"Deal," Naruto said, stretching his hand out like he was sealing a pact with fate itself.
"Deal," Karin echoed, gripping it firmly. Sparks might as well have flown between their palms—the battlefield of pride had been drawn.
Both of them? Overflowing with confidence.
But fate? Fate was sipping tea in the background, giggling like a gossip auntie waiting to see who'd trip first.
"Then… who's gonna ask?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, trying to play it cool, but secretly hoping Karin would volunteer as tribute.
Karin slowly turned to him and met his eyes—sharp, knowing, and silent. That one look screamed: You.
"Me?" Naruto blinked, pointing to himself with exaggerated confusion, like a kid caught sneaking snacks before dinner.
Karin nodded, arms crossed and smirking. She wasn't backing down an inch.
"But why me?" he asked, like the question would save him from social awkwardness itself.
Karin leaned a little closer and grinned, "Because you made the bold claim, Mr. Confident. So you go confirm it."
Naruto exhaled dramatically. "Fine, fine. But if I get punched for this, you're paying for the hospital bill."
Behind the sass, Aurora quietly muttered,
[I'm starting the countdown to embarrassment.]
Naruto was practically running a full mental gymnastics routine, pacing in place like an overthinking chuunin before his first date.
"Why are you supporting her when you should be vouching for me?" he grumbled internally, calling out to Aurora like she was his last lifeline on a quiz show.
But Aurora?
Silent.
Still as a statue.
Not even a [dot dot dot] reply.
Naruto sighed, shoulders sagging like a man who just realized his ramen got cold.
He took a breath, steeled his nerves, and started rehearsing.
'Haku, are you a boy or a girl?'
"No, no, no… too direct." He shook his head furiously.
'Haku, what's your skincare routine? You look flawless!'
"Wait, that's not helping my case!"
'So like… do you go by he/him or she/her or like... what's the vibe?'
"Ughhh! I sound like I'm filling out a census form!"
The man was spiraling.
He even began miming out imaginary conversations, hands waving like a dramatic actor in a one-man play called "How to Ask the Dumbest Smart Question."
And then—
"Nii-san… what are you doing?"
Karin had arrived.
Naruto froze like a deer in kunai headlights.
She stared at him with the most confused expression, like she'd just caught him trying to wrestle a tree for answers.
Naruto slowly turned his head toward her with a sheepish smile. "Uh… just, y'know… strategizing."
Karin narrowed her eyes, "You're preparing to ask Haku if they're a guy or girl like it's a forbidden jutsu, aren't you?"
"…Maybe."
She smirked. "Good. I want to witness this disaster."
Naruto groaned. Somewhere, Aurora silently facepalmed.
"Idiot, just go ask her directly—she doesn't mind!" Karin said, giving Naruto a firm shove forward, fully convinced that Haku was a girl and already savoring her impending victory.
"Okay, okay, I'll ask! Stop pushing, woman!" Naruto grumbled, trying to gather the last remnants of his pride as he stumbled a step forward.
Karin crossed her arms and watched him like a proud general sending her soldier into battle. Of course, she followed him, too—front row seats to the chaos she initiated.
Naruto approached Haku, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Hey, uh… Haku, I've got something to ask. Mind if I?"
Haku paused, glanced at both of them with that serene, unreadable expression, and nodded. "Sure."
Naruto inhaled sharply, then, without thinking too hard—because thinking too hard always made it worse—he blurted out, "So uh… are you a boy or a girl?"
Haku blinked.
Once.Twice.
The tension in the air was so thick, even the trees seemed to be holding their breath.
"I am a girl, can't you see?" Haku said with a straight face.
Naruto was mid-smirk, already preparing his victory speech—until that line hit him like a Rasengan to the soul.
His eyes widened. The color drained from his face.And with all the dramatic flair of a fallen hero, Naruto collapsed backward onto the grass like a tree being felled.
THUD.
His spirit had clearly left the chat.
The boy hit the ground like a defeated boss in a video game. Eyes wide. Soul departed. Pride obliterated. Somewhere, the Gambling King's crown crumbled into dust.
Karin? Oh, Karin was glowing.
She clutched her stomach, doubled over in laughter. "You—*you actually thought—*HAKU WAS A BOY?! Naruto, are you okay?! Should I call an iryo-nin or just a therapist?"
Naruto twitched on the ground. "Aurora… why didn't you stop me…"
Inside his head, Aurora's voice came like a whisper through static:
[Leo… I warned you. But you let pride write your script.]
Karin wiped a tear from her eye. "Ohhh, this is going in my memory scroll. Right next to the time you mistook a tanuki for a wild summon."
"I was five," Naruto croaked.
"Still counts."
Meanwhile, Haku tilted her head with the faintest smile. "Ah… my apologies. Did I cause a misunderstanding?"
Naruto slowly sat up, brushing leaves from his back like he was trying to brush away the shame of it all. "Misunderstanding? No, no, just… just a chakra misfire. It happens."
Karin leaned close, whispering gleefully, "Don't forget the bet."
Naruto squinted at her like he was reviewing every decision that led him to this moment.
"…What were the stakes again?"
Karin grinned. "You're doing my laundry for a week. And cooking dinner."
"…I hate this timeline."
Somewhere deep in the forest, even the birds were laughing.
And Haku? Haku just continued picking herbs, the picture of serenity, leaving behind two flustered ninja and a shattered ego.
Suddenly, as if a lightning bolt of memory struck him, Naruto sat up straight. "Wait a second—I thought the stake was just for one day," he said, narrowing his eyes at Karin.
Karin crossed her arms with a smug look. "What's wrong? Is the so-called mighty Gambling King trying to weasel out of the deal?"
Naruto huffed, puffing up like a stubborn fox. "I'm not weaseling out, but I clearly remember you saying it was for just one day."
Karin raised an eyebrow, unbothered. "Oh? I must've said 'week'—you probably just misheard me in your pre-defeat delusion."
Naruto pointed at her accusingly. "No, no, no. You're not pulling a fast one on me just 'cause I fainted like a drama queen!"
Karin smirked, "Then let's just say, you owe me until my pride feels fully satisfied."
Naruto blinked. "That… that could take forever."
"Exactly," she said sweetly.
But their banter was cut off when Haku turned toward them, confused by the sudden argument that had nothing to do with her.
"Um… I've gathered all I need," Haku said calmly. "So, I'll take my leave now."
Naruto immediately pointed at her. "Wait! You're the reason I lost! I need to verify it myself!"
Before anyone could react, Naruto took a bold step forward and placed his hand—right on Haku's chest.
Time froze.
A soft sensation met his palm.
Naruto blinked. His brain stalled. His soul silently exited his body and floated off into the sky as reality hit.
Confirmed.
Haku tilted her head slightly, unfazed. "Satisfied?"
Naruto collapsed backward like he'd been hit with a Rasengan of shame.
Karin's jaw dropped. "N-Nii-san!! What were you thinking!?"
Aurora's voice echoed in his mind, absolutely done with him:
[Congratulations. You're now banned from talking for five minutes.]
Naruto groaned from the ground. "Worth it…"
Karin just sighed, hand on her forehead. "This idiot really went and lost with style."
Haku offered a faint, amused smile, gave a polite nod, and disappeared into the woods with her herbs—leaving behind a legendary story of Naruto Uzumaki's greatest L.