Till The Next Time

1. The Boy in the Hall

Cool air.

Cool air was what Sakura craved, and luckily, very soon, cool air she would be blessed with, as the looming glassed building of the hotel was coming closer and closer. She could almost imagine that breeze of air conditioning hitting her as she stepped through the automatic doors and into the foyer. She could picture the attractive Spanish porter coming to take her heavy suitcase away for her, and she could picture finally getting to just lie down on a bed and rest. For now though, for the next five minutes at least, she had to cope with the Mediterranean summer sun beating down upon her, she had to cope with lugging her suitcase across the cobble-y old Spanish street, and she had to cope with having an annoying singing Naruto in her presence rather than an attractive Spanish porter who in her head was named Raul.

"We're all going on a summer holiday! Something something something, something else!"

"Naruto!" Ino, walking next to Sakura and looking all the more irritable, spat, "The next line is 'no more working for a week or two', and please, shut the hell up."

Naruto's singing ceased, and for a moment only the sound of some background chatter from some other students and the roll of suitcase wheels could be heard, before Kiba suddenly jumped forwards, singing his own song that he pretty much had not stopped singing since he had worked out the lyrics whilst sat on the plane.

"We're the Konoha Uni Soccer team! Lads so hot that we give off steam! We play so well on the field! To us all the girls' hearts will yield!"

He began to clap and Naruto joint in excitedly.

"We're the Konoha Uni Soccer team! Lads so hot that we give off steam! We play so well on the field! To us all the girls' hearts will yield!"

"Oh lord," Ino muttered, before once again turning to the team of soccer players, "Hey, shut up! You're embarrassing everybody!"

Kiba seemed uncaring at getting told off by his fellow student, as he began to blabber on about what he was going to do with his time for the next week or so. "This is going to be so gooood! We're gonna go out drinking all the time, we can go to the beach, we can go swimming, we're gonna get with so many girls, you better believe it Naruto buddy, we're going to-"

"Play some soccer?" Sakura put in, "You managed to mention it in your annoying song there, so I hope you guys are actually gonna turn up for your matches."

"Of course we shall Sakura!" Rock Lee, walking besides Kiba and Naruto with the rest of the soccer team, exclaimed, his fist raised with his strange but typical air of determination, "We shall win every game we play in, for the glory of our great university!"

Kiba blew out some air from his nose, "No, we're going to party all day and yeah, occasionally we'll go and play some soccer."

Sakura frowned, "Well the Table Tennis team are at least going to put some effort into our games."

Ino initially went to agree but then turned with wide eyes to her friend, sparing a glance back at their coach Kurenai and the rest of the team walking in step behind them both, "Whoah, well Sakura, I mean, these sport retreat things are just for partying you know. Kiba is right. I'm not doing any training or anything."

Sakura shook her head, "I'm not saying we're not going to have a good time Ino, I'm saying that we're at least gonna turn up sober to all of our matches, unlike that team of idiots."

Sakura nodded at the soccer team, who, besides Shikamaru, Shino, and team Captain Neji, had broken into Kiba's song again, Naruto at present attempting to freestyle rap a verse after Kiba's perfected one.

Ino watched the boys for a second, before cocking her head and saying quickly, "Yeah, fair enough."

A couple more minutes of singing and uncomfortable stares from locals later, all the sports teams finally arrived at their hotel, beginning at last the annual sports retreat that university teams across the country were granted. The foyer and welcoming blast of cool air were as Sakura expected, though to her disappointment no Raul arrived to take her luggage away. The hotel itself was really quite modern, especially compared to the little village they had walked through to reach it. Glass acted as the walling so the beautiful evening outside remained on show, and the general spaciousness and cleanliness of the place meant it, on appearance at least, was living up to its four star rating.

"Alright, everybody just wait about for a moment, I'll check us all in and give out your keys."

This was the voice of Kakashi, the Konoha University Sports Head Officer. The man moved through the crowd of chattering students and over to the welcome desk on the right, where a pretty and petit Spanish lady waited for him.

"So when's our first tournament Kurenai?"

It was Hinata who was asking. Sakura and Ino turned from their own conversation to hear. Kurenai looked from her mobile, elbow rested on her giant suitcase.

"Oh, two days' time, on Wednesday. So don't go partying too hard on the Tuesday night girls, okay?"

TenTen, Hinata, Sakura, and Ino each nodded.

"And what about us Coach Guy? When is the soccer team's first tournament?"

Guy, who was stood next to Kurenai, looked to his student and gave him a thumbs up accompanied by a sparkly white grin, "Our first tournament is on Wednesday as well Lee. You'll be playing a University Team from Belgium. And guess what?"

Lee's eyes were wide and sparkled with anticipation, "What Coach Guy, what?"

Guy smirked, "I want us to WIIIIIIN!"

Whilst shouting out this extended 'win!' Guy rushed forwards and into the crowd of his soccer team, pointing dramatically into the air. Besides Lee, who was watching his coach with complete and utter admiration, the others all spared lazy glances over to him, before returning to their respective conversations. Evidentially, they were all quite used to his over the top optimism by now, to the degree that they barely even registered it when he went flying through the air shouting at the top of his voice.

Asuma, coach of the American Football team, moved over next to Kurenai, itching at his beard as he watched Guy's antics, "Wow, Guy's actually making me feel a bit bad about what I'm going to be doing on this retreat."

Kurenai flashed him a smile, "And what will you be doing on this retreat?"

Sakura and Ino shared a mock grossed out look at the burgeoning flirting.

"Oh you know, just sitting about smoking, plan to spend a lot of time in bed actually. I certainly won't be with my team, because I'm fairly certain they're not turning up to any games anyway."

After more chatter and a needlessly long and complicated key handout system, Sakura finally found herself in the elevator with the rest of the team, zooming upwards to floor three and room three hundred and sixteen, which she would be sharing with Ino.

"What room is your floor on Kurenai?" Tenten asked conversationally as they waited, and as Kurenai went to answer added cheekily, "If you've got your own room and aren't sharing with Coach Asuma, that is."

The doors pinged open to reveal a red carpeted corridor, and a red faced Kurenai pushed the girls out of the elevator. "Shut up, I've told you nothing's happening there and that it's not any of your business."

The doors to the elevator closed to the sound of Kurenai's annoyed muttering, and on turning Ino yet out a loud squeal of celebration.

"Wooooooo! I'm so excited!"

She rushed off towards room 316, which was only a couple of doors away from the elevator, and with her keycard quickly opened it and zoomed in, luggage in toe. With a 'see ya later' to Hinata and Tenten, who were in room 314, Sakura followed her inside the room.

It was nice, albeit simple. Two double sized beds, a shiny on-suite with bath and shower, and a flat screen TV pushed against the wall. Ino had already thrown her suitcase by the right hand side bed and marched over to the windows, which opened up fully to reveal a small balcony. The orange sun was lowering in the sky now, and Sakura enjoyed the hot yet soothing blast of outdoor air when Ino opened this all up.

"Nice view, nice view," Ino commented with a nod.

Sakura came to her shoulder and peered out. They overlooked two outdoor swimming pools, one smaller and one larger. Some sport courts were hidden behind some shrubbery behind all this, and the ground was made up of thick sandy coloured slabs of stone. Two men, older than the two girls, perhaps in their early to mid-twenties, splashed and played in the pool.

"Well hello," Ino purred when she noticed the two properly, "I wonder in which room those two are staying."

Following the usual process of settling into a hotel room, which for Sakura was unpacking her clothes and for Ino was flicking through all the channels on the television and laughing at the poorly dubbed Spanish voices over originally English speaking shows, the two students were finally ready to go and explore the hotel. They had been told on the coach from the airport to the hotel that the first day was up to them completely, though they had all been asked not to go out drinking, at least just yet. It was not an instruction Sakura expected any of the teams to really follow.

"So," said Ino as they moved out of the room and into the corridor, "What shall we do first?"

"Well everything of interest like the bar and the gym and sports rooms are on the ground floor, so let's head down there."

They did so, taking the elevator down with two fellow Konoha University students that they didn't know, who through a short and courteous conversation transpired to be on the lacrosse team (a team and sport Ino did not know existed), and arrived back down in the foyer. Moving through here they found the brightly lit bar, which through double doors gave one exit out to the outdoor pools. The seating was to the left and a dark wooded and very long bar lay to the right. Here in a booth table, drinks in front of them, was the soccer team. Sakura and Ino moved over to them.

"You guys starting the party already?" Ino questioned, coming to a stop and leaning on the booth part above Neji's head.

"The beer here is so cheap!" Choji enthused, gulping down his pint in one.

"You not?" returned Kiba to Ino, before taking a gulp of his own beer.

"Everybody is going out tonight!" Naruto exclaimed, "There's a tourist party strip area just like five minutes down the road from here. Most of the teams are going out. Apparently there's some other University teams here too!"

"Oh god," Sakura pulled a face, "That's the last thing we need. You guys don't go starting any fights, okay?"

"The only fighting we shall be doing is on the field!" Rock Lee declared, making Kiba sigh loudly.

"Noooo! God Lee no, we are not here to play soccer, when will you get that in your head?"

"Have all the fun you want Kiba," Neji waded in, "Just make sure you turn up and can kick a ball straight for the tournament days. It's all just friendlies I know, but I don't want my team being embarrassed."

"Got ya' Cap," Kiba saluted.

"It's not like the other teams won't be massively hungover either you know?" Shikamaru added, mostly directed to Lee.

Lee nodded vigorously, "I know! But there may be some dedicated soul out there like me who will put his one hundred percent into the game! I cannot dishonour him by turning up unfit for the match!"

"So just let this imaginary guy dribble past us and score all the goals he wants, it'll be good for his ego," Choji shrugged.

"No! You do not understand!" Lee began to detest, as Sakura in her head pictured Rock Lee then a clone Rock Lee, just with longer hair and different coloured clothing, being the only two on the soccer field to actually be able to run, with all other players slumped on the floor in alcohol induced catatonic states.

At this point Shino stood up to move and Kiba dragged him back down by the wrist. "Woah there Shino, you slow down. We all know how you get with your drink."

Shino sat back down and pushed up his sunglasses, frowning at not being allowed to get himself a second drink.

"Well anyway, we'll think about going out," Ino said, "We're actually just exploring the hotel for now."

With a wave the two girls set off, now intent on finding the indoor sporting area.

After a quick wander (which apparently, judging by the amount of young faces wandering about, many other students had decided to do too) the two found the sports area. There were indoor tennis courts, it transpired, indoor five aside soccer pitches, and much to both girls' delight, a whole hall full of only Table Tennis tables.

Stepping into this darkened Table Tennis hall, Sakura grinned.

"We could just play all our games in here, instead of travelling everywhere. That'd make things easier!"

"This is awesome," Ino commented, picking up a ball and a small red and black bat that both lay on the nearest table, and knocking this ball up and down absentmindedly.

The two walked down the hall, simply looking about, when suddenly the echo of voices joint the echo of their footsteps and the ping and pong of Ino's keepie-uppies. They both twisted around to see walking through the doors was four people.

They were each their own age, but Sakura and Ino didn't recognise them as students from their own university. The first one through the doors with longish white hair was laughing jovially, followed by an annoyed looking red haired girl with glasses, who when she got into the room hit her counterpart across the head, shouting out something about growing up. Next through the doors was a tall ginger boy, who watched the interaction in front of him with a slight smile and then last… last.

Sakura audibly gasped.

"Ino!" She whisper hissed, quickly turning her back on the new arrivals across the hall and grabbing Ino by the arm and forcing her to do the same, "Ino!"

"What? What's wrong?" Ino whispered urgently back, confused as to what was happening.

"That boy. The one with black hair. Is that… Is that Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Sasuke Uchiha?" Ino repeated louder, and she turned around, quickly studying the new people in the hall who had only now seemed to notice Ino and Sakura, though they made no move to acknowledge their presence yet.

After a quick look Ino turned back around to Sakura, whose shoulders were hunched, her head lowered. "Oh my fucking god forehead. That's actually him isn't?"

Sakura's face burned, "Yes! Yes I think it fucking is!"

Ino seemed unaware of Sakura's worry, and she turned again to look at him, "Well, let's go say hello."

"No!" Sakura yelped, tugging Ino back around, "No, no, no. We can't."

"Why not?" Ino questioned, loosening herself out of Sakura's grip, "We haven't seen that guy since he was like thirteen, and by the looks of things he's definitely retained his unbelievable demon angel super sexy beautifulness. Come on, let's go talk to him."

"No!" Sakura asserted, louder this time, so loud that Sasuke and his friends down the hall, who had begun to mess about with one of the tables, glanced both girls' way.

"Let's go! Now!" Sakura decided.

Holding onto Ino's arm she moved to the door closest, pushing through and into an indoor basketball court. Some of Konoha Universities basketballers that the girls' didn't know well were here, and hurriedly Sakura pulled Ino away from this side of the hotel and eventually back to the foyer, where finally Ino relented and forced the both of them to a stop by the elevators.

"Sakura, what the hell was that about?"

Sakura's head whizzed. He had changed so little but so much. His spiked hair was a little longer, his jaw more defined, and his features all matured, but even from across that hall Sakura had seen his eyes. Those deep dark eyes. Both paradoxically so harsh looking yet at the same time so soft. Sasuke Uchiha, the boy even at the age of thirteen Sakura was sure she had fallen in love with, was all of a sudden back in her life. This was not expected.

"Sakura," Ino said, hands on hips as she waited for a response.

Sakura looked into the blueness of her best friend's eyes, struggling to come out with anything to say.

"I just… I can't see him right now."

Ino frowned and went to rebuke, but Sakura continued, "He just took me by surprise! I wasn't expecting to see the boy I fell so madly in love when I was just a kid at a hotel in Spain at the age of nineteen!"

"Oh come on Forehead," Ino replied, "We were all in love with Sasuke Uchiha. Who didn't love Sasuke Uchiha? Even the older kid's perved on Sasuke Uchiha. Heck, I'd probably still go for thirteen year old Sasuke Uchiha."

"Ino!" Sakura scolded, though she had to hold in a laugh as she did so.

"Okay Sakura, okay. I forgot that he was your little sweetheart for a while when you, him, and Naruto always used to knock about together in Middle School. I get it."

Sakura felt the blood finally start to leave her face as she blew out some air, "Wow. So. Sasuke is here."

"You're acting like it's a bad thing," Ino said with a raised eyebrow as Sakura felt herself calm down, "This is awesome. And as a best friend vow I promise not to go for him on this trip, so he's all yours too."

Sakura nodded slowly, "Alright. I'm good. I'm good now. This is good. Sasuke Uchiha, this is good."

"I on the other hand," Ino said slyly, eyeing up a pale, dark hair boy with a familiar face currently exiting the elevator, "Have other interests anyway."

Sakura took one more deep breath as Ino moved off to talk to this man. She had not anticipated this, but Ino was right. This wasn't a bad thing. Sure, Sasuke Uchiha had only ever seemed to cause her great heartache in the past, but she wasn't some shy, flat, low on confidence, massive foreheaded little girl anymore. And it was likely that Sasuke wouldn't have remained such a… difficult person to love, wasn't it?

Suddenly a night out of heavy drinking with the soccer team didn't seem so bad.

A/N – Yup, another AU SasuSaku. If you at all enjoyed please drop a review and thanks for reading!