Chapter-64

"Where have you been?" Ibara's concerned question was met with relief when she finally located her friend in the labyrinthine corridors of the stadium. After her own battle with Lida, a speedster from Class-A, Ibara had grown worried when she couldn't find Naruto anywhere. She initially thought he might have left, but after finishing her match, she ventured out to search for him. She caught up to him as he was ascending the stairs to return to where the other UA students were gathered.

"I just took some time to walk," was Naruto's straightforward response. He paused briefly to wait for her to catch up and then resumed his stride with her at his side.

"Are you okay? You left right after your fight," Ibara inquired, peering at her friend, who simply shrugged.

"I needed to take a break, that's all," Naruto replied, prompting Ibara to let out a sigh before continuing to walk by his side.

"How did it go?" she asked, steering the conversation toward his battle. Naruto glanced at her and offered a dry response.

"I won."

At his matter-of-fact reply, Ibara sighed, deciding not to push the matter further. Instead, she inquired about what she had missed.

"Can you tell me what I missed?" She asked, sounding a bit bored, as they sat down, observing that no fights were currently underway. In response, a cheerful Ibara settled in next to him.

"Well, Hitoshi-san defeated the girl Ashido. It was quite straightforward, really. He just said 'Fatty,' and she lost control, screaming, and thus came under Hitoshi-san's influence. He made her walk off the platform," she explained with a slightly awkward smile, as the way Ashido lost was somewhat embarrassing for many.

Naruto nodded in response. He glanced at the pink-haired girl, who was receiving comfort from Toru, telling her that she wasn't overweight and had given her best effort. Then, he turned his attention to a pensive Shinsou, who was seated nearby, lost in thought.

"Then there was a battle between Kirishima-san and Bakugo-san. It was an intense fight, and Bakugo-san emerged as the winner. It's a shame you missed it," Ibara concluded, giving her friend an update on the events.

"I get it," the tournament results didn't matter much to the blonde at this moment. He sighed and settled into his seat. But before he could fully relax, he noticed Ibara coming close to him, a bit oddly.

"Can you smell that?" Ibara asked in surprise. She moved nearer to her friend and sniffed the air, her eyes closed. She got just a few inches from Naruto, who raised an eyebrow, surprised by her behavior.

"Did you drink alcohol?!" The sudden outburst from the religious girl in Class-B startled many students. She pointed an accusatory finger at Naruto, who could only look at her with confusion.

"Yeah," Naruto replied calmly, much to the girl's displeasure.

"How can you say that so calmly? Uzumaki Naruto, you're 16 years old, and you're not of legal age! You can't drink, especially not in broad daylight!" The girl's outburst drew the attention of many, who watched the scene in bewilderment.

"Are you giving me a lecture?" Naruto asked, feeling a bit uneasy about being scolded by someone younger than him.

"Yes!" Even Naruto felt uneasy under the girl's intense gaze. She had her arms crossed and a deep frown on her face. Her hair seemed to stand on end and move menacingly.

Regaining his composure, Naruto snorted and crossed his arms. "You're not my mom. Besides, it's not a big deal to unwind with a drink. I didn't even have that much, just five cans." Each word seemed to escalate the tension, and Ibara's forehead vein throbbed.

"That's a lot! Don't you understand what could happen if you drink? You could harm your insides, poison yourself with that stuff, and risk liver or kidney problems. I can't let that happen!" She emphasized the last part and stood her ground. Meanwhile, Naruto stood up lazily, arms crossed, and challenged her with his gaze.

"What do you intend to do?" Naruto's question further ignited Ibara's anger. She appeared to be on the verge of an emotional eruption.

"This is going to get ugly..." Izuku muttered in his seat, observing Ibara's agitated hair and the anger on her face. Several male students cautiously moved a few seats back to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

"Look at that bravery," Kirishima whispered to Sero, and many boys watched with respect as their male classmate held his ground, resolute against her intense reaction.

"..." A few seats away, a curious Shiori didn't miss a single detail. She watched in fascination, tilting her head, contemplating what it would be like to have a connection like the one between Ibara and Naruto.

" Mmm." She blinked and realized she wasn't the only one thinking about it. Yaoyorozu, who sat next to her, seemed equally frustrated by the close bond between the girl with distinctive hair and the Uzumaki. Despite her own efforts to connect with him, she had been unsuccessful. Seeing Ibara's proximity only added to her vexation.

Returning to Ibara, we see her taking a deep breath to calm herself down. Her hair settled back in place, and she looked at Naruto, deciding to show her true feelings.

"..." Slowly, the teenager's eyes began to fill with tears. She took a few shaky breaths and eventually burst into tears. She used her hands to cover her face. "I just care about you!" she sobbed, her voice trembling, revealing her genuine concern.

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