Although Sai was a complete novice when it came to relationships, one thing he knew for certain was that Naruto Uzumaki was reliable.
After all, this was the same man who had ended the Fourth Great Ninja War, who had faced gods and monsters, and still dared to bare his heart openly. After his rebirth in this life, Naruto had boldly confessed his feelings to Hinata Hyūga, kissed her in front of the world without hesitation, and now he was preparing for marriage.
So, Sai thought to himself: If Naruto could do it, then there was no mistake in listening to him.
"Alright, Naruto," Sai said earnestly, "what do you think I should do first?"
Naruto crossed his arms and rubbed his chin, putting on the air of a seasoned relationship master. "Okay, Sai, listen carefully. First, you should ask Ino out. Something simple, like inviting her to dinner. After that, you can try more casual things—taking a walk, or going to a festival together. Once you're comfortable, then maybe something more personal… like visiting the hot springs together."
Sai frowned, his usual blank expression tightening. "The hot springs? Naruto, isn't that too private? If I invite Ino to something like that, won't she just punch me in the face?"
Naruto nearly fell over. "Baka! That was just an example! Don't go rushing into something like that right away. That kind of thing only comes after you two already trust each other and are comfortable being close. You've gotta take it step by step."
Sai blinked, then slowly nodded. "I see. Step by step…"
Naruto clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Exactly. And don't forget, Sai—in the future, Ino is going to be your wife. So don't get embarrassed or insecure. Treat things naturally, like it's meant to be. And above all, be sincere. Ino's from the Yamanaka Clan. With her Mind Body techniques, she can literally sense what's in your heart. If you're faking it, she'll know instantly."
Sai absorbed every word, nodding with that same thoughtful expression.
"Good," Naruto said, satisfied. "Try that first. And if you run into any problems, come find me. Got it?"
"Yes," Sai replied seriously.
With his advice given, Naruto stood up and stretched. It was time for him to focus on his own life. His engagement to Hinata was set, but there were still things to discuss with his parents. Jiraiya had mentioned earlier that he wanted to arrange something together, so Naruto figured it was time to speak to Minato and Kushina.
When Naruto explained Jiraiya's suggestion, Kushina blinked in surprise. "Wait… Jiraiya-sama wants to hold the wedding ceremony with you? At the same time?"
Naruto nodded with a grin. "That's what Pervy Sage said. He thinks it'll be more lively. And honestly, I kind of agree. These are big moments for the village—it might be better to celebrate together."
Kushina turned to Minato, who remained quiet for a moment, weighing the idea. Finally, he smiled faintly. "The world is peaceful now. The village doesn't face the constant dangers it once did. Something like this could be good for morale. I support Jiraiya-sensei's idea. Holding both ceremonies together would save people from having to attend two big events separately, and it would make things much more festive."
Naruto brightened at his father's words. With both parents on board, the next step was to talk to Hinata.
When he found her later that day, he explained the situation carefully, expecting her to be shy or uncertain. But Hinata only blushed lightly and smiled. "If that's what you want, Naruto-kun, then I'm happy. As long as we're together, I don't mind sharing the celebration."
Then, to Naruto's surprise, Hinata grabbed his hand and tugged him upstairs.
"Eh? Hinata, wait—we already did this last night!"
Her pale eyes sparkled with rare mischief. "Didn't you say we should implement this plan quickly? Then come upstairs with me."
Naruto stammered, his face turning red, but he didn't resist as Hinata pulled him along.
And once again, Kurama—the Nine Tails sealed inside him—sighed deeply as the connection to Naruto's senses cut out for half an hour.
Now, let's turn to Sasuke.
Since agreeing to his mother Mikoto's wishes about considering marriage, Sasuke had spent several sleepless nights in quiet thought. He knew, logically, that Sakura Haruno was destined to be his wife. She had made her feelings clear time and again, and everyone—including Naruto—believed it was inevitable.
Yet when Sasuke tried to picture her as his spouse, something felt… off. His heart remained silent, as though buried beneath layers of ice. Why? he wondered. Why can't I feel what I'm supposed to feel?
Finally, after tossing and turning all night, Sasuke made up his mind. He would talk to Sakura directly. If she truly wanted this bond, then he needed to face her head-on.
So, early the next morning, Sasuke stood outside the Haruno household. He inhaled deeply, letting the cool morning air steady his heartbeat. Then he raised his hand and knocked.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
The door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged woman with familiar pink hair tied neatly back—Sakura's mother.
"Who is it?" she asked casually, before her eyes fell on him.
Sasuke straightened. "Good morning. I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I've come to see Sakura."
Sakura's mother froze. Her hand flew to her mouth as she stared. Kami… who is this young man? He's… incredibly handsome. When did my daughter meet someone like him?
But then the name sank in. Her eyes widened. "U-Uchiha… Sasuke? You mean, that Sasuke?!"
Sasuke nodded politely.
Her mind raced. Uchiha Sasuke—the last surviving heir of the Uchiha Clan. The wielder of the Mangekyō Sharingan. The boy who had once abandoned the village and returned as a rogue ninja. But also… one of the two heroes who had ended the Fourth Great Ninja War.
It was thanks to Naruto's intervention that Sasuke's crimes had been pardoned. In the official records, his defection had even been rewritten as a mission under the Hokage's orders. Because of that, villagers no longer saw him as an enemy. Instead, they regarded him with an uneasy mixture of respect and awe.
As Sakura's mother stood frozen, her husband's voice called from inside. "Dear, who's at the door?"
A moment later, Sakura's father appeared. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Sasuke. "Who… are you?"
Sasuke inclined his head politely. "Good morning, uncle. I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I've come to see Sakura."
Recognition struck instantly. "Uchiha… Sasuke?! The same Sasuke who ended the war with Naruto?!"
Sasuke gave a small smile and nodded again.
Sakura's mother looked uneasy, but her husband chuckled warmly, waving it off. "Don't be so tense. Don't you remember? Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke were all in the same team—Team Seven. Their sensei was Hatake Kakashi. Of course it's normal for him to visit!"
Turning back to Sasuke, he smiled. "Sakura is still upstairs asleep. Please wait a moment, I'll go wake her."
Before Sasuke could object, Sakura's father had already hurried up the stairs. He knocked gently on her door.
"Sakura! Sakura, wake up, Daddy's coming in!"
No answer.
He knocked again. Still nothing. With a sigh, he slid the door open. Sure enough, Sakura was still buried under her quilt, snoring softly.
"Sakura, wake up! Someone's here to see you!"
She groaned but didn't budge.
Her father leaned down and shook her gently. "Come on, Sakura, it's Sasuke. He's downstairs waiting for you!"
"W-what?!" Sakura's eyes snapped open instantly. Her drowsy expression vanished as her heart skipped a beat.
"Dad, did you just say… Sasuke?"
Her father rubbed his temple, realizing he had hit the bullseye. His daughter had it bad for this boy.
"Yes, Sasuke Uchiha. Your Sasuke from Team Seven. He's downstairs right now."
Sakura's jaw dropped. She grabbed her father's shoulders, shaking him in disbelief. "Are you serious?! Sasuke-kun is really downstairs?"
He nodded firmly.
For a moment, Sakura looked elated. Then, with the mood swings only she could manage, she flopped back into bed, pulling the covers over her head. "Hmph. No way. If Sasuke actually came to see me, then he's not the real Sasuke. I must still be dreaming."
Her father crossed his arms and gave her a knowing look. "You're a kunoichi, Sakura. Stop being ridiculous. Sense his chakra. If it's really him, you'll know."
Sakura hesitated, biting her lip. But curiosity burned inside her. She formed a hand seal and focused her senses.
The next second, her eyes flew wide open.
There it was. That familiar, powerful chakra—calm, sharp, yet heavy with intensity.
It was really him. Sasuke was downstairs.
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