Chapter 238: Modification
The group nodded in unison with everyone smiling. It felt like a new bond was being forged.
"That is a promise I will surely keep," Lee reaffirmed.
"Ya got that right," Naruto added.
As the moment of intimacy passed, Rin felt the weight of her past pressing against her. She took a step back from the cheerful gathering and slowly shifted toward the dōjō's entrance.
"We'll see you again, right?" Alice asked.
Rin turned back to answer, "You will. I believe it."
Before she could continue her exit, Naruto approached her and offered a fist bump. Rin had never seen this act, so she followed suit and did what she thought was right.
The two bumped fists as Naruto said, "Don't keep us waiting too long, okay?"
"I won't," Rin obliged with an earnest smile.
Seeking solitude, she finally departed to a secluded area outside of the village and away from Alice's sensing range.
The transition from victory to introspection settled heavily within her heart. Holding her chest, she thought about the 'what-ifs,' the memories that came rushing back with nostalgia.