Sakura's confession is most controversial pairing moment in the whole Naruto series and it really shows through the fans. I don't believe it when people say Sakura doesn't love him, but I acknowledge that scene's very debatable no matter what opinion you chose to stick by. Personally, that's why I'd be unsatisfied if it didn't get re-addressed. I feel like that needs to be brought up again if NaruSaku is ever going to become canon.
I liked the thoughts of tricksie and KnS, but I'm still resisting that Sakura knew she loved Naruto. It just doesn't fit right IMO. The situation felt forced and her motivations had absolutely nothing to do with her own feelings. However, I still don't agree when people say she was lying. The look on Sakura's face when she said he was always close and that she finally saw him for who he is was incredibly sincere. Yet, what made that forced was when she mentioned Sasuke and how he was always just getting further away from her but Naruto was "there." Does that part sound like a perfect love confession? She was making it seem like she was choosing Naruto because Sasuke was "distant". It's not much of a surprise Naruto got angry at this part. Sakura's expression when she talked about loving Naruto and her anger at him for calling her a liar convinced me she does truly love him, but it's all subconscious.
I'd have an easier time believing Sakura knows she loves Naruto if it wasn't for 540. The person she thought about when it came to love was Sasuke, but he wasn't a great guy and she clearly hates whatever lingering affection she has for him. If it was Naruto, then wouldn't she think of him first? That's what tells me that even if Sakura's more aware of her changing relationship with him, she hasn't realized everything. There's conflict so I can't agree with this "Sakura knows she's in love with Naruto" argument. It doesn't make sense to me, though it's certainly possible she might know she has feelings for him.
Naruto's reaction to Sakura's confession doesn't strike me as appalling for the sole reason of how much that revealed about his character. Naruto was very harsh, but when you look past that and actually think why he reacted that way you get a sudden depth to him in a way you never saw before. I don't agree with him saying it was lie, but I can't deny I developed more respect for him in this scene.
Naruto wasn't that lovestruck boy he was in Part I. He revealed just how much he took Sakura's feelings, his own feelings, and himself as a person seriously. In his mind, the very reason he rejected that confession was for both their sakes. Naruto respects Sakura's love for Sasuke and would never want her with him when she didn't "love" him (going off Naruto's belief); he wants her happy. But it wasn't just about her. Naruto knows he loves Sakura. Because of that, he would never accept and enter a relationship when he's so convinced his feelings are one-sided. He wants it to be real, not forced under circumstance. There would be no meaning to that and in the long run, he wouldn't be truly happy; I daresay it'd even hurt him.
The confession revealed to me that Naruto views love the way he views training: all or nothing. He'd be okay not being with Sakura as long as she's happy, but he prefers that (even if hurts) over being with Sakura and not amounting to anything. That's how he saw her love confession. Naruto knows she loves Sasuke and while he misjudged a bit saying she didn't love him, he still proved he would not be the rebound for Sasuke. He won't have Sakura chose him just because he was there and Sasuke wasn't. Naruto has more respect than that, for both himself and Sakura.
I'm not saying he expressed it right, but all I saw in Naruto in 469--470 really portrayed how much he's changed. If you compare this to the Bench scene in Ch 3, the progress is astounding. Back then, you had Naruto henge into Sasuke and play with Sakura's feelings by pretending to be him and even nearly kissing her. But in her confession? He rejects Sakura's pass at him for the reasons that were the exact opposite of Ch. 3. In fact, he was angry over it. It really proves how developed Naruto's love for Sakura and his own opinion of her happiness evolved in 465 chapters.
Edited by xxRomanceGirlxx, 01 March 2014 - 06:02 AM.
). and things only get more and more NaruSaku as things go on out, NaruHina on the other hand died a long time ago. It just doesn't have as many, if not none of, the aspects of NS. the only thing that true NH fans have to argue is that hinata confessed to naruto first. but here's one of my counter arguments..... did any thing happen between them after that? the answer is no, nothing DID happen after that between them. and to bring it up NOW would just be a kitten move on kishi's behalf. and for some odd reason I don't think that even if naruto did bring it up it would not matter too much cause he even said that he is in love with sakura.
