Cherry Blossoms
Disclaimer: Oh, the painful truth. I own nothing related to Naruto, no matter how many times I've tried to convince myself otherwise.
"Sakura."
Sakura turned from her books to look at the person who had interrupted her studying. She hoped it was Sasuke, but when she saw the green suit, the bowl cut, and the bushy eyebrows, she drooped.
"Hey, Lee."
"Sakura, you are like the most precious cherry blossom in the wind. May I not catch you and carry you with me always?"
Outer Sakura kept on smiling, but Inner Sakura got so disturbed at Lee's horrific poetry that she had to go and cry in a dark corner. Outer Sakura twitched just the slightest bit when Lee clasped his hand in hers.
"Be mine, Sakura!"
"Lee, that's nice and all, but like I've said before, I'm not interested. Your poetry was appreciated though." Sakura plastered on a fake smile for Lee's benefit.
Lee frowned, but soon beamed up at Sakura again. "Yes, I thought you might say that. Well, I shall try again next time. Until then, farewell my Sakura!"
"Bye, Lee."
As soon as the door to Sakura's office in the hospital next to Tsunade's had slid closed and Sakura could hear Lee's footsteps fading into the distance, Sakura slumped back into her chair and rubbed her eyes. "At least Lee went willingly this time," she muttered, exasperated with Rock Lee's many attempts to romanticize her and make her his.
Except, as she said, she wasn't interested, because her heart had already been taken by none other than one Sasuke Uchiha.
No, it wasn't a fangirl love/obsession anymore, as it had been so many years ago. It had developed into a kind of twisted friendship in the time spent with Team 7.
"Sakura, you are like the most precious cherry blossom in the wind. May I not catch you and carry you with me always?" Lee's words still rang in her head, and Sakura couldn't help but think what the words would sound like had it been Sasuke who was speaking.
Sakura's heart had broken when Sasuke had left to pursue Itachi by learning new powers from Orochimaru. Sakura had felt real pain, and she had felt real worry for Sasuke.
But three years later, Sasuke stumbled back into Konoha, his curse mark raging angrily. He was bloody, torn, and cut up, but his Sharingan eyes sparkled with triumph. Sakura had been one of the first to catch sight of Sasuke, and all Sasuke said before collapsing in Sakura's arms was that he had killed Orochimaru and Itachi.
It had taken Sasuke a while to recover from not only the physical injuries wreaked on him by Orochimaru's ninja followers, but also by the damage the curse mark had done to him. Konoha's own experienced curse sealers had managed to permanently seal the curse set on him by Orochimaru, and Sasuke had undergone several months of intense therapy to train his chakra back from the evil.
Sakura had been with him every minute of the way. Naruto would have stayed by Sasuke's side too and be an annoying jerk the whole time, except for the fact that Naruto had gone to visit Gaara with Jiraiya and Kakashi and would be gone for nearly a year.
Now Sasuke was…Sasuke again. He was the same arrogant prick that Sakura remembered ever since their first day together with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei as Team 7.
Sakura bowed her head over her books again. She wondered what it would be like to be in Sasuke's position, being the only remaining member of your whole clan.
A voice interrupted Sakura's thoughts again.
"Sakura."
Sakura sighed impatiently, annoyed at being interrupted from her pondering.
"Lee, I told you, I'm not interested. Now go away!"
However this time, the voice chuckled and Sakura turned to look right at Sasuke leaning casually against the doorframe.
"S-Sasuke!"
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter! This is only the beginning, as a kind of introduction. Reviews will be much appreciated, and flames will be used to make ramen.