Go to the hospital with Shizune

Knowing that it’s futile to run away, you decide to go to the hospital with Shizune. She keeps quiet all the way, killing any motivation that you have to run away. In the end, she breaks the silence. "Truth be told, Naruto, even though those are just hypothetical questions, I'm very flattered and honored. But I'm too old for you."

"You mean I'm not good enough for you?"

"No, I don't mean that. If I have to say, you're too good for me," she says while smiling. "You have grown so much in this few years, Naruto, that I barely know you. You've saved princess Koyuki Kazahana, Kazekage and a lots of people. I heard rumors that Kazahana is amenable to you pursuing her hand in marriage while Temari puts you in the first place in her list of men she has no qualm marrying tomorrow."

"Wait. Isn't she's with Shikamaru?"

"Shikamaru didn't save her family. You did. And their relationship? Progressing very slowly that I think it will take another five before Shikamaru decides that since he couldn't be bothered to find someone else, he might as well ask Temari. Temari? She's probably the same. So, if you tell her or her brother that you want to marry her, Temari's will probably say yes immediately."

"Okay, that's a lot to process," you say, not sure how to feel about bagging your friend's hot girl.

“You have grown so much in this few years, Naruto, that I barely know you” Shizune continues, “Meanwhile, it seems that I’m still going nowhere in my life.”

"I think you're already pretty amazing, Shizune," you remark.

She points to herself. "You think so," she ask doubtfully.

"Yes. When I was small, I wanted to become Hokage because Hokage is the 'guy'... or 'girl', 'person' on top of the village. I still want to be one, of course. But along the way, I realize that there's a lot of impressive people who are not Hokage. Such as you."

"You're just flattering me."

"I'm not the one who gives you the nick name 'Shin Hokage', Shizune."

"The real Hokage?" Shizune ask incredulously.

You explain to her about how you heard people saying that Shizune is actually the real Hokage who manipulates Tsunade from behind the scene. There are various theories put forth to support this opinion, from the rather benign suggestion that Shizune uses Tsunade as a figurehead to an outlandish claim that Shizune is actually collaborating with Iwa under a shadow cabal that is competing with Akatsuki to take over the world.

"What?!" Shizune demanded, forgetting her melancholy. "I'm controlling Konoha is something I can understand but in league with Iwa? How does that come about?"

You make a face. "You wouldn't like the explanation."

"Just tell me."

"If you say so. Your uncle is said to possess earth release, and people suspect you are the same."

"And?"

You take a deep breath. "Are you sure you want me to continue?"

"Sure.

"Okay, Earth release means your ancestral root most probably can be traced from the Land of Earth, the clan name's lack of prominence mean it's a fairly new one, Dan Kato's suggestion to increase medic nins is actually a ruse to reduce Konoha's battle strength and he's actually sought Tsunade in order to increase your clan's influence... in order to take over Konoha." You turn to look at Shizune only to find out that she is gobsmacked.

"That... is so stupid that I don't know whether I should be angry or amused or insulted or despondent about Konoha's future. Or all of them."

You shrug. "At least you don't have people suspecting you pretending to like ramen to hide the fact that you eat people three times a day."

"Wait? What!"

You're saved from answering her as the two of you finally arrive at the hospital.