Chapter 40: "Three Girls, One Heart Attack (Mine)"
From the surprisingly flustered brain of Naruto Uzumaki
Sakura's POV –
The late afternoon sun poured through the wide windows of Saga's home, casting a gentle warmth across the room.
Saga was still asleep, Maya seated loyally beside him, her hand gently resting on his as if her presence alone could guide him back. Hinata and I sat by the window, steaming cups of herbal tea in our hands, the silence between us a comforting kind.
And yet, I couldn't resist stirring the pot.
"Ino is probably flirting with Naruto again," I said, eyes still on the swirl of tea in my cup.
Hinata didn't even flinch. "I know," she said softly, with a light smile. "It's okay."
That caught my attention. I turned toward her. "Okay?"
"She's different. And I'm different. We all have our ways," she said. "It's up to Naruto to decide what he likes."
I blinked at her. Then smiled faintly, genuinely impressed. "I'm surprised, Hinata. You've really come a long way this past month."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, the faintest blush on her cheeks. "Thanks. What about you, Sakura? Are your feelings for him real, or… are you still unsure?"
I wanted to deny it—push it away like I'd done a thousand times before. But I knew her eyes weren't just shy anymore; she could read people now. Quiet didn't mean naïve.
I sighed, eyes dropping back to the tea. "I… do feel uncomfortable when he's with other girls. So yeah… I guess I do like him."
"I see."
A silence settled for a breath before Hinata spoke again, this time with a softness that carried more strength than I expected.
"You know," she said, "I think we should all just agree to work together. And stop before it becomes a messy, painful love drama. Polygamy… it's normal for our people. So why not give it a try?"
I looked at her again.
She wasn't weak anymore. She wasn't begging for a chance or hiding behind walls of self-doubt. This was her way of taking control—not through force, but through harmony.
"I don't want to see any of us sad," Hinata continued. "And I don't think Naruto has the heart to hurt any of us on purpose. So… let's make a truce. Let's agree to a big family if that's where things go."
I stared at her. Part of me wanted to call it desperation. But the bigger part of me recognized something else.
It was practical. It was realistic. It made sense.
It wasn't about being second. It was about not losing everything in a tug-of-war neither of us wanted to win at the cost of the other.
"…Let's see," I finally said. "Naruto hasn't exactly declared love for any of us. Who knows? Maybe he'll fall for someone else. Vivi, or… some girl out of nowhere."
"If that's what makes him happy," Hinata said quietly, "then I'll accept it."
I took another sip of tea, then smirked. "Yeah, well, I won't. I don't want two heartbreaks in a row. I might just cripple Naruto for a bit and heal him slowly, make him dependent on me. That way, he falls for me all over again."
Hinata turned and stared at me like I'd grown a second head. "You're one scary woman, Sakura."
I chuckled. "Yeah. But you don't win without thinking outside the box."
She rolled her eyes, but the smile tugging at her lips said it all.
We were different. But maybe… just maybe, we could find a way to not tear each other apart.
Not for love. Not for him.
Maybe… for all of us.
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Neji's POV –
The marine dojo was quiet now, the sound of snores echoing in the distance where the local marines lay knocked out. A few taps—well-placed and harmless—had put them into a gentle sleep. They wouldn't wake for hours.
Choji was by the firepit outside, roasting deer and rabbit he'd hunted earlier with skill that rivaled any five-star chef. The smell of spices and seared meat drifted into the dojo, making it feel less like a training ground and more like a hidden base camp of champions.
Neji sat silently in a meditation posture, observing the others.
Choji… he had once underestimated him too. But not anymore. His appetite wasn't just indulgence—it was power. Each bite he took, every carefully prepared dish, was part of his discipline. Choji's chakra manipulation through food storage and conversion into explosive energy—Neji had seen it push him past even jounin-level combatants.
He was what Lee would call: a model man.
And Shikamaru, laying down with his eyes half-closed, was still working. His shadows danced lazily across the floor, crawling up walls like curious serpents. Even asleep, his mind and chakra never stopped. Shikamaru's insight could determine victory before a single punch was thrown. Strategy turned into instinct—that was his art.
And then—there was Tenten.
She sat on the floor across from him, surrounded by scrolls and pieces of weaponry, the cursed blade resting beside her like a coiled beast. She had spent the last hour deciphering the marks, studying the strange curse patterns, and testing the magical limits of what it could do.
Neji had been watching her. Admiring her.
Five years ago, he had thought of her as a mere toolsmith's daughter. Unrefined, mundane. But now… the way her chakra flowed as she activated her seals, the delicate control she exerted over hundreds of weapons—it was mesmerizing. Each motion was graceful. Sharp. Lethal. Efficient.
She was a genuine threat—even to him.
As if sensing his eyes, Tenten let out a long breath and stretched her arms above her head, rolling her shoulders dramatically.
"Ugh… I think I'm getting a headache from all this intense brain usage," she groaned, leaning back on her hands before scooting right up next to him. "Neji~ I need a massage."
He blinked, turning his head slowly. "You can heal your own body using chakra. You don't need a massage."
"I do," she said, with a grin. "From you. Hyuuga chakra is good at releasing blockages, right? Besides…" Her voice dropped slightly. "It's not about needing it. It's about wanting it."
Neji's posture stiffened slightly. "You're being pushy."
She leaned even closer, her shoulder touching his. "Am I? Well, maybe if you throw in a kiss too, the headache will go away faster." Her voice was playful but her eyes searched his, daring him to react.
Neji let out a low sigh, staring straight ahead.
"You're not subtle."
"And you're not denying me."
"…You're lucky I don't take teasing as a challenge."
Tenten smirked. "Oh, but I am challenging you."
She leaned her head onto his shoulder, and despite himself, Neji didn't pull away. The dojo was quiet, peaceful. The fire crackled outside. For once, he allowed himself a moment to not resist the warmth.
Just for now.
Maybe later… he'd even consider that massage. And… maybe the kiss.
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Naruto Pov:
So, funny story.
When you walk through a forest at night with a girl who keeps flipping her hair and looking at you with "that look," one of two things might happen:
You get ambushed by a band of ninjas hiding in the trees.
You get ambushed by a kiss.
Guess which one happened to me?
Spoiler: It was number two.
Yep. Ino Yamanaka—blonde, bold, and basically allergic to subtlety—planted one right on my lips before we even reached Saga's house. Right there. Boom. Surprise kiss. No warning, no three-second countdown, not even a "believe it!"
Now, I could have kept it to myself. Ninja's honor and all that.
But the moment we stepped through the door, Ino literally strolled in like a fashion model about to drop a bomb and said, "I kissed him on the lips."
I kid you not.
I almost tripped over my own sandal trying to act like it was no big deal—while Hinata's face went redder than a tomato in a sauna, and Sakura nearly cracked her teacup. Subtlety? Never heard of it. Ino probably burned the page out of her clan's scrolls.
But let's not dwell on that (Naruto.exe is still recovering).
We were back at Saga's place, and our favorite sword-cursed ex-hostage was finally awake. He was sitting up, looking like he just lost a fight against a pride of lions—and emotionally, he had. Maya was sitting beside him like a loyal guardian fox, helping him eat spoon by spoon. She even wiped his chin like a grandma. Adorable and mildly humiliating.
Saga muttered a tired, "Thanks for helping me."
I gave him my trademark, award-worthy grin. "No problem! Y'know, nearly dying is kind of how we say 'hello' around here."
He chuckled, but… his eyes didn't smile.
I recognized that look. The look of someone whose pride had been sucker-punched by a cursed sword and then roundhouse-kicked by Tenten. Ouch. Not just physically, but like… soul ouch.
Even worse, that creepy sword had called him a weak vessel before ditching him like yesterday's moldy dango.
Man, cursed swords are ruthless.
He stared at the floor, fidgeting with his bandages. "Even with the sword, I lost. Tenten took me down like it was nothing…"
I shrugged. "Hey, happens to the best of us. I once got beat up by a tiny old lady who ran a ramen stand. Still haven't emotionally recovered."
Saga didn't laugh. I wasn't joking either.
But I leaned forward, arms resting on my knees. "Why not train with Tenten and Kakashi? They're both sword masters, and trust me, they've kicked all our butts before. It's kind of their love language."
Saga blinked. "Train… with the people who beat me?"
Maya smiled and nudged him. "Learning from someone stronger isn't weakness. It's smart. Plus, I won't marry a man who lets his pride stop him from growing."
Now that got a reaction.
Saga straightened his back so fast you'd think someone hit him with a lightning jutsu. "Okay. I'll do it. But… I don't know how I'll repay you all."
I grinned. "Easy. We're taking that sword off your hands anyway. National treasure or not, it nearly made you go full murder-mode, so yeah—we're confiscating your cursed cutlery, sir."
Saga blinked again. "That's it?"
"Yep. Sword for services. Fair trade." I paused. "Unless you have snacks. We do accept snacks."
As the night wore on, Hinata and Sakura stayed by the window, quietly sipping tea while Ino "accidentally" kept brushing her arm against mine. Saga leaned into Maya's side, chewing more confidently, and I saw a flicker of peace in his eyes.
We weren't just ninja anymore.
We were medics, therapists, sword-disposal specialists, and apparently part-time dating counselors.
All in a day's work for the future Hokage.
And if anyone asks about that kiss again?
I'll just say, "I was ambushed by affection. It happens."
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Now, don't get me wrong—I love attention. I mean, who wouldn't? You train for years, save a few people, punch some demons, and boom—suddenly you're cool. The hero. The man. The Hokage-to-be.
But this?
This was not attention.
This was a full-blown emotional ambush.
Let me rewind a bit.
After checking in on Saga (who, by the way, was officially in "lovebird recovery mode" with Maya), I figured it was time to give them some alone time. You know, privacy. Romance. Mushy stuff. All that grown-up nonsense people write bad poetry about.
So I waved, smiled, and made a clean exit.
Or at least, I thought it was going to be a clean exit.
Instead, I ended up walking with Ino, Sakura, and Hinata—a very dangerous combination of pretty, intelligent, and terrifying when united. The night was quiet. Stars were out. The moon looked like one of those fancy festival lanterns in the sky.
And that's when it happened.
Hinata gave Sakura a nudge.
Sakura blinked.
Looked at me.
And said:
"So, we've all talked and, um… we kinda all like you. Like like-like you. So if you're cool with it, we're cool with it being a polygamous thing."
…WHAT!?
I choked on absolutely nothing.
She wasn't done.
"Oh, and since you're getting three girls at the price of one, you're not allowed to look at anyone else. Deal?"
I blinked. My soul blinked. My chakra blinked. I'm pretty sure even Kurama blinked from the afterlife.
My first reaction was to assume I was hallucinating from leftover ramen fumes. But no—Ino who hadn't even been part of the original conversation lit up like she'd just won the ninja lottery.
"Three girlfriends? Us? At the same time?" she grinned, linking her arm around mine like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Ugh, why has no one thought of this sooner?! I call top bunk!"
"Top bunk?!" I squeaked.
"Figure of speech. Don't faint."
Meanwhile, Sakura was back to walking calmly like she hadn't just hit me with a kunai made of feelings, and Hinata—sweet, soft-spoken Hinata—was smiling. SMILING. Not shyly blushing or looking away—no, she looked perfectly peaceful, like she just completed a math test early and knew all the answers were right.
"I think it's best," she said. "Better than drama. Better than heartbreak. And… I believe we can make each other happy this way."
Reader, I am not proud to say this, but my brain completely blue-screened.
One minute I was being serenaded with soft confessions and flirty compliments, and the next…
I ran.
I don't mean "walked briskly."
I mean I bounced out of there like the Flash after six espresso shots. One moment I was surrounded by lovely ladies—next, I was three rooftops away, whispering to myself:
"Calm down. You are Naruto Uzumaki. You've fought immortals. You've survived Jiraiya's training. You cannot be defeated by… affection."
But my heart was doing cartwheels.
My stomach? Backflips.
My brain? Lying face down on the floor, crying.
Moral of the story:
They say "be careful what you wish for."
I wished for love.
Turns out… I might need a game plan. And a helmet.