Chapter 552: Expectations

After the gathering ended, Sakura walked home, feeling lost and dejected.

The lively laughter and blessings still seemed to echo in her ears—Ino’s happy, bright eyes when she announced her wedding date, Hinata’s shy but firm addition, and Naruto’s embarrassed yet warm smile...

Every scene was like a needle, gently pricking at her heart.

She had tried her best to keep smiling, joining in the conversations, offering her blessings, and even making a few jokes. But only she knew that the sourness and emptiness deep in her heart became clearer and clearer as the gathering drew to a close.

The cold moonlight cast a long shadow behind her. The warm lights shining from the houses on both sides of the street formed a stark contrast to her current mood.

With her head lowered, her steps were somewhat unsteady as her mind uncontrollably replayed that scene on Hokage Rock.

The confession she had summoned all her courage to make, and Naruto’s unexpected reply...

At that moment, her heart had pounded like a drum because of Naruto’s agreement.

Yet, at tonight’s gathering, Ino and Hinata publicly announced their wedding dates, while she felt like an outsider.

Her own parents didn’t even know about her relationship with Naruto, so naturally, they hadn’t visited to discuss things like the Yamanaka couple and Hiashi had.

So... was Naruto’s agreement that night really not just to comfort her?

Or was it just a temporary moment of softheartedness on his part, or some kind of "I want them all" declaration, while she... wasn’t actually included in his future plans?

Once this thought arose, it wrapped around her heart like vines, making it almost hard for her to breathe.

"Walking so fast, is something on your mind?"

Just as Sakura was absentmindedly walking past a familiar intersection, a familiar voice suddenly came from ahead and to the side, carrying a hint of gentle inquiry.

Startled, Sakura snapped her head up and only then noticed that Naruto was standing under a streetlamp not far ahead, though she didn’t know when he had arrived.

He was leaning against the lamppost with his hands in his pockets. His blonde hair looked somewhat soft under the dim yellow light, and his deep blue eyes were quietly watching her, as if he had been waiting for a while.

"Na... Naruto?"

Sakura stopped in a bit of a panic, instinctively tucking her pink hair behind her ear to hide her composure loss. "You... why are you here? Weren’t you with Ino and the others..."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. The question sounded like she was pushing him away and also exposed that she had been thinking about him and Ino’s group.

Naruto didn’t answer immediately. He just straightened up from the lamppost and took a few steps closer to her.

His expression was very calm, without his usual carefree grin or his dignity as the Hokage. He simply carried a friend’s concern, along with an almost imperceptible... seriousness?

"Your parents still don’t know about your confession to me, right?"

Naruto didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly, his gentle yet direct gaze falling on Sakura’s face.

Sakura’s body stiffened imperceptibly. She hadn’t expected Naruto to bring this up so suddenly, especially under these circumstances.

Lowering her head to avoid Naruto’s gaze, her fingers unconsciously twisted together. After a few seconds of silence, she nodded gently, her voice as quiet as a mosquito’s buzz. "Yeah... only Hikari, Hanabi, and a few others... know."

Afterward, she hadn’t told her parents either.

How could she even bring up such a thing?

Suddenly running up to her parents and saying, "I confessed to Naruto, who has already become the Sixth Hokage, and succeeded, even though he has several other girlfriends?"

At that time, everyone in the Village knew that Naruto’s relationships with Ino and Hinata were much closer and more public.

Her parents probably wouldn’t believe her anyway, and they might even worry if she had suffered some kind of shock, or... they might feel sad and worried for her.

"No wonder..."

Hearing her reply, Naruto nodded gently, a look of realization appearing on his face as he murmured to himself.

Sakura looked up in confusion at Naruto, not understanding why he said that. "No wonder... what?"

Naruto looked at her with a trace of complex emotion in his eyes—understanding, apology, and perhaps a touch of determination. He said slowly, "No wonder only Uncle and Aunt Yamanaka, along with Uncle Hiashi, came over last night with Ino, Hinata, and Hanabi."

He was referring to the family meeting where they formally discussed the wedding date.

Sakura’s heart sank heavily, as if struck by a heavy hammer.

An indescribable wave of bitterness and grievance instantly broke through her psychological defenses, making her nose sting and her eyes turn red in an instant.

That’s right, she hadn’t told her parents at all, so naturally her parents wouldn’t have known they needed to go over and discuss such a matter.

She quickly lowered her head, not wanting Naruto to see her on the verge of tears, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes until her knuckles turned white.

Under the streetlamp, their shadows were stretched long and intertwined, like a tangled fate. Occasionally, pedestrians returning late hurried past on the street, casting curious glances before quickly leaving, seemingly sensing the subtle and heavy atmosphere.

Looking at Sakura’s slightly trembling shoulders and lowered head, Naruto sighed silently in his heart. He understood her grievance and insecurity. His words on Hokage Rock that day were neither a joke nor mere comfort. He was serious. It was just that the subsequent communication and arrangements had indeed lagged behind due to various matters, including his own busy schedule and his oversight of Sakura’s situation.

He had originally planned to visit her home today, but he hadn’t been able to free up any time until now.

He stepped forward, this time without hesitation, and reached out to gently pat Sakura’s shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Alright," Naruto’s voice rang out, clearer than before and carrying a relaxed sense of determination. "Stop overthinking things."

Sakura looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, not understanding what he meant.

Naruto gave her a familiar, slightly mischievous, and warm smile, saying, "Today, I’ll pay a visit to your parents. I’ll make everything clear."

"Huh?"

Sakura’s mind went completely blank.

Naruto... was going to her house right now? To see her parents? To make things clear? Say... what?

Seeing her dazed expression, Naruto’s smile deepened slightly. His tone carried a hint of teasing, yet was incredibly serious. "When the time comes, you have to put in a good word for me! After all, facing my ’future parents-in-law’ all of a sudden makes me a bit nervous."

"Huh?...Ah, o-okay!" Sakura agreed almost instinctively and incoherently. A wave of immense surprise and disbelief washed over her. Although the tear tracks on her face weren’t dry yet, the corners of her mouth had already curled up uncontrollably, and her heart pounded wildly. The earlier gloom and bitterness were instantly swept away.

Naruto was really going to... formally visit her house? This meant... he was truly serious! He hadn’t forgotten her, nor had he excluded her!

Seeing Sakura’s eyes instantly light up and her face mixed with tears and smiles, Naruto also felt a sense of relief. Some things indeed couldn’t be delayed or avoided. Since he had made his choice, he had to take responsibility and give everyone who chose him a clear explanation and a reassuring future.

"Well then, shall we go?" Naruto held out his hand to Sakura, not to hold her hand, but in an inviting gesture.

Sakura nodded vigorously, messily wiping away the tear tracks on her face. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand in Naruto’s palm. A warm and firm sensation came through, putting her completely at ease.

Side by side, they walked toward the Haruno household. The moonlight stretched their figures, and this time, their shadows huddled close together, no longer lonely.

As for the "parents-in-law" they were about to face... well, with this guy beside her who was surprisingly reliable at times, it should... be fine, right?

Sakura thought to herself secretly, her cheeks growing warm again.

However, what she felt more than anything was a full, overflowing sense of happiness and expectation.

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