Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

Shikamaru leaned back on the sofa, one hand supporting his chin, his gaze fixed on the screen, but his eyes never left the two people on the sofa.

He clearly saw Sakura's hand moving stealthily and the timid expression on her face.

This is troublesome, really troublesome.

He scoffed inwardly, but a strange anxiety surged in his chest.

If he were to make a move, he would never hesitate like this; he would devise a perfect touch or use an irresistible reason to naturally approach her.

Shikamaru instantly simulated several solutions in his mind, then rejected them one by one, simply because he didn't want to break your focus at this moment.

Sasuke remained seated, his attention highly focused, not on the plot, but on capturing your every subtle reaction.

The frequency of blinking, the unconscious, slight movements of the fingertips, the changes in breathing rhythm...

When Sasuke noticed Sakura's hand trying to get closer, anger almost overwhelmed his restraint, but he held back; he couldn't lose his composure in front of her again.

Halfway through the movie, a heartwarming scene appeared, with beautiful visuals and melodious music.

Just then, your fingertips, which were casually placed at your side, shifted at an angle towards Sakura.

The movement was so subtle that it was almost an illusion created by light and shadow.

But all three of them saw it.

Sakura's breathing suddenly stopped; she dared not move, dared not confirm it.

Shikamaru's fingers, which were supporting his chin, tightened silently, his knuckles turning white. All the calculations and plans in his mind collapsed at that moment. Why Sakura Haruno?

His rival in love...was a woman from beginning to end?

Sasuke had anticipated this, and decided to avoid seeing it to keep his mind at ease.

You're simply imitating a scene from a movie, trying to experience what it feels like to get close to someone.

The background music subtly changes, the camera zooms in, and the faces of the male and female protagonists approach each other in soft light, their eyes locked and their breaths mingling.

Your dark eyes stared blankly at the screen, as if you had encountered data that you couldn't analyze instantly.

Sakura, sitting next to you, follows your gaze and happens to see a close-up of the impending kiss on the screen.

Her cheeks instantly burned. The kind-faced shopkeeper hadn't told her that this movie, labeled as heartwarming and healing, would have such a straightforward plot!

"Cough! Cough cough cough..." Sakura choked on her own saliva and hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her embarrassment. Tears welled up in her eyes.

She dared not look at the screen anymore, much less at your expression beside her; she felt as if the air in the entire living room had become thick and scorching.

At the same time, Shikamaru and Sasuke, who were sitting on the small sofas on either side, froze.

Nara Shikamaru's usually high-speed brain seemed to be thrown into a tangled mess. His gaze fell on the intertwined figures on the screen, but then he quickly looked away as if he had been burned.

Looking out the window, the banana leaves in the yard are a dazzling green; looking at the ceiling, the patterns on the lampshade inexplicably become more complex; finally, his gaze uncontrollably drifts towards you.

You...you're still watching.

How could it be so calm? That scene... Shikamaru felt his heartbeat lose its usual rhythm, making him extremely uneasy.

Is he too reserved? Is that why he reacted so strongly to this?

Sasuke Uchiha's situation was even worse.

Despite his best efforts to remain calm, fatally, the moment the image appeared, his mind uncontrollably switched to another image: the male protagonist's face became his own, and the one being held in someone's arms and kissed... was you.

He clenched his fists, trying to use the pain to dispel the absurd yet alluring illusions, using all his willpower to suppress the turmoil in his heart and the guilt of being seen through.

On the screen, light and shadow intertwined, and the sounds of panting mingled with ambiguous music. In the living room, only the light source of the screen flickered, illuminating four faces with different expressions.

Sakura's cough had long since stopped. She lowered her head, wishing she could bury herself in the crack of the sofa.

It felt like an eternity before the scene changed, the music returned to normal, and the long three minutes had passed.

The subsequent plot became dull, and none of you continued watching.

As the end credits slowly rolled and the end credits music began, you breathed a sigh of relief.

The moment the subtitles appeared, Shikamaru and Sasuke stood up simultaneously.

"I suddenly remembered I have something to do," Shikamaru said, without even trying to find an excuse to stay a little longer as he usually did. "I'll take my leave now."

He needed to leave this place immediately, he needed a calm space to calm his racing heart.

As he walked toward the door, the last thing that flashed through his mind as his hand touched the doorknob was your eyes.

A vague, indescribable feeling lingered in my heart. Was he too easily influenced, or did you... simply lack these kinds of emotions?

Sasuke moved just as quickly, nodding slightly to the side towards the living room before heading straight for the door.

In the blink of an eye, the two light bulbs disappeared in a hasty manner.

Only Sakura and you are left in the living room.

Sakura let out a long sigh of relief, but embarrassment and shame welled up in her heart again.

She turned to face you, her cheeks still flushed, her eyes darting around, and explained incoherently.

"Nagi, Nagi! That... movie, it was an accident! I... I didn't know it would have... that kind of scene! Really! When I bought it, the shopkeeper said it was a very heartwarming movie!"

She was eager to clarify, afraid that you might develop a bad impression of her or think she was frivolous.

You listened quietly to Sakura's explanation, your gaze falling on her slightly parted lips.

The scene on the screen was so similar to the night you embraced in your memory, and you did not respond to her explanation.

As the melodious end credits roll, you lean forward slightly and take the initiative to kiss her lips.

Sakura's breathing stopped completely, and her eyes widened in shock.

The whole world seemed to be condensed into those ever-approaching dark eyes.

"This is... the ending of the movie."

Chapter 350 Summer Festival Ball (24)

On the morning of July 17th, the sunlight, with the intensity unique to midsummer, shone brightly through the open windows of the ninja school classrooms, casting beams of light into the chalk-dust-filled air.

With only one day left until the much-anticipated ball, even the air seemed restless, filled with a secret sense of excitement.

When Iruka pushed open the classroom door carrying a stack of lesson plans, the sight that greeted him made him pause, almost thinking he had gone to the wrong classroom.

Aside from the ever-present top students Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura sitting upright, Nara Shikamaru habitually napping on his desk, and you next to him holding a pen and staring at a blank workbook as if contemplating the truths of the universe.

The entire classroom was practically turned into a makeshift homework-making site.

The scratching of pens on paper, the occasional sigh, and the soft requests to borrow notebooks mingled together.

Naruto Uzumaki took the word "perfunctory" to the extreme.

Within Iruka's clear view, he held a pen and, without hesitation, drew casual wavy lines under each question in the workbook.

Iruka's temple throbbed slightly.

Very well, a summer festival made his class completely let loose, and they couldn't even be bothered to maintain the most basic pretense.

He took a deep breath and silently recited in his mind: "The law does not punish the masses, the law does not punish the masses..."

He tapped on the podium and cleared his throat.

The noise from those doing their homework below instantly subsided, and countless pairs of eyes, filled with guilt and anticipation, were cast his way.

“I know everyone is looking forward to tomorrow’s ball,” Iruka said, trying to sound understanding. “So, today’s theory class will be postponed for now.”

Before he finished speaking, a suppressed cheer and a noticeable sigh of relief immediately filled the classroom.

"We'll mainly explain the specific procedures and precautions for tomorrow's ball, and..." Iruka paused, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the black-haired girl who was still staring blankly at her workbook.

"And leave enough time for everyone to have a final rehearsal with their partners."

The atmosphere in the classroom became even more lively.

Whispers arose, and glances secretly darted between potential dance partners.

You heard Iruka's words, but it seemed like they didn't register at all. The noisy classroom, the bright sunshine, the restlessness of youth—they were all just fleeting images.

Nara Shikamaru, who was lazily sprawled on the table, slightly opened his eyelids when he heard the word "dance partner," and his gaze fell on you beside him.

Even without a formal title, some people's possessive gaze never leaves you.

This made him feel an unprecedented sense of irritation, as if everyone was trying to steal his partner.

The theoretical explanation ended hastily while the students were distracted.

When Iruka announced that he was free to go outside to rehearse with his dance partner, the echoes of the dismissal bell still reverberated in the corridor.

The instant the bell rang, Uchiha Sasuke, sitting in the front row, habitually turned around, as if he wanted to say something.

Shikamaru's lazy voice rang out even faster, "Oh, even a top student has questions he needs to ask others? How strange."

The targeted nature of the words is self-evident.

Sasuke swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. He didn't refute them, but the atmosphere around him visibly darkened.

Naruto Uzumaki clearly didn't have as many reservations and ulterior motives as Sasuke.

He casually stood up from his seat, a smile on his face, and was about to habitually pat you on the shoulder.

"Nagi-chan! Let's do it together tomorrow..."

Before he could finish speaking, Shikamaru didn't even get up completely. He simply flipped his wrist and, with a "snap," used a blank scroll he had been playing with to gently deflect Naruto's hand that was about to touch him.

Shikamaru's tone was full of sarcasm, but his eyes carried a hint of coldness that was hard to detect. "If you were half as enthusiastic as you are when you invite others to partner with you, Iruka-sensei wouldn't have to chase after you every day to make you retake the exam."

"Hey! Shikamaru, you bastard!" Naruto instantly bristled, his bright blue eyes widening. "Stop making sarcastic remarks!"

"I'm stating the facts." Shikamaru retracted the scroll, his posture returning to its lazy state, as if the parry he had just delivered was merely an illusion.

But he slightly turned his body, placing you between him and Naruto.

Kiba Inuzuka, holding Akamaru, took a few steps closer. "Hey, Nagi Uchiha, look, Akamaru seems to really want you to pet it, doesn't it?"

The red ball in my arms barked twice in response, wagging its tail happily.

Shikamaru didn't even lift his eyelids. "Kiba, keep an eye on your dog. It sheds a lot in the summer and drools a lot. Make sure it doesn't accidentally get on other people's clothes; it's hard to clean."

Kiba's smile froze instantly, turning bright red. He tried to argue, but was defeated by Shikamaru's seemingly nonchalant gaze.

Akamaru let out a pitiful "whimper" and buried his head in Kiba's arms.

Not far away, Shino Aburame silently adjusted her sunglasses, and her gaze behind the lenses seemed to unconsciously shift slightly in your direction.

He hadn't even had time to take any concrete action—

"Shino." Shikamaru locked onto him precisely. "Your bugs had better stay away from my partner. It's allergic this season, and it wouldn't be good if they caused any unnecessary trouble."

Shino froze, all his nascent thoughts instantly nipped in the bud.

He silently lowered his head, making his presence even less noticeable.

Even Yamanaka Ino, who had come simply to join in the fun, had just put on a bright smile and said, "Nagi, do you want to go check it out together after school...?"

“Ino,” Shikamaru interrupted rudely, “Are you bored? Don’t you need to help at the family’s flower shop anymore? Or has the Yamanaka clan’s intelligence analysis work become so leisurely?”

Ino was stunned by the sudden barrage of fire, then stomped her foot angrily, "Shikamaru! Have you taken the wrong medicine today?! What business is it of yours if I talk to Nagi?!"

Shikamaru didn't even bother to glance at her.

Sai didn't say anything, but simply handed you the sketchbook he had opened.

The paper shows your profile as you listened to the lecture with your chin resting on your hand. Your gaze lingered on the sketch for a second, before you uttered a syllable.

Shikamaru immediately cut to the chase, "Drawing a portrait of someone without their explicit permission—isn't that a form of visual harassment? Do I need to remind you of the specifics of Article 7, Chapter 3 of the Ninja Academy Code of Conduct, Sai?"

Sai silently closed his sketchbook and took a half step back.

Seeing his friend's prickly, all-out attack, Choji Akimichi was so shocked that he forgot to put his favorite potato chips in his mouth.

After hesitating for a while, he still felt that as a friend he should offer some comfort, so he cautiously leaned over and reached out his chubby hand to pat Shikamaru's shoulder. "Um... Shikamaru, calm down, everyone's actually okay..."

Before his hand could even touch Shikamaru's shoulder, Shikamaru abruptly turned his head, his tone extremely dangerous, "What, Choji? Even you want to mess with my partner?"

Choji was so frightened by this completely illogical accusation that he dropped the bag of snacks in his hand.

He couldn't take it anymore and yelled, "Hey! Shikamaru! You're going too far! There's a limit to indiscriminate attacks! I only came over because you seemed off!"

Not far away, Sakura Haruno stared in disbelief at the protective battle waged by Shikamaru. She nudged Hinata Hyuga, who was as quiet as a rabbit beside her, and whispered incredulously, "I mean... Shikamaru has finally gone mad, hasn't he? He's practically biting anyone who gets close to Nagi!"

Hinata timidly raised her eyes, quickly glancing at Shikamaru who exuded an aura of menace. Her hands nervously twisted the hem of her clothes, and she nodded softly in agreement, secretly relieved: Thank goodness... thank goodness I only thought about asking him, and didn't actually go over...