The campus hallway buzzed with noise, but to Sasuke it all felt strangely muted. For the past few days, Naruto had been rushing everywhere — group meetings, club activities, project deadlines. He barely had time to breathe, let alone tease Sasuke like usual. And Sasuke… hated the silence.
He hated how it followed him everywhere.
Sasuke stood near the outdoor staircase, arms crossed, pretending to scroll on his phone. He wasn’t actually reading anything. He was just waiting — waiting for something he didn’t want to admit he was waiting for.
A sudden burst of laughter came from behind him. Naruto’s voice. Of course he recognized it immediately.
Sasuke’s eyes flicked up. Naruto walked down the hall surrounded by juniors who were asking him a million questions. Naruto looked exhausted, messy hair falling over his forehead, but still smiling, still energetic — that irritating, warm, sunshine energy Sasuke pretended to dislike.
Naruto didn’t even see him. He walked straight past.
Sasuke’s grip on his phone tightened. Annoying. So annoying.
Sakura passed by and raised a brow at him. “You look irritated, Sasuke. What’s up?”
“Nothing.” The answer came too quick.
She snorted. “Sure. Tell your face.”
Sasuke clicked his tongue and looked away. “Don’t you have class?”
“Yikes. Okay, okay.” Sakura walked off, but not before mumbling, “Someone needs attention…”
Sasuke ignored the sting in his chest.
Later that afternoon, Sasuke walked into the common area of the engineering building. Students sat in circles, papers everywhere. Naruto was there too — obviously. Talking rapid-fire with the team, hands waving, animated and bright.
Again, Sasuke positioned himself nearby, sitting at the far table with an untouched notebook open.
Again… nothing. No glance. No teasing. No dumb grin in his direction.
Sasuke’s jaw clenched.
He told himself he didn’t care. Repeatedly. Obsessed with the lie.
Finally, Naruto looked up — and their eyes met. Just for half a second.
Naruto blinked, surprised, then smiled. That stupid smile. The one that made Sasuke’s ears feel hot. Naruto excused himself from the group and walked toward him, hands in pockets, face softening in that way Sasuke had been secretly waiting for.
“Senpai,” Naruto said quietly. Not loud. Not energetic. Just… gentle. “You’ve been sitting here a while, haven’t you?”
Sasuke scoffed. “Don’t assume things.”
Naruto laughed under his breath and leaned forward slightly. “I wasn’t assuming. I just… kinda know you now.”
That sentence hit Sasuke like a punch. He looked away, pretending to flip a page of his notebook. “You’re busy,” he said, tone flat but oddly tight.
Naruto froze for a second, catching the meaning underneath Sasuke’s denial. “Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you.”
Sasuke’s throat tightened. He wanted to say something. Something he refused to admit even existed. “…Hn.” His version of “It’s fine,” even though it wasn’t.
Naruto sat across from him without asking for permission. “You could’ve told me you wanted to talk.”
Sasuke glared at him. “Why would I—” His voice faltered. He swallowed his pride. Just a little. Barely noticeable. “I… just thought you’d come on your own.”
Naruto’s eyes softened, understanding him perfectly — which only irritated Sasuke more. Naruto leaned closer, lowering his voice so no one else could hear. “I’ll always come if it’s you.”
Sasuke’s breath caught. He quickly looked away, hiding the flush on his ears. “Idiot,” he muttered weakly.
Naruto smiled, that warm, sun-drenched smile. “Missed you too, Senpai.”