Disclaimer: I do not I repeat DO NOT own Naruto or the Characters in it. That right belongs to Misashi Kishimoto..... I do however own this specific story and plot..
It started out to seem like any other day to Sakura. That was until Sai asked her something rather strange for the blunt ninja.
"Hey, Sakura-san, may I ask you something?" Sai asked as he walked up behind Sakura. His always present "fake" smile was missing.
"Sure Sai, what's up?" Sakura asked, noticing he wasn't smiling. I wonder if there is something wrong with him... She thought.
"Uhm, Sakura, I wanted t-to know if you'd...." He trailed off, scratching the right side of his face awkwardly.
"What do you want to know, Sai?" She said. What has him so, scared now? He usually comes right out and says what's on his mind. Sakura thought, she was getting worried about her weird teammate.
"I wanted to know how do you know like someone?" Sai almost whispered, his voice was that quiet.
"Wha? Uhm, I guess you can just tell... You start thinking about the person a lot, and when ever you're near them, you get this fluttery feeling in the pit of you're stomach..." She sighed inwardly. That was weird. I wonder what he's getting – Sakura thought but was soon cut off by he stoic team-mate.
"Alright, I get it now. Hey, Sakura-san, would you like to eat dinner with me tonight?" Sai asked with rising confidence, and blushing a bit.
Getting caught off guard, Sakura had just realized that Sai, didn't call her his nickname at all during the whole conversation they had just had. Why didn't I realize that before?! She thought, holding back a smile, "Sure Sai. I'd love that."
"Okay. Wha-" Sai said and was soon cut off.
"How about seven? Is that okay?" Sakura said getting Sai's point.
"A-alright." Sai said as he started to walk away.
A while later, Sakura waited outside of her apartment complex, for Sai. She was wearing a burgundy colored off the shoulders top with a pair of black jeans, and some sandals.
When Sai showed up, he could only stare at her. She looked amazing.
Glancing up as she heard foot steps, she saw Sai. He wore a dark blue button up shirt, blue jeans, and the standard ninja sandals.
"So, where to?" Sakura questioned with a curious glance. Who new that Sai could be this hot!? She thought, a blush creeping onto her face.
"I actually thought we could go to Ryuu's. They just opened, I noticed it on my way home." Sai's voice sounded thoughtful and compassionate.
"Okay, that's fine with me. Hey, Sai, what possessed you to ask me out to dinner?" Sakura noticed Sai's instant behavior change.
"Well... I..." Sai muttered the last part, so Sakura could barely make out what he was saying.
"Y-you like me?" All she could do was gape in a shocked manor at him, the blush was coming out full force now. He he likes me!? Oh my god. What can I say to that!?,"I like you too." Sakura said, causing the ever pale boy to turn red. "So, are we going?" Sakura asked sweetly.
"Y-yes." Sai stammered, Sakura did something very weird after that, she took his hand into hers.
It felt right to Sai so he let her. He led her to Ryuu's, where he had smartly got a reservation two days in advanced. He had the whole thing planned.
"Welcome to Ryuu's, do you have a reservation?" The waiter asked.
"It should be under Kitomi..." Sai said quietly, blushing as he said the reservation name.
"Ah! Right here! First name Sai?" The waiter asked, Sai nodded meekly, "Right this way then!"
"You remembered your last name? Whe-" Sakura started but didn't finish when she received a worried look on her dates face.
"I will tell you later, not with all these people around us. Root must not know." Sai whispered in her ear.
"R-right." Sakura said solemnly, looking at the floor as the waiter showed them to their table.
After a well prepared meal, an expensive one at that, Sakura left with Sai.
"Hey, Sai, where do you live? I've never known." Sakura asked out of the blue.
"Hm? Oh, I live actually in that apartment complex." Sai answered pointing to Sakura's left. "Would you like me to walk you home?" Sai asked.
"I would like that. Can we talk for a while at my place though? I wanted to ask you something." Sakura almost whispered.
"Sure. I wanted to finish our conversation from earlier as well." Sai spoke at the same tone as Sakura, barely able to be heard within a foot of distance.
They walked hand in hand back to Sakura's apartment, where she fumbled around for her key in her pouch. Finding it, she unlocked her door with a loud click and opened it.
"Come on in, Sai." Sakura held the door opened for him. He was hesitant at first, but soon walked in.
"Wow." Was all Sai could say at her apartment. It was small, but very artistic. It was a clash of brights and darks. Each room different from the last sort of clash.
After a couple minutes of looking around, Sai found his way back to the room he first entered. It was illuminated with a wall lamp that looked like a fan with the Haruno symbol on it. The room was a maroon color, with accenting furniture.
"So, uhm, when did you remember your last name?" Sakura asked in an awkward manor.
"I never truly forgot it. I almost did once. But, my brother, he always used to have this saying. It was each letter of our last name first in a line. Killing the Inside of The Outer Mind is Insightful." Sai chuckled.
"Wow. That's cool that you had a way of remembering. I'm glad." Sakura gasped in awe. "But what else do you know, Sai?"
"That's another thing. My name isn't Sai. That's a code name I was ordered to go bye. In root, we are not to have any memories of our lives before entering Root. We are not to remember our families or our siblings. We are not permitted to live as we want to. We are to follow Root's orders, their ambitions, their everything. I remember this one time I sneaked out. Boy, was Root made at me. I went all the way to the playground just to get away... I didn't blend in too well though. Everyone was wearing colors. I was the only one wearing all black and extremely pale. In fact that was the first time I met you, Naruto, Sasuke, and everyone else." He smiled a true grin.
"What?" Sakura squeaked.
"Yeah, Naruto was getting picked on. So were you. It was Sasuke picking on Naruto. But these girls were pulling your hair. So, I went to the girls and said, 'You should stop before you get your asses kicked.' Whatever showed on my face scared them and they stopped. Then I went over to Sasuke, he was doing hand signs, and my gut instincts took over yet again. I ran and blocked the jutsu from hitting Naruto.I got burned on my back when I did that. He was mad at me and I didn't understand why. He attacked me with another fire ball justsu of his. I dodged it and he got pissed. I ran. And I had so much pent up energy, that I ran all over, he couldn't keep up with me. I was laughing the whole time." Sai took a long breath, and started to chuckle, "I was doing all sorts of stuff that he couldn't do. It was fun. I went to a tree and climbed up it till I was upside down on the branch. By that time, A whole crowd gathered beneath me. I jumped down when Sasuke gave up. Then I just played."
"After a while of playing I was caught. Root members appeared behind me before I had a chance to flee. And I put up a fight. I remember I bit one of them on the arm. I punctured the skin." Sai was in a laughing fit now and couldn't stop.
"I remember that, I was laughing at Sasuke, then at the little kid biting the grown ups. The whole time wondering what they were in because I had never seen their uniforms before." Sakura was deep in thought, "You were saying before that your real name isn't Sai. If it's not, what is it?"
"It's actually," He went over to where Sakura was sitting on her sofa, only to sit next to her, "Sho. It means to soar or to fly. I only tell people who I know I can trust. But, if Root finds out I still have my memories, they'll torture me again. Just like when I escaped when I was little." Sho aka Sai sighed.
"I can't believe that was you! I remember when those guys showed up they yelled out a number. I can't remember what it was. But, that was you? It was the talk of the academy. I wanted to thank you, but never knew your name. I looked for you and eventually gave up." Sakura said in a quiet tone. "And don't worry, your secret is safe with me."