Until the Ninja Academy let out, Sasuke finally understood the meaning of what Sakura had said to him at the end of their combat sparring class: “I will help you find your future.”
No…
not some deep meaning, but the literal one.
“How long are you going to keep following me?”
Walking along a street in Konoha, Sasuke stopped and looked at Sakura, who was following closely behind him, and asked with some impatience.
“?”
Sakura tilted her head, a look of confusion appearing on her face.
“Didn’t I say? I’m planning to visit your parents.”
“So what I’m asking is, why are you going to my house?”
“To find your future.”
“…”
The conversation ended there.
Sasuke started walking again, continuing down the street, while Sakura still followed a half-step behind him.
The two continued walking one after the other for a while before Sasuke stopped once more.
He turned around again, his gaze passing Sakura to look at an inconspicuous corner further down the street, and said, “How long are you two going to keep following us?”
As Sasuke’s words fell, two “Ninjas” who had failed to hide their tracks appeared in Sakura’s sight, looking like they were admitting defeat.
Both the boy and the girl were more than familiar to Sakura.
Naruto and Ino.
These two didn’t feel the slightest bit of embarrassment at being caught tailing someone; having had their ‘Hiding Technique’ seen through by Sasuke, they openly walked over to Sakura’s side.
Incidentally, the ‘Hiding Technique’ was a Ninjutsu that didn’t really seem like a Ninjutsu, used for concealing a Ninja’s presence.
The method of execution involved using a large piece of cloth of any material or color that could blend into the surroundings to cover one’s body, achieving the effect of hiding one’s tracks.
In the original series, Konohamaru Sarutobi had used it against Naruto, but because of his clumsy execution, it actually made him stand out more, to the point where even Naruto could spot the hidden person’s tracks at a glance.
“We—”
“—just happen to be heading the same way.”
Naruto spoke up hastily, but was immediately interrupted by Ino, who snatched the answer away.
“Right! Same way!”
Sasuke naturally wouldn’t believe such child’s play, and his suspicious gaze swept over the two of them without concealment.
Naruto gathered his momentum to meet Sasuke’s gaze; whenever he faced Sasuke, he subconsciously didn’t want to let himself seem weak.
Ino ignored Sasuke’s gaze, turning to Sakura and asking, “Sakura, what are you planning to do with Sasuke?”
Ino, who had planned to ask Sakura to walk home together as usual after school, was surprised to find that Sakura had actually declined her invitation and followed Sasuke instead.
This set off alarm bells in Ino’s head, and she followed them without a second thought.
As for Naruto…
he really was just heading the same way…
Somewhere on this street was a ramen shop called ‘Ichiraku,’ and through Naruto’s intermittent promotion over the past month, everyone knew he was a regular at that shop.
Noticing the sneaky Ino, Naruto, driven by curiosity, had simply ‘joined’ her in tailing Sakura and Sasuke.
“I’m going to Sasuke’s house.”
Sakura replied; there was no need to hide it at all.
Her gaze also fell on Naruto, and a certain possibility that only Naruto could fulfill surfaced in her mind.
She then spoke up, “Do Ino and Naruto want to come along?”
To grasp that possibility, Sakura took the opportunity to extend an invitation.
“Hey—don’t take over the role of host so naturally.”
Sasuke hurriedly tried to stop Sakura’s act of overstepping her bounds.
“I’m fine with it.”
However, it was clear that Ino only cared about Sakura’s invitation and didn’t care about Sasuke’s opinion at all.
Ino’s rule for dealing with Sakura was that as long as Sakura sent an invitation, she would show up no matter where it was!
As for Naruto— “No, I won’t go. The Ichiraku Ramen Discount Coupons I’ve been hoarding are about to expire.”
In the heart of the current goggles-wearing boy, the importance of the Hokage, Ichiraku Ramen, and Sasuke was neck-and-neck; after all, to Naruto, these represented his dream, his No.
1 food, and his rival, respectively.
However, some things were more urgent than others.
Although going to Sasuke’s house was very tempting, there would be other chances; if he didn’t use the expiring Discount Coupons, he’d never be able to use them again.
“You can eat ramen another time, right? Don’t worry about the coupons. I’ll just treat you to Ichiraku Ramen next time.”
Sakura said with mock seriousness, “Naruto, think about it carefully. A Discount Coupon only gives a discount; you still have to spend money. If I treat you next time, you won’t have to spend a cent, and I’ll even treat you to a large bowl!”
Naruto’s eyes lit up, thinking Sakura made a lot of sense.
No!
It made no sense at all; she was just using sophistry!
“Well, alright then. I’ll go eat ramen after we get back from Sasuke’s house.”
He still couldn’t bear to let go of those Discount Coupons; he’s really…
I’m dying here…
While Sasuke maintained a cold, cool face on the surface, his inner thoughts were turbulent.
Then, he saw three pairs of eyes staring straight at him.
Sakura’s ‘hospitality’ was just a joke; everyone was just joking around according to the atmosphere.
If Sasuke, the real host, didn’t give the word, the three of them would probably have to head to the Ichiraku Ramen shop together.
Hopefully Naruto had three of those expiring ramen Discount Coupons.
“Let’s hurry up, or my mom will have already finished cooking, and you’ll still have to go eat ramen.”
Sasuke relented.
“I didn’t expect you to be so easygoing, Sasuke.”
The four of them started walking again, side by side on the street, as Sakura sighed with emotion.
“It’s because you’re too persistent.”
Sasuke retorted.
Sakura, however, showed a smile as if she had ‘had her strength recognized by the top of the class.’
“…”
Sasuke fell silent.
He knew; he had always known.
Sakura was just such a persistent person; whatever she wanted to do, she would surely achieve it, just like the beginning of Sasuke’s friendship with her.
At first, Sasuke didn’t want to have much to do with Sakura.
It wasn’t directed at her specifically; Sasuke had the same attitude toward everyone else in the class.
Because he had to work hard to catch up to his brother, who was praised by everyone as a ‘genius,’ and to gain his father’s recognition and respect.
So Sasuke felt that he didn’t have any spare time to deal with interpersonal relationships or to make friends.
However, Sakura’s presence changed all that.
Sasuke was still taciturn and kept to himself at school, but since Sakura became his friend, over time, her friends naturally became his friends as well.
Sasuke looked at the three people laughing and playing beside him—Naruto, Ino, and Sakura—all three had undoubtedly become his friends.