Chapter 440: Proposal
"Something? Coming."
Hearing this, Satsuki immediately stopped her steps toward the kitchen, turning and lightly walking back to the living room with quick steps. She walked directly to Naruto's side, sitting down on that soft sofa pressed close against him.
Sitting extremely close.
Close enough that her slender arm could clearly feel Naruto's body temperature. She slightly turned, raising her face to look at him, black eyes brimming with undisguised attention and curiosity.
Sensing the reassuring softness and warmth transmitted from beside him, the confidence Naruto had rehearsed countless times in his heart now strangely transformed into tangible nervousness.
His heartbeat drummed thunderously in his chest, palms even slightly damp. Clearly knowing her feelings toward him, clearly knowing this was a request impossible to refuse.
But when truly about to take this final, most symbolically meaningful step, that mixture of anticipation and fear of the slightest mishap—that anxiety was so real.
He steadied himself, lifting that exquisitely packaged gift box with both hands, solemnly presenting it before Satsuki.
"Satsuki... I hope you can accept this."
Seeing the gift box Naruto produced—clearly carefully prepared at first glance—Satsuki's face instantly bloomed with undisguised delight and happiness.
To her, any gift from Naruto, regardless of size, was treasure worth cherishing.
"Is this Naruto's gift?" Her voice carried light, cheerful excitement as she extended both hands, preparing to accept it. "Thank you! I'll definitely treasure it carefully!"
Even though now Naruto's entire person, entire heart already completely belonged to her, years of formed stubborn "collecting habit"—collecting everything related to Uzumaki Naruto—had deeply rooted in her instincts.
However, just as Satsuki's pale fingers were about to touch the gift box's edge—Naruto's hand slightly withdrew.
This subtle movement made Satsuki pause, her extended hand stopping in midair.
She saw Naruto's cheeks flush visibly red, spreading all the way to his ears.
He avoided Satsuki's inquiring gaze, his Adam's apple unconsciously rolling once as he gathered courage.
His azure eyes gazed deeply into Satsuki's, holding tension, anticipation, undeniable seriousness, and a trace of childlike vulnerability fearing rejection.
"Satsuki..." He called her name again, voice lighter than before. "This... if you choose to accept it..."
"You're not allowed to return it."
"This is the only time in my life... such a request."
"A request only for you."
Naruto's words carrying anticipation and unshakeable determination stirred overwhelming emotional waves in Satsuki's heart.
However, these waves didn't manifest as violent outburst but rather settled inward, first transforming her entire temperament.
The delight and excitement on her face slowly faded, replaced by... extremely gentle expression.
Brows relaxed, lips holding a tender curve, gaze clear and focused—in this moment, Satsuki strangely overlapped with her mother Uchiha Mikoto's shadow.
This was a temperament full of tolerance, serenity and maternal qualities, gentle enough to let people lower all defenses, feeling incomparable peace and attachment.
However, the words uttered from these lips radiating gentleness formed shocking contrast with this gentle appearance, revealing the Uchiha Clan's inherent obsession and extremity.
"Only once in a lifetime... a request only for me..." She softly repeated Naruto's words, their weight sweet enough to induce trembling.
Following her murmur, her gaze focused more intensely, brightly, firmly locking onto Naruto.
"I'm so happy..." Her voice carried a tremor of happiness. "Not allowed to return it? How could I possibly return it?"
She tilted her head slightly, showing a smile gentle to the point of innocence yet somehow causing faint chill.
"Even if you regret it later and want to take it back... I absolutely won't let go."
"I'll hide it, hide it somewhere no one can find—somewhere even you, Naruto, can't retrieve it."
Under this gaze interweaving gentleness and extreme possessiveness, her hand finally steadily accepted that gift box from Naruto's slightly trembling hands.
The silk texture felt cool, the box's weight pressing on her palm, also pressing on her heart.
Seeing her finally accept it, the boulder suspended in Naruto's heart seemed to drop halfway, but that nervousness hadn't completely dissipated. He tried to make his voice sound steady.
"Mm... then Satsuki isn't allowed to regret it." He watched her eyes, emphasizing, "Now... take a look."
Hearing this, the gentle smile on Satsuki's face deepened somewhat, carrying a trace of teasing at Naruto's rare nervousness.
"Mm. Though it's truly rare for Naruto to be this nervous giving a gift..."
As she spoke, she lowered her head, fingers touching that exquisite ribbon knot.
"Actually, no matter what Naruto gives, even just a leaf or a note, I would..."
Her words—as she untied the ribbon, gently lifted the box lid, and her gaze touched the contents—abruptly stopped.
All her sounds, movements, even breathing froze in this moment.
Her pupils began trembling beyond control, finely, densely. Those black eyes that had brimmed with gentleness and heat the previous second were now occupied by enormous shock and disbelief threatening to drown her.
She stared fixedly at the item in the box, as though wanting to see through it.
White. Pure white unstained by even a speck of dust.
Shiromuku.
The traditional wedding garment worn by brides during the ceremony. Symbolizing purity, fidelity, and the ritual of entering new life.
She was too familiar with it. Countless times passing shrines, countless times seeing displays in windows, countless times in deep-night fantasies draping herself in this garment, walking toward that golden-haired, blue-eyed figure.
But... when this fantasy appeared in such real, such concrete, such unexpected form, in a gift box presented by Naruto...
...Is this a dream?
The enormous impact caused instant self-doubt. She abruptly raised her other hand, forcefully rubbing her eyes. The motion was somewhat rough, rubbing until her eye sockets turned slightly red.
Opening them again, the scene before her hadn't changed.
A man... suddenly giving such a gift...
Satsuki's mind went completely blank, only this awareness madly echoing. This represented only one possibility, the sole possibility...
She extremely slowly raised her head, gaze moving from the shiromuku, once again staring fixedly, unblinkingly at Naruto so close before her.
Her breathing became abnormally heavy, chest heaving violently, the blood color on her cheeks receding then rapidly surging back, turning bright red.
Her lips slightly parted as though wanting to say something but unable to produce any sound. Only those eyes remained, locked deadly onto Naruto's face, unwilling to miss the slightest expression change.
She was waiting.
Using all her body's strength, using her entire soul to hope, to wait.
Waiting for Naruto to personally speak those words, confirming this wasn't hallucination, wasn't another instance of her over-interpretation.
Naruto met her gaze that seemed ready to devour him, seeing her appearance made somewhat vulnerable by enormous impact yet filled with astonishing obsession. The nervousness in his heart transformed into deeper, more resolute tenderness.
He didn't speak but instead gave his answer through action.
He reached out, from his inner pocket retrieving a smaller, velvet-textured square box. The box was deep blue, gleaming with understated luxury in the light.
Under Satsuki's suffocating watch, he used slightly sweat-dampened fingertips to gently open the box lid.
Light.
Inside the box, on black velvet padding, lay a ring quietly.
The design was simple yet elegant—the band was gold, brilliant yellow gold, and at the ring's center was embedded a perfectly cut, crystal-clear sapphire.
Gold and blue—Naruto had unconsciously designed this color scheme for the wedding ring.
Satsuki's breathing completely stopped. Her world contained only that ring's radiance and Naruto's azure eyes brimming with seriousness, love, and solemn promise.
Naruto took a deep breath, voice steady, each word like a vow.
"Satsuki, last time you told me... about marriage, wait until the things I'm worried about are all resolved..."
His gaze tenderly brushed her shocked face. "So I went. Everything... is finally completely resolved."
Obito, Black Zetsu, the Akatsuki organization's threat, the Moon's Eye Plan conspiracy... all dangers lurking in shadows that might destroy their future had been swept away completely.
His tone carried deep apology and tenderness.
"All along... it's been Satsuki giving."
He recalled that night of his adult birthday when she trembled yet resolutely offered herself, recalled her long obsessive protection and waiting, recalled how she always placed his safety and feelings above everything...
"Making the girl always be the proactive one..." His gaze became incomparably resolute. "So this... no matter what, I must take the initiative."
"Where you are, there I am."
"Your future—I cannot yield it to anyone."
Finally, he gently lifted that small box containing the ring, speaking the words she'd perhaps waited for even longer than she herself realized.
"Let's... get married."
---
***
80+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces (50% OFF DISCOUNT)