Sai was sad.
No—more than sad, he was frustrated.
Because it was really difficult for him to understand a girl's heart. He could paint expressions, mimic smiles, and capture fleeting emotions on paper, but when it came to actually reading Ino Yamanaka's heart? Impossible. He truly couldn't figure out why she had scolded him so harshly, then turned and left without looking back.
That moment replayed in his mind over and over like a kunai digging deeper with every swing.
For this reason, the depressed Sai returned home, sat alone in front of his drawing board, and began painting furiously. One sketch after another appeared on the parchment—every one of them was Ino.
Her stern eyes when she was angry.
Her surprised face when he had confessed.
Her profile, lit by sunlight, carrying both beauty and distance.
The final painting, however, revealed something else—it carried his own gloom. Sai's brush trembled slightly, producing a faint smudge across Ino's portrait. His face tightened. He realized that every drawing wasn't simply of Ino… they were also mirrors of his own uncertainty.
Taking a deep breath, then exhaling slowly, Sai muttered to himself.
"No… I can't just sit here like this."
He couldn't untangle these emotions alone. He wasn't good at social cues, at least not in matters of romance. But maybe, just maybe, someone else could help him make sense of it.
And who better than Naruto Uzumaki—the one who had encouraged him in the first place?
After all, Naruto was the one who had pushed him toward Ino, claiming she could be his future wife if he pursued her sincerely. If anyone knew why Ino had reacted that way, it had to be Naruto.
Sai quickly packed up his brushes, rolled up the unfinished sketch, and ran straight toward Naruto's house.
When he arrived, Sai knocked politely.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The door creaked open.
Standing there wasn't Naruto, but the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze himself.
Sai stiffened immediately. His hand instinctively tightened on the sketch scroll at his side. Bowing respectfully, he said:
"Hello, Lord Fourth Hokage. I am Sai, Naruto's friend. Is Naruto at home?"
Minato's expression softened into a warm smile. "Ah, so you're one of Naruto's companions. Unfortunately, Naruto isn't home. He went to visit Hinata."
Sai blinked, then nodded. "I see… I apologize for disturbing you, Lord Hokage. Goodbye."
Minato chuckled lightly. "It's no trouble at all."
After bowing once more, Sai turned and left. If Naruto wasn't at home, then the next logical step was to find him at the Hyūga compound.
And so, without hesitation, Sai ran all the way across the village until he reached the gates of the Hyūga clan.
He knocked firmly.
A branch family member opened the gate, his pale lavender Byakugan eyes assessing Sai cautiously. "Who are you looking for?"
Sai offered a polite smile. "Hello. I came to see Naruto and Hinata."
The Hyūga clansman gave a slight nod. "Ah, you're looking for Hinata-sama and Naruto. Please come in. I'll take you to them."
Relief washed through Sai. "Thank you."
Finally, he thought, he had found Naruto.
He followed quietly as the Hyūga member led him through the compound. They entered the backyard, where sunlight spilled warmly over the stones and trimmed grass. There, Sai found Naruto and Hinata reclining comfortably on lounge chairs, basking in the afternoon sun. Their relaxed voices carried in the air, blending with the sound of rustling leaves.
"Naruto! Hinata!"
Sai's voice broke the peace. Both Naruto and Hinata sat up, glancing in surprise at their visitor.
"Ah! Sai?" Naruto exclaimed, standing quickly. "Why are you here?"
The Hyūga member fetched another chair, setting it nearby. Naruto strode over, pulled Sai forward, and urged him to sit.
"Sai, what brings you here? You look… troubled."
Sai let out a deep sigh, his shoulders sagging.
Hinata noticed the heaviness in his eyes. Assuming he wanted to discuss something personal with Naruto, she began to rise, ready to excuse herself. But Sai quickly shook his head.
"Hinata, you don't need to leave. In fact… I'd like you to help me analyze this too."
Hinata paused mid-step, startled. She glanced at Naruto. Both of them shared the same confused thought—since when did Sai come to her for emotional advice?
Still sighing, Sai finally spoke. "Naruto… do you remember telling me to find Ino? That she could be the one for me?"
Naruto nodded casually. "Yeah, I remember. What happened? Don't tell me you gave up already."
Sai's lips pressed into a thin line as he explained everything. From how he had approached Ino, only to find her caught in a storm between Sasuke and Sakura. From his impulsive confession, which led Ino to use her Mind Transfer Jutsu on him—piercing into his very soul. From her sharp words, scolding him, before she turned and walked away without looking back.
When he finished recounting, Sai's eyes burned with confusion. "Naruto… you told me to be sincere. You told me the means didn't matter, as long as I was honest. But then… why? Why did Ino scold me and run away after using the Mind Transfer Jutsu?"
His expression was heavy, depression etched on every feature.
Hinata suddenly chuckled softly. Her hand covered her lips, a smile forming.
Sai tilted his head. "Hinata, what are you laughing at?"
Waving quickly, Hinata said, "No, no, I'm not laughing at you, Sai. I just… I think I understand what Ino felt."
Sai's eyes widened. "Really? Hinata, please—tell me why!"
Before Hinata could answer, Naruto cut in, raising his hand. "Wait a second. Sai, back up a bit. Did you just say Sakura told Ino that she and Sasuke are officially together? That she was even holding Sasuke's hand?"
Sai gave him a flat stare. "Why would I lie about that? I saw it with my own eyes. Right in front of Ichiraku Ramen. Sakura was clinging to Sasuke, smiling like she owned him, and even declaring herself as his girlfriend in front of Ino."
Naruto's grin widened mischievously. "Hah! And how did Sasuke react? Don't tell me he actually went along with it?"
Sai nodded. "He didn't deny anything. In fact, he even apologized to Ino."
To prove his words, Sai pulled out his brush and quickly sketched the scene—Sakura hugging Sasuke tightly, Sasuke's awkward yet resigned expression. He handed the drawing to Naruto and Hinata.
Naruto burst into laughter. "Hahaha! I can't believe it. That bastard Sasuke finally got a clue!"
Sai frowned, unamused. "Naruto… you seem far too happy about this."
Naruto coughed into his hand, calming himself. "Of course I'm happy. Two reasons, actually. First, Sakura and Sasuke finally getting together is a good thing. Second… it means Ino will eventually realize she has no chance with Sasuke anymore. And that means—your chance has arrived!"
Sai blinked. "..."
Naruto clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, don't look so gloomy. Ino liking Sasuke before? That's nothing unusual. Almost every girl in the Academy liked him. He had that cold, brooding personality that girls ate up."
Hinata pouted, her cheeks puffing slightly. "That doesn't apply to everyone. I never liked Sasuke. I only… liked Naruto-kun."
Naruto chuckled warmly, patting her head. "See? Hinata's the real one who saw my worth."
Sai's lips twitched. Watching them act lovey-dovey in front of him while he was suffering internally only made his mood worse. "Please. Can we return to my question now?"
Naruto cleared his throat and grew serious again. "Right, right. Like I said, Sai, this is actually good news. Ino didn't reject you outright. She just… wasn't ready."
Hinata leaned forward, her voice gentle but firm. "Sai… be honest with me. Do you truly care for Ino?"
Sai nodded immediately. "Yes. I really do. I listened to Naruto's advice. I sincerely see her as my future wife."
Hinata smiled knowingly. "Exactly. That's the reason. When Ino used the Mind Transfer Jutsu, she saw your heart—your sincerity, your raw feelings. For a girl who had just watched her crush slip away into Sakura's arms, it must have been overwhelming. She was shocked, embarrassed, and maybe even… scared. That's why she scolded you and ran. It wasn't rejection. It was confusion."
Naruto added with a grin, "See? That's why I told you. Just be sincere. Words, methods, strategies—none of that matters. Ino can see right through you, literally. And what she saw wasn't a trick—it was the real you."
At that moment, Sai's eyes widened slightly, a faint glimmer of understanding shining within them.
So that was it.
It wasn't that Ino hated him. It wasn't even that she wanted to push him away. She simply didn't know how to process his heart—a heart that she had witnessed firsthand through her clan's jutsu.
Sai's chest eased, the weight slightly lighter.
Which meant one thing—
He still had a chance.
Because Ino hadn't truly rejected him.
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