章 33: Reunion
Ninja School
The girl with light blonde hair rested her cheek on her hand, gazing out the window at the blue sky. Her thoughts drifted, and she found herself lost in them.
Sakura had already graduated two years ago... It had been so long since she last saw Sakura... What could she be doing now?
Really, Sakura, why hasn't she come to visit me?
Sakura can be so annoying... But Sasuke is so cool...
"Ino."
"Ino, answer the question I asked earlier."
Iruka's voice echoed from the front of the classroom, snapping Ino back to reality.
Question? What question?
Ino blinked, staring blankly at Iruka on the podium, looking both confused and clueless.
Seeing Ino's confused expression, Iruka's eyes narrowed.
"Go outside and stand in the hall!"
"Hey~~"
Ino weakly walked out of the classroom, meeting the grinning faces of Naruto, Kiba, Chouji, and Shikamaru.
Looking at their carefree expressions, Ino couldn't help but twitch her mouth.
How did I end up hanging out with these guys?
After the school bell rang, signaling the end of classes, Ino walked out of the ninja school as usual.
"Ino, over here!"
A familiar yet distant voice called out to her.
She blinked. In her line of sight, a flash of pink was enough to make her heart skip.
Sakura?
Did Sakura come to pick me up?
Ino was about to run toward her, but someone else got there faster.
A blonde figure dashed past her with the wind, shouting loudly.
"Sakura-chan!"
Naruto, that idiot! Get away from Sakura!
"Idiot!"
"Sakura!"
"It's been so long since you last came to see me!"
Sakura pressed her hand against Naruto's forehead, preventing him from getting any closer despite his strength. Sakura looked at him with the expression of a neglected child, appearing helpless.
Sakura couldn't help but feel a little helpless as well.
"Sorry, Naruto."
"I've been really busy lately."
"But from now on, I should have more time to visit."
Sakura patted Naruto's golden hair.
"Hehe, then you better come visit me."
"I've learned some really tasty new dishes!"
"Even Chouji couldn't stop praising them!"
Chouji? Isn't that guy okay with anything as long as it tastes good?
Seeing Naruto proudly showing off his cooking, Sakura's expression softened.
"I will, Naruto."
"Sakura!"
Before Naruto could react, another figure suddenly jumped into Sakura's arms.
"Sakura is such an idiot!"
"You haven't come to see me for so long!"
Ino hugged Sakura's waist, rubbing against her like a cat.
"Why does Ino get to hug her and I can't?"
The blonde boy, Naruto, looked at Ino hanging on Sakura and pouted.
"Hah?"
"Sakura and I are both girls."
"Naruto, you shouldn't be hugging Sakura."
Ino turned her head with a look of disdain toward Naruto.
Before Naruto could retort, Ino once again clung to Sakura like a kitten, speaking up.
"Sakura, you didn't come to find me for so long."
"I thought you forgot about me."
Sakura rubbed Ino's head with a helpless smile.
"It's because I've been so busy."
"Becoming a ninja means there's so much to do."
"I barely have time to myself."
Training, taking on Anbu missions, helping Sarutobi Hiruzen strategize, Sakura barely had enough time to catch a breath.
She didn't even have time to see Ino.
But now, at least things were settling down, and Sakura had some free time.
"Well, okay then~~"
Ino pouted, then spoke with a tone of helplessness.
Sakura seems to have always been like this. Even when she was at the ninja academy, Sakura never seemed to have any time for herself.
She was either reading books or training.
I didn't expect that after becoming a ninja, Sakura would still be like this.
Suddenly, Ino noticed the pink ponytail hanging behind Sakura's shoulder. The red headband she used to wear had been replaced with a black one.
"Where's the headband I gave to Sakura?"
Hearing Ino's question, a look of apology appeared on Sakura's face.
"Sorry, Ino, it got damaged during a mission."
The headband Ino had given her was damaged during one of their missions.
Sakura wasn't lying; it really did break during a battle with Tenzo.
"Then, I'll give you a new one, Sakura. What color do you like?"
Sakura tilted her head slightly, thinking for a moment before replying.
"Black, maybe."
Though her pink hair didn't exactly scream for concealment.
"Huh?"
"Why black again?"
Ino let go of Sakura and began scrutinizing her outfit closely.
Compared to when they were at the ninja academy, Sakura now looked like she was completely dressed in black.
Her clothes were simple, the usual black ninja gear, and she was wearing black ninja shoes.
She looked entirely like a boy.
"I want one too!"
"I want one too!"
Naruto jumped around beside them, trying to draw attention to himself.
Ino crossed her arms with a displeased look, staring at Naruto.
"Huh?"
"Naruto, what do you want?"
Is he seriously expecting me to give him a gift?
Of course not~~~
But, if Naruto says something sweet, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea.
"I want to give Sakura a gift too!"
Just as Naruto was about to continue, a few more people walked over.
Shikamaru, Kiba, Chouji, and Hinata, who was shyly watching them from the side.
Oh, and Shino, who was almost unnoticed until Sakura spotted him.
"Too flashy, idiot."
Shikamaru gave Naruto a tired look, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at Sakura.
More precisely, he was looking at Sakura's outfit.
It was the ninja gear worn by Chuunin-level ninja in his family.
This meant that Sakura had already been promoted from a Genin to a Chuunin.
"Everyone's here, how about I treat you all to dinner?"
Sakura smiled lightly as she looked at her friends.
Chouji, who was munching on chips, immediately cheered.
"How about we eat grilled meat?"
"Yay!"
"Sakura's the best!"
"Woof!"
Akamaru, Kiba's dog, immediately echoed.
"Hinata, do you want to join?"
Sakura looked at the girl who had been hiding in the back and waved at her.
"Huh?"
"Can... can I?"
Hinata's cheeks turned red, and she shyly avoided looking directly at Sakura.
"Of course."
Without hesitation, Sakura grabbed Hinata's hand, and along with the rest of the group, they walked toward the village's grilled meat restaurant.
Being an Anbu ninja has its perks, and in terms of salary, they were definitely among the high-income group.
Along the way, Sakura asked about Sasuke, and Kiba told her that Sasuke went straight home after school.
Sakura's plan to invite him was thus canceled.
From Sakura's perspective, this was a rare opportunity to hang out with her classmates.
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット