Another story... this is a short gift fic for my good friend, Atrix333 :D Hope you like it!
One spring evening, Team Kakashi sat in the Ichariku Ramen shop, celebrating another successful mission. While Naruto gulped down bowl after bowl of ramen, Sakura tried to stop him. Kakashi, who had volunteered to pay, watched with a slightly pained expression. Sai, not interested in the little battle, began letting his gaze wander the room. His eyes fell on a girl pushing back the curtain that covered the open front of the tiny shop. His black eyes widened, and for a few long moments, he stared, slightly stunned.
Dropping his fork into his ramen bowl, he pushed back his stool and stood up, muttering a "Be right back." to the rest of his team. He slowly approached the counter where the girl sat, trying to work out a coherent sentence in his jumbled mind. How was she doing this to him? 'Well,' he thought, 'females are often offended if you state their traits too bluntly.' in fact, his mind continued, 'It's often best to say the exact opposite of what you really think….. And what do I really think?' He lifted his eyes to her, trying to ignore the pounding of his heart. 'She…. is beautiful.' Sai stepped up behind the mystery girl.
She looked to be around his age, pretty, with wide, gold-flecked green eyes, long lashes, and chin-length brown hair. A long travel cloak hung from her back, despite the warm day, and something, perhaps a backpack, created a lump in it. Sai stood there for a few long moments, the near-expressionless look on his face never betraying his inner turmoil. Hands shaking slightly, he finally raised one and tapped her on the shoulder, plastering on his most convincing smile. She looked up from her bowl of ramen and their eyes met. Sai, certain his knees would give out from under him, stuttered for a few moments.
She gave an encouraging smile, only serving to muddle him further.
Finally, he gasped out, "H…Hello." She returned his greeting with a warm smile and a soft reply, staring down into her bowl of ramen, blushing slightly. Sai blinked. 'Just say it!' a voice in his mind urged. "You… You're hideous." He said in a slightly awed tone. The smile faded from her lips as she tried to process the misguided compliment. Not knowing Sai, she took it for what it was, an insult, and a rather cruel one at that. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"So you came all the way over here…. Just to tell me that?" Sai nodded eagerly, not recognizing her warning expression or tone, or even the pink spots of rage coloring her cheeks. In one swift movement, with a last venomous glare, she scooped up her bowl of untouched, still-hot ramen, and poured the entire thing over Sai, then turned on her heel and stormed out of the shop without a second glance, leaving a scalded, drenched Sai, limp noodles dripping down his head and shoulders, to wonder what had just happened.