Naruto hadn't expected Sai to get so drunk.
"I asked you to drink some wine, but I didn't tell you to drink like this," Naruto muttered, exasperation in his voice.
He dragged Sai outside to let him breathe in some fresh air, the night breeze cooling against the sweat on his face. Naruto fetched a glass of water and pressed it into Sai's hand, forcing him to sober up a little. He even prepared some food, sitting with him for over an hour until Sai's consciousness finally returned.
"Oh… my head hurts so much!" Sai groaned, clutching his head as if it were splitting apart.
Naruto crossed his arms and snorted coldly. "Of course it hurts! You drank so much and then passed out like a log. What did you expect? That you'd wake up feeling refreshed? Idiot."
Sai rubbed his temples, his pale face showing discomfort. "I didn't think that wine would have such strong staying power. It tasted like nothing… but after drinking it, the headache hit me harder than any kunai."
Naruto let out a heavy sigh. "You really need to control yourself. I told you to drink just enough to feel it, but instead, you got completely wasted. You're supposed to train your tolerance, not knock yourself out."
Sai lowered his head, his tone uncharacteristically uncertain. "Actually… I just wanted to try the feeling of… fragmentation. By the way, Naruto, is this really okay? It won't affect our plan, will it?"
Naruto waved dismissively. "It's not a big deal. You can still drink a little later if you want, but remember—don't drink yourself into a blackout this time."
Sai nodded earnestly. "I understand. Last night, I paid attention to how much I drank and how my body reacted. I'll be cautious from now on."
Naruto smirked faintly. "As expected from someone who trained in Root—you learn quickly." He stood, dusting off his pants. "Alright, enough. You can take care of yourself now. I've got somewhere to be… I'm heading out to find Ino."
Before Naruto could leave, Sai grabbed his sleeve. "Wait. Drink with me… just a little longer."
Naruto hesitated, then gave in with a small nod.
Another hour passed. Sai downed another bottle, his face flushing and his body swaying slightly from the dizziness. Naruto finally scolded him a bit more and then left, shaking his head.
At the Yamanaka household, Ino stayed home the entire day. Yesterday's events weighed heavily on her heart. After lunch, she lay in the garden, staring at the clouds drifting lazily across the Konoha sky.
Dad's words keep echoing in my head… "Find someone who truly loves you, and you'll learn to love him too."
Ino pressed her lips together. When she thought of Sai, her heart didn't reject him. On the contrary, Sai was handsome, and his awkward but sincere nature was strangely endearing. After diving into his emotions with her Mind Body Transmission Jutsu, she understood—Sai had a fiery heart hidden beneath his stoic mask.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. She quickly stood and walked to the entrance, pulling it open.
"Eh? Naruto? What are you doing here?" Ino asked in surprise.
Naruto put on a troubled face, sighing dramatically. "It's like this. Yesterday, I went to the market with Hinata, and I ran into Sai. He was buying liquor. I asked him why he needed so much, but he didn't say a word. Just looked lifeless."
Naruto shook his head. "At first, I didn't think too much about it. But today… I couldn't shake this uneasy feeling, so I went to check on him. And what did I find? That idiot was still drinking, ignoring me completely no matter how many times I called him. Then…"
Naruto paused, letting the tension build.
Ino leaned closer, anxious. "What did you see?"
Naruto hesitated for effect, then answered, "Drawings. Dozens of them, scattered all over the floor. That's when I knew I had to come get you. Sai's like a locked chest—he won't open up, no matter how much you pry. I'm worried something bad will happen to him if this continues."
Ino's heart clenched. Of course she understood why Sai had been drinking. Her rejection yesterday must have hurt him deeply.
"Alright, Naruto," she said softly. "I'll go with you."
Naruto nodded, satisfied. His goal had been reached. Together, they walked through Konoha until they reached Sai's residence.
When they arrived, Naruto deliberately made some noise as he opened the door. "Oi, Sai! I'm back—and I brought someone with me!"
He turned to Ino. "Go on. It's better if you talk to him. I'll wait outside. If you need anything, just call."
Ino took a deep breath and stepped inside. The smell of alcohol instantly hit her, sharp and heavy. She wrinkled her nose and covered it with her hand as she moved further in.
A crunching sound echoed beneath her sandals. She looked down, realizing she had stepped on a piece of paper. Dozens of drawings were scattered across the floor. Curious, she bent down and picked one up.
Her breath caught.
It was her.
She picked up another. Again, it was her—laughing, sitting at a table, walking through the village. Every page was filled with sketches of her daily life.
Her hand trembled. Sai… all of these… you've been watching me so closely, capturing every detail of my life…
Her gaze lifted toward the corner of the room, where Sai sat drunkenly, clutching a wine bottle.
No wonder Naruto said the drawings told him to come to me…
Naruto's voice echoed faintly from the doorway. "You're the only one who can untie this knot, Ino."
Ino nodded faintly and walked toward Sai.
Sai's eyes half-opened as he mumbled in a slurred voice, "Ino… Ino… I like you…"
The words made Ino tremble.
He's hurting because of me… just like I once hurt because of Sasuke. But this time, someone is in pain because of me. Sai…
Kneeling beside him, she gently touched his flushed face. "Sai… wake up. It's me, Ino."
Sai blinked, then suddenly gripped her hand tightly and tried to stand, swaying dangerously.
"Ino? Is it really you?" His eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Yes, it's me," she assured softly.
But Sai's lips curled into a bitter smile. "No… this must be an illusion. I'm too drunk. I drew so many pictures of you, and now I'm hallucinating. There's no way the real Ino—who loves Sasuke so much—would ever come here."
He let go of her hand and staggered toward another bottle.
Alarmed, Ino rushed forward and snatched the glass away. "Stop it! You're already drunk, and you're still drinking?!"
Sai laughed bitterly. "This hallucination feels so real… it even stole my glass."
Ino's patience snapped. She slapped him lightly across the cheek, her eyes blazing. "Idiot! This isn't an illusion—I'm really here!"
The sharp sound jolted Sai. He stared at her for a long moment before lowering his head. "Why are you here? I don't need your pity. Leave me alone."
Ino bit her lip, her chest tightening.
After a long silence, she finally whispered, cheeks flushed, "I… I'm sorry about yesterday."
Sai glanced at her, his expression softening with a faint, bitter smile. "It doesn't matter. I was just being foolish. It's not your fault."
Ino glared at him, then said timidly, "What I meant that day… it wasn't a rejection."
Sai froze. His eyes widened as hope flickered inside them. "What do you mean?"
Seeing his startled expression, Ino couldn't help but laugh softly. So this is what love makes someone look like… foolish and sincere at the same time.
Her father's words returned to her once more. It's better to be with someone who loves you deeply than to chase someone who doesn't return your feelings.
Looking at Sai, she realized how much his sincerity touched her.
"It doesn't mean anything. But… if you keep being like this, I might just agree to it."
Sai's lips curved into a trembling smile. He suddenly grabbed her hand tightly. "Really? Ino… you'd really accept me?"
Ino frowned slightly, wincing at the strength of his grip. "Sai… you're hurting me!"
Startled, he immediately released her hand, bowing apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—are you okay?"
Seeing his panicked expression, Ino's heart softened even more. She didn't know where the courage came from, but she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.
Sai froze, wide-eyed.
And in that fragile, tender moment, the empty space in both their hearts began to fill.
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