"Doesn't my wine taste bad? When can I have a taste of your so-called fine wine?"
Before she had even had two sips, Yūhi Kurenai looked at Naruto and inquired.
Naruto smiled and responded, "Don't worry, it won't take long when I make time."
Fermentation is necessary after wine is made. The longer the fermentation period, the more fragrant and mellow the wine will become.
But in the era before Naruto's time-travel, life was fast-paced and efficient. Of course, many methods had been developed to hasten the process.
And even if it's just new wine that's been recently brewed, the taste is definitely much stronger than what's commonly found here.
Naruto thought to himself, it's time to ask the Third Hokage for some money. Without it, he wouldn't be able to purchase anything.
I'll go again tomorrow; I forgot about it today.
"You're also aware that I'm a heavy drinker and quite impatient. If it doesn't take long, I don't enjoy waiting."
Yūhi Kurenai leaned closer to Naruto, her breath smelling faintly of wine: "So, is there a way to speed things up?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow and said, "Kurenai-sensei, there seems to be a hint in your words."
I always find that today's Yūhi Kurenai is different from usual. It seems that it's not just my imagination.
Yūhi Kurenai chuckled and said, "As expected of someone who's been a movie star, your intuition is really sharp."
"I am still the Seventh Hokage!" Naruto spread his arms confidently.
After a brief silence, Yūhi Kurenai sighed softly and said, "What you told me last night has been bothering me all day. I didn't even sleep well."
This was indeed the case, and it was obvious to see when Naruto arrived.
But what did Yūhi Kurenai want to bring this up now?
"Naruto, if you have anything to say, just spit it out. Do you want me to do something to make up for it?"
Speaking of which, yesterday he was the one who told Yūhi Kurenai about her "future," and he was undeniably responsible for this.
To his surprise, Yūhi Kurenai changed the topic and said, "I asked Sarutobi Asuma to back off today, but he doesn't believe me. He still clings to me."
"I wanted to be more firm, but because of his identity, I can't do anything too extreme to him."
This is really a dilemma!
Regardless of whether it's subjective or objective, Yūhi Kurenai must give Third Hokage face, and it's not good to do too much to Asuma.
But in this situation, Asuma thought she was just being petty and stalking him.
After all, only a thick-skinned person can pursue a girl. Those who give up after encountering a slight setback can only be left behind.
Naruto nodded in understanding, but still didn't grasp what Yūhi Kurenai was trying to convey.
"I just said I'm not a patient person, right?" Seeing that Naruto was still confused, Yūhi Kurenai brought up the past and said, "I've tried several ways, but I can't completely shake off Asuma's thoughts."
"So, you want me to help you reject Asuma?" Naruto began to understand, but his frown deepened: "But this is your personal business, isn't it inappropriate for me to get involved?"
If they were from the same generation, he could have pretended to be Yūhi Kurenai's sweetheart or love interest.
But the issue now is that Naruto is not from this time and space. In terms of status, he is still their student.
"You don't need to intervene directly!"
Yūhi Kurenai breathed wine-laden breath into Naruto's face, bringing with it a scent that made his heart quiver.
She really wanted Naruto to assist with this matter!
Naruto understood and said with a sigh: "Then what do you want me to do?"
"After much consideration, there's only one solution!" Yūhi Kurenai pinched Naruto's chin with one hand and spoke decisively, "I want a future that belongs to me!"
Naruto was taken aback by her abrupt move and couldn't fathom the meaning behind her words.
"This is my future," Yūhi Kurenai declared firmly, then added softly, "The future that belongs to me alone. However, after listening to what you said last night, I realize that marriage isn't suitable for me. I'll continue living like this, independently."
"But I can't let the future slip away just like that. No matter how cheap Asuma is, I won't let him go through with it."
"Since you've brought it up, it's your responsibility to fix it."
Yūhi Kurenai's words remained enigmatic, yet a ludicrous guess began to form in Naruto's mind.
Eyes wide, he exclaimed, "Kurenai-sensei, do you mean..."
"Yes," she admitted readily, a touch of drunken befuddlement on her features, "But don't worry, I'm not planning to snatch someone from my student. I just want to borrow a... a seed from you. That's all."
Borrow seeds?
Naruto felt utterly bewildered. This reason was too much, and her words were too bold.
Considering his understanding of the women in the ninja world, he thought only characters like Tsunade and Kushina would say such things.
Surprisingly, the seemingly refined Yūhi Kurenai had a wild streak within her.
"Why me?" Naruto asked, rubbing his temples slightly.
Any man would feel overwhelmed facing such a proposal, unless they thought solely with their lower half.
He considered seducing Yūhi Kurenai to see if there was an opportunity to win her over, but he didn't want to employ such tactics.
Yūhi Kurenai's statement stung his pride.
"Are you still a man?" she snapped, grabbing his hand and saying through gritted teeth, "I've already told you what I want, and I don't expect you to take responsibility. Don't think just because you're the Seventh Hokage that I have to beg you!"
Naruto couldn't help but gasp, caught off guard by her sharpness.
Naruto wasn't hesitating; he just needed a moment to collect himself.
But now that things had progressed this far, if he didn't say anything, he would be seen as weak, and any future chances might vanish.
"You brought it on yourself, so don't regret it!" With that, Naruto embraced Yūhi Kurenai without hesitation.
Whether she was truly intoxicated, impulsive, or would feel remorse later, he didn't care anymore.
He had to respond to her challenge, to extinguish the fire she had ignited within him.
"You underestimate me," she giggled in his arms, feeling the strength of his embrace, "I won't regret it!"
In reality, she had no intention of regretting it. On the contrary, she secretly enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms, a sensation she never expected to experience.
This was the essence of the Seventh Hokage's charm, and she was more than willing to indulge in it.
Thus, the "future" Yūhi Kurenai kept referring to was the child she longed for but had given up hope of having due to Naruto's words from the previous evening.
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