Chapter 20 Vow Under the Moon"Sakura!"
Naruto was so startled he dropped his juice, frantically reaching out to grab Sakura's waist to prevent her from hitting her head on the ground.
Their noses almost touched, they could feel each other's breath and heartbeats. Their eyes met, and an eerie silence fell.
They were so close...
Both their cheeks burned, and as if by prior agreement, they simultaneously released each other.
"Ouch~"
Naruto was fine, but Sakura cried out in pain; she had twisted her ankle.
Naruto quickly steadied Sakura's arm, helping her regain her balance.
"Let's go to that chair over there, I'll take a look," Naruto said, pointing to a bench for passersby.
"No need, Naruto, it's just a small injury," Sakura said, somewhat embarrassed.
Naruto said sternly, "How can we be careless? What if something goes wrong if we don't treat it in time? What will happen to the Chunin Exams?"
Sakura finally nodded shyly, letting Naruto help her sit on a bench and take off her shoes.
The girl's feet were as translucent as jade, as if meticulously sculpted. Every detail was perfect—slender and well-proportioned, the arch of her feet flawless. They were smooth to the touch, enough to make any person with ulterior motives succumb.
However, Naruto at this moment was oblivious to these details. He only wanted Sakura's pain to subside quickly. In Naruto's little world, he only wanted Sakura to be happy and sweet; he couldn't bear to see her sad or suffering.
Looking at Naruto kneeling on the ground, gently and carefully treating her feet, Sakura's face flushed red. It was the first time a boy had ever made such an intimate gesture towards her.
"Aren't you disgusted, Naruto?" Sakura asked softly, her usual assertiveness gone.
"Huh? How could that be? These are your feet, Sakura," Naruto replied nonchalantly, his answer seemingly unintentional and instinctive.
How could they not be dirty? Sakura knew perfectly well. She'd been on missions all day, then eaten and walked with Naruto, and hadn't had a chance to wash them. Why didn't Naruto mind at all?
Aside from her parents and Ino, this was the first time someone had cared for her so much, even going to such lengths for her.
A warmth welled up in Sakura's heart, a strange flutter rising within her. She took out a handkerchief, bent down, and gently wiped away non-existent sweat from Naruto's feet.
With Naruto's Healing Palm Technique, Sakura's feet recovered quickly, and she was soon able to walk again.
The two continued their stroll along the night path, bathed in the gentle breeze.
"Naruto, I never knew you were so amazing! I had no idea before."
Sakura clearly saw Naruto return with a glass of juice, but they were several hundred meters away from the drink shop. The wait time and preparation time would have been at least two minutes, but Naruto covered those hundreds of meters in just about two minutes. That means he practically teleported instantly.
"Hehe, that's nothing. I obtained the Flying Thunder God Technique by chance; teaching it to you rashly would easily cause trouble. But the Healing Palm Technique is fine. Speaking of which, this technique can not only be used as a healing method but also to block chakra, putting opponents to sleep. Although it requires strict control over chakra, it's perfect for Sakura."
"Okay, then I'll wait for you to teach me. Speaking of which, Naruto, you've really changed a lot."
"Huh? How have I changed? I didn't know."
"You used to always tease me, pretending to say things you liked me, but I knew you only said those things to spite Sasuke."
Naruto sighed softly, making Sakura pause.
"Do you believe in destiny, Sakura?"
"Eh, destiny?" Sakura asked, puzzled.
"Yes, it's when you first meet someone, and you're certain, willing to become better to know her, desperately stronger to protect her, willing to risk your life for her, hoping she's happy."
Is liking someone to this extent? Sakura also likes Sasuke, but she honestly admits she hasn't worked harder because of him, nor has she considered risking her life for him. But Naruto has.
Is the "her" Naruto is talking about her?
"Naruto, I actually..."
Naruto stopped Sakura from speaking, saying, "You don't need to say anything, Sakura. I don't want to know any answers. Besides, many things aren't just words; they need to be proven by actions, right?"
"I just want her to know that no matter how long, no matter how far, I'm willing to cry with her, laugh with her, and see everything in this world with her. That will never change."
The bright moonlight shone on Sakura's face. The girl before her was like an angel, so beautiful. This was the girl he would risk his life to protect.
This time, Naruto didn't back down. He had thought it through clearly. This time, he wouldn't let anyone else have Sakura's happiness. Only he could give Sakura happiness, and only he could marry her!
Was this... a confession?
Sakura's mind was a mess. She didn't dare look Naruto in the eye. This was the first time in her life that a boy had been so serious with her... with her... Surprise, excitement, emotion, and embarrassment swirled through the girl's mind.
"I'm going now, goodbye!"
Finally, they reached Sakura's house. The girl rushed inside without looking back.
"Hey, Sakura-chan~"
Naruto opened his mouth, staring blankly at Sakura's disappearing figure. Was she angry? Naruto silently blamed himself. Had he been too hasty?
Just then, the door, which had been closed, opened again, and Sakura's head popped out.
"Good luck, Naruto! See you tomorrow!"
Without waiting for Naruto's reply, he quickly scurried inside, this time making sure the lights were really off.
"Yoshi!"
Naruto excitedly pumped his fist.
This shout had an effect; the residents who had previously turned off their lights all switched them on.
"Who is it? Why aren't you sleeping at this hour?"
"Who's making such a racket? I'm going to complain, complain!"
"I just finished a long day at work and was finally getting some sleep. Can't a person live in peace?"
Naruto, hands on his hips, chimed in, "Hmph, who is it that has no sense of public decency? Don't let me catch you!"
He then ran off on his short legs.
The next day, Team 7 assembled.
Because Kakashi was always late, Naruto deliberately arrived an hour late, but Kakashi still hadn't shown up.
Sakura, who had been holding back a lot of complaints, saw Naruto and her eyes lit up. She went up to him and complained, "Why, why, why does that guy call us out so early, but always makes everyone wait for him?"
Sakura wouldn't say this to Sasuke; even if she did, he wouldn't listen.
"Exactly, exactly!" Naruto quickly agreed, raising both hands.
"How can I face a girl who overslept and whose hair isn't even combed properly?"
"Yeah, I overslept too. I haven't even washed my face or brushed my teeth."
Naruto had arrived late, so of course he wouldn't have missed time to wash up. He was just saying this to appease Sakura.
However, Sakura clearly didn't see it that way. She began to hesitate, her gaze towards Naruto filled with worry, and she muttered softly, "You...you, you're so dirty."
Sasuke turned his head away disdainfully, seemingly disgusted by Naruto's sycophantic behavior, which was completely different from the man he admired.
About half an hour later, Kakashi finally appeared. Unlike his usual calm and composed demeanor, Kakashi's face was etched with exhaustion.