Naruto: If I ask you to kill Sasuke, you will become a succubus?

"Sasuke..."

While Shikamaru was silently observing everything, Sakura was trying very hard to take the initiative.

It seemed to Shikamaru that she was almost forced by an uncontrollable force to speak to Sasuke.

"Let me check it for you again."

"no need."

"But...your arm...did Orochimaru find a way to restore it?"

"No."

"I……"

In fact, Sasuke's words were milder than when he defected.

When he spoke to Sakura, it was obvious that he already considered her a companion, not a stranger or an enemy.

But that attitude of keeping a distance, that attitude of being just an "acquaintance", was not what Sakura wanted.

His distant attitude was so obvious that Shikamaru thought Sakura couldn't have failed to notice it, but she still racked her brains to continue the conversation.

Shikamaru thought, this is probably what "liking" means? Because you "like" someone, you can't help but want to get close to them.

Even if you can't say a few words, if the other person only responds with one sentence or one word, it is already very good. If there can be some physical contact, it will be an endless happiness.

If conversation is impossible, then even if you can make eye contact, or get closer to him - or even just glance at him from a distance, that would be good.

What a terrible feeling.

Shikamaru thought at a distance, completely unable to control it with his mind, and even if he could think, his body would not obey any judgment to stay away from the other party.

This is no longer a nuisance... it's terrifying.

What if the other party is unable to respond with the same feelings and you are unable to extricate yourself, then what is the difference between that and being trapped in a long-lasting mental torture?

But if there is only pain, can anyone really persevere?

In the intervals between the slow slicing, is there some sweetness unknown to outsiders, which serves as fuel for them to continue burning themselves?

While analyzing, Shikamaru was thinking ahead to see if there was any way to deal with the current sticky and unclear situation - he felt that although Asaka and Neji had been together, causing Naruto and Sasuke's emotions to be a little inexplicable, the current situation was at least barely stable. If Asaka did something, something bad would happen.

Shikamaru's intuition was sending a sensitive warning: once there was some disturbance, the current peaceful situation would be disrupted, and by then it would probably be too late to find a solution.

But wait, wasn't he on a mission to save Hanabi and the Earth in the beginning? Why did he suddenly have to deal with an emotional dispute?

What makes things even more confusing is--Sasuke, when did you join this emotional dispute? !

"Sasuke," Naruto finally came back to his senses. He stood beside Sakura out of habit and frowned, "Sakura is worried about you too!"

When Sasuke and Naruto were fighting Toneri together, his companions noticed that his arm had recovered.

But Sasuke has always been elusive, and they don’t know when he reattached his broken arm.

If the surgery was not performed in Konoha, the most likely culprit would be Orochimaru.

But Orochimaru is now under close surveillance by Konoha. If Sasuke gets close, he will definitely be reported to the Hokage. It is impossible for Kakashi not to tell Naruto and Sakura...

I didn't hear any sound, could it not be Orochimaru?

Moreover, Sasuke had clearly said before that he kept the broken arm to atone for his sins. Given his personality, it would be almost impossible for him to go back on his word and seek treatment from Orochimaru himself.

Considering the inexplicable atmosphere between him and Chaolu...could it be that Chaolu healed him?

But how did she convince Sasuke? And how could Sasuke allow it?

At this time, Chaolu, who was not far away, seemed to have heard the noise from their side and looked over.

Shikamaru suddenly became nervous: Don’t come over here… don’t come over here… don’t come over here…

As if she had heard his prayer, Chaolu hesitated for a while, and finally lowered her head again and continued to stay with Neji.

Sasuke was facing sideways towards her, so logically, she was not within his field of vision.

But when she looked over, Shikamaru clearly saw Sasuke looking back as if he had a radar on him.

He himself seemed unaware that his performance was very obvious, and the expression on his face was still calm, as if to say, "I must be pretending to be very good."

Shikamaru:……

as long as you are happy.

...but when exactly?!

It could only be that during the few short days when Asaka was kidnapped by Toneri, could it be that Sasuke was actually following the love at first sight route? !

Shikamaru thought about the fact that they both had the blood of the Uchiha clan. It was said that blood-related people, if they did not grow up together, would have a strong attraction to each other when they grow up...

Is it because of this?

Sasuke also rejected Naruto: "I know my own body well."

After saying that, he turned and left without hesitation.

Sakura was worried and wanted to catch up: "Sasuke..."

"Sakura, can you wait a moment?" Shikamaru stopped her. "What happened between you two actually has nothing to do with me, and I don't want to get involved. But I think your condition has affected whether the team can 'work together'. As the leader, I have the responsibility for this. So, can you listen to me?"

Naruto and Sakura both looked at him.

Naruto said: "What?"

Shikamaru said: "Do you feel that there is something wrong with the way you treat Sasuke?"

Naruto was slightly stunned.

"Sasuke finally showed up once, and finally didn't leave immediately, but stayed... Do you want him to stay longer, or do you want him to leave faster?"

Naruto immediately said, "Of course I'll stay longer!"

"So how do you want to get along with him?"

"It's the same as before... isn't it okay?"

"You can't play the love game of youth for a lifetime, Naruto." Shikamaru said, "Teenagers playing around and saying you like me and I like him is cute and interesting, but we are almost twenty years old. If twenty-year-olds still put the plot of I like you and you like me out in the open, it will only make everyone embarrassed. Especially when the answer is already clear."

"……I do not understand."

Shikamaru said, "It seems to me that the way you treated Sasuke was the way you were familiar with. One of you liked him, and the other was unhappy with him because the girl you liked liked him. That was the most comfortable and harmonious time you had in your memory, so you subconsciously wanted to restore the relationship back then, thinking that this was the only way to maintain your bond, to keep Sasuke, and for everyone to be happy... But, didn't you ignore Sasuke's feelings a little? Hasn't he grown up?"

Sakura and Naruto both fell silent.

Of course, they all value Sasuke, and it is because of this that they listen to Shikamaru's words.

Shikamaru said: "Compared to Sakura, Naruto, you can at least change a little bit right away. Just stay out of Sakura and Sasuke's business."

Naruto subconsciously retorted, "Huh? Why? Sakura is very sad!"

"Then have you considered Sasuke's feelings? When he's not around, you and Sakura get along happier and more harmoniously. Once he shows up, the atmosphere between you and Sakura becomes awkward, and you always blame him for Sakura's affairs. If it were me, I wouldn't like to come back either."

Shikamaru looked at Sakura again: "I don't know much about love... but I think you underestimate the bond between you and Sasuke. From my observation, he is not a person who doesn't miss the past. However, this bond is not a romantic bond. Sakura, he should have known your feelings very well, right? I don't know if he has explicitly rejected you, but if he has not agreed so far, can you seriously consider his attitude? From an outsider's perspective, I think you have been treating him in an inexplicable coercive attitude. With this attitude, won't you want to keep him, but instead push him further away?"