The Next Day After Naruto Woke Up
Sakura was walking quietly toward the school, holding her black bag and her eyes watching the path ahead, alone.
She couldn't remember the last time she felt such loneliness. Was this the feeling Naruto had been living through all that time in middle school, just to give her time with Sasuke? The feeling as if the whole world had abandoned you, and you were worthless to everyone.
It was a hard, disgusting, harsh, and painful feeling.
She pressed her lips together, then whispered, "I deserve this, because I wasn't a good friend—not to Naruto, nor to Sasuke... I deserve this…"
"You deserve… what?"
Sakura was startled, taking a small step back, causing her full chest to tremble gently. In front of her stood a blonde girl, staring at her with curiosity.
"Ah… Ino…"
Sakura sighed and felt relieved as she placed her hand over her chest, feeling her heartbeat.
Ino tilted her head sideways with some puzzlement, but Sakura remained silent and said nothing. Ino approached her and asked, "What's wrong, dear? Why do you look so down?"
"Nothing important… Let's go…"
"What… Are you hiding secrets from me? Huh?" Ino leaned toward Sakura, holding her shoulders. But Sakura gently pushed her away, saying with some annoyance, "I'm not hiding anything from you, you fool. Get away from me! What would people say about us?"
"I don't care what people say! Then tell me, why do you look so gloomy?"
Sakura sighed and continued walking with heavy steps, moving away from her best friend. "I told you, it's nothing. We'll be late for school, so let's hurry. Also, I have to record lessons for Naruto so he won't fall behind when he comes back."
Ino smiled mischievously, putting her hand in front of her mouth. "Oh, the cherry blossom is that worried about Naruto?"
Sakura blushed with embarrassment and snapped, turning toward Ino, "It's just normal to do that! Stop teasing me… Ugh, you…"
Sakura quickened her pace while Ino laughed after her, saying, "Sorry, sorry, dear, I'm just joking."
Sakura sighed, but without even realizing it, all the darkness that had been gathering in her heart vanished and completely dissipated.
---
When the two girls entered their classroom, they met the same faces. Sasuke sat coldly, staring out the window, and Karen sat next to Sakura's chair.
Ino was in front of Karen, and Naruto's seat was now empty between Karen and Shikamaru.
In front of Naruto's chair sat Shino, then Rock Lee; beside Shikamaru's chair sat Choji, and in front of Choji sat Kiba.
"Good morning, everyone…"
Sakura greeted with a small smile. Everyone now knew how much Sakura had changed. Before, all her smiles were faint and insincere, Sakura looked like a puppet being controlled and moved, but now she acted genuinely. She no longer gave off that strange feeling of being forced to do anything. Finally, Sakura seemed free.
The students responded to her greeting with expressions ranging from smiles, calmness, respect, and some admiration here and there.
Ino was the first to head to her chair and sit, saying with a smile and rosy cheeks, "Sasuke… how are you?"
Sasuke smiled faintly at the blonde girl and nodded his head. "I've fully recovered. What about you? Are you feeling better?"
Ino replied kindly, and the two began talking about various things in their own world.
Sakura quietly passed Sasuke's chair, then went to her seat and sat down, starting to talk with Karen and listening to the Uchiha girl complain about the soccer and basketball teams.
It wasn't long before teacher Kurenai entered the classroom. She was a beautiful woman with black hair and red eyes, yet her facial expressions conveyed sadness. Some students understood why, as she had recently broken up with teacher Asuma, who had been dating her for some time.
Kurenai sighed as she greeted her students, then began delivering her lesson.
---
In a different classroom, marked 1-A.
Teacher Kakashi was conducting the lesson. There weren't many notable faces, but two stood out.
One was a girl with blue hair and white eyes without pupils, diligently taking notes. She wore glasses with wavy lenses to help her study.
Hinata sat in the front row, looking like the class president.
But unlike her, in the back row near the window, sat a blonde girl with green eyes, fidgeting as if forced to attend the lessons, lost in her own world.
It was Shion, who had noticed Naruto's absence. She knew well that he was an excellent student who attended most of his classes. Shion had already realized Naruto had disappeared, so her mood hadn't been good lately.
(It's impossible that he ran away from me… Why disappear only after I told him I'd get him? Isn't that strange? But he didn't seem like the type to run away. He stood and faced me bravely back then… Could that pink-haired bitch have forced him to move away for fear I'd steal him from her?)
She kept worrying anxiously, then sighed a little, looking out at the schoolyard. She began encouraging herself: (When he comes back, I will act. I will make him mine… When he comes back…)
---
Meanwhile, in the operating room where Naruto lay.
After several days, Naruto felt better, although Tsunade hadn't yet allowed him to leave his bed. Still, he thought he could finally move comfortably and maybe leave any day now.
Tsunade entered the room brusquely, as usual, which Naruto had already gotten used to. She looked around coldly then at the papers in her hand and said, "This is good… Maybe I'll let you leave tomorrow. All your results look fine. You'll need to stay bedridden for a few more days at home, and then you'll be fine."
"Thank you for everything, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade rolled her eyes coldly. "Don't mention it, it's not like I saved you out of kindness. I'm still thinking about your studies more, so make sure to visit me a lot after you leave…"
Naruto nodded to Tsunade, then looked at her and said, "By the way… something strange happened to me recently…"
Tsunade said nothing, just looked at him, waiting for him to continue. So Naruto nodded and opened his mouth.
"It's about my body… I've been training since I was young, practicing various martial arts, but I only had a real battle about a year ago. At that time, something strange happened. I feel like I enter a strange state where everything slows down for me, and I can easily observe and react to my opponents in time."
Tsunade showed interest in his words, then put her hand on her chin, thinking for a moment before whispering, "That idiot, the fight addict, said something like that before. It's like an instinct… I prefer to call it the combat awakening stage… I think it's a radical evolution of all your skills to the peak of human ability… but I'm not sure about your perception of things in slow motion. Maybe it's your strange body uniqueness that I haven't been able to analyze yet…"
Naruto gave her a small nod, then slowly raised his hand. "That feeling isn't something I can fully control yet. No matter how hard I try, I can't activate that combat awakening right now. But during battle, it triggers instinctively through my subconscious mind. I want to learn it, control this power, make it mine… and command it as I wish."
Tsunade smiled a little, seeing Naruto's enthusiasm, which immediately reminded her of one of the trio, the combat genius Jiraiya—the person who is considered to have already reached the pinnacle of humanity.
"I like your spirit, you rascal… You have it… I will train you in that power and make it yours."
Naruto smiled in relief and lowered his hand and head to Tsunade. "I won't forget that, teacher Tsunade…"
"Don't call me teacher, rascal. I already have enough crazy students under my responsibility."
"But, teacher…"
"Enough, idiot, and go to sleep."
Tsunade turned coldly and left the room, closing the door behind her, leaving Naruto sitting on his bed, quietly smiling and preparing to receive his lessons later when Tsunade returns.
---
The school day was over, and the students were on their way home.
Sakura walked with Kiba, discussing the lessons they had that day and the notebooks they wanted to send to Naruto's house so he could continue studying and not fall behind.
Meanwhile, Ino, Sasuke, and Karen walked together, then each group went their own way, as there was an uncomfortable atmosphere whenever Sakura and Sasuke were near each other.
When they reached the Uchiha clan gate, Sasuke let Karen return home alone and decided to walk with Ino to her house.
"You were great yesterday in the basketball game. Our team is advancing toward the high school league. Do you think we have a chance to qualify for the championship?"
"If we keep this pace, we can qualify… We already have Jugo… And although Suigetsu has been absent for some time, I'm sure with his return, our team will be complete."
"I see… I hope we qualify… We weren't lucky last year, but the youth this year are outstanding…"
"That's right…"
After walking a few more minutes, they finally reached Ino's house. Both stood awkwardly, and Sasuke turned, saying in an unclear tone, "Well… I'll leave now…"
He turned to escape, but Ino suddenly grabbed his hand. As Sasuke turned to look at Ino, his face was flushed red, but luckily, Ino was looking down.
"I-Ino?"
He whispered weakly, but finally received her reply, "Sasuke… Can you stay a little longer… I'll make dinner for you…"
Sasuke opened his mouth, then whispered softly, "O-Okay…"
Ino let go of his hand, opened her house door with the key, entered first, and Sasuke followed, closing the door behind him.
They took off their shoes at the entrance and entered the living room.
"Rest here a bit… I'll be back quickly…"
"O-Okay…"
Sasuke answered somewhat embarrassed and sat on the couch, looked around a little, then quietly said, "It seems your parents aren't home yet?"
Ino was putting on an apron and answered Sasuke's question calmly, "My mother died when she gave birth to me… and my father doesn't live with me… I live with my older brother… but I don't know where he is now."
"Oh, I see… Sorry about your mother…" Sasuke felt a bit sad, as he also understood the feeling of loneliness Ino was living.
An awkward silence lasted for some time, but Ino broke it, speaking in a loud voice, "But since I started high school, I haven't felt that loneliness anymore, after I met you guys… after I met you… Sasuke…"
Sasuke's face flushed slightly. Why was Ino attacking him so fiercely today? It wasn't her usual behavior—not so strongly like this.
Sasuke understood Ino's feelings well. Honestly, if not for her, he might have drowned in darkness a long time ago. But just because she was there, helping him, talking to him, opening space for him to complain, Sasuke finally felt saved.
He hadn't realized he drifted into his thoughts until Ino came with dishes, like a loving wife. She bent a little, placing the dishes in front of Sasuke, which made him glance toward her chest, where her underwear was showing, and a bit of her usual white skin covered by clothes.
Sasuke quickly closed his eyes. It wasn't his intention to glance like that. For a moment, Sasuke felt as if Ino deliberately tried to seduce him, but that was impossible, wasn't it?
He calmed himself, then said, staring at the food in front of him, "Thank you for the meal, Ino…"
Ino smiled as she took off the apron and sat beside him. "No need to thank me… I hope you like the meal… I made it with love…"
Sasuke blushed a little as he looked at Ino, but Ino just smiled with an embarrassed face. That certainly confirmed Sasuke's guesses.
Sasuke fell silent and ate quickly. When he finished, he stood up quickly in a desperate last attempt to escape before things escalated.
"Thank you for the meal, Ino! I'll go now…"
But suddenly, Ino shouted, "Sasuke!"
Sasuke stopped walking and stood there, staring at the door ahead of him, while Ino stood by the table, opening her mouth as words escaped her lips.
"Is this your response? No matter what I do… you'll reject me in the end? Is this your final answer, Sasuke?"
Sasuke didn't reply, continuing to stand staring at the door. Ino put her right hand on her left wrist with some despair.
"Is… Sakura… better than me… in the end?"
Sasuke opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was silent—an unbearable silence that made it hard to breathe.
Ino closed her eyes, feeling sadness, resentment, and even disappointment. Was this the end? No matter what she did… no matter what she did… her love would only be met with rejection?
"Ino…"
Ino opened her eyes, expecting Sasuke to reject her, but she was surprised by his face, which was very close to hers—dangerously close.
Before she could understand anything, Sasuke was already kissing her lips.
Ino kept looking ahead in a daze, frozen as if she had become foolish. But she finally regained her senses, blushing fiercely, closing her eyes, and returning the kiss.
Sasuke broke the kiss, gazing at her with an unreadable expression, then whispered words that brought tears to her eyes.
"Will you be mine?"
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To Be Continued.