I Think I

Chapter 15:On Purpose

Naruto couldn't help smiling today – that happy feeling just wouldn't leave her. Who'd known it would feel so nice and satisfying to have your rival sit down and eat the dinner that you cooked?

She walked to the bridge where Team Seven normally met with a bounce in her step and an extra-cheerful expression on her face.

"Ohayou, minna!" she greeted the genin.

They stared back at her.

"You got laid, sensei?" Eriko blurted out. Naruto flushed a bright red.

"What? NANI?! NO!"

Eriko noted Nichiro had pink tinges on his cheeks. Heehee, someone has a crush on Naruto-sensei! she cackled inwardly. Outwardly, she said, "You have that silly, happy look that niichan would have sometimes the morning after he came back late from the red light district."

The jounin flushed to her ears. "NO!"

Eriko giggled at her flustered sensei. "Just kidding, sensei. Chill!"

Naruto spazzed a little, then forced herself to calm down. She glared at Eriko, who giggled in response. The blonde cleared her throat and forced the blush down.

"Team Seven," she began authoritatively, "our mission today is a simple C-rank. We're delivering a bit of cash to a certain place in Tanzaku Gai. We can make it there and back after lunch if we hurry, then we can squeeze in some light training after that."

"Details, Keimei-sensei?" Ichiro inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Naruto twitched and huffed. "We're delivering the money that Tsunade-obaachan owes a gambling den from her short vacation five months ago."

"Ah…"

"I see…"

"…"

"Well!" Naruto exhaled, grimacing a little. "Let's get going, shall we?"
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Naruto swung back and forth as she suspended herself upside down from the tree branch with her knees locking her securely in place. Her hair cascaded below her head in a golden spiky-ish sheet, and her face was a little red from blood that decided to obey gravity.

Her students were on other branches around her, standing upside down as they attached themselves to the tree bark by chakra. They had been at it for almost two hours. Naruto had joined them for about half an hour before she grew restless, and decided to spar with a kage bunshin, while another kage bunshin kept careful watch on the genin. Now she was cooling off as she watched them herself.

She was a little impressed that they had managed to stick to the tree bark for that long, especially Eriko. She herself could never keep that still for that long.

The blonde swung herself by her knees as she watched the genin. She could tell Eriko would be giving up soon – beads of sweat had started to form on her forehead.

"Ano… Naruto-san? Eriko-chan?" called a voice below them.

Naruto stretched her head to look downwards, and saw a familiar head of honey-coloured hair standing below her.

"Naruto-san? Koneko-bo?" Teruo called again, apparently puzzled at their absence.

Naruto grinned and signaled her genin to remain quiet. Eriko grinned back, and watched her brother walk forward a little till he was almost under her.

"Koneko-bo? Naruto-san?" Teruo called again, louder this time. Eriko giggled, then lost her already waning concentration and fell downwards.

"Argh!" she shrieked, and fell into the waiting arms of her brother.