Chapter 2
The whole gang had gathered at Yakiniku-Q for a rare get-together. Naruto, Sakura, Sai, Ino, Shikamaru, Hinata, and even the ever-distant Sasuke were present. The night was full of laughter, loud conversations, and Naruto stuffing his face with grilled meat like he hadn't eaten in weeks.
Sasuke, meanwhile, sat quietly, occasionally chewing on his food and silently wondering why he agreed to this.
As the night wrapped up, everyone started getting ready to leave. Hinata, ever polite, clasped her hands together and bowed slightly.
"It was really fun, everyone. Have a good night!" she said with a soft smile.
The group responded with casual goodbyes:
"See ya, Hinata!" – Naruto
"Night, Hinata!" – Sakura
"Take care." – Shikamaru
"Bye-bye!" – Ino
And then, Sasuke, who had been zoning out and wasn't fully paying attention, casually muttered:
"Rest in peace."
Silence.
Everyone turned to look at him.
Hinata blinked, her smile faltering. "E-Excuse me?"
Naruto choked on his drink. Sakura facepalmed. Ino's jaw dropped. Sai looked genuinely impressed.
Shikamaru sighed. "Man, you really suck at socializing."
Sasuke, realizing his mistake, just blinked and coolly took a sip of his tea, pretending nothing happened.
Hinata, to everyone's surprise, suddenly giggled behind her hand. "I-I'll try my best not to," she said playfully before walking away.
Naruto was still wheezing. "BRO. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"
Sasuke, completely unfazed: "Tch. She understood."