More heads suddenly popped out of the nearby windows where a few people had only been peering out with mild curiosity.
Upstairs and downstairs, people at the doors of neighboring classrooms turned to look.
Sakura, Ino, and the other girls fell silent at once. They all stared over, their faces full of surprise and excitement.
Naruko stopped midstep.
Her back was to Sasuke, and her shoulders seemed to tremble almost imperceptibly.
Then she slowly turned around.
Sasuke still stood where he was, his chest heaving, his cheeks burning red and his clenched knuckles white. But his dark eyes stayed fixed on her.
His usual coldness and awkwardness were gone. All that remained was a desperate resolve, and, deep beneath it, the lingering fear of his nightmare.
Naruko looked at him, and the teasing grin gradually faded from her face.
A faint blush took its place, creeping across her cheeks.
She apparently hadn't expected Sasuke to actually say it, much less shout it like that.
She blinked, suddenly unable to meet his scorching gaze. Her eyes darted away, and she gave a soft huff. When she spoke, her voice was much gentler than before, with a trace of haste she couldn't quite hide.
"O-okay already... You don't have to shout, you idiot, Sasuke," she muttered. Then she lifted her head and tried to look as proud as ever.
"Since you've shown so much 'sincerity,' I suppose I'll grace you with my presence! This weekend, right? I'll be there on time!"
With that, her cheeks seemed to grow even hotter. She turned and hurried toward Sakura and the others, her light steps tinged with panic, her golden ponytail bouncing behind her.
Sasuke was left standing alone under a barrage of looks from every direction, each carrying its own meaning.
A wave of