The moon hung high in the sky as we made our way toward Sunagakure. We had left Konoha at dawn, and by nightfall, we had covered a good distance. It would take about three days to reach the village, so we still had a long way to go.
Kakashi-sensei stopped and scanned the surroundings, before giving a small nod. "This will do for tonight," he said, gesturing to a small patch of land near some rocks. "We should rest for the night and prepare for tomorrow."
Sakura let out a soft sigh of relief as she began gathering the supplies. "Finally," she muttered, a tired smile on her face. "I thought I was going to collapse any minute."
The camp was set up, and the fire crackled softly in the night air. The sky above us stretched out in a sea of stars, the quiet of the desert forest only by the wind fluttering leaves and the occasional crackle of the flames. Sakura and I sat near the fire, leaning against the rocks while Kakashi-sensei moved silently around the perimeter, doing his usual 'reading Icha Icha Paradise' thing.
I pulled out my bento box from my inventory—something I had prepared earlier before leaving my home. The aroma of the food started to waft into the air, and I could see Sakura's eyes flicker toward me. I smirked, knowing what was coming next.
"What's that smell?" Sakura asked, turning her head in my direction. She wasn't even trying to be subtle now. "What's in that bento?"
I casually opened the box, revealing a spread of food: steaming rice, crispy tempura shrimp, savory teriyaki chicken, and delicate tamagoyaki. The scent of miso soup and pickled vegetables filled the air.
"Smells so good…" Sakura's voice softened with genuine curiosity. She looked at me with wide eyes. "What's the secret?"
I shrugged, "I have prepared an extra one, you know, in case anyone's hungry," I said, glancing at her with a grin.
Sakura blinked in disbelief. "Wait, don't tell me… by 'prepared,' you mean you actually made this?" She looked at me, a mix of surprise and suspicion in her eyes.
I gave a smug nod. "Yep, I did. You don't believe me, do you?" I flashed a teasing, almost dangerous smile, and watched as her cheeks flushed. I knew I had her now.
Sakura stammered, trying to hide her blush, her voice softer than usual. "I... I didn't think you could actually cook…"
I could see her heart fluttering, but before she could say anything more, Kakashi-sensei, who had been watching quietly from the side, let out a quiet chuckle.
'The guy who only knows ramen... actually learned to cook? Kakashi thought. This is what they call growing up?'
I could almost hear him shaking his head behind that mask, but I didn't care to ask as to what he is thinking.
I handed over the spare portion of food to both Sakura and Kakashi. Sakura took it quickly, still blushing, avoiding eye contact. Her face was like a bright red tomato as she muttered a soft, "Thank you, Naruto…"
As they started eating, Sakura's face lit up, her eyes widening with surprise. The moment the food hit her taste buds, she froze—her mouth slightly open, eyebrows raised in absolute disbelief, her both hands crossed tightly holding her entrancing boobs "This... this is amazing!" she squealed while having a blissful expression on her face. Her voice had that tone like she'd just tasted something life-changing.
It was like watching one of those food competition shows—her eyes sparkled, her hand clutched her boobs even more, and she made this little noise of pure delight. It was... unexpected. Her cheeks flushed even more, but she couldn't help but dive in for another bite, practically melting at the flavors. Her reaction was almost like she'd found the key to a secret world of flavor.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Kakashi-sensei. His shoulders were shaking, and his face was flushed, though he was trying to hide it. He took a bite and froze, his expression going blissful. It was almost comical how much he was enjoying it.
Sakura, still in the middle of her food euphoria, finally looked up at me with a burning curiosity. "Naruto... how did you even make this? What's in the sauce? It's so rich... I've never tasted anything like it."
Sakura took another bite, her eyes still wide with surprise and delight, but then, almost as if she couldn't help herself, she blurted out, "You know… this would be even better if the whole team 7 was together."
The moment the words left her mouth, the atmosphere around the campfire shifted. Both Kakashi and I froze, and even the flames crackled louder, almost as if the fire itself was reminding us of the absence that hung between us.
Sakura's expression faltered when she realized what she had said. Her hand paused mid-air, holding the bento. "Ah... I shouldn't have said that," she muttered, her face turning redder than ever. "Sorry, I... I just got caught up in the food."
Her gaze shifted downward, a faint hint of embarrassment clouding her features as she quickly stood up. "I'll go wash the utensils by the river," she said softly, giving a little awkward wave before she made her way toward the water's edge, her footsteps light and quick as she tried to put distance between herself and the uncomfortable moment.
I watched her back retreat into the distance, but I didn't move.
Kakashi-sensei, however, didn't seem to be as lost in his thoughts. He was watching me carefully, his single eye narrowing a little, and then, almost casually, he spoke up.
"Go after her, Naruto," he said, his voice gentle but firm, as if he had expected this all along.
I blinked at him, not quite understanding at first. "Huh?"
Kakashi-sensei didn't respond immediately, instead turning to look at the spot where Sakura had walked off toward the river. Then, with a small shrug, he added, "She's probably just feeling a little... off. You should talk to her."
I hesitated for a moment, glancing over to where Sakura had gone. The silence between us lingered before Kakashi spoke again.
"Go. I'll stay here and keep watch."
I let out a soft sigh and, without another word, stood up. And made my way toward the riverbank, I thought while grinning 'as i expected'
.....
Sakura's POV
The cold river water felt refreshing as it rushed over the utensils I was cleaning, but no matter how much I focused on the task, my thoughts kept circling back to the campfire.' Why did I have to say that?'
I should've kept my mouth shut.
I was still irritated with myself as I scrubbed the plates clean, the sound of the water trying to drown out the guilt that gnawed at me. The moment I had blurted out about the old Team 7, I regretted it instantly. 'What was I thinking?'
It wasn't just the food—it was everything. Everything that felt missing now. Everything had changed since then.
'What's wrong with me?' I dropped the last utensil into the water, scrubbing it a little harder than necessary, as if I could wipe away the awkwardness. 'I just need to stop overthinking. But... it's hard when everything feels like it's shifting.'
Finally, I set the utensils down, letting out a long breath as I stood up, preparing to head back to the camp. 'It's fine. I'll apologize, and everything will go back to normal. It was just a slip of the tongue...'
But just as I stood straight, I heard a voice from behind me, causing my heart to race.
"Sakura-chan."
I froze, my foot half in the air, and I instinctively turned. I saw Naruto standing there, looking at me with those familiar eyes, I felt my stomach do a little flip.
I didn't know what to say, so the words just spilled out of me. "I'm sorry. I just had to go and ruin the mood, huh?"
My gaze stayed firmly on the ground. 'I shouldn't have said that. I should've kept my thoughts to myself...'
I took a small step toward him, trying to keep my composure, but then—thud!
I wasn't watching my footing, and in the blink of an eye, my foot caught on a hidden rock beneath the water. My body lurched forward, and before I could even process anything, strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me upright.
I gasped, my heart leaping into my throat. I immediately felt warmth spread across my side. 'Wait... was that... his hand?'
I felt him catch me with such ease, his grip firm yet gentle. But... there was something else. I felt his right hand gripping my under boob with firmness , right there... It was just a brief touch, but it felt like the world had frozen in that moment.
I scrambled, flustered, my face instantly flushed. I quickly pulled back, stepping away from him.
"Th-thank you," I stammered, my voice quiet and nervous. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I couldn't stop the heat from rising to my face. I couldn't even look him in the eye, so I just kept my gaze downward, trying to hide the blush but why?.
But that warmth was still there—both from the touch and the intense, growing discomfort. I tried to steady myself, but it wasn't working.
I was still reeling from the moment earlier when Naruto had caught me. My heart was beating wildly in my chest, and my face was still burning. It was as if the world had spun a little too fast, and I hadn't caught up yet. 'Why did it feel like everything was changing so quickly?'
I didn't even notice him moving closer until I felt a gentle pressure on my shoulder. I startled, my body stiffening for a moment.
I lifted my gaze, and there he was—Naruto, standing right in front of me. His hand was resting lightly on my shoulder, his face close enough that I could see the concern in his eyes. I could feel my heart rate pick up again, my face flushed even more.
'No way...' I thought. 'Why does he have to be so close?'
I quickly looked down, feeling my cheeks turn hot again. But he seemed to notice, because a second later, he spoke softly, his voice calm and reassuring.
"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" he asked, his words gentle but sincere. took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. 'Come on, get it together. He's just trying to help.'
"Yeah," I mumbled, still avoiding eye contact. "Just... a little embarrassed. I didn't mean to ruin the mood back there."
Naruto smiled, and the warmth in his expression made my heart flutter just a little more. He stepped closer, placing a hand on my arm, and looked down at me with a smile.
"Don't worry about it, Sakura-chan," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "Anyone could feel and had said something like that at that moment, Even I could have said it."
I blinked, my thoughts drifting to how grown-up he had become. The old Naruto would've never been this reassuring, this mature. He had changed so much in such a short time, and it made me feel both proud and a little... unsure of myself.
But his next words broke through the haze of my thoughts.
"I'm sorry for what happened earlier, though." He gave me an apologetic look, his brows furrowed slightly.
Before I could even respond, he raised his hand and gave it a small, almost imperceptible squeeze. It was... suggestive. And for some reason, my heart skipped a beat at the action.
'Wait—what was that?!'
I was sure my face had turned bright red again. The way he moved, so casual and confident, was driving me crazy. My mind was racing, and before I could even stop myself, I blurted out, "Naruto!" My voice was surprisingly loud for how flustered I felt.
He just grinned, the smile on his face mischievous, almost daring. I couldn't take it.
I faked an angry frown, crossing my arms over my chest. "You... you jerk!" I huffed, turning my head to the side. "How dare you do that!"
But my attempt at being angry didn't last long. Before I could even get fully worked up, I found myself chasing after him. "I'm going to make you pay for that!" I yelled, my voice dripping with playful indignation.
I was running after him, but... why did I feel like this? I wasn't mad at all. In fact, it was the opposite. As I chased him through the moonlit night, I couldn't help but think: 'Why didn't I find that unpleasant?'
'No... stop it, Sakura. Don't think that way!'
I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks. My heart was racing, and I could feel the heat in my face intensifying. I pressed my hand against my forehead, as if to cool down my thoughts. 'What is going on with me?!'
I took a shaky breath, mentally shaking myself out of my thoughts. 'Forget it. Focus on chasing him... focus on anything but that.'
With a small embarrassed laugh, I took off again, this time with more determination in my step. 'No more thoughts. I'll just make sure he knows not to mess with me again.'