Published at 23rd of September 2024 4:03 pm

Chapter 160 In the Shadow of Loss: 3 Unspoken Feelings

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

The next few days passed in a blur of training and missions, but for Sakura, something had changed. The conversation she and Naruto had shared over ramen lingered in her mind. Every time she saw him, every time he smiled at her or tried to cheer her up, her heart fluttered in a way it never had before.

Naruto had always been there for her, had always been her constant source of support. And now, after everything they had gone through with Sasuke’s defection, she found herself seeing him in a new light. He wasn’t just the loud, brash boy she had known since they were kids. He had grown, become someone she could truly depend on — someone who believed in her when she couldn’t even believe in herself.

But these new feelings confused her. For so long, her heart had belonged to Sasuke. Even now, part of her couldn’t let go of the hope that one day he would come back. But with each passing day, the bond between her and Naruto grew stronger, and the line between friendship and something more began to blur.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and painted the sky in shades of pink and orange, Sakura found herself walking through the village with Naruto once again. It had become their new routine — they’d finish their training and then wander around Konoha, talking about everything and nothing, just enjoying each other’s company.

Tonight, though, Sakura felt a strange sense of anticipation in the air. She didn’t know what it was, but something about this night felt different.

As they walked past the training grounds, Naruto suddenly stopped, glancing over at the empty field. “Hey, Sakura… want to spar for a bit? We’ve been working hard all week, but I bet I can still take you down!”

Sakura raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms with a smirk. “You think so, huh? You know I’ve been getting stronger too, Naruto.”

Naruto grinned, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yeah, but I’ve got a few new tricks up my sleeve! Let’s go!”

Without waiting for her response, Naruto dashed onto the field, already preparing for a playful fight. Sakura rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips as she followed him.

They faced each other, the evening breeze rustling through the grass around them. Sakura readied herself, her muscles tensing as she focused on Naruto’s movements. He was fast, and she knew better than to underestimate him, but she had trained hard too. She wasn’t about to let him win so easily.

With a playful shout, Naruto lunged at her, and the spar began.

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The sparring session turned into something more than just a fight. As they moved, dodging and countering each other’s attacks, the laughter and smiles between them only grew. Naruto was right — he had gotten faster and stronger. But so had she.

At one point, Naruto managed to catch her off guard, tackling her to the ground in a playful but firm move. They both landed in a heap, laughing breathlessly, their faces flushed from the exertion.

Sakura tried to push herself up, but Naruto was still leaning over her, grinning down at her with that wide, infectious smile of his. “Told ya I could take you down!”

Sakura glared at him, though she couldn’t hide the amusement in her eyes. “You got lucky, idiot.”

Naruto laughed, but then, as their laughter faded, something shifted between them. They were close — closer than they had ever been before. Naruto’s hands were still resting on her arms, and Sakura could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. The playful energy between them suddenly changed, becoming something more serious, more intense.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Naruto’s grin faltered, and his expression softened as he looked down at her, his blue eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite place. Sakura’s heart pounded in her chest, and she suddenly felt very aware of how close they were, of the way his body was pressed against hers.

“Naruto…” she whispered, not entirely sure what she wanted to say.

He swallowed, his own breath coming a little faster. “Sakura, I—”

Before he could finish, Sakura’s instincts took over, and she quickly rolled them both over, pinning Naruto to the ground instead. The moment of tension broke, and Naruto yelped in surprise as he found himself looking up at her.

“Gotcha!” Sakura teased, her voice light and teasing, though her heart was still racing from the intensity of the moment before.

Naruto blinked up at her, clearly caught off guard, but then he burst out laughing again, the tension dissipating. “Okay, okay, you win this round!”

Sakura grinned, pushing herself off him and sitting back in the grass, brushing her hair out of her face. She tried to shake off the lingering heat from their almost moment, but it wasn’t so easy. What had just happened? Had she imagined that look in his eyes? Or was there really something there, something more than just friendship?

Naruto sat up beside her, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “Man, I guess I’m not as tough as I thought,” he said with a laugh, though there was a hint of something more serious in his tone.

Sakura glanced at him, trying to figure out what to say. Part of her wanted to brush it off, to pretend nothing had happened. But another part of her, the part that had been growing stronger over the past few weeks, wanted to confront it, to see where this could go.

“Naruto,” she began, her voice quiet, “there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

Naruto turned to her, his expression curious but a little nervous. “Yeah? What is it?”

Sakura hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. This was it — the moment where everything could change. “Why… why do you always fight so hard for me? Even when I… even when I’ve been focused on Sasuke all this time?”

Naruto blinked, clearly not expecting the question. For a moment, he just looked at her, his blue eyes searching hers. Then, after a long pause, he sighed, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

“Because you’re important to me, Sakura,” he said quietly. “I’ve always cared about you. I’ve always wanted to protect you, no matter what.”

Sakura’s breath caught in her throat. She had always known that Naruto cared about her, but hearing him say it so plainly, so honestly, made her heart ache. She had spent so much time chasing after Sasuke, so much time ignoring the one person who had always been there for her.

“Naruto…” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “I don’t deserve that. I don’t deserve you.”

Naruto frowned, his expression softening. “Don’t say that, Sakura. You’re amazing. You’re strong, and you care so much about everyone. You deserve everything.”

Sakura looked at him, her eyes wide and filled with emotion. For the first time, she truly saw Naruto — not just as her teammate, not just as her friend, but as someone who had always believed in her, who had always been there for her, no matter what.

And in that moment, something shifted inside her. She realized that maybe, just maybe, her heart had been looking in the wrong place all along.

She reached out, hesitating for only a moment before placing her hand on his. “Thank you, Naruto,” she said softly. “For always being there for me.”

Naruto’s eyes widened slightly at the contact, but then he smiled, a soft, genuine smile that made Sakura’s heart skip a beat. “I’ll always be here, Sakura. No matter what.”

And as they sat there, side by side in the fading light, Sakura realized that maybe, just maybe, her heart had finally found where it truly belonged.

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