#nsday2024

Launching into action, she unleashed a flurry of furious strikes at Naruto. Her fists moved with lightning speed, powerful strikes aimed at his head and torso. Each punch fueled by determination, seeking to overpower her opponent with sheer force. The heavy but precise blows hammered at her opponent’s defense with surgical precision.

Stone faced, Naruto did not back down. With swift reflexes and honed skill, he evaded her with more thunderous attacks. When an opportunity presented itself, he took it. Every strike was a calculated risk, but an improvised movement. Variety was crucial. No repeated strategies, consecutive combinations, patterns, or habits. Flowing like water. While one hand skirted danger by deflecting a punch, the other hand was already attacking. Each hand moved in cohesion, uncertain of the other’s actions.

But the assault did not stop. Sakura pressed on, her attacks becoming more aggressive with each passing moment. Naruto remained unfazed; with confidence he stepped into the eye of the hurricane.

In the quiet embrace of the dojo, lit by the soft glow of paper lanterns, the battle spoke volumes. A mesmerizing dance of skill, strength, and passion. Their effortless grace was a testament to their years of combat.

Then Naruto spoke

“Sakura...” He huffed. “Will you marry me?”

She froze mid punch, her clenched fist hovering in the air inches from his face. Her brow furrowing in confusion, she squeaked, “What?”

Naruto grinned. “Will you marry me?”

Sakura scoffed, “Nice try. But I’m not falling for that. You want to distract me.”

“Why I would I want to distract you?”

“I’m two seconds away from knocking you out.”

“Knocking me out--? I would have dodged that punch...or blocked it—Not important, at least not right now.”

He looked her over. She remained locked up in her punching motion. A spot on imitation of an ice statue. 

“Okay...” Naruto pressed on. “It’s a little sudden, but....it came out. So... Will you marry me?”

Sakura’s eyes widened in shock, her mouth now hanging open in disbelief.

She stared at him. He shrugged. Her eyes narrowed, roaming, tracing invisible paths across his face.

“Stop it” Sakura stammered, her voice a mixture of astonishment and bewilderment.  “Stop playing around.”

“I’m not playing around,” Naruto said, a hopeful smile on his lips. “We were supposed to be playing and experimenting with this spar, but you-you were off a little intense.”

Sakura unlocked herself. Taking a half step back out of her punching form, she sighed and straightened herself up. “I’m sorry, I was really focused.”

“I noticed.”

“I was feeling it, y’know.”

“Yeah, my ribs are feeling it too. Feeling bruised.”

She stared again, with even more disbelief. “Naruto. Did you just... propose to me?”

He nodded.

Disbelief again, now mixed in with some frustration, Sakura shook her head. “You’re really doing this, aren’t you?”

Naruto nodded again, a small smile playing on his lips. “Absolutely. So, what do you say?”

“You can’t!”

“I-can’t?”

Absolutely not, particularly during a fight.

“A spar...”

“I just-”

“So, that’s a ‘no’ then?”

“I never said no,” she said. “Who said no?”

If not ‘no,’ then what?”

“I said you can’t. Naruto look at me.”

“I’m looking.”

“I’m all frazzled, I’m dirty, I’m sweaty...I stink- I -you can’t!” She exclaimed.

His head tilted in confusion. “But I can, I did.”

“But why now? Why here? I thought...I thought we were fighting.”

“Sparring.”

“Why?” She asked.

“Whyyy...” Naruto said out loud. “I don’t know, I...” His voice spiked “I love you.”

He coughed, clearing his throat. “Is that not a good enough answer?”

She answered with a stare.

“For the record. You’re always beautiful to me, even covered in sweat.”

“I love you, Naruto,” Sakura murmured, her cheeks crimson. “I love you,”

She paused. “But you couldn’t let me shower first?”

Their eyes met, and their breaths aligned. Glances interlocked, freezing time as they sparred again.

With a slow, almost imperceptible nod, Naruto spoke up, “I’m surprised.”

“Surprised?”

“I’m surprised. You’re so surprised that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I’m not,” she stopped short. Her eyes wandered the room for a moment before a nervous laugh escaped her lips. “OK... maybe....sometimes you wonder, right? You wonder if it’s real.”

One more round. Their eyes locked once again in a fierce embrace.

“It’s real, isn't it?” She said.

“Yeah it is.”

“I never imagined," she said following an audible gulp of air. "Someone would ask me to marry them while I’m sweating in a Gi with my dirty bare feet out.”

Naruto scratched at his cheek, “Alright I accept I got a little carried away with the moment. But it felt right.”

Sakura licked her lips. “I was going to win the fight.”

“The spar?”

“Yeah that...”

“Nah, I would have countered you at the perfect time. Maybe with a spinning dropkick.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah....Probably -Anyway if things started looking bad I’d summon some back up. I know a couple of frogs itching for a good figh-spar.”

Affection poured out from Sakura to the man standing across from her. Her cheeks flushed. She turned her head away from him. A tremor ran through her body. A ripple of emotion coursed along her shoulders. Her lips formed a question. She said nothing, however, as tears welled in her eyes, shimmering like dew drops. Then, a shy smile appeared on her face; it peeked out with caution before blossoming into joy. The dam burst, and the tears cascaded down her cheeks. Her body relaxed as she faced him, her eyes now showing more than affection.

“S-Sakura,” Naruto began, his voice shaky. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to say anything right now. Think about it. Take all the time you need--“

“Shut up,” Sakura whispered, her voice filled with emotion. “Idiot... Why did you do this when you already know my answer?”

Naruto drew in a sharp breath, “Is that a maybe?”

She moved fast, much faster than she had during the spar. She was on him before he could dodge, block, or blink. With a laugh, Sakura threw her arms around Naruto.

“Yes, Naruto. I’ll marry you.”

Naruto pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, his arms wrapped around her.

“I know that wasn’t that the most romantic moment Sakura but I promise I’ll be very romantic on our anniversary.”

“On all our anniversaries,” she declared, snuggling deeper into his embrace.

“All our anniversaries,” he corrected.

She rested her head on his chest. His arms embraced her. They swayed across the dojo floor. Their movements were fluid and effortless, as if they had danced together many times.

“Naruto, if someone asks about how you proposed, how will you explain what just happened? “

“She was going to knock me out, so I proposed.

Sakura smothered her laughter into his neck and shoulder. “Sounds about right.”

The end.