Night had fallen by the time Sakura and Naruto finished cleaning the apartment. Naruto turned to her with a foolish grin. "Sakura, thanks so much for the help! If you ever need me in the future, I'll do anything for you."
Wanting to play the fool, Naruto paused before adding, "And hey, if we get married someday, I won't let you do a single chore. I'll do everything—I'll even wash your feet! Hehe." He shot her a playful, slightly mischievous look.
Sakura remained silent, but internally, she was overwhelmed. Marriage? He wants to wash my feet? Her heart hammered against her ribs. To hide her joy and avoid making things awkward given their complicated past, she put on a front of annoyance.
"Hmph! Idiot, who said they wanted to marry you?" she snapped, though her voice lacked its usual bite. "I'm going home. See you tomorrow in front of Ichiraku Ramen. And don't forget, we're going to that new clothing shop."
"Yes, Sakura-chan! I'll be there—I'd follow you to the ends of the earth!" Naruto chirped, intentionally using cheesy lines to try and get a rise of disgust out of her.
Sakura smiled, but her mind flashed back to a haunting memory: Naruto shielding her, dying in her arms. She silently renewed her vow to never let harm touch him again in this life. Looking at him softly, she asked, "Naruto, why do you like me so much? After how I treated you in the past... I don't feel worthy of such pure love."
Naruto's expression shifted. Mimicking the intensity of a villain like Obito, he said, "Sakura, don't say that. You are my light. If you weren't in this world, I'd rather destroy it."
He waited for her to recoil in disgust at his possessiveness. Instead, Sakura's face turned bright red. Before he could process what was happening, she stepped forward and pulled him into a tight, tearful embrace.
"Naruto, don't say things like that," she sobbed into his chest. "Because if you do, I won't be able to control myself anymore..."
Naruto froze, his mouth falling open in a perfect 'O' shape. Wait... what?!
After a few moments, Sakura let go of him. Ashamed and scared of how he would react, she pulled the door open fast and ran. I'm such a foolish idiot... What if he is scared of my change and he distances himself from me?
When Sakura arrived home, she appeared troubled. Her mother, Mebuki, put her hands on her shoulders. "Darling, are you alright? You look troubled."
Sakura smiled and replied, "It's nothing, I'm okay. I just got a fever." Her mother looked concerned and touched her forehead with her own. "You sure? Your temperature is okay."
Then a flash of thoughts came into Mebuki's mind: So my daughter has fallen in love. She smiled and asked her, "Do you want anything to eat? I will make something for you."
Sakura looked at her and told her, "It's okay, mother. I want to be alone," and left. Then she entered her room. She undressed and threw herself on the bed and she thought of her previous life.
- Refresh memory -
She was with Ino in the Ino family floral shop. Naruto entered the shop with a cute heart-shaped necklace. He came to me: "Sakura, I love you. This necklace is for you. "I hope this shows you how much you mean to me. Please be my girlfriend. In the future, I will be a strong Hokage worthy of you and I will protect you."
Sakura looked at him with disgust. "Who wants to be your girlfriend? Go away, you idiot. Is it not enough for you after these years? I don't like you... the person I love in my life is Sasuke."
Naruto looked at her with a bitter smile. "Soka..." he paused a few moments and continued" Sakura -chan as long as you are happy, it is no problem for me which person you choose i will protect you with my life on the line... haha." Naruto "laughed, but this was not his laugh. "Ok Sakura-chan, Ino-san, I'm going. Sorry for disturbing you." Naruto looked at Sakura again. "Sakura-chan, if you like this necklace, you can take it. If not, let Ino have it." "Naruto smiled, placed the necklace on the table in front of Sakura and Ino, and left slowly."
Ino looked at Sakura. "Sakura, why are you like that? Naruto loves you very much. Even I would accept such sincerity."
Ino stood up to run after him, leaving Sakura alone. Sakura huffed "Hmp, I don't care. I'm not fickle. Since I chose Sasuke already, I can't change.
After three days, Sakura went looking for Naruto to ask if he could help her with a d-rank mission the following morning. When she finally found him, he was with Hinata by the Nara River. They were fishing, when sakura saw them she hid behind the bushes to peek at them. She wasn't sure why she was spying, but she couldn't help herself.
Naruto looked genuinely happy, wearing a rare smile that surprised Sakura. Compared to the smiles he often gave her—which now seemed forced in hindsight—the one he showed Hinata was full of life. Hinata was still her usual timid self, but she seemed different somehow. Her face was flushed, and her movements were awkward.
"Hinata-chan, are you okay? You look pale," Naruto said, placing his hand on her forehead.
At that sight, Sakura's heart tightened, though she didn't understand why.
Steam practically rose from Hinata's head before she fainted. Naruto sighed and muttered, "She's so timid. Hinata-chan, wake up!"
When she finally wake up, she said timidly, "Naruto-kun... I'm sorry."
"Silly girl, nothing happened," Naruto replied with a smile.
After a while, they cooked two fish over a small fire. Hinata looked at him shyly and asked, "Naruto... are you dating Sakura-chan?"
Naruto looked at her with a hint of pity in his eyes, as if he sensed her feelings for him. Sakura watched with interest from her hiding spot.
"No, we aren't dating," Naruto replied. "I like her, but she doesn't like me back. I don't regret having feelings for her, though. I'm pretty pathetic, aren't I?" He gave a small smile.
"No, Naruto-kun!" Hinata cried out, panicking. "I think you're amazing. You never give up, even when you were all alone. I've always watched you fro—" She stopped abruptly, her face burning. "I'm sorry! I... I have to go! See you later!"
Naruto watched her run off and let out a long sigh. Behind the bushes, Sakura felt a sudden surge of happiness hearing that Naruto liked her, but the feeling was fleeting.
After packing his fishing rods, Naruto headed back toward the village. Curious, Sakura followed him. As he walked through the streets of Konoha, he ran into Ino.
"Good morning, Ino-san," Naruto greeted her with his usual grin.
"Good morning, Naruto! How come you aren't following Sakura around today?" Ino teased.
Naruto laughed, looking a bit embarrassed. "Haha, Ino-san... do you want to grab something to eat? Consider it an apology for disturbing your flower shop the other day."
Ino smiled brightly. "Sure, Naruto! And don't worry, I won't tell Sakura."
"I see... haha," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Let's go!" Ino said, pulling him along by the hand.
"What do you want to eat? You can pick anything," Naruto said proudly.
"Really? Then let's get barbecue!" Ino replied happily.
"Okay, barbecue it is," Naruto smiled, and the two of them headed toward the Akimichi family restaurant. Once they arrived, they picked a table, ordered their meat, and began grilling.
As they ate, Ino asked, "Naruto, why don't you just give up on Sakura? I know how stubborn she is; once she makes up her mind, she never changes it. Why don't you start a relationship with me instead?" She teased him with a mischievous smile.
Naruto laughed, looking back at her. "Haha, don't joke like that! I might actually fall for you. Don't you like Sasuke just as much as Sakura does? She already gives me enough of a headache!"
Ino's expression turned serious. "Naruto, I don't like Sasuke anymore. He never acknowledged my feelings, and he left the village." Her face reddened slightly as she continued, "I've actually started falling for your stubbornness and sincerity. Seeing how you never give up on Sakura and love her... if you ever did decide to let her go, you could start something with me."
Naruto froze. The piece of meat he had been holding with his chopsticks slipped and fell to the floor.
Seeing his shocked expression, Ino burst out laughing. "Hahaha! I was just kidding, you idiot! Why are you making that face?"
Naruto didn't laugh. He reached out and grabbed her hand, his voice steady. "That joke isn't funny, Ino-chan. I really might fall for you."
Ino's face flushed a deep crimson as she pulled her hand back, huffing a small "Hmp." Just then, Sakura appeared at the entrance of the restaurant, her fists trembling as she watched them.
She walked quickly ahead of them and slapped Naruto across the face. Shocked, Naruto looked at her, a red handprint forming on his cheek. "Sakura-chan, what happened?" He stood up and glanced at Ino before turning back. "Sakura-chan, it's not what you—"
Sakura interrupted him. "Hmph! Who cares what you do, you idiot?"
Panic instantly seized her. Why did I come here? she thought. I don't even have an explanation for why I did 그at.
"Hmph! I hate you!" she yelled, then turned and ran away.
.....
At the present, Sakura cried, "What a foolish woman I was. How sad Naruto felt at that time..." She wiped her tears. "I want to redeem myself. I want to do everything to protect him. I need to get stronger. After the mission to find Sasuke and Orochimaru, Akatsuki will act in the Wind Sand Village. Naruto, I will never let you go. And I need to defend you from these bitches. In the past life, Hinata she followed and peek Naruto everywhere like a dog..As for Ino now is early and she Doesn't have any feelings for Naruto yet. Hmp, Naruto can be only mine"