"If I said I didn't know, wouldn't that mean I was lying to you?"
Tōshirō responded with a smile.
Tsunade snorted lightly, unimpressed. "You don't lie when you should, and you lie nonstop when you shouldn't."
Tōshirō raised both hands in surrender. If they kept bickering, this could go on forever.
It was rare for them to go on a date, and their time together was limited—no point wasting it on trivial arguments.
"So, where are we going next?"
This time, Tsunade was the one who had invited him out, so Tōshirō left the decision entirely up to her.
Pressing a slender finger against her cheek, she thought for a moment before saying, "Let's go to the mall and buy some clothes."
"Clothes shopping?"
Tsunade let out a small sigh, sounding a bit regretful. "I feel like the clothes my grandma made for me recently are getting too tight."
Tōshirō glanced sideways at her, particularly at her now fully developed chest. "Uh… I don't think the problem is your grandma's measurements. I think… you've just gotten fat."
"Fat?"
Tsunade immediately turned aggressive, clenching her fists, looking downright terrifying. "Do you want me to plant you in a flower pot and turn you into a vegetable?"
Tōshirō quickly clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture. "Forgive my poor choice of words! What I meant to say was… you've become more voluptuous."
"You should've just said that from the start." Tsunade snorted. "You're so asking for a beating."
Tōshirō chuckled sheepishly. "Old habits die hard. I'll try to be more careful."
"You said I've filled out. Be specific—where exactly?"
Tōshirō rubbed his hands together, his expression mischievous. "Well, obviously… heh heh…"
Tsunade blinked, then followed his gaze downward.
Her lips curled into a smirk as she deliberately dragged out her response. "Ohhh~ I see…"
"Do you wanna touch?"
"You get me."
"Too bad, not happening," Tsunade said mercilessly.
Tōshirō was displeased. "You used to beg me—"
"Beg you for what?" Tsunade cut in, smiling playfully.
"…Nothing."
Tōshirō sighed. He was completely at her mercy now.
Ah, the frustration of wanting but not having.
Tsunade laughed brightly. They say people want what they can't have—how true that is.
Tōshirō sighed again. He had once thought that being in a relationship meant he could do whatever he wanted. But he soon realized how wrong he was.
This little minx must have picked up some underhanded tricks somewhere—now she was the one threatening him.
Damn it.
Just as Tōshirō was sulking, Tsunade leaned in and took his arm, smiling sweetly. "Let's go."
The more time they spent together, the more carefree Tsunade became.
Tōshirō's mouth twitched into a lopsided grin, resembling a Nike swoosh.
Hand in hand, the two of them strolled down the street, unconcerned about being spotted.
Since they weren't in the Land of Fire, the chances of running into ninja from their village were slim.
Tōshirō had originally considered using a transformation jutsu just in case, but Tsunade rejected the idea, saying it felt like she'd be dating some other guy.
Tōshirō had to admit, that made sense. In the end, he went along with her decision. If they did get caught… well, they'd just have to deal with it.
"Woof woof!"
At the sound of barking, they both stopped and looked down—only to see a tiny puppy licking Tōshirō's toes and wagging its tail eagerly.
A literal licking dog?
Just as Tōshirō was wondering about it, a hurried voice called out from nearby.
"Sorry about that!"
He looked up to see a girl about his age running toward him. She stopped in front of him, pressing her hands to her knees, panting. Clearly, she had been chasing after the tiny puppy.
"Sorry for the trouble," the girl said after catching her breath.
Tōshirō shook his head. "No problem."
"Are you two a couple? You look really close." The girl's eyes sparkled with admiration as she looked at them, arm in arm.
"Well… I guess you could say that."
It was the first time Tōshirō had admitted their relationship in front of a stranger, and he suddenly felt a little shy.
"What do you mean 'I guess'?" Tsunade huffed. "Can't you just say it clearly?"
Tsunade Strongly Demands Tōshirō Acknowledge Her as His Girlfriend
Feeling the soft yet firm pressure on his arm, Tōshirō sighed helplessly but with amusement. "Yes, yes~ She's my most, most, most beloved girlfriend."
Tsunade's face turned red. "What do you mean most, most, most beloved? That's so embarrassing!"
Tōshirō laughed. Since this was a rare date, he might as well fully enjoy this hard-earned happiness.
Thinking about it this way, maybe being locked up wasn't so bad.
After all, if not for that, he wouldn't have the chance to travel and occasionally go on dates with Tsunade.
Having spent time in prison made Tōshirō cherish these moments of happiness even more.
The puppy's owner clasped her hands together, resting them against her cheek with an envious look. "That's so nice… I wish I had a boyfriend too."
"Woof woof!"
As if understanding its owner's words, the little puppy clung to her leg, wagging its tail. Its round eyes seemed to say, You still have me, don't you?
The girl giggled and scooped up her furry companion, cradling it in her arms.
The puppy barked once, tongue hanging out, looking utterly content.
Just then, a man walked by with a massive dog on a leash. The big dog noticed the small puppy being cuddled and immediately looked jealous—it wanted to be held too.
Without hesitation, the large dog stood up on its hind legs, placing its front paws on its owner's shoulders, barking eagerly.
The girl froze. Wait, what?
The big dog panted happily, tongue hanging out just like the little one. The message was clear: Owner, I want a hug too!
The owner understood immediately, but their mouth twitched. Are you kidding me?
This dog was huge—standing up, it was half a head taller than its owner! If they actually tried to lift it, their back would probably snap.
"Woof woof…"
Faced with those big, pleading puppy-dog eyes, the owner gritted their teeth and thought, Screw it, let's do this!
Struggling, they managed to lift the massive dog, though their whole body wobbled unsteadily. The sight was absolutely hilarious.
Tōshirō watched the scene unfold and chuckled. "Look at them. One person, one dog—it's pretty amusing."
Just as he was speaking, he suddenly felt his arm lighten.
A moment later, two pale, snow-white arms stretched out before him.
Tsunade spread her arms wide, pouting her lips while making a soft "mm mm" sound from her nose.
Tōshirō blinked.
"Mm mm…"
"???"
"Mm mm…"
Tsunade kept making the noise, as if urging him to do something.
Tōshirō had no idea what she meant.
Tsunade glanced between the two dogs, then back at her boyfriend.
The message was crystal clear.
Tōshirō finally understood, and he was shocked. "No way… are you seriously jealous of a dog? Are you a dog too?"
"You're the dog! I just thought it looked fun!"
Tsunade's brows twitched as she let out another "mm mm," urging him to make a move.
Or else… you're getting punched.
Her brown eyes practically spelled out the threat.
Tōshirō sighed. I can never win with you…
Taking a step forward, he wrapped his arms around Tsunade. She, in turn, naturally hooked her arms around his neck.
Lifting her up, Tōshirō spun her around once, her long hair dancing in the air.
Just then, a passing single man caught sight of the scene.
And instantly suffered a ton of emotional damage.
"Ugh. Disgusting lovebirds," he muttered under his breath before quickly hurrying past them.
(End of Chapter)
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