Naruto: Reborn in His Younger Self

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Haruno Sakura was stunned.

Was this still the same Naruto she knew?

She had hit him countless times before, and not once had he fought back or even blocked her. Even when she scolded him, he never dared to talk back.

But now… he had not only blocked her punch.

He had also just forcefully kissed Hinata!

What the hell?!

Hadn't he always liked her?

Sakura had always been in love with Sasuke, but she couldn't deny that a part of her had felt something unclear for Naruto. Yet, now… this meant that Naruto didn't like her at all.

A strange emptiness settled in her heart. Naruto's tone and demeanor toward her were nothing like before. It was as if… she had lost something without even realizing it.

But Naruto wasn't paying attention to her. At this moment, he only had eyes for Hinata.

He wanted to grab her, pull her into his arms, and shout at the world, "She's my wife! What's wrong with me kissing her?!"

The joy of reunion was overwhelming.

Sensing the awkwardness in the air, Kakashi stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"Alright, alright. Naruto might have been too anxious about chasing Sasuke, so his mind must be a little… off." Kakashi sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "We need to move fast. Otherwise, Sasuke might disappear for good. Kiba, keep tracking his scent!"

At Kakashi's words, Naruto snapped out of his daze.

Right… His rebirth wasn't just about Hinata.

He had returned with a purpose.

He had to change the entire shinobi world, gain the power to fight against the Ōtsutsuki clan early, and—most importantly—make up for the regrets of his past life.

Speaking of regrets…

Naruto's gaze drifted back to Hinata, and a certain memory surfaced. Neji.

He suddenly turned to Kakashi, urgency lacing his voice. "Kakashi-sensei! Neji's with Guy-sensei on a mission right now, isn't he?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the random question but nodded. "Yeah, Guy and his squad are on a mission outside the village. Why?"

Naruto let out a deep breath, his fists clenching in overwhelming relief.

"Hell yeah!" He punched the air, his blue eyes misting over.

Neji is alive.

This was the first regret he could make up for in this new life.

Hinata, noticing the raw emotion on Naruto's face, hesitated for a second before pulling out a handkerchief from her pocket. Without saying a word, she reached up and gently wiped the tears from his cheek.

Naruto blinked, then let out a small laugh.

She was always like this.

Even when she was nervous, she still worried about him first.

Without thinking, he took her hand in his. "Thanks, Hinata. From today on, I swear—I'll protect you. No matter what, I won't let you get hurt again."

Hinata's entire body stiffened.

A forced kiss was one thing, but… this?

This was practically a confession.

A full, undeniable declaration of love.

Her heart pounded so loudly she could barely think. This is too sudden!

She quickly pulled away, struggling to find her words. After a deep breath, she gathered her courage and looked at Naruto with a conflicted expression.

"But… Naruto-kun, haven't you always liked Sakura-chan?" Her voice trembled. "Why do you suddenly… l-like me? I mean… I'm nothing special. I cry all the time, I've made so many mistakes… What's so great about me that you want to protect me forever?"

Her fingers clenched at her sides.

Deep down, she was terrified.

She had loved Naruto for so long. If this was all just some joke… if he was only saying this because of some momentary emotion…

Could she handle that?

Naruto's expression softened.

"Of course, I know," he murmured.

His mind flashed back to the moment he faced Pain.

He had been pinned to the ground, unable to move. He was moments away from losing everything.

Then, Hinata had stepped forward.

Without hesitation, she had confessed her love, fought desperately to protect him, and risked her life against an opponent she had no chance of defeating.

Naruto took a deep breath and looked at Hinata with unwavering determination.

Those love words she once said to him…

Now, it was his turn.

"You've been crying since you were a kid," Naruto said softly.

Hinata's breath hitched.

"Whenever something happened, you always wanted to give up," he continued. "You lost your way more than once… but you never truly gave up. Because every time you fell, you got back up."

He stepped closer, his voice gentle yet firm.

"You've always chased after me," Naruto whispered. "You've always wanted to catch up, to stand by my side, to be strong enough to walk the same path as me."

Hinata's eyes widened in disbelief.

How… how does he know all this?

Had Naruto-kun… really been paying attention to her all this time?

Naruto gave her hand a light squeeze.

"Thank you, Hinata," he said. "For always believing in me. For always liking me." He smiled. "And honestly? I like you too."

Hinata's heart shattered into a million emotions.

"Na… Naruto-kun…"

She didn't even think.

She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she clung to him, feeling the warmth and reality of his body.

This was real.

This was happening.

The love words she once said to him…

He had traveled across time and space, endured pain and regret, and returned—

Just to say them back to her.