Chapter 256 : They Actually Kissed
In the clearing at the village gates, the sun beat straight down from overhead, shrinking the shadows of the gateposts into small pools at their bases. On the pillars flanking the entrance, the Konoha symbol gleamed in the sunlight.
A group of over a dozen people stood in the clearing. They wore clothes of various colors, but their forehead protectors were all identical, worn on their foreheads or tied around their waists. They stood in twos and threes; some were chatting, some were stretching, and others were inspecting their ninja tools.
In the middle of the group was an incomplete squad consisting of only two people. One was squatting on the ground, and the other was squatting right beside him. From behind, their figures looked incredibly lonely.
The others looked at them with varying expressions. Some shook their heads, some sighed, and others had complicated looks on their faces.
Several adults stood at the front of the group. A bearded man had his hands shoved into his pockets, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, its tip trailing thin wisps of blue smoke in the sunlight. He was tall, dressed in a dark ninja outfit with a green flak jacket worn over it.
He looked at the silver-haired man squatting in the middle of the group. "Say, Kakashi, what is that kid thinking?" His deep voice carried a sense of helplessness. "Running off at a time like this?"
Beside him stood a beautiful black-haired woman. Her striking red eyes resembled a pair of rubies. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she also wore a dark ninja outfit beneath a green flak jacket.
"That child has a bit of a rebellious streak." Her voice was melodic. "It's definitely something he would do. But since it's Lord Hokage's order, we just need to bring the boy back."
The two speaking were Team 10's Jonin leader, Sarutobi Asuma, and Team 8's Jonin leader, Yuhi Kurenai.
Next to them was a bowl-cut man also wearing a green flak jacket. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, radiating boundless energy. His hands were clenched into fists and held up in front of him, his body leaning slightly forward as if he were doing some sort of warm-up exercise.
He stared off into the distance, tears streaming from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. "Waaah, how moving! This is youth!" He raised a hand and wiped away his tears. "Even though my own youth is nearing its end, I will find Neji and ignite the flames of his youth!"
Hatake Kakashi squatted on the ground, staring blankly at the dirt with lifeless, half-lidded eyes. Beside him squatted Haruno Sakura, hugging her knees with her chin resting on them, her entire being radiating a gloomy aura. Her eyes were dull and her expression vacant, like someone who had lost her soul.
It made sense. They had been a perfectly fine squad, but then Uchiha Sasuke ran away, and Uzumaki Naruto ran away too. Now, only she and Kakashi were left. Anyone else in their shoes would have suffered a mental breakdown too.
Hatake Kakashi looked up at the people in front of him. "Well, now isn't the time to laugh at me." His voice was weak. "Everyone, the upcoming mission won't be easy."
Yuhi Kurenai looked at him and nodded. "I know. After all, it involves *that person*." When she said *that person*, her tone was hushed, as if speaking a taboo name.
Sarutobi Asuma seemed to recall something as well. His expression turned a bit more serious, his brows furrowing slightly. "Yeah, *that person*. Back when the academy first started, he blew up our Sarutobi clan compound." His mouth twitched. "Thinking back on it now, it scared the living daylights out of me."
Yuhi Kurenai looked at him, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. "You should be glad he dropped out back then." Her tone carried a hint of teasing. "Otherwise, with your personality, you probably would have suffered quite a bit at his hands."
Sarutobi Asuma scratched his head. "Ahaha, everyone was pretty rebellious back then." His smile was a little awkward.
The young ninja standing in the back listened to their conversation, their eyes filled with curiosity.
Hyuga Hinata stood at the rear of the group, her hands held in front of her, fingers nervously twisting together. Her large, pale eyes were beautiful, but her expression was tense.
Aburame Shino stood beside her, wearing a black high-collared outfit that covered his entire lower face, leaving only his eyes visible. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, and he remained completely silent, like a statue.
Inuzuka Kiba stood on the other side, a small white dog perched on his head. The little dog's dark, round eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Kiba also had his hands in his pockets, leaning slightly forward and looking quite relaxed.
Yamanaka Ino stood next to Haruno Sakura, her bright blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. She looked at the squatting Sakura and her lips parted as if to say something, but she held her tongue.
Nara Shikamaru stood at the very back, hands in his pockets, his head tilted slightly as he stared at the ground. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he were pondering a problem.
At that moment, Might Guy stepped forward. He gave a thumbs-up and flashed a brilliant smile, his teeth literally sparkling in the sunlight. "Alright! Since everyone is ready, let's head out!" His voice boomed. "Kakashi, my eternal rival, we get to go on a mission together again!" He clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly. "Come! Let our youth explode!"
Hatake Kakashi weakly stood up. "Yeah, yeah." He dragged out his words, his tone dripping with half-hearted dismissal.
His current mood was incredibly complicated. With two of its members gone, Team 7 now existed in name only. For this mission, he had no choice but to bring Haruno Sakura and merge with Team 3, temporarily acting as a joint Jonin instructor for this special squad alongside Might Guy.
It was embarrassing just to think about. A Jonin who couldn't even keep his own students in line and had to rely on other teams for help.
Seeing this, Sarutobi Asuma spoke up, "Since everyone is ready, let's move out!"
He was the overall commander for this operation. As soon as the words left his mouth, the group dashed forward. Their pace wasn't blindingly fast, but it certainly wasn't slow either.
The squad traveled through the forest, their footsteps rustling as they stepped on dry leaves and dirt.
Sarutobi Asuma ran alongside Hatake Kakashi and turned his head to look at him. "Kakashi, tell us about that Naruto kid. We're going to need you to pull your weight on this mission."
Hatake Kakashi kept his eyes forward as he ran. He stayed silent for a moment before speaking. "Ah, Naruto. He's quite a headache." He paused. "Once he sets his mind on something, he does it." His brows furrowed slightly. "I don't know what he heard this time, but he seems to know where Sasuke is, which is why he went after him."
Yuhi Kurenai, running on his other side, turned to look at Kakashi upon hearing this. "How can you be so sure that Uzumaki Naruto went to find Uchiha Sasuke?" Her voice carried a hint of doubt.
Hatake Kakashi sighed. "Because they have a very strong bond."
Yuhi Kurenai looked at him, her eyebrows twitching slightly. "A strong bond?" Her tone was probing. "Like a normal squad dynamic, or as best friends?"
Hatake Kakashi thought for a moment before answering. "How should I put it?" His voice remained soft. "They are comrades, friends, and rivals." He paused. "Naruto has always viewed Sasuke as his most important bond, so ever since Sasuke left the village, Naruto has been desperate to bring him back." His tone was certain. "Nine times out of ten, he ran off this time to find Sasuke."
Yuhi Kurenai nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
The squad continued their advance, passing through a stretch of woods and then across a grassy plain.
As they ran, someone from the back of the group casually blurted out, "Their bond is definitely strong. I saw them kiss with my own eyes."
The voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard it.
The advancing squad instantly fell dead silent, and everyone skidded to a halt. The sound of footsteps vanished, leaving only the rustling of the wind blowing through the leaves.
Sarutobi Asuma's mouth hung slightly open, his eyes wide. The cigarette dropped from his lips to the ground, the tip still smoking, but he made no move to pick it up.
Yuhi Kurenai's eyes were equally wide, her pupils slightly contracted.
Might Guy looked utterly horrified, frozen in place like a statue.
Hatake Kakashi's lifeless eyes bulged into perfect circles. His body stiffened mid-stride, one foot still raised in the air, looking exactly as if someone had hit the pause button on him.
In the middle of the formation, Haruno Sakura's face flushed a deep crimson, the redness spreading from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears. When she finally snapped out of her daze, veins bulged on her forehead, throbbing beneath her skin. She clenched her hands into tight fists, her gaze sweeping over the group, her eyes practically radiating murderous intent.
"You bastard, who said that?!"
*How could anyone blurt out that secret at a time like this?*
Her voice was calm, but it was the kind of calm that sent shivers down one's spine. It felt like a blade hidden in its sheath, ready to be drawn at any second.
No one answered. Everyone kept their mouths shut and looked away.
Sarutobi Asuma stared up at the sky, as if the clouds were suddenly fascinating.
Yuhi Kurenai stared down at the ground, as if the grass was incredibly interesting.
Might Guy turned to look at a nearby tree, as if a bird on its branches had captivated him.
Hatake Kakashi stared at his own feet, as if his sandals were a work of art.
The younger ninja all averted their faces as well, not daring to meet Haruno Sakura's gaze.
Inuzuka Kiba's dog let out a single bark, breaking the silence, but quickly clamped its mouth shut again.
Aburame Shino's insects crawled around on him, emitting a faint buzzing sound.
Hyuga Hinata's face also turned red; she lowered her head, twisting her hands together so tightly her fingers were practically tied in knots.
Yamanaka Ino stood next to Haruno Sakura. She opened her mouth to say something, but after taking one look at Sakura's beet-red face, she swallowed her words.
Nara Shikamaru stood at the very back, hands in his pockets, his head tilted as he stared at the ground. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly; it was hard to tell if he was smiling or not.
Haruno Sakura's fists clenched even tighter. She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
"Forget it. The mission comes first."
She turned around and resumed running forward.
The others exchanged glances.
Sarutobi Asuma picked up his still-smoking cigarette from the ground and stuck it back in his mouth.
Yuhi Kurenai patted the dust off her clothes and adjusted her hair.
Might Guy wiped the tears from his face, gave a thumbs-up, and flashed a brilliant smile.
Hatake Kakashi finally put his raised foot down and rolled his neck.
They looked at each other and nodded.
The squad began to move again. The sound of footsteps echoed through the forest, rustling steadily.
But the atmosphere was completely different from before. Everyone's expressions were incredibly subtle. Some had twitching lips, some had a glint in their eyes, and others were holding back their laughter so hard their entire faces were trembling.
But no one dared to laugh out loud.
Because they had all seen Haruno Sakura's face. Although she appeared calm again, it was a fragile facade. Anyone who dared to laugh at a time like this would be digging their own grave.