Sakura's change of heart

"Hah, hah, hah..."

Luo Mang rested against the doorframe at the foot of the Hokage Building. Beside him, all he could hear was the heavy panting of Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki.

"How is this supposed to be the cruelty of the ninja world?!"

Sasuke wiped the sweat from his forehead and stared straight at Kakashi as he complained.

They had taken four D-rank missions in a single day: finding missing chicks, getting rid of pests, building a house, and gathering materials.

Their legs were about to give out from all the walking!

It was certainly cruel, but this seemed less like the cruelty of the ninja world and more like the cruelty of being broke.

Sakura Haruno said nothing beside them, but the beads of cold sweat on her forehead and her soaked collar were enough to show that she hadn't had an easy time either.

"Heh, we have to take things one step at a time. I can't take you on some adventurous mission on your first day."

Looking awkward, Kakashi calmly tried to reason with them.

"Just get used to it. Come on, now that we've been paid, I'll treat you to dinner."

Kakashi waved the payment he had just collected, then gestured toward the Ramen Shop to show them where they were going.

"How does that count as your treat? Didn't we earn that ourselves?"

Naruto pouted as he complained, utterly unimpressed. Four missions, especially that house-building job, which was nothing but hard labor. The payment was enough to buy four bowls of noodles for the four of them.

And that wasn't even counting the other jobs. Naruto felt as though he was working off the books for someone else's benefit!

"Enough complaining. You need opportunities first, don't you? Fine, I'll buy you another couple of bowls."

Kakashi flicked Naruto on the forehead as the boy ran in front of him, complaining.

"Whew..."

For once, Sakura hadn't spent this time pestering Sasuke. She simply wiped the sweat from her forehead and caught her breath, occasionally glancing at Luo Mang.

But Luo Mang was looking down, lost in thought, and didn't notice.

Sasuke Uchiha did notice, however, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she wasn't pestering him, that was good enough.

He wondered when he would get to meet that girl named Karin.

"Report to that bridge at the same time tomorrow. We'll keep taking missions."

After paying for dinner for all five of them, Kakashi turned and left.

"See you tomorrow, Mang?"

Naruto Uzumaki waved as he ran off.

Sasuke nodded and left as well.

Just as Luo Mang was about to leave, a voice called out from behind him.

"L-Luo Mang?"

Sakura's voice came from behind him. Luo Mang turned to see her standing with her head lowered, her face shy.

"Th-thank you for what you did at noon today."

Luo Mang parted his lips at the sight. Had she fallen for me already?!

His assessment of Sakura was that she had been far too sheltered, couldn't read the room, and spoke without thinking.

The Sakura of the future was certainly something: beautiful and mature.

But she still wasn't quite there yet. Her affections might have shifted to him today, but they could just as easily shift to someone else, so he would wait and see.

"No need to thank me. Fi-no, didn't Kakashi-sensei say we're all on the same team?"

He raised a hand to wave off her thanks, answered calmly, then smiled as he asked another question.

"Was there anything else? If not, I'll be going."

"N-no, nothing."

Sakura Haruno shook her head and waved her hands.

"All right."

After replying, Luo Mang left, leaving Sakura Haruno standing there alone.

Watching his retreating figure in silence, Sakura Haruno bit her lip.

"I won't give up."

Sakura Haruno had expected his lukewarm response.

After all, she had chased Sasuke every day back in the classroom and was practically famous for it. Developing feelings for someone else so suddenly today could certainly put him off.

But she would show him that her feelings had changed!

After today, she couldn't help changing her mind. He was better-looking than Sasuke, gentle, popular, and more capable, too.

No matter how she compared them, Luo Mang came out ahead. If she had merely heard someone else say that, Sakura Haruno might have just laughed it off. After chasing Sasuke for so long, it had almost become an obsession.

Experiencing something firsthand was nothing like hearing about it. A ray of light shining in when she felt cold won far more affection than warmth offered when everything was peaceful. It sent all those accumulated feelings straight off the charts!

After giving herself a little encouragement, she looked once more in the direction Luo Mang had gone, but he was already out of sight.

Sakura turned and left as well. She planned to start by asking around at the Academy about Luo Mang's hobbies and interests.

Meanwhile, Luo Mang had no idea that Sakura Haruno was already preparing a plan to win him over.

He was still writing in his diary.

[Sure enough, it was exactly the same. Today's missions were such a pain. I'm exhausted.]

Having left, Kakashi looked rather helpless when he saw the complaints being written in the diary.

This was how things were supposed to be arranged. The other instructors led their teams the same way, so he couldn't very well make an exception.

[There's an extra person on the team. I don't know whether the future will change, but it probably will. After all, Sakura has actually developed feelings for me.]

[She deliberately stayed behind to leave last and thank me just now. One look was enough to tell she'd fallen for me. I don't know whether it's just temporary gratitude or whether she's serious. I'll wait and see.]

"Huh?"

Kakashi immediately frowned at that, making a noise like a Minecraft villager.

If he remembered correctly, hadn't Luo Mang just been calling little Hinata cute earlier? Why had he changed targets already?

Or was he planning to get both of them?!

That was a little greedy.

There wasn't much to say about Sakura Haruno. She was just an ordinary girl, and as long as he was strong enough, her family probably wouldn't mind.

But the Hyuga Clan was a major clan, and Hinata was even a member of the Main Family. He should count himself lucky if they let him marry into the family, yet he wanted a whole harem?

He was dreaming!

Perhaps Kakashi was overthinking it. After all, it was only a single line in the diary.

[I wonder whether this will change Sakura's original path. She's supposed to become Tsunade's apprentice in the future. I don't know whether my interference will change that.]

After all, Sakura Haruno had only asked to become Tsunade's apprentice because Sasuke's defection had left her feeling powerless. Tsunade had reluctantly agreed because she saw similarities in their experiences and personalities, and because Sakura was interested in becoming a medical ninja.

Luo Mang rubbed his chin. Would things really change? If they did, could she still learn the Yin Seal? Would she still be as alluring as she was in the future?

"I hope not."

All he could do was silently pray that nothing would change. Becoming Tsunade's apprentice would bring Sakura Haruno tremendous growth and transformation.

If his presence and suggestions prevented or disrupted that, the consequences really would be significant.

After all, her future healing abilities could reach the threshold of Kage-level strength. Getting on good terms with her would give him another layer of protection. As for getting on good terms with Tsunade...

As much as I'd like to see those towering white peaks, I'm afraid she'd ask to borrow money. Maybe I'd better forget it?