Finally, the three of them arrived at the Hyuga residence.
"We're here..." Hinata stopped. "Thank you for walking me home."
She turned, her hands clasped before her, and gave Naruto and Satsuki a deep, formal bow.
Just as Naruto was about to say something, Satsuki stepped forward. "Mhm, well, we'll be going then." Her tone was deliberately calm, but her grip on Naruto's wrist hadn't loosened in the slightest.
"You should learn to be a little braver in the future. After all... you can't always be a bother to others, right?"
Hinata's head bowed even lower. "Yes... thank you very much for your guidance."
"Well then, see you around." Satsuki's reply was almost impatient, her words so fast it was like she was reciting a script.
Before Naruto could react, Satsuki had already turned and dragged him away. Her grip was surprisingly strong. As they turned, Hinata's pure white eyes reflected their overlapping figures.
Hinata stood there, watching their retreating figures, a strange sense of bitterness welling up in her chest. It was a sight she had never seen before—two people her age, yet radiating such dazzling confidence. It made her both long for it and feel inferior.
A complex emotion flickered in her Byakugan. What do I have to do to be as strong as them? What do I have to go through to have that kind of courage? The questions swirled in her mind, but she could find no answers.
"Um... Satsuki?" Naruto asked tentatively, his voice filled with confusion. "This doesn't seem to be the way to my house..."
Satsuki didn't look back, just pulled harder on Naruto's wrist. "I already told you, you're coming home with me today."
"But... I really already made a bento! And suddenly visiting your house will be a bother for Aunt Mikoto..."
"It won't!" Satsuki whipped around. "I... you've taken care of me so much..." her voice suddenly grew softer, with a hint of an imperceptible grievance. "Why won't you just come to my house..."
Only then did Naruto notice that her eyes had turned slightly red. Satsuki bit her lip, as if having made a decision, and suddenly said, "If you think it's too far... you can stay over at my place!"
The words made Naruto stop in his tracks, so abruptly that Satsuki was forced to let go.
"Satsuki!" Naruto placed his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "What's wrong with you today? You've been acting so strange since a while ago!"
Satsuki's fingers clutched Naruto's sleeve, but no matter how hard she pulled, she couldn't move him. After a few tries, her arm fell limply to her side, her black hair obscuring half her face.
"I see..." her voice suddenly became very soft. "So you'd rather be with a quiet girl like that than with me..."
"Quiet? You mean Hinata?" Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. This jealousy was getting out of hand.
"What are you even thinking! Of course I'd rather be with you!"
"...Huh?"
Satsuki's head snapped up, a flicker of light in her dark eyes.
"We've known each other for so long," Naruto's tone unconsciously softened. "You know, I spend almost every afternoon with you. It's no exaggeration to say that I could spend a lifetime with you and never get tired of it!"
"...!"
The words were like a straight pitch, hitting Satsuki right in the heart. As if electrocuted, she suddenly let go of his hand and stumbled back half a step. The next second, she quickly turned her face away, her black hair falling like a waterfall, completely hiding her expression.
"What's wrong now? Are you okay?" Naruto took a step forward in confusion, wanting to pat her on the shoulder.
Satsuki's body flinched, and she dodged his touch. "I... I completely understand!" her tone became unusually strange. "So that's how you see me..."
"See you?" Naruto looked at Satsuki's suddenly strange reaction in confusion. He was about to ask her what was wrong, but Satsuki suddenly backed away two steps like a startled deer.
"I... I understand what you're thinking!" Satsuki's fair cheeks were flushed an unnatural red. "Um... I'll be going now...!" she gestured awkwardly, even her speech becoming a stutter. "Tomorrow afternoon! I'll be at our usual spot on time!"
Before she finished speaking, Satsuki had already turned and fled. Naruto watched, dumbfounded, as the girl who had been clinging to him just a moment ago now ran away like a frightened rabbit.
...Did she start to hate me?
Naruto stood there, replaying their conversation in his mind, when suddenly—
"I could spend a lifetime with you and never get tired of it."
The words struck him like lightning. Naruto suddenly grabbed his head, his cheeks instantly burning.
That... that's practically a marriage proposal!
He had only meant to express their friendship in an exaggerated way, but he had ended up saying something so easily misunderstood! Satsuki must have run away because she was scared...
What was I even saying...
Naruto ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He hadn't realized that ever since the system had hinted at the possibility of a "love" relationship with Satsuki, his thinking hadn't been as clear and calm as usual when he was around her.
Just as he was wallowing in the despair of "being hated," a crisp system notification sound rang in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host: You have established a bond (Level 6) with the original character "Satsuki Uchiha"!]
[Points Awarded: 500!]
"...What?"
Naruto stood there stunned. The system notification was still echoing in his mind, but his confusion far outweighed his joy.
I said something so misunderstood... and her favorability went up?
The realization made Naruto's heart suddenly race. He placed a hand over his chest, feeling the abnormal thumping.
Could she really... have those kinds of feelings for me?!
Click. The door to Satsuki's room in the Uchiha clan head's residence was thrown open and then slammed shut. Satsuki slid down the back of the door and sat on the floor, her hands tightly covering her burning face. Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating her flushed little face.
So that's how it is...
The thought exploded in Satsuki's mind like a firework, making her feel light and giddy.
Fragments of the past uncontrollably surfaced: Naruto patiently teaching her how to train, comforting her when she was down, his unwavering companionship every day...
So that's how he sees me... Of course! A normal friend wouldn't do all that!
If Naruto could hear her thoughts right now, he would once again be shocked at the precociousness of the ninja world's children.
But what surprised Satsuki even more was—she didn't feel any aversion at all. Instead, a sweet feeling welled up from the bottom of her heart, making her both happy and at a loss.
"Uu..."
She buried her burning face in her knees. The chirping of insects came from the courtyard, but it couldn't drown out the frantic beating of her heart.
This feeling... what am I supposed to do...
-------
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