"Oh, wow. I am so sorry," she was on the ground, apologizing to the person she had just bumped into, "I really am." She scrambled to her feet and kneeled to pick up her things. Odd, she never expected to literally run into the Sasuke Uchiha. 'Shit,' she thought, she wouldn't lift her head, 'he'll probably kill me now. Good going, Ten.' She didn't actually think that he'd kill her, she trusted him in all honesty. It's just that, at the moment, he didn't seem to be in a good mood. Yet, much to her surprise, he kneeled down and helped her pick up her things, which consisted of a dozen scrolls that harbored her many weapons.

"It's fine." he reassured her, though, he sounded...upset? He wasn't mad, he was upset. 'That's weird,' she thought, 'I wonder what's wrong.' She had always had somewhat of a soft spot for the Uchiha prodigy. They stood up simultaneously, and she looked into his onyx eyes.

"What's wrong?" she had to admit, she was worried. She knew that, even before Naruto brought him back to Konoha, he could take care of himself and that he never really liked expressing his feelings towards other people, but, she couldn't help but worry about the 19-year-old standing in front of her. He looked into her warm, chocolate eyes and contemplated whether he should tell her or not.

"Follow me." he said. She complied, there was only two possiblities to why he was leading her into the forest, one: he was going to kill her or two: he was going to tell her why he was so upset. She had a feeling it was the latter, he may have been a traitor a couple of years ago, but, for some odd reason, she completely trusted him. He stopped walking and looked around, probably to make sure that no one was around to hear that the Uchiha Avenger was about to spill his emotions to some girl that he'd barely ever spoken to. TenTen also looked around, she noticed that they were well out of hearing range from anyone back in the village. She looked back at him, he looked... Embarassed?

"So," she decided to start, cutting to the chase, "what's wrong?" He looked at her for a moment then back down and mumbled something that she couldn't comprehend. "What?" he mumbled again. "Speak louder, damn it!"

"I said, she doesn't love me anymore." he wasn't yelling, he just sounded frustrated. TenTen had to think for a moment. 'She? Who is She?' And, as if he read her mind he said, "Sakura."

"Oh," well, she felt stupid, of course he was talking about Sakura, "How do you know?"

"I..."

"Speak, Uchiha." she demanded as she sat down on the grass, she might as well make herself as comfortable as can be.

"I went to ask her out..."

"..."

"She straight up told me, in front of her boyfriend, who I didn't know was her boyfriend when I asked her out, that she doesn't love me anymore. She said she moved on. Said that I had my chance to accept her love and that I never did. But, that's not what's bothering me the most..."

"Then, what?"

"She was right about the acceptance part. I had my chance to accept her love, I had my chance to accept others love and I blew it. I was so caught up on revenge, that, I never allowed anyone to care for me. I was worried that anyone that cared for me would get hurt. So, I left them all behind. But, I ended up hurting those that did care for me. Ironic, huh? But now, well, most of the villagers still hold a grudge against me for what I did. The only people that bother talking to me are Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, the Old Lady, the ramen stand people, and the Konoha 11. The villagers just shun me." TenTen felt her heart tighten, she felt so...so bad for him, no matter what he had done.

"They'll get over it." She smiled reassuringly.

"How would you know?" 'Ok, does he want to feel better or not.'

"Look," she stood up and walked over to him, he just stood there, "they will get over it. Because, those people that do still talk to you got over it. I got over it. It didn't take long, actually. When I realized that all that really mattered was that you were back, I got over it. And, do you want my honest opinion?" he nodded, "You need to get over it, too."

"What do you mean?"

"Get over it. All of it. The Sakura thing. The villager thing. Get over it. I know you're stronger than that. I know that you are." She smiled. He chuckled lightly.

"You wanted to make a big speech but lost you're train of thought." She nodded and scratched the back of her neck nervously. He looked into her eyes and gave her a genuine smile, "Thank you." And, out of the blue, she wrapped her arms around his back, pulled him into a hug, and began crying. "What's wrong?" he patted her back.

"It's just that people are so stupid!" she managed in between sobs. He pulled her back and looked down at her face. He had gotten a good amount taller then her over the years, something he was a bit proud of.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because," she looked down, "b-because, they are. You're a good guy again, it's something we've all wanted for years and n-now those stupid idiots are treating you like crap! They're so stupid! Th-they could at least show how glad they actually are that you're back. Like me, I'm so glad you're back, Sasuke. I-I...It's just...I th-think th-that I-" she was cut off from her sobbing when she felt his hands grab the sides of her face and something soft smash against her lips. It took a second to realize that Sasuke Uchiha had, indeed, kissed her, it was quick, but, a kiss nonetheless. He turned pink when he realized what he had done and the fact that she was staring at him with a very confused look.

"Sorry." he looked around, trying to avoid eye contact as he took a step back from her.

"You know what I first thought when I saw you?" a question out of the blue. He finally looked at her, her cheeks were pink, she looked so adorable. "I thought that you were the cutest boy I'd ever seen." she looked down and lightly kicked the dirt with her left foot.

"Really?" he smirked. 'Heh, I knew she had a thing for me.' he started thinking highly of himself for being able to attract, what some villager called her, 'Hyuuga's girlfriend'. Though, every one of their friends knew that TenTen and Neji tried a relationship, and it didn't work out, but, they remained close friends. Then, he frowned and thought to himself, 'Do I like her back? I thought I liked Sakura, or, was that because she 'loved' me? I'm so confused. Surely, I must like her a little, I did just kiss her. But, I don't know her very well...'

"I know that you're confused, we barely know each other." 'God, she's so smart and pretty and...' he couldn't help but let his mind wonder on the things that he knew for a fact that he liked about her.

"I like you, TenTen." she looked at him, a bit surprised, "I think-no, I know I like you. I thought I liked Sakura, but, that's because she was the only girl left in the village that still liked me, well, that's what I thought." he moved in closer and grabbed her hands in his, "I like you, TenTen. Do you like me?" she looked into his eyes.

"Sasuke..." 'Please, please say yes!' he pleaded mentally while keeping his composure calm and collected. "Yes. I like you." He smiled and the next thing either two knew, they were walking around Konoha with there fingers interwined.

"We have to get to know each other better, you know?" He just nodded. He was willing to get to know everything about her, what she likes to do when she's bored, what she looks like when she's sleeping, he wanted to know the way she thought of things, why her hair was always tied up in two buns, what shampoo she used to get her hair to smell so good, her favorite flower, her favorite weapon, he wanted to know everything. Good or bad, he was willing to work for her affection and willing to let her like him, maybe, even let her love him. He came to the conclusion, though he didn't know her well yet, that he was willing to do anything for her. 'Maybe,' he thought, 'maybe, she'll let me love her.'

Fin