Chapter 235 He couldn't trap her, nor could he contain her.

After Haruko went to the battlefield, Hiruko was in a state of extreme anxiety at all times. His nails were bitten beyond recognition, but this did nothing to relieve his tense nerves.

Every day and every night, he huddled in the cold room, staring intently at the battlefield intelligence scrolling on the screen.

He knew that Haruko was free, and he couldn't confine her.

But her elusive figure constantly tugged at Hiruko's heart. He feared facing her death, and even more so, he feared missing her death.

Finally, the war ended, and Haruko returned safely to Konoha.

Almost simultaneously, the mechanical bird broke free from the cramped room and spread its wings toward the hope of dawn.

A light rain was falling, and all the ninjas stood silently before the memorial stone. No one noticed the mechanical device disguised as a bird landing on a distant tree, its crimson electronic eyes fixed on that bright color.

After the memorial service ended, before the mechanical bird could even appear, Haruko walked towards that annoying snake.

The undisguised intimacy in her tone not only startled Orochimaru, but also made Hiruko, who was eavesdropping in the room, tremble uncontrollably.

Subsequent observations further confirmed this unbelievable fact—Haruko Hayama had returned.

He was enveloped by a mixture of joy and fear, leaving no gaps. His heart was pounding impatiently, almost bursting out of his throat, when a pair of invisible hands suddenly reached out and grabbed his neck.

He was panting heavily, wiping away sweat with trembling hands, and kept telling himself that Haruko had forgiven him!

Haruko allowed him to see her!

Haruko... how could she possibly forgive him...

Almost as if reflecting his thick, tangled thoughts, Haruko met all sorts of people and was busy with all sorts of things after returning to Konoha, but she never came to see him.

The screen played a beautiful scene of Haruko and Jiraiya smiling at each other, while a buzzing sound gradually rose in my ears. Hiruko's last bit of luck was strangled.

He stopped going out and spent his days hiding inside his room, living in a daze.

Haruko is everything to him, the meaning of his existence, and his hope for the future.

If she withdraws her favoritism.

He had nothing left.

...

From the time she met Hiruko until now, Haruko has always felt that he is a person who lacks a sense of security.

Perhaps because he was orphaned as a child and ostracized by his classmates, and bullied by his supposedly close friends after graduation, and because the only people who could make him feel at ease, Haruko and his three friends, rarely met after they grew up, Hiruko has always lacked a sense of security.

I'm afraid of being abandoned, afraid of being alone, and afraid of losing the few friends I have left.

His entire life was a constant tension. On the surface, he was a mechanical genius praised by everyone, but in his heart, he regarded a sense of worthiness as the most important principle in life. He stood on the edge of unease, struggling to keep living, as if he was about to break at any moment.

Reclusive, aloof, and processing instability alone, never seeking help from others.

Suppressing all uncontrollable negative emotions, they only vent when they return to a safe space where others cannot see them.

He always felt that secretly watching his friends was his only desire, and dared not ask for more.

The voyeur hiding in the shadows was unaware that his friend was also silently watching him.

“Beiluhu”.

Haruko leaned closer and hugged him tightly, wanting to melt her feelings into his body.

"I will never hate you, and I will never despise you."

“I used to be used to you watching me from the shadows, so I felt at ease working under your watchful eye. I never imagined you would be sad or even feel uneasy about it.”

“I’m not a perfect person. I feel sad when I see my friends drifting away from me. I also keep wondering why, why you’re no longer looking at me.”

“Hiruko, we are friends. Friends should give to each other, not just take from each other.”

Hearing her words, Hiruko panicked instead, "No! I did it willingly! I just want to give everything for you!"

"But I don't want you to only have me in your world."

Looking into her moist yet resolute dark eyes, Birukho awkwardly avoided her gaze, seemingly trying to escape a response in this way.

For a moment, a silent stillness filled the room.

Hiruko raised his hand and carefully tugged at the hem of her clothes, still determined to keep her there.

"Haruko, I can build you a castle, magnificent and elaborate, filled with everything you like, to protect you from ever being harmed, as long as you're willing to stay by my side..."

“But Hiruko, I am not a princess, I am a ninja, and my destiny is to go to the battlefield.”

Upon hearing "heading to the battlefield," Hiryu raised his voice in response.

"But that's not necessarily the path you have to take. You can choose to stay!"

Stared at by his pleading gaze, Haruko sighed, took his hand, and clasped it tightly.

“I have a choice, but I don’t want to live a life of being hidden in a tower and protected by others day after day. Maybe I would have thought that a long time ago, but it’s different now.”

"I want to fight for myself, for Konoha, and for the bonds I want to protect. That's what I want to do, regardless of whether I have to sacrifice myself for it."

"If I could exchange my life for the happiness of those I cherish, I think it would be worth it."

Having received her gentle yet unquestionable answer, Hiruko fell completely silent.

The silver-haired youth slumped to the ground, his silent tears making him appear incredibly vulnerable. He didn't even have the courage to hold back his greed, let alone try to persuade him to stay.

Some obsessions are so sharp they pierce right to the bottom of one's heart, while others are so humble they have no support and only seek pity.

However, they all have one thing in common—no one can save them except themselves.

Turning her head to look at a familiar corner of the pile of clutter, Haruko's voice softened as she turned back to her face. She raised her hand to wipe away the tears from Hiruko's eyes.

“I never felt that I was the only thing that connected you to this world.”

Even after her presence completely disappeared outside the door, Hiruko was still lost in thought. The flickering blue light of the screen reflected on her face, and the distinct light and shadow on both sides spoke of her loneliness.

His secret feelings, though never spoken aloud, seemed to have been rejected countless times.

Suddenly remembering something, he slowly raised his head and looked in the direction Haruko had turned before leaving. It was the place he used to store miscellaneous items, with several simple boxes crammed with all sorts of things.

Among the books stacked on top of the box, there was a yellowed photograph tucked in, its corner pressed against the middle of the books, hanging forlornly in the air.

Without needing to look closely, the image above automatically appeared in his mind.

This is a group photo they took at Haruko's urging when they graduated from Konoha Academy.

On the far left, Orochimaru looked unwilling, arms crossed, not even looking at the camera; next to him, Jiraiya was in pain as Tsunade put his throat in her hand because he said something that angered her; Tsunade, on the other hand, had time to smile and make a peace sign at the camera.

Beyond that was Haruko Hayama, who was trying not to laugh and was pressed close to Tsunade, and herself on the right, looking uneasy and shyly peeking at her.

It was a bond she cherished, and a bond he ignored.