Chapter 437: No "Like More"
Hearing his son's question, Adult Naruto's gaze remained fixed on his younger self and Hinata, his eyes filled with nostalgia.
He nodded gently, his voice lowered as if afraid to disturb those dusty memories:
"Yeah. Especially when facing me, she was a very, very shy person."
He paused, seemingly recalling that specific point in time:
"And at this stage, for her, it was a period of intense self-doubt."
"Self-doubt?"
Yuji was puzzled.
He found it hard to imagine the Mother Hinata in his memories ever feeling "self-doubt."
Adult Naruto withdrew his gaze and looked at his son, his eyes growing deeper, as if to bring him back to that specific state of mind:
"Yes, self-doubt. Back then, she felt she couldn't help me."
He explained slowly, his tone filled with understanding and pity:
"Within a few months after the 'me' of this timeline became Hokage, I successively took over the four nations of Grass, Earth, Wind, and Lightning. My strength and prestige were rising rapidly, and only your Mother Hikari had the strength to fight alongside me."
"Hinata was helping out at the Konoha Hospital, and she felt we had very little in common to talk about. She saw me getting busier and busier, while she seemed to be standing still."
Adult Naruto's voice became even softer:
"'Later, before we got married, she told me, "At that time, I was thinking that there was no reason for someone as outstanding as Naruto-kun to fall in love with the me back then!"'"
Hearing his father recount his mother's words from back then, Yuji's heart shook. He never imagined that his mother, as strong and gentle as she was, could have once harbored such lack of confidence, even bordering on an inferiority complex.
Adult Naruto looked at his son's surprised expression, a complex smile playing at the corners of his mouth—a smile containing both reflections on the past and gratification for the present. He continued:
"Yuji, people often say that love is selfish and cannot be shared. That if you love many people at the same time, it's not love at all."
He paused, his gaze once again drifting toward the gradually blurring figure of the young Hinata in the distance, yet it was as if he were seeing the silhouettes of many more people through her:
"But... love is love. Why must there be so many reasons?"
His voice was soft, yet it carried a powerful weight:
"Loving someone might be because her smile is warm, or because she stood up at a critical moment, or because of her silent companionship and understanding, or... perhaps there's no specific reason at all. It's just that your heart was moved, and that's it."
"It can happen when you're at your most brilliant, or when you're at your most wretched. Someone might admire you because you're strong, or feel for you precisely because you're vulnerable. You might grow close because of shared interests, or be attracted by complementary personalities."
If one likes a tsundere with a distinct personality who says the opposite of what they feel, then Ino and Hikari are definitely the best examples.
One is like a rose with thorns—sharp-tongued but soft-hearted; the other is like a solitary winter plum—cold and proud on the outside, but unable to be honest with her feelings. Being with them is like solving an interesting puzzle, always bringing unexpected surprises.
If one likes someone clingy, passionate as fire, and wishing to be together every second, then Karin would probably want to hold Naruto's hand every day and never let go, no matter where they went.
If one likes someone cute, coquettish, and quirky who can bring infinite joy, Hanabi is undoubtedly the unique choice.
If one enjoys the sense of 'conquest,' the contrast of someone who is independent and powerful before others, yet sheds all pretenses and shows their most genuine dependence only before you...
Then someone like Koyuki Kazahana—who is both a world-renowned superstar and a Daimyo of a nation, yet only reveals a feminine side before you—might be just the right fit.
Even if one appreciates a straightforward, frank, and casual 'tomboy' personality, Kurotsuchi would be a very good choice.
In fact, the person the young Naruto gave the most patience to was Hinata.
Breaking down their experiences: a parentless little boy with the Demon Fox sealed inside him gave his scarf and cotton coat to a runaway Young Miss from a wealthy family on a snowy night; later, the boy drove away some brats who were mocking the wealthy young lady; and then they studied and trained together at the academy...
That Young Miss would blush whenever she saw you and miss you when she didn't. She was willing to spend all her pocket money on you and always stood gently by your side, watching you.
Her world was very small—so small that almost all her friends were made because they knew you or were related to you.
When you were being mocked and left isolated, she would summon the greatest courage of her life, trembling as she stood up and said in a weak but firm voice: 'D-Don't you dare say that about Naruto-kun!'
Even if you were irritable and she accidentally bumped into you and you told her to get lost, she would only silently leave your sight and hide from you while still worrying about you.
Naruto's temper was actually a bit tight; he was prone to impatience and lacked endurance. Before his Transmigration, when he played Plants vs. Zombies, he liked to use a speed hack to double the speed.
He championed efficiency and liked blitzkrieg tactics, solving problems with maximum speed.
When playing dating sims, he liked to pursue maximum efficiency—grinding for money before farming affection, then sending out the items that gave the highest favorability.
While Naruto would only give a great nation's hidden village four hours to evacuate its citizens, he could encourage, soothe, and accompany Hinata every single time she hesitated.
If one day Naruto fell into a slump, lost all his power, and became a wreck, Hinata would definitely stay by his side, never leaving him.
Not because of how strong she was, but because her heart had simply decided so.
And it wasn't just Hinata—Hikari, Ino, Karin, and Hanabi were all the same.
However, a young person's curiosity is always vigorous, especially when it comes to "gossip" regarding their parents' romantic lives.
Yuji blinked and subconsciously blurted out in a slightly joking tone:
"Then, Dad, who do you like more..."
The moment the question was asked, Yuji felt as if the surrounding air had frozen for an instant.
He looked up at his father and saw the gentle smile on Adult Naruto's face, which had been filled with reminiscence and sentiment, recede rapidly like a tide.
Those deep blue eyes were now calmly gazing at him. The gaze wasn't sharp, yet it carried a weight of a thousand tons, making Yuji instantly feel an invisible pressure envelop him, to the point where he subconsciously lightened his breathing.
It was an oppressive feeling akin to a death stare.
Seeing that his son had remained silent for a long while, Adult Naruto resumed his original gentle smile.
"There is no 'like more.' You are all equally important to Dad."
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