Chapter 40:
Hearing this, Sasuko's small face immediately fell.
She didn't want to be compared to Naruko.
Though thinking this way, she still reluctantly picked up her chopsticks and began picking at the food in her bowl in small bites.
Sasuko, who usually chattered quite a bit, was unusually quiet today.
Yu noticed Sasuko's abnormally silent dining behavior and put down his chopsticks to ask with concern: "Sasuko, don't today's dishes suit your taste?"
That shouldn't be right—these were all prepared according to her usual favorite dishes...
Sasuko gently shook her head, her jet-black hair swaying slightly with the movement. Her small mouth was pressed into a straight line, but she said nothing.
She didn't want Yu to worry, nor was she angry with him. She just...
Sigh, forget it—eat!
She picked up her bowl and began wolfing down rice in large mouthfuls, deliberately making loud "nom nom" chewing sounds.
After lunch, Yu went to the study as usual to research jutsu scrolls, while Sasuko led Naruko around the courtyard.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the cherry blossom tree, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
"Sasuko, look!" Naruko suddenly pointed at a wildflower under the tree and shouted excitedly, "It's a four-leaf clover! They say people who find them will find happiness!"
She carefully plucked the four-leaf clover and offered it to Sasuko like a treasure: "This is for you!"
Sasuko was stunned.
She looked down at the tiny four-leaf clover in Naruko's palm, along with her dirt-stained fingers and brilliant smile—all of it inexplicably softened her heart.
"...Idiot." Sasuko turned her face away but quietly accepted the clover. "Your hands are all dirty. I'll take you to wash them."
Naruko cheerfully followed behind Sasuko, her little mouth chattering non-stop: "Sasuko, Sasuko, your courtyard is so big! This cherry tree is so beautiful—it'll be even prettier when spring comes, won't it?"
Walking ahead, Sasuko unconsciously slowed her pace: "Mm... Yu said this is a variety specially transplanted from elsewhere."
"Wow!" Naruko's eyes widened as she suddenly moved closer to Sasuko. "Then when spring comes, can I come watch the cherry blossoms with you? We could sit under the tree and eat sakura mochi!" She gestured animatedly, nearly tripping over her own feet.
Sasuko instinctively reached out to steady her, saying helplessly: "Idiot, watch where you're going."
"Spring is still far away."
The two came to the wash basin. Naruko washed her hands while humming an off-key tune. Sasuko leaned against the nearby cherry tree, sunlight filtering through the leaves to cast fragmented light spots on her face.
"Sasuko," Naruko suddenly turned around, water droplets falling from her wet fingers, "I'm actually super happy!"
"...Happy about what?"
"Because you are willing to be friends with me!" Naruko's smile was more brilliant than the sunlight.
Sasuko turned her face away, though her ear tips quietly reddened: "Who, who said I wanted to be friends with you..."
In all honesty, if not for Yu's involvement, she actually didn't dislike this naively silly little dummy.
Every word Naruko spoke came from the heart, and those azure eyes were always filled with sincerity.
She genuinely wanted to be friends with Sasuko, without any ulterior motives or calculations.
As twilight deepened, the clouds on the horizon were tinged with orange-red.
Naruko stood at the doorway waving goodbye: "Today was super— fun! I'll come again next time!"
"It's getting late. Let me walk you home," Yu suggested from the doorway.
"No need, no need~" Naruko waved her hands repeatedly, still wearing that brilliant smile. "I know the way! Goodbye, Yu and Sasuko!" With that, she hummed a tune and bounced away, disappearing around the street corner.
Sasuko stood at the courtyard gate, the somewhat wilted four-leaf clover still in her sleeve pocket.
"What an... idiot," she muttered quietly.
Yu stood beside Sasuko, watching Naruko's small figure gradually disappear around the corner.
He ruffled Sasuko's hair: "Looks like you two got along well?"
Sasuko immediately crossed her arms, turning her face to the side: "Who, who got along well with that dummy!" Though her ear tips, visible through her black hair, quietly flushed red.
"Is that so?" Yu couldn't help but smile, his fingertip gently touching her burning earlobe. "Then this four-leaf clover... should I help you make it into a bookmark?"
Sasuko quickly covered her sleeve pocket, only then realizing the clover had somehow become visible.
She stamped her feet in embarrassment: "Yu is so annoying!" She turned and ran into the house, her wooden clogs leaving a series of crisp sounds on the floor.
Watching her fleeing figure, Yu smiled and shook his head: "Still so indirect..."
In the following days, Naruko maintained a visiting frequency of once every three days. Each time before coming, she would check her appearance repeatedly in the mirror, afraid of leaving a bad impression on Yu and Sasuko.
Though she wanted to come every day, she always worried that being too frequent would annoy them.
The walls Sasuko had originally built around her heart gradually developed cracks under Naruko's day-after-day sincere offensive.
That blonde dummy always carried a brilliant smile, breaking into her life like a little sun.
Sometimes she shared newly discovered sweets, sometimes she showed off just-bought toys, but more often she simply wanted companionship.
Though Sasuko still refused to admit it verbally, she had grown accustomed to having a chattering little blonde by her side.
Yu often stood at the study window, watching the two little girls playing in the courtyard.
Sasuko pretending to be annoyed while quietly slowing her pace to let Naruko catch up, Naruko clumsily but persistently trying to help Sasuko braid her hair—all of it made him smile unconsciously.
Since losing her parents, Sasuko had been like an injured little beast, wary of the outside world and overly dependent only on him.
Yu understood the anxiety hidden behind this attachment, but he also knew Sasuko would eventually grow up.
She would make more friends, have her own dreams, and perhaps in the distant future, meet someone she'd want to spend her life with.
This realization made his heart tighten slightly, yet also brought inexplicable comfort.
At least now, he could still accompany her—that was enough.
Naruko's exaggerated exclamation came from outside the window: "Sasuko is amazing! I can't even understand this technique!"
"Of, of course! Who do you think I am!" Sasuko's proud voice carried undisguised joy.
Yu smiled and shook his head, returning to his desk.
The afternoon breeze gently lifted the curtains, bringing the faint fragrance of cherry blossoms from the courtyard.
No matter when, encountering friends who treat you sincerely is always a very happy thing.
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