"Of course," Sai looked into her eyes, "I'll also add how you take care of me now."
Ino's face was slightly hot: "You... Don't be too exaggerated. "
"No," Sai said seriously, "I want to preserve your most beautiful appearance forever." Like..."
A sudden explosion came from outside, interrupting him.
"Oh no," Ino became nervous, "Did the traitor break through the defense line?"
"Impossible," Sai reassured, "that was a flare set by Shikamaru." They are signaling us..."
Before he finished speaking, there was another violent vibration, and the entire cave was shaking.
"We need to get out of here quickly," Sai stood up, only to find that his leg injury was
worse than expected.
"I'm holding you," Ino put his arm around him without hesitation.
"Boom!" With a loud noise, the entrance to the cave collapsed, and the gravel fell one
after another.
"This way!" Ino pulled Sai and groped inward. In the darkness, only a vague way out could be identified, and the air was filled with the smell of dirt and rocks.
"Fortunately, I had an emergency light," Sai took out a small device from his ninja bag,
emitting a faint fluorescence.
"What is this place?" Ino looked around, and the inside of the cave was surprisingly spacious.
"It seems to be a natural cave," Sai carefully observed the rock wall, "the underground
river was formed after years of erosion."
"Then are we going to go in the direction of the river?"
"Theoretically, that's the case," Sai walked forward on crutches, "but you can't act rashly until you are completely sure of the direction."
"It's okay," Ino clasped his arm, "we can slowly find our way."
The fluorescent light illuminated the figures of the two moving forward, and the shadows stretched long and long on the rock wall.
In this enclosed space, they had to walk next to each other, and every subtle touch was particularly clear.
"Watch your feet," Sai reminded, helping Ino step over a protruding rock. In the process, the bodies of the two inevitably cling together.
"Thank you," Ino whispered, her heart beating uncontrollably. In the claustrophobic en
vironment, she could clearly hear Sai's steady breathing.
"There is the sound of water flowing ahead," Sai stopped, "Let's go and take a look."
Turn a corner and your eyes suddenly open up. A clear underground stream flows slowly at your feet, and the water reflects fluorescence, creating a dreamlike scene.
"It's so beautiful," Ino couldn't help but sigh.
"It's not as good as you," Sai suddenly spoke, in a sincere tone, "I was thinking when I
was treating your wounds just now... Your focused expression is particularly moving."
Ino was stunned, not expecting him to say such a thing. Unable to find a suitable resp
onse for a while, she had to lower her head to hide her flushed cheeks.
"Actually, I've always admired your talent," Sai continued, "Your research on flowers and plants is admirable."
"I... thank you for the compliment," Ino stammered, feeling his face even hotter.
"Do you know," Sai sat down against the rock wall, motioning for Ino to sit beside him, "Every time I pass by your flower shop, I will stop and admire it for a while."
"Really?" Ino asked in surprise, sitting down next to him, the two were so close that they could feel each other's body temperature.
"Well," Sai nodded, "especially the blue bellflower, which you said symbolizes eternal love. I was thinking that it would be nice if I could draw it."
"Do you remember so clearly?" Ino looked at him with emotion.
"I remember every detail very well," Sai turned his head to stare into her eyes, "including the way you looked when you said this, and... the lilac ninja suit you like to wear."
"Ah... that color really suits you," Sai's gaze became even more gentle, "It's beautiful like it is now."
Ino felt that her heartbeat had missed a beat, she had never seen such a gentle Sai. He is always taciturn on weekdays, but at this moment he is saying the most touching love words.
"Actually, I... I've always been..." Ino plucked up the courage and wanted to confess.
"I've always liked the way you draw," Ino finally said, "especially the focused expression you have when you draw flowers."
Sai's pupils dilated slightly, obviously not expecting the other party to give the same answer. In the silent cave, the sound of the two people's heartbeats was extremely clear.
"At that time, I always felt," Ino continued, his voice trembling with nervousness, "The
reason why the flowers in your painting are so beautiful is because you put a lot of emotion into them."
"You're right," Sai said softly, "every time I paint flowers, I imagine what it would be like if the object were you."
This sentence completely broke Ino's psychological defense. She turned her head and
met Sai's gentle gaze.
"So," Sai approached a little, "I would like to fulfill my original promise if you want. It's
not just about painting a portrait..."
His words came to an abrupt end, because Ino had already taken the initiative to come up and gently kiss him on the lips.
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