Rock Lee sat down on a stool in a small resturant, not bothering to look around or even think for that matter. He simply sat and faced the boy to his right, feeling dejected as he was met with a blue gaze that was nearly a polar opposite to his own. The boy had been grinning when he was joined by Rock Lee, but after seeing his expression, the yellow-haired boy lowered his mouth into a dissapointed frown.
"I see she rejected your date offer, huh Lee?"
Lee turned his head away from him and stared at the smooth counter top before him, not bothering to answer. He couldn't make sense of why she'd said no...again.
"Sakura-san!" Lee had called, running after her.
"Wait up!" A girl, about the same age as Rock Lee, stopped and turned to face him. She had short pink hair, soft green eyes, and was wearing a simple red and white dress. She folded down her hair as Lee raced towards her, his face brimming with joy.
"Yes, Lee? What's up?" Sakura replied as Lee came to a halt in front of her. He met her gaze and she smiled briefly at him before breaking eye contact to glance behind her shoulder anxiously.
"Sakura-san, I must ask you something!" Lee delared, feeling pride and determination welling up inside of him. 'This time,' Lee had thought. 'This time she will say yes!'
Sakura turned her attention back to Lee, looking a little irritated.
"Well, make it quick! I have to catch up to Sasuke. He's probably on the other side of the Leaf Village by now!"
Rock Lee dipped his head slightly at her words, but he kept the same determination in his voice as he had before.
"Very well, Sakura-san. While this question is of the utmost importance, I will ask quickly."
"Sakura!" Lee exclaimed, going down on one knee and opening his arms wide as if to embrace her.
"Will you please be my girlfriend?"
Before Lee could further dwell on his rejection, his thoughts were interrupted by a hand that now lay flat right in front of his face. The owner of the hand, who owned the shop, spoke in a stern, though not necessarily mean tone.
"Hey, kid. You gonna order something or what?"
Lee turned away from the shop owner, not meeting the man's eyes.
"No sir." Lee replied quietly.
"I'll just be going." Lee got up and was able to take a single step before a different hand dragged him back to his seat by the folds of his green spandex suit. Lee turned in surprise to the boy he'd been sitting next to, feeling a little flustered as he stammered out "W-what, Naruto?" Naruto smiled in a way that was almost sympathetic, then gave a beaming smile to the shop owner.
"He'll have today's special chef!" Patting his stomach which was already rather full, he grinned even wider and added "Make that two."
Lee started to turn away from the counter again, not feeling as hungy as he usually was around lunch time, but Naruto pulled him back.
"C'mon, Bushy Brow! Eat up! Food, especially heavenly ramen, helps with lots you know!" Naruto beamed at Lee, hoping to lift his spirits, but Lee only sighed and revisited the chain of events hat had occured that morning.
"No, Lee. I'm sorry, but I'm just not really...I'm sorry, Lee."
He had stood there, silent and shocked as the wave of silence that followed Sakura's flustered words washed over him. He had remained perfectly still, even after Sakura had left to continue her search for Sasuke. Lee felt like a statue, stoney and cold and unable to feel anything but the weathering of another storm.
"Hey! Bushy Brow! Snap out of it!" Naruto waved his hand in front of Lee's face frantically, feeling a bit of worry rise in his stomach. Lee blinked, then turned his head to Naruto, looking somber. He rose, and this time Naruto did not try to stop him.
"Thank you for the meal, but I must be going. I must train for a while, and I would not want to do so on a bloated stomach." Lee indicates with a slight gesture of his hand to Naruto's currently rotund stomach. Without another word, Lee began walking away from the shop, leaving a very full (and slightly insulted) Naruto behind. However, the Leaf Ninja would not get very far. As neither of them were truly paying attention to where they were going, Lee and Tenten collided with one another and both fell awkwardly to the ground.
"Lee!" Tenten exclaimed, rising and brushing off her shirt before extending an arm to her teammate. She looked concerned; it wasn't like Lee to not be paying attention to his surroundings. Lee grabbed Tenten's hand and lifted himself up, then murmured a "Sorry" and continued walking without another word. Tenten ran after the ninja and stopped right in front of him, looking confused.
"Lee, what's wrong? You said earlier that you were going to have good news for me and Naruto! I tried to get over to Ichiraku's on time but...I...Lee?" Tenten studied his face as he Lee suddenly wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He raised his head to Tenten just enough to look her in the eye.
"There is no good news. I am sorry for getting your hopes up, Tenten." And I am sorry for getting mine up as well. Lee thought to himself. Tenten looked at Lee in astonishment, wondering what could have made Lee seem so...unhappy. And then the thought hit Tenten like a kunai in the back, making her ball up her fists. Sakura.