish grin tugged at his lips. "Why not both?" he whispered back—then, without a shred of shame, kissed her right on the lips.
Right there. In front of Tsunade. In front of Sakura. In front of the Kami above and the poor nurse on shift.
Neji and Guy had already slipped into Lee's room, missing the spectacle. Lucky them.
The unfortunate nurse still standing there turned beet red, gasped, and practically sprinted down the hallway—in the wrong direction.
Sakura and Tsunade watched her run.
"…Wrong way," Sakura said flatly.
"Just let her go. If we stop her now, she'll combust on the spot," Tsunade sighed.
Naruto broke the kiss, breath warm, smug grin plastered on his face. Shizune was a little breathless, but she gave him a sweet smile, her cheeks pink.
Then came Sakura.
Like a thunderstorm on heels.
She stormed up to Naruto and shoved him back until he hit the wall with a light thud.
"Do you have any shame?!" she barked. "You just traumatized a nurse. She's going to have flashbacks in the middle of paperwork."
Naruto just chuckled, arms behind his head like he was in the hot springs. "Come on, Sakura. She needed that little spark in her routine life. Someday, when she's older, married maybe, and her kids ask what her youth was like, she'll remember this moment. A memory she'll treasure."
"Treasure!?" Sakura smacked the back of his head. "Who the hell tells their kids that kind of story!?"
"Ow—wait, they don't?" Naruto blinked.
"NO, you dumbass!" Sakura yelled, rubbing her temples like this conversation was aging her five years per second.
Naruto leaned in with a sly grin. "Sakura… you jealous I kissed Shizune and not you?"
Before Sakura could respond, Tsunade folded her arms and grinned, eyes glinting with mischief. "Oho~ I didn't know you were such a tsundere, Sakura."
Sakura's face flared bright red. "Wha—No! I'm not—You both—Shizune, do something!"
Shizune just laughed, calmly adjusting her gloves and enjoying the chaos. "I'm fine just watching. This is better than a soap opera."
Naruto, already rubbing the bump on his head, gave a wink to Sakura. "Hey, it's okay. You'll get your turn."
"You're incorrigible!" Sakura shouted, throwing her hands up and stomping away—but not too far. She stopped just a few steps ahead, glancing back with a scowl and a flushed face that betrayed just a little something else.
Tsunade chuckled. "He's got you pegged, huh?"
"Shut up," Sakura muttered.
Naruto just grinned like the fool in love he proudly was.
"Sakura, I'm gonna leave the village… for the next two years."His voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the hallway like a kunai. Calm. Firm. Just loud enough to reach her.
Sakura stopped mid-step. The flush in her cheeks faded instantly, replaced by confusion… then stillness. Like a sudden wind had knocked the breath out of her.
She turned to face him, slowly. "What…?"
Naruto gave her a soft look—not playful, not teasing. Just honest. The kind of look that meant, this isn't a joke.
He didn't say anything else just yet. Instead, with a small nod of his head, he gestured to Tsunade and Shizune—wordlessly asking them for space.
Tsunade, who'd caught the shift in Naruto's tone, exhaled through her nose and gave a knowing look. "Come on, Shizune."
Shizune opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but Tsunade gently pulled her along.
They walked off without a word, leaving the two alone in the hallway—where just minutes ago, teasing and laughter had filled the space. Now, only silence.