A/N: Welcome to round 2!

I strongly advise readers to read the original story, Red Sand, before encountering this one.

I've just re-read the first seven or eight chapters of Red Sand, and realized it was pretty cheesy and rushed in terms of relationship, but please, give it a chance.

Anyways, the sequel has been haunting my dreams, but I've never gotten around to starting it. I only hope it will live up to expectations.

And now…

Euphoria

"Hey Sakura, let's go!" Ino's voice called out to the girl, waving her friend over. Locks of platinum blonde glistened under the Konoha sun. She giggled and readjusted her hair tie.

"I'm coming, Ino! I just have to do one last thing…" She shouted in response, quickly picking up her belongings and throwing it in the brown bag over her shoulder. She stood up from the table outside the café, bubblegum pink hair swaying with her actions.

Sprinting, using those magnificently toned legs of hers, she caught up in no time. Sakura was happy. The happiest she'd been in a long time. It's been a bit over a year since the incident. She refused to talk about it to anyone, but it wasn't difficult for anyone to see that she was hurt by it.

As much as she tried the first few months, she would still cry every night, come to work unfocused, and refused to go out with her friends. It wasn't until one day; a young man changed all of that.

Flashback

"Hey, Sakura-chan. Is that you?" A voice asked her with a grin on his face, perfect white teeth shining through the sun.

Sakura looked up from her cold tea at the café and winced slightly at the sun. She saw the outlines of a fuzzy jacket. She recognized the boy immediately.

"Oh. Hey Kiba." She said, managing a small smile. It was forced, and it didn't take a Shikamaru to see it. Kiba seemed to ignore this though.

"Mind if I sit down?" He asked her, motioning to the empty seat.

"Yeah, knock your self out." She said, not really paying attention. She was used to everyone trying to talk to her about…the incident, and was waiting for the question.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked her, fiddling his thumbs with a happy go lucky grin.

Here it comes…Sakura thought.

"Sure." She said with a smile.

"Do you always use strawberry shampoo?" He asked, leaning his head on one of his hands.

Sakura blinked.

"What?" She asked, confused.

"Well, I've known you pretty long now, I mean, we go back to academy days... Ino, Tenten, and Hinata always smell like different shampoos. You though, I must say, you are always strawberry." He said with a laugh.

Sakura couldn't help but smile a little.

"It's going to sound silly, but I used to think Sasuke liked the smell of them. I guess I never got around to changing that." She responded.

Kiba grinned, and sat up straight.

"Well, I don't know if Sasuke does. But ya no, it's never too late for a change. I'll see you around, Sakura." He said, before he got up and left.

Sakura sat there, the smile present still. Only, it didn't feel heavy or forced. She looked down at her tea, her lips still curved upward.

Yeah…it isn't too late for a change. She thought.

That night, Sakura bought a new shampoo.

"Shikamaru!" Ino shrieked happily, running toward the man leaning against the wall. She embraced him warmly, eyes almost glowing with pride. She had landed the resident genius. Sakura never realized how beautiful her friend was when she smiled like that.

"Hey…" Shikamaru said lazily, wrapping his arms around the small figure of the girl. The two had grown fond over the last year; after their falling out, Shikamaru had gone out and bought her a diamond necklace, and the rest was history.

"Hey Shikamaru." Sakura grinned, standing beside Ino, feeling just a little awkward, but she couldn't help but smile, the two were just so sweet around each other.

"Hey Sakura. Kiba said he was running a little late. He'll be here soon." Shikamaru told her.

Sakura nodded. She didn't mind him being late. As long as he was there, it was good enough for her. She felt complete. As much as she hid it, she still remembered the day she left Suna. It was exactly a year and a week ago. She tried her best to hide her pain on that day, but Kiba realized immediately and took her out for dinner. She didn't complain.

"How lucky are we? Two of the finest men of Konoha, madly in love with us! I have a genius, and you, you my friend…have a dog!" Ino giggled loudly, making her two friends wince slightly.

"Oh I know. I am the luckiest girl in the world." Sakura added with a laugh. Ino smiled warmly, enjoying the sound of her friend's laugh.

"Hey! Sorry for being late." Kiba said, strolling in from around the corner. His hair was waving in the wind, and he was donning his usual apparel. He walked over to Sakura, and slid his arms around her waist, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"How's that for a greeting?" He asked her, with a flirting glance. Sakura smiled, feeling shivers go up her spine. She twisted around in his grip and grinned.

"Hmm…it was okay, for a mutt." She added with a playful laugh. Kiba mocked a look of hurt.

The foursome took off to the movies shortly after the greetings, hand in hand, with occasional stops alongside shops, with Ino and Sakura commenting on something in the window display.

"Hey, Shikamaru can I ask you something?" Kiba asked the other male, hands in his pockets, leaned against the wall, watching the two females squeal and point.

"Hnn?" Shikamaru replied.

"Think I should make it official now? I mean…I've been with Sakura for 5 months now…but we haven't made anything official. Sometimes, I don't even really know if she likes me."

"I wouldn't worry about it. Sakura still is recovering." Shikamaru explained.

"I'll take your word for it." He murmured to himself, before the two girls came back. Ino slid her hand around Shikamaru's, and the two of them walked ahead.

Sakura merely stood beside Kiba with a smile. "Let's go?" She asked him. Kiba nodded and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, puffing up in pride as the other men stared in awe at the two ladies.

It wasn't too much of a surprise that the duo, Ino and Sakura, had received the most attention from the opposite gender. Hinata was too shy to catch much attention, and everyone knew to stay away from Tenten, even if she didn't know it, she was pretty much Neji's territory.

Ino had that classic beauty that drew men towards her, from the sparkling blue eyes to the perfect blonde hair. Sakura on the other hand, she was an odd one. The green eyes, pink hair, and usually spunky personality were hard to ignore.

Naturally, Shikamaru overlooked this fact about Ino. He was too lazy to notice the stares of envy he received from other men. Kiba however, Kiba knew exactly how lucky he was. Out of all the impressive Shinobi, Sakura had chosen him.

"Kiba-kun?" She murmured to him, as they reached their seats in the theatre and sat down, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Yes?" he asked her, hand laced with hers.

"Stay with me tonight. I don't want to be alone." She whispered, tightening her grip on his hand. Sakura felt so safe around Kiba. It wasn't that he was a particularly impressive shinobi, in fact, he had not yet passed his jounin exams, but it was how he treated her, and how he could make her laugh in any situation.

This was something the boy would not have to think twice about. Kiba grinned and nodded.

"Whatever you want, Sakura." He murmured, kissing her cheek lightly. Sakura beamed, feeling her heart inflate. Gaara probably found someone too…you really stop thinking about him. You have Kiba, wonderful, amazing, Gorgeous Kiba.

At this she smiled. Oh how lucky she truly was.

----

However, in a village far away, things were not going so well for a certain other. A boy sat, clutching his head on the rooftop of the Kazekage's tower. He looked much different then a year previous. His face had matured; he had gotten leaner, stronger.

"Gaara…come on, you have to stop this. It's been way too long. Come down to the meeting." His sister's voice called out softly, hand gingerly resting on his shoulder. She couldn't believe what a mess he was. He seemed fine this last year, until a week ago; he broke down and lost it. That day, he sent 10 people into the hospital.

"Yeah…I'm coming." He said, shaking his shoulders slightly. He sucked in a deep breath of air and stood up, his clothes falling down into place.

"You know, Chunin exams are held in Konoha this year…you're going to have to see her soon." Temari said, following the boy to the door.

"Yes, I'm aware of this." Gaara replied, still stoic. He was dreading this moment everyday of last week. He did not know what was going on in Konoha. He had not seen her since she left. He had not heard news about her in any way. He had not talked to her.

"Sakura will be an examiner this year." Temari finished.

"I understand." Gaara said, opening the door, waiting for his sister to step in first.

"Gaara, it's not too late. I think you can still make it work. You and I both know you haven't stopped caring about her." She said, walking down the spiral staircase.

"Hnn." Gaara said, dropping the subject. Temari smiled, she was not going to give this up that easily.

I hope your right, Temari. Gaara thought, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips, at the possibility of seeing Sakura once more, oh how he had missed her so.

---

A/N: I know it's awfully short. The other chapters will be much longer, I promise. I'm sorry but I am so tired. It's around one in the morning and I've got lots of studying to do. But I just wanted to make sure the first chapter was up.

So now you know the love triangle involved, let me know what you think.

Remember, read and review:)