Chapter 35: Sasuko, I Have Good News for You
Hiss—
Blue chakra flames ignited in Yu's palm, the dancing firelight illuminating Naruko's swollen, red-rimmed eyes and wet eyelashes.
She looked exactly like Sasuko when she woke from nightmares in the middle of the night. Yu instinctively reached for the tissues in his pocket.
"Yu-nii!"
After seeing who it was, Naruko broke into a smile through her tears, the cowlick on her head bouncing with her excited movements.
Yu crouched down, gently wiping her slightly feverish cheeks with a tissue: "How did you end up here?"
He had sensed someone approaching earlier, but never expected it to be Naruko whom he hadn't seen for over a month, much less that the little one had been crying.
"Did someone bully you?"
Naruko shook her head vigorously, her twin tails swishing: "No way! I... I just got lost!"
"What a coincidence." Yu smiled slightly, pointing toward the light deep in the alley. "My house is just ahead."
Naruko blinked her big eyes: "I've never seen it before..."
"Just moved here."
"It's so late already, let me take you home." Yu gently ruffled Naruko's soft golden hair. "Where do you live?"
Naruko gave him an address, her voice still carrying traces of post-crying stuffiness.
Yu smiled and skillfully lifted her up, just like he usually carried Sasuko.
"Hold tight." He reminded her quietly.
Before Naruko could react, she felt the surrounding air suddenly twist, the scenery in her vision rippling like disturbed water.
Naruko unconsciously pressed closer to Yu's chest, hearing rapid heartbeats in her ears—she couldn't tell if they were hers or his.
The night breeze was cool, and when she came to her senses, they were already standing below her small apartment building.
The old streetlight flickered on and off, casting swaying shadows in the night.
"Is this it?" Yu asked quietly.
Naruko nodded quickly, her voice soft: "Mm-hmm."
Yu carefully set her down, ruffling the top of her head with a gentle tone: "Well then, good night."
Just as he turned around, Naruko suddenly gripped her clothes tightly, mustering all her courage to shout: "Can... can I come visit you at your house?"
Yu clearly hadn't expected her to ask this, momentarily stunned. In Konoha, all the higher-ups feared him like a fierce tiger, yet this little girl...
He smiled: "Of course. Sasuko would definitely love having a little friend to keep her company."
Yu waved at her with a slight smile: "If there's nothing else, I'll head back now. Goodbye."
Naruko opened her mouth, the phrase "would you like to come upstairs for tea" circling on her tongue before she finally swallowed it back.
That previous question had exhausted all her courage—now she could only stand there, dryly squeezing out: "Good... goodbye..."
Before she finished speaking, the space before her eyes suddenly twisted as Yu's figure dissolved like a phantom into the night.
Naruko stood there dazedly, staring in the direction he'd vanished.
The night breeze brushed her hair, bringing a touch of coolness, but couldn't dispel that dreamy feeling in her heart.
—Had everything just now really not been a dream?
"Naruko, that brat is dangerous. Stay away from him."
The Nine-Tails' low voice echoed in her mind.
Naruko snapped back to reality, puffing up her cheeks indignantly:
"Hmph! Stupid fox, badmouthing Yu-nii again! I'd be an idiot to listen to you anymore!"
"Fool, I'm doing this for your own good. Those eyes... are Mangekyou Sharingan. For someone to awaken them at this age, you have no idea what that means..."
"I don't believe it!" Naruko covered her ears and shook her head vigorously, golden strands flying with the motion. "Yu-nii is so gentle!"
"Heh..." The Nine-Tails let out a meaningful cold laugh. "Uchiha Madara was the same way back then..."
"Not listening, not listening!!" Naruko simply started jogging, deliberately making her steps go "patter patter." "I'm going to sleep!"
"Someday... you'll understand..."
The Nine-Tails' voice gradually faded. It knew that no matter what it said today, the little girl wouldn't believe it.
On the other side, just as Yu pushed open the door, a small figure came "thump thump thump" running over.
"Yu—!"
Sasuko wore pajamas, her jet-black hair draped over her shoulders as she dove into his embrace. Like a little cat, she sniffed around him, then looked up with her cute face, squinting suspiciously: "Did you sneak off to eat ramen?"
Before Yu could answer, she turned her face away awkwardly, her voice muffled: "...Even though I don't like that shop, if you really want to go, I... I could reluctantly accompany you."
Yu chuckled, ruffling her messy black hair: "It wasn't ramen."
"Then where did you go?" Sasuko immediately turned back, staring straight at Yu.
"I ran into Naruko and accompanied her home."
"Naruko?" Sasuko was stunned, then her small face scrunched up.
That little blonde who was always chattering around Yu at the ramen shop. It was because of this girl that she never wanted to go to that ramen place.
Yu pinched Sasuko's soft little face, his fingertips feeling the milk-like smoothness: "She got lost near our house, so I took her home."
"Oh..." Sasuko let out a soft breath, her tense shoulders quietly relaxing. She looked down and fiddled with her pajama sleeves, saying quietly: "I thought... you went specifically to find her..."
"Mm?" Yu tilted his head in confusion. "What are you talking about, Sasuko?"
"No... nothing!" Sasuko suddenly looked up, her face slightly red as she waved her hands frantically.
Having a sudden inspiration, she hugged Yu's arm: "Oh right! Tonight I want to sleep with you!"
Yu looked amusingly at the suddenly clingy little one: "Why do you suddenly want to sleep together? Haven't you been sleeping fine on your own before?"
Sasuko stood on tiptoe matter-of-factly: "It's just the two of us here, what's the problem~" She even deliberately nuzzled Yu's chest with her head.
Yu raised an eyebrow, looking at Sasuko clinging tightly to his arm, secretly amused.
This little girl had been getting more and more clingy lately. She probably needed a playmate her own age?
"In that case, Sasuko," Yu mysteriously leaned close to her ear, deliberately lowering his voice, "I have good news to tell you. Want to hear it?"
Sasuko immediately widened her round black eyes, instinctively hugging Yu's arm even tighter, full of anticipation: Could it be that she'd get to sleep with Yu from now on?
"Soon you'll have a little friend to play with!" Yu cheerfully ruffled her head. "Isn't that exciting?"
Sasuko's expectant face immediately fell, her pink lips unconsciously pouting. What kind of good news was this?
She buried her face in Yu's arm: "Hmph! I don't want any little friends..."
Yu couldn't help but laugh out loud seeing her like this.
The little girl was adorably tsundere—saying she didn't want any while probably really looking forward to having peers to accompany her.
Yu said gently: "The situation was special before, so it was just me keeping you company. But now..."
He paused, his eyes tender:
"It's time for you to make some friends your own age."
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