Heya guys! Just wanted to thank everyone for reading my story, I know I still have much to learn and improve, but I've got to admit, seeing that favorites/follows counter going up each and every day sure was a huge motivation boost for me. Hence why I'm posting chapter 2 earlier than I initially intended to do. I hope you enjoy it.

I kind of lost track of how much I was writing and ended up adding a lot of moments between Naruto and Miku. Not that I'm complaining though; I really like writing those two, as I can easily imagine Naruto being embarrassed on a daily basis by the bubbly gal, which is what I try to depict in this story.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Let's proceed with today's installment.

~ Chapter 2 : The Cooking Club ~

Naruto Uzumaki let out a loud yawn as he walked past the school gates, the prospect of having to come back to that damned place for yet another day of boredom and being ignored by the rest did nothing to bolster his flagging mood. He didn't really know why he bothered attending school anymore, it wasn't like he cared becoming part of a society he'd never been part of in the first place.

Really, if it wasn't for the promise he'd made to his grandpa, Naruto would have dropped out of school and just put his... 'skills' to use. That'd make him more money than he could ever hope to get out of a normal, boring job like the old man wanted him to get. Now, only Kami knew how much he owe to his adoptive grandfather, who had taken him into his house without hesitation and seriously tried to do his best to give him a normal life. One he could have never thought of having back home, where he really belonged.

Just thinking about his old life only served to dampen his spirits even further, the memories of his gone friends and loved ones still fresh in his mind.

Though suddenly catching sight of a certain blode gal, standing and humming by the entrance was all he needed to turn his bad mood around.

"Miku-chan!", he called out, his previous downcast look being instantly replaced by one that was the whole opposite of it.

The aforementioned turned her head to glance the way of the upcoming blond, and as she did, her face lit up and a smile found its way to her glossy lips. "Ah, Narukiiii~! Over hereee!", Miku called him over, waving a hand at him.

Naruto hastened his pace until he reached the bubbly gal by the many lockers at the entrance, greeting her with one of his famous grins. "Hey Miku-chan", he then took silent notice of her hair, as he saw several golden strands tied into a small ponytail on one side of her head. 'That's cute', he thought to himself, opting to remain silent about it for the time being.

"You sure took your time, Naruki. I've been standing here for, like, a whole year!", she playfully rolled her eyes, before adding, "don't cha know it's rude to keep a lady waiting?"

"Hah... S-Sorry about that", the grin on his face faltered significantly, a nervous smile now taking its place. "I didn't know you were waiting for me. Otherwise, I'd have bothered to come earlier than usual."

"Hmm?", Miku leaned closer to Naruto until their faces were only inches apart, with the latter blushing noticiably at her sudden move. Something that made the girl smirk in secret delight. "Really, now?"

The blond tried to ignore the gal's proximity and diverted his eyes to the side. "H-Hah..."

"Oh-ho, so Naruto-kun wants to see me all the time, I'm glad to hear that~ ", Miku chirped, giggling to herself.

His blush increased two-fold at hearing that, but he didn't actually deny it. Naruto was embarrassed to say it out loud, but knowing she'd been waiting for him to get to school made him very happy. They barely knew each other, yet he liked to think she enjoyed his company and wanted to get to know him better.

At the same time, he couldn't help but feel slightly confused. Why would she stay at the entrance way after classes had began just to meet him there? Did she have something to...?

And then he remembered.

"Wait Miku-chan!", Naruto came out of his previous state and faced the beautiful girl, holding her by the shoulders. An act that managed to surprise her. "What happened with the cookies? Were you able to make them?", his eyes scanned hers in search of something, anything that would serve as indication for what he wanted to know. "Did that teacher help you? Because I swear, if he didn't...!"

Seeing his face scrunched up in worry had the gal blinking for a second, her body being filled by a warm feeling that she forced herself to ignore as she managed to give him a shaky nod. "Y-Yeah, I did... Uhm, Y-Yabecchi knows a lot about cooking, so he helped me even when I burnt the first batch of cookies I tried to make", a smile found its way to her lips, "he was really nice to me, unlike the other teachs. I still gotta give them their cookies tho..."

Naruto tilted his head to a side, blinking. "Yabecchi? Who's that?"

"Oh, that's... that's my pet name for him. Kinda like how I call you Naruki, you know?", Miku looked shy as she glanced at Naruto, her eyes then wandering to the warm hands still resting on her shoulders. A blush adorned her cheeks as she added, "h-he's the economics teach."

"Huh? The economics teacher?", the Uzumaki frowned in thought for a moment before his face lit up in recognition. "Ah! You mean Yabe Shinji? The guy who always finds a way to fall into my pranks even when they are really obvious?"

Miku seemed to forget the weird feelings taking over her as she looked his way, faking a pout that barely managed to conceal an amused smile. "Hey, that's not funny~, Yabecchi is a really good guy!"

"Haha, whatever you say Miku-chan", Naruto let out a relieved sigh before releasing his hold on her shoulders. He completely missed the way she looked slightly disappointed at him for doing so and, instead, flashed her with an energetic grin. "In any case, I'm glad he didn't give up on you. He must have realized you could do it, like I said you could."

The blush on the girl's face increased significantly and her heat skipped a beat at his smile, one that made her suddenly take a step back and shake her head in order to get rid of her embarrassment. "A-Anyway! I got something for ya, Naruki."

Naruto could only watch in curiosity as Miku took a small, pink box from her bag and presented it to him. His name was carefully written on the top alongside a little white heart next to it. "Here~! Made 'em with all my love, just for you", she winked an eye at the Uzumaki, watching him quickly grow flustered before he focused on opening the box and inspecting its contents. In there, Naruto saw several heart-shaped cookies filled with different kinds of marmalade.

"T-This is..."

'She kept her promise!', the blond thought to himself, inwardly shedding tears of joy.

"Now, say aaahh~"

Before the Uzumaki could even react, the gal took a cookie from the box and reached for his mouth, her green eyes staring at his lips. The blond gulped nervously and after making sure nobody was around, he tentatively allowed his lips to part, feeling the cold dough against them a moment later.

Naruto took the cookie into his mouth and proceeded to munch on it, his eyes widening the moment the food hit his taste buds. "Whoa, this tastes great!", he admitted, not expecting it to be as good as it was.

And hearing just that made Miku grin happily, before she clung onto his left arm, pressing her body against it. "Hehe, I knew you'd like them~. After all, I spent aaaalll night makin' sure they'd be perfect for you!"

The blond seemed to turn completely red as his widened eyes turned the way of a smiling Miku, and then inadvertedly trailed down, to her ample cleavage. He could definitely see part of her bra from his position, which made a good contrast with her tanned skin. Also, the feeling of her soft breasts engulfing his arm made it nearly impossible for him to ignore his teen hormones going crazy and making him feel all kinds of sensations.

"Enjoying the view, Naruki?"

The voice of one Miku Okazaki brought the boy back to reality, and he was finally able to tear his eyes away from the sight before him to glance anywhere but the beauty smirking at him, his face now turning a deeper shade of crimson. "N-N-No I-I'm not! I m-mean, y-yes... NO! I-It's n-not that I d-don't, uhm, t-that's... Ugh..."

"It's okay, Naruto-kun. Here, wanna see what kind of bra I'm wearing?", Miku pulled back her own shirt, revealing her leopard print bra for Naruto to see.

Said teen barely managed to restrain himself from giving in to the temptation and instead shook his head vigorously, some blood now leaking out of his nostrils. "I... I-I've got to get to class!", he managed to shout before vanishing from the spot in the blink of the eye, an action that caught Miku by surprise.

But only for a moment though, and as she fixed her attire, her lips spread into an amused smile. "Pffft, hehehe. Naruki is just sooo cute~ I wonder how he would react if I tried holdin' his hand... like yesterday..."

A dreamy look appeared on her visage at the image of her taking hold of his hands after he'd told her he'd support her no matter what. Just thinking about the determination in his voice and the way he'd smiled at her made Miku's face grow red fairly quickly and her heart to pound madly in her chest.

"...I better get those cookies to the teachs. I bet they're gonna love them!"

Shaking her head out of her thoughts, Miku nodded to herself and started humming a happy melody, walking away with a big smile on her face.

"Heya Naruki~, are ya doin' anything after classes?"

Before the Uzumaki could even try to leave the classroom and find his usual spot to have lunch by himself, which is what he tended to do each day during lunchtime, he was intercepted by a smiling Miku Okazaki. One that looked strangely hopeful for some reason.

Naruto immediately blushed at her sudden presence, the memories of that day's previous events returning to haunt his mind like they had been doing for a good chunk of the morning. "Huh? Eh, n-not really. Wh-Why did you ask, M-Miku-chan?", he tried to sound calm, but it was clear he was still thoroughly embarrassed about what had transpired hours earlier.

Miku either didn't seem to notice, or she decided not to point it out. Either way, she was acting as nothing had happened. Something that was further emphazised by the way she grinned at him upon hearing his answer. "'Cos I wanna invite you to the cooking club Naruki, that's why!", she chirped, attracting the looks of those students who normally had lunch in their classroom.

"A... cooking club?", Naruto repeated incredously, tilting his head to a side.

"Yup!"

"Uh... But I already told you, I don't really know how to cook", his hand reached up to the back of his head, and the blond used it to rub the area in an awkward way. "The only thing I can cook is instant ramen; I'm actually an expert in doing that though, nobody can match my skills at boiling water and getting the perfect temperature for the noodles."

The Okazaki giggled good heartedly before shaking her head, the smile never leaving her lips. "Aww c'mon Narukiiii~, you know you wanna joinnn", she whined, suddenly leaning very close to him. This time, she placed a finger on his chest, proceeding to draw imaginary circles on it. "Besides... you'd get to spend more time with me, doesn't that sound nice...?"

"E-Eh?"

"And I'd looove if you joined too", she batted her long, feminine eyelashes at him, in hopes of further emphasizing her statement - making Naruto's heart race. "I feel sooo lonely there, I need a handsome guy like you to keep me company..."

At her words, Naruto instantly blushed up a storm, a stupefied look taking over his face. He was so caught up in the moment that he ignored the whispers being exchanged between his classmates, most of them having Miku as the target, surprisingly.

The latter easily disregarded them and kept her eyes fixated onto Naruto's, patiently waiting for what she knew was going to be the answer she was looking for. After all, Miku knew somehow he liked being around her. Even if they were just getting to know each other.

On a side note, she kind of enjoyed making him so flustered, as it was a side of him rarely seen on him. Normally, the Uzumaki would go around pranking people that he claimed totally deserved it or just avoiding everyone, while during class he would sleep for nearly the entirety of it - most of his teachers had already given up on him.

To find out she could make him react in such a different way made her happy, not because it boosted her ego or anything like that, but simply because she enjoyed seeing Naruto embarrassed, and happy. Most of all happy. Which was why she wanted to make sure he smiled more. His smile was one the aspects Miku liked more about him, after all. It was the most radiant thing she'd ever seen on someone.

"U-Uh, a-ah, w-we-well, wh-when you p-put it like that... Hehe, y-yeah, m-maybe I c-could give it a t-try..."

Naruto had never been one to be easily flustered about something, probably because he'd rarely had anyone acting like that around him. Actually, that was the very first time someone as beautiful and... direct, as Miku Okazaki, said and did all those things to him. It was as if she knew what buttons to press for the Uzumaki to become an embarrassing mess in the blink of an eye.

Huh, so that was the true power of a gal, the Uzumaki couldn't help but realize in a brief moment of clarity in which he was distracted by those previous thoughts.

"Yay~!", her face lit up in joy and she gently palmed her cheek, before turning around and heading for the door, where Naruto saw Miku's fellow gal friends giggling at the scene. Something that only helped to make things more embarrassing than they already were. "See ya Naruki! Don't be late~!"

The other gals, whose names were Makoto and Hana if Naruto remembered correctly, waved at him with girly smiles before walking out the classroom with Miku in tow, leaving a flustered Uzumaki behind.

Said blond couldn't help but let out a sigh after they were gone, proceeding to ignore the now louder comments going on behind his back before folding his arms over his chest. 'This girl... she's going to kill me someday!', he thought to himself. His lips slowly curled upwards, until they spread into a full smile and then quickly into a grin, one that looked as bright as a christmas tree. 'A death like that doesn't sound so bad though... Hehe...'

Naruto Uzumaki found himself standing before a wooden door, with no signs or anything on it that would have served as an indication for whatever activities were carried inside the room after classes were over. The sun was already setting in the horizon, and now it casted its last yellowish-orange rays of light over the city and everything on it. Some of it filtered through the open windows of the hall the blond was in, tinting everything in a warm amalgam of colors. To be able to contemplate such a sight from within the academy was rare for the Uzumaki, as he was usually the first student to leave the school when the bell rang.

But that day, things had been different. Instead of leaving, Naruto had stayed behind, not forgetting about Miku's unexpected invitation to the cooking club. She had yet to tell him the reason why she joined such a place in the first place, but the Uzumaki suspected it had something to do with whatever happened to her the day before, when she left to make those delicious cookies for the teachers.

Thinking about the box Miku had made just for him made the blond smile, and as tempted as he was to reach for his bag and take a cookie from the box, he decided not to. After all, he'd make sure to enjoy them properly when he got home.

But first...

'Ah, what have I gotten myself into...?', Naruto let out a silent sigh, closing his eyes. If he had to be honest, he wasn't really sure about the whole club thingy. Not because he disliked the idea of learning how to cook and spending more time with Miku - the latter being the main reason why he was standing just outside the cooking club's room- but rather since where there was a club, there was bound to be other members... and teachers.

Just thinking about the possibility of them refusing to let him in made him want to turn around and leave. Seriously, he could still see Miku at school and hang out during breaks or whatever. It wasn't like he was being forced to be there, or anything...

'...Then again, she did say she'd love it if I joined...', a smile threatened to spread across his face as his thoughts drifted to that particular moment, but then a mental image of the teacher in charge of the club and the other members sneering at him and calling him a loser before proceeding to throw him out took over and made his face twist into a frown. 'Maybe I should just leave. Yeah, that may be for the best... Ah, screw it! I'm going in anyway!'

Naruto clapped his own cheeks and nodded to himself, his hand then reaching for the door with renewed confidence and determination...

...Only for said door to open before he could even touch the doorknob, revealing a surprised Miku Okazaki staring back at him with her big, green orbs. They stood in silence for a few seconds until Naruto was broken out of his stupor at seeing her face lighting up all of a sudden.

"Naruki! You're here! I was about to go and get ya", her fellow blond could only blink at her as a bright smile was drawn on her face. "Didn't I tell ya not to be late?"

Noticing she was now waiting for his answer, the Uzumaki shrugged his shoulders before awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, hah... About that... I had some trouble finding this place", at a curious look from the beauty in front of him, he added, "you forgot to tell me where to go, so..."

The last part hadn't been a lie. Naruto had spent the last 30 minutes walking around the school looking for the cooking club on his own, since nobody seemed willing to even tell him where to go. He would have asked Miku, but she was gone the moment classes were over, and so Naruto had been forced to do some research.

"Fine, I forgive ya, but only 'cos you came after all...", she slowly reached for his hand, gently intertwining their fingers. An act that made both blush, the blond getting even redder than she did.

"M-Mi-Miku-chan...?"

"Hehe~", she giggled mysteryously, before saying, "don't be shy now! Com'on innnn~!"

"Whoa!"

Naruto was suddenly pulled inside the brightly illuminated classroom by the gal, who didn't release her hold on his hand even after dragging him to the table laid out in the middle of the room. On it, the Uzumaki noticed multiple culinary utensils, as well as several ingredients that he assumed would be used for whatever dish they were supposed to cook that afternoon. The other tables and chairs had been arranged in a way so that everyone got enough space to move around the kitchenette without having to worry for tripping over something or anything. What surprised Naruto was the lack of any other students in the room, something that told him the club was fairly new... or the other members had yet to come.

Miku took the blond past the table, and it was then that Naruto took notice of a rather young man, who looked to be in his late twenties, reading over a small notebook on his palms. He had short black hair and eyes of a similar tone, his face slim and pointy; the man was wearing a white shirt with its sleeves rolled up to his forearms, a green tie, dark pants and matching shoes.

That man, Naruto almost immediately realized, was none other than Yabe Shinji, the economics teacher.

"Hey, Yabecchi! I'm baack~ And lookie here", she pulled Naruto to her side, never letting his hand go, "I got us a new member and all!"

Slowly tearing his eyes from the notebook on his hands the man smiled a kind smile and glanced the way of the newcomers...

...only for said smile to turn into a look of surprise that was equally matched by Naruto.

"Uzumaki? What are you doing here?"

"What!? Yabe? You are the one in charge of this club!?"

Both voiced her thoughts almost at the same time, making it very hard for either of them to understand what the other had just said. Naruto had a finger of his free hand pointed at the man's face, the other still intertwined with Miku's. Said girl did nothing but laugh aloud at their sudden exchange of questions before she grinned. "Hai, hai! Naruki, this is Yabecchi, our cooking teach", the gal then glanced the way of an astonished Shinji. "Yabecchi, this is Naruki. He's the guy I've been telling ya about!"

There was nothing but pure excitement in her voice as she introduced them to each other, almost as if she was enjoying each and every moment of what was going on. Yabe was the first to come out of his stupor, and he could only let out a sigh before saying, "I assume he's the new member?"

"That's riiight~ He came running when I told him you were the teach in charge!"

"H-Hey, that's not true!", Naruto defended himself, looking embarrassed as he saw her giggling, and Yabe raising an eyebrow in silent suspicion. "I didn't even know this club was yours to begin with..."

"Pffft, hehehe, relax Naruki, he knows I'm just kidding~!"

"Indeed...", Yabe scratched his head, unsure of what to say. Never in his time as an economics teacher at the academy would have he imagined the number one troublemaker showing up at his club with the apparent intention of joining. Yet... and judging by what he saw, Naruto looked more like he'd been dragged there by the bubbly gal rather than being there on his own will, which did sound plausible if he thought about it.

Still, he was sure the boy could enjoy some extracurricular activities. Even if he pretended to be uncomfortable with the idea of joining, Yabe was almost certain he felt nervous at the prospect of being told he wasn't welcome there. Sure, the kid was insufferable at times and his behaviour was not ideal, but he still was one of his students.

And as such, he had every right to be there like any other in his place would.

"Anyways, whatever your reason was for coming here Uzumaki, let me welcome you to the cooking club. I hope you have lots of fun during your stay and, while you are at it, pick up a thing or two about cooking."

"What?", Naruto couldn't help but widen his azure eyes, looking geniunely taken aback by the man's words. "You are not... kicking me out?"

"No, why should I?", Yabe stared at the Uzumaki as if he'd grown a second head out of a sudden, "if you really want to stay, then who am I to tell you to go away? We are more than happy to have you here, believe it or not."

Upon hearing that, Miku tugged at his hand, drawing herself closer to his side - a huge smile in place. "See see~? Even Yabecchi's okay with you being here! You have to stay, pleeeease~?"

"Hah...", Naruto blushed as he felt the gal's big green eyes staring up at his face, his own orbs diverting to the side. "I g-guess I could stay for a while, see what's up..."

"Yeaah~!"

The economics teacher couldn't help but smile at the pair. "Alright then, if you are still serious about joining by the end of our meeting, I'll need you to fill in a form so that you can officially become part of the cooking club", receiving a cautious nod from Naruto and one of excitement from his blonde counterpart, Yabe calmly nodded and turned around to his desk. He then proceeded to rummage through the contents of his bag, his previous smile turning casual as he did so. "By the way Okazaki... I didn't know you and Uzumaki were going out. I must say, it's really unexpected."

"Huh?"

"Me and Naruki...?"

Both teens turned the way of the other and locked eyes for a few moments, before their faces rapidly began heating up as if they caught on fire. Miku and Naruto then yanked their hands away from each other's grasp, their orbs now looking at anywhere but each other.

"We... w-we are not dating! I-It's nothing like that, s-she's... a friend. Yeah, just a friend."

Near him, Miku puffed her cheeks, before folding her arms over her chest. "M-Mou, d-don't go around s-saying such embarrassing stuff Y-Yabecchi, it's not cool..."

Yabe had the decency to look sheepish as he finally turned around, offering an apologetic smile to the embarrassed pair. "Ah, sorry, my mistake. I just thought by the way you two were holding hands that...", the teacher couldn't help but trail off as he noticed both students getting more flustered with each word he spoke, so he decided to change the topic. "N-Never mind that then", he shook his head, "here. Take these. I don't want your uniforms getting dirty. You should probably change into your gym clothes before putting these on, we can't never be too cautious."

Naruto and Miku were presented with white aprons of a similar size, the two of them looking like they had been bought a day ago.

"Nah, I don't need to do that. As long as I'm careful, my clothes won't get stained."

"Alright, if you think so...", Yabe shrugged, knowing he'd at least warned his student.

The blond then proceeded to eye his apron in silence, humming thoughtfully.

"Huh, I never thought I'd have to use one of these", the Uzumaki casually commented, trying it on. He quickly realized it fit him perfectly, with the apron being not to long and not to short; just right. It was comfortable and practical. "Heh, thanks Yabe. I look like a chef now, don't I?"

The aforementioned nodded. "You certainly do, Uzumaki. And it's Yabe-sensei, remember that."

"Sure, whatever you say Yabe!"

Naruto couldn't help but grin as he saw his teacher sweatdropping, the latter deciding to let it slide for now before turning to a surprisingly silent Miku. "Alright Okazaki, are you-?"

Both males were then greeted with the sight of the gal pullying her shirt over her head, something that, if not for her bra still in place, would have left her huge breasts bare for them to see. Naruto turned crimson as blood poured out of his nose, and he was forced not only to try and stop the bleeding with his hand, but also to turn around in embarrassment.

Yabe's face twisted into a flabbergasted look before he quickly followed his student's example and turned around, completely shocked. "O-Okazaki! You can't change here, go to the changing rooms!"

"Ehhh? Why? That's just too much effort!", the way Miku spoke was as if she felt no shame whatsoever about what she was doing at the moment - as if it was only natural for her to change wherever she felt convenient. "Just let me change here, I'll be ready and all in like a minute tops~"

"TO THE CHANGING ROOMS, NOW!"

"Okay, okay, sheesh, you're no fun sometimes Yabecchi, you know that?"

And just like that, Miku put on her shirt again and left the room a moment later, closing the door behind her as she did so. When both males were sure she was gone, Naruto and Yabe let out identical sighs of relief, the older man turning to his student with a sympathetic look on his face.

"She tends to do that around you too?"

"Not exactly... that per se", Naruto shrugged, "but kinda. She likes to tease me a lot for some reason... Wait, did you just say she does it to you too!?"

The economics teacher nodded grimly, making the Uzumaki be hit by a pang of jealousy that he tried to conceal, but that Shinji noticed anyway by the sudden frown on the blond's face. "Y-Yeah, but Okazaki just does it because she enjoys getting me into trouble. I'm almost sure it's different in your case."

Naruto folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at the teacher, who started getting nervous for some reason. "Hmm? And why is that?"

"W-Well, errr, because she seems to really like you and you two are the same age", noticing the blond was starting to look surprised, Yabe relaxed and smiled. "It's clear Okazaki thinks highly of you, even though she has a really... unique way, to show it. But that's just how she's is."

"Is that so?", as he pondered over the words of his teacher, Naruto soon broke out into one of his famous grins, nodding. "Hehe, maybe you're right. That might be the case after all."

Seeing Naruto's mood instantly flip 180 degrees as he approached the board and enthusiastically started reading the cooking instructions written on it, had Yabe let out a silent sigh, followed by a smile. 'He's not a bad kid like everyone thinks he is. He looks more like someone starving for attention than a delinquent. Maybe Okazaki and I can help him...'

And it was with that train of thought that Yabe approached Naruto and told him they'd be cooking grilled-fish that day, a course that couldn't be absent in any breakfast...

After going through all the steps with both teens, and making sure Miku didn't wash the rice with dish soap (which had Naruto bursting into laughter, and the blonde beauty pouting at him for doing so), the fishes were finally ready. Both had been served on wooden plates that were displayed at the center of the table with small bowls of rice, eggs and other types of spices around them. A fragant smell emanated from the food, and both Naruto and Yabe were having their mouths watering at the sight.

"Whoa, I can't believe I managed to do it!", Naruto grinned, feeling very proud of himself. "It looks better than I pictured it in my mind."

"Agreed! You two did great for a first try, Okazaki, Uzumaki", he eyed both students, sharing a smile with his male student, before his eyes darted to the other member of the club, one that for some reason was staring absently at her own fish. "Okazaki...?"

"I...", there was a small, almost imperceptible blush in her cheeks.

"What's the matter, Miku-chan?", Naruto promptly walked up to her, and upon noticing the red color in her face he grew worried. "Are you okay? Do you have a fever or something?"

The blond raised a hand and placed it over her forehead, making the girl turn even redder than before, her heartbeat increasing significantly.

"Huh, it sure feels warm...", Naruto casually comented while he innocently and carefully eyed her in signs of anything else that would be an indicator of how she was feeling.

Said girl broke out of her daze and took a step back, avoiding the Uzumaki's face. "N-No, it's just that...", suddenly, and before anyone else knew what was happening, the gal crouched down, proceeding to hold her belly with both hands. Her face contorting into a look of utter pain. "OW OW OW OW, my stomach, it hurts so much!", she shouted, and both Naruto and Yabe gasped in surprise and worry, the former leaning down to gently pat the girl's back in an attempt to soothe her pain. "I-I'm sorry Yabecchi, Naruki. I guess I won't be eatin' anything today", she raised her head in time to offer an embarrassed smile. "But you two can go ahead and eat my part too, don't let it get to-"

"It can't be helped then", the Uzumaki interrupted her, turning to the sensei. "Yabe, I'm taking Miku-chan to the infirmary."

"Good idea. I'll stay back and watch over things. Let me know if you need anything."

After getting permission from the teacher, Naruto took off his apron before he crouched down and faced away from Miku, offering his back to her. "Here. Hop on."

"E-Eh!?"

"Don't worry. I won't let you go. You trust me, right?"

The way his azure eyes turned to glance at her over his shoulders made Miku's heart skip a beat, and she suddenly felt nervous about doing as Naruto instructed. But then again... the idea of being carried piggyback by the blond of all people sounded very appealing to the beautiful gal, who ended up doing as she was told, and climbed on his broad back, though not before taking off her own apron as well.

"Alright, hold on tight."

That was the only warning Naruto gave her before he suddenly stood up, inadvertedly placing his hands on her round derriere. Miku had only time to flush in embarrassment and clung her arms around his neck as the blond ran out of the clubroom, going quite fast for someone who was carrying a girl on his back. He was careful to keep her steady, but in doing so, he never realized his hands were now squeezing her butt cheeks, much to her shame.

"W-Wa-Wait Naruto, y-yo-you are..."

"Don't worry Miku-chan, we are almost there!", he shouted over his shoulders, showing great reflexes as he dodged a pair of girls who happened to walk out of a nearby classroom. The girls let out twin screams of surprise before they glanced the way of the orange blur that had just passed by, wondering for a moment if that had been Naruto Uzumaki... carrying the gyarest girl in school, Miku Uzumaki, on his back.

A flushed Okazaki sat on one of the infirmary's beds as Naruto looked around for the school nurse, mumbling to himself. "Right when you need an adult, they are never around!", his complain was met with silence from Miku, who continued to play with her fingers and wait in silence. Naruto cursed under his breath and walked up to her, offering the silent gal an apologetic smile. "Sorry Miku-chan, looks like the nurse left for some reason. Don't worry though, we can still wait for her to return. I don't want you to keep feeling down, after all."

By that point, Miku's face sported a blush of atomic purpose, and her heart was beating so fast in her chest it seemed about to tore it from the inside. She suddenly felt the urge to jump into Naruto's arms and gave him a bear hug; seriously, he was so kind to her that it made her feel even worse for lying to him and the teacher. "L-Listen Naruki, it's fine, you don't need to worry 'bout it..."

"Huh? Why not?

The girl diverted her eyes to the side with a guilty look. "B-Because... I lied, my tummy doesn't hurt at all", she mumbled under her breath, but in the silent room, Naruto was able to hear her just fine.

And his only reaction was to tilt his head and blink his eyes in confusion. "You lied? Why?"

"Uhm... First, you gotta promise me you won't laugh."

Naruto looked absolutely serious as he took a seat next to her on the bed, his eyes never leaving her figure. "You can tell me. I won't judge."

"Okay", she shifted uncomfortably for a moment, readied herself for what was to come, and finally said: "I don't really know how to eat fish with chopsticks, and I didn't want you or Yabecchi thinking I eat in an unladylike way."

For a moment, Naruto remained absolutely still, not showing any indication or sign of how he would react to what he'd just heard. And then, he snorted. And that was soon followed by a soft chuckle, which quickly escalated into full laughter, one that had Naruto rolling on the bed, roaring in laughter..

"H-Hey!", Miku protested, puffing her cheeks at the scene of a laughing Uzumaki. "You promised you wouldn't laugh! You are the worst, Naruto, the worst!"

The aforementioned quickly came out of his laughing fit until only a mirthful grin remained on his face. His azure eyes caught sight of a pouting Miku and he shook his head, trying to get serious.

"Heh, sorry Miku-chan. It's just that... I can't believe you'd get worried about something like that."

"Meanie", she folded her arms and glanced away from him, slightly upset.

And Naruto could only smile at how cute she looked while doing so. Not that he was going to tell her that, though. "Hey, listen. If you really didn't know how, you should have told me! I can show you the best way to eat fish with your chopsticks."

Slowly, Miku turned her head until she was glancing at him out the corner of her eyes. "...Really?"

"Yeah! My grandpa used to make fish for breakfast all the time when I was a kid", his smile suddenly turned sad and his face adopted a downcast look, one that did not go unnoticed by the gal next to him. "I haven't eaten one of those in a long time, and honestly? Making that dish today with you and Yabe kinda reminded me of that time he tried teaching me how to make it. Said I was old enough to start making my own meal. Never really paid attention to his teachings, though. Too late for that now, I guess."

"...", the Okazaki could only turn to take a full look at the blond, her being being filled with a feeling of sympathy for the blond. It was like Naruto hid more pain that she actually thought he did behind that foxy grin he would show anyone looking down on him, and it made Miku feel bad for not noticing it before. It wasn't her fault, and she knew it, but seeing the Uzumaki sad gave her a weird feeling. One that she didn't like at all.

Miku's face grew soft as she scooted closer to Naruto, placing her hand atop his in a comforting manner. She saw him go slightly red at that, but instead of teasing him about it, she graced him with a kind, sincere smile. "I'm sure your grandpa would have loved your cooking, Naruto-kun", the Uzumaki's eyes widened at her claim, before they slowly softened, and he nodded at her in silent appreciation.

"Thanks, Miku-chan."

"I still want you to teach me how to handle that fish, tho", Miku returned her hand to her lap, and immediately missed the touch of his own. "Only if you have time, that is. Don't wanna be a bother to ya."

Naruto could only grin before shaking his head, glancing forwards. "Nah, you are never a bother to me", failing to notice the way the Okazaki seemed to beam at his words, the blond stood up from the bed. "Shall we go back then? Yabe must be worrying about us."

"'Kay~!", she followed his example and stretched her arms in the air, groaning silently. "Lead the way, Naruki~"

As the Uzumaki led her out of the room, grinning and holding his hands behind his head, he never saw Miku trailing behind him, her eyes taking a good look at his back. 'It was kinda cool to see Naruki so worried 'bout me when he took me to the infirmary. He sure does care about me, hehe~', a soft smile graced her lips then. 'He really is special. I don't get why people dislike him so much. If only people will get to see him for who he really is...'

Miku didn't really know the reason behind that fact, but she was determined to find out. After all, it seemed as if they would be spending a lot more time together in the future if her suspicions were to be proven right.

"Alright, here you go Uzumaki. Be sure to hand it in no later than tomorrow afternoon if you make up your mind."

Naruto took the form in his hands, folded it and then put it in his bag.

"Consider it done Yabe!"

A bulging vein appeared on the sensei's forehead, and he frowned.

"Hey! I told you already, it's Yabe-sensei for you!"

His words were met with a sly smirk from Naruto, who merely shrugged his shoulders. "I'll call you sensei when you call me Naruto", and before the young man could retort, the Uzumaki placed two fingers against his forehead before saluting the teacher with them. "Later Yabe!"

"See ya, Yabecchi~! Let's have fun again tomorrow!"

Both Miku and Naruto left a grumbling Shinji behind, sharing a short chuckle. They walked down the halls, went down the stairs and finally exited the building, noticing that it was already night and they were probably the only students left in the vicinity. Nothing too surprising, as they had been forced to stay over time to clean everything up. The clubroom wasn't too messy, but considering they had spent a considerable amount of time on their little trip to the infirmary, by the time they got back the sun had almost disappeared in the horizon.

As the pair stood outside the school grounds, Naruto turned to Miku with his trademark grin. "So... I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

To his surprise, the gal turned around and placed her hands behind her back, taking a step away from him. Her hair drifted in the warm breeze, making her look almost ethereal under the moonlight. "Ya know... Today I told Yabecchi I wanted the first guy to hold my hand to be my first love."

"Eh?", Naruto was taken aback by her words, failing to understand where she was going. "Why did you do that, Miku-chan?"

"Hmm, no reason", she calmly said, turning around until she was flashing him with a beautiful smile. "What I didn't tell him... was that you were the first person to do it."

A sudden wave of confusion hit him, and he found himself raising his eyebrows at her.

"Wait what?", he questioned, taking a step closer to Miku. "W-What is that supposed to mean?"

"Who knows~ You'll have to find that out by yourself~ Bye bye, Naruto-kun!"

And like the day before, Naruto was left behind, alone and at a loss for words. His arm was stretched the way Miku had bounced away, and his mouth was left agape, a sign of being caught up in a daze.

It was only after a while that he finally snapped out of it, shaking his head before scratching his head. "What could she have meant with that...? I really don't get her sometimes", the Uzumaki then shrugged his shoulders. "Meh, she must be messing around with me. She always does that."

Convinced that that was the case, Naruto decided to stop giving it too much thought and head to work. After all, he couldn't risk being late and get fired because of it; only Kami knew how strict his current boss truly was when it came to his working schedule.

As he left, the young Uzumaki never noticed the two shadowy figures that were standing behind a nearby tree, spying over him. The figures only stopped hiding in the shadows casted by the tree and allowed themselves to be visible under the moonlight when they made sure Naruto was gone. Anyone who walked by would have then noticed the two girls standing outside the school grounds, both sharing excited grins.

"...Did you hear that, Hana?"

"Uh-huh, sure did Mako-chan", the one called Hana nodded, before squealing in delight. "I can't believe our dear Miku said that to a boy! I'm sooo happy for her~!"

Mako's face seemed to light up even under the moonlight as she grinned. "It's not just a boy, Hana, that was Uzumaki Naruto-kun, the bad boy of the academy!", her friend seemed equally excited as her as they clasped their hands together and giggled. "He's quite the catch for any girl, especially Miku-chan, don't cha think?"

"Naruto-kun and Miku-chan would look soooo cute together~!"

"I know right!? Maybe we should help our poor, innocent Miku out", a knowing look appeared on Hana's face at her friend's suggestion, nodding shortly after. "After all... We are the experienced ones here..."

The gals giggled in delight as they began to think of ways to give them a little "push" in the right direction, walking away with identical smiles on their faces. Only Kami knew what plans were made that night by the two, but if one thing was for sure, Naruto's days of embarrassment were far from being over.

To be continued...

Next chapter might take a bit longer to come out. Even during this period of quarantine, I still got to work from home, so my writing time is limited. In any case, remember to let me know if you are liking how everything is progressing so far.

See ya!