Breakdown of the RAW (Chapter 693)
I can’t believe I have to do this.
Thank you thelittlestmiju for providing scans. I was able to take the parts that really matter. This chapter confirms that Sakura still loves Sasuke romantically. Period. Here’s the breakdown.
｢私は…… 私にはどうする事もできないって本当は分かってる
大好きなのに…！！
サスケくんをこんなに想ってるのに…..！！｣
“I…I know the truth is I won’t be able to do anything.
Even though I love you!!
Even though I care so much about [you] Sasuke-kun!!” *Sakura uses 大好き ”daisuki”. Present tense. It is a common word to use while confessing your love for someone. I do not understand why some people are trying to twist this into the same meaning as “I love hamburgers” or “I love my family”. Can you use “daisuki” in those sentences? Sure. But that is why context exists to help guide the reader. Let me put it this way… It’s the same in English:
"I love hamburgers”
“I love my family”
“I love you (romantic interest)”
CONTEXT. Con-fuckin-text.
If you are literate and have a good memory, you know that Sasuke does not fit the “food” and “family” categories. Sakura has been romantically loving Sasuke throughout all of the manga (all of part 1 e.g. chapter 181, and all of part 2, e.g. chapter 540). And moreover…
*Sakura recalls her FIRST confession to Sasuke. She adds to the romantic context. No one argues that chapter 181 isn’t romantic, so why would chapter 693 be any different? It’s literally a parallel to chapter 181 (especially Sasuke’s “You really are annoying” that is also done on purpose). I mean, how stupid does this sound: “I love you as a platonic friend!” …No.
｢でも….でもサスケくん！少しでも…少しでも私の事が心の隅っこにあるなら…
お願い…もう遠くへいかないで….！
ずっと一緒にいれば…いつか…..昔みたいに…｣ “But… but Sasuke-kun! If there’s even a little place in the corner of your heart for me… even a little…
Please… don’t go far away anymore!
If we stay together forever, we can go back to the old days…”
*Together forever doesn’t necessarily mean just her and Sasuke. Sakura wants the old team 7 back. However, that does not mean she cares any less for him romantically. Read the first paragraph. Skipping over some things, we have Sasuke’s line:
｢恋愛ごっこでも楽しめってのか？
オレにはこいつを好く道理も好かれる道理もない｣
"Was she having fun daydreaming of love? There’s no reason for me to like her or her to like me”
*When he mentions dreaming of love, Sasuke uses 恋愛.
恋愛 (Ren'ai) = specifically romantic love.
*Since it’s coming from Sasuke, it shows he is aware of the nature of Sakura’s feelings.
*Sasuke does not say he has no interest in Sakura. I have no idea where Mangapanda got that. All he tries to apply is “reason”. His own logic that he thinks is right. In other words, no matter how he feels (like or not), there is no reason for them to like each other. This is his mindset right now.
｢理由があるのは人を嫌いになる時だけでいい！
それにサクラは今お前を自分のものにしたいんじゃない！」
"You only need a reason when you hate someone!
Besides, Sakura’s wish right now isn’t to become yours!” *Kakashi implies that love doesn’t need a reason by saying you only need a reason when it comes to hate. He is countering Sasuke’s “logic/thoughts” of not having a reason for him and Sakura to like each other.
*Sasuke took Sakura’s words as romantic, therefore we are meant to also. Otherwise he would not have responded the way he did (usage of "ren'ai” - romantic love, not needing a reason to like/love each other, and the parallel to chapter 181, aka, a romantic confession). *Kakashi isn’t saying that Sakura doesn’t ever want to be with Sasuke romantically. He is saying FOR NOW, her priority is to save him and not try to win him over. That makes her love for him selfless. That’s exactly what he was saying in chapter 675. That Sakura grew up from being a fangirl with a crush to a wonderful girl who loves Sasuke genuinely and knows priorities.
｢ただお前を助けたいんだ！
お前に殺されかけた事もあるこの子が…
今でもお前の事を想い涙を流すのは…
お前を愛して苦しんでいるからだ！」
“She wants to save you! This child [girl] who was almost killed by you, she’s still shedding tears while caring for you…
It’s because she loves you so much it’s making her suffer! [breaks her heart]”
*Kakashi uses 愛する/愛して ”ai suru/ai shite”, which is the strongest way to clarify love, especially romantic love. *Sakura loves Sasuke, but her priority is to save him. What Kakashi said is again, a follow up from chapter 675. That while she holds the same type of romantic love 同じ好き (same love; “onaji suki”), it changed (aka, totally different level) from being somewhat selfish to selfless/crush to full on love. Except this time, he is extremely clear. He is also basing this off of not only his observation of Sakura’s feelings for Sasuke, but her romantic confession she just shouted out a few seconds (minutes?) prior. They go hand in hand.
*It makes absolutely no sense for Kakashi to say that Sakura loves Sasuke as a family member. She never loved him that way; it’s always been romantic. Sakura has an unconditional love for Sasuke; nearing 700 chapters it’s still romantic. It’s been confirmed multiple times already.
Dare I say it again? Context.
Just a fun note, since we all agree chapter 181 (her first confession) is romantic… in her original confession, Sakura used 好きで好きで (“Sukide sukide”) which is still love, but it is a slightly lesser form than 大好き (“daisuki”) which she used in THIS confession (693). Therefore, her feelings are stronger than what they were in part one. Kakashi is right; highlighting that her love for Sasuke is genuine and not selfish.
Remember this - 恋愛 (Ren'ai) = specifically romantic love.
Sakura mentions not being able to be close to him or pretty much die together with him, indicating intimacy (「寄りそう事も刺し違える事もできずに… こうやってまた、だだこねて泣くことしかできない…みっともないよねホント…！！」). kuwnaruto put it this way:
That could be translated many ways since she used Sashichigaeru (刺し違える) which basically means aiming to kill someone knowing you will go down too, she could have said this…
"I couldn’t be on your side or even die with you with each other’s sword”
or
“I couldn’t be on your side or even bring you down with me"
Either way I think she’s referring to the events back in the Iron Country.
Well, what I know Daisuki is commonly used during a confession with a person you’re not in a relationship with, but like romantically or just like a lot, what people don’t understand is Daisuki is commonly used in Animes to express affection romantically, most if not all confessions which happen in animes use “Daisuki”, Aishiteru is hardly ever used, however when used it is mostly when you’re in a strong committed relationship with the person etc married couples or long term relationship (Even a sibling relationship), example being Itachi using aishiteru when telling Sasuke he loved him during the Kabuto vs Itachi/Sasuke fight,
So yes according to her words she did confess romantically, and honestly being Japanese or not you should know by now that she loves Sasuke there’s no way around it.
Yes, "daisuki” is mainly used in confessions in anime/manga.
You really don’t need to know Japanese in order to realize that Sakura loves Sasuke romantically. Context is your friend—the way Sakura is presented in chapter 693 is telling. It’s not a cry out to a simple (lol platonic) friend.
The only ones deluding themselves into thinking Sakura doesn’t love Sasuke are NaruSaku fans. Listen, the platonic problem is yours, don’t push your problems onto us.
