130 Chapter 130

"…Meaningful," Ino begrudgingly answers.

"He knows two things about you," Kurenai interrupts. "One, you don't love him, and two, you were drugged when you were with him, which to him, is the equivalent of being tricked. Before he learned the truth, he hoped that you might actually have feelings for him," Kurenai shares with the surprised blond.

Ino has long since lost all barring when it comes to Naruto. She doesn't hate him or even dislike him as she used to. He seems to be a good, strong person, Kurenai seems to have a good opinion of him, and add to that he can make her feel really really good, it leaves Ino with deep and prolonged confusion. She never thought she would ever think of Naruto in a romantic way, but he's giving her less and less reasons not to.

'Plus more sex,' her vagina happily thinks as Kurenai continues. "When I explained to him you didn't have romantic feelings for him, he was genuinely hurt. Bonds matter a great deal to him and it hurts him that much more when he learns a connection he thought he made was actually a trick. When you were with Naruto earlier, if you had said you wanted to stop, no matter how aroused he was, do you believe he would've?"

"…hai."

"Despite what led to it, you both shared something incredibly personal. Asking him to be that level of intimate with you, someone he cares about, while telling him his feelings will not be returned… I don't like that any more than what happened to you."

"So…" Ino can't believe she's asking this. "So, what? You want me to date him? Even though I don't love him?"

Kurenai sincerely responds, "I want him to completely understand what it is he would be agreeing to and I want you to respect his decision if he decides not to go through that."

Ino recalls how he asked if she was drugged despite her lecherous display and she becomes morose at the thought that he might say no. Voted as the sexiest kunoichi of their class, Ino finds it so incredibly backward that she's actually wondering, 'how do I make sure the not-so-dead-last of our class agrees to have sex with me… me!' Ino snorts, mentally yelling, 'It's ridiculous! He should be on his knees begging to convince me!'

But the Clan training within her can't discount his emotional scars. As the Yamanaka heir, she was made to study and discuss, at length, mind walking. She hadn't minded one bit at the time, as she had never-ending questions about Sasuke-kun's state of mind and learned a great deal.

Ino ponders on the primary difference between Naruto and Sasuke-kun's past. Sasuke-kun felt the love of family for a number of years before it was horribly ripped away. Naruto had nothing but hate and loneliness for the grand majority of his life until he found a few tentative bonds of affection. Ino couldn't answer who had it worse; having it and losing it, or never having it at all, but she knows it's terrible in either case.

Ino knew if the tables were turned and it was Sasuke-kun asking her for meaningless help, she didn't think she could do it and not fall in love. Maybe she is asking too much, though Kurenai interrupts her thoughts, saying, "come on. You don't need to answer right now."

TENTEN

"Tou-san," Tenten exhaustively calls. "I'm telling you, I asked! I literally said. 'name your price.' He could've asked for a billion and I would've said yes, but he said the same thing he always does, 'sorry, Tenten-chan, I can't sell it to you.'"

"There has to be something, Ten," her flustered father snaps. "I just heard from a former colleague in Tanigakure. The current market price for Kubikiribōchō is nearly nine hundred million ryo! With that much, we'd be in the top one percent of Konoha instantly!"

"Kami, that's a lot," Tenten gasps, before shaking her head of the money. Begging, she asks, "do we really have to sell it? It's a legendary sword, Tou-san! It might take me a while, but in time, I'm sure I could master wielding it."

While Tenten understands the importance of ryo as well as their family struggles, in her mind, this was too special of a sword to simply sell. The thought of selling it after they take ownership hurts to her very soul. 'I get how much the money would help us, but I want to be remembered as one of the strongest kunoichi this village has ever seen, and a legendary sword would definitely help!'

"There are others," Dānyī easily dismisses his daughter's passionate plea to keep the sword.

"But this one's here now," Tenten bemoans to counter. "I know we're destined to have Kubikiribōchō, just like I know I'll be one of the best kunoichi ever. Don't you think the reputation that would bring us would help us more in the long run than the ryo will now?"

Dānyī lets out a disappointed sigh, eying his daughter sympathetically, before informing her with absolute certainty, "ryo is power, Ten; a clear tangible unit of power. The more you have, the more power you wield. Who is more powerful, the Hokage or the Daimyō? And if you're so naive to think the Hokage, simply because he's a shinobi, than remember, daughter, he serves at the pleasure of our Daimyō."

"But the Daimyō can't be the Daimyō without the Hokage," Tenten tries to point out.

"Violence is paid with Ryo to maintain power," Dānyī exasperatedly tells his daughter. "I thought I taught you better than this. Violence is always used to protect sources of money. Remember this well because I don't want to keep repeating myself: this world is not built on the backs of shinobi, but on trade. Ryo can make people disappear or it can build great things. The Hokage represents violence, nothing more, so please, stop. Is that understood?" Slowly, with clear sadness, Tenten nods to her father before he continues. "Now, rather than your reeducation, we need to discuss what to do about the Demon-Boy. There has to be something he wants."

Though upset by her father's staunch views on the world, Tenten sets her frustrations aside for the target range later, and focuses on trying to acquire Kubikiribōchō now. "It would have to be something big like giving him the store-"

"Please do not joke at a time like this," Dānyī huffs. "My old friend has a line on a potential buyer and is willing to facilitate the sale for us at a neutral location for only 12.5 percent, which is an absolute steal! All we have to do is give it to him and he gives us the ryo. Simple."

"I think I should do more recon on Naruto-kun," Tenten suggests. Even if the subject matter, in this case, is weak and boring, Tenten has always loved investigating. She easily recalls angering Neji when she uncovered, not only his seal, but the circumstances around it. No matter how many times she apologized, he didn't talk to her for a whole month and even now, two years later, he can still be very chilly towards her.

"We should also consider an alternate plan of action should he be unwilling to part with Kubikiribōchō amicably."

Tenten's eyebrows raise surprised as she cautiously asks, "what kind of backup plan?"

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