Chapter 27: The Tulip on the Windowsill
Seeing the situation, Akiyama Makoto decided to change the subject. He had already made his stance clear to Ino, but he didn't want to truly infuriate Yamanaka Inoichi.
So, Makoto spoke up. "Ino, didn't you just recommend your family's flowers to me? I can still buy them now, right?"
Just as Makoto had assessed, Ino was a considerate person.
Snapping back to the present, she immediately sensed that her father was about to get angry. She quickly changed her tune, pulling Makoto towards the flower shop. "Don't worry, you never have to worry about our Yamanaka shop being out of stock."
"Come on, come on, I'll help you pick them out myself."
"Is Dad coming too? You can help me wrap them."
Yamanaka Inoichi stared in astonishment as the atmosphere between the two changed in an instant. For a moment, he was at a loss. He knew nothing about things like flower arranging, so he could only shake his head and refuse. "You're better at that sort of thing. Just remember to lock up the shop after you're done."
"Of course! Don't worry, Dad."
Ino pulled Makoto forward. It wasn't until they were inside the already darkened flower shop that she let out a long sigh of relief.
"His expression just now was terrifying. Weren't you afraid he was going to hit you?" Ino said in a deliberately low voice in the darkness.
"I should be asking you that question," Makoto replied with a hint of complaint in his voice. "Did you want your father to hit me?"
Ino turned on the lights, stuck out her tongue, and gave a mischievous smile.
"I didn't expect you to actually dare to side with me in front of him... You're really brave."
Makoto surveyed the dazzling array of flowers in the Yamanaka shop, gently sniffing the fragrance in the air and revealing a satisfied smile.
"After all, you're my friend, Ino. Of course I have to stand on my friend's side."
Ino gave Makoto a thumbs-up. "Today, I feel like I've truly gotten to know you, Makoto-kun."
"Seeing as you support me so much, I've decided to give you a twenty percent discount. What kind of flowers do you like?"
Under Ino's guidance, Makoto looked around at the shop's main products. He already had an idea in mind, but he still decided to let Ino play to her strengths. "Why don't you choose for me? One for the living room, and one for the bedroom."
"Alright, leave it to me!"
Ino took out two vases and began to pick and choose flowers.
The large vase was centered around sunflowers, with some small, vibrant flowers added, making it look like a sunlamp capable of illuminating the living room.
The small vase was centered around lavender and white roses, providing a relaxing fragrance while adding an atmosphere of purity and tranquility to the bedroom.
"How is it? Not bad, right?" Ino smiled triumphantly, waiting for praise.
Makoto naturally did not hold back. "Perfect," he said. "It's the most beautiful flower arrangement I've ever seen."
"Hmph, you say the nicest things, but how many flower arrangements have you actually seen?" Ino said with a hint of tsundere charm. "It's like what you said just now, that I'm the most thoughtful girl you've ever met... Have you even met that many girls?"
"No," Makoto admitted truthfully. But then he added, "But I don't think I'll ever meet a girl more thoughtful than you in the future, either."
Makoto was telling the truth, with three simulated lifetimes as his evidence.
Ino had originally wanted to dispel the somewhat strange atmosphere between them, but his words only served to intensify it. She covered her face in exasperation, peeking at him through the gaps in her fingers, feeling that she might have trouble sleeping tonight.
"Oh, right. Ino, could you get me one more tulip, please?"
"Huh? Okay." Ino didn't think much of it, assuming he just liked tulips. "It's on the house," she said generously.
"See you tomorrow, then, Ino."
"See you tomorrow," she replied softly, watching his back disappear into the shadows. She stood there in a daze for a moment, only snapping out of it when she heard her mother's call.
"I know, Mom! I'm closing up now!"
On his way back, Makoto walked at a steady pace, his eyes fixed on the tulip. He hadn't bought it for himself. Since he had now learned chakra control from Ino, it meant he would probably have to say goodbye to that person.
But as he walked, his brow suddenly furrowed. He sensed that someone was following him in the darkness. Just as he was contemplating whether to react, the figure following him from a distance vanished.
Makoto let out a soft breath. Who could it be?
He now had some sensory ability, but it was only very basic, and he hadn't done any specialized training to enhance it. So he had no way of telling who the other person was.
Three possibilities came to his mind.
First, Yamanaka Inoichi, wanting to see what kind of rogue dared to flirt with his daughter.
Second, Danzō. He might be targeting him because his book could potentially boost the Third Hokage's reputation.
Third, someone completely unexpected, perhaps someone who had taken an interest in him because of the design schematics he had given to Tenten's family.
Regardless of which it was, Makoto felt it was time to rapidly increase his strength. After all, he now had a legitimate reason to train openly.
A short while later, he arrived home.
Although he couldn't see her, he could already sense Uzuki Yūgao's presence in the shadows of his backyard. She, who was supposed to be monitoring him, now gave him a strange sense of security. It had to be said, the bonds between people were sometimes very peculiar.
Makoto placed the two flower arrangements, then walked to the window and rested the single tulip against the wooden sill outside.
In the darkness, his gaze seemed to penetrate the night and land on Yūgao. He could feel that she was also looking at him, her expression one of surprise.
Their eyes met across the distance. This was actually a bit risky for Makoto, as it was tantamount to exposing some of his talent. But this was all part of his plan.
The Third Hokage would most likely die in the Konoha Crush next year. Makoto had to use this period to try and gain as many benefits and as much influence from him as possible. Otherwise, once the Third Hokage was dead, he might fall into a situation like in his third simulation, where he was framed and powerless to fight back.
The old Makoto wouldn't have dared to take the initiative, because his goal then was survival. The current Makoto now had a fallback plan in the Sand Village, so he could naturally be a bit bolder and more proactive.
Besides, he still had the simulator... Makoto had long considered that he might be able to use the simulations to predict the future. His meeting with Ino had already proven this was feasible. This meant he now had a limited ability to foresee events, which further bolstered his confidence to take the initiative.
All that remained was to wait for Yūgao to report this matter to the Third Hokage.
Having sorted everything out, Makoto went to bed.
The next morning when he woke up, the tulip on the windowsill was gone.
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