The Chevrolet Chevelle's engine roared to life as Naruto sat behind the wheel, his hands loosely gripping the steering wheel while Sasuke and Shisui stood off to the side, observing the dyno's readings. The car's deep rumble vibrated through the garage, echoing off the walls like a wild beast barely contained. Naruto grinned, feeling the power in the machine, the vibrations humming under his skin.

Shisui tapped a few buttons on the dyno control panel before nodding in satisfaction. "Alright, we're done here. She's making 623 horsepower now, up from 450 when she was stock." He scratched the back of his head. "Pretty damn good, but I still don't know if it's gonna be enough."

Naruto leaned out of the car window, grinning. "Enough for what? Scaring the hell out of everyone? 'Cause mission accomplished."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, arms crossed over his chest. "Not what Shisui meant, dumbass. Ino's Porsche is pushing 620 horses too. We're neck and neck in power. We need more if we want to dominate."

Naruto let out a low whistle. "620? Damn, didn't think her little car had that much bite. Guess we're not gonna have to baby her along after all."

"Oh, shut up." Ino's voice cut in as she strode into the garage, her arms crossed as she glared at Naruto. "And for the record, my 'little car' is going to be held back by you if you don't learn how to handle that thing properly."

Naruto smirked. "Yeah, yeah, we'll see about that, princess. Try not to have any brain farts on the track this time."

Ino's glare sharpened. "Brain farts?! I—"

Sakura cleared her throat loudly before things could escalate. "Enough, both of you. We've got bigger problems than who has the bigger ego. We need to focus on the next race."

Naruto snorted, leaning back in the driver's seat. "Yeah, yeah. I'm focused. You don't see me picking fights with Ino, do you?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "Only because you know you'll lose."

Sakura sighed dramatically, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Guys, seriously. Focus."

Naruto and Ino begrudgingly shut their mouths, but the competitive spark between them was far from gone. Sasuke, meanwhile, kept his eyes on the car, clearly deep in thought.

"We could probably squeeze more out of the engine," he muttered, almost to himself. "But we're already pushing the budget cap for our tier. Any more upgrades and we'll get flagged for overspending."

Shisui nodded in agreement. "Yeah, unless brass increases the spending limit, we're tapped out."

Sakura glanced at the two of them, arms crossed as she leaned against the tool bench. "Well, then, the answer's obvious. We need to win. If we move to the next stage, we'll get a bigger budget, and maybe Hiashi will be willing to invest more in us."

"Good luck convincing him," Sasuke mumbled, shaking his head. "He's already 'tolerating' us because we're third. But if we don't finish strong in this next race, we're toast. Only two teams from Konoha are going to the next stage, and right now we're hanging on by a thread."

Ino sighed, leaning against her Porsche. "No pressure, then."

Sakura shot her a sharp look. "No pressure, but yeah. A first or second place finish, and we might get some breathing room."

Naruto shrugged, glancing between the team. "Well, I guess that means you and me gotta play nice, Ino. We've got a two-man team race next, and we need to practice working together if we want to win."

Ino scoffed, shooting him a sideways glance. "I don't need to play nice with you to win. I'll just carry the team."

Naruto barked out a laugh. "Oh yeah? Carry a functioning brain to the track first."

Sakura threw her hands up. "For the love of—! Will you two just shut up and focus?"

Ino and Naruto both fell silent, though Naruto's grin didn't falter. Ino, on the other hand, glared daggers at him but said nothing.

Sakura took a breath and softened her tone. "Look, you two need to learn how to work together. This race isn't a relay like before, but it's still a team effort. If you don't start practicing coordination now, we'll be out before you can blink."

Shisui nodded in agreement. "Sakura's right. You both need to get in sync during practice, or we're gonna be toast."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Fine, but practice means I get to drive your car, right, Ino?"

"Absolutely not," Ino shot back, folding her arms. "Keep your hands off my baby, thank you very much."

"Touchy," Naruto muttered under his breath, earning another glare from Ino.

Sasuke, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly chimed in. "By the way, did you guys notice the new logos on the cars yet?"

Naruto blinked and glanced down at his Chevelle's quarter panel. A sleek logo reading BiteVille had been stamped on the car. Lower on the door, he spotted another logo for FrostFizz soda.

"What the—? When did we pick up sponsors?"

Sakura smiled, crossing her arms. "After the last race. BiteVille and FrostFizz both decided to sponsor us, but there's a catch."

Ino's curiosity piqued. "What catch?"

"We only keep them if we qualify for the next stage," Sakura said, matter-of-factly. "If we don't, we lose them—and the bonuses they're offering."

Naruto frowned. "Bonuses? What bonuses?"

Sakura's smile grew smug. "BiteVille's offering fifty grand. FrostFizz is throwing in forty."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Ninety grand? Damn, why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"Because you would've started planning what to spend it on instead of focusing," Sakura replied smoothly. "But now you know. So we need to qualify, or else we're walking away with nothing."

Shisui chuckled, shaking his head. "An extra ninety grand wouldn't hurt, huh?"

Sasuke mumbled, "BiteVille's got great burgers, too. That's enough motivation for me."

Naruto let out a low laugh. "I'm with you there. I'm starving just thinking about it."

Sakura rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Alright, burger cravings aside, can we please focus on the fact that if we don't win this next race, it's over?"

The team collectively nodded, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

Shisui clapped his hands together. "Well, we've got a lot of work to do. First things first—Naruto and Ino need to stop acting like toddlers and start practicing."

Ino shot Shisui a look. "Excuse me, I'm not the problem here."

Naruto grinned. "Yeah, she's just in denial about needing my help."

Sakura threw her hands up again. "I'm going to murder both of you."

The banter continued as the team discussed strategy, but beneath the jokes and jabs, there was an understanding—they had to qualify, no matter what it took. Everything was on the line, and Team 7 wasn't about to go down without a fight.

Later that night, Naruto walked out of the garage, the faint sound of tools clinking still echoing in the background as everyone wrapped up for the night. He glanced around, his eyes landing on Ino standing by the curb, illuminated by the streetlight, her attention fully absorbed by her phone. She had a small, almost secretive smile on her face as she tapped away.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked over.

"Ino," he called casually.

Ino jumped, almost dropping her phone, her fingers fumbling to lock the screen. She looked up, a mix of panic and annoyance crossing her face as she hurried to hide the device.

"What are you hiding?" Naruto asked, smirking at her suspicious behavior.

"N-nothing!" Ino snapped, her voice a bit too high. "Why are you always snooping around? It's none of your business, Naruto."

Naruto chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Okay, okay. Relax. Didn't know it was a secret mission or something." He gestured vaguely towards the road. "I was just wondering if Hinata's coming to pick you up?"

Ino folded her arms, narrowing her eyes at him. "And why do you care? What, are you in love with her or something?"

Naruto froze, his eyes widening in shock. "What?! No! I mean—what?!" He stammered, flailing his arms defensively. "I never said anything like that! I just—uh..."

Ino raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to finish.

"I just wanted to ask if I could... y'know, get a ride." Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm still a bit short on cash, and, uh... Sakura, well... she kinda snarled at me when I asked to borrow some earlier."

Before Naruto could finish explaining, Ino cut him off with a sharp scoff. "You seriously need to stop bugging me about Hinata. It's getting weird."

Naruto blinked, taken aback. "I'm not bugging you—"

"Yeah, sure," Ino interrupted, looking away with an almost embarrassed expression. She muttered under her breath, "It's not like I'd know anything about crushes on dark-haired, soft-spoken people with nice cars or anything…"

Naruto blinked again, then narrowed his eyes at her. "Wait a minute... that sounded oddly specific."

Ino's face immediately flushed. She opened her mouth, trying to come up with a retort, but her brain seemed to be working against her. She stuttered a few times, before groaning in frustration.

"Shut up, Naruto! Mind your own business!" she snapped, crossing her arms tightly.

Before Naruto could say anything, the sound of a car horn cut through the night. Both of them turned to see a sleek, white BMW pull up near the curb. The passenger window rolled down, and Naruto could just make out Hinata behind the wheel, giving them both a friendly wave.

Naruto suddenly felt a twinge of nervousness. Great, now I have to ask her for another ride, he thought, already feeling guilty for mooching off of her generosity.

Ino sighed dramatically. "Looks like your chariot has arrived," she muttered, walking towards the car. She waved Naruto forward. "Come on, let's see if Hinata's in the mood to chauffeur my financially-disabled teammate."

Naruto rolled his eyes but followed her. When they reached the car, Ino leaned against the door and greeted Hinata with a grin. "Hey, Hinata! Do you mind giving this guy a ride? I don't know if you've picked it up, but he's broke as FUCK." She jerked her thumb at Naruto.

Hinata glanced over at Naruto with a soft smile, her eyes warm and patient. "I don't mind at all," she said kindly. Then, with a light scolding tone, she added, "But, Ino, you don't have to be so rude."

Ino shrugged, unrepentant, and slipped into the passenger seat with ease. "Yeah, yeah, I'm just being realistic," she said, waving Naruto forward to get in the back.

Naruto sighed inwardly, relieved. Thank god I don't have to sit up front with Hinata, he thought, not sure if he could handle that level of awkwardness tonight. He really wanted to thank her properly for helping him with his last race, but not in front of Ino. He'd have to wait until they were alone.

"Thanks for the ride, Hinata," Naruto mumbled quickly as he opened the back door and climbed inside. He closed the door behind him and leaned back, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease slightly now that the situation had been diffused.

Ino shot him a sidelong glance from the front, smirking. "You're lucky Hinata's so nice. If it were me, I'd make you walk home."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at her in the rearview mirror. "Well, good thing you're not the one driving, then."

Hinata just giggled softly, and Naruto felt his face heat up a little. As the car pulled away from the curb, the tension between him and Ino slowly dissolved, replaced by the comfortable hum of the engine and the steady rhythm of the road beneath them.

But in the back of his mind, Naruto knew he still had to thank Hinata. He'd just have to wait for the right moment.

Naruto lay sprawled out on his bed, his phone resting lazily on his chest. The faint glow of the screen illuminated the ceiling as he absentmindedly scrolled through messages. His mind kept circling back to one thing—he still hadn't thanked Hinata properly for helping him with the drift event. Sure, she'd given him a ride home earlier, but the real thanks was overdue.

He tapped out a message, keeping it simple:

Naruto: Hey, what's up?

He hit send, then sighed and placed his phone beside him, staring up at the ceiling. She was probably still driving. He closed his eyes for a moment, mentally preparing himself for bed. But just as he was getting comfortable, his phone buzzed.

Naruto blinked, picking up his phone in surprise. Hinata had replied.

Hinata: I'm good.

Naruto exhaled, relieved she answered. He stared at the screen for a second, trying to figure out the right words to say. Screw it, he thought. He'd just wing it. He quickly typed out a response:

Naruto: I just wanted to thank you for what you did for me.

He hit send, then immediately second-guessed himself. Wait, that sounded too vague. He quickly followed up with another message:

Naruto: I mean teaching me how to drift, not giving me a ride or anything lol.

Satisfied with the clarification, he waited again. The seconds stretched on a bit longer this time. Just when he was about to set the phone down again, it buzzed.

Hinata: You're welcome.

Naruto frowned slightly, a suspicious thought creeping into his head. He quickly typed out a new message:

Naruto: You're not still driving, are you?

There was a brief pause, and then the telltale three dots popped up, showing that she was typing. They lingered for a moment longer than usual, then finally her message came through:

Hinata: Maybe...

Naruto sighed, but he couldn't help but smile. He quickly typed out a reply:

Naruto: Come on, texting and driving is bad, you know! Put the damn phone down!

A few seconds passed before her response came in:

Hinata: How am I supposed to respond to your endless spam of texts if I don't use my phone?

Naruto laughed softly, shaking his head as he typed back:

Naruto: Fair point. Sorry for blowing up your phone.

Hinata: It's okay.

Suddenly, another message popped up—this one was a picture. Naruto opened it and saw Hinata sitting in her car, smiling softly at the camera. The car was parked, thankfully, and the caption read:

Hinata: See? I'm off the street now, so go ahead and spit out whatever you wanted to tell me.

Naruto chuckled again, typing back quickly:

Naruto: Doesn't it feel good to obey traffic rules?

Hinata: It'll take some getting used to.

Naruto grinned, and then finally got serious for a moment. He sent another message:

Naruto: Thanks again for helping me learn how to drift. Honestly, if it wasn't for you, our team would've been toast by now.

There was a pause before her next message came in:

Hinata: I didn't mind. I'm happy for the team.

Another brief pause.

Hinata: I'm happy for you too.

Naruto stared at the screen for a moment, feeling a slight warmth in his chest. He thought for a second, then typed out a simple response:

Naruto: Good to know.

Hinata's next message came through soon after:

Hinata: Why didn't you thank me earlier in the car?

Naruto blinked, caught off guard by the question. He thought for a moment before replying:

Naruto: Honestly, it felt kinda awkward with Ino sitting there. She'd probably make fun of me or something.

Hinata's reply was quick this time.

Hinata: I get that.

Naruto grinned, feeling the conversation settle into a comfortable rhythm. He typed another message, teasing her slightly:

Naruto: You should probably get going home before you get robbed or something. Streets are dangerous at night, y'know?

Hinata's response came quickly, and it made Naruto chuckle:

Hinata: It's okay, my car's bulletproof.

Naruto shook his head in disbelief, typing back with a grin:

Naruto: That is not something I expected to read tonight.

Hinata's response was simple, just a laughing emoji. Naruto couldn't help but smile at her playful side. He let a moment pass, his fingers hovering over the screen. He hesitated for a second, then finally typed out what had been on his mind:

Naruto: Hey, would you wanna come watch our final race? You could see your student in action.

He hit send, but before he could dwell too much on it, his bedroom door suddenly swung open. Naruto jolted, startled as his mom, Kushina, poked her head into the room.

"Naruto! Are you coming down for dinner, or are you planning on starving up here?"

Naruto groaned, slapping his forehead dramatically. "Mom! You can't just barge in like that! What if I was doing something... personal? Like, I don't know, drugs or something? You wouldn't wanna see that!"

Kushina rolled her eyes, leaning on the doorframe. "If you don't want me barging into your room, maybe you should think about getting your own place with that big corporate money you're making at Hyuuga Enterprises."

Naruto scoffed, sitting up. "Yeah, yeah, I'll move out when I feel like it," he muttered. "Maybe after I finish this last cup ramen."

Kushina smirked. "Good, then get your ass downstairs before I eat your dinner too."

She gave him one last look before disappearing back into the hallway, her footsteps fading as she made her way downstairs. Naruto rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the smile tugging at his lips as he reached for his phone again.

As he glanced down at the screen, a grin broke across his face. Hinata had finally responded:

Hinata: Okay.

Naruto chuckled to himself, shaking his head. He didn't know why, but somehow that simple "okay" made him feel lighter.

Looks like I've got a cheerleader for the final race, he thought, feeling a sense of excitement and contentment wash over him as he stood up to head downstairs.

Sasuke wiped his brow, glancing at the clock on the garage wall. 9:55 PM. Five more minutes and he'd call it quits for the night. He was just putting the finishing touches on Ino's car before the big race, and honestly, he was feeling the pressure.

Beside him, Sakura was sitting on a stool, her laptop balanced on her knees, aimlessly scrolling through social media. Her expression was distant, clearly not paying much attention to what was on the screen.

Without looking up from his work, Sasuke grunted, "You're not heading home soon?"

Sakura startled a bit at his voice. She let out a nervous chuckle, slamming the laptop shut. "Yeah… 'working.''' Her voice wavered slightly, betraying the fact that she had been scrolling through memes for the last half hour.

Sakura set her laptop down on a nearby desk and stood, a mischievous glint in her eye as she sidled over to Sasuke's side, hands behind her back.

Feeling her presence close to him, Sasuke stiffened slightly. He didn't like how his body seemed to react whenever she got too close. "What're you doing?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even.

Sakura grinned, swaying innocently from side to side. "Just bored… and a little curious."

Sasuke shot her a side-eye, mumbling, "I'm just tinkering with Ino's car. Big race coming up and all that." He paused, then added more quietly, "Kinda nervous about it, to be honest."

Sakura's expression softened as she placed her hand over his on the wrench he was holding. "You've got this," she said, her voice full of confidence. "We've got this. The whole team is unbeatable when we work together." With a playful tone, she added. "Plus you're in no position to pussy around, you're pretty much the beating heart of this team."

Sasuke felt heat rise to his cheeks, but he fought back the smile threatening to break through. He glanced at her hand over his, then back at her, trying to act cool. "Yeah, well… don't forget about Shisui. He's part of the team, too."

Sakura made a mock-surprised face. "Oh, right! Him! He kinda crossed my mind, I guess."

They both laughed lightly, and for a moment, it felt like everything was easy. Natural.

Then, Sakura realized her hand was still on his. Her eyes widened slightly, and she pulled back her hand way too quickly, her cheeks now a faint pink. Sasuke, equally flustered, awkwardly cleared his throat. "I'm… uh, I'm gonna grab more tools from inside."

Without waiting for a response, Sasuke stood up a little too fast and quickly left the garage, disappearing inside the house. Sakura was left standing there, still a little pink, mentally berating herself.

Get it together, Sakura!

She bit her lip, her mind flashing back to what Naruto had said the other day. "Sasuke's suuuper into you, you know." She'd laughed it off at the time, but now… maybe Naruto was right.

For the first time in a long time, a surge of confidence bubbled up inside her. She wasn't imagining things. She could feel it—there was something between her and Sasuke. And tonight… tonight she was going to confess to him. She wasn't going to let the big race get in the way.

Sakura quickly reached for her purse, fumbling for her lipstick. She let her hair down, smoothing out her clothes as she nervously glanced toward the door, expecting Sasuke to walk back in any second. Maybe a little touch-up wouldn't hurt. She quickly unscrewed the cap of her lipstick and began applying it, feeling a bit silly for reapplying makeup this late at night, but who cared?

Just as she was finishing up, the door creaked open. Startled, Sakura jerked, causing the tube of lipstick to slip from her hands and fall straight into Ino's engine bay.

"Crap," she muttered under her breath, frantically trying to regain her composure before whoever walked in.

But instead of Sasuke, it was Itachi.

Sakura froze, her face burning. "Oh, um… hey, Itachi. Have you seen Sasuke?"

Itachi raised a brow, looking vaguely amused. "He just went inside. You okay?"

"Yeah! Totally fine! Just, you know… hanging out…" She waved her hands a little too quickly, laughing nervously. She felt like an idiot.

Itachi looked at her for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Right… well, goodnight." He closed the door behind him, leaving Sakura standing there, her heart racing.

The second the door closed, she whipped around, muttering a string of curses under her breath. She grabbed her phone from her pocket, turning on the flashlight and crouching down to peer into the engine bay.

Sure enough, the lipstick had fallen deep inside, wedged in a hard-to-reach corner.

"Damn it, Ino's going to kill me," she groaned, reaching her hand in to try and fish it out. Her fingers barely grazed the tube.

"Why does this stuff always happen to me?" she grumbled to herself, twisting her body in an awkward angle, desperately trying to reach the fallen lipstick.

As she strained, her mind was racing. What would Sasuke think if he came back and saw her doing this? What if he thought she was being clumsy? What if—

She cursed again, her hand slipping as she fumbled with her phone. This was turning into a disaster.

Why is confessing to Sasuke this hard?

She let out an exasperated sigh, her face still flushed as she continued to fish for her lipstick.

Inside the house, Sasuke pushed open the door and stepped into the kitchen, letting out a long breath. The cool air was a welcome change from the stifling heat of the garage. He grabbed a glass from the cabinet, filled it with water, and leaned against the counter, taking a few gulps to clear his head.

Calm down, Sasuke, he told himself. It's not a big deal. It's just Sakura. She's been your friend for years. Why are you acting like an idiot?

But the more he thought about it, the more nervous he got. He could still feel the warmth of her hand on his, the softness of her voice when she said they had this. His heartbeat quickened just thinking about it.

"Get a grip," he muttered to himself, rubbing his temples. "Just go back in there and act normal."

He suddenly felt a presence behind him. Sasuke turned his head, startled, and found Itachi leaning casually against the doorway, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Stop staring at me like a creep," Sasuke groaned, setting the glass down.

Itachi chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with amusement. "It's just funny seeing you like this."

Sasuke scowled, narrowing his eyes. "Like what?"

Itachi pushed off the doorframe, strolling into the kitchen. "Oh, you know. The 'girl I like is alone in a dark room and I'm too scared to be near her' kind of state."

Sasuke groaned, pressing a hand to his face. "When are you going back to your house downtown and leaving me in peace?"

"I'm leaving in two days, actually," Itachi replied with a shrug. "But before I go… I've gotta say, you and Sakura have been doing this 'will they, won't they' thing for like, what? Six years now? You two should just make up your minds already."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, but he faltered. He hated that Itachi had a point. Still, he wasn't going to let his older brother win this conversation. "It's none of your business."

Itachi raised an eyebrow, the smirk never leaving his face. "Well, if you're really not madly in love with her, you won't mind if I make a move on her, then."

Sasuke gagged dramatically, setting the glass down a bit too hard. "First of all, you're way too old for her. Second, you're with Izumi. Third, you're the most monogamous person I know. You'd never go after someone else."

Itachi chuckled again, as if thoroughly enjoying himself. "You've got a point. But still…" He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "You should shoot your shot, little brother. Before you watch her drift away."

Sasuke sighed, feeling his defenses soften a little. He's not wrong, he thought begrudgingly.

Seeing his younger brother's resolve cracking, Itachi leaned even closer, his voice a teasing whisper. "Do you want my help?"

Sasuke stiffened immediately, pulling back. "No! I don't want your help with Sakura."

Itachi's eyebrows rose, and his smirk deepened. "So, you do have something for Sakura."

Sasuke stuttered, "I—I didn't say that!"

"Uh-huh," Itachi drawled, clearly not buying it.

Sasuke clenched his fists, trying to hold onto whatever was left of his dignity. "I'm going to close the garage."

As he made his way to the door, Itachi called after him, "It's your choice, Sasuke. But don't wait too long."

Sasuke ignored him, pushing the door open and stepping out into the night. The cool air hit his face, but it didn't do much to calm the swirl of thoughts racing through his mind.

Why is this so complicated?

He walked slowly back to the garage, feeling a knot of nerves tighten in his stomach with each step. It wasn't like he'd never thought about confessing to Sakura. He'd thought about it plenty of times over the years. But the idea of ruining their friendship, of making things awkward between them, always held him back.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. What am I supposed to do?

As he approached the garage door, he paused for a moment, his hand hovering over the handle. His mind raced through every possible outcome of what could happen next. If he told her how he felt, and she didn't feel the same… could they still be friends? Would things ever go back to the way they were?

Sasuke leaned his head against the door, exhaling sharply. "Get it together," he muttered to himself.

Pushing down the nerves, he finally grabbed the handle and opened the door. He was about to walk inside, but hesitated once more, a small voice in his head asking if maybe tonight wasn't the right time.

He sighed deeply, knowing he'd have to face her, one way or another.

Sakura groaned, her fingers stretching as far as they could go, desperately trying to reach the lipstick that had slipped into the depths of Ino's car engine. "Dammit," she cursed under her breath, her fingertips brushing the smooth tube but failing to get a good grip. "Got it... almost—ugh!" She pushed herself lower, her legs bracing against the side of the car as she fished for the damn thing.

At that exact moment, the garage door opened. Sasuke stepped inside, intending to close up, but his words froze in his throat. His eyes immediately locked onto Sakura—more specifically, her rear end as she bent over, still poking around Ino's engine.

His mouth moved before his brain caught up. "I'm incredibly attracted to you."

Sakura shot upright, lipstick finally in hand, nearly hitting her head on the hood in her surprise. She whipped around, her wide eyes settling on Sasuke, who looked just as shocked at his own words.

"What?" she breathed, cheeks already flushing a deep pink.

Sasuke, realizing what he had just blurted out, stammered, trying to backtrack. "I—uh—what I meant was that I'm incredibly indebted to you." He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "You know… for… uh, helping me with this… stuff."

Sakura stared at him, equally flustered but amused, an awkward chuckle escaping her lips. "You don't owe me anything, Sasuke…" Her face was still flushed, her voice soft.

Sasuke sighed heavily, remembering Itachi's infuriatingly accurate words. He looked at her, steeling himself for what he was about to say. "I hate to admit it, but Itachi's right."

Sakura blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

Sasuke took a deep breath. "What I said earlier… I said I'm attracted to you. That's what I really meant."

Her mouth fell open, but no words came out. She just stared at him, wide-eyed, her mind racing to process his confession.

Sasuke awkwardly continued, his nerves clearly getting the better of him. "And I'm not saying that just because… you know…" He gestured vaguely toward her body, "It's not just because I was checking out your ass or anything. I mean, I wasn't—well, maybe I was, but—what I'm trying to say is I'm attracted to other parts of you too."

Sakura's face turned an even deeper shade of pink. "Other parts?"

"Yeah," Sasuke blurted, his words tumbling out in a panic. "Like your insides—no, I mean like, your personality. I'm attracted to the parts on your insides. But also, yeah… the outside too…" He mumbled the last part, lowering his head in embarrassment.

Sakura stood there, completely speechless, her face practically glowing with embarrassment. She opened her mouth, then closed it, not sure what to say.

Seeing her reaction, Sasuke panicked. "I—uh—look, I'm sorry, okay? I wasn't trying to make this weird. I just didn't want to screw up our friendship by telling you how I felt."

Sakura suddenly giggled, raising her hand to stop him from spiraling any further. "Sasuke… relax." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "You know, Naruto was right all along."

"Right about what?" Sasuke blinked, confused.

"That we've both been idiots." She met his gaze, her expression softening. "I've felt the same way for a long time. But I didn't want to say anything either… for the same reasons. I didn't want to ruin what we had."

Sasuke blinked again, trying to process what she was saying. "Wait… so you're saying… you've liked me this whole time too?"

Sakura nodded shyly, her lips curling into a small smile.

Sasuke facepalmed, letting out a soft laugh. "We're such idiots."

Sakura giggled again, nodding. "Yeah… I guess we are."

Feeling a surge of confidence, Sasuke looked at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So… does this mean I can kiss you now? You know, to cement the moment?"

Sakura's eyes widened slightly, and she playfully smacked his arm. "Wow, you're forward all of a sudden!"

Sasuke shrugged, smirking. "Gotta seize the moment, right?"

She rolled her eyes but nodded, her cheeks still flushed. "Yeah… we can kiss."

Without wasting another second, Sasuke stepped closer, gently cupping her face in his hands. He leaned in slowly, their breaths mingling, before their lips finally met. The kiss was soft at first, tentative, but quickly deepened as they melted into each other.

When they finally pulled away, both of them slightly breathless, Sakura looked up at him, her green eyes shining. "So… does this mean we're officially a couple now?"

Sasuke nodded, his thumb brushing gently across her cheek. "Yeah… it does."

Sakura let out a sigh of relief, her smile widening. "Good. I was worried for a second there… especially with a certain someone else in the picture."

Sasuke blinked, his brow furrowing. "Wait, who?"

"Ino," Sakura teased, her voice light but playful. "I thought maybe you'd end up with her while I was busy twirling my fingers, unsure of myself."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, and he quickly shook his head, waving off her comment, though he sounded a bit defensive. "There's nothing between me and Ino. Never was."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You sure? You sound a little defensive, Sasuke."

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "I swear, Sakura, there's nothing there."

She giggled, leaning in to whisper, "Good… because now I get to call myself your girlfriend."

Sasuke's smirk returned, and before he could say anything, he leaned in for another kiss. This time, his hand wandered down to her butt, giving it a light squeeze.

Sakura pulled back slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Don't push it, Sasuke."

He shrugged, grinning. "Worth a shot."

Sakura shook her head, laughing as she playfully smacked his chest. The two of them stood there, basking in the newness of their relationship, the weight of years of uncertainty finally lifting off their shoulders.

Two days later...

Shikamaru tapped the steering wheel of his Lancer, letting out an audible sigh. The day had finally come—the final race that would determine who from Konoha would advance to the next stage of the tournament. The track ahead, a winding serpent of asphalt, was ready to swallow up the racers and spit them out either as victors or as losers. Typical.

"Man, I can't believe it's finally here," Choji said from the driver's seat of his Mazda RX7 next to Shikamaru, his voice crackling over the radio. "I'm... I'm nervous as hell."

Shikamaru shot him a fed-up look through his window, his lips curling into a lazy smirk. "Choji, you were nervous when we left the house. You're nervous when you buy chips. You're always nervous."

Choji chuckled, though it was laced with tension. "Yeah, but this is different! This is huge!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, shifting into first gear as they approached the starting line. "Huge pain in my ass, is what it is."

As they rolled up, the sheer noise hit them like a tidal wave. The roar of the crowd, the sharp voice of the announcer hyping up the event, and the unmistakable hum of finely tuned engines revving all blended into a cacophony of excitement. It wasn't Shikamaru's scene. Too much energy, too much noise, and not enough nap time. But here he was, about to race anyway.

The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers. "And here come Team Matador, sporting a Lancer and a Mazda RX7. These boys are fan favourites, folks, so keep an eye on them! But will they be able to handle the likes of Team Prime, who are looking fierce today with their Dodge Challenger and BMW M3?"

Shikamaru tuned out the noise, his mind elsewhere until he caught sight of something—or rather, someone—that made his heart skip a beat. Parked near the starting line was a familiar yellow Porsche, its floral print design catching the light. And standing next to it was the reason he hadn't been able to think straight for the past several days: Ino Yamanaka.

She stood beside her car, talking to Naruto, who was about to climb into the black Chevelle. Shikamaru leaned back in his seat, his eyes narrowing, and his mind wandered into a place he didn't particularly like to acknowledge—his infatuation with Ino.

Goddamn, Ino. He let his eyes trail down from her blonde hair to her toned legs, hugged by tight jeans, to the generous outline of her chest beneath her camisole. The jacket she wore was just loose enough to hint without revealing, and Shikamaru couldn't help but catalog each feature with an obsessive precision only his overthinking brain could manage.

Estrogen in its purest form, he thought, mentally facepalming at his own ridiculousness. It wasn't just her looks either, though those were a serious bonus. He respected her skills behind the wheel, even if he wouldn't admit that out loud. She wasn't half-bad in the racing department. He admired her driving skills, how she moved on the track. She wasn't just all aesthetics—she was competent, damn it. And that somehow made her even hotter. The endorphins in his brain were doing cartwheels.

Shikamaru sighed in disappointment as his gaze flicked to Choji, who was nervously fiddling with his seatbelt. "Great. I get stuck with this mess of nerves, and she's partnered with Naruto, of all people."

"Wh-what?" Choji asked, glancing over.

"Never mind." Shikamaru was already shifting his attention back to Ino's team, his thoughts zooming in on Naruto.

His focus shifted to Naruto, narrowing his eyes slightly. Now him… I don't know what to expect. Naruto was an unknown element in the race. Sure, he had a rep for being wild and unpredictable, but that didn't always translate to driving skills. Still, Shikamaru couldn't afford to ignore him. He'd have to get Choji to focus on Naruto.

"Choji, your job is to shadow Naruto. Be a nuisance. Block him. Whatever you have to do to make sure he doesn't get ahead. Leave the rest to me."

Choji gulped. "Yeah... sure, Shikamaru. I got it."

Just then, Ino noticed him. Her smile faded, replaced by a look of surprise, and—was that a blush? Yeah, definitely. Her cheeks tinted as she caught his gaze. Shikamaru smiled smugly, leaning back as if completely unaffected. Cool as a cucumber. Ino rolled her eyes before climbing into her car, her face still flushed.

Got her, Shikamaru congratulated himself in his head.

His thoughts wandered to how he'd noticed Ino wasn't entirely satisfied with her current team setup. That was why he was trying to court her to join Team Matador, much to Choji's dismay. Ino had been adamant about not joining, though. On the other front, though... well, his attempts to get her to go out with him were more of a mixed bag. She was confusing. One minute, she seemed interested, and the next, she was playing hard to get.

Confusing as hell, he thought, his smirk fading slightly. But no time for that right now. Gotta put her gorgeous ass down in this race.

The loudspeakers crackled to life again. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time! Racers, start your engines!"

Shikamaru's grip tightened on the wheel as his Lancer growled into action. His eyes flicked over to the yellow Porsche beside him, then to the black Chevelle as it's driver started the car.

Naruto's car roared like a beast, shaking slightly as he revved the engine. He glanced to his side, sharing a look with Ino, a knowing exchange passing between them.

"Comms test," Naruto said over their mic. "Ino, you there?"

"Stop babbling," Ino snapped, her voice coming through crystal clear. "We've got work to do."

Sakura's voice chimed in over their headsets, a calm confidence in her tone. "You two better be ready. Remember why we're here. Now tell me, what are we racing for?"

Ino and Naruto replied in unison, with zero hesitation. "Money."

Sakura smirked from the team booth. "You're goddamn right. Now go get it."

The scene shifted to the VIP observation booth, where Hiashi Hyuuga sat among several dignitaries, including the Hokage, Tsunade Senju, her assistant Shizune, and other important figures from Konoha. Beside Hiashi were his children, Hinata and Neji.

Hinata leaned toward her father, her soft voice barely audible over the din of the crowd. "Father, where are our cars?"

Hiashi pointed toward the track, indicating Naruto and Ino's cars parked side by side. "We're watching Team 7 today," he said, his voice calm but with an edge of anticipation.

Hinata's eyes fixed on Naruto's Chevelle, its black-and-white frame gleaming in the sunlight. She whispered softly, almost to herself, "Good luck…"

Down below, the racers were finally given the signal to start their engines. The air was thick with tension as one by one, the cars roared to life. Naruto gripped the wheel tightly, his breath steadying as he focused on the road ahead. He glanced over at Ino, who gave him a firm nod.

They had one shot.

Shikamaru settled back in his seat, his fingers tapping against the wheel as the energy surged through the arena. He glanced back at Ino one more time, determination settling in his gut. He wasn't about to lose—not to her, not to anyone.

This was it.