Chapter 50: Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto's First Best Friend

The party had stretched for hours—laughter spilling into the night, stories passed around like sacred heirlooms, and enough sake consumed to drown even the strongest shinobi. Eventually, one by one, the adults surrendered to their drunken haze, leaving behind nothing but the remnants of joy and unconscious bodies.

And two figures still standing.

Karin wiped her brow, groaning as she hoisted Tsunade's arm over her shoulder. "Ugh! Why are they so heavy?" she grumbled, struggling under the weight.

Meanwhile, Naruto carried two—one over each shoulder—like it was nothing more than a light workout. His breathing was steady, his movements effortless.

It was like carrying groceries.

Karin shot him a glare. "This isn't fair."

Once the last person had been tucked into their rooms, Naruto returned, handing her a glass of water. "Here."

She took it without hesitation, gulping it down. But something gnawed at her.

Setting the glass aside, she turned to him, eyes narrowing. "Nii-san… How are you not even tired? I carried one person and I felt like I ran a marathon. You carried—what—all of them?!"

Naruto just grinned, the picture of ease.

Then, without warning, he reached out and flicked her forehead. "Bonk."

Karin yelped, clutching her forehead with both hands. "Ow! What was that for?!"

Naruto smirked. "Because I'm your brother. And it's my job to remind you that I'll always be stronger."

Her face flushed—not just from the flick, but from something else entirely. She scowled, looking away. "Tch. Annoying."

Naruto just chuckled. "You love it."

Karin didn't respond.

She just held her forehead, hiding the smallest of smiles.

As the night stretched into silence, they finally made their way to their rooms.

Exhausted, Karin barely made it to her bed before sleep claimed her. She didn't even bother pulling the blanket over herself—just collapsed onto the mattress, breathing deeply.

Naruto stood at the doorway for a moment, watching her. The peaceful rise and fall of her breathing, the way her face softened in sleep—it was rare to see her like this. Usually, she was loud, sharp-tongued, always ready with a retort. But right now, she looked… at peace.

Quietly, he stepped forward, brushing a few stray strands of red hair away from her face.

Then, without thinking much of it, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Sleep well, idiot," he murmured.

Then, he turned and slept on the other side of the bed.

Maybe she was dreaming.

Or maybe, just maybe… she felt the warmth he left behind.

Morning broke over Konoha, crisp and calm.

Before the village fully woke, Naruto and Karin had already begun their training, their strikes sharp, their movements precise.

Soon, the others arrived—Hinata, Sakura, and Ino.

And then, Sasuke.

He stood slightly apart, as he always did now. Hands in his pockets, face unreadable, eyes distant.

Two years ago, Naruto and Sasuke had been inseparable. More than teammates. More than rivals. They had been something unspoken, something solid. They had walked side by side, pushed each other forward, challenged each other in ways no one else could.

Now? They were still close.

But not like before.

Naruto glanced at him, and for a moment, their eyes met.

Sasuke didn't look away. Neither did Naruto.

No hostility. No resentment.

Just distance.

A silent understanding that things had changed.

And neither of them knew if they could go back.

Rumors were poison—slow, insidious, impossible to erase once they took root.

No one knew where it started. But it spread like wildfire.

The village, already wary of the Uchiha, twisted whispers into unquestioned truths.

But this time, the target wasn't just the Uchiha—it was Naruto and his group as well.

Mikoto and Fugaku had seen the storm coming. They knew that if things continued, Naruto, Karin, and the others would be dragged into something they never should've been a part of. The hatred, the suspicion—it was no longer suffocating just the Uchiha.

It was reaching for everyone.

And so, they made a painful choice.

Not for their clan.

For Naruto and his group.

If they put distance between themselves, at least Naruto and the others wouldn't be tangled in the mess. At least they could live without the weight of suspicion pressing down on them.

Naruto and Kushina had fought against it. Pleaded. Argued.

But Mikoto and Fugaku had been firm

.

"This isn't about us," Mikoto had said softly, eyes filled with quiet sorrow. "It's about protecting you."

Naruto had clenched his fists, frustration boiling beneath his skin. He didn't want protection.

He wanted to stand with them.

But they wouldn't let him.

In the end, he found a compromise.

"If you're going to force this distance," he had said, voice rough, "then at least let Sasuke and I keep training together. We don't have to act close in front of everyone. But we can't stop pushing each other forward."

After a long, tense silence, Mikoto and Fugaku agreed.

And so, here they were now—standing side by side.

But never too close.

Training together.

But carrying an invisible wall between them.

It wasn't the same.

It never would be.

But for now, it was all they had.

Sasuke stood still, his dark eyes locked onto Naruto.

He had spent the entire night thinking—turning their words over and over in his mind.

The things Naruto and the girls had spoken about. The weight behind them.

And then there was Naruto himself.

Everyone else saw the loudmouth. The troublemaker. The never-ending ball of energy that refused to sit still.

But Sasuke… he saw the cracks.

The way Naruto's laughter sometimes felt forced. The way his shoulders tensed when no one was looking. The way his eyes, for the briefest moments, carried something too heavy for someone their age.

Sasuke had seen it for a long time.

And he had let it go.

Not today.

He stepped forward, closing the space between them. His voice was steady, but there was no mistaking the seriousness in it.

"Hey, bastard. Tell me what it is you're carrying."

Naruto blinked.

For a second—just a second—something flickered in his expression.

Then, as if on instinct, the mask slipped into place.

"Oi, Sasuke, why so serious all of a sudden?" Naruto grinned, scratching the back of his head. "I thought we were supposed to be training, not playing twenty questions."

Sasuke didn't budge.

The girls were silent.

Hinata twisted her fingers anxiously. Sakura and Ino, usually full of chatter, exchanged uneasy glances.

But Karin knew.

She had known.

She knew why Sasuke was frustrated. She knew because she had seen it, just like he had.

The way Naruto smiled too easily.

The way he laughed too loudly.

The way he carried a weight no child should ever have to bear.

Not just her, but their whole family had noticed.

Kushina had noticed.

But Naruto never let them in.

Instead, he wore a mask.

And now, Sasuke was trying to rip it away.

Karin clenched her fists.

Would Naruto finally share the weight he had been carrying alone?

Or would he just keep smiling?

She didn't know.

And that terrified her.

-------------

[A/N: From tomorrow, 2 chapters/day, with 50 chapters completed.

Similarly, after completing 100 chapters, it increases to 3 chapters/day. ]