The Last Chinoike [A NARUTO LOVE STORY]

Well-Intentioned Comparisons

It had been a whole week since the news of Jiraiya's death was relayed to Naruto. Every single day at least a friend or two would make their way over to his rundown apartment; but a constant factor was the loving brunette who showed up to see him every day. Despite Hayami appearing at his door around lunchtime with a to-go cup of miso ramen in hand, she was never let in. The young lady's knocks continuously went unanswered, something that annoyed Sakura to no end. 

Sakura felt for Naruto, she truly did, but to her it just wasn't fair that after Hayami had seen so much heartbreak and loss in her life she had to put up with Naruto's sulking. The pink-haired teen even brought it up to Hayami in one of their afternoon training and sparing sessions. Hayami was still killing her muscles with her pre-ANBU training in the morning and early afternoon, leaving only lunchtime and later in the evening open. It seemed like these days Team 7 inadvertently monopolized almost all of her free time.

But still, that unoccupied time during this past week was commonly spent attempting to get Naruto to eat some fresh food and neglecting her own lunchtime needs. During the first day that Hayami went over to Naruto's place, she had waited for the blond to open the door before touching her own food. She always brought two servings, one for her and one for Naruto; yet since the first day when Hayami suddenly found both servings cold and her lunch break over, the brunette had decided to just eat her own meal and talk through the door.

But every day after, instead of waiting for her mourning blond to open the door and let her in, she'd sit on the opposite side of the door and enjoy her own lunch. The sixteen-year-old girl would occasionally talk through the door to fill the silence of the air that surrounded her as she sat with herself, patiently waiting for her boyfriend to let her in.

The long-time student of Tsunade laid her head in Hayami's lap, the older teenager running a shaky hand through Sakura's short locks. After a strenuous spar that took the girls into the late hours of dusk, they were completely exhausted. But to the two shinobi, it felt like a mere five minutes since the beginning of their time together that late afternoon. At some point during their rest, Sakura's head rested on Hayami's lap- much like a big sister would allow her little sister to do. 

Sakura scoffed, snapping her eyes shut before speaking. "It's not fair Hayami, I know you really like him, but he should at least answer the door when you come around! You're his girlfriend after all, that dumb kid doesn't realize how lucky he is to even have you as a friend- let alone a girlfriend." She brought her hands up to her forehead, rubbing imaginary knots out of her temples. 

Hayami knew what the bubblegum-haired girl was getting at yet chose to focus on a different aspect of the girl's concern. "He is pretty lucky, isn't he? Most days I think I'm a real catch."

Sakura huffed, ignoring the girl's comment as she ran a hand over her exhausted face. "I know you'll still just do what you think is best Hayami, but seriously- is knocking on the door of someone you know won't answer really the best way to spend your time? You have a busy and strenuous schedule, so you need to make a point to take care of yourself too, you moron!" Sakura's soft scolding turned into a soft whisper toward the end of her speech. "You're just setting yourself up to get heartbroken by caring so much... aren't you?"

Hayami was never one to call herself a genius, but even she could see the sentiment wasn't totally all about herself now. She snickered as she looked down toward the contemplative and contorted look on Sakura's pale face. 

It was so clear that the current situation, Hayami's caring disposition and Naruto's reluctance to accept her into his life completely at this moment in time, was suddenly feeling all too surreal to Sakura. 'These men of Team 7 really need some sort of emotional reality check, don't they? I mean, what's so bad about letting someone in on all the emotions they're really feeling... I guess it is a bit different for Hayami and Naruto, they're already dating, after all.'