Chapter 169

NARUTO

"Does she really have to go," Naruto begs to know, looking at Kakashi with worried eyes. "We haven't even gotten a chance to talk," he finishes.

"You know the rules, Naruto-kun," Kakashi answers. "As far as timing goes the earlier the better and you have to stay here for the next four days anyway. Might as well be now."

From beside Kakashi, Karin says, "it's okay, Naruto. It'll be fine." She then gives Sakura and Sasuke a short bow before departing. Arms crossed, Sasuke is brooding against the wall of the hallway and she has to try hard not staring at his beautifully stoic face. She grabs her cousin's forearm comfortingly before adding, "I'll see you once the second test concludes," then exits through the door behind them.

Sakura is standing beside Naruto as the blond asks Kakashi, "why do we even have to stay here if we already passed," Naruto asks and before they can tell him again, he answers his question. "Yeah, yeah, to avoid interference between the villages-"

"Or get manipulated emotionally, physically, or financially," Sakura adds.

Watching his sole family in the world leave, Naruto can't help but yell, "this still sucks!"

"Noted," Kakashi casually comments before informing his team, "remember, aside from physical conditioning, no training. All competitors are monitored heavily to avoid setting up traps or other forms of advantage which also means this is the best place to spy on the competition."

'I guess I wouldn't need to spy since I have Naru-nii,' Naruto thinks as he glumly watches Kakashi leave to take Karin to her interrogation.

"She'll be fine," Sakura reassures Naruto, though her presence and voice without the violence and survival to distract him, reminds him of the hollowness of what should've been a magical night and the resulting agony in his heart. Turning to her teammates, Sakura proposes with an upbeat tone, "why don't we have breakfast together?"

Though it's surprising to Naruto that Sakura would want him to join her and Sasuke, Sasuke's reaction isn't. After glaring at Naruto, Sasuke leaves without a word, engulfing the pair in painfully awkward silence.

Their night together rushes quickly to the forefront of their minds hurting and exciting them both at the same time, and though they won't speak about it, Sakura can vividly recall every moment and sensation as well as Naruto can. With their memories arresting their voices, the teammates slowly make their painfully silent way toward the cafeteria. Upon entering the large room, Ino rushes up to them, loudly bidding them a good morning.

Desperate, Naruto hastily asks, "do you want to have breakfast with us?"

"Or she could have it with her team," an irate Sakura suggests, glaring at Ino.

Ino simply smiles serenely and tells Naruto, "how about we have lunch together instead? I actually need to talk to Forehead," she tells him with a sweet smile.

Though content to see Ino—especially with how weird Sakura is making him feel—Naruto grows confused by the kunoichi's relationship when Sakura quickly asserts, "well, I don't want to talk to you," because Ino doesn't seem upset at all. The blond simply grabs Sakura's hand and begins dragging her away as she repeatedly states, "it's okay, it's okay, it'll be quick." Though Sakura resists, it's weightless as Ino succeeds in dragging the pinkette away, calling out behind her, "see you later, Naruto!"

Fortunately, Naruto spots Gaara's siblings in the cafeteria as well. With trays in their hands, Kankurō and Temari are exiting the large room. They each have two trays of breakfast and on his sprint toward them, Naruto can make out Nai-chan's favorite section of food groups; kale, broccoli, with beans, berries, cantaloupe, and seaweed.

Landing ahead of them, he greets them with, "morning," before asking as he looks around, "hey, where's Gaara?"

With astonished derision, Kankurō gripes, "how the hell is a midget like you still alive?"

Looking at the Suna-nin's expanded middle, Naruto easily retorts just snidely, "same way you are, tubby."

"Tch," Kankurō sucks his teeth, ready to set down his trays of breakfast. "I'm not fat! It's the clothes-" he manages to state before Temari genuinely asks, "do you have a death wish or something? Why do you want to speak with Gaara so badly?"

"Let's go," Kankurō tells his sister as he starts walking around Naruto. "Baki-sensei doesn't want us talking to them."

Naruto runs around them, cutting their lead again as he states, "wait, I just think we can be friends. What's so bad about that?"

"I can't tell if you're clueless, or brain-damaged," Kankurō roughly comments.

"I don't know how you can tell what anything is with all that eyeliner on," Naruto mouths with an insolent and raised chin.

"Tch! It's war paint," Kankurō quickly yells when Temari steps in front of her younger brother and tells Naruto, "you should stay away from Gaara."

"Thanks, but I'm sure it'll be fine," he shrugs happily. "I mean, think about it. What if we're all friends in the future? Wouldn't that be awesome," Naruto asks, and though he offers them his best smile, they walk away from him unaffected. "Wait, can we at least eat together?"

"Kankurō, Temari," Baki calls as he walks up to them and takes special note of Naruto.

"Hey, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage," he casually greets. "You're Gaara's sensei, right? You must be pretty strong."

Baki eyes the boy intensely, harshly stating, "I'll tell you this now, Konoha genin. On paper, our villages may be allies, but, we are in competition, which means you engaging us is inappropriate."

"Oh, that's okay," Naruto shrugs. "I'm not worried about competing. I was just telling them it'd be pretty cool if me and Gaara were friends. You said we're allies right? So why don't we… um, meet and stuff? You know, like how allies do?"

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