Naruto glared at her in anger and said in disbelief, "My maid???"
After a moment of silence, he said with a sarcastic smile, "I think you're confused... Kushina is not my maid... She is my fiancée."
Hinata stopped eating and placed her hand over her mouth to prevent food from spilling out, as the word he had just said felt like poison to her. Meanwhile, Sakura stared at him, her eyes wide and mouth open in shock!!
Naruto noticed the sudden change in their expressions and said, "Didn't you know about this??!!!"
After a long pause, still in shock, Sakura replied, "How could we have known... you're not even wearing a ring to show you're engaged??!!!"
He looked at her in confusion, then raised his right hand to eye level to confirm he wasn't wearing his engagement ring. He said, "The ring!!... I rushed out when I sensed you two were in danger, so I didn't pay attention to wearing it."
Sakura and Hinata snapped out of their frozen state while Naruto looked at them with a mix of surprise and confusion. He then returned to his office.
When he closed the door, a question crossed his mind: "Why are they so shocked?!!... I know it's a surprise, but not to this extent!!!"
An hour after the news, Sakura and Hinata finally made it to Naruto's room, but after the news, moving felt somewhat difficult...
In the room, Sakura, lying on his bed, said, "How didn't we notice this??!!!"
Hinata, on the verge of tears and struggling to hold herself together, said, "He didn't even give me a chance to forgive him..."
As soon as Sakura heard this, she suddenly sat up and asked, "By the way... what made you fall for him again?"
Hinata quickly glanced at Sakura, tears almost falling, and said angrily, "I don't love him and I won't... that fool."
Hinata returned to her previous state, and Sakura, feeling a deep sadness, thought to herself, "But you really do love him..."
She then lay back on the bed and stared at the decorated ceiling, continuing her confused, yet sad thoughts: "But... what's wrong with me?!!... Hinata is sad because she loves him and hoped he would feel the same... But why do I feel sadness and anger after hearing this news??!! Shouldn't I be happy??!!... He's like... my brother... I think."
Meanwhile, Naruto left his office and walked toward the door, saying, "Kushina... I'll go now and return tonight... I won't be late."
Kushina's voice came from the hallway: "Alright, my dear... but wait a moment."
Naruto, bored, replied: "What is it?"
She quickly came running from the guest room toward him, saying, "As I thought... you didn't take this black cloak with you..."
Naruto, surprised, replied, "Why are you insisting on me wearing it?"
Kushina: "Why do you insist on forgetting it?"
Then she said sadly, "Don't you like it??!!!"
Naruto smiled, trying to ease the situation: "Of course, I like it... Didn't you make it for me, my dear??!!"
Kushina, thinking to herself with doubt: "Why do I feel like he's lying to me?... Alright... I'll leave it for now... but I'll make him pay later."
Naruto, opening the door to leave, said: "I'm leaving now."
She smiled and waved: "Goodbye, Naruto... don't be late."
He smiled back, saying: "Alright... I'll try."
He disappeared in a flash of yellow light...
That night, around ten o'clock...
Naruto returned home, and as usual, Kushina ran toward the door to greet him...
Kushina, happily removing his coat, said: "How was your day?"
Naruto, annoyed, replied: "A little tiring."
Kushina hesitated: "Then... would you mind if we watched a movie I bought? We haven't spent time together in a while... because you've been busy."
Seeing signs of resistance on his face, she quickly added: "Naruto... I've missed you so much... please understand me... staying together for a bit won't hurt."
As usual, he couldn't resist her eyes, so he smiled and agreed: "You're right... Alright, I'll go shower and change... then I'll come to you."
She looked at him with pure joy: "Alright... I'll prepare the movie and popcorn until you arrive, my dear."
She quickly ran to prepare their evening while Naruto looked at her in astonishment at her sudden happiness. Then he went upstairs to the guest room...
Meanwhile, in Naruto's room, Hinata and Sakura had been in the same mood since morning and were starting to feel bored.
Suddenly, Hinata said: "Sakura..."
Sakura, in frustration: "What do you want? I'm trying to sleep..."
Hinata: "I want to leave..."
Sakura, tired: "Where to?"
There was a long silence until Hinata hesitantly said: "I'm going back to the village."
This made Sakura sit up suddenly: "What??!!!... Can't you wait until tomorrow??!!"
Hinata replied with frustration, her eyes red from crying, "No... I can't stay here any longer... especially in this room!!"
Sakura stared at her with wide eyes, seeing the pain on her face. She understood the situation but still replied: "But..."
Hinata cut her off sharply: "Are you coming with me, or should I go alone?"
Sakura, looking at her thoughtfully, sighed: "Alright... give me a moment to tell Naruto."
Hinata's eyes widened upon hearing his name, and she rushed to say: "No... if you tell him, he'll come with us."
Sakura quickly responded: "And that's what I want... this forest is very dangerous, Hinata... and I think it's better if he comes with us... Besides, everyone in the village has been waiting for his return for 6 years, and now is the chance to bring him back... don't be selfish, Hinata."
Hinata, with reluctance, said: "Fine... do as you wish."
Sakura smiled, understanding Hinata's situation. She stood up and headed toward the door, thinking to herself, "Oh my God... what a hassle?!"
She went to the guest room where Naruto was sleeping, and once she reached, she knocked on the door: "Naruto... are you in there... Naruto??"
Internally, Sakura grumbled angrily: "Shannaro... why won't this idiot answer??!!"
She then said out loud: "I'm coming in."
When she entered, she found the lights on, but the room was empty. Suddenly... she heard water running. Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw Naruto emerge from the bathroom with wet hair, wearing only a towel around his waist, holding another towel to dry his hair. As soon as Sakura saw him, she gasped and quickly turned her face, her entire face turning red at the sight!
Naruto opened his eyes after hearing her gasp and rapid breathing, then said in surprise: "Sakura!!!... What are you doing here??!!!"
Sakura, panicking and her mind refusing to think clearly, thought: "What should I say now???... What an embarrassing situation!!!..."
Naruto, noticing her delay, said: "Sakura..."
She snapped out of her thoughts and replied, flustered: "Ah... sorry, Naruto... I didn't know you were showering."
Naruto, calmly: "No... it's fine... I'm done anyway... so... what did you need?"
Sakura could hear his footsteps behind her as he moved around the room while her mind was elsewhere...
Internally, Sakura thought: "Shannaro... he's so attractive now!!!... I never imagined Naruto would turn out like this!!!... I really need to get out of here before I lose my mind."
In her panic, she didn't notice Naruto's footsteps, and as he got closer to her, he said: "Sakura..."
Hearing his voice, and realizing he was standing right behind her, a shiver ran through her body. He continued teasing: "Seems like this is your first time in a single man's room."
Her face turned red instantly, and she began to hurry towards the door, trying to escape his trap. Finally, her legs responded to her, and she quickly rushed toward the door. Because Sakura kept her eyes closed from embarrassment, she didn't notice what was in front of her. She tripped over something on the floor, losing her balance and almost hitting her face on the ground. But Naruto, with his usual speed, caught her just in time.
Sakura thought she had fallen, but when she opened her eyes slowly, she found herself far from the ground. She looked to her right and saw that she was in Naruto's arms, who had reached her at lightning speed! What stopped her from moving was the fact that when she looked at him, he was so close. The distance between them was so small, only a finger's width apart, making her face turn bright red as if it were a tomato.
She stared into his eyes, which were now so close that they trapped her, as if they were a cage with no way out. His eyes, so deep and blue like the calm, deep sea, seemed to engulf her.
She thought: "Who is this?... Is this really Naruto?!... I've never seen him so handsome before... Maybe because I've never tried to get close to him or think about him like this before... but now I'm close enough to see his true self... but could he be trying to...?"
Suddenly, Naruto moved closer to her, and her heart raced uncontrollably. The closer he got, the hotter she felt, and she thought: "Why is it so hot in here??... Is it the weather, or am I imagining it?!!... This man standing in front of me is like fire!!!... It's as if the sun is getting closer, ready to burn me with its blazing rays..."
When he was very close, he whispered softly, "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time..."
Sakura's heart raced even faster, and her eyes widened at his words. Finally, she spoke, her breath close to his: "Naruto... A..."
Naruto placed his finger on her lips, saying, "Shh... don't move."
Sakura froze upon hearing this, despite the heat that filled the room! Everything felt chaotic that night. He moved closer and closer until his lips were right in front of hers, so close that he was almost about to kiss her...