"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked as she dropped down onto the bench beside him.
Naruto kept his gaze forward, watching a group of academy kids chasing each other across the grass, their laughter carrying easily in the warm air.
"Nothing really," he said lazily. "Guess today's my break day."
Sakura studied him from the side. Really looked this time. The relaxed posture. The faint smile he hadn't bothered hiding. The fact that he wasn't fidgeting or talking nonstop like usual.
"You sure you're okay?" she asked slowly. "You're smiling. And you've been staring at those kids for, like, a minute straight."
Naruto's smile twitched.
Then slowly faded.
He turned his head toward her, brow furrowing. "You really know how to kill a guy's smile, you know that?"
Sakura burst out laughing. "You're welcome."
She stood up suddenly, stretching her arms over her head before turning back to him. "Since you're free, wanna train together?"
She extended her hand.
Naruto glanced at it, then up at her face, a grin creeping back in. "Sure. But you owe me lunch."
"Deal," she said instantly.
He took her hand, and she pulled him up with more force than necessary—almost testing him. Naruto barely noticed.
They walked toward one of the empty training grounds on the edge of the park, the noise of the village fading behind them. The ground there was worn smooth from years of sparring—scuffed dirt, cracked stone markers, faint scorch marks from old jutsu.
Naruto rolled his shoulders and stretched casually, completely at ease.
Across from him, Sakura slipped on her gloves, tightening the straps with deliberate care. Her posture was different—centered, grounded. Serious.
"I won't hold back," she said, eyes locked onto him.
Naruto smirked. "Yeah, I know. But this'll probably end like last time."
That stung.
Last time, he'd beaten her without even trying. No clones. No tricks. Just speed and control she hadn't been able to keep up with.
Sakura clenched her fists.
' I heard he took down another Akatsuki member,' she thought. ' If that's true…'
Her mind flashed back to the fight with Sasori—poison, puppets, near-death moments. Granny Chiyo's voice. Her guidance. Her sacrifice.
' Would I have won without her?'
Sakura exhaled slowly, eyes sharpening.
' Doesn't matter.'
She took a step forward, chakra settling into her muscles.
' We'll just have to see.'
The air between them tightened—not hostile, not friendly—just charged. Training was about to begin.
"Alright," Sakura said, rolling her shoulders once as her stance settled. "Let's begin!"
Naruto raised two fingers in an exaggerated OK sign, relaxed almost to the point of arrogance.
"Whenever you—"
CRACK.
The ground exploded beneath Sakura's feet.
She vanished in a blur of motion, chakra surging through her legs as she launched herself forward with raw force. Pebbles shot into the air behind her, the impact echoing across the training grounds.
Naruto's eyes sharpened instantly.
' Oh. She's faster now.'
She was on him in the next heartbeat—fist already cocked back, knuckles aimed straight for his face. There was no wasted movement, no hesitation.
Naruto stepped aside at the last possible moment.
WOOSH.
Her punch carved through the air where his head had been, the pressure alone tugging at his hair.
"Damn," Naruto muttered under his breath. "You're really serious."
"I haven't even started yet," Sakura snapped.
She spun on her heel, momentum carrying her into a powerful roundhouse kick. Naruto crossed his arms, chakra coating them just as her foot slammed into his guard.
BAAM!
The impact sent him flying backward, boots digging trenches into the dirt as he skidded across the ground.
Before he could even regain his balance, Sakura was already moving again.
She sprinted after him, never letting up, launching into another kick—this one angled toward his ribs.
Naruto blocked mid-motion, catching her ankle just before landing. The force still shoved him back another few meters as his feet scraped against the earth.
In the same motion, he twisted his hips, yanked her leg forward, and drove a punch toward her abdomen.
Sakura reacted instantly.
She snapped her free foot into his chest, using the recoil to flip backward and land several steps away, dust puffing beneath her boots.
She lifted her head— And Naruto was already there. Right in front of her.
Her eyes widened.
' Dammit!'
She braced for impact—
—but instead, Naruto calmly reached out and flicked her forehead.
Flick.
"OW!" Sakura yelped, stumbling back and clutching her head.
Naruto laughed, straightening up. "One point for me."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"We'll go to ten," he continued casually. "Whoever has the most points pays for food."
Sakura rubbed her forehead, teeth clenched.
"…If that's how you wanna play," she said, eyes blazing, "then fine."
She dropped into a lower stance, chakra flaring more visibly now.
"Get ready."
And she charged again—faster, harder, and a lot more dangerous than before.
After the ninth spar, Sakura didn't get back up.
She lay flat on her back in the grass, arms spread loosely at her sides, chest rising and falling as she stared up at the open sky. The clouds drifted lazily overhead, completely indifferent to the fact that every muscle in her body felt like it had been pushed past its limit.
Naruto walked over and stopped right in front of her.
His shadow fell across her face, blocking out the sun.
She squinted slightly, then relaxed.
He held out a hand.
Sakura stared at it for a second before taking it, fingers wrapping around his. Naruto pulled—maybe a bit too enthusiastically—because she came up faster than she expected, momentum carrying her forward until she was suddenly very close to him.
Too close.
She looked up.
Naruto was smiling down at her, relaxed and genuine, not teasing for once.
"You good?" he asked.
The tone was soft. Concerned.
That alone made her cheeks warm.
"Y-Yeah," she said quickly, nodding as she took a step back to create some space.
Her legs betrayed her.
The world tilted.
Before she could even gasp, Naruto's arm slid around her back, firm and steady, stopping her from falling. His grip was instinctive, practiced—strong without being rough.
"Easy," he said quietly. "Take a moment. Get your strength back."
She ended up closer than before.
Her forehead rested lightly against his chest, her cheek brushing his shirt. She could feel the solid warmth beneath her palms, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, the way his arm supported her without hesitation.
Her face heated instantly.
' This is so awkward, ' she thought frantically. ' I should've asked Ino if things were supposed to end up like this.'
TO BE CONTINUED