Chapter 38: So You Also...
Naruko fidgeted nervously with her fingers, her golden twin tails swaying gently as she lowered her head: "Um... sorry for intruding..." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Seeing this, Yu's expression changed slightly. He glanced at Naruko and quickly lowered his voice: "Sasuko..." There was helplessness in his tone.
He then turned to Naruko with a gentle smile: "See? I told you Sasuko's illness would get better when she saw you. Look, she can even sit up now!"
While speaking, he gave Sasuko meaningful looks, signaling her to mind her manners as a host.
"Yes! I know, Yu-nii~" Naruko looked up sweetly, her sapphire-like eyes curving into crescents.
Yu-nii?!
Sasuko, sitting on the bed, felt her blood surge upon hearing that affectionate "Yu-nii."
Her small hands gripping the blanket trembled slightly, her pale face visibly reddening at a speed visible to the naked eye, even her ear tips turning crimson—like a bristling kitten whose fish had been stolen.
Yu keenly sensed something was off about the room's atmosphere and quickly walked to Sasuko's side.
Like soothing a bristling cat, he gently ruffled her hair and leaned down to whisper in her ear: "This is Naruko's first time visiting... could you be a bit more polite?" His warm breath carried a hint of pleading.
He wondered inwardly: Sasuko had always been so well-mannered when guests came before.
What was different today...
Could it be she was too excited seeing a peer for the first time?
Sasuko took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her churning emotions as her face gradually returned to calm: "...I understand."
She suddenly tugged at Yu's sleeve, saying quietly: "Can you step out for a moment? I want to chat with Naruko alone."
Yu frowned hesitantly, but seeing Sasuko's determined eyes, he nodded.
Sasuko then showed Naruko a sweet smile: "Sorry, I was just too excited to see you."
She even extended her small hand toward Naruko warmly: "Welcome ~"
Only then did Yu feel relieved as he got up to leave.
Before closing the door, he looked at Naruko once more, thinking privately that this little girl seemed excessively shy.
He then winked at Naruko with an encouraging smile:
"Make sure to get along well~"
"Yes!" Naruko immediately clenched her small fists, her golden twin tails bouncing cheerfully with her nodding motion. "Don't worry, Yu-nii, I'll definitely become good friends with Sasuko!"
Her upturned face was full of seriousness, her eyes reflecting Yu's smiling face.
What a pure and lovely little girl... Yu couldn't help but ruffle her fluffy head before gently closing the door.
Sasuko watched all of this.
But she said nothing, maintaining a smile on her face with difficulty until the moment the door completely closed, when her sweet expression instantly vanished.
Naruko was still gazing longingly at the closed door. When she turned around, she met Sasuko's slightly narrowed black eyes.
"Hello, Sasuko~" Naruko put on an innocent smile and greeted her proactively.
Sasuko didn't respond to this enthusiasm.
She sat upright on the bed, speaking slowly in a cold loli voice: "How did you find your way here?" Her demeanor was completely different from the obedient appearance she'd shown in front of Yu.
After losing her parents, Yu had become Sasuko's only support. She would never allow anyone to take away this last bit of warmth.
Sasuko's cold gaze made Naruko unconsciously step back half a pace.
She gripped her dress hem, stammering: "It... it was Yu-nii who invited me to visit today..." Her voice grew smaller and smaller, like a frightened little animal.
What? She dared call him "Yu-nii"!
A flash of crimson passed through Sasuko's black eyes as a single tomoe Sharingan slowly rotated in her pupils.
"Yu... specifically invited you?" She spoke word by word, her soft voice carrying a chill.
Naruko was completely bewildered by Sasuko's sudden hostility.
They'd only met twice—why did this black-haired girl show more wariness toward her than even those adults in the village who always pointed and whispered about her?
But remembering Yu-nii's warm smile when he closed the door, courage quietly welled up in her heart.
"Y-yes," Naruko took a deep breath, her golden twin tails swaying gently with her head movement. "Yu-nii also said... he hoped we could become good friends."
Sasuko was stunned by these words, her crimson Sharingan gradually fading. So the " friend" Yu mentioned was this blonde girl...
Since it was Yu's wish...
She awkwardly turned her face away. Though her voice was still cold, her tone had softened considerably: "...I see."
Just like with every gift Yu gave her, even dolls she didn't like, she would still keep them carefully by her bedside.
Because they were from Yu—that was reason enough.
Seeing Sasuko's attitude soften, Naruko's heart immediately soared—indeed, just as Yu-nii said, Sasuko was just too excited to see her!
She bounced over to Sasuko's bedside. The closer she got, the more she realized how exquisitely cute this black-haired girl was—porcelain-white skin, warm eyes, a delicate nose and pink lips perfectly arranged, like a carefully crafted doll.
"Sasuko, you're so cute!" Naruko couldn't help but blurt out, her azure eyes shining with sincere light.
Sasuko was stunned, her pale cheeks instantly flushing crimson.
Few people had ever praised her appearance so directly. Even with some lingering wariness, she awkwardly whispered: "...Thank you."
This response seemed to open Naruko's chatterbox. She swayed her twin tails cheerfully and sat familiarly on the bedside:
"What do you like to eat? I love Ichiraku Ramen the most! But Yu-nii said you can't eat anything too greasy right now..."
She counted on her fingers: "How about takoyaki? Or three-colored dumplings? Ah! I know a sweet shop with super delicious strawberry daifuku!"
Naruko chattered away like a happy little sparrow beside the bed.
Sasuko just responded with disinterested "mm"s and "oh"s, clearly lacking enthusiasm for these topics.
"Oh right!" Naruko suddenly leaned closer, her golden twin tails swaying gently. "Does Sasuko know what Yu-nii likes to eat?"
Sasuko: !!!
Sasuko instantly straightened her spine, a flash of alertness in her black eyes: "Why are you asking that?"
"Just curious~" Naruko tilted her head with an innocent smile.
Sasuko pressed her lips together, her tone turning cold again: "I don't know. But I do know..." She deliberately drew out her words,
"He definitely doesn't like ramen."
"Oh..."
Naruko completely missed the barb in Sasuko's words, only feeling a bit disappointed that Yu didn't like ramen.
But then she suddenly had a realization, her eyes lighting up.
Wait, if Yu-nii didn't like ramen, then that time they met at the noodle shop...
Could it be because Sasuko likes ramen?
Naruko suddenly looked up, her golden twin tails swaying cheerfully, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement as if she'd discovered some huge secret.
"So you also like ramen!"
She excitedly moved closer to Sasuko: "I love Ichiraku's miso flavor the most! What flavor do you like?"
Sasuko was completely unprepared for Naruko to reach this conclusion and didn't know how to respond.
Was she an idiot? It was precisely because of her that Sasuko deliberately avoided the ramen shop every time.
She wanted to continue putting on a stern face, but looking at those blue eyes full of expectation, she couldn't maintain her expression.
Sasuko let out a long sigh, suddenly feeling that her earlier antagonism toward Naruko had made her the fool.
***
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