Cool moonlight spilled like quicksilver over the quiet courtyard, coating the paving stones, plants, and eaves in a hazy silver glow.
The black-haired girl and the red-haired girl sat side by side on the wooden steps beneath the veranda, their heads tilted slightly upward as they gazed at the full moon in the night sky.
"When will the war finally end?"
Karin murmured, her voice so soft it seemed she feared disturbing the moonlight.
Beside her, Uchiha Hikari hugged her knees with her chin resting on them. Her long lashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes, mingling with the dark circles left by days of poor sleep.
Ever since Naruto left, she had felt as though a piece of her heart was missing, leaving her tossing and turning at night.
"Naruto said it would end before the new year. Autumn hasn't even started yet, so it should be soon."
Karin gazed up at the moon, her red hair gleaming softly in its light.
She heard Hikari's answer, then sighed wistfully. "The moon was just as full when we made that promise on the rooftop with Naruto, wasn't it, Hikari?"
As she recalled that moment, a warm smile unwittingly curved her lips, only to be quickly replaced by her present worries.
"Yeah."
Hikari's reply was muffled.
She had no idea where exactly Naruto had gone. She wanted to look for him, but had no clue where to start. The waiting and uncertainty left her restless.
The only thing she knew for certain was that this trip seemed to involve the Hyuga Clan. He had left with Hanabi and Hinata.
Apparently, when Naruto went to ask for time off for Hanabi, Acting Principal Hyuga Hiashi's roar had echoed out of the Principal's Office.
But so what?
It wasn't as though he had