"…Well."
Yamanaka Ino slumped over her desk, her gaze fixed on Uzumaki Naruto's empty seat. Her mind kept replaying the scene from the flower shop, where Naruto had unexpectedly appeared before her.
"Is that really the same person? It's hard to believe…"
Her deskmate, clearly unable to endure her strange behavior any longer, leaned in and whispered, "Ino, your expression is a bit… exaggerated. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Ino replied, shaking her head. She sat up straight and stared blankly at her friend before hesitantly asking, "Do you think… Uzumaki Naruto is handsome?"
Her deskmate froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"What kind of nonsense is that?! That dead-last loser? Handsome? Are you feeling sick?"
"There's only one handsome guy in our class, and that's Uchiha Sasuke."
Ino frowned, her eyes shifting toward Sasuke, who sat in his usual spot at the front of the class. His sharp features, cold demeanor, and aloof presence certainly made him stand out.
But…
"I don't think he's as handsome as Naruto…" Ino murmured. "Naruto's smile… it's warm. It's like the sun…"
If Sasuke was an iceberg—cold, distant, untouchable—then the Naruto she had seen in the flower shop was like the sun, radiating warmth and light.
Her deskmate looked increasingly worried and reached out to check her forehead.
"No fever…"
"Ino, are you hearing yourself? What kind of nonsense—"
Before she could finish, a sharp voice cut through.
"Ino-pig, your eyesight must be getting worse," Haruno Sakura sneered, crossing her arms. "You're actually calling Naruto handsome? The dead last Naruto? Are you out of your mind?"
Sakura smirked and tossed her hair. "Well, whatever. You can have him. Just don't even think about Sasuke-kun."
Ino ignored Sakura's taunts and rested her chin on her desk, her eyes still locked on Naruto's empty seat.
"Really… Naruto-kun is so handsome…"
Silence fell over the classroom.
The other students had all been eavesdropping, and even Uchiha Sasuke, who usually didn't care about such things, subtly perked up his ears.
His frown deepened.
Did he care about being called handsome? No.
But… Naruto? The class dunce, the village troublemaker? More handsome than him?
Ridiculous.
"Shikamaru, do you think Naruto is really…" Chōji mumbled between bites of potato chips. "I mean, can you imagine Naruto… looking handsome?"
Nara Shikamaru let out a long sigh, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. "Maybe Ino's finally lost it…"
"I knew it!" Inuzuka Kiba nodded firmly. "There's no way Naruto could be better looking than Sasuke!"
"Right, Akamaru?"
The small white dog barked twice in agreement.
Aburame Shino, who had been silent until now, muttered under his breath, "Everyone… you shouldn't be so quick to judge."
Sakura scoffed. "As if! The ugly duckling turning into a swan? That's just a fairy tale, Ino-pig. You're delusional."
The class was abuzz with discussion, all sharing a single thought:
There's no way Uzumaki Naruto could be more handsome than Uchiha Sasuke.
But amidst their skepticism, a small flicker of curiosity had sparked.
What exactly had happened to Naruto?
Moments later, the classroom bell rang.
Then—
The door creaked open.
A blond figure stepped in, dressed in orange short sleeves layered under a pale red trench coat. His golden hair framed his face perfectly, and his piercing blue eyes, accentuated by red markings, gleamed with an unfamiliar confidence. A jade necklace hung from his neck, resting lightly against his chest.
His presence alone made everyone turn toward him in unison.
Naruto blinked, momentarily surprised by the silence. Then, with a slightly apologetic smile, he rubbed the back of his head.
"Uh… sorry, am I late?"
Silence.
A suffocating, absolute silence.
The air in the classroom seemed frozen in time.
More than fifty students sat wide-eyed, completely dumbfounded.
Who…?
Who was this?
This is Naruto?!
Why was he so… so—
Handsome.
No, not just handsome.
His casual posture exuded a refined elegance, and that elegance carried an undeniable warmth. He looked like a noble from a painting—someone who didn't just walk into a room, but owned it effortlessly.
And then there was his smile.
It wasn't the exaggerated, goofy grin they were used to. This smile was warm, charming—like standing beneath the golden glow of the afternoon sun.
The entire class held their breath, afraid that making a sound would shatter this almost dreamlike moment.
Then—
Crash!
The silence broke as a small mirror slipped from Sakura's trembling hands, hitting the floor with a sharp crack.
Sakura didn't even notice.
She just stood there, rubbing her eyes, staring at Naruto as if seeing him for the first time.
"Y-You're really… Uzumaki Naruto?"
The Naruto she remembered—scruffy clothes, messy hair, and an overall unkempt, reckless energy—was nothing like the boy standing before her now.
Now, he was poised. Striking. Charismatic.
Like someone out of a dream.
Naruto chuckled, his voice smooth and confident.
"Geez, you guys are being too much," he said, shaking his head in amusement. "I've only been gone for two days… and you're already acting like you don't recognize me?"
His grin widened.
"Of course it's me! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the future Hokage!"
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(A/N: Don't Forget To Add In Your Collection And Support via Powerstone)