Teacher's Wife

Chapter 8

As Naruto bared his feelings, Hinata's eyes widened in surprise, caught off guard by the unexpected revelation. "Naruto, I—" she began, but he gently let go of her arm, interrupting her.

"I know you're already in a relationship. I just had to tell you how I feel," he admitted, his demeanor shifting to a mixture of awkwardness and sincerity. He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit surfacing in the face of vulnerability.

A pang of guilt settled in Hinata's chest, her secret marriage to Sasuke weighing on her conscience. She took a deep breath, summoning the courage to respond. "Naruto, I appreciate your feelings for me," she murmured, her gaze avoiding his, unable to meet the intensity in his eyes.

Naruto's expression fell, disappointment etched on his features, though he nodded understandingly. "I'm sorry, Hinata. I didn't mean to make things awkward between us," he apologized, attempting to conceal the lingering sadness beneath his understanding facade.

Hinata managed a sympathetic smile, trying to ease the tension. "It's okay, Naruto. I'm glad you told me how you feel. I just hope we can still be friends," she expressed, reaching out to offer him a comforting hug.

Naruto embraced her, a mixture of emotions swirling within him. Happiness for her, knowing she had someone who cared for her, yet a subtle undercurrent of sadness lingered, fueled by the unspoken desire that it could have been him. As they separated from the embrace, the unspoken complexities of their relationship hung in the air, leaving both with a sense of unresolved emotions.

---🌟---

Sakura let out a frustrated groan as she slumped down in her seat next to Ino. "I just got rejected again," she complained. Ino glanced up from her phone briefly to respond, "I told you, he's not the type to cheat."

Sakura let out another sigh and rested her head on the table. Without looking up from her phone, Ino consoled her friend by patting her on the back. "I think you should give up on him. Sure, he's a hot teacher and it's okay to have a crush on him and maybe flirt a little, but he's already said that he's married and we should respect that," Ino advised.

Sakura lifted her head to respond with a pout. "But he's so hot!" she whined.

Ino finally looked up from her phone and fixed Sakura with a stern gaze. "I get it, he's hot," she said, "but you have to stop this." Sakura groaned and rested her head back on the table, her eyes fixated on the wooden surface in front of her. "Maybe after we graduate," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Ino rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "You're hopeless, Sakura," she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

Sakura sat up and glared at Ino. "I am not hopeless! I just...really like him," she protested, crossing her arms defensively. Ino gave her a sympathetic look. "I know, Sakura, but you have to face the reality of the situation. He's married and you're his student. It's never going to happen." Sakura slumped in her seat, feeling defeated. "I know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's just hard to let go." Ino reached and patted her friend's hand. "I know it is, but you're strong. You'll get through this. Plus there's always Kakashi. He's single, and you've got to admit, he's a pretty hot teacher," she suggested with a sly grin.

Sakura's eyes widened, and she looked at Ino with a mixture of disbelief and disgust. "Kakashi? Seriously?" she retorted, her tone filled with disdain.

Ino chuckled, finding amusement in Sakura's reaction. "Come on, he's not that bad. And at least he's not married," she pointed out, trying to inject some humor into the situation.

Sakura shook her head, still not convinced. "I can't believe you'd even suggest that. Kakashi? No, thanks," she replied, dismissing the idea with a wave of her hand.