Naruto jabbed a finger at the sky for emphasis.

She turned her glare from the path, letting it sweep over the group. It lingered on you for a half-second, a flicker of something unreadable—frustration? awkwardness?—before she looked away, back down the empty road.

Naruto stopped bouncing, his own frustration morphing into a sly, conspiratorial grin. He sidled a little closer to Sakura, though still keeping a respectful distance from your quiet corner.

Naruto’s grin didn’t falter. He scratched the back of his head, his eyes darting towards you, then quickly away.

He said it like an invitation, but it hung in the air, awkward and heavy. An offer extended to a ghost. The silence stretched, filled only by the gentle rush of the river below.