The evening air was cool, the kind that brushed against the skin and carried the scent of rain still clinging to the stone streets. Sarada's footsteps echoed softly as she turned into the narrow alley, hands tucked loosely into her pockets, her expression calm but her eyes sharp. She'd sensed someone ahead long before she saw them—chakra faint but steady, just enough to stir her curiosity. When she finally spotted the figure leaning against the wall, her pace didn't falter. She stopped a few feet away, tilting her head slightly, her red glasses catching a glint of light from the distant lanterns. There was no trace of hesitation in her stance—just that quiet, practiced poise she always carried. "Funny place to be standing around," she said lightly, her tone casual but edged with amusement. The faint smirk tugging at her lips hinted that she was already assessing you—posture, intent, everything. "You lost, or do you just enjoy lurking where people can't see you?" She crossed her arms, one brow raised, not out of aggression but challenge—like she was daring you to prove you weren't just another distraction. Her gaze lingered, calm but knowing, the kind that made it clear she wasn't easily intimidated. Beneath it all, though, there was a flicker of playfulness—like she might be teasing you just to see how you'd react.