Aoba originally intended to wait for the customer to leave before going in, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble for others.
Now that he had been discovered in advance, he placed his umbrella outside the flower shop and stepped inside.
The female customer glanced at Ino with a teasing look, then politely nodded to Aoba before leaving.
"Aoba, why didn't you come in when you arrived?", Ino happily ran up to Aoba, her face full of joy.
She hadn't expected to see him today.
Aoba smiled, and sweet words flowed out effortlessly, "Ino was just too cute just now. I was mesmerized, so I stood outside a bit longer."
Ino was instantly hit by the sugar-coated artillery and got dizzy and flustered.
Her face turned rosy, eyes glistening with water, looking extremely shy.
"Re… really, was I that cute?"
"Really."
Seeing Ino already cupping her face in both hands, giggling foolishly, Aoba casually reached out to pat her head and asked, "Aren't your parents home today?"
Ino snapped out of it, though her cheeks were still burning, "Dad went to work, and Mom went to the park yesterday to help out. It's been raining heavily up to now, and she still hasn't come back."
"I see," Aoba quietly breathed a sigh of relief, then asked again,
"Have you been managing all by yourself?"
"Of course no problem!", Ino puffed out her chest, her little face full of pride, then blinked, "Aoba, did you come to play with me?"
"Not really," Aoba decided to tease her.
"Eh? Then why did Aoba come?", Ino's face immediately fell.
"To buy flowers."
"Eh? Aoba, you're actually buying flowers?", Ino, who had just been pouting, now looked surprised.
"Who are you giving them to?"
"As the shopkeeper, prying into other people's privacy isn't very nice."
Aoba said with a smile, "I want that flower. Please wrap it for me."
"Oh~", Seeing that Aoba wouldn't tell her, Ino pouted and slowly took out the cosmos flower, then wrapped it up.
"Thirty ryō," But Ino couldn't help asking again, "Who exactly are you giving it to?"
Seeing Ino with that "If you don't tell me, I'll cry" expression,
Aoba directly paid, took the flower, and then pushed it toward Ino.
"Huh?", Ino was taken aback.
"This is for you."
Aoba smiled and brought the flower close to Ino's nose.
"Eh?", Ino blinked in a dazed and adorable way. She hadn't expected Aoba to suddenly buy her flowers.
"Wh… why are you suddenly giving me a flower?"
"I think this flower suits Ino," Aoba said, looking at her.
"I… is that so?", Ino's eyes looked away, not daring to meet Aoba's gaze, cheeks blushing as she said, "It kinda feels like something adults would do… giving each other flowers… like Dad and Mom…"
"I see, looks like Ino doesn't like it then. I'll just give it to someone else," Seeing Ino's shy appearance, Aoba pretended to take it back.
"No! A gift meant for someone can't be given to someone else!", Ino hurriedly snatched the beautifully wrapped cosmos from Aoba's hands and held it tightly to her chest.
"I… I really like it."
Aoba had only been acting. Seeing Ino flustered, he couldn't help but laugh.
Ino was now too shy to lift her head.
———
After chatting with Ino for a while in the flower shop, Aoba left.
But he bought a few more tulips from the flower shop before leaving, spending just a few hundred ryō in total.
Spending just a little money to make a girl happy for the whole day, this deal was definitely worth it.
However, while he was buying the flowers, Ino's expression didn't look so good again.
Upholding the principle of fairness and not favoring one over the other, he walked with his umbrella to the ninja tool shop run by Tenten's family.
Compared to Ino's flower shop, Tenten's ninja tool shop was much more crowded, practically packed with people.
Flowers weren't necessities, but ninja tools were essential survival items for ninjas.
Inside the ninja tool shop, the lights were also bright.
Tenten was sitting on a small stool, propping her cheeks with both hands, staring blankly at the rain hitting the stone steps outside.
As she stared, a familiar smiling face suddenly appeared outside the glass door.
Tenten thought she was seeing things and couldn't help but smile foolishly in return.
But when the person waved at her, she realized this wasn't an illusion.
After calling out to her mother, Tenten blushed from the teasing of the customers and ran out of the shop like an escape.
But she seemed to forget it was still raining outside, so Aoba quickly moved the umbrella forward to keep her from getting wet.
"Aoba, why are you here?", Tenten's face was flushed, head lowered, looking very embarrassed.
After all, the other party had just seen her silly smile.
"Just happened to pass by, so I came to see you," Aoba handed the tulips he had prepared earlier in front of Tenten, "For you."
Tenten stared blankly at the tulips in front of her.
"Don't like them?", Aoba asked curiously.
"That's not it…", Tenten reached out to take them, sniffed at the petals, then couldn't help but ask, "From Ino's place?"
"..."
"Yes."
Aoba realized the flaw, but Tenten had noticed it even earlier.
Sure enough, Tenten pouted.
"So, you went to Ino first?"
"But if I didn't go to Ino's first, I wouldn't be able to buy the flowers," Aoba showed an innocent expression.
Tenten stared into Aoba's eyes for a moment, trying to see through his act.
But looking at those clear eyes, she was the one who ended up blushing and turning away, "Hmph, since you brought flowers, I'll forgive you this time."
"Thanks, Tenten," Aoba genuinely thanked her.
"Do… do you want to come inside and sit for a bit?", Tenten said shyly.
Seeing the curious expressions on the faces inside the ninja tool shop, Aoba chose to refuse, "Better not. I still have something to do later…"
Tenten was momentarily stunned, then glanced back into the store and came over, "Then I'll go out with you!"
Aoba shook his head, pinched the bun on her head, and said with a smile, "The rain's too heavy today. Let's hang out next time."
"Alright then…"
———
Aoba then went to check on his own house, and as expected, no one was there.
Ever since Aoba moved into the Senju clan estate, Hayame rarely came home.
Only when he occasionally returned to the village would he visit Tsunade and see him.
Uzuki Yugao, on the other hand, visited him frequently. Sometimes, she even stayed for a day or two to take care of him, not much different from before.
It's just that Uzuki Yugao's strength had already reached the level of a Jōnin. In the past, she didn't plan on getting promoted because she had to take care of Aoba.
Now that she had time, she began taking promotion missions.
He also went to Ichiraku Ramen to see Ayame, chatted for a bit, and then left. [T/N: Bro didn't even leave Ayame. True rizzler]
He didn't plan to visit Sakura's home because she was with Tsunade.
Walking in the rain on the street, Aoba encountered someone he didn't expect.
A masked Anbu ninja with a short sword on his back.
The other party stood silently in the rain, staring at the Senju estate.
Aoba couldn't help but complain in his heart.
'Are Anbu always this unprofessional? Just openly standing there and watching?'
[T/N: If you're liking this story, I just started a new one: "Pokémon: Gardevoir Harem with Tag System." As evident from the name, a Pokemon fanfic, OP MC and OP system, check and throw some Powerstones while you are at it. Have a great read 🥳]
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