Chapter 184: Promise
Satsuki froze. Though she'd already prepared for the worst in her heart, steeling herself with the resolve of "even if rejected, I'll force him to eventually agree," Naruto's answer—no, this was more like a request—completely exceeded her expectations, leaving her brain unable to process it momentarily.
Future? Save??
These words combined into a wondrous response she'd never envisioned—neither acceptance nor rejection, full of promise yet requiring waiting.
"Um... Naruto... can you... can you be more specific?"
Satsuki's voice carried uncertainty and careful probing. She needed to understand more clearly the meaning in Naruto's words, afraid she might misunderstand and rejoice for nothing.
Naruto looked at her appearance of both anticipation and fear of being hurt. He nodded forcefully, explaining in as clear language as possible:
"I want to reserve Satsuki's future. I want to become... for Satsuki, that most special, most important existence. A one-of-a-kind existence."
"Special existence... means..." Satsuki's heartbeat began accelerating uncontrollably again. She needed to hear the most precise definition.
Naruto's cheeks also flushed slightly, somewhat embarrassed, but his eyes didn't dodge at all as he stated directly: "It means... exactly what Satsuki is thinking. In the future... the kind where I want to spend my life with Satsuki."
Spend my life!
These three words struck heavily on Satsuki's heart, making her breathing instantly rapid. This was undoubtedly the answer she most wanted from Naruto, the ultimate form of all her dreams!
However, along with this wild joy came a trace of restlessness and dissatisfaction from "waiting."
Why wait? Why the future? I want this relationship now! I want to confirm it now! This urgent feeling almost burst out.
But ultimately, questioning words were still pressed down firmly in her throat. Because no matter what, Naruto's answer wasn't the worst one—quite the opposite, this was a beautiful promise.
Thus, Satsuki's brain began operating at high speed, beginning to interpret, deeply "reading between the lines" of the meaning behind Naruto's words.
First, facing the heavy emotion she'd always feared would pressure or even annoy him, Naruto not only didn't avoid it but clearly expressed—having this feeling made him super happy. This directly dispelled Satsuki's greatest unease.
Second, Naruto said Satsuki's feelings were "too important," so they couldn't make "hasty" promises. This didn't sound like perfunctory excuse, but rather a form of cherishing.
He viewed "liking" as something that needed solemn treatment, an incomparably precious treasure, not light words that could be casually spoken.
Most crucially... he was actively planning for "forever." What he thought of wasn't "start dating now," but "shared future."
Naruto was constructing a blueprint for spending life together, not just enjoying youthful stirrings. This... this perfectly matched Satsuki's core dream of "being together forever"!
Seeing Satsuki lower her head again, Naruto quickly said, somewhat urgently: "Satsuki, please, this is my only request in life. Just wait a few more years!"
For the spiritually mature Naruto, major life decisions like romance and promising to spend life together should at least wait until both parties' minds matured, became independent, and could truly take responsibility for themselves and each other's future before solemnly confirming and promising.
This was almost an ingrained common sense about "responsibility" and "accountability."
However, the ninja world he currently inhabited was one with completely different common sense—even distorted.
In this world twisted by war, hatred, and might-makes-right rules, so-called "childhood" and "normal growth trajectories" were often luxuries.
Its cruelty in the most extreme, darkest periods had even forced 5-year-old children to pick up kunai and step onto battlefields, struggling to survive in blood and fire, prematurely tasting the world's cruelty between life and death.
Therefore, in this world, for shinobi of Satsuki's age, their psychological maturity and cognition of "major matters" far exceeded peace-era peers' scope.
For her, recognizing someone, desiring to establish firm connections with them, and even obsessively pursuing this wasn't incomprehensible.
This fundamental cognitive difference made Naruto's "saving" and "waiting" proposed from responsibility and cherishing seem, to Satsuki and most people in this world, to perhaps inherently carry incomprehensible delay and uncertainty, possibly even misunderstood as tactful deflection.
However...
"...Pfft."
Facing Naruto actually showing this somewhat pleading, even slightly humble appearance before her, Satsuki couldn't help but laugh softly. The light laughter instantly broke the previously overly solemn atmosphere.
"Idiot..." She lowered her head slightly, letting her bangs hide her reddening cheeks again, her voice carrying helpless indulgence and complaint. "Always... saying things that are completely impossible to refuse..."
She knew better than anyone—she could never refuse any of Naruto's requests... except that one thing: staying away from him.
"Satsuki, you agreed!" Seeing her smile and tone, Naruto was overjoyed, a huge weight lifting from his heart.
"Yes... but—!" Satsuki suddenly raised her head, her voice sharply rising, startling the just-relaxed Naruto.
Satsuki's face bore a faint smile different from any before.
That smile was beautiful, like an udumbara flower blooming under moonlight, yet faintly carried heart-palpitating dangerous aura. This was Naruto's first time seeing Satsuki show such a smile—beautiful yet aggressive.
"Naruto, you must also promise me something." Satsuki continued, her tone carrying unquestionable meaning. "This is the 'price' you must pay for requesting 'saving' and 'time' from me."
Her smile grew more beautiful, and more dangerous.
"From tomorrow on, I'll remember time's passage day by day, second by second... patiently (or perhaps not so patiently) waiting for that future day to arrive..."
But my heart fundamentally cannot truly calm down, Satsuki silently said this unspoken sentence.
She knew clearly that her feelings for Naruto would never stop growing because of "saving," but rather would grow increasingly with each day's anticipation and closeness, becoming heavier and more intense. Honestly, even now she wanted to immediately make Naruto completely "hers."
Therefore... when that promised future day finally arrived, to what degree her accumulated obsession and love would expand, even she couldn't estimate. And she didn't plan to suppress it at all.
"So," Satsuki stepped forward, slightly tilting her head up to look at Naruto, those dark eyes flashing with almost obsessive light, "when that day truly arrives... I won't wait even one extra day."
"So... at that moment, whatever I do to you, whatever I demand from you, Naruto, you must accept everything without a trace of resistance or hesitation."
"Now," she tilted her head slightly, that dangerous yet beautiful smile still on her face as she presented a near-ultimatum choice, "tell me your answer. Accept this 'price,' or..."
"...I'll let you witness right now what the consequences of 'unable to save' will look like."
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