Naruto

What exactly was the person crouching in front of him?

Sasuke knew all too well.

"It's Naruto?!..."

Sasuke was more shocked than anything as he muttered to himself.

He never expected his first meeting with the leading man of Naruto to happen like this.

But that was all in the past.

Now that he'd transmigrated into Sasuke's body, he was the protagonist!

That was final. Even the Sage of Six Paths couldn't change it!

With that thought, Sasuke spoke calmly, his expression unreadable:

"What did you say?"

His flat tone and cold expression came across as an outright provocation to Naruto, who had already lost his senses.

His goddess, Sakura, was watching from the side!

What was the point of charging into battle for love like an idiot?

It certainly wasn't to help Sasuke show off!

Naruto bared his teeth and glared as he repeated:

"I said, you jerk! Apologize to Sakura right now, or I, Naruto, won't let you get away with this!..."

"What?..."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, finding Naruto completely incomprehensible.

There was nothing wrong with liking Sakura, but acting like an over-the-top lovesick puppy?

Not just Sakura—any girl would want to get as far away from you as possible.

"Damn it! Don't play dumb! I'm telling you, I, Naruto, am going to be Hokage! You can't fool me so easily!..."

At that, Sasuke shook his head, speechless.

This guy really is something.

When talking doesn't work, he resorts to scaring people with his big ambitions?

Sasuke rubbed his nose, forcing down a laugh.

But just as he was about to keep arguing with the over-the-top Naruto in front of him,

Sakura, who seemed to have only just recovered from the scene, shouted from nearby:

"Naruto! What are you even doing?"

"Get back here!"

"You're so embarrassing..."

Her voice grew quieter and quieter until, at last, a row of black lines seemed to appear across her forehead.

She clenched both fists, stiffened, and lowered her head as far as it would go.

If there had been a crack in the ground, she would have gladly dragged Naruto into it with her.

Hearing his goddess speak, Naruto looked momentarily stunned, then murmured in confusion:

"Sakura... why? I did it for you, but..."

He was left frozen on top of the desk, still crouching there with a bewildered look on his face.

He couldn't understand why Sakura had suddenly gotten angry with him.

He'd only been standing up for her, but...

Sasuke said nothing.

He really didn't want to get involved in this melodramatic mess.

They call them lovesick puppies: they keep chasing love, only to end up with nothing. I guess that saying didn't come from nowhere...

Naruto, forcing a melon may quench your thirst, but it still won't taste sweet. Why put yourself through this?...

The whole scene was painfully melodramatic.

After Sakura had shouted twice, the students in the class all began to understand what was going on between the three of them.

But no one said a word.

It was as if the scene had suddenly frozen. The room fell completely silent.

Shikamaru had been feeling a little down lately.

As the Nara Clan's most outstanding young genius, he wasn't happy.

His old man, Nara Shikaku, was keeping far too close an eye on him.

It was practically too much love and too much concern!

Day after day of a 996 schedule had gradually drained his interest in everything.

Not just the girls in his class, but even all the gossip.

Of course, sleep was the exception...

That day, he got up early and told his old man a harmless little lie.

Then he eagerly rushed into this classroom at the Ninja Academy.

Did he like going to school?

No! It was because he could skip morning study at the Nara Clan's house and catch up on sleep here...

It wasn't a big deal, but it had him excited for more than two whole days...

But the heavens were cruel. Before long, the quiet classroom grew noisy as more people arrived.

This should have been Shikamaru's nightmare.

But he was extremely adaptable.

In less than ten minutes, he'd overcome the problem.

He turned the noisy chatter into a lullaby specially made by the Nara Clan...

He had already been asleep for who knew how long when,

at one point, Shikamaru's legs kicked beneath his desk, and his whole body trembled.

Then he suddenly woke up!

"Why is it so quiet?"

"Has Iruka-sensei already arrived?"

"Or did I sleep all the way through the graduation exam, and the Ninja Academy's already closed?..."

He jolted upright like a dying man!

With that thought, Shikamaru sprang up the next second, sitting ramrod straight...

But the very next moment, he froze again.

He realized that every classmate in sight was staring blankly in his direction.

Some had their mouths hanging open, their jaws practically dropping, and sat perfectly still.

They all had the classic look of utter shock... not stupidity.

Seeing this only made Shikamaru more confused.

I was just catching up on some sleep.

Did you all really have to look so excited, like you'd just seen the Hokage?

"Wait, they don't seem to be looking at me. They're looking behind me?..."

Shikamaru was stunned for only a few seconds before the pieces clicked into place.

Then his curiosity got the better of him:

"What's so good to look at behind me?"

"What could make those lunatics go quiet?..."

With that thought, Shikamaru decided to turn around and join in the fun, ready to get a look at the juicy gossip.

But the space between the desks was so narrow that Shikamaru, sitting in his chair, looked like he'd been squeezed into a sandwich.

Never mind turning around—getting out of his seat would be difficult...

With no other choice, Shikamaru braced both arms, then swung his hips around as if they were mounted on an axle, using the momentum to turn around without a second thought...

Naruto crouched on top of the desk, perfectly still.

It was as if his soul had been ripped away. His azure eyes were dim and lifeless.

He didn't know why his goddess, Sakura, had suddenly gotten angry with him.

He hadn't done anything wrong, had he?

He'd only been standing up for her, hadn't he?

It felt as if his heart were being twisted by a knife. His body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and he didn't want to move.

But just then,

for some reason, an immense force suddenly struck his backside!

It was as if someone behind him had given him a hard kick!

Crouching as he was, Naruto already had a shaky center of gravity.

Now, caught off guard, he had no idea which heartless bastard had suddenly landed such a powerful kick on his backside!

His body wobbled, then pitched forward. He went tumbling straight toward Sasuke, who was sitting before him with an expressionless face!

It was as if someone had aimed him on purpose.

Or perhaps it was fate.

The two boys' lips fit together perfectly.

A natural fit, seamless, a match made in heaven, utterly romantic...

Naruto: "..."

Sasuke: "..."

Sakura: "..."

Ino: "..."

Four utterly bewildered faces...