Scene Twenty-Two
. . .
A Happy Ending
. . .
A new day had dawned. I woke up full of energy after being gently roused by the maid, Mina.
She was the maid assigned to care for me, and we had always shared a close relationship.
In any case, I left my room and headed to the dining room where my family gathered for breakfast.
Who would've thought I'd ever have such a large family? It was still unbelievable to me—something I never imagined possible!
"Good morning, everyone… cough… cough…"
Grandma Mito coughed slowly, drawing our anxious gazes toward her. Her health had been declining noticeably these days.
"My condition is getting worse. I may not be around much longer."
"Please don't say such things, Grandma Mito!!" I looked at her, my voice choked with grief. Losing someone… it's just too painful. I wasn't ready for that!
"Yes, of course. It's just a minor illness—it'll go away soon," said Eila, who sat beside her father, Yukiteru, trying to calm Grandma Mito down.
Grandma raised her hand to quiet everyone. After a deep breath, she slowly spoke:
"And so, as the current head of the clan, I hereby appoint Naruto Uzumaki as the next clan leader, who will officially take my place in three years' time…"
We were all struck dumb with shock.
No one said a word. Silence blanketed the room.
We all understood what this meant—Grandma Mito's final wish was that I become the next head of the Uzumaki clan upon graduating from high school three years from now.
I stood, eyes brimming with tears. Unable to bear the weight of the moment, I left the room and returned to my bedroom.
The others at the table may have been more composed, but their emotions mirrored my own—they were just stronger in keeping them contained.
I closed the door behind me and collapsed onto my bed, eyes shut as tears streamed down my cheeks.
I knew I was too old to cry like this… but the mere thought of losing someone from my family was unbearable. It hurt so deeply.
It was too much to endure.
The sound of my own crying echoed through the room as I clutched my pillow, sobbing for what felt like hours.
. . .
At the Haruno residence...
The Haruno family owned a grand and majestic estate. Sakura loved sitting at its highest point, gazing at the stars.
She heard footsteps approaching, soft and steady. Were it not for her familiarity with this particular walking rhythm, she might have thought it a doll come to life.
It was none other than her older brother, Haruno Sasori, who had come to join her in stargazing that night.
"It's been a while since you came up here. What's on your mind, dear Sakura?"
"Nothing much," Sakura replied dreamily as her eyes traced the stars, seeing in them the figure of a gallant knight.
"It's just… I feel like I've found that person. Someone who makes me want to dive into a sea of emotions. I don't know what awaits at the end of that journey…" She closed her eyes, her cheeks glowing with sweet embarrassment.
These were feelings Sasori had never experienced. His cold heart had never let him ride the waves of something so wild as love.
He didn't know what to say to his little sister, now drifting in a boundless sea, hoping someone would steer her toward a safe harbor.
He couldn't do that. He himself had never dared set sail in such treacherous waters.
"I don't know what advice I can give… but I'll support whatever decision you make, my little one."
His cold lips curled faintly into a smile. He pointed to his mouth with both index fingers and asked, "This is how people smile in these situations, right?"
Sakura smiled softly in return. "That's right, Onii-chan. That's exactly how they smile."
She felt peace and happiness—how lucky she was to have a brother who cared for her, even if he didn't always understand how.
She hadn't asked him to guide her ship… only to help push it forward against the waves of love.
He couldn't sail it to the end, but he would keep pushing until she found her own way.
. . .
At the Uchiha residence...
A small meeting of the main family was being held, as usual, to discuss clan affairs.
The meeting ended quickly—at least for Sasuke, who never cared much for politics. He left alongside his older brother, Itachi.
"Father was furious about what happened. It's a big deal and shouldn't have made the news," Sasuke said calmly, despite his disinterest.
"Yeah… it's something that could shake the entire nation."
They walked together until they reached a specific door. They stopped, exchanged a glance, then knocked softly.
"It's me. Itachi."
"Onii-sama!!"
The voice from within brought relief to both brothers.
Yes, it was the voice of their little sister.
"Yes, it's me, sweetheart."
"I missed you so much, Onii-sama. It's so boring being stuck here," she said with a bit of a pout.
"Sorry… but you'll have to be patient just a little longer."
"Okay, Onii-sama."
Her voice shifted to a cheerful tone as she replied.
"She seems well," Sasuke smiled, clearly comforted.
"That's good. Let's let her rest now."
"Yeah."
Sasuke took his brother's hand, and the two turned to head elsewhere.
That night, while everyone slept, a faint movement stirred in the trees near the great Uchiha mansion.
Someone moved with uncanny agility—so swift and light-footed, it seemed like a legendary ninja had come to life.
Their face was hidden beneath a mask, concealing their identity.
(This is the only way. It's the only way to secure the future!)
The figure whispered to themselves, as if commanding the threads of fate. They believed their actions would change the very path of the nation.
They closed their eyes slowly, then continued their hurried steps toward a new destination.
. . .
Meanwhile that night, in a peaceful, beautiful home, a girl as lovely as a rose slept soundly in her spacious bed.
The door creaked open slightly, revealing a pair of sky-blue eyes watching the slumbering flower.
Deidara stepped inside and shut the door gently.
A peaceful smile formed on his lips. He thanked the heavens that his little sister could sleep so soundly—nothing brought him more joy.
He sat beside her bed, watching as she shifted slightly in her sleep, her face showing the faintest hint of discomfort—perhaps from a bad dream.
Should he wake her? Say something?
Deidara hesitated, unsure what to do. But then, a soft whisper escaped her lips—one so faint, only someone who had heard it many times would understand.
"Onii-chan…"
His eyes welled with tears. How could he ever want anything more than this little sister who thought of him even in her dreams?
No… he didn't need anything else.
He just wanted this sleeping rose to live the life she dreamed of—like a queen—untouched by sorrow or hardship.
"How long are you going to stare at me?"
He was so lost in thought, he hadn't noticed her waking until her sleepy voice brought him back.
"Ah, sorry, Ino… I just wanted to check on you."
Ino pouted slightly, then grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the bed beside her, leaving him surprised.
"You should realize that I'm grown up now. You don't need to fuss over me like this anymore."
She hugged her brother tightly, as if he might disappear if she let go.
"Onii-chan, you idiot…"
Deidara smiled and wrapped his arms around her.
"Got it, my little one. I won't treat you like a child anymore."
"Don't even say 'my little one'!"
"How about 'my rose,' then?"
"Onii-chaaan!!"
Deidara glanced away nervously. He liked those nicknames—it was hard to stop using them all of a sudden.
Ino looked at him, then sighed softly.
"Fine… 'my rose' is okay. For now ~"
"Yes!!"
. . .
The days passed quickly that semester. Nothing major happened after my fight with Sasuke.
Even Sasha had stopped bullying Sakura. She no longer spoke ill of her.
Sakura's situation improved once it became clear that Sasuke and I were still friends—just like before. The rumors Sasha started were finally put to rest.
---
Scene Twenty-Two
. . .
A Happy Ending (Finale)
. . .
"And here we are! The middle school soccer finals!!"
Our team and the opposing team stood in position as the commentator shouted with excitement.
The match began in the blink of an eye.
Yes… Sasuke and I had made it to the finals of the school soccer league. Just one more win, and we'd be champions before moving on to high school.
I took the ball and dashed forward, dribbling past a defender before passing to Toru, who somehow caught it and headed for the goal.
The opposing team was absurdly strong. It was nearly impossible to keep possession for long!
Thankfully, we had a brilliant goalkeeper—or the score would've been much worse than a tie.
Sasuke received the ball from Toru and bolted forward like the wind, striking it with a magnificent kick.
The goalkeeper couldn't stop it—Sasuke scored the first goal!
We rejoiced and ran to him in celebration.
But it wasn't over. The other team soon scored a goal of their own!
The first half ended in a tie. Our skills were almost evenly matched.
The second half began—and they scored on us again!
But we managed to strike back in the final minutes of the match.
I advanced with the ball—one-on-one with the goalkeeper. I kicked it with all my might…
But the goalie caught it in an impossible save.
Shocked, I fell to my knees.
How… how did he stop that?! It was unreal!
He hurled the ball downfield, and their striker scored again—just one minute before the game ended.
We were devastated. That was it… the end.
---
We left the field exhausted. My eyes were hidden beneath my bangs, and I didn't say a word.
Because of me… we lost. It was all my fault…
After receiving our awards, we each walked our separate ways.
"Naruto… are you okay?"
I heard Sakura's voice, but I ignored her and kept walking.
I sat on a bench overlooking a public garden, my head bowed.
Losing hurts. It wasn't the first time—but losing and dragging your entire team down with you? That was something else entirely…
I clenched my fists.
"Damn it… this hurts so much!"
I cried, tears falling freely.
"There you are, Naruto."
I looked up in surprise. Sasuke and Sakura were standing before me, smiling.
"It wasn't your fault," Sasuke said gently. "Yeah, we had a chance to win—but losing doesn't mean the world is over." His swollen eyes betrayed the fact he'd cried too… but he'd pulled himself together for my sake.
"What Sasuke–kun said is true. Even if you lost, what matters is that you gave it your all—that you have no regrets."
Sakura closed her eyes with a warm smile.
They were right. Why be sad when I had done my best? I should be proud of that.
I stood up and hugged them tightly.
These two… they cared so much for me.
It made me want to cry even more.
"Thank you both… Sasuke, Sakura-chan… I love you, my friends."
Both of them turned red instantly.
"What the hell are you saying now, Naruto?!"
"Y-you love me?!"
I laughed and stepped back. "What? You're my best friends. Who doesn't love their friends?"
"Well, yeah… you're right."
They both looked away shyly.
"I love you too…"
"M-me too…"
They spoke softly, still not meeting my gaze.
"Well then, guys… how about some Ichiraku Ramen?"
I threw an arm around both their shoulders.
"Yeah!!"
"I'm in!!"
Behind us stood Scarlet, watching the three of us with a smile. She had been about to come speak to me—but when she saw Sasuke and Sakura, she decided to remain in the background.
Turning away, she murmured softly:
"You still have a long way to go before you're truly grown up, Naruto–kun…"
She raised her head to the sky above.
. . .
Scene Twenty-Two
. . .
A Happy Ending (End)
. . .
Then came the sudden news that spread like wildfire through the media, shocking everyone nationwide.
The next heir to the Senju Clan leadership—in other words, the future leader of the country—had vanished under mysterious circumstances!!
When? How? Where?
No one knew.
All that remained was the explosive headline shaking the entire nation…
The heir has disappeared.
That cursed day would never be forgotten.
. . .
End of Arc One