Angry?
Hearing Naruto comfort her with such a gentle, apologetic voice, the gloom in Satsuki's heart from her frustration instantly lted away, leaving only soft warmth.
Moreover, she wasn't angry at Naruto at all—not even a tiny bit. All her negative emotions were directed at her own disappointing performance, Kakashi's completely unreliable guidance, and that nonsensical "Make-Out Strategy" book. No matter who she might be angry at, she absolutely, absolutely could never direct even a trace of anger toward Naruto.
Satsuki clearly understood that ever since that day... that night, her heart had completely settled on Naruto. But thinking carefully about it, it seed Naruto had always been the one taking ticulous care of her, protecting her, guiding her.
Satsuki could clearly feel that deep in her heart, her feelings for Naruto grew wildly and uncontrollably almost every ti she saw him. And everything Naruto did, every action he took...
...Wait?
Satsuki's thoughts suddenly paused as an obvious fact she'd long overlooked burst into her mind.
Cooking... pet nas... praise...
These... these were exactly the things Naruto had always been doing for !
This discovery made her eyes widen instantly.
Cooking—The first ti they formally t, Naruto had proactively shared his delicious-looking bento with her, and later often invited her to his ho, personally cooking various delicious foods for her. His cooking had long ago unknowingly "conquered" her stomach.
Praise—Whenever her ninjutsu improved or her shuriken throwing was particularly accurate, Naruto would always generously and sincerely praise her: "Amazing!" "Truly worthy of an Uchiha genius!" His recognition and encouragent had always been one of her important motivations to grow stronger.
Exclusive pet na—From what Satsuki knew, Naruto seed to have only given her a nickna! That unique, teasing "Sasuke"! Though she initially thought it was a bit silly, she had unknowingly co to accept it gladly, even secretly delighting in it.
So... Naruto had long ago accomplished, in his most natural and seamless way, what that broken book had wracked its brains to write about! And he did it so perfectly, so deeply touching, that she was imrsed in it without realizing!
Satsuki was completely absorbed in her thoughts, not noticing Naruto beside her looking at her with a mixture of worry and confusion.
Naruto watched her frowning, then enlightened, then blushing, feeling completely at a loss about what was wrong with Satsuki.
anwhile, Satsuki was conducting intense reasoning and analysis in her inner world.
In other words... the thods written in "Make-Out Strategy" might not have major problems? The issue was with how I used them?
This realization instantly sparked a final glimr of hope in Satsuki's heart. That final thod Kakashi had ntioned—which she'd found too embarrassing and completely abandoned after consecutive failures—now clearly resurfaced in her mind with new hope.
"The power of words is infinite!"
In her mory, Kakashi flipped through that broken book, explaining his so-called "ultimate weapon." "If ordinary praise and care don't work... then unleash the final weapon—unique, soul-stirring praise!"
Kakashi pointed to a line in the book: "Look here! If you think your relationship is close enough and intimate enough, try using beautiful taphors, or... even poetic forms to express yourself! This will have unexpected effects!"
Kakashi's words echoed in her mind. Unique praise? taphors and poetry?
Had Naruto... ever used this thod?
Satsuki imdiately began searching through her mories at lightning speed... and indeed found sothing.
Without needing to strain her mory, those words erged instantly from her deepest, most precious mories like a brand—words Naruto had said to her that she could never forget for the rest of her life.
"The tide... never needs to choose whether to follow the moon—it simply naturally follows the rhythm of that ocean deep within itself."
"And I not only made that choice then. I will always, always follow this 'rhythm' in my heart."
The mont these words echoed in her mind, Satsuki felt a powerful, sweet emotional flood crash against her heart, her legs going weak, nearly unable to support her body.
Yes! This ultimate thod... Naruto had already used it too! And used it so naturally, so profoundly moving.
This final thod... she absolutely! Absolutely could not ss up again!
The bit of rationality and sha that had recovered from her epiphany was now completely and unhesitatingly abandoned by Satsuki. A determination to burn bridges and fight with her back to the wall blazed in her eyes.
She took a deep breath, then turned her head, looking intently at Naruto, who was growing increasingly anxious from her prolonged silence.
Naruto felt his skin crawl under Satsuki's suddenly intense gaze that seed to burn with so kind of resolute fla, a bad premonition rising in his heart.
"Naruto..."
Satsuki spoke, her voice no longer excited or stilted from before, but calling his na slowly in an extrely gentle tone.
"...Yes!!"
Naruto shivered at this affectionate tone, almost reflexively straightening up in response, that ominous feeling skyrocketing to its peak!
Satsuki's gaze grew distant as she spoke in a reciting tone, word by word:
"Naruto..."
"Your golden hair is like... like the most brilliant, warst sunlight of autumn, able to dispel all gloom and cold in the world, making people want to draw near and absorb that light..."
Kakashi: Use taphors! Must use taphors!
"Your blue eyes are like... like the deepest, purest lake in the world, reflecting the vastness and freedom of the entire sky."
Kakashi: Poetic feeling! Must be beautiful!
"Your energetic figure when running, strong and... and graceful, just like... like the most agile, most nimble antelope in mountain streams..."
Satsuki paused here, suddenly rembering Kakashi's marginal note about "highlighting cuteness," so she urgently modified and added: "...cub!"
Kakashi: Must be unique! Must be morable!
Finishing her recitation, Satsuki breathed slightly, her cheeks remarkably red from this extrely embarrassing performance, but she still tried to maintain that "deeply affectionate" expression, looking expectantly at Naruto, waiting for the "soul-striking" effect.
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