Late at night.
The Yamanaka couple stayed in their room, discussing the matter. Strangely, compared to Ino, they seemed even more lost. It was as if they hadn't even realized their daughter had grown up, and now, in the blink of an eye, she was about to become a mother.
"Sigh." Rino let out a long breath.
"It's our fault too. We've been too busy with work lately and didn't pay enough attention to Ino." Inoichi muttered, scratching his head, his emotions still a mess.
"Don't say that. This was Ino's own choice. We saw it coming. If they can get married, it's not really a problem." Rino said.
Two hours earlier, during dinner, Ino's increasing aversion to meat had finally raised Rino's suspicions.
At first, Ino denied it. But after an hour of patient coaxing, she finally agreed to take a test.
There's needless to say about the result. Faced with undeniable proof, Ino panicked. It wasn't fear… just unpreparedness.
Inoichi was naturally furious. Even the most patient man would lose his temper. He said some harsh words, including a few about Naruto, which Ino didn't take well. She fired back.
For the first time in a long while, father and daughter had a full-blown argument… ending with Ino slamming her bedroom door shut.
In her room, Ino wasn't exactly gloomy. She just didn't know what to do. At first, she thought about contacting Naruto through the communication device to tell him the news.
But then she reconsidered… the second phase of the communication project wasn't finished yet. If she told him now, the best-case scenario would be marriage. And then, they definitely wouldn't let her continue leading the project.
Besides, whether Naruto could even marry her was uncertain. Caught between hope and fear, she ended up falling asleep on her bed.
By morning, she was still conflicted. But after dragging herself out of bed around noon, she found the house empty… Inoichi had gone to work, and Rino had stepped out. Relieved, she let out a long sigh.
After washing up, she made herself a simple breakfast and ate on the sofa while watching TV. With no one nagging her, she finally had a moment of peace.
Last night, because everything happened so suddenly, she was still a little stunned and unsure how to react. Maybe it was the shock of impending motherhood, combined with her father's harsh words, that had thrown her off balance.
But now, after a good night's sleep, she felt clearer. What's done is done. She couldn't change it. She'd just focus on wrapping up the communication project and embrace being a young mother.
It wasn't as big a deal as she'd thought. Well… maybe she was still a little lost. But recalling her own outburst and her father's temper, she decided not to bring it up again, feeling no need to provoke him.
Coincidentally, Inoichi was thinking the same thing. After his wife's advice, he regretted losing his temper and arguing with Ino.
At the end of the day, she was still his daughter, and now, she was pregnant. No matter how much Inoichi's heart ached at the thought of his precious girl being 'plucked' by some brat, he had to prioritize her health.
So, the family silently agreed not to bring up the matter again, giving each other space to cool off.
As for Naruto, he remained completely unaware of the whole situation. He woke up early in the morning and headed straight to Amegakure to oversee the construction progress. In just two days, with funds secured, the laboratory had already begun taking shape.
"So money really does make the world go round, huh?" He gazed at the scaffolding being erected across Amegakure and couldn't help but mutter in amazement.
"The reconstruction and laboratory construction plans have been ready long ago. The only thing missing was the funding." Konan explained as she stepped out from behind him.
"No need to explain. I get it… just feeling a little sentimental." Naruto waved his hand, "I've never really had a concept of money. I don't even like money."
Watching Naruto's deliberately nonchalant pose, clearly trying to act cool, Konan's eyebrow twitched. She couldn't help but think to herself, 'This guy really wasn't all that serious.'
'Back when he killed Uchiha Obito, he had been ruthless. Comparing that to now, it was like seeing two completely different people. This guy… was a complicated mix.'
Konan wasn't in the mood to humor his jokes and didn't engage further. After a brief silence, she shifted the topic to the progress of the village's reconstruction.
"Amegakure isn't large, but repairing the sewer system is a major expense. Since it rains most of the time here, if we don't promptly fix the damage from the last battle, it could lead to serious problems."
"Not enough money?" He glanced at her.
"No, it's enough. I'm just unsure whether we should spend it." Konan replied matter-of-factly, "If we don't repair it, the system can still last another ten years. We'd save a significant amount that way."
Hearing this, Naruto understood her meaning. She was considering his interests… if Amegakure was only a temporary base for him, there was no need to invest in such expenses.
Her intentions were good, prioritizing his plans even over the village's needs. But Naruto wasn't someone who only cared about profit. Konan had pledged her loyalty, and he naturally had to show his stance in return.
"Go ahead and repair it. Money isn't an issue. Amegakure's strategic importance is high. It's not just about the next ten years… this place might remain peaceful for decades, even a century,"
Naruto said it as though it were the most natural thing in the world, not even turning to look at Konan. Just as he was about to finish, he suddenly added another line,
"Besides, wasn't that the dream of you three? The cost isn't that high anyway. Might as well fulfill it along the way."
Konan froze. She lifted her head, staring at Naruto's back, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something. But in the end, all that came out were two words.
"Thank you."
"Mm." Naruto acknowledged it.
"Hey, you're already winning people over this early in the morning?" Sakura's bright voice came from the doorway, accompanied by a lighthearted laugh. Clearly, she was just teasing.
Sakura was actually quite sharp, and Konan was no fool. By pointing out Naruto's obvious attempt at winning her over so bluntly, the slight awkwardness in the air dissipated.
"What's wrong? I've won you over plenty of times too." Naruto laughed.
Konan pressed her lips together. The way the two of them bantered so openly actually made the moment feel refreshingly genuine. Unconsciously, the corners of her mouth curved upward.
Others might not know, but Konan, bound to Naruto by the Jashin's contract, understood that he had no real need to go out of his way to win her over.
Even if he were to berate or order her around, Konan had no way to resist his commands. If he wanted, he could easily control every aspect of her life.
Yet he never forced her to do anything. Everything was discussed and decided together. The sincerity in his actions made Konan sigh inwardly.
The more he acted this way, the greater the debt she owed him.
But these things couldn't simply be measured in terms of gains and losses. Konan didn't dwell on it further. After a few more explanations, she excused herself to continue her work.
"How's the village been lately?" Sakura asked with a smile.
"Same as always."