Chapter 19: Sasuke and Naruto Being Followed
"Ino, isn't this a bit inappropriate…?"
"Sakura, even if you say that, you actually want to follow them and see for yourself, right?"
Behind Sasuke and Naruto, Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura trailed them in secret. Among the girls in their class, many admired Sasuke, but these two were the most proactive—and competitive—about it.
"Even so… well… okay, just a quick look!"
"That's more like it! Stay low, don't get caught!"
The two girls carefully followed behind, maintaining what they believed to be a safe distance.
As a member of the Yamanaka clan, Ino already had basic training in perception and control, while Sakura, even at this age, showed exceptional chakra control compared to her peers. Though still academy students, their movements already resembled the beginnings of real shinobi tracking.
But…
Sasuke's Sharingan was no decoration.
Even without fully activating it, his perception—sharpened through Chinatsu's training—was far superior to ordinary students.
"It seems like someone is following us."
Sasuke spoke in a low voice.
Naruto immediately tried to turn around, but Sasuke quickly grabbed his sleeve and stopped him.
Sasuke: "Idiot. Don't turn around. Act natural. We'll shake them off."
Naruto: "…Got it!"
The two exchanged a quick whisper, then subtly adjusted their pace, walking closer together while pretending nothing had changed.
From behind, Ino and Sakura froze for a moment—
Then their faces flushed.
"Sasuke-kun and Naruto… they're so close!"
"And Sasuke-kun was the one who moved closer first!"
Although neither of them were true fujoshi, their imaginations instantly ran wild.
[If Sasuke really prefers that kind of relationship… then I don't stand a chance…!]
For a brief moment, that thought completely occupied their minds.
And in that moment of distraction—
Sasuke and Naruto suddenly accelerated.
By the time the girls snapped back to reality, the distance between them had widened dramatically.
"Ah! They're getting away!"
The two hurriedly chased after them.
Meanwhile, Sasuke and Naruto began weaving through the streets of Konoha.
Left turn. Right turn. Straight. Another turn.
Though Sasuke had come up with the plan, Naruto naturally took the lead.
Naruto grinned.
"Hehe! I've been all over this village! Every alley, every rooftop—I even climbed up the Hokage Rock before! I know this place better than anyone!"
Having grown up alone after the Nine-Tails attack, Naruto had spent most of his time wandering the village. Whether it was pulling pranks or exploring, he had unknowingly memorized Konoha's layout.
That was why he had said earlier—
Home is boring.
Because for him… home was empty.
"This way! Don't fall behind!"
Naruto led Sasuke in a winding route. Though their speed wasn't overwhelming, their stamina and efficiency were far beyond that of ordinary academy students.
Behind them, Ino and Sakura were already breathing heavily.
"I… I can't keep up…!"
"Wait… don't stop… we've come this far…!"
At the entrance of the Uchiha compound.
Naruto and Sasuke finally slowed down. Aside from a light sheen of sweat, they looked completely fine.
Their stamina already exceeded that of most children their age.
"You're… surprisingly reliable," Sasuke admitted quietly.
Naruto beamed, rubbing his nose proudly.
"Of course! I'm going to become Hokage someday!"
As the two talked, Ino and Sakura finally caught up, leaning against a nearby wall, completely exhausted.
"Haa… haa… we… we actually made it…"
"Did they notice us? We kept going in circles… maybe we should just leave…"
"Just one more look… we can't go back like this… you're thinking the same thing, right?"
Panting heavily, the two exchanged glances, then carefully peeked toward Sasuke and Naruto.
"Can you hear what they're saying?"
"Not really… get closer?"
They nudged each other, trying to listen—
When suddenly, another figure appeared on the path leading to the Uchiha residence.
The moment they saw her clearly—
Both girls froze.
"My… she's so beautiful…!"
"Long dark hair, pale skin, and those crimson eyes… that's… the Sharingan…!"
Even without activating it, the natural aura of an Uchiha, combined with Chinatsu's refined bearing, created an overwhelming presence.
Her figure, though still young, already carried elegance and balance. But more than that—
It was her composure.
The first image that came to their minds was clear:
A perfect Uchiha lady.
"She's… walking toward Sasuke-kun…!"
"Sasuke-kun looks… happy…?"
"Danger… this is serious danger…!"
Ino and Sakura's instincts screamed at them.
Against someone like this—
They had no chance.
Meanwhile, the person they saw as an unbeatable rival was casually greeting the boys.
"Sister! You went out?"
"Yeah. Took care of something at the Hokage Building," Chinatsu replied calmly. "I was going to pick you up if I finished early, but it took longer than expected."
She couldn't help but mentally complain about Hiruzen dragging the conversation before getting to the point.
But just as she finished speaking—
Her gaze shifted slightly.
Her Sharingan flickered faintly.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
"Sasuke… your counter-surveillance training needs improvement," she said lightly. "You didn't even notice those two little kittens following you~"
"What?! They followed us all the way here?!" Sasuke's expression changed instantly as he scanned the surroundings.
Before he could react further—
Chinatsu vanished.
Using the Body Flicker Technique, she appeared instantly behind the two girls who were about to retreat.
A gentle hand landed on each of their shoulders.
"You two little kittens… it's a bit too late to run now~"
Chinatsu smiled.
To her, it was a harmless, friendly expression.
To Ino and Sakura—
It felt like facing a high-level shinobi.
The pressure alone made their legs give out.
They collapsed onto the ground in panic.
"I-I'm sorry! We're so sorry!!!"