Chapter 61: It's You
Throughout the rest of the day, Sasuko remained somewhat absent-minded in class. She kept worrying about what price Yu might have paid or what extremely dangerous things he had done to make Konoha act this way...
Naruko gently poked Sasuko's arm with her pencil, whispering in her ear: "Hey, Sasuko? The teacher's already moved to the next page."
Sasuko snapped back to attention, realizing the teacher on the platform had indeed moved to the next chapter.
She hurriedly opened her textbook, but even got the page number wrong.
"It starts from page 36." Naruko pushed her own textbook toward her, tilting her head to study her friend. "Why do you keep spacing out today?"
Sasuko pressed her lips together without answering, quickly flipping to the correct page.
But Naruko persisted, leaning closer: "Are you still worried about Yu?"
"Shut up and listen to class." Sasuko used her elbow to push away the blonde head that kept getting closer.
Naruko pouted aggrievedly, her voice carrying small dissatisfaction: "You were the one who spaced out first... I was being nice reminding you..."
She tugged at her golden hair ends, looking pitifully at Sasuko: "It's always like this—suddenly ignoring people."
Seeing her like this, the irritation in Sasuko's heart dissipated somewhat.
She reached out to tug at Naruko's swaying ponytail: "I got it. Focus on class."
The gesture was still awkward, but her tone had softened.
The cafeteria remained noisy at lunch, but when a female ANBU wearing a fox mask appeared at the entrance, all voices suddenly lowered.
"Miss Sasuko, Miss Naruko." The woman's voice was somewhat muffled through the mask. "Please come with me."
Under their classmates' surprised gazes, the two were led to a private booth at the far end of the cafeteria.
It was a separate small compartment where the long table covered with indigo cloth was laden with food far exceeding student standards: lacquered boxes containing exquisite sushi platters, small ceramic pots bubbling with seafood soup, and even two plates of high-grade wagashi that shouldn't appear in a school cafeteria.
"This is..." Naruko's eyes widened.
The ANBU woman bowed slightly: "Special arrangements from Lady Hokage. Please enjoy." She then silently retreated to stand by the wall.
Looking at the table full of dishes, Sasuko had no appetite whatsoever. Such special treatment only made her more certain that the price Yu had paid probably far exceeded her imagination.
Seeing Sasuko hesitating to use her chopsticks, the ANBU woman leaning against the wall moved slightly forward: "If there are any other requests, please let me know anytime."
Her voice came through the mask with official respectfulness, which only made Sasuko feel more irritated.
Naruko was about to stuff an entire tempura shrimp in her mouth when she mumbled indistinctly: "Super delicious! Sasuko, try some!"
Sasuko stared at the lifelike cherry blossom-shaped rice ball in the lunch box, then suddenly looked up at the ANBU: "What conditions did he agree to for you people?"
The woman's mask didn't move: "This is simply proper care for a hero's family."
Sasuko's chopsticks clattered onto the table.
"Hero?" She keenly caught this key word, her bright black eyes fixed intently on the ANBU woman.
Naruko, who had been gnawing on the fried shrimp, suddenly looked up, her cheeks still puffed out: "Eh? Yu became Konoha's hero? When did that happen?"
The ANBU woman's mask shifted slightly: "Specific matters are classified." She stiffly changed the subject. "The food will get cold."
But both little girls had already lost their appetite.
Sasuko thought about all the abnormal treatment that morning, while Naruko recalled how Yu had suddenly disappeared from the shelter.
They exchanged glances, both seeing the same confusion and unease in each other's eyes.
The woman sighed silently. This assignment was truly troublesome.
The orders from above were really tricky—treat these two young misses like ancestors while revealing nothing about related matters, yet still make them feel Konoha's "sincerity." This job was more exhausting than being a nanny.
"Today's miso soup was made with the freshest sea bream." She could only continue awkwardly changing the topic, pushing the soup bowls toward them. "The chef specially adjusted the saltiness."
Though still somewhat worried, Naruko was quite considerate, slurping the soup noisily from her bowl.
But Sasuko continued staring at her with that see-through-everything gaze, making her back crawl with unease.
"If it doesn't suit your taste..." the woman repeated stiffly, having already cursed the ancestors of whatever high-ranking officials made these ridiculous rules.
This charade assignment was worse than being sent undercover to the Hidden Rain Village.
Sasuko watched the woman's rigid posture for a moment, then finally lowered her gaze.
She knew in her heart that no amount of questioning would get anything out of her.
"I'm full." She pushed away the barely touched plates, her sandals making crisp sounds on the tiles as she stood.
Naruko hurriedly stuffed the last bite of rice in her mouth, following with puffed cheeks: "Wait for me, Sasuko!"
She didn't forget to thank the woman: "Thank you for the meal, big sister..."
The two girls left the cafeteria one after another, leaving the ANBU woman secretly relieved at the table full of delicacies.
The afternoon sunlight slanted into the classroom as Sasuko rested her chin in her hand, gazing out the window.
Clouds drifted slowly across the blue sky, but her gaze lacked any focus.
On the platform, the chunin teacher noticed the black-haired girl spacing out for the third time.
Usually the most attentive student, she had been daydreaming all day. The teacher opened his mouth, remembering the special instructions from the morning meeting, then swallowed his words.
Chalk scratched dryly across the blackboard.
All the students were taking notes seriously, only Sasuko's textbook remained on the morning's page.
Naruko poked Sasuko's arm, but she paid no attention, still staring at the sky in a daze.
The dismissal bell had barely rung once when Sasuko shot to her feet.
"Student Sasuko? I haven't announced..." The teacher's reminder was left behind.
Not bothering to pack her textbooks and supplies, she was the first to rush out the classroom door.
Under the surprised gazes of the entire class, that black figure had already disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Naruko's outstretched hand froze in mid-air: "Sasuko, wait for me!"
But Sasuko couldn't hear anything at that moment.
The instant she saw that familiar figure, Sasuko's eyes suddenly reddened.
She threw herself into Yu's arms, burying her face deep in his chest.
"Sasuko?" He gently cupped her face, discovering those dark eyes were glistening with moisture, the corners already red.
"What's wrong?" His voice immediately darkened. "Did someone bully you?"
His fingertips carefully wiped the redness from her eye corners, Yu's brow furrowing tighter. He was already calculating which people he needed to "visit."
Until Sasuko spoke in a muffled voice tinged with tears:
"It's you."
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