𝐀 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐄 ━━ S. UCHIHA

XXV

It's been a couple of days since our make-up session, and Sasuke and I have gotten so much better. Even though we don't talk much, only when Naruto or Sakura has something to say to me (like their apology for shoving me into that room... yeah, they sure got it), we aren't neck-and-neck. So I'm calling this a win!

After we resolved our small conflict, I suddenly found my life a lot more stress-free lately. Even Hinata, who doesn't even pay any mind to Sasuke, has noticed how much better I've been doing. After telling her what happened, she was extremely relieved we had gotten over the dispute, mentioning all of the positive changes resulting from ending our feud.

"These sorts of changes don't happen between normal people."

I force a cough. "Normal people? What am I, then? An alien?"

"Quiet, you snob," she giggles shyly. "I was referring to how it might connect to, well..."

"Well?" I query, tapping a finger against my cheek.

"I have a feeling these positive changes have something connected to your Soulmate Mark."

My Soulmate Mark.

I don't know why my mind never landed on that factor. This whole time, I've been experiencing weird rollercoasters of emotions, but I've hated the Uchiha for so long of a time, I just munched it with puberty and my CPS. I never really thought about the connections between a soulmates' relationship.

As a result, I began researching similar scenarios online, finding their stories to be almost identical to the outcome of mine. It made me wonder how important this whole 'soulmate' thing is.

I tried putting it past me as I looked forward to the rest of the week. Finals were now becoming a more serious topic, and then the project from Madara's which, thankfully, was progressing smoothly. The after school clubs are back in business, so there's no way I can simply let my mind off of it. There's too much going for me right now than some soulmate issue. I need to focus on my studies. Just, focus!

💮          💮          💮

I can't focus!

It's Friday, and I can't seem to get my mind off of it. The stories, the possibilities, it all made sense and that's why I'm overthinking everything. Why do I feel so much better just because I lost all of this hate for this one person who happens to be my soulmate? There's been no sign before, so why is there one now?

My club just ended, it's an indoor elective, one that involves sitting. The school prohibits me from taking an athletic club claiming it 'risks my health', which they're not wrong. Even in P.E., there are signs that I need to majorly take precautions.

So, I walk the halls and down the stairs. I'm the last one out, as usual, so the only thing I hear is the echoing of my footsteps against the walls. The summer light outside still gleamed, but it was the golden afternoon glare that gave me a fuzzy feeling.

Just as I was about to make a right turn at the staircase, squeaking and pounding echoed from the left. There are occasional shouts coming from the direction and random cheers. It didn't take me long to guess that it was the boys' basketball practice. They're going pretty late for practice. I wonder if it's because of their games, which start soon from what I've heard.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to check out the team, would it? Naruto did ask me to drop by one of these times, so I guess I'll do him the favor.

With a deep breath, I trot down the hallways and make it to the gymnasium. The echoing is a lot louder than before, conversations now understandable, instead of the murmurs I was hearing before. I don't bother opening the door, afraid that it would bring attention to me. There's a small rectangular window allowing me enough to peek into the large gym with a ceiling twice as high as the first floor. The floor is vast since we only have one usable gym, meant for several different sports offered here. Players of all sorts—volleyball, basketball, net sports, et Cetera—dotted the shiny floor. Shouts, squeals, smacks, bounces, cheers, and laughter filled the walls of the gym.