Chapter 51 Good Brothers
Sasuke, that cunning guy, actually completely avoided Iruka's sight and slipped into the classroom.
Naruto was not so lucky, because he did not tell teacher Iruka about his "staying out all night", and was severely scolded as a result.
Fortunately, Iruka-sensei seemed to think that he ran away from home after the storm was over.
However, Shikamaru was obviously not that easy to fool.
Teacher Iruka was explaining the stages of illusion on the blackboard when Shikamaru suddenly came up to Naruto and asked in a low voice:
"are you OK?"
His tone was as lazy as always, but Naruto could tell there was a hint of genuine concern in his words.
This made Naruto feel a pang of guilt, as he hadn't thought of telling Shikamaru and Kiba where he was going.
He glanced furtively at Shikamaru.
There was no point in lying to Shikamaru, so he decided to tell the truth.
"I'm feeling much better now."
Shikamaru stared at Naruto for a moment, seemingly assessing his words, before nodding and dropping his head back into his arms.
Naruto turned around and his eyes landed on the back of Sasuke's head.
Sasuke was now surrounded by Ino and several other girls, chattering non-stop.
Sasuke's fan base was always huge, but he seemed extra popular today because he wasn't wearing his signature blue jacket and looked more approachable than usual.
Last night's battle, and the subtle changes between him and Sasuke, kept lingering in Naruto's mind.
He wasn't stupid enough to think that they were friends now, but at least he began to realize that Sasuke might not be as cold and ruthless as he appeared.
"He is indeed a good sparring partner." The nine-tailed fox muttered.
"You don't sound happy?"
"Of course I'm not happy. The Uchiha clan is not mentally stable." The nine-tailed fox gritted his teeth and said, "However, you do need an equal opponent. I have to admit that the relationship between you two is... very interesting."
"That's a really fresh way of saying it," Naruto thought.
Their chemistry in battle brings out the best in them, but also the worst.
Naruto was furious at the time, angry at himself and at the world in general.
And Sasuke took his anger and responded with equal anger.
At that moment, Naruto could almost feel the pain, frustration, and anger in the air.
But what surprised him most was that he also felt a strong sense of loneliness, a feeling he was all too familiar with.
It had never occurred to him before that someone like Sasuke, surrounded by so many people, could feel lonely.
But now, he knew that even among people, Sasuke was still alone. He would return to that empty house, to bear all the pain and loneliness alone.
"What are you looking at?"
A voice interrupted Naruto's thoughts.
He turned his head suddenly and found Sakura staring at him with sharp eyes, as if she could see through his heart.
Naruto felt uneasy when he was looked at by her. He didn't know what he had done wrong, so he could only smile awkwardly.
To his surprise, Sakura's expression softened and she turned her head back to listening to Iruka-sensei's lecture.
From then on, Naruto's life became much more interesting.
At first, Sasuke tried to maintain the illusion that he was just here to borrow the scroll, but it wasn't long before he started sneaking into Naruto's secret base late at night, as if he knew Naruto would be there, and then they would fight without mercy.
Their fight was still fierce, but the hostility was much less than the first time.
Sometimes, they would return to Naruto's place, treat their wounds together, cook in Naruto's simple kitchen, and sleep directly on the floor.
Sasuke was spending less and less time in his empty house and more and more time with Naruto.
They practiced ninjutsu together, argued in the kitchen together, and tried out new moves in the open space together.
They still quarrel and fight, but it is different from before. The relationship between them is more of a friendship of mutual respect rather than a simple competitive relationship.
The actual combat training in the school had become a game for them, because it was nothing compared to the battles they had fought outside of the school. With the help of the Nine-Tailed Fox and Sasuke, Naruto felt that he was stronger than ever before.
******************
After training with Naruto for a month, Sasuke discovered that what really made him nervous were the casual physical contacts.
Naruto is a person who likes physical contact very much. After spending some time together, Sasuke has become accustomed to him putting his arm around his shoulders or pushing him jokingly.
But sometimes, Naruto's touch made him feel uncomfortable.
Fortunately, this situation is not common and usually only occurs in the early morning or late at night.
But what bothered Sasuke the most was that Naruto didn't seem to realize that there was anything wrong with his behavior.
For example, when he got up in the morning, Naruto would casually put a hand on his shoulder or arm, as if it was the most normal thing.
The most unforgettable time for Sasuke was when he woke up from a nightmare and found himself not in his own room, but lying in Naruto's room with a cracked ceiling.
Last night, they fought until late at night again, and then fell asleep on the floor as usual.
Sasuke rolled over, trying not to wake up Naruto who was sleeping beside him.
But he obviously underestimated Naruto's vigilance.
Even though Naruto was perfectly still when he slept, he woke up when Sasuke moved a little.
He grunted groggily and rolled over, his hands casually resting on Sasuke's back as if it were the most natural action.
It's not like Sasuke hasn't felt a warm touch before, he still remembers his mother's gentle touch and his brother's warm embrace.
But this time, it felt completely different.
This is an indescribable warmth, as if it can reach deep into his heart, warming every bone and every cell of his body.
It was just a simple touch, but it was full of unreserved love and trust.
This made Sasuke feel uneasy. The worldview he had been building seemed to be shaken at this moment.
The hatred and sadness peeled off from his heart like dust and spider webs. Although it had not completely collapsed, cracks were revealed.
And Naruto, the unconscious guy, just turned over and continued to sleep soundly, completely unaware of what kind of storm he had just stirred up in Sasuke's heart.
He also didn't notice that Sasuke's body was still trembling slightly. It was a fear that came from deep in his heart, a fear that was completely different from before.
******
What happened next happened on an ordinary Sunday.
Sasuke had been in a bad mood the entire day.
When he woke up, he was sweaty, nauseous, and more tired than when he went to bed.
The air was stiflingly hot, terrible weather even for the Fire Nation.
By noon, Sasuke was extremely irritable.
He and Naruto had been training until three in the morning before taking a break, so without giving it much thought, he decided to go to Naruto's place.
He turned into Ichiraku Ramen and bought a bag of curry ingredients just in case he needed an excuse to go into Naruto's room.
He walked to Naruto's window with familiarity, jumped lightly, and flipped in.
Anyway, where Naruto lived was just a civilian area, and he and Naruto would soon become ninjas, so there was no need to be so cautious.
This wasn't the first time Sasuke came uninvited, but it was the first time he wasn't yelled at by Naruto.
Sasuke didn't care at all, he always liked to sleep with the windows open.
The room was silent, but Sasuke could feel Naruto's chakra and knew he was there.
Apparently, Naruto, like him, thought that taking a nap was the best option in such weather.
He was lying on the bed, with his clothes on, sleeping soundly with his legs spread out.
