You and Lee had finally found Naruto amidst the lively streets of Konoha. As soon as the blond came into view, Lee turned to you with an apologetic yet reassuring smile.

"I just remembered—I have something important to take care of!" he announced, striking a dramatic pose. "But do not worry, (Y/n)! You will be safe with Naruto!"

You nodded, watching as Lee gave you a thumbs-up before sprinting off in the opposite direction at full speed. He was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving only a swirl of dust in his wake.

Shaking your head in amusement, you turned your attention back to Naruto.

"Hey, Naruto!" you called out.

Naruto, who had been slurping up the last of his ramen, jolted so hard he nearly choked. His chopsticks clattered onto the counter, and he whipped around, eyes wide with disbelief.

He knew that voice. He knew it all too well.

"(Y/n)?" he exclaimed, staring at you as if you'd just appeared out of thin air. "But—how?!"

His blue eyes darted around, as if expecting someone to jump out and explain the situation. As far as he knew, you were supposed to be bound to your flower field, unable to leave its confines. He had accepted that fact, believed it was just the way things were. But now, here you were, standing in front of him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Naruto rubbed his eyes, then blinked rapidly. "No way, I'm losing my mind—are you actually here? Like, really here?!"

You couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, I guess I found a way to leave as long as one of my flower clones stays behind."

Naruto gawked at you for a moment before breaking into the biggest, most excited grin. "THAT'S SO COOL!" he shouted, loud enough that a few people turned their heads. "This means you can finally see Konoha for real!"

Before you could respond, he grabbed your wrist and practically dragged you down the street.

"C'mon, c'mon! There's so much to show you! You have to try Ichiraku Ramen! Oh, and I gotta introduce you to everyone—well, most of them, 'cause some of 'em are kinda grumpy, but whatever! OH, and we gotta check out the Hokage Monument! Have you seen it yet?! It's got Old Man Hokage's face and—wait, hold on, let's go to the market first—no, wait, Ichiraku! NO, THE TRAINING GROUNDS—AAH, there's so much to do!"

You laughed as Naruto continued his chaotic rambling, his excitement radiating like the sun itself. Being here, with him, in a place so full of life—it was overwhelming, but in the best way.

...

You were back in your field, carefully tending to the delicate blooms, your fingers brushing over soft petals as you carried out your usual routine. The gentle rustling of leaves and the sweet scent of flowers filled the air, bringing a sense of peace—until a sharp, piercing pain struck your chest.

You gasped, gripping the fabric over your heart as an invisible force squeezed at it. Confused, you glanced around, your eyes widening when you spotted something unnatural among the sea of blossoms.

Sand.

A slow-moving tide of golden grains slithered across the ground, creeping over your flowers and crushing them one by one. You winced again as the pain flared in sync with each flower's destruction, a deep, aching pull that made your breath hitch.

Your gaze followed the path of destruction until it stopped at a lone figure standing at the edge of your field.

The boy stood eerily still, his pale skin nearly ghost-like beneath the dimming light. His sharp, seafoam green eyes, rimmed with deep, dark circles, held a chilling emptiness—cold, distant, and unreadable. The kanji for "love" was etched into his forehead, stark against his messy red hair, a permanent scar of something far deeper than mere ink. Draped in a maroon tunic and secured by a sand-colored sash, his lean frame appeared deceptively fragile, but the massive, cracked gourd strapped to his back spoke of something far more dangerous. The sand that trickled from it moved unnaturally, shifting and curling as if it were alive, waiting for a command.

Silent and unmoving, he exuded an aura of quiet menace—less like a boy and more like a specter looming over the ruins of something fragile.

You swallowed, feeling your heartbeat drum against your ribs, but you forced yourself to take a small step forward.

"Um, hello!" you greeted, trying to keep your voice steady.

The boy's cold gaze snapped up, his focus shifting entirely to you. The sand stopped its slow destruction, freezing mid-motion as if the mere sound of your voice had disrupted whatever trance he had been in.

You hesitated for a moment before continuing, choosing your words carefully. "It hurts whenever you crush my flowers. Can you... please not do that?"

Your tone was as kind as possible, gentle yet firm. You weren't sure what to expect—anger? Indifference? A deeper wave of pain?

But instead, the boy only stared.

His expression remained unreadable, yet something flickered behind his eerie green eyes. Confusion, perhaps. Curiosity. Or something else, something heavier.

The sand slowly slithered back toward him, retreating as if obeying an unspoken command.

"...You can feel it?" His voice was low, raspy, barely above a whisper.

You nodded, pressing a hand to your chest where the pain had begun to fade. "Yeah. My flowers are connected to me, so when they get hurt... I do too."

He didn't respond right away. His gaze dropped to the crushed flowers, then back to you, as if piecing together something foreign and unfamiliar. His fingers twitched at his side, his body stiff and rigid, like he was fighting the instinct to command his sand to lash out again.

No one had ever asked him kindly not to hurt something. People either feared him or fought him. No one had ever told him that something as small as a flower's pain could matter.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he hesitated.

"...I didn't know," he finally said. His voice was barely audible, but it wasn't hostile.

A small, hesitant smile formed on your lips. "Well... now you do."

A strange silence settled between you both. The tension lingered, but the air around him no longer felt suffocating. The way he watched you now was different—less like a predator studying prey and more like a child staring at something they didn't quite understand.

And for the first time, the sand stayed still.

A/n - Guys... I'm already in love with him, I loved writing him so much!!!!!!! Can you guess who this mysterious guy is??? ^^

(1157 𝘞𝘖𝘙𝘋𝘚)