nagpurpolice Chapter 440 Proposal
Chapter 440 Proposal
"Something's happened."
Upon hearing this, Zuo Yue immediately stopped walking towards the kitchen, turned around, and strode lightly back to the living room. She went straight to Naruto's side and sat down next to him on the soft sofa.
They were very close.
She was so close that she could clearly feel the warmth of Naruto's body through her slender arms. She turned slightly to the side, tilting her head up to look at him, her dark eyes filled with undisguised attention and curiosity.
Feeling the reassuring softness and warmth emanating from his side, Naruto's confidence, which he had practiced countless times, strangely transformed into a real sense of tension.
His heart pounded in his chest, and his palms were even slightly damp. He knew perfectly well how she felt about him, and he knew perfectly well that this was a request he couldn't refuse.
But when it came to actually taking that final, most symbolic step, the anxiety—a mixture of anticipation and fear of the slightest mishap—was still so real.
He composed himself, picked up the exquisitely packaged gift box with both hands, and solemnly handed it to Zuo Yue.
"Satsuki... I hope you can accept this."
Upon seeing the carefully prepared gift box that Naruto pulled out, Satsuki's face instantly lit up with undisguised surprise and happiness.
To her, any gift from Naruto, no matter how small, is a treasure worth keeping.
"Is this a gift from Naruto?" Her voice was light and cheerful as she held out her hands to receive it. "Thank you! I'll definitely treasure it!"
Even though Naruto now belongs entirely to her, her stubborn "collecting habit"—collecting everything related to Naruto—has been deeply ingrained in her instincts for many years.
However, just as Satsuki's fair fingers were about to touch the edge of the gift box, Naruto's hand slightly pulled back.
This subtle movement startled Zuo Yue, and her outstretched hand froze in mid-air.
Naruto's cheeks flushed red at a visible speed, spreading all the way to his ears.
He avoided Zuo Yue's probing gaze, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily as he gathered his courage.
His deep blue eyes gazed intently into Zuo Yue's eyes, where there was tension, anticipation, undeniable seriousness, and a touch of childlike vulnerability, a fear of rejection.
"Satsuki..." He called her name again, his voice even softer than before, "This... if you choose to accept it..." "You can't take it back now."
"This is the only time in my life I've ever... made such a request."
"This is a request made only to you."
Naruto's words, filled with expectation and unwavering determination, stirred up a tidal wave of emotions in Satsuki's heart.
However, this giant wave did not manifest itself in a violent outburst; instead, it subsided inward, first changing her entire demeanor.
The surprise and joy on her face slowly faded, replaced by an expression of...extreme gentleness.
With relaxed eyebrows and a gentle curve at the corners of her lips, her eyes were clear and focused. At this moment, Zuo Yue strangely overlapped with the shadow of her mother, Uchiha Mikoto.
It is a quality full of inclusiveness, tranquility and maternal love, so gentle that it can make people let down their guard and feel extremely safe and affectionate.
However, the words uttered from those soft lips formed a startling contrast with this gentle appearance, revealing the Uchiha's inherent obsession and extremism.
"A request for only me... for one person only..." she whispered, repeating Naruto's words with a sweetness that made one tremble.
As she whispered, her gaze became more focused and bright, locking onto Naruto.
"I'm so happy..." Her voice trembled with happiness, "No going back? How could I possibly go back?"
She tilted her head slightly, revealing a smile that was gentle to the point of being innocent, yet also carried a hint of chill.
"Even if Naruto changes his mind later and wants to take it back... I will never let go."
"I'll hide it, hide it somewhere no one can find it, not even Naruto, you can take it back."
Under the gaze of those eyes, a mixture of tenderness and extreme possessiveness, she finally took the gift box steadily from Naruto's slightly trembling hand.
The silk felt cool to the touch, and the weight of the box pressed down on her palms, and also on her heart.
Naruto watched as she finally took it, and a huge weight seemed to lift from his heart, though the tension hadn't completely subsided. He tried to keep his voice steady.
"Hmm... then you can't go back on your word, Satsuki." He looked into her eyes and emphasized, "Now... let's see."
Upon hearing this, Satsuki's gentle smile deepened, tinged with a hint of playful teasing about Naruto's unusual nervousness.
"Hmm. But it's really strange that Naruto is so nervous about giving a gift..."
As she spoke, she lowered her head, her fingers tracing the delicate ribbon knot.
"Actually, no matter what Naruto gives me, even if it's just a leaf or a note, I will..."
Her words came to an abrupt halt the moment she untied the ribbon, gently lifted the lid of the box, and her gaze fell upon its contents.
All her voices, movements, and even her breathing froze at that moment.
Her pupils began to tremble uncontrollably and subtly. Those dark eyes, which had been filled with tenderness and passion just a moment ago, were now filled with immense shock and disbelief that almost overwhelmed her.
She stared intently at the items inside the box, as if trying to see right through them.
White. Pure white, untouched by a speck of dust.
Shiromuku.
The traditional wedding dress worn by the bride at the wedding. It symbolizes purity, fidelity, and the ceremony of embarking on a new life together.
She knew it all too well. Countless times she had passed by the shrine, countless times she had seen the display in the shop window, and countless times in the quiet of the night, she had donned this garment and walked towards that blond, blue-eyed figure in her fantasies.
But... when this fantasy appeared in a gift box handed to him by Naruto, in such a real, concrete, and unexpected way...
...Was it a dream?
The immense shock caused her to momentarily doubt herself. She abruptly raised her other hand and rubbed her eyes vigorously. The movement was somewhat rough, leaving her eyes slightly red.
When I opened my eyes again, the scene before me had not changed.
A man... suddenly gave me such a gift...
Zuo Yue's mind went blank, with only this realization echoing wildly within her. This represented only one possibility, the sole possibility…
She raised her head very slowly, shifting her gaze from the white kimono to stare intently at Naruto, who was standing right in front of her.
Her breathing became unusually heavy, her chest heaved violently, and the color drained from her cheeks, only to quickly return and turn bright red.
Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came out. Only her eyes were fixed on Naruto's face, not missing a single change in his expression.
She is waiting.
With all my strength and with my whole soul, I hoped and waited.
They waited for Naruto to say those words himself, to confirm that it wasn't an illusion, or yet another of her overinterpretations.
Naruto met her gaze, which seemed to devour him, and saw her fragile yet incredibly determined appearance, a result of the immense impact. The tension in his heart transformed into a deeper and more resolute tenderness.
He didn't speak, but answered with his actions.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a smaller, square box made of velvet. The box was deep blue and gleamed with a subtle, luxurious sheen under the light.
Under Zuo Yue's suffocating gaze, he gently opened the box lid with his slightly sweaty fingertips.
light.
Inside the box, on a black velvet lining, lay a ring quietly.
The design is simple yet elegant, with a dazzling gold band and a perfectly cut, clear sapphire set in the center of the ring.
Naruto unconsciously ordered a wedding ring in gold and blue.
Satsuki's breathing stopped completely. In her world, there was only the light of that ring and Naruto's deep blue eyes, filled with seriousness, love, and solemn promise.
Naruto took a deep breath, his voice steady, each word ringing out like a vow.
"The last time Satsuki told me... that if we were to get married, it would be after all my worries were resolved..."
His gaze gently swept over her shocked face. "So, I went. Things... are finally all resolved."
Obito, Black Zetsu, the threat of Akatsuki, the conspiracy of the Eye of the Moon... all the hidden dangers lurking in the shadows that could destroy their future were swept away.
His tone carried a deep sense of apology and tenderness.
"It's always been Satsuki who's been making the sacrifices."
He remembered the night of his coming-of-age ceremony, when she trembled yet resolutely offered herself to him; he remembered her long-standing, obsessive protection and waiting; he remembered how she always placed his safety and feelings above all else…
"Letting the girl always be the one taking the initiative..." His eyes became incredibly determined, "So... no matter what, I have to take the initiative."
"Where you are, I am."
"I cannot give up my future."
Finally, he gently lifted the small box containing the ring and uttered the words she had waited for perhaps longer than she herself realized.
"Let's...get married."
------
(Gender-swap doesn't count as BL, right? The author portrayed Er Yuezi as a girl.)