After White Fang had left, Naruto immediately went to find Sasuke.
"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto called out, walking briskly to catch up with him, "tomorrow is Kakashi-sensei's Hokage inauguration ceremony. Make sure you get there on time in the morning, okay?"
Sasuke nodded, but his eyes carried a subtle sadness.
Naruto, as his closest friend, immediately noticed something was wrong. Frowning, he asked, "Hey, what's the matter with you? You look… down."
Sasuke exhaled deeply and then met Naruto's eyes. "It's not your fault," he said softly.
Naruto threw his hands up in confusion. "Not my fault? Sasuke, what do you mean by that?"
Sasuke's expression darkened slightly. "Because of your suggestion, I ended up dating two girls—Karin and Sakura. Now… the situation has gotten complicated. Both of them want to… follow me."
He trailed off, a faint blush creeping across his cheeks.
Naruto leaned closer, curious. "Follow you? What exactly do you mean?"
Sasuke let out a long sigh. "Karin tried to test me… she wanted to see if I would be physically close to her. I refused, and… tried to get her to back off."
Naruto's eyes lit up, impressed. "Wow, that's great! Karin is… pretty bold. But you handled it well."
Sasuke shot Naruto a sharp glare, sighing again. "But one day, Sakura saw us. She got jealous… furious even. She scolded Karin for being shameless, but Karin felt wronged. That's how this mess started… a love tangle between the two of them."
Naruto frowned in surprise. "Wait… so Sakura saw her and got mad? Did she attack Karin?"
Sasuke nodded, his voice calm but tinged with frustration. "At first, I expected that. But Sakura didn't. She just left quietly. I wanted to follow her, but Karin stopped me. The next day, I went over to Karin's house. Her parents weren't home… and she was alone in her room."
Naruto froze mid-step. "Wait… what happened next? Don't leave me hanging at the critical moment!"
Sasuke's face reddened slightly. "Sakura had taken off all her clothes, stood in front of me, and shouted… that she wanted me. She wanted me, Naruto."
Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious?! Did you…"
Sasuke's face flamed red. "No! I calmed her down, asked her to get dressed, and then ran away!"
"Oh, Sasuke!" Naruto groaned, pointing at him. "You really haven't changed a bit. Cold on the outside, flustered on the inside… still the same Uchiha brat!"
Sasuke scowled. "And you think you're any better? You could kiss Hinata whenever you wanted, but I… I can't do that!"
Naruto laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Sasuke, listen. You know Sakura's character. She's willing to risk everything for you. What would she think if you rejected her like that? If she feels inferior to Karin because of this… you'll regret it."
Sasuke stared at Naruto, stunned. "How… how did you know? That's exactly what she said to me the next day. She cried…"
Naruto grinned. "See? I told you."
Sasuke exhaled wearily. "Then what do we do now?"
Naruto patted him again. "Simple. Don't overthink it. You know what to do. This isn't rocket science."
Sasuke paused, recalling the tension and awkwardness with Karin and Sakura. He took a deep breath. "I… I can't do it."
Naruto frowned. "How is that possible? You're young, strong, and… full of energy! You can't seriously back down now!"
Suddenly, realization struck Naruto. In Sasuke's previous life, he had barely spent a week with Sakura before she became pregnant. He had been away during crucial moments. Sakura didn't call him a scumbag, but chose to understand him. She was kind, patient… and Sasuke barely knew his own daughter because of his absence.
Naruto frowned deeply. So this might be why Sasuke is hesitant… he's afraid of repeating the past.
He looked at his friend and asked seriously, "Sasuke… be honest. Is the problem… that you're not capable?"
For the first time, Sasuke felt a rare, burning irritation toward Naruto. "Don't! Take your hands away!" he snapped, swatting Naruto aside.
Growing up, Sasuke could lose to anyone… but not to Naruto. He couldn't allow it. He wouldn't.
Naruto exhaled in frustration. "You can do it! What's there to be afraid of? Look, both Sakura and Karin want to be close to you—it's up to your approach. As long as you're confident, everything can be resolved."
He added seriously, "If you can't handle it… then, well, I can lend you some of the Nine-Tails Chakra to strengthen you!"
Sasuke waved him off dismissively. "I don't need it. Men of the Uchiha clan don't rely on borrowed power."
Naruto grinned. "Alright, alright, fair enough!"
After a pause, Sasuke looked at Naruto uncertainly. "Are you really saying… if I handle them both properly, everything will be fine?"
Naruto nodded solemnly. "Yes! They just want to be close to you. How you manage it… that's your call."
Naruto gave Sasuke two meaningful glances. Sasuke's cheeks flamed red, and he nodded stiffly. "Understood."
With that, he turned and went upstairs.
"Hey!" Naruto called after him, surprised at Sasuke's sudden retreat. "Don't forget—come early tomorrow, okay?"
A muffled voice answered from inside, "Got it!!!"
Naruto shook his head, smiling, and turned away.
Inside the Uchiha household, Fugaku and Mikoto looked at Sasuke. "Tomorrow is the Hokage inauguration ceremony. Tsunade-sama sent a notice. Sasuke… are we going?"
Sasuke glanced at the message on the table and sighed. "Since the village invited us, we should attend. If we refuse, people might think the Uchiha still harbor resentment. Someone could even question Naruto's appointment. That would be bad for Konoha's unity."
Fugaku nodded, pleased. Sasuke had already developed a sense of political awareness. He understood the importance of the Uchiha clan remaining part of the village. Naruto's future as Hokage would only strengthen Konoha, and Sasuke, as his best friend, would naturally play a key role in the village's leadership.
Later, as Naruto left the Uchiha compound, he spotted Sakura wandering near an intersection.
"Oh! Sakura!" Naruto called, hurrying to her. "What are you doing out here?"
Sakura looked up, startled. "Naruto!"
Naruto noticed the redness around her eyes and the dark circles, proof she hadn't slept well and had probably cried. He already knew it was because of Sasuke.
"Sasuke told me everything about you and him," Naruto said gently.
Sakura blushed deeply, embarrassed. "This Sasuke… why does everything happen like this?"
Naruto smiled warmly. "I understand. After all, it's a matter between you and him. Even if it's the three of you in a complicated situation, you still need your privacy."
Sakura's heart warmed at Naruto's words. After a pause, she said softly, "You're right… we're good friends, and it's easier to talk about everything with you. I guess I just… can't seduce Sasuke, after all."
Naruto laughed, looking at her. "Sakura, don't feel inferior. Sasuke just hasn't reached his own limits yet. I told him what to do, and he agreed with my advice. You just… stay close to him."
He gestured with his thumbs, and the tips bent toward each other in a playful signal.
Sakura blinked, then immediately understood. "Hmph! You're impossible!"
She lightly smacked Naruto, and he hissed in mock pain.
Rock Lee's relentless enthusiasm—was still unmatched, even in matters of matchmaking.
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