Between the Three of Them

As the smoke dissipated, Kakashi's figure disappeared completely.

The three of them in the area still felt a bit stunned. Even Naruto, who had experienced so much, showed a faint look of surprise. He hadn't expected Kakashi to be so straightforward. After introducing himself and informing them of the assembly time and location for tomorrow, Kakashi had just left.

Sakura, who was standing to the side, widened her eyes in disbelief. She couldn't believe that their team leader, an elite ninja, would be so casual.

Sasuke frowned slightly, his eyes filled with questions.

"He's really a carefree ninja... Kakashi Hatake," Naruto thought to himself.

However, Naruto didn't take Kakashi's advice to heart. Five o'clock assembly time? No breakfast? He couldn't help but scoff inwardly. Without having read the original story, he might have fallen for it, as Kakashi was their team leader and an elite ninja. But Naruto was different.

Five o'clock? He couldn't remember exactly what time Kakashi arrived in the original story, but he had no doubt that he could arrive a good three or four hours later. He was even considering showing up at eight or nine. Ten o'clock might even be within the reasonable range.

Thinking this, Naruto glanced at his two teammates. He stood up, brushed off the dust from his clothes, and smiled faintly.

"Since Kakashi-sensei said so, let's follow his instructions. From today onwards, we're members of the same team. You can just call me Naruto; no need for formalities."

"Eh? Oh, okay, Naruto. You can just call me Sakura," she replied, slightly taken aback at first but quickly getting used to the idea. Sakura had been overwhelmed by the strange, silent atmosphere earlier, and she was relieved to finally have some normal conversation.

Sasuke, while not saying anything, nodded slightly. His expression wasn't as cold as before. Despite the deep hatred he held for his brother, he was still a 12-year-old boy at heart.

However, Sakura's joy was short-lived. Naruto's next words left her puzzled.

"Tomorrow, it's best not to arrive at five o'clock. A bit later should be fine. And it's better to have breakfast before going."

With a faint smile on his face, Naruto gave these instructions to Sasuke and Sakura. Without waiting for their response, he waved his hand and quickly left the rooftop.

"What does he mean? Kakashi-sensei clearly told us to assemble at five and not eat breakfast. Is Naruto saying this because...?" Sakura's mind raced with questions as she turned to Sasuke, looking for answers. Unfortunately, Sasuke didn't understand Naruto's hidden message either. Both of them seemed to read too much into it, thinking it had some deeper meaning, when in fact, it was a straightforward message.

As they stood there, bewildered, Naruto was already making his way to prepare for tomorrow.

After Naruto left, Sakura's stiff expression slowly returned to normal. She couldn't help but recall Sasuke's cold and indifferent look earlier. All the feelings she had held for him for the past six years seemed to shatter in an instant.

Was it possible that she would never win Sasuke's heart?

"No! Sakura Haruno, you can achieve anything you set your mind to. This is just the first day. Don't give up. We're in the same team now, and there will be many opportunities in the future. Sasuke-kun, just you wait. I won't give up. Someday, you'll realize my charm!" Sakura resolved herself with a deep breath, clenching her fists and showing a determined expression.

The next morning, at exactly five o'clock, in the Second Training Ground of Konoha Village, Sasuke and Sakura arrived promptly. It was clear that they had taken Kakashi's words to heart and skipped breakfast.

(End of Chapter 39)

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