Beneath the Summer Sky

Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

Nakatulog ako buong flight dahil sa pagod. Hindi na rin ako ginising nong tatlo kaya nong gumising ako ay tamang tama dahil siyang paglapag din ng eroplano!

Pagdating namin sa Japan nag check in agad kami sa hotel doon para magpahinga. Pagkagising namin agad kaming naghanda at tumungo sa mall para bumili ng mga gamit. After non ay tumungo na kami sa Nijigen-no-mori.

"Grabe, hindi ko inexpect na dadalhin mo kami dito, Silas!" halos tumalon na ko sa tuwa habang tinatanaw ang entrance ng Shinobi-zato sa harap namin.

Don pa lang sa gate natanaw ko na sina Jiraiya at Sakura kaya naman nong pumasok na kami sa loob, it feels like my inner child was healing.

Hugo led the way to the costume rental area. I decided on Hinata costume. When Silas saw me, he immediately grab Naruto’s iconic orange jacket na hawak ni Marco kaya walang naggawa si Marco kundi ang mag Jonin outfit na lang. While Hugo dressed as Kakashi, complete with the mask covering half of his face.

"Picture tayo!" yaya ko kaya mabilis silang lumapit sakin. Kumuha kami ng maraming shots, selfies, meron pang mga solos.

"San tayo?" tanong ni Hugo na feel na feel ang costume niya. He even got the book that Kakashi was reading! Yong Icha Icha na sinulat ni Jiraiya.

"We should definitely try the kunai throwing. I bet I could hit a bullseye," Silas challenged, his competitive side coming out.

We headed over to the kunai-throwing area, where targets were set up at different distances. The staff showed us how to hold the kunai properly before letting us take turns.

"Watch and learn, guy!" he said confidently, throwing his first kunai straight at the center of the target.

"Ang galing galing naman ng haciendero na yan!" I cheered, impressed by his accuracy. My turn wasn’t as successful, but I still managed to hit the target—just not the bullseye.

"Ano ba yan, walang ganyan sa lahi natin, Pansy. Mga sharpshooter tayo!" sabi ni Hugo at sinubukan din iyon. Thought he didn’t hit the center, but his kunai landed pretty close.

"Tama na ang yabang!" Marco laughed as he threw his kunai, which ended up veering off to the side, making us all burst out laughing.

We made our way to the replica of the Hokage’s office, where we could sit behind the desk and pretend to be the village leader. I took my turn sitting in the Hokage’s chair, imagining what it would be like to be responsible for an entire village.

"You look good as Hokage," Silas teased, taking a picture of me with his phone. Ginaya ko ang ilang mga pose ni Tsunade habang nakaupo doon kaya tawang tawa ang tatlong tukmol!

Pagkatapos namin doon ay sinubukan namin yong real-life Ichiraku Ramen.
The place was just like in the anime—cozy, warm, and filled with the mouthwatering aroma of ramen. Si Teuchi na lang talaga ang kulang.

"Why do you like Naruto so much, Pansy?" tanong ni Silas habang naiwan kaming nakaupo don. Naglibot libot na ulit kasi ang dalawa.

"Siguro dahil Naruto went through so many battles, not just against enemies, but within himself. He was lonely, misunderstood, and constantly trying to prove his worth to everyone around him. There were times when people saw him as nothing but trouble, but he kept fighting, not just for acceptance, but for something bigger—his place in the world."

"I guess you really relate to that, huh?"

Tumango ako at tinanaw ang tanawin sa labas. "Yeah, I do. I’ve had moments where I felt like I didn’t belong, like I was just going through the motions, trying to fit in where I clearly didn’t. I’ve faced my own internal struggles, the kind where you question everything about yourself, your purpose, and whether you’re ever going to find a place where you’re truly accepted for who you are," marahan akong tumawa at muli siyang binalingan ng tingin. "Naruto was rejected by almost everyone at first, but he didn’t let that define him. He kept going, kept believing that he could make a difference, not just for himself but for others too."