Naruto :I will survive

The feeling of imminent death is like the oxygen in your chest suddenly disappearing, causing a sharp suffocation and a primal, soul-chilling fear. And then, as all sensations gradually begin to disappear, and in the gathering darkness you experience the excruciating agony of loss.

Once is enough to experience this… but Kano experienced it twice.

Not far from the Konoha hospital, there was a cherry tree. Now, in bloom, its delicate scent could be felt from afar, penetrating through the window and tickling Kano's nostrils. The morning sun, warm and gentle, illuminated his pale face, but could not penetrate his eyes, dark as night.

"Then I made the wrong choice," Kano whispered, looking at the sky outside the window, trying to suppress his inner turmoil. How many times can a person be on the brink of death? And how many times should he not be on the brink of death?

Wandering in the darkness, hearing familiar voices fading away, and feeling growing fear, he walked for a long time in this endless darkness until he found a single glimmer of light. Like a drowning man who has finally escaped from the water's depths, he greedily gasped for air. He thought he was dying, but he survived. In that dark corridor behind him, a familiar voice sounded, but he knows that if he had died then, he would have lost everything.

Kano slowly clenched his fists, and a cold glint appeared in his dark eyes. He was never willing to sacrifice himself for others, except for those closest to him…

But why? What made him rush to help that night, risking his life?

Poof! - the door suddenly opened.

A red-haired girl entered the room with a basket of fruit. She was accompanied by two people: Minato and Haru.

Hearing the sound, Kano extinguished the cold gleam in his eyes and, turning his head, silently looked at those who entered.

Kushina walked up to the table, put the basket down and, looking at his pale face, asked with concern: "Does the wound still hurt?"

"It hardly hurts anymore," Kano answered calmly, avoiding her gaze.

Haru came closer and also looking at his pale face, said: "You scared me to death! Even if you wanted to train, you shouldn't have gone to such a dangerous place."

That day, upon learning of Kano's injury, he immediately rushed to the hospital and saw him unconscious, bandaged like a mummy.

Kano smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying his words. When he woke up yesterday, he received a brief explanation from Orochimaru. He roughly understood what had happened with Kushina's kidnapping, and he was sure that all the participants in this story were people he should not get involved with.

An invasion by enemy ninja, the kidnapping of Kushina, the serious injury of Kano, and finally the official version - careless training in the Forest of Death, a miraculously saved life.

The real reason was carefully hidden. He even thought that if he died there, his death would be meaningless and unknown to anyone.

But he didn't care. Having lived through this border between life and death, he understood a lot. The people of this world were strangers to him, and he did not belong here...

Minato stood silently by the bed. The sunlight coming through the window made his golden hair even brighter. He looked at Kano, and admiration was visible in his dark blue eyes.

He was gentle in nature and did not like competition, but was always confident in his abilities. However, with the appearance of Kano, he realized that competition is not always a bad thing, especially if the person is superior to you.

Kushina took a red apple and, smiling, asked Kano: "Do you want an apple?"

Seeing this, Haru looked at her with surprise. This behavior of Kushina was unusual for him. Minato, who was always attentive to Kushina, also noticed her unusual softness and, like Haru, was surprised.

Kushina didn't pay attention to their reaction, and if she had noticed, she probably would have accidentally crushed the apple in her hand.

Kano himself, in the past, would have pointed out her pretense without hesitation and explained what her true character should be in such a situation. But now… A cold indifference flashed in the depths of his eyes. He glanced at the bright red apple and politely declined: "I'm not hungry, thank you."

Kushina's hand holding the apple trembled slightly. She looked at Kano, whose behavior was no different from usual, and frowned slightly. After all, that "thank you" made her feel something.

However, she didn't dwell on it, and throwing away the apple, she said irritably: "As you wish! I also wanted to peel it for you."

Kano smiled faintly and turned away, looking at the blue sky outside the window. Despite their outward resemblance, their characters were completely different. To commit such a stupidity, risking their lives, well... however, one such time is enough.

Haru looked at the calm Kano, and then at the slightly angry Kushina, and didn't know what to say. It seemed to him that he, too, had noticed some change in his comrade, and that their previous communication was different.

"If you have nothing else in mind, I would like to be alone," Kano said, feeling an inexplicable discomfort, and made it clear that he wished to be left alone.

"Huh? AAA!" Haru was taken aback, but quickly got his bearings and looked at Kushina. She, frowning slightly, said after a moment: "Have a good rest."

Having said that, she turned around and left. Haru, after watching her leave, turned to Kano: "Kano, get well soon! I'll treat you to barbecue later."

Kano, continuing to look out the window, nodded in agreement. And noticing this, Haru followed Kushina. Minato, watching what was happening, seemed to have realized something for himself, and politely bidding Kano farewell, he also left the room.

Soon Kano was alone again, whispering to himself, "You can only rely on yourself."

.....

"Kushina, wait!" Haru shouted as soon as they left the hospital.

Kushina reluctantly slowed down, waiting for Minato and Haru.

Minato, observing Kushina's unusual behavior, looked at her with a searching gaze. A team that had been together for over a year shouldn't act like this, especially after Kano risked his life for her. So why was the atmosphere so strange?

"Kushina, don't you think Kano is acting strange?" Haru asked, looking at Minato, and after thinking for a bit, decided to express his opinion.

"I have no idea," Kushina said irritably, waving her hand, but a shadow of disappointment flashed in her eyes. She felt Kano's unusual coldness, the same coldness that was inherent in him when they first met, although now it was skillfully hidden behind a mask of calm.

Why?

This question tormented her, and the more she thought about it, the more irritated she became.

Haru, having spent more than a year with Kano, was no fool either. He was perceptive enough to sense the changes no worse than Kushina. He, too, noticed Kano's hidden coldness, the very coldness that seemed to have long since disappeared during their time together.

"What happened anyway?" Seeing that Kushina didn't want to continue this conversation, Haru wisely fell silent, but continued to think about what could have happened over the past few days.

Minato, who could be considered an outsider in this situation, also couldn't understand what was going on. But when he looked at Kushina, he only smiled softly.