Feeling Alive

Reiji: Hey everyone! It's nice to be back! Ai no Sasuke returns!

Sasuke: It's been a long time.

Neji: Yeah. But then, Ai no Sasuke: Futari Dake De means Love of Sasuke: Just the Two of Us, which means that Reiji and I will not appear in the story often.

Sasuke: You're important for this story. I'm sure you will appear in the chapters most of the time. Reiji can be the extra.

Reiji: Extra?! Why you--!

Sasuke: (ignores Reiji) I'm gonna start narrating everyone.

I yawned, stretching my arms up. It's a lazy morning if I don't see Yukino when I open my eyes. I went down the stairs in search of my beautiful princess. "Haku," I called, "Yukino wa?" He turned around and saw me, "Ah. Sasuke-kun, ohayou. Yukino is still sleeping in her room." "Oh okay," I mumbled. Suddenly, Haku started giggling. "Nanda yo?" I annoyingly asked. He pointed at me. I looked for a mirror and saw myself, hair messy in a sort of funny way. Unable to stifle his laughter, he started to laugh hard, "I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. But you look so funny." I sighed and hid my smile.

It has been two years since the Konohagakure no Sato had a battle. Yukino saved me from being Orochimaru's puppet. The Uchiha compound got destroyed by Orochimaru so, from then on, I lived with the two Kaedes.

I went back upstairs and slowly opened the door to Yukino's room as to avoid any creaking sounds. There she was, still lying to her bed with her blankets on, sound asleep. I slowly crept to her bed. I pushed her hair away from her face and gazed down at my angel, so beautiful, so innocent. I smiled and leaned to kiss her, licking her soft lips. When I sensed that she's about to awake, I pulled away and looked at her. She slowly opened her eyes, "Sasuke-kun? What're you doing in here?" I leaned to her ear and whispered, "You look so sexy I can't stop myself." Unexpectedly, or should I say that I expected it, she raised her fists and punched me on my face, "Pervert!" I fell off the bed and rubbed my check, "Itte! You don't have to punch me on my face. It could get disfigured. You don't want to have an ugly boyfriend, do you?" She turned to me and smiled, "As long as it's you, I don't care about the looks," she replied, "But your pervert attitude is the only thing that I don't like." I walked to her side and tilted her chin so that she's facing me, "You look so cute."

I just walked Yukino to the Academy, where she teaches students on basic ninja techniques. Well, her job is fit for her since she likes kids. "Yo, Sasuke. Taking a walk?" I turned around and saw Reiji. He waved, "Hey." I smiled, "So you're my new stalker." "Nah, I wouldn't stalk another guy," he rubbed his chin, "On second thought, maybe I should go stalk Yukino." "In your dreams, Reiji." He laughed, "So how are you two?" I shrugged, "We're fine." "Really?" a voice said. We both jumped in surprise and saw that it was only Neji. "Don't scare us like that," Reiji said. "Don't you have a mission today?" I asked. Neji nodded, "Yeah but Hokage-sama said that I don't have to come with them." "Doushite?" He shrugged, "Saa."

During these two years in Konoha, I learned how to get along with people. I became less hot-tempered. When I think of myself back then, I think that I was such an arrogant person. All of these are for Yukino. I don't want her to get hurt again because of me…

Flashback

"Yukino, I have to tell you something," I sat beside her, "I thought about this carefully and I decided that...," I gulped, "... that I will forget my revenge with Itachi." "Eh?" "You have been suffering because of me and my revenge," I continued as my tears began to fall, "I don't want to see you suffering like this. You suffered too much. You don't need to suffer any more." She quietly pulled me close into her welcome arms. "Don't worry, Sasuke-kun," she told me, "It's going to be alright." I smiled, At last... I have a place where someone is waiting for me, a place which I could call a home.

End of flashback

"Yukino-chan!" Naruto called, waving at her. He stopped on his tracks as she saw her talking to the Yondaime Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara. A nerve stuck out on Naruto, "What the hell are you doing?" he shouted, pointing at Gaara, "You… You…" Now he caught his attention. He turned to look at Naruto and raised his eyebrow, "I'm what?" "Naruto-kun," Yukino said as she saw him. "You—" Naruto noticed Yukino looking at him, "You… kino. Yukino, ohayou!" "What's the matter, Naruto-kun? You seem angry." Naruto blinked twice and laughed, "Angry? Who's angry? Are you sand boy?" He turned away, "Hn! I would be if you interfered our conversation." "What conversation? What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, with blue spirits floating behind him. "I asked her to become a ninja in Sunagakure no Sato," Gaara calmly replied, "I offered to make her an Anbu or a Jounin if she agreed," he turned to Yukino, "So what would be your answer?" Yukino looked down, "I'm sorry. I'm really staying in Konohagakure. It has been my home for many years." "Is it because of Sasuke?" Gaara asked, even though knowing her answer would be. She blushed and shyly looked at Gaara, "It would be trouble if he goes back to Otogakure and continues Orochimaru's plan." Naruto clenched his fists, Sasuke again?! Gaara forced himself to smile, "Naruhodo. I'll leave it for a while. I will be back in case you changed your mind." Yukino smiled and nodded, "Please take care in your journey, Kazekage-dono." He nodded, "Aa," She's still a thoughtful girl, "Just call me Gaara." "Eh?" He turned away and turned into ten shades of red, I really have to repeat it? "Just call me Gaara." "Gaara…-dono?" she asked, unsure if he is going to be angry if she called him that way. Gaara nodded, "Sou." Naruto looked from Gaara to Yukino and back to Gaara. He scratched his head and began to think. "Yu-ki-no!" Ino called, disturbing Naruto in his thoughts. She caught Yukino's arm and hugged it tight, "I've been looking all over for you." "Ino-san," she blinked. "I saw Sasuke-kun with Neji-san and Reiji," Ino said, "He seems to be getting along with them." Yukino smiled. "It's my first time to see him hanging out with others," she continued. Without the two girls noticing, Naruto and Gaara clenched their fists, I'm gonna get that Sasuke! and jolted out like a lightning. As they noticed, they are running at the same direction, they halted and pointed at each other. "Where are you going?!" they both asked in unison. Both of them growled, glaring at each other. "You're going after Sasuke too, aren't you?" Gaara straightly asked. "Yeah, he's my long time rival," Naruto proudly replied. "And you still haven't defeated him, right?" Naruto's eyes flamed fiercely, "Why you--?!" "I won't give up on Yukino," Gaara interrupted him. "Me neither," was his reply, "Even if she already has a boyfriend." "Boyfriend?" Gaara repeated, "You don't mean—" "Yeah," he turned to his right, "Sasuke is Yukino's boyfriend." Gaara stood motionless as if struck by a lightning. He bowed his head, his hair covering his eyes. He pursed his lips together, How couldn't I know that earlier?! He weakly fell to his knees. Naruto blinked, What's wrong with him? "Uh… sand boy?" Suddenly, Gaara rose to his feet and stormed away. Naruto raised his eyebrow, "Did I miss something?"

---

Translations:

Aa

Informal 'yes'

-chan

Honorific. Can be used either as a diminutive (e.g., with a small child—"Little Sasuke"), or with those who are grown, to indicate affection ("My dear").

-dono

Dono roughly means "lord".

Doushite?

Why?

Itte

Ouch

Konohagakure no Sato

Village Hidden in the Leaves.

-kun

Indicates familiarity or affection.

Nanda yo?

What is it?

Naruhodo

I see.

Ohayou

Good morning.

Otogakure

Rice Field Country.

Saa

I don't know.

Sou

That's right.

-san

Honorific. Carries the meaning of "Mr.," "Ms.," "Miss," etc., but used extensively in Japanese than its English equivalent.

Sunagakure no Sato

Village Hidden in the Winds.

(wa)

Topic marker.

Yondaime

Fourth generation.