Sakura chatted quietly with Ino for a few moments, her face filled with gratitude. Then, she carefully supported Rasa, helping him walk step by step toward the sofa.
Suddenly, as if remembering something important, Sakura hurried into the kitchen.
Moments later, she emerged carrying something in her hands.
This repeated several times, Sakura bustling back and forth, unable to sit still for a moment.
Rasa, meanwhile, sank slowly into the sofa.
He leaned back, his arms resting casually on the armrests, appearing relaxed and at ease.
Just then, Sakura walked over, holding a cup. She gently offered it to Rasa, her voice soft and warm:
"Sasuke-kun, drink some water."
Rasa took the cup and took a sip.
The water was neither too hot nor too cold—perfectly lukewarm. It also tasted sweet, as if sugar had been added, making it soothing to drink.
From this detail alone, it was clear Sakura had thoughtfully considered his physical condition.
As he drank, Rasa scanned the room's decor and the clean, tidy floor.
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly in a satisfied smile, and he nodded.
Sakura was indeed a virtuous wife and mother; her meticulous care and thoughtfulness brought warmth and comfort.
Come to think of it, almost every female character with screen time in Naruto seemed to possess the potential to be a perfect wife, each with her own unique charm.
Sakura emerged from the kitchen again, carrying a plate of fruit. She placed it gently on the table.
Then, she sat down next to Rasa, somewhat cautiously. The distance between them was neither too far nor too close—just right.
Seeing this, Rasa chuckled.
"Sakura, why are you sitting so far away?"
Sakura looked surprised, followed by an uncontrollable surge of joy.
In her memory, "Sasuke" had always treated her with indifference—neither close nor distant.
She quickly murmured a "Mmh," her heart pounding as she shuffled closer to Rasa.
However, she still subconsciously kept a distance of about two fists between them.
Seeing this, Rasa simply reached out, wrapped his arm around Sakura's slender waist, and pulled her flush against his side.
"Ah!"
Sakura let out a soft cry, clear as a silver bell.
Her body trembled slightly, and a blush spread across her face like peach blossoms in spring, delicate and lovely.
Although she and Sasuke had been married for over a decade...
In reality, the total time they had spent together probably didn't amount to more than six months.
Let alone intimate gestures like this in daily life.
Especially with Ino watching from the side, Sakura felt even more shy and nervous.
Realizing her loss of composure, Sakura quickly stammered:
"Sasuke-kun... you're still injured... don't use so much strength..."
Rasa chuckled, the muscles in his arm flexing slightly as he held her soft, slender waist even tighter.
Sakura's reaction was incredibly amusing to him.
If someone said this was the reaction of a woman married for over ten years, no one would believe it.
Although Rasa felt a twinge of regret that he couldn't directly replace Sasuke's image with his own...
There was no helping it. He wasn't Eida; he couldn't affect the memories of the entire village.
Held firmly by Rasa, Sakura trembled, the blush on her face deepening.
Sitting nearby, Ino took an elegant sip of water and placed her cup on the table.
Her lips curled into a sly smile as she teased:
"It's rare to see Sakura acting so shy."
Sakura instinctively brushed her pink bangs aside, revealing the diamond-shaped seal on her forehead.
Her face flushed with embarrassment as she retorted softly:
"Ino! Stop teasing me!"
After saying that, Sakura glanced at the bandages on Rasa's body and asked softly:
"By the way, Ino, are Sasuke-kun's injuries serious?"
"If they are, he should go to the hospital for observation."
Ino crossed her arms, accentuating her bust.
Ignoring Sakura's obvious attempt to change the subject, Ino nodded slightly.
"The injuries were very severe, but I've basically stabilized them."
As Ino spoke, she almost slipped up:
"Plus, Ras... Sasuke has an incredibly strong physique!"
Realizing her near-mistake, Ino's heart raced, her breathing quickened, and a fine layer of sweat broke out on her forehead.
She glanced at her best friend, relieved to see that Sakura hadn't seemed to notice the slip of the tongue.
Ino exhaled and continued:
"Sasuke just needs to rest at home for a few days. There's no need for the hospital."
Sakura looked at the silent Rasa with concern, her brow furrowed.
She whispered:
"Sasuke-kun, although your injuries are stabilized, maybe you should stay in the hospital for a few days just in case?"
Rasa, who had been eating fruit, shook his head. While chewing, he said:
"No need."
"Just resting at home for a few days will be enough for me to recover."
Sakura hesitated for a moment. Having fully transformed into the dutiful wife, she obeyed:
"Alright then."
Minutes later, at Rasa's signal.
Ino's lips curled into a smile, though it was tinged with bitterness.
A flash of unwillingness crossed her eyes, but she suppressed it and proactively bid them farewell.
She stood up, her movements slightly stiff, as if each motion carried the weight of her reluctance.
After personally seeing Ino out, Sakura walked back to the sofa, her steps light and careful.
Reaching Rasa, she extended her slender arm to support him, helping him toward the bedroom.
As she walked him, Sakura spoke softly:
"Sasuke-kun, yesterday when I saw how badly Boruto was hurt and couldn't find you, I was worried to death."
"Didn't you leave with Boruto? Why didn't you appear with him yesterday?"
Rasa lowered his gaze, thinking for a moment.
Then, mimicking Sasuke's usual terse manner of speaking, he replied in a tone as calm as a still lake:
"I sent Boruto away first. I only left after dealing with everything."
Hearing Rasa's brief explanation, Sakura bit her lip, hesitation appearing on her face.
Her eyes held confusion and a desire to probe further, but in the end, she didn't ask for details.
Seeing that Sakura didn't press him, Rasa sighed inwardly.
The relationship between Sakura and Sasuke, if examined closely, was extremely unequal.
Sakura was like someone chasing distant moonlight.
And Sasuke was the high moon, forever out of her reach.
To put it bluntly and unkindly: Sakura was a successful version of a female simp.
But it was precisely because of this dynamic that his identity was least likely to be exposed.
In front of this "simp" whose heart and eyes were filled only with him... the man who was her "white moonlight"... no matter what suspicious things he did, she would automatically rationalize them in her heart.
As long as he made her believe he was Sasuke...
Even actions completely out of character for Sasuke would find a reasonable explanation in her mind.
They arrived at a bedroom door. Sakura reached out and opened it gently.
Instantly, a faint fragrance wafted from the room—soft as a feather brushing the nose, warm and inviting.
Sakura helped Rasa onto the bed with extreme tenderness.
Then, she crouched down, her slender fingers holding Rasa's shoes as she gently removed them.
She picked up the quilt and covered him carefully.
After doing all this, Sakura spoke in a voice gentle as a trickling stream:
"Sasuke-kun, rest here for now. I'll go prepare a nutritious meal."
Rasa nodded slightly, his gaze following her figure until she quietly closed the door and left.
Then, Rasa's eyes wandered around the room.
Finally, his gaze settled firmly on a large photo hanging on the wall.
In the photo were a man and a woman. The woman's smile was like the brightest spring sunshine, full of joy and happiness.
The man, however, wore a face as cold as ice, as if nothing in the world could touch his heart.
Rasa stared quietly at the Sasuke Uchiha in the photo, who seemed to be staring back at him.
Rasa's eyes flickered.
Finally, he chuckled softly and whispered:
"Sasuke, I'm actually helping you."
"After all, without me taking your identity... imagine how heartbroken Sakura and Sarada would be if they learned of your death."
"Blame your bad luck in this timeline for dying in the battle against Urashiki."
Having said this, Rasa closed his eyes slowly, resting like a statue.
To be honest, Rasa neither liked nor hated Sasuke particularly.
If he had other choices, and if the coincidence hadn't been so perfect, he wouldn't have chosen to usurp Sasuke's identity.
Meanwhile, in a room across the hall.
Dressed in home clothes, Sarada Uchiha pushed her door open gently, yawning like a lazy cat.
She walked lightly into the bathroom to wash up.
After washing, now fully awake, Sarada's ears twitched slightly.
Surprise appeared on her face.
She walked out of the bathroom and headed toward the kitchen.
As she walked, she subconsciously pushed up her glasses and glanced at the clock in the living room.
seeing Sakura busy in the kitchen, Sarada confirmed she hadn't misheard.
Her eyes widened slightly, her voice full of surprise:
"Mama, why haven't you gone to work yet?"