As the graduation exam successfully concluded, more and more students passed, and parents gathered, their faces beaming with joyful smiles, celebrating this important moment for their children.
Chizhao and Naruto sat on swings, leisurely observing the lively scene, when a familiar and warm voice came from beside them.
“Chizhao, Naruto, it seems I’ve arrived just in time. Congratulations on your successful graduation!”
Keiko approached the two with a kind smile.
“Grandma!”
“Grandma Huizi!”
The two excitedly went to meet her. Keiko gently stroked their hair, her eyes full of affection:
“Today I’m going to make a big feast. Let’s celebrate together!”
Upon hearing this, Naruto jumped up happily.
“That’s great!!”
Amidst her excitement, a familiar figure suddenly flashed through Chizhao’s mind.
She wondered if he would be willing to celebrate with them.
On the other side, Sasuke, who had effortlessly obtained his forehead protector, walked out of school and saw a group of parents praising their children with smiles on their faces.
He frowned slightly, appearing a bit uncomfortable, his gaze sweeping over the students' faces, seemingly searching for a specific figure.
“Yo! Sasuke!”
The sudden touch on his shoulder made him pause slightly; he turned his head to look.
It was the face he had been searching for.
He quickly looked away and asked casually:
“You seem to be in a good mood. Did you pass the exam?”
Chizhao grinned, pulled out her forehead protector, and playfully winked at him:
“I told you not to worry.”
Seeing the forehead protector in her hand, which symbolized successful graduation, Sasuke subtly let out a sigh of relief.
“Well, congratulations then.”
“Let’s not talk about that for now. Do you have anything to do later?”
“No, why?”
This conversation made Sasuke feel a strange sense of familiarity, as if they had a similar conversation before.
Sure enough, the next second, Chizhao grabbed his wrist and walked out of the school.
“Then let’s go celebrate our successful graduation together!”
“Wait.....”
He looked at the hand gripping his wrist. Why did it feel like she always took the initiative?
This time, he stubbornly gripped her hand back and walked forward, half a step ahead of her.
“Hmm? Do you know where it is?”
“No, but you can tell me the direction, and just let me walk in front of you.”
Chizhao didn't understand why, but seeing his competitive demeanor, she could only compromise and let him pull her towards her home.
.......
Before returning, Chizhao mentioned she had something to take care of, so Naruto went home with Keiko first.
Naruto, standing in the entrance, twitched his eye when he saw Chizhao and Sasuke appear together.
“Why is Sasuke here too.....”
Sasuke naturally didn't expect Naruto to be there, but when he saw the forehead protector on his head, a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He didn’t expect this dead-last to actually graduate.
Then he frowned and glared at him: “If you can come, why can’t I?”
Just as Naruto was about to retort, Keiko came out from behind: “You must be Sasuke, welcome to our home. Please come in.”
Chizhao secretly sighed, thankful that Grandma Huizi came in time, otherwise the two of them would have started arguing again.
Sasuke, seeing Keiko for the first time, politely bowed: “Hello Grandma Huizi, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for having me today.”
“It’s no problem, please come in. The celebratory feast will be ready soon. Chizhao, you must take good care of your friends.”
“Got it~”
Although it was about taking care of them, after leading the two into the living room, the atmosphere began to become subtle.
These two, why aren't they speaking?
Chizhao, sitting in the middle, occasionally shifted her gaze between the boys on either side.
One was resting his eyes, the other had turned his head away, ignoring everyone.
This scene, in fact, was a true reflection of their daily interactions, just with an unusual silence added.
“Before Grandma finishes cooking, how about we play some poker?”
Chizhao’s words broke the silence at just the right moment. She pulled out a deck of cards from her hand as if by magic, instantly attracting the attention of both boys.
Naruto, who often played poker with her, was naturally willing. A smile hung on his face, and he nodded vigorously: “Okay, okay, I want to play!”
Sasuke, on the other hand, with his characteristic nonchalance, glanced at Naruto, a barely perceptible hint of mockery curling his lips:
“Can an idiot like you even play?”
Naruto immediately clenched his fists and roared indignantly:
“Don’t look down on me! Let’s have a showdown, Sasuke!”
At this moment, Sasuke also smirked with a look of certainty, his eyes flashing with sharp light, unwilling to be outdone:
“Perfect, this is a good opportunity to make a big idiot like you realize your own capabilities.”
The two glared at each other, unyielding, with an air of an impending battle.
How did playing poker turn into such a heated duel?
Keiko was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen, the rhythmic and strong sound of the knife hitting the cutting board, with thin, even slices spread out, clear and translucent like jade.
“Grandma, do you need any help?”
Chizhao’s voice came from the doorway, gentle and warm. Keiko turned, seeing it was Chizhao, and a smile flickered in her eyes.
“No, I can do it myself. Why aren’t you playing with them?”
“Those two, huh......”
Chizhao’s gaze drifted to the two in the living room, still arguing over poker rules, and she sighed softly:
“They might still be having a ‘friendly’ discussion for a while....”
Keiko chuckled upon hearing this: “Then how about you help me peel some potatoes?”
Taking the potato Keiko handed her, she skillfully began to peel it.
“I can help Grandma with such small things anytime.”
The kitchen was filled with an inviting aroma, making one look forward to the delicious food about to be served.
A reflection of light caught Keiko’s eye. She looked over and saw a corner of Konoha’s forehead protector peeking out from Chizhao’s clothes pocket.
“Chizhao, why aren’t you wearing the forehead protector you worked so hard to get?”
“Ah....that....” She pushed the forehead protector, which was about to fall out, back inside.
“I forgot about it for a moment, I’ll wear it later.”
The two, who had argued for a long time in the living room without settling anything, finally noticed that the girl who had been sitting between them was gone.
Naruto put down his cards and looked around:
“Huh? Where did Chizhao go?”
“Probably in the kitchen.”
Following the direction of Sasuke’s finger, he saw Chizhao’s busy back in the kitchen.
A scene flashed in his mind: Chizhao, holding delicious dishes, walking towards him with a radiant smile.
【These are all specially made for Naruto! Only for you~】
“Hehehehe~”
Naruto’s slightly lewd laugh and the target of his gaze ignited an unnamed anger in Sasuke’s heart.
“Idiot! What you’re thinking is written all over your face, can’t you restrain yourself a bit?!”
Punched back to reality by Sasuke, Naruto clutched his head and went into his furious mode again.
“That hurts, you jerk!”
“Huh? What did you say?”
Attracted by the sounds from the living room, Chizhao quickly ran out and squeezed between the two, pushing them apart.
“Hey, wait, wait.... I only left for a moment, why are you two arguing even more fiercely?”
Sasuke, arms crossed and looking indignant, turned his head away:
“You’ll have to ask him. He was staring at your back with a perverted look, who knows what he was thinking.”
As if his tail had been stepped on, Naruto immediately jumped up, his face beet red, pointing at Sasuke, his fingertips trembling with anger.
“You, you, you, you..... What nonsense are you talking about! It’s not what you think! Don’t slander me!”
“Oh? Then why don’t you tell us what you were just thinking?”
Sasuke sat on the floor, watching him at his leisure, as if watching a show, provocatively looking at Naruto, whose ears were fuming.
Her curiosity also piqued, Chizhao blinked, looking at the flushed Naruto, then suddenly realized something and awkwardly pulled at her collar.
“Naruto.... You couldn’t be....”
“Hey, hey, hey, hey?! No, I told you it wasn’t!!!”
Watching Naruto jump around, an inviting aroma drifted from the kitchen, instantly attracting the attention of all three.
“You must all be starving, come eat now~”
Chizhao grabbed both their wrists and eagerly walked towards the dining table.
“Coming, coming! My stomach is rumbling!”
The array of food on the table instantly pushed their hunger to its peak.
After they were all seated, they collectively chanted the mealtime etiquette phrase.
“I’m going to eat!”
No sooner had the words fallen than Naruto and Chizhao eagerly began to enjoy the meal.
“Delicious! Grandma Huizi’s cooking, I can never get enough of it!”
Naruto’s unrestrained eating made Sasuke shake his head.
This kid really has no regard for his image.
Suddenly, a fried meatball was placed in his bowl. He looked up to see Chizhao across from him, looking at him with a smile.
“This is my favorite fried meatball, try it quickly!”
Sasuke looked at the fried meatball, hesitating for a moment.
He remembered that, besides his family, no one else had ever served him food.
Noticing Sasuke’s inaction, Naruto mischievously reached for the fried meatball.
“If you don’t like it, give it to me.”
“Hey!”
Sasuke mercilessly slapped away Naruto’s probing chopsticks, subtly protecting his bowl.
“This is mine, don’t touch it!”
Seeing his scheme fail, Naruto could only pout and sheepishly withdraw his chopsticks.
He didn't expect Sasuke to be so protective of his food.
Seeing Naruto calm down his mischief, Sasuke put the fried meatball into his mouth and chewed it slowly, his dark pupils brightening for a moment as he slowly exclaimed.
“Delicious.”
Seeing that he too was captivated by Grandma Huizi’s delicious food, Chizhao pressed on, serving him other dishes.
“Hehe, then eat more!”
Grandma Huizi, seeing this, smiled and filled the children’s drinks, raising one glass, and happily proposed:
“Then, to celebrate your successful graduation, cheers!”
“Cheers!!”
Under the warm, bright light, the crisp clinking of glasses and joyful laughter intertwined, echoing in the cozy room.
Smiles bloomed to varying degrees on all three of their faces, making this ordinary yet unique day an indelible, brilliant star in the river of their memories.