Chapter 95: Naruko's Story
Morning light brightened faintly, illuminating Sasuko's gently trembling lashes.
Those eyes softened now, rippling with some panic yet stubbornly refusing to look away.
The air seemed to quietly thicken.
Yu paused slightly. His gaze swept over her flushed cheeks—Sasuko had shed all her edges now, revealing the inexperienced yet soft interior beneath.
"Find me... for what?"
Sasuko's ear tips instantly burned red as she glared at him in embarrassment, lips moving but unable to make a sound.
Yu suddenly took a small step forward.
The distance abruptly shortened, close enough to feel each other's breath temperature.
"Sasuko."
"Do you know... what you're saying?"
She bit her lower lip and stubbornly lifted her face. "Of course I know."
Yu's fingertips slowly slid down to lift her chin.
He could clearly see his own reflection in her eyes, and the gradually spreading moisture.
"But..."
"We still can't..."
Sasuko's breathing suddenly quickened.
She grabbed his wrist forcefully. "So what? Do you want to find someone else? When you've already done those things with me—"
She gazed into Yu's eyes intently.
She understood that at Yu's age, men inevitably had certain impulses and desires—whether physical or psychological.
She could understand, was even willing to relieve them for him.
But why did he have to go to that kind of place?
Was she still not good enough? Objectively speaking, wherever she appeared, she was always the most dazzling existence in any crowd, always capturing everyone's attention first.
Sasuko stood on tiptoes and gently approached Yu's lips, voice soft yet firm. "Whatever kind of girl Yu likes... I can change for you."
She looked into his eyes, tone carrying a trace of pleading. "So, don't go find anyone else, okay?"
After the Naruko incident, she couldn't endure a second time.
As long as it was what Yu wanted, she was willing to satisfy it all, in every aspect.
This statement made Yu's heart increasingly conflicted.
He saw all of Sasuko's changes—she'd almost completely abandoned herself for him. No matter how he advised, he couldn't shake that stubbornness.
This made him both heartbroken and helpless.
Yu gently cupped Sasuko's soft cheeks, gaze calmly looking into her eyes. "I promise, no matter what happens, I'll always love you. So... don't force yourself like this anymore."
He could clearly see the unease wavering in her eyes. At this moment, aside from verbal comfort, he didn't know what else he could give.
Sasuko gazed at his serious eyes, knowing this promise came from the heart.
A trace of warmth just began rising from her heart, yet was pressed down by deeper obsession.
Forever?
If you'll love me forever... then why can't you only look at me?
If you're willing to promise... then why can't you belong completely to me?
Her fingertips quietly clutched his collar tighter, wanting to completely lock his warmth by her side.
"Really?" she asked softly, an obsessive light flashing through her eyes. "Then Yu must prove it to me."
Yu responded seriously, "I will."
Only then did the surging obsession in Sasuko's eyes slowly calm, blooming into a sweet smile again. "Yu didn't rest all night—you must be hungry? What do you want for breakfast? I'll make it."
......
Konoha Village, Uzumaki Naruko's room.
It had already been several days.
Since that night when Little Kurama discovered it couldn't teleport to Yu's side via Flying Thunder God, a vague unease had been spreading in her heart.
Naruko didn't dare think deeply, only forcing herself to attribute the reason to Little Kurama's insufficient mastery of the technique.
She curled up in bed, burying her cheeks in the blanket, hoping everything would return to normal the next day.
However, the next day, no matter how she urged her chakra, that coordinate that should have clearly responded sank like a stone into the sea, without the slightest ripple.
Flying Thunder God marks wouldn't disappear for no reason unless using special methods—Yu knew this better than anyone.
The only explanation was that he'd actively erased her mark.
This realization made her heart suddenly ache.
So... had she already been eliminated?
In this silent competition with Sasuko, had she... already completely lost?
Naruko tried hard to convince herself to let go.
Sasuko was so pretty and cute, had grown up with Yu since childhood, depended on him so much.
And herself? She was just someone who cut in line halfway. Initially being able to approach Yu was thanks to Sasuko's blessing.
Moreover, though they called each other siblings, they had no blood relation—Yu was a child adopted by the Uchiha family. The two were perfectly matched, knew each other thoroughly. Standing together, anyone would call them a natural pair.
Perhaps this was the most reasonable outcome.
But...
Why did her chest feel so stifled? Why was her throat tightening?
She told herself over and over she should admit defeat, should give up, yet hot tears rolled down uncontrollably in large drops, falling on the back of her hand.
Seven years—she'd cautiously approached that bit of warmth like a thief, secretly admiring that person for so long, never even daring to speak her true feelings aloud.
It wasn't that Naruko hadn't thought this day might come.
She thought she'd long prepared herself, yet when this moment truly arrived, her heart still ached as if fiercely gripped until she couldn't breathe. Perhaps when Yu initially allowed her to leave a Flying Thunder God mark on his hand, it was just indulging a child's harmless play—only she had taken it seriously.
Years of secret love and admiration, before she could speak them, had quietly ended this way.
She didn't even dare see Yu again, afraid of seeing the slightest disgust in his eyes.
Others always thought her cheerful and proactive, able to smile at anyone. But those who could truly enter her heart were too few.
And once let in, she could never learn to easily let go, much less turn around gracefully.