She watched, transfixed as Sai entered the room, a roll of paper under arm.

"Sakura-chan... You probably don't know why I asked you here."

She watched him, strong emerald eyes masking the emotion held deep inside her. To be truthful, she was belated... although the practical side of her knew better. Sai was a dick. Chances are he'd do something awful to regret coming.

But today? Even today, of all days...? She couldn't bring herself to belive it; although she feared she soon would.

The boy unrolled the parchment, taking a deep breath as he did so. The ink showed just barely through the other side, but Sakura could not ever have guessed what he had drawn.

Slowly, carefully, he set the paper down so she could see, making sure each feature of the artwork was visible. The girl let out a strangled gasp.

It was Sasuke; his perfect likeness. Even on paper, she found herself reveling at his unmistakable beauty, his handsome, adult face... the porcelain tint to the paper made it seem all the more real, fitting in so well to subsitute for his real skin color.

"Do you... like it?"

She was silent, gloved hands still covering her face. A light blush arose to her cheeks.

"Oh, my-! It's.. There are no words to describe it."

Sai smiled; it wasn't his real smile. It was a grimace, crooked, filled with something he himslef couldn't name, yet Sakura didn't seem to notice.

"That isn't even the best part."

Slowly, a cold, cold, dank breeze wafted lazily into the room and settled about the paper as Sai made the last hand sign.

All was silent. But for just a moment. She raised an eyebrow curiously.

And then Sasuke's image began to lift from the paper, the same way she'd seen Sai's tigers do many times. It was like watching an old friend rise from the dead. Yet somehow, rather than terrified or disturbed, she found herself mesmerized; excited.

The Uchiha's beautiful face rose, staring straight ahead as it loosened the rest of its body from the parchment before turning its head to look at Sakura. It blinked. She stared, mouth agape.

It stood up, shakily at first, stretching its papery limbs until they found an eery solidity. Yes, just like the dead. Only unfathomingly amazing.

It held out its hand to her, flexing its fingers. Almost as if to say, Come, let me see you more closely.

Until then, Sakuara couldn't bring herself to look at his face, to remember those awful memories of the past almost three years...

But he was perfect; almost godly. The fact he was a painting - living, breathing for that matter - added to the comparison that maybe Sasuke had never been real at all... Just a sad memory. A dream. Nothing. Originals were better than copies; then why did this thing seem so inhumanly perfect?

It isn't human.

And how do you know this?

The pained expression on its face as it reached out for her...

And just like that, it began to fade.

"Oh!"

Sakura found herself pawing at her eyes; she was crying.

"Sakura-chan!" Sai quickly, lithely, jumped up to join her side from where she sat in her chair.

"I-I'm truly sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry! It just seemed, this would be the best-" he began, and his monotone voice truly seemed to reflect he was sorry.

"Sai," she choked. "I'm not... crying... because I'm sad." She looked at him, bright smile stretched onto the features of her plain, yet pretty face. "I'm crying because... I'm so happy..." She sniffled, whiping her tears. "Oh, gawd. That was so wonderful! Just that... to see the one I love again..."

Sai gave another broken smile, the single quote, "...the one I love..." continued ringing through his mind.

"I knew you'd like it."

Some V-day fluff. Sorry for the wait.