Sakura just sat there utterly dumbfounded at the way her thoughts seemed to be going, one minute she's thinking about how she would feel if she was happily married like Ino-pig and the next she's wondering what it would be like to be in love like her blonde friend. Sakura mentally slapped herself she could never be in love, that emotion died along with Sasuke, she couldn't go through that again, her heart had been shattered when the Uchiha left and the shards of said heart had been buried along with her first love. Sasuke had caused her and Naruto a lifetime of grief and she was on no way prepared to let another man close again. Sakura let her thoughts run wild that is until a loud thump was heard on the other side of her bedroom door. Sakura suddenly sprang to her feet as the door opened and she visibly flinched at the sight of the boisterous blonde that stood leaning on her door frame.

"Sakura-chan why aren't you dressed yet? It isn't like you to be late. Me and Sai have been waitin for you since 8'oclock even Kakashi-sensei is there" Naruto said as he folded his arms across his broad chest.

"So he was on time for once?" Sakura inquired clearly surprised that the copy-nin had managed not to be late.

"No he was 45 minutes late but that's not what I'm getting at sakura-chan. Why are you in bed at this hour… are you okay?" the blonde asked concerned for her wellbeing.

"Im fine Naruto" she said exasperated. Sakura was so not in the mood to explain to the kyuubi container what was going on in her head. "Are we still having dinner at Ichiraku's?"

"Yeah I just came to get you Sakura-chan" he smiled sweetly at her "but would you mind hurrying up I'm a little hungry"

The pinkette rolled her eyes and snorted at this-when wasn't he hungry? Sakura quickly proceeded to pick out her outfit, she couldn't help but notice he was still at the door as she turned to grab her panties.

"Naruto this is still my room. It'd be nice if I could have some privacy" she said slightly peeved

"Humph...and here I thought I was going to get a little peek" he said sheepishly grinning at his pink haired teammate.

"You wish you perv" she said as she ushered him out of her room and locked the door behind him.

Sakura quickly put on her clothes and examined herself in her full length mirror. Pleased with her appearance she bounded out of her room towards the loud mouth waiting for her on the couch.

The walk to the ramen shop was quiet and peaceful. When they stepped inside Naruto sat down and started chatting eagerly with Sai about kami knows what. Sakura sat and grabbed a menu to choose what she wanted to eat she was deep in thought when she was interrupted.

"So you finally decide to show up "said a voice that was all too familiar with her by now.

She turned to see the silver haired jounin giving her his signature eye crinkle.

"Yeah" she replied casually "thought I kept you waiting long enough so I came to end your torture." Smirking she watched as he genuinely smiled at her underneath his ever present mask.

Sakura had never seen him smile at her like that, something fluttered in the cavity where her heart should have been and she frowned at the feeling. She quickly turned to glance at her menu again when she was once interrupted this time by Sai.

"Sakura-chan I require your input. Dickless thinks it's wise to challenge me to a sake drinking contest would you please try to convince him otherwise?"

Sakura gave Sai and Naruto the once over before saying "why not It could be fun. Loosen up a little Sai" Sakura chuckled at the triumphant look on Naruto's face. Behind her Kakashi also chuckled before he said "you need to loosen up too Sakura, you've been tense ever since you've gotten here" she stared at her sensei slightly embarrassed at his observation. Damn it why did she have to be so readable.

"yeah Sakura-chan drink with us we can have teams for the contest…Sai and I against you and Kakashi sensei" Naruto chirped happily already ordering them a bottle of sake.

She turned to see Kakashi grinning like a Cheshire cat. She had a sneaking suspicion that this had been planed for even Sai looked slightly pleased with himself.

"FINE" she said a little louder than intended. Naruto laid down the sake in front of her. "But don't whine when you lose Naruto"

The night passed by in a blur, she and Kakashi downed drink after drink. Their team was winning and she was happy. Sakura noticed that her cup was empty and got up to reach for the almost empty bottle of sake and in the process almost fell on her face. Sai and Naruto laughed and the proceeded to tell her that she was drunk and she should go home. Sakura undeniably drunk as she was reluctantly agreed and started to stumble toward the exit. Kakashi immediately started after her mumbling something to the boys about seeing her home safely since he wasn't as drunk as the kunoichi. Sakura turned to look at him before giving him a drunken grin.

The pair was standing in front of Sakura's apartment before she turned to Kakashi and hugged him. Kakashi stood there slightly stunned before wrapping his arms around the slender girl. He was quite enjoying the feel of her exposed waist, she was wearing a crop top that showed off her fabulously toned abdomen.

"Kakashi d-do y-you wanna come in?" sakura slurred. She wasn't quite sure why she invited him in but right now she really wasn't thinking.

Kakashi hesitated thinking about the outcomes of this situation. He didn't want to do anything to disrupt their current relationship, she was too important for him to loose—'wait did I really think that' Kakashi pondered but before he could finish his though he was roughly tugged forward.

"you w-were t-taking to fucking long" she looked up at him while she smiled.

He looked at Sakura's face and hesitated before asking "are you sure this is a good idea sakura?"

She didn't miss a beat when she answered "o-of coursee I'm a 23 year old ww-women and I-I trust you…pp-lease" inner sakura was currently having a hissy fit she knew this wasn't a good idea but her body had needs after all.

Kakashi checked her face for any signs of hesitation before he gently grabbed her chin and kissed her. She tasted like bubblegum and sake and in that moment he knew he was a goner, he wanted this. Sakura kissed Kakashi back with vigor. Inner sakura had even quieted her rambling. She quickly broke the kiss to close the front door, she knew that there was no going back after that door shut and for the first time since the death of Sasuke she truly felt like her old self 'maybe this is a good thing' she thought before the door shut with an audible click.