When Sakura saw Sasuke quietly eating with an indifferent expression, her heart ached a little.
Even a simp has their own dignity.
Not receiving any response from the person she liked, even a mega-simp like Sakura found it hard to bear at this moment.
But she did have one of the greatest qualities of all mega-simp types: the ability to comfort herself.
'Sasuke may look cold on the outside, but I'm sure deep down, he cares about me!'
'There's no way someone as beautiful as me can't win his heart!'
'No, that's it! I'll train hard from now on! Once I'm stronger than Sasuke, I can do whatever I want with him!'
Thinking of that bright future, Sakura's eyes narrowed in joy.
As Sasuke was eating, he suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of malice directed at him. Startled, he shuddered, and the piece of meat in his hand dropped to the ground.
"Ah! Sasuke-kun, how could you be so careless? Here, let me feed you!" Sakura seized the opportunity to launch her passionate offensive.
But Sasuke immediately retreated thirty meters away. "Uh, I need to train. You guys go ahead and eat."
Even for someone as cool as Sasuke, Sakura's enthusiasm was too much to handle.
"Um, Saku—"
"Naruto, hurry up and finish eating. Come with me afterward."
Before Naruto could utter another lovesick comment, Kamizuki Hikari quickly cut him off.
He really couldn't stand seeing Naruto like this any longer.
After all, Naruto was the protagonist of this entire shinobi world—how could he lose his dignity like a mere lovesick fool?
"Oh, okay!"
Interrupted like that, Naruto suddenly felt a pang of guilt, as if he'd done something wrong. His mood dropped instantly.
Seeing this, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio stopped joking around and lowered their heads to eat silently.
---
"Hikari-senpai?"
After walking some distance away from the others, the two of them reached a wide, open training ground. Hikari sat down casually, and Naruto finally couldn't hold back his question.
"Alright, sit down. I've got something to talk to you about." Hikari gestured around—the area was spacious enough for Naruto to run around happily.
(Naruto: So what, am I a dog now?)
Naruto sat obediently, a little uneasy. "Hikari-senpai, did I do something wrong?"
"No."
"Then why did you pull me aside?" Naruto asked, confused.
Hikari sighed. "I just don't want to see you like this anymore. Every time I do, I can't help but think of your father. At your age, he had already won over your mother. I just don't get it—why is it that the woman you like has such a similar temperament to your mother? Is this some kind of masochistic family trait?"
Naruto's eyes widened with excitement.
"Hikari-senpai, you knew my father? Who was he? What's his name? Why haven't I ever heard about him?"
"And aren't I the Nine-Tailed Fox the villagers talk about?"
"Also, why did you say earlier that Kakashi-sensei owes me?"
"One thing at a time, no need to rush." Hikari smiled, waving his hand.
"If you really want to know, I can tell you everything. But these truths come with heavy weight—you'll need to be ready to accept them before I say more."
"Really? Then I—"
Halfway through his words, Naruto stopped.
Even without knowing all the details, he could sense it—his identity, his family—there was a huge secret behind it all. Was he truly ready, both in strength and in heart, to face it?
"Since you're so troubled, I'll tell you about your parents first." Hikari walked over and gently ruffled Naruto's hair.
"Your father was a gentle man—like the sun in spring, melting away the snow and bringing warmth to the world. His smile always made others feel safe."
"Your mother, on the other hand, had a temper much like Sakura's—but she handled things with more grace. The two of them truly loved each other. If they could see how you're treating Sakura now, they'd probably climb out of their graves just to smack you!"
Naruto trembled in fear. "Why would they hit me instead of helping me win Sakura over?"
"Because even I feel like hitting you right now." Hikari said cheerfully.
"Hikari-senpai, there's no need for that!" Naruto jumped to his feet, panicking.
"Don't worry," Hikari said, lightly tapping Naruto's forehead. "I just want to talk about your feelings today. Do you really think this one-sided devotion of yours will ever make Sakura fall for you?"
"I think it will!" Naruto said seriously.
Hikari nodded. "Then tell me—do you think Sakura's devotion will ever make Sasuke love her?"
Naruto shook his head. "No."
"You little brat, don't make me hit you!"
Hikari sighed. "If you can't even let go of Sakura, why are you so sure she'll let go of Sasuke—and then fall for you? What kind of logic is that?"
Naruto argued back, "Just because I can't win her now doesn't mean I never will!"
Hikari sighed. "Love that comes from humiliating yourself isn't real love. If you wouldn't want to be treated that way, don't force it on someone else."
Naruto hesitated. When Hikari thought he'd finally understood, Naruto frowned and asked, "Um, Hikari-senpai... what does 'don't force on others what you wouldn't want for yourself' mean?"
Hikari explained patiently, "It means you shouldn't impose something on someone else that you wouldn't want done to you. And tell me honestly—are you sure what you feel for Sakura is truly love?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Naruto asked.
Hikari shook his head. "If it's about looks, Sakura isn't even the prettiest in your class—Ino and Hinata are just as beautiful. The only area where Sakura stands out is her grades."
Naruto frowned. "So what?"
Hikari continued, "Most people's first crush isn't about how someone looks. It's about what that person represents—something we lack in ourselves. You grew up being shunned and ridiculed, so what you actually crave is the sense of recognition Sakura gets from others. You don't really love her—you love the feeling of being acknowledged that she embodies."
"It's like a lie—tell yourself the same thing a thousand times, and you'll eventually believe it."
"You've idolized the way Sakura stands confidently among others. That's why you keep holding onto this feeling."
Naruto shook his head stubbornly. "No way! My feelings for Sakura-chan come from the bottom of my heart!"
Hikari shrugged. "I didn't expect to change your mind right away. I just want you to understand something—love shouldn't make you feel inferior. This endless giving only moves you, not her. It makes you look like a fool to others."
"I don't want to see you become a laughingstock. You can like Sakura, but don't lose your dignity over it. You are Naruto—Uzumaki Naruto—the future Hokage of Konoha!"
-----
Read 40+ advanced chapters on my P@treon.
[email protected]/KakuzuTL