The low clouds hung heavy and dark gray. After washing up and changing, Naruto opened the door—instantly, the sky in the distance sank into oppressive darkness.
It was as if someone had turned off a giant lamp above the clouds. The light dimmed sharply, and then—boom!—a thunderclap rolled across the heavens. Without warning, the skies opened, and a torrential downpour came crashing down.
Naruto and Sakura stood in the corridor at the entrance, staring blankly at the wall of rain.
"Did the Konoha forecast say anything about rain today?" Sakura frowned, watching the world blur into a white mist in an instant.
"It was already gloomy this morning." Naruto muttered, then added with a shrug, "Good news is—I've got an umbrella."
About an hour later, the rain eased a little.
"Let's go." Sakura stood up.
"Yeah." Naruto replied, locking the door behind him.
Pop! A black umbrella bloomed open. The two huddled beneath it together. Fortunately, it was large enough to keep them both dry.
"...Naruto." Sakura broke the silence, her tone low and troubled.
"Mm?"
"Why were those people… looking at us like that?" Sakura asked worriedly. "They're residents of the same apartment, aren't they?"
When they'd walked out together earlier, Sakura had, for the first time, noticed the way villagers under the eaves glared at Naruto—like they were staring at something revolting.
"Because you're walking beside me. That's why they hate you too." Naruto said.
"That kind of thing… does it really not bother you?" Sakura shivered slightly. "Naruto, you've always been under those kinds of stares…"
She trailed off, unable to finish.
"It's fine." Naruto didn't seem to mind. He held the umbrella steadily, eyes fixed calmly ahead.
Rainwater streamed along the street at their feet. In the height of summer, heavy rain was nothing unusual. Their black umbrella stood out sharply against the cool, washed-out street.
His voice was steady, cool, flat—like plain water left out to cool.
"I stopped caring a long time ago. Honestly, it sounds harsh, but they're just brainless parasites. Following the crowd."
"Maybe hating me is even what unites them. No one wants to be the odd one out."
Rain drummed loudly on the umbrella.
"To be blunt, they're just… existing. Wearing human skin, but the only meaningful things they do are labor and reproduction."
Sakura didn't know how to respond.
They walked through the old streets until they stopped outside a gift shop. Naruto gestured for Sakura to go in first. She looked at him in confusion.
"If you go in with me, the shopkeeper might refuse to sell to you."
Sakura froze for a moment. She looked at Naruto, then at the pouring rain, hesitated, and finally turned to go inside alone.
After waiting a while, when he figured Sakura had picked something, Naruto followed.
The shopkeeper recognized him immediately, frowned, but said nothing.
Sakura came out holding a gift—a cute blue plush doll. Naruto gave her a nod and turned to leave.
"You're leaving without buying anything?" the shopkeeper suddenly sneered. "Next time, if you've got no money, don't bother coming in."
Naruto ignored him completely and walked out.
Sakura, though, felt like her hand had been pricked by a needle. Her brows furrowed, fingers gripping the plush tightly.
Shinobi weren't allowed to harm villagers—everyone knew that. The shopkeeper clearly did too, and seeing Naruto walk away only made him bolder.
Sakura had known things might be like this, but seeing it happen so blatantly—and to her own teammate—boiled her blood.
She shoved the doll hard into the shopkeeper's arms, startling him.
"What are you doing?!"
"I'm not buying it! What a trashy store!" Sakura glared at him, then stormed out.
"You're crazy!" the shopkeeper cursed after her.
Outside, Sakura spotted Naruto waiting under the eaves across the street, umbrella in hand. She pressed her lips together.
"Didn't buy it. The stuff's no good."
"Mm." Naruto said nothing more, just opened the umbrella wide and stepped into the rain.
"I think I'll buy a wrist guard at the ninja tool shop for Sasuke instead. What do you think?" Sakura forced a smile. "I don't really know what guys like, so I wanted your opinion. I didn't expect this to happen… sorry."
Her voice grew smaller and smaller.
"No need to apologize. I heard everything. Honestly, you could've bought it. I really don't care what those bugs say." Naruto replied casually.
"Bugs?" Sakura blinked, taken aback.
"Yeah. I see them as insects." Naruto said flatly. "Besides shunning me, they can't actually do anything."
"They're powerless, living blindly. Even now that I'm a ninja, they still insult me the same way. To me, whether they live or die doesn't matter—they're just Konoha's insects."
The more Sakura listened, the more tense she grew. She was about to change the subject when a flash of golden hair passed before her eyes.
"What are you two doing together?" Ino stood there under her umbrella, squinting suspiciously at them.
Sakura panicked. If Ino found out she was shopping for Sasuke's birthday gift, it would be trouble. She quickly blurted,"I asked Naruto for help with something!"
"Huh?" Ino narrowed her eyes. "Since when are you two so close? Close enough to ask each other for favors?"
"It's—it's training stuff! Right, Naruto?!" Sakura's flustered face screamed obvious lie.
"Yes." Naruto nodded.
"Training stuff?" Ino finally eased up, the curiosity fading from her expression.
She did know Naruto and Sakura were on the same team as Sasuke, and Naruto topping the graduation exam had been a big surprise. If it was training advice, it made sense.
Still, something kept bugging her. Ever since Naruto had told her that day that "Sasuke doesn't like girls," the words had haunted her like a curse.
"You've been walking together all this time—so you're done 'training talk' now, right?" Ino asked.
"Done… I guess." Sakura sighed helplessly. She couldn't keep lying.
"Good." With that, Ino shoved her umbrella into Sakura's hands—then grabbed Naruto and bolted!
"What—?!" Sakura froze.
"Borrowing him for a bit!" Ino's voice echoed back as the two disappeared into the rain.