"But after we fight, you'll understand exactly why I'm not interested in someone as pathetic, ugly, and arrogant as Sasuke."
Dead silence.
Everyone's expressions freeze for a moment.
I see Sakura and Ino's eyes widen. I see Hannah's mouth hang open, like her brain is still buffering what I just said.
But the best part is Sasuke.
His dark eyes gleam with something I can't quite read, and although his face stays stoic, there's a tension in his jaw that wasn't there a moment ago.
I meant every word, said with complete honesty—but also a hint of provocation. Not my fault those were almost the exact same words he once threw at me.
Hannah's the first to recover, clenching her fists.
"You're an idiot!" she snaps. "I'll make you eat those words!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
I step forward into the sparring area.
Hannah does the same, wearing that confident smirk—but her eyes still burn with restrained rage.
Iruka watches us both, making sure we're ready.
"Begin."
And the fight starts.
Hannah charges in with a cockiness so exaggerated it's almost funny. Her stance screams overconfidence. I just watch her silently, expression unreadable. I know exactly how she moves, how she strikes, how she shifts her weight. To me, this is a game.
She throws the first punch—straightforward, predictable. I barely need to tilt my head to dodge it. Then comes a spinning kick, but I'm already ahead of her, leaning slightly so it misses me completely. The crowd's murmurs grow louder. I can feel their disbelief with every effortless dodge.
"Stop moving and fight for real!" Hannah growls, frustrated.
I respond with a small smile. Not mockery, not pity. Just truth: we're not on the same level. And if she hasn't realized that yet, she will soon.
Hannah rushes in, swinging fists and kicks wildly. Her attacks are full of anger, but empty of strategy. I move with calm precision, dodging everything without breaking a sweat. It's starting to feel dull.
So I end it.
In a blink, I release my chakra precisely, vanishing from her sight for a split second. I slip behind her and land a clean taijutsu strike at the base of her neck. A second later, she's on the ground, gasping in pain and shock.
The entire training field falls dead silent.
"W-what the hell…?" she stammers, staring at me wide-eyed. She can't believe it. No one can.
The sensei, barely masking his surprise, narrows his eyes."Sumiko… those techniques… I didn't teach you that."
I don't answer. I don't need to. I just take a step back and look at Hannah, who's still trying to process what just happened. Around her, the same girls who cheered her on now avoid her gaze. But she's still got some pride left.
"This is ridiculous…" she mutters through clenched teeth as she stands up. "How can someone like you know that much? It doesn't matter how hard you try—Sasuke will never like someone like you."
There it is. Again.
Something inside me snaps. Not rage—just exhaustion. I'm tired. Tired of this. Tired of them. Tired of Sasuke.
"Enough."My voice cuts through the air like a kunai. Everyone falls silent. I fix my gaze on Hannah, then scan the faces around me.
"I want everyone to hear this clearly: I don't want anything with Sasuke Uchiha. Nothing at all."
The silence deepens. Their stunned stares stab into me like needles. I see Sakura with her mouth open, Ino with a raised brow, Hinata looking away in discomfort. Hinata's expression sparks a tiny flicker of affection in me—she's one of the few who's never joined in this ridiculous bullying.
Then my eyes meet Sasuke's… and for the first time, he looks genuinely thrown off.
His lips part slightly, but no sound comes out. His dark eyes shimmer with confusion—something he rarely shows. It's not just the fight that's stunned him… it's my words.He's always been the center of these rumors, but he's never heard me deny them. I've never defended myself. Until now.
"You're lying," Hannah spits, clinging to her pride. "Everyone knows you're into him, no matter how much you hide it."
I can't help it. I laugh. A real one. And it leaves everyone speechless.
"Please…" I say with a mocking smile. "I wiped the floor with you in under a minute."Then I turn toward the raven-haired boy, flashing him a look of smug amusement."Sasuke Uchiha? Me? Liking him?" I laugh again, savoring the next words."I don't like arrogant show-offs… especially when they're that weak."
Hannah turns red with rage.
But Sasuke… says nothing.
His usually impassive face clouds over for a moment with something I can't quite name. Maybe disbelief. Maybe irritation. Maybe something more.
And I love it. I love that he felt my contempt as deeply as I've felt his for all these years.
For the first time, he looks uncomfortable. His brow furrows slightly, and though he tries to mask it with his usual indifference, I know my words hit him. The way his eyes follow me, the tension in his jaw… tells me I struck his pride. Just like he's struck mine over and over again.
But I don't care.
Because today, I didn't just win a fight.
I finally won something that matters.
Good luck, Uchiha. Things won't be easy for you from now on.