- Someone seems pretty interested in Sakura, Naruto's voice broke through Sasuke's reverie, pulling him back to reality. Sasuke turned to see Naruto grinning mischievously, a knowing glint in his eyes.Sasuke cleared his throat and gave Naruto a cold glance, that wiped the smile off his face."I don't know what you're talking about", he muttered.Naruto chuckled, clapping Sasuke on the back playfully. He teased, shooting him a knowing look before turning back to his own conversation. However, he truly hoped that his friend would get someone to love him the way he deserves soon, or else...He will die the fuck alone and a virgin.I guess, a virgin.I am not sure about this.I should ask him, but not now.Shikamaru, who had been observing the interaction from his seat, raised an eyebrow at Naruto's jokes.
Troublesome, he muttered under his breath, shaking his head in amusement.
Just as Naruto was about to say something else, the door to the café swung open, and in walked Ino, her usual confident stride lighting up the room. Behind her was Neji, looking as composed as ever, his sharp gaze scanning the area before he locked eyes with the group."Hey, guys," Ino greeted them brightly, her eyes immediately locking onto Sasuke. "I'm guessing you're all having an interesting morning?"Naruto grinned, clearly excited. "Yeah, Sasuke's too busy thinking about Sakura," he teased."Don't start, Naruto," Sasuke muttered, clearly irritated. He barely glanced at his friend before taking another sip of his coffee, trying to ignore the growing tension in his chest.Ino raised an eyebrow at Sasuke's reaction, but before she could respond, Neji, who had been silently observing the group, turned his head to look around, his gaze sharp. His eyes lingered for a moment, scanning the table, before he spoke up, his voice smooth and calm."So, where's Sakura today?" Neji asked, his eyes now narrowing slightly as if something was on his mind.Ino's expression shifted slightly, a flash of surprise crossing her face. She looked around the table as if checking to make sure everyone was accounted for before answering."Sakura?" she repeated, frowning for a second before nodding. "She's at the hospital right now. She's on a shift," Ino explained, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "She mentioned something about staying there longer today because of an emergency case. She'll be fine."Ino looked at Neji, and then at Sasuke, a slight smirk forming on her lips. "Why? You looking for her?" she teased.Neji, ever the composed one, simply shrugged, his usual cool demeanor remaining intact. "Just curious," he replied, though something in his tone suggested that there was more to his question than he let on.Naruto, sensing the shift in the conversation, leaned forward, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So, who's up for a party at Ino's place this weekend?" he asked, eager to change the subject. "It's going to be epic!"----------------------------------The music had shifted to a more relaxed playlist, the mood lightening as people settled into smaller groups, chatting, laughing, and sipping on their drinks. But as the night went on, the energy shifted from casual conversation to the anticipation of something more exciting.Ino, ever the instigator, clapped her hands together, drawing everyone's attention. "Alright, guys! Time for a game!" She grinned mischievously, clearly loving the attention she was getting. "Let's play 'Truth or Dare.' But no backing out! If you don't answer the truth, you do the dare. Simple enough, right?"The group gathered in a circle, a few hesitant glances exchanged, but no one could resist Ino's infectious enthusiasm. Sasuke, still standing near the edge of the circle, raised an eyebrow, clearly not interested in playing. His gaze flickered briefly to Sakura before he leaned against the wall, arms crossed."I'm not playing," Sasuke said coolly, but Sakura—who'd been quietly watching everything —shot him a challenging look."Oh, come on, Sasuke. Don't be such a buzzkill," she teased, a grin playing on her lips. "I'm sure you can handle a little fun, right?"The other students laughed, and Sasuke, despite his initial resistance, couldn't exactly back down. With a sigh, he pushed himself off the wall, taking a seat on the couch near the circle."Fine. But don't expect me to do anything stupid," Sasuke muttered, crossing his arms again. Sakura rolled her eyes, already seeing where this was going."Alright, then!" Ino clapped her hands and sat down, eager to start. "Let's get this going. Who's first?"Naruto, of course, was the first to raise his hand, already grinning ear to ear. "I volunteer!" he said, practically bouncing in his seat. The others groaned, already knowing what was coming."Truth or dare, Naruto?" Ino asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief."Dare!" Naruto yelled without hesitation, grinning like an idiot.Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You really don't think before you answer, do you?"Ino laughed. "Alright, Naruto. I dare you to—" she paused for effect, "—do your best impression of a chicken for a full minute. No stopping. Go!"The room erupted into laughter as Naruto clucked and flapped his arms wildly. Even Sasuke cracked a small smile, though he quickly masked it, not wanting to admit that he found Naruto mildly amusing.Once the laughter died down, it was Sakura's turn. Ino gave her a playful nudge. "Your turn, Sakura! Truth or dare?"Sakura sighed, fully aware that she would be stuck in a situation no matter what she chose. "Dare," she replied, her voice steady, but there was a challenge in her eyes.Ino thought for a moment, eyes twinkling with ideas. "Alright, I dare you to—" she paused dramatically, clearly enjoying herself, "—give Neji a compliment. A real one. And it has to be sincere."The room went silent for a moment, and Sakura's heart skipped a beat. Neji? Of all people?Sakura's mind raced for a second. Neji was always so reserved, his demeanor so serious and stoic. She wasn't used to complimenting people, but the dare was simple enough. She could do this.She turned her attention to Neji, who was sitting next to her, his gaze focused on the group, arms folded across his chest. His face remained unreadable.Sakura took a deep breath and spoke with sincerity. "Neji," she began, "I admire how calm and composed you always are, no matter what's going on. You're always so focused, even in stressful situations. It's something I really respect about you."The group fell silent for a moment, surprised at how genuine and unexpected the compliment was. Neji looked at Sakura, his expression neutral, but there was a brief flicker of something in his eyes—something she couldn't quite place."Thank you," Neji said quietly, giving her a small nod. "I appreciate that, Sakura."Sakura smiled, relieved that the compliment was received well. "It's true," she added with a small shrug, trying to downplay it.Ino leaned over, her voice playful. "I didn't expect you to go for the soft side, Sakura," she teased, but her tone was full of admiration.Sakura just smirked. "I'm full of surprises."Sasuke, who had been watching the exchange, tilted his head slightly but didn't say anything. His lips twitched, almost as if he were amused. He then glanced at Sakura, his gaze lingering for a moment too long before he looked away.Ino was reveling in the chaos of the party, watching the game unfold with a mischievous grin plastered on her face. She loved how things were getting tense, especially between Sasuke and Sakura. The air was thick with unspoken words and frustrated desires.But tonight, she had another idea to stir the pot.With a sly smirk, she turned to Neji. "Your turn," she said, eyes glinting with mischief.Neji raised an eyebrow, already knowing the game was bound to take an interesting turn. He sat back, crossing his arms, looking around the group. But before he could say anything, Ino leaned in and whispered her dare in his ear, her eyes gleaming.Neji's gaze flickered to Sakura, who was sitting nearby, talking casually to Shikamaru. Sakura's posture was always so confident, so assured, but there was something about her tonight — maybe it was the lingering tension in the air, or the way she couldn't quite hide the nervous energy.Neji's lips curled into a small, quiet smile."I dare you to kiss Sakura," Ino said with a raised eyebrow, watching the interaction closely.The room went quiet. Everyone stared at Ino, waiting for a reaction from Neji or Sakura. But Sakura was as cool as always, her eyes flashing in challenge, unbothered by the attention. She met Neji's gaze calmly, as if the dare was nothing more than a casual suggestion.Neji stood up slowly, his eyes locked on hers, his expression unreadable. He took a step forward, the rest of the room holding its breath. Sakura remained still, but her body language had changed — tense, but defiant, like she knew exactly what was about to happen.As Neji approached her, he moved in close, his hand brushing lightly against her shoulder. She didn't flinch, not giving him the satisfaction of seeing any reaction. They were so close now that she could feel the heat from his body, smell the faint scent of his cologne. Neji's face was inches from hers, the tension between them palpable.Sakura, normally so composed, found herself breathless for just a moment. He had this way of commanding attention, his presence overwhelming in the most unnerving way.Neji's gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes, a question there that Sakura didn't quite understand. His lips moved almost imperceptibly closer to hers.Without another word, Neji kissed her — quick, firm, but not without a lingering intensity. It wasn't the kind of kiss that demanded anything, but it was unmistakably powerful in its own quiet way.For a split second, Sakura froze. The room seemed to hold its breath as she stood there, feeling Neji's lips on hers. She couldn't explain why, but something stirred inside her.As soon as it happened, Neji pulled back, his eyes never leaving hers, searching for her reaction. The kiss had been brief but charged, and Sakura was left standing there, her heart pounding in her chest.The room was dead silent. Even Ino looked shocked by how easily Neji had kissed Sakura.But it was Sasuke who broke the silence. His voice was cold, cutting through the moment like ice."Neji, you've had your fun," Sasuke said, his eyes narrowed, a flicker of something dark in them. "Now, let's move on."Sakura, still recovering from the unexpected kiss, finally snapped out of her daze. Her hand moved instinctively to her lips, feeling the faint burn of the kiss still there.She didn't know how to react. Part of her was angry, embarrassed even, but another part... she couldn't deny that something about the kiss had struck a nerve. She forced herself to speak, her voice steady despite the rush of emotions swirling inside her."You're bold, Neji," Sakura said, her tone cool, yet somehow laced with something else.Neji gave her a small, almost knowing smile. "I don't like to back down from a challenge."Sakura glanced toward Sasuke, who was still watching the scene unfold, his expression unreadable. She couldn't figure out what was going on in his mind, but the way he was looking at her now — it felt different.Ino smirked, enjoying the tension she'd stirred, but before anyone could comment further, Neji turned away and sat back down, leaving Sakura to process the kiss in the silence that followed.But Sasuke's eyes were locked on her, and she could feel the weight of his gaze on her every move, a heat that she couldn't shake.The game was far from over.