"Ohayou, Sasuke!" Sakura grinned up at her teammate, trying to stop the blush that was threatening to spread over her face.

"What are you so cheerful about?" Sasuke muttered, his hands in his pockets.

Sakura laughed gently. "It's almost time for the annual Konohagakure Sakura Festival." She looked up at the sakura trees, seeing their flowers in full bloom. "It's going to be Christmas soon."

"So?"

"You're so cold, Sasuke. You don't pay attention to nature," she chided him playfully.

"Hn." Sasuke shrugged, his gaze back on the water rushing below them.

Sakura stretched, a smile on her fragile features. She had lost some weight since Ino-pig had put her on a diet and she had also grown out her short hair, another one of Ino's ideas. Her pink hair now reached to her mid-back and was back to its annoying capability of obstructing her vision.

Ino had also bought her another batch of clothes, but they were the same colors as her old outfit. Her red tank top still had a zipper down the front and the white Haruno circle on the back, but it was longer now and more figure-flattering. Her pale skirt was shorter, to her mid-thigh, and her black shorts were skin-tight, but thankfully just an inch short of her knees. She smiled, remembering the first day she had showed up with it.

Sakura showed up at the Squad 7 bridge bright and early. No one else was there, except for Sasuke. He hadn't acknowledged her presence, as usual, so she had just sighed and leaned against the railing, reading a medical scroll that Tsunade-sama had lent her. After almost fifteen minutes, Sasuke had turned to look at her and she had detected a slight widening of his eyes before he had controlled his expression.

"Konichiwa, Sasuke," she had greeted him.

"You got new clothes," he had commented.

She shrugged. "Ino got me some new ones and hid my old batch. So I had no choice." She couldn't pass up a chance like this, not when he was looking at her. Putting on her most flirtatious tone, she spoke, stepping closer to her teammate. "Do you like it?" She smiled, placing a hand on his arm. "Sa-su-ke-kun?"

She had distinctly felt Sasuke tense but he had made no move to shrug her off. "Sakura…"

"Sasuke-kun," she said again. "Onegai?"

Sasuke just swallowed, his gaze on her face. "You look… nice," he told her, sounding strained.

Laughing, Sakura had stepped away, reverting back to her normal self. "Wow, Sasuke, you actually do have hormones." She had taken classes in seduction as part of her duty as a kunoichi but if she had been able to affect even SASUKE, the ice king, she must be good.

Scowling, Sasuke stepped away. "Shut up," he growled at her. Sakura had just grinned at him, rolling her eyes.

"Do you think Naruto and Kakashi-sempai are showing up?" she asked offhandedly. A wisp of hair flew out of her headband and just as she was about to catch it, a hand snagged the pink strand. She couldn't help it; her jaw dropped.

Sasuke gently tucked it behind her ear, his fingers feeling cold on her suddenly overheated skin. "Sakura… Can I ask you something?" His hand trailed to her chin, lifting it so she could look him in the eye.

"H-hai," she whispered.

"Come with me to the festival?" His tone was gentle and hesitant, unsure.

Sakura smiled up at him, before winding her slim arms around his chest and stepping closer. "Of course, Sasuke-kun." She sighed at the familiarity of the suffix. She had stopped using it, not wanting to annoy him with it, but now she marveled as she saw his eyes soften and a gentle smirk curve his lips when she said it.

Slowly, carefully, Sasuke wound his arms around her, pulling her closer. He rested his head on top of her hair and she sighed, contented. Feeling brave, she rose up on her toes and pressed her lips to his gently. A jolt of electricity coursed through her when she felt him respond.

Sakura sighed contentedly. If that moment ended, it would be too soon.

And that was the scene that Naruto walked into a few minutes later.

"Oy, Teme— What the hell??!!!"