Lee took a step closer, his expression ear, almost desperate. “Sakura… I’ve admired you for a long time,” he tinued, his voice full of emotion. “Your strength, your kindness, they inspire me every day. I’ve trained so hard… because of you. And I o longer hide it. I… I love you, Sakura.”

  Lee tossed a flying kiss at Sakura with all the drama of a soap opera star, but Sakura, with the agility of a ninja, effortlessly dodged the pletely invisible projectile, looking as if she had just avoided an ining truck.

  For a moment, the entire hallway seemed to pause. Everyone’s attention shifted to Sakura, waiting for her response. But the moment was short-lived.

  Sakura’s face immediately torted in an expression of disgust, her eyes widening in shock. Her hand flew to her mouth as if trying to suppress a gag. “W-what?!” she stammered, her face pale. “No! Gross! And don’t throw such a weird things or whatever!” She took an instinctive step back, eyes wide with disgust as she turned away from Lee, clearly unfortable with the situation. “You’re—uh, you’re kind of a freak,” she added, her voice shrill as she waved her hand in the air, as if trying to physically push away the awkwardness.

  Lee’s face fell instantly, his smile faltering as the weight of her reje hit him like a ton of bricks. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and for a split sed, it felt as though the world around him had stopped. But even as his heart sank, he didn’t break down. He just gave a stiff nod, his voice quieter now, more subdued. “I uand, Sakura,” he said, f a small smile. “I… I will tio train. For myself. And to bee stronger. And e again to propose you.”

  Sakura didn’t even look back, already turning away. “No,” she said quickly, her tone icy. “You shouldn’t.”

  Naruto, who had been standing awkwardly off to the side, suddenly ughed, spping Lee on the back. “Well, at least you tried, buddy, but I want to kill you, believe it!”

  Lee forced another smile, though it was tinged with sadness. “Well, it doesn’t matter, I will prove my worth to you Sakura,” he said quietly.

  Sasuke, who had been the exge in silence, was lost in his own thoughts. He reflected on Lee's abilities, reizing that he was a skilled fighter. In the sed floor, the ease with which Lee was able to block kicks with his bare hands impressed Sasuke.

  Lee, though a bit shaken, nodded, ready to return to the fight. “Sorry Sasuke, I’m ready,” he said, his resolve quickly returning. “Let’s tinue.”

  Kuro, from his er, watched the se unfold, a smirk on his face as he observed the drama. *Well, that was something,* he thought, shaking his head. *But I suppose Lee’s heart is as stubborn as his fists. Let’s see what happe.*

  And with that, the fight resumed, Lee’s determination as strong as ever—though a little crushed by the reje, it was clear he wouldn’t back down from his challenge.

  The fight resumed with a sudden, renewed iy as Lee bounced on his feet, shaking off the awkwardness of the moment. His heart still stung from Sakura’s harsh reje, but it was clear that his resolve wasn’t broken. If anything, it fueled him more, his will to prove himself growing stronger with each passing sed. He faced Sasuke once again, his eyes locked onto the Uchiha with an unwavering focus.

  Sasuke, oher hand, was a little more focused than before. His eyes glinted with the Sharingan, spinning rapidly as he calcuted Lee's movements. He had uimated Lee’s speed before, but he wasn’t about to let that happen again. “You’re not bad,” Sasuke muttered, his voice low and steady. “But I’ll still beat you.”

  Lee’s response was swift, too quick for Sasuke to track. With a blur of motion, Lee charged forward, his body a streak of green as he unched himself at Sasuke. Sasuke’s eyes flicked toward him, but Lee’s speed was something else entirely. Before he could react, Lee’s fist collided with his stomach, the force of the punch sending Sasuke skidding back across the floor, a grunt of surprise esg him.

  "Ugh!" Sasuke spat out, pushing himself back to his feet quickly, his Sharingan bzing. "You’re faster than I thought."

  Lee didn’t give him a moment to breathe. He was already in motion again, his legs a blur as he moved in, faster than Sasuke could even blink. Sasuke mao parry Lee’s strike, but the sheer force behind it pushed him back. Sweat began to bead on Sasuke’s forehead as he realized that Lee’s relentless pace was beginning to wear him down.

  Sakura, still grappling with the disfort lingering from earlier, couldn't tear her gaze away from the unfolding se. Her eyes were wide with a mixture of disbelief and worry, each passing sed only intensifying her ay. She could feel her heart rag as she watched, the weight of for Sasuke growing heavier with every moment. Despite her unease, all her attention was fixed on him, her thoughts ed by the fear of what might happe.

  Kuro, who had been watg from the shadows, folded his arms, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. *This is what happens when a person’s heart is as fierce as their body,* he thought, nodding to himself. Lee’s willpower was undeniable, and Sasuke, for all his natural talent, was struggling to keep up.

  Lee’s move was even faster than before. Without warning, he spun around, his body twisting in mid-air as he aimed a powerful kick at Sasuke’s head. Sasuke’s Sharingan fred, and he mao duck at the st sed, narrowly avoiding the hit. But the air was thick with tension, and the cracks in Sasuke’s usually unshakable posure were being more apparent.

  Sasuke rolled to the side, quickly regaining his footing, but Lee was right there, like a shadow on his heels. He didn’t give Sasuke a ce to breathe. With a quick jab of his fist, Lee aimed for Sasuke’s ribcage, and this time, Sasuke didn’t have time to dodge. The punded, and Sasuke gasped, the wind knocked out of him. He staggered back, blinking rapidly as he tried to refocus.

  Lee stood tall, his chest heaving with exertion, but his eyes were bright with determination. "I won’t stop," he said, his voice steady but full of vi. "Not until I prove I keep up with the stro."