Interpersonal love refers to love between human beings. It is a more potent sentiment than a simple liking for another. Unrequited love refers to those feelings of love that are not reciprocated. Interpersonal love is most closely associated with interpersonal relationships. Such love might exist between family members, friends, and couples. There are also a number of psychological disorders related to love, such as erotomania.

Sai pondered the information. He had heard Sakura and Ino talking earlier, and the conversation had been bothering him since.

-Earlier-

"…could be love!"

Sai paused. He had been walking past the flower shop when he heard Ino's voice. He spotted them, standing by the counter. The door was propped open, most likely due to the fact that it was a beautiful day, and there was a perpetual flow of customers.

"Wow, Ino…" a second voice spoke up, that Sai quickly identified as Sakura's. "Are you sure? Because, no offense or anything, but you change crushes pretty fast."

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN, FOREHEAD?"

Sai frowned and backed away from the door as the two girls yelled: he quite liked his eardrums. When their voices calmed, he moved closer once more, once again making sure he was out of the doorway, and out of view.

"All I meant was that love is different from a crush. Trust me: it took me forever to realize the difference."

Sai tilted his head. What did Sakura mean by that?

"Well, that's because you don't have Ino Intuition." Ino replied.

"Ino Intuition?" Sakura replied in a tone that implied she believed Ino had lost her mind.

"Yep! Ino Intuition: the skill to not have to think about it, you just know."

Sakura grumbled something in response, not loud enough for Sai to catch, and he backed away from the door at the sound of footsteps. He turned to walk away, but paused when he heard his name called.

"Hey, Sai!" Sakura called. Sai turned to face her as she walked out of the store, silently wondering whether or not to let her know he had been listening. Upon remembering how hard she could punch, he decided 'No' would probably be the safest answer.

"Hello." He replied, fake smile instantly falling into place: a knee-jerk reaction he had yet to get over.

"What's up? Are you going to visit Naruto in the hospital?"

He nodded. Naruto had been worn out after their last mission, in which he had, as usual, blown things way out of proportion and lost his temper several times.

"You wanna walk together?" Sakura asked. Sai nodded again. He never really understood why she asked if they could walk together anywhere, seeing as they would be going to the same place anyway. Logically, it was a pointless question that required no answer. Needless to say, he kept this observation to himself to avoid getting hit.

As they walked, Sakura babbled on about random subjects, and Sai found his mind wandering back to her and Ino's conversation.

Love… He didn't know much about love.

Sakura seemed to, though.

"Sakura…" Sai interrupted Sakura's babbling. She paused and turned to him.

"Yes?"

"…" He paused. He didn't know how to approach this subject at all. What if it upset her? Or if it was a stupid question that he should already know? Or if she didn't know either?

"Just spit it out, Sai!"

"Do you know anything about love?"

Sakura seemed genuinely surprised at the question.

"Well…" She murmured, starting to walk again. "I guess. I mean, I thought I loved Sasuke when I was younger, but really, it was more of a petty crush. I don't think I really loved him until…Well, probably his and Naruto's first serious fight. They were on the hospital roof, and went at each other with the Chidori and the Rasengan, like…seriously went at each other. Like they were trying to kill each other. I tried to stop them…I almost got killed. Kakashi-sensei stopped them before I did, though."

"How did that make you sure? That you loved Sasuke? It seems to me like it would make you like him less."

"Why's that?"

"He was going at Naruto with killing intent, wasn't he?"

Sakura frowned. "Well, yeah. But…Naruto was doing the same thing. It was complicated. It was like…Like seeing my brother and the boy I loved trying to kill each other…It's…hard to explain. I don't know. Did that make sense?"

"Not really."

"Oh well. I'm sure there are other sources. Why'd you want to know anyway? Got your eye on someone?" She gave him a mischievous smirk.

"Just curious." Sai mumbled. He was hyper-aware of the blush on his cheeks, and inquisitive to its cause. Sakura laughed as he wondered exactly which of her statements made his face heat up so much.

-Present-

Sai set the book down and turned to the next one.

When you would give your life for a person, and you want nothing more than for them to be happy, and you do everything in their best interest, you love them. Romantic love can be identified by feeling comfortable around a person, and when you need someone, they are either there, or you want them to be.

Sai instantly thought of Naruto. Naruto must love a lot of people. He defiantly loved the village, and he'd proved that on several occasions…but he must also love Sakura, seeing how he treated the girl. And then, he must also love Sasuke, because he was so defensive when people insulted him, and how it was one of his main goals to save the boy. Sai felt a slight depression he couldn't explain creep up on him as he thought this. Sai wondered vaguely if he loved anyone.

Someone you would give your life for.

The statement conjured up the mental image of Team Kakashi/Yamato.

Someone you want to be happy above all else.

Kakashi and Yamato slowly faded. Their happiness was important, but not in his top priority.

Someone for whom you do everything only in their best interest.

The image held.

Someone I am always comfortable around, who is there when I need them.

Sakura faded.

He smiled. Not even a fake smile.

Sai suddenly felt better than he had in a long time.

He stood and went back to touring the shelves, a new goal in mind.