Chapter-72.5

"Show him all the love you have for him," her mother's words resonated in Shiori's mind. She sat up and opened her eyes with newfound determination. Extending her arms, she took a step forward and embraced the shinobi, feeling as though time had stopped, his arms enveloping her. Naruto placed his head against her neck, causing her hair to brush against the characteristic whisker marks on the blonde's face.

"MMM?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, taken aback by the unexpected hug. He looked down at Shiori, who showed no intention of letting go. Sighing, he extended his right arm to gently pat her back.

"Awwwwwww~" Unfortunately for Naruto, some of his classmates were nearby, with Toru at the forefront. She watched the hug with tenderness and joy, even taking out her phone to capture the moment for Instagram. The invisible teenager snapped several photos, much to Naruto's chagrin. He couldn't move as Shiori clung to him.

"Mr. Uzumaki, what a handsome man~" This time it was Mina who observed the scene with delight. It was unusual to see two of the coldest people in the class sharing such a moment.

"You're great, Sensei!" Nearby, Deku admired the scene. He felt proud that his "Sensei" was opening up to others, especially seeing him being hugged by someone as lovely as Shiori.

Momo, however, crossed her arms and frowned, watching the scene unfold. It appeared that Todoroki was forming a unique connection with Uzumaki, something she couldn't quite achieve herself. While class 1-A members were having fun from a distance, something different happened.

"Ibara-chan, maybe we should come another time," Itsuka Kendo and Yui Kodai, who had been observing, looked concerned as their green-haired friend began to shake uncontrollably and turned away.

"I gotta go home!" Ibara almost screamed as she ran away without waiting for her friends' response. Both of them saw a few teardrops falling to the ground. It was clear that Ibara was deeply affected.

"Wait!" Itsuka tried to reach out to her, but Kodai shook her head. They both watched as the green-haired girl disappeared into the sea of departing students.

Ibara didn't stop running until she reached the train station. People made way for her as she rushed into a train car. She almost stumbled but finally reached a seat, her head bowed as she wept silently. Passengers watched with sympathy, giving her space to grieve.

"Why does my chest hurt?" She held the wooden box in her hands, her left hand over her heart. Tears streamed down her face, landing on the bento she had prepared so meticulously. Clenching her teeth, she continued crying silently, her heartache repeating the question over and over.

When she arrived home, she ignored her worried parents' looks and locked herself in her room. She fell onto her bed, reliving the memory of Naruto and Shiori's embrace. Unaware, she cried herself to sleep.