Chapter 43: Feelings
Finally, the three of them arrived at the entrance to the Hyuga estate.
"We're here..." Hinata stopped walking. "Thank you for walking me home."
She turned around, clasping her hands in front of her, and bowed solemnly to Naruto and Satsuki.
Just as Naruto was about to say something, Satsuki stepped forward first. "Well, we'll be going now." Her tone was deliberately calm, but her grip on Naruto's wrist didn't relax in the slightest.
"You should learn to be braver in the future. After all... you can't always be troubling others, right?"
Hinata's head drooped even lower. "Yes... thank you so much for your guidance."
"Well then, maybe we'll see you again sometime." Satsuki was almost eager to respond, speaking as quickly as if reciting lines.
Before Naruto could react, Satsuki had already grabbed his hand and turned to leave. Her strength was surprising—the moment they turned around, Hinata's pure white eyes reflected their overlapping silhouettes.
Hinata stood in place, watching their retreating figures with an inexplicable sourness rising in her chest. This was a sight she'd never seen before—two peers her age radiating such dazzling confidence. It made her both yearn for it and feel inferior.
Complex emotions flickered in her Byakugan. What would she need to do to become as strong as them? What would she need to experience to gain that kind of courage? These questions swirled in her mind, but she couldn't find answers.
---
"Um... Satsuki?" Naruto tentatively spoke, his voice filled with confusion. "This doesn't seem to be the direction to my house..."
Faced with this question, Satsuki didn't turn around, only gripping Naruto's wrist even tighter. "I already told you—you're coming home with me today."
"But... I really did make a bento! And suddenly visiting your house would trouble Mikoto-san..."
"It won't!" Satsuki suddenly spun around. "I... I receive so much care from you normally..." Her voice suddenly dropped, carrying a barely perceptible hint of grievance. "Why won't you ever come to my house..."
Only then did Naruto notice her eyes had somehow become slightly red. Satsuki bit her lower lip, then suddenly said as if she'd made up her mind, "If you think it's too far... you could even stay overnight at my house!"
This statement made Naruto stop abruptly, with enough force that Satsuki had to let go of his hand.
"Satsuki!" Naruto placed his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look directly at him. "What's wrong with you today? You've been acting really strange since earlier!"
Satsuki gripped Naruto's sleeve tightly with her fingers, but found that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull him along. After several attempts, her arms fell limply to her sides, her black hair covering half her face.
"I see..." Her voice suddenly became very quiet. "So compared to me... you prefer spending time with that kind of quiet girl..."
"Quiet? You mean Hinata?" Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. This jealousy was way too intense.
"What are you thinking about?! Of course I prefer spending time with you."
"...Eh?"
Satsuki suddenly looked up, a glimmer of light flashing in her dark eyes.
"We've been together for so long now," Naruto's tone unconsciously became gentle. "You know I spend almost every afternoon with you these days. It's no exaggeration to say I could spend my whole life with you and never get tired of it!"
"...!"
Those words hit like a fastball straight to Satsuki's heart. She jerked back as if electrocuted, her whole body staggering back half a step. The next second, she quickly turned her face away, her black hair cascading down like a waterfall, completely hiding her expression.
"What's wrong now? Are you okay?" Naruto stepped forward in confusion, wanting to pat her shoulder.
Satsuki's body trembled violently as she dodged his touch. "I... I completely understand now!" Her tone became strangely abnormal. "So that's how you see me..."
"See you?" Naruto looked confused at Satsuki's suddenly odd reaction. He was about to step forward to ask when Satsuki retreated two steps like a startled deer.
"I... I understand what you're thinking!" Satsuki's pale cheeks flushed with an unnatural blush. "Um... I'll go first...!" She gestured helplessly, her speech becoming stuttered. "Tomorrow afternoon! I'll be on time at our usual meeting place!"
Before her words had even finished echoing, Satsuki had already turned and fled. Naruto stared dumbfounded at this girl who had just been clinging to him desperately, now fleeing like a frightened rabbit.
...Did I just get rejected?
Naruto stood there, puzzledly replaying their conversation, when suddenly—
"I could spend my whole life with you and never get tired of it."
The words struck his mind like lightning. Naruto suddenly clutched his head, his cheeks instantly burning.
Those words... weren't they almost like a marriage proposal?!
He'd only meant to dramatically express friendship, but ended up saying something so easily misunderstood! Satsuki must have been scared off...
What was I even saying...
Naruto frantically ruffled his hair in frustration. He was completely unaware that ever since the system had indicated he could develop a "romantic" relationship with Satsuki, his thinking around her had become less clear and calm than usual.
Just as he was wallowing in the dejection of "being disliked," a crisp system notification suddenly rang in his mind.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host: Bond Level 6 established with original character "Uchiha Sasuke"!]
[Points gained: 500!]
"...What?"
Naruto stood frozen in place. The system notification was still echoing in his mind, but his confusion far outweighed any joy.
After saying something so easily misunderstood... Satsuki's favorability actually increased?
This realization made Naruto's heartbeat suddenly accelerate. He pressed his hand to his chest, feeling the abnormal pounding there.
Could she really... have those kinds of feelings for me?!
---
With a "thud," the door to Satsuki's room in the Uchiha clan head's residence was pushed open and slammed shut. Satsuki slid down against the door, sitting on the floor with her hands tightly covering her burning cheeks. Moonlight streamed through the window onto her, illuminating her flushed face.
So that's how it is...
This thought exploded like fireworks in Satsuki's mind, making her feel completely light-headed.
Past scenes flashed uncontrollably through her memory: Naruto patiently teaching her during training, comforting her when she was frustrated, his unwavering daily companionship...
So that's how he sees me... Of course! What ordinary friend would go to such lengths?!
If Naruto could hear her thoughts right now, he'd be shocked once again at how mature ninja world children were.
But what surprised even Satsuki herself was that she felt no rejection at all. Instead, a sweet feeling bubbled up from deep in her heart, leaving her both delighted and at a loss.
"Mmm..."
She buried her burning face in her knees. Insect chirping came from the courtyard, but it couldn't mask the violent beating in her chest.
What should I do about this feeling...
***
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