Escape [Sasuke Uchiha]

Chapter 34: The Long-Awaited Match

Recap:

I smirked and said in response, "Fine. But you better win this fight because it'll make you look like a fool if you lose to him. The Uchiha name is on the line here."

His smirk stretched wide with self-confidence, but his tender gaze remained the same while he stared down at me, "I don't plan on losing to anyone today, especially you."

***

Ayuda's P.O.V

I felt a light object was placed on my left shoulder. I turned my head slightly to get a glimpse of what it was. It was a hand that, judging from its size and texture, belonged to a male. I knew in an instant of whose hand it was. I trailed my gaze from the hand to its owner. It was undoubtedly Kaito. He was the only boy in the arena that could touch me freely and appropriately.

He told me, "We should go now. The match is about to start."

I nodded my head, "Alright," I paused as I looked around and quickly realized that Naruto and Shikamaru weren't with us anymore. I asked with curiosity, "Where are the other two?"

"Naruto and Shikamaru?" Kaito apprised me, "They walked off a few seconds ago. I think they are using the stairs by now."

"Oh," I emitted the brief noise. I took a quick glance at Sasuke. He had a deep scowl played across his face and his glare was directed at something else. There was no doubt that he was looking straight at Gaara.

"Hey! Let's meet up with Kazuki! Sakura, Ino, Chouji, Kakashi-sensei, Guy-sensei, and Rock Lee are there with him too!" Kaito suggested eagerly as he narrowed his eyes on a certain spot among the crowd of audiences.

"Hah?" my two eyebrows arched in surprise. I voiced out my thought and concern, "We are the contestants of the final exam. Can we really go there just like that? I thought we are supposed to be in the waiting room."

Kaito chuckled, "Of course we can go there! Even if it's against the rule, no one will have the time to punish us! Everyone will be too busy watching Sasuke's and Gaara's match! Let's go, Ayuda-chan!"

I heaved a silent sigh before he and I jumped away onto one particular area where onlookers were seated. Kaito was leading us the way to the spot where Kazuki and the others have ensconced themselves and once we reached there, Kazuki and Kaito immediately engaged in a conversation while I asked Rock Lee how he was doing.

"Oh, it's about to start," Guy notified us.

Kaito and I did not bother to search any empty seat. We didn't have to look everywhere and we already knew in our minds that there is no seat available, especially at this moment when Sasuke's and Gaara's battle is about to begin. We remained standing next to Rock Lee while the two teachers stood behind us. Our eyes were fixed on the three boys (Genma, Sasuke, and Gaara) in the arena.

To be frank, I was no different with any other spectators here. I was as eager as them all when it comes to this battle. I couldn't contain my excitement to watch how this match ended. My parents and Reina also expressed their interests in this fight when we had our dinner together.

This was the battle that everyone had been looking forward to.

Deafening silence arose as Gaara and Sasuke locked eyes with one another. The ravenette wore a solemn look with unshakable tenacity while the redhead's lips curled into a smirk that told me that something egregious was about to befall here.

No way. Nothing awful is going to happen here. If one of them tries to kill the other, the judge and some jounins will step in and stop them. Yes, that's it. Nothing bad is going to happen here... right?