Chapter Text
Author Notes:
Hello~ Good Morning, you guys~! This is my fifth Naruto fic. This time it’s a murder mystery~ I always wanted to write me a lil mystery novel, finally I was able to do it. As per the previous stories, I will update daily or within two days if I’m not busy. So this story should end within a week or two. I hope to hear your comments and opinions!
Thanks for reading.
I don’t own Naruto! T_T
Straightening the expensive dark brown suit he had bought with the money from his part-time job, young blond lawyer Uzumaki Naruto took a deep breath as he stepped inside the towering building. Hatake and Associates.
The name was etched in bold, italic letters on a sleek doorplate, announcing to anyone who entered that this was the place where problems met solutions. Naruto’s big blue eyes sparkled as he turned the handle and stepped inside, bowing slightly to hide the nervous flutter in his chest.
The interior was calm and professional, painted in neutral tones, the air tinged with the faint scent of polished wood and the quiet hum of a high-powered law firm. Naruto clutched his black briefcase tightly, walking with carefully measured steps toward the front desk.
Behind the desk sat a woman, typing swiftly on her computer. Dark brown hair styled into twin Chinese buns framed her face, and chocolate-colored eyes peeked over her glasses. She exuded an air of cool competence, pausing only briefly to adjust the frames as she regarded the newcomer.
“Good morning, madam. My name’s Uzumaki Naruto. I have an appointment with Hatake-san,” he said, flashing his trademark grin.
The receptionist’s gaze sharpened, and she tilted her head. “Uzumaki-san, you’re twenty minutes late,” she scolded, glancing at her watch. “They’ve already started. Go to room one.”
Naruto blinked, puzzled, then hurried as instructed. As he neared the meeting room, dim light spilled through the door. Inside, a presentation was underway. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door slowly, trying not to disturb the room. Immediately, all eyes turned to him.
Sweat dotted his forehead. Perfect first impression ruined, he thought, bowing hastily.
“H-Hello, sorry for interrupting. My name is Uzumaki—”
“Naruto-kun, you’re late~!”
The melodic voice cut through his words. Blue eyes widened as Naruto turned to see his new employer: Hatake Kakashi. Silver hair fell across his face, the familiar eyepatch covering one eye. Rumors about that eye swirled in Naruto’s mind—some said it was from a defendant, some from a duel—but the scar only made the man seem sharper, more dangerous.
Kakashi’s visible eye, a small black dot, reminded Naruto of a dead fish—something he definitely couldn’t laugh at now.
“I—I apologize; I didn’t know there would be a meeting—”
“There’s always a meeting,” Kakashi said lightly, gesturing to an empty seat at the round table. “Sit down and pay attention. I might quiz you later~”
Naruto nodded, swallowing nervously. As Kakashi continued, Naruto’s attention drifted to the woman giving the presentation. Fierce jade eyes, shoulder-length pink hair, a professional black striped suit—her presence was magnetic. She didn’t even glance at him, entirely absorbed in her work, but Naruto found himself stealing glances anyway.
As the meeting concluded, the applause signaled the end. Kakashi turned to Naruto, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
“Everyone, let me introduce our newest addition. Stand up, Naruto-kun.”
Flushing, Naruto obeyed, his heart hammering in his chest. Kakashi came over, placing a hand on his shoulder—and suddenly yanked him close.
Startled, Naruto froze, his azure eyes wide.
“Uzumaki Naruto-kun, twenty-three years old, youngest and brightest of his batch,” Kakashi announced, ignoring Naruto’s awkward stiffening. “He passed his bar exam with flying colors, and I managed to drag him away from Tsunade-san after many… ahem… persuasive nights. Treat him well, everyone! He’s our little prodigy!”
Naruto’s throat went dry. He could feel every pair of eyes on him, the mixture of curiosity, envy, and amusement almost suffocating. He had never wanted his past achievements highlighted—he preferred to blend in, to prove himself quietly.
With a sheepish bow, he managed a small smile. “Um… please, take good care of me.”
The group smirked knowingly, and Naruto sank slightly into his chair, trying not to overthink the feeling in his stomach—the thrill of new beginnings mixed with a twinge of anxiety.
His hunch proved correct. For the next two weeks, Naruto was worked like a pig. Being the youngest and most inexperienced, every order from senior lawyers fell on him. He sighed as yet again he was sent to copy stacks of documents for one of the partners. Yet, despite the relentless grind, Naruto never complained. Each task, no matter how menial, he carried out with a bright grin, earning subtle glances from Kakashi. The silver-haired man said nothing, letting Naruto endure the trial by fire—Naruto suspected it was some kind of rite of passage. He had to prove he belonged.
A month passed like this, and then, one night, Naruto was summoned to the office at 1:00 a.m. His mind raced—Did I make a mistake? Did I miss something?—but when he stepped inside, he was met with balloons, confetti, and smiling faces. His efforts had been noticed. The very lawyers who had treated him like an errand boy now cheered and clapped, celebrating his resilience and determination. Naruto’s cheeks burned as he bowed deeply, thanking everyone and wishing for a harmonious working environment.
Afterward, he was assigned an office alongside Haruno Sakura, the pink-haired beauty he’d been secretly crushing on. Contrary to his initial apprehensions, she was warm and approachable. Strong, independent, and professional, she nonetheless guided Naruto patiently, showing him the ropes of the office and ensuring he knew everything he needed to function effectively. While Naruto remained nervous around many of the firm’s senior staff, with Sakura he relaxed, his youthful energy and charm resurfacing without fear of judgment.
One afternoon, as Naruto and Sakura were discussing a minor case, Kakashi walked in. Without a word, he gestured for them to follow. Within moments, they were ready, their curiosity tinged with unease. As they walked, Kakashi addressed them in his usual calm but commanding tone.
“From now on, drop all current cases and reassign them. Sakura, your financial accounts will go to Ino; she’ll handle them with Shino’s guidance. Naruto, finish any remaining cases within the week. If you can’t, give them to TenTen—she’ll know how to distribute them. I want you both fully focused on this new case. It’s heavy, but I trust your judgment. You may uncover things we couldn’t see.”
Sakura’s brow furrowed. “Sensei, Ino specializes in family court. Handling financial fraud isn’t her field—”
“I know, but we have no choice. Shino will assist. You’re needed with me on this one.” Kakashi’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Sakura’s eyes widened. Her chest tightened. “This… you mean—”
Kakashi’s smirk answered her unspoken question.
“They brought him in two weeks ago. The Uchiha case.”
A soft gasp escaped Sakura’s lips. “So soon…”
“Excuse me, but I still don’t understand what’s happening,” Naruto piped up, his blue eyes wide, clearly caught between excitement and anxiety.
Sakura’s gaze snapped to him, as if noticing him for the first time. Her brow furrowed in frustration. “Naruto-kun, this isn’t a case for someone without a specialty. It’s one of the firm’s most critical cases. Senior lawyers have turned it down. You’re… inexperienced.”
Kakashi’s black eye landed on her with silent authority. No words were needed—his presence alone settled the debate.
Sakura swallowed, her sharp features softening. With a nod, she conceded. “As you see fit, Sensei.”
Naruto’s jaw dropped slightly, but he couldn’t hide the spark of excitement lighting in his eyes. This was it—the moment where he could prove himself, no matter how daunting the challenge.
Naruto kept his lips sealed, taking in everything around him in silence. The prison was every bit as formidable as rumored—high security, cold, and unyielding. Across Konoha, it was known for housing only the most dangerous criminals. As they navigated the checkpoints and scanners, Kakashi finally gave Naruto a brief overview.
They were there to defend Uchiha Sasuke—eighteen years old, the younger of two brothers and the sole heir to the Uchiha fortune. He was charged with first-degree murder. The victims: his parents and older brother. The grisly scene had been discovered by a maid, who had stumbled upon Sasuke cradling his dead brother while the bodies of their parents lay sprawled on the living room sofa. Forensics confirmed it was murder.
Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha had been killed first, followed by Itachi. Signs of struggle were evident in the kitchen, and DNA under Sasuke’s fingernails matched his brother—evidence that investigators concluded showed a failed attempt to stop the killings.
Naruto had heard of the case while preparing for the bar exams. Wasn’t it already closed? he wondered. Sasuke had been underage at the time, sent to a juvenile facility until turning eighteen. Now, freshly of age, he would face trial as an adult. Naruto frowned. Why postpone his trial?
Their escort led them into a stark, dim room. A thick glass wall bisected it, and a metal table sat in the middle, surrounded by chairs. Two policemen blocked the door behind them. Naruto’s senses sharpened as the opposite door opened—chains and cuffs clinking with each step.
A figure appeared: black hair falling in messy strands, pale skin, dark bags under hollow eyes. The young man’s posture and expression spoke of someone who had given up on life, yet carried an unspoken confidence. Naruto’s heartbeat quickened; he couldn’t look away.
Kakashi’s voice cut through the tension, bright and calm:
“Sasuke-kun, how have you been? I trust your health is well?”
Sasuke sat without a word, barely glancing at Sakura. Naruto felt a sting of neglect as the black-haired man’s eyes didn’t even acknowledge him.
Even so, Kakashi remained unfazed. “I can see you’re well. Now, gentlemen, I’d ask you to leave. We are his lawyers; your presence would breach confidentiality.”
The guards grumbled but complied. Once alone, Kakashi gestured to introduce Naruto.
“You already know Sakura-chan here,” he said, giving her a nod.
“Greetings, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura said politely, her tone measured.
Sasuke’s gaze didn’t shift. Not a flicker. Naruto felt a pang of panic—how could someone completely ignore him?
Kakashi waved toward Naruto. “And this is our newest addition. Don’t let his grin fool you; he’s sharp.”
Naruto swallowed and bowed, trying to keep his excitement in check. Sasuke’s expression remained unreadable. His pale eyes, hollow yet piercing, seemed almost… untouchable.
Kakashi leaned forward, voice firm. “Sasuke-kun, it’s been a year since your family was taken. Your trial is in three months. The situation is dire; if we don’t get everything right, you could be facing the death penalty. Every lead we’ve followed has hit a dead end. I know you’ve probably given up, but we still have a fighting chance. You need to talk to us—tell us everything that happened that night. If not—”
Before Kakashi could finish, Sasuke stood with slow, deliberate steps. He moved toward the door, knocked three times, and one of the guards opened it. Without a word, he walked out, leaving his lawyers stunned, disappearing into the dark corridor.
Naruto’s jaw dropped. What just happened!?
“Sensei! What’s this?!” he exclaimed.
Sakura’s frustration was palpable. “Kakashi-Sensei! I thought you had everything under control! You’re not controlling anything!”
Kakashi straightened, calm as ever, a casual smile on his face. “Well… at least today, he agreed to sit with us.”
Naruto’s mind raced. This was going to be harder than he imagined.
As the three made their way out of the high-security prison, Naruto’s astonishment was met with calm clarity from Sakura.
“You see, Naruto-kun,” she began, voice measured, “this is a hard case. Not only do we have a client on death row, but he also refuses to speak. Since the murders, his mouth has been sealed shut. Doctors examined him at first—they thought it was shock, that maybe what he saw was too terrible, or that his mind refused to process his own actions. But as time passed, their opinions changed. Sasuke-kun isn’t mute. He’s choosing not to speak.”
Kakashi drove silently for a moment before Naruto asked, curiosity tinged with disbelief, “Then, Sakura-chan, how have you been defending him so far?”
“We haven’t,” she replied bluntly.
“But Sensei said—”
“His previous lawyer was a friend of Sensei’s, but he stepped away for reasons unknown. Kakashi-Sensei then took over. We worked with him only briefly before postponing the trial until he reached adulthood. Over the past year, I’d occasionally check in on him, or Sensei would, but he gave no hints, no information, nothing.”
Naruto frowned. “How did you stop him from being tried in youth court?”
“Simple,” Sakura said with a sigh. “There wasn’t enough evidence for the judge to try him as an adult at first. We used every loophole we could find. It was a close call, honestly—we barely managed to postpone it.”
Kakashi’s voice cut in, calm but firm: “Yes, it bought us a year to prepare, but the issue is, we found nothing useful. A year gone, no leads, nothing concrete.”
“Will he face a retrial or an appeal then?” Naruto asked, his curiosity sharpening.
“Neither,” Sakura said, her tone grave. “There were a series of… strange incidents. He never stood before a proper judge. No official trial. The media covered it extensively, but it died down quickly—have you ever wondered why?”
Naruto’s memory clicked. He did recall the media frenzy, then the sudden silence as hard evidence came to light. “It… does seem odd. Someone must have silenced it.”
Kakashi’s dark eye flicked toward him. “I suspect… Sasuke-kun himself. You may think a teenager couldn’t influence the media, but he’s no ordinary teenager. Both he and his late brother were prodigies. Itachi was slightly more advanced, but that was only an age gap. Give Sasuke-kun the same time and training, he might surpass him.”
Naruto’s mind raced. Then a thought hit him. “Sensei… if he’s as smart as you say, why get caught? Why murder his family? Sociopaths usually cover their tracks… unless there’s another agenda we don’t know.”
Sakura answered swiftly, her voice firm. “Kakashi-Sensei believes Sasuke-kun was framed.”
“Hm… and what evidence supports that?” Naruto asked, skeptical.
Sakura shot him a glare, but Kakashi’s laugh filled the car before she could answer. “Straight to the point, Naruto-kun. I like that. But yes, relying solely on belief is useless. That’s why I’m assigning you to find the evidence.”
Naruto’s jaw dropped. “Sensei, with all due respect… the police couldn’t find anything for over a year. Neither could you. How do you expect me to do that?”
Kakashi’s eye twinkled in the rearview mirror. “Before I answer, tell me—what’s your impression of Sasuke-kun? What did you notice?”
Naruto furrowed his brow, thinking back to their brief encounter. Slowly, his voice became precise and measured:
“His clothes were neat, his feet wet—he cares about appearances, probably bathed before meeting us. He didn’t look at me directly, but I felt he was aware of my presence. He focused on one spot the whole time… almost as if he was counting something. When you mentioned the murders, his reaction seemed… controlled, almost planned, like he anticipated what you’d say. And…” Naruto’s gaze darted briefly to Sakura, then back to Kakashi, “…he seemed to control the flow of the conversation. It was like he knew your words before you spoke them. The one thing he couldn’t predict… was me.”
Kakashi’s black eye glinted in approval. “Very good, Naruto-kun. I’m impressed. Tsunade-san wasn’t exaggerating—you are exactly the person we need.”
Naruto flushed, embarrassed by the praise, wishing he could downplay his own abilities.
Kakashi continued, explaining: “Sasuke-kun was counting time. The prison has strict guard rotations. He sensed the shifts through the airflow under the door. That’s why his feet were wet—not for courtesy, but to feel the cold air better. He positioned himself perfectly to monitor the guards without a word. He’s silent, yes—but calculating. Waiting for the right lawyer to challenge him.”
Naruto whistled softly, astonished. Sakura’s eyes shone with admiration.
Kakashi’s voice dropped to a firm, commanding tone: “Sasuke-kun wants a lawyer who can match him. He’s waiting for someone to uncover the truth. If you want him to recognize you as part of this defense, you’ll need real evidence.”
Naruto inhaled deeply. A part of him balked at the challenge, yet another part—deep inside—welcomed it. He smiled, determination flickering in his bright blue eyes.
“Hai! You can count on me!” he declared, resolve hardening in his chest.
Until they met their client again, Naruto had two weeks. That was the deadline Kakashi had given him to find evidence. The young lawyer immediately buried himself in the case files, poring over every single paper, every testimony, every report. He spent not one, but two sleepless nights dissecting the details. The web of events, the multitude of statements—it was dizzying. Yet, through the chaos, Naruto managed to narrow his focus to three key people: the housemaid who discovered Sasuke, the gardener who called the police, and the family friend who, conveniently, had been at the scene.
All three made Naruto uneasy. Their testimonies… didn’t sit right.
For example, the Uchiha were among the wealthiest and oldest families in Konoha City. Their mansion was vast, practically a fortress—but the morning of the murders, only a single maid was working? Impossible. The house required dozens to maintain, yet she was alone in the west wing. Naruto quickly traced the explanation: Uchiha Itachi had granted the majority of the staff a paid week off. No reasons given, no questions asked. Everything was “normal”—except for the suspicious timing.
The security cameras inside the house had been mysteriously disabled overnight, the last recorded footage showing Itachi entering with his parents at 11:20 PM. Yet the exterior cameras captured the maid entering at 7:00 AM, and the police arriving at 8:00 AM. She claimed to have discovered the bodies at 7:20 AM, yet the gardener’s call to the authorities was logged at 7:50 AM. A thirty-minute gap that no one seemed to have questioned. What had she been doing?
The gardener’s testimony was equally puzzling. A man who had served the Uchiha family for thirty years, he lived in a small partition within the estate to maintain the garden. He claimed to have heard a scream—presumably the maid’s—then glimpsed Sasuke holding his brother’s body. He rushed inside and called the police. Everything sounded straightforward—but something about the tale felt… rehearsed.
Finally, the family friend, Hyuuga Neji. He claimed he had an appointment with Itachi, a golfing outing after breakfast, explaining his presence. The front door camera recorded him arriving at 7:40 AM—ten minutes before the gardener called the authorities. Neji said he found the maid hysterical, the gardener trying to calm her, and Sasuke staring blankly at the bodies. The police arrived shortly after.
Yet, Naruto noticed the subtle anomaly: by the time law enforcement entered, Neji was reportedly calm, sitting in the living room, smoking a cigarette. Too calm. Too precise. No trace of panic. No DNA at the crime scene. Everything in his testimony checked out… almost too perfectly.
Naruto’s mind raced. If a normal person entered a scene like that, shock would dominate—panicked calls, frantic actions, anything. But Neji’s composure, combined with the maid’s inexplicable half-hour delay and the gardener’s seemingly rehearsed account… it didn’t add up.
Then came the forensic reports. The autopsies confirmed the adults were killed by gunshots to the head while watching television. Traces of Zolpidem—a sleeping pill—were found in both parents’ systems. The detectives’ theory was clear: Sasuke allegedly slipped the pills, waited until they slept, then killed them. Later, a struggle with Itachi supposedly resulted in Sasuke murdering his brother.
Naruto slammed the files down. None of it made sense. Security cameras indicated Sasuke arrived at 4:24 AM, but the pills had been ingested hours earlier. If this was a premeditated murder, when could Sasuke have administered the drugs? And if he did, why remain at the scene afterward, in plain view, cradling the bodies? No gunpowder on his hands. No hidden weapon. The police had pinned a triple murder on an underage teen without reconciling the glaring inconsistencies.
Naruto’s frustration boiled over. Lazy police work, rushed assumptions, circumstantial conclusions—they had created a “perfect” narrative that fell apart under scrutiny. If challenged correctly in court, Sasuke had a solid defense waiting to be constructed.
He needed clarification. Answers. A way to unravel the tangled mess of testimonies and timelines. Taking a deep breath, Naruto grabbed his coat and called his Sensei, determination hardening in his chest. The next step would be crucial.
Meeting Kakashi had answered some of Naruto’s lingering questions. For instance, Uchiha Itachi had been planning a surprise celebration for his parents’ wedding anniversary. That explained why he gave the household staff a week off—he wanted to spend time with his family alone, without the added eyes of servants. Kakashi also clarified Hyuuga Neji’s alibi: the family friend had indeed arranged breakfast and a golfing session with Itachi, and messages confirming it had been found. Kakashi warned Naruto that Neji was calculating, far beyond the typical bounds of ordinary behavior, so he shouldn’t judge him like a normal person.
Finally, the silver-haired man told Naruto he should speak to the maid. The gardener’s story checked out perfectly—there was nothing there. The maid, however, was a different matter. According to Kakashi, she had always refused to meet him, running away whenever he approached or giving excuses he couldn’t contest. Karin Kusa was a difficult woman to pin down.
Naruto stood outside her apartment, glancing at the neat, orderly neighborhood. He rang the bell. No answer. A few moments later, a sharp, high-pitched voice pierced the quiet.
“Who’s there? We don’t want anything to buy! If you’re selling, get lost!”
Startled, Naruto quickly explained himself. “Um… sorry to bother you, but I’m looking for Mrs. Kusa Karin. My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I’m one of the lawyers defending Uchiha Sasuke. If it’s possible—”
“LEAVE! There’s no one by that name here!”
Naruto’s heart thumped, but he tried again, softer this time. “Hello again. I take it you’re Karin-san? Please, just give me a minute. I have a few questions to ask. Your testimony is important to freeing him, so if you could—”
The door slammed open, revealing fierce flame-colored eyes, long messy red hair tumbling to her midsection, and glasses that seemed to magnify her glare. Karin’s voice dripped with hostility.
“I’d ask you to refrain from making ridiculous promises. Sasuke-sama won’t leave prison as long as he lives!”
Naruto raised a hand in peace, blocking the door gently but firmly. He smiled at her, calm but insistent. “Please, wait! I’m not promising that he’ll walk free, nor am I acting foolishly. But I do believe there’s more to this case than the papers say. Sasuke-kun has just turned eighteen. He could face the death penalty, life imprisonment, or even walk free. We are at the beginning, and I need your help to uncover the truth. I will reach the facts, and let justice follow.”
Karin’s fiery expression softened slightly. She gestured with a hand and stepped aside. “Close the door behind you. You have half an hour. I need to leave for work.”
Naruto entered, eyes scanning the apartment. It was neat and sparse, almost devoid of any personal traces. Karin’s presence contrasted with her minimalist surroundings—someone so vibrant should leave a mark, yet the room said otherwise.
“Sit,” Karin commanded, leaning against the wall.
Naruto obeyed, cutting straight to the point. “Karin-san, can you tell me what you saw when you entered the Uchiha mansion?”
She tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear, her tone steady but distant. “I arrived at 7:00 AM. My shift usually starts at 9, but I had an important date later, so I came early. I let myself in with a spare key, went to the supply room, and then noticed we were out of bleach. I went to the kitchen, and that’s when I saw it.” Her eyes became small, focused points. “…Sasuke-sama was on the kitchen floor, holding Itachi-sama’s body. Both were in a pool of blood. I stumbled backward and fell, which caught his attention. I was too scared to run, so I screamed. I… I still have nightmares about that morning. Sasuke-sama was always strange, but I never imagined him capable of killing anyone, let alone his brother. It was impossible. The last thing I remember, Jiraiya-Oji-chan appeared beside me and called the police.”
Naruto nodded, following up. “You said you were too scared to run. When did you discover Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha’s bodies?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t. Jiraiya-Oji-chan reported everything. I just agreed when they wrote the statements. Whether I saw it or not, I was too dizzy to think.”
Naruto let that pass. “Then why didn’t anyone call an ambulance? Perhaps one of them was still alive?”
Karin shook her head again. “I was terrified, but from what I saw… Itachi-sama was dead. With that much blood, he couldn’t have survived. Sasuke-sama’s posture… it was clear.”
He pressed on gently. “Can you describe him? How did Sasuke look?”
Her face darkened, haunted. “…He looked… lost. As if life had no meaning. He and Itachi-sama were always so close, playmates despite the age difference. If Itachi-sama had been alive, Sasuke-sama wouldn’t have looked like that. I… I…”
“Yes?” Naruto encouraged, leaning closer.
Her eyes pleaded with him. “You’re his lawyer, right? You’re searching for the truth. I know how it looks, but Sasuke-sama would never kill his brother! I don’t know how to explain it… but he’s innocent!”
Naruto’s tone remained measured. “I understand your feelings, Karin-san, but without evidence, the law sees him holding the murder weapon. That’s all that matters.”
Karin bit her lip, frustrated. “…I know… but there has to be an explanation. Something makes this wrong. I just… I can feel it.”
Naruto released a small, confident smile and stood. “If there’s something, believe me, I’ll find it. For now, I do ask for your contact information, Karin-san. If anything else comes to mind, I want to be able to reach you—and I’ll gladly update you on any progress we make.”
Karin studied him for a moment, then nodded and quickly gave him her direct phone number. With some of the gaps filled, Naruto left her apartment. The encounter had been perplexing—she had been a suspect he wanted to track down, yet the honesty in her words, her genuine concern for Sasuke, made it hard to believe she had any part in framing him. Her sparse apartment suggested she hadn’t taken anything from the mansion. The half-hour lag in the morning was likely explained by her collecting cleaning supplies and then freezing at the horrific scene.
Naruto glanced at the gardener’s address, curiosity pulling him, but recalling Kakashi’s advice, he refrained. Some leads had to be left alone for now. Instead, his next step was to meet Hyuuga Neji.
Before he could leave, his phone buzzed. It was Haruno Sakura, summoning him back to the office urgently. Naruto complied, arriving to find Kakashi and Sakura both wearing expressions of frustration.
“Sensei, Senpai, what’s wrong? Something happen?” Naruto asked, concern flickering across his face.
“Sasuke-kun has been stabbed,” Sakura said grimly.
His blue eyes widened. “When? And why?”
“This morning. The reason is still unclear. He’s not speaking. It could be gang-related, or someone holding a personal grudge—”
“Or our culprit,” Kakashi interrupted calmly.
“Sensei, that’s unlikely! A random prisoner could have done this. These things happen in prison. That’s why I suggested transferring him back to the youth facility,” Sakura argued.
“That request won’t hold,” Kakashi replied, dismissing it. “We don’t have time to argue. Sakura, take Naruto and check his condition. We need to know the extent of his injuries—it’s important for the case.”
Sakura nodded, and Naruto followed her in silence. He didn’t mind; silence wasn’t awkward for him, but he had a question that burned inside him.
“Sakura-Senpai, can I ask you something?”
She didn’t take her eyes off the road. “Hm?”
“Kakashi-Sensei said that to get Sasuke-kun to acknowledge me as his lawyer, I need to bring him evidence, right? How did you do it? How did he accept you?”
Sakura’s calm exterior tightened slightly. “I told him the truth,” she said softly.
“What do you mean?”
“I told him I didn’t believe he did it. There were too many gaps in his case. Previous lawyers urged him to plead guilty—reduced sentences, leniency from the jury—but he refused. When Kakashi-san and I took over, our investigation showed more might be at play. I simply gave him my honest opinion. I didn’t think he did it, and though he didn’t speak, I could tell he believed me.”
Naruto wanted to lie and claim he wasn’t skeptical, but the truth gnawed at him. The evidence was strong against Sasuke—struggle marks, DNA under his brother’s nails, fingerprints on the knife—it all fit. Still, the inconsistencies nagged at him.
“…Don’t worry,” Sakura added, “if he’s innocent, it will show.”
By the time they reached the infirmary, night had fallen. Security was slightly less strict than before, and they spoke briefly with the doctor. Sasuke had been stabbed in the abdomen, but luckily, no major organs or vessels were damaged. Recovery would take two to three weeks.
Inside the small, stark room, Sasuke lay in bed, cuffed and restrained. Sakura approached cautiously, keeping her distance, explaining paperwork and advocating for a transfer back to a more secure facility. Sasuke refused, silent but firm.
Naruto studied him carefully. The raven-haired man looked well enough, even injured. Leaning against the wall, Naruto waited until Sakura stepped out to fetch the medical report. Alone with Sasuke, he pulled the chair close and whispered.
“You know, I have to applaud you. If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have believed it—you actually managed to get yourself stabbed to avoid a prison cell.”
Sasuke’s black eyes widened, then he groaned as if his favorite play had been ruined.
“Don’t be upset,” Naruto continued. “I wouldn’t have figured it out if you’d agreed to Sakura’s suggestion. But your refusal… it told me this place is safe. And if it’s safe, then you probably planned this. The question is—why? Was there something here you needed? Or was it an accident?”
Cuffed and restricted, Sasuke couldn’t move much, yet his presence felt commanding. Naruto’s mind raced as he connected dots, caught in a web the Uchiha boy had spun so delicately.
“Here’s the deal,” Naruto said with a grin. “If I figure out why you brought yourself here, you’ll officially agree to let me be one of your lawyers. Deal?”
No words came from Sasuke, but the thin curve of a mischievous smirk was answer enough.
The game had begun.
Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you liked the story. Kudos and comments are welcomed~