Naruto had just escorted Hinata safely back to her home.
At the entrance of the Hyuga estate, he gently held her hands, and they shared a quiet, heartfelt moment before saying their final goodbyes.
"Naruto… we're getting married tomorrow," Hinata said softly, her voice tinged with both excitement and disbelief.
Naruto nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah… we are."
Hinata sighed, emotion evident in her eyes. "I still can't believe it… I've liked you since we were kids, and now… tomorrow, we'll finally be married. It feels like a dream."
Naruto chuckled warmly. "I can't help it, Hinata. You're so cute, I couldn't wait to marry you and start our life together right away!"
Hinata's cheeks flushed pink at his words, and she lowered her gaze shyly.
From behind the estate gate came a familiar, teasing voice. "Ugh! So disgusting!"
Hanabi Hyuga poked her head around the corner, glaring at the two of them. "Hey! You two are getting married tomorrow! How long do you plan to stand there being all sappy with each other?!"
Caught in the act by her younger sister, Hinata's face turned crimson. She immediately let go of Naruto's hand and retreated into the house, glancing back once more at Naruto's sweet smile, waving goodbye.
Naruto returned the gesture, laughing lightly. "Go on… see you tomorrow!"
After Hanabi closed the door behind Hinata, Naruto couldn't help but reflect on the moment. Memories of his previous life flooded his mind—Hanabi's mischief had never changed. This time, he felt prepared, confident, and, above all, happy.
Taking a deep breath, Naruto walked home, his hands buried in his pockets. The streets of Konoha seemed more vibrant tonight, filled with the anticipation of tomorrow's celebration.
In this life, everything felt complete. His parents were alive, Jiraiya was here, and even Neji Hyuga was present. All the people important to him, all witnesses to his happiness, were by his side.
The greatest joy of life, he realized, was having those you care about share in your happiness. Any regrets from his previous life were gone, replaced by this profound sense of fulfillment.
Upon reaching his home, Naruto noticed several familiar figures waiting patiently in front. Shikamaru Nara, Chōji Akimichi, Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, Rock Lee, and even Sasuke Uchiha were gathered there.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. "Hey! Why are you all here? Sasuke, you're here too?"
Sasuke gave a slight frown but said quietly, "Can't I be?"
Naruto tilted his head, puzzled. "That's not what I meant… what's with you?"
Shikamaru stepped forward with a knowing smile. "He saw everyone else here and didn't want to miss out on the chance to be part of this."
Sasuke simply smirked, saying nothing.
Shikamaru sighed, turning to Naruto. "If I hadn't dragged Sasuke along, he probably would've left. By the way… Naruto, have you even decided on your best man group yet?"
Naruto froze. Indeed, in all the chaos of preparing for tomorrow's wedding, he hadn't considered it.
Shikamaru gestured toward the assembled friends, spreading his hands. "Look at them. Perfect candidates for your best men."
Chōji pouted slightly. "Naruto, you're way too careless. Thanks to Shikamaru dragging us over, at least we get to sort this out!"
Naruto scratched his head sheepishly, recalling the arrangements from his previous life. Hinata had her bridesmaids lined up already—Hanabi, Ino Yamanaka, Sakura Haruno, and Tenten.
Shikamaru counted aloud. "So Hinata's bridesmaids, including her sister Hanabi, total six."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Six? Who are they exactly?"
Shikamaru listed them clearly. "Sakura, Ino, Tenten, Temari, and Karui."
Naruto's eyes narrowed at the last name. "Karui…?"
Of course. That fiery ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village. Naruto remembered their last encounter in his previous life—an incident that involved Sasuke, a trap, and an unexpected skirmish. Thinking of her now being part of the bridesmaid group stirred a mix of nostalgia and irritation.
Shikamaru noticed Naruto's reaction and shrugged. "That group was formed by Ino and Sakura. We weren't involved. Karui… Chōji brought her along."
Naruto's gaze shifted to Chōji, who blushed under his scrutiny. "Hey… not bad, not bad," Naruto said teasingly.
Chōji waved his hands, embarrassed. "What are you saying? Everyone else has a partner, so I thought I should help too. Shikamaru's involved with Temari, after all!"
Shikamaru clicked his tongue. "Chōji… can you stop calling it that? It's called free love, alright?"
Chōji nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Free love!"
Kiba chimed in, scratching his head. "Wait, hold on… why is everyone pairing off? Sai's with Ino, right?"
Naruto grinned. "We can vouch for that!"
Shikamaru shook his head, amused. "Sai has good taste, I'll give him that."
Rock Lee looked at Neji and Hinata. "So Neji and Hinata are officially… together?"
Neji nodded silently, and everyone else, aside from Naruto and Sasuke, expressed shock.
Lee groaned dramatically. "Ahhh! The season of love has come and it's so frustrating! Everyone's pairing off! It's madness!"
Shino pushed up his glasses. "Lee, calm down. Love is not something to envy. Focus on your training."
Lee gave a white-toothed grin. "Then I will train even harder to impress my crush!"
Sasuke, noticing the chaos, cleared his throat. "Can we get back to the matter at hand… about Naruto's best men?"
Shikamaru nodded, gesturing to the group. "Since Hinata has six bridesmaids, we need six best men. Conveniently, there are six of us here."
Naruto looked at the group and realized the numbers matched perfectly. "Alright then… we're agreed?"
Shikamaru added, "Hinata's brother and Sai, who is responsible for the drinks at the wedding banquet, aren't suitable to be best men. The six of us here are perfect."
Naruto grinned, relieved. "Perfect! That works out nicely."
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