This is a story a have been writing for a while now (A year and a half). I wanted to finish it first and then purplish it but I always find something new I want to add in this story and getting bigger. So I decided to split the story into chapters. Now I know it's a lame excuse but please be nice with me because English is not mu first language. I REALLY TRIED not to make spelling or grammar erros. But if I have please let me know so I can improve. Thank you and enjoy the story.

I DO NOT OWN NAUTO


SAY I LOVE YOU

She was standing in frond of his apartment trying to knock the door but she couldn't. Why was that happening? Was she afraid of something? And if she was, what would that be? Was she afraid of his reaction by seeing her again after she had come yesterday? Was she afraid of looking into his eyes and tell him what she was denying to tell all this time? When she finally found all the courage she could gather, she took a deep breath and knocked the door.

Two minutes later the door opened and a blond man appeared in frond of her. They both were staring into each others eyes without speaking. Sakura was determined to make things better this time but when she looked at him she got lost into those blue oceanic eyes of his and couldn't speak. She wanted to shout I love you and let the whole world know how much he meant for her. She just couldn't.

Naruto couldn't speak. Looking at those green emerald eyes of hers, he was dreaming of his life with her by his side. He was dreaming of a family of himself and Sakura with many children; he was dreaming of a family he never had but that couldn't happen. Not until she does what he wanted her to do, what he needed to hear from her.

He tried to escape from her gaze and looked away ''What do you want?'' he asked with a cold voice.

Sakura saw his anger on his face but she couldn't blame him for that; she knew that everything was happening because he was hurt after what she had said and done to him. She looked down at the floor and said waveringly ''I…I came to apologize; I really don't know what got into me… I am sorry'' she stopped when she felt a gripe in her stomach. She knew what it was. It was her longing to be with him once again; to be into his strong arms which make her melt in them. She looked up and continued trying to keep her tears not to fall ''Please Naruto, forgive me''

Naruto saw how much Sakura wanted him to go back to her; he saw how much he meant for her but that wasn't enough; he needed more. He wanted her to shout out loud I love you. Naruto knew how much Sakura loved him by her actions. They were two years together and Sakura did everything for him. When he was feeling down she was there for him with her embrace wide open just for him. When he was sick, she was there by his side day and night until he would get better. Naruto wanted those actions to fit in that little phrase and say it for him, but Sakura's ego wouldn't let her do it.

Naruto spent many nights thinking of why Sakura was acting like that; why even though she could do anything for him at the same time she couldn't say how much she loved him? What was holding her back? What was she afraid of? At the first year of their relationship Naruto never push her for that; he knew that she needed time and so he gave her time. At the second year, he tried many times to make her say it. There were times when he would say to her I love you but he would always get the same answer… me too

Of course like all couples, they had their fights but these fights never sunder them for long. They were times Naruto thought that maybe those fights were the causation of Sakura's actions but he never really believed in that thought. He tried many times to find a reason but he couldn't find any and here he was standing in frond of her waiting for him to forgive her and be together again. But unfortunately for Sakura he had an ego too and he wouldn't go back on this one.

''Sakura, if you want to be together again you have to say it; you have to say that you love me'' Naruto said with a desperately voice and a sad expression in his eyes

''I do Naruto'' came a quick desperately answer from Sakura. Naruto was desperate; Sakura was desperate; they both were desperate and yet they weren't together; they could be happy and yet they weren't and all these were happing because of their ego.

''You know what I mean Sakura'' Naruto said looking into her green emerald eyes.

''Naruto I…I…'' she couldn't say it and she felt guilty. A piece of her wanted to shout out loud I love you but something deep in her heart was whispering not to. She kneeled down and cupped her face with her hands ''I am sorry Naruto….. I just can't'' she said while crying. Naruto couldn't stand watching his cheery blossom suffering; his heart was ready to forget everything, go near her and tell her that everything would be fine and kiss her but at the end he stopped like something was pulling him back.

He clenched his fits trying to get the strength he wanted to say what it would come out from his mouth ''That's not what I want to hear'' he said and closed the door behind him with a disappointment look on his face.

When Naruto closed the door he collapsed; he was sitting down on the floor with his back against the door and his right hand sliding through his hair. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't stand seeing his cherry blossom suffering like this and he couldn't stand his pain either. He wanted to open the door and run to her and take her into his arms telling her that everything would be okay, but his ego didn't let him and so he stayed there feeling the pain deep in his heart.

Sakura stayed there with her eyes wide opened and full of tears. Why? Why I can't do this when it's just a little phrase which anyone can say it? Why? She was mad with her self for not having the courage or the strength to say that phrase that means a lot for every living human in this world. Sakura stood up and wiped out her tears; she looked at the door for the last time and left away, knowing that if she would try to persuade him and open the door she would have fail.

The next morning found Sakura in a bad shape - as she was in that state three weeks now. She didn't feel like going at work; she was crushing from the inside out not only emotionally but physically too. She couldn't take this any more, she had to find the reason of her denial.

Maybe I should take some advice from Ino Sakura thought while she was drinking a cup of tea. While she was walking through the streets of Konoha, Sakura was trying to find a way of telling her best friend about her problem. She never told to Ino about her denial of telling ''the phrase'' and the thought of a mad Ino for keeping secrets from her, made her chill. She reached at Ino's apartment and knocked the door. She waited for a while but no one opened the door.

''She must be on a mission'' Sakura thought and started to leave the apartment when someone called her name

''Sakura?'' She turned around and saw Hinata looking at her with a curious face.

''Oh, hey Hinata how are you today?'' Sakura asked with a weak smile.

''I am fine Sakura, thank you'' Hinata answered. When she walked closer to her, Hinata saw that the pink hair woman was a mess. Her eyes where swollen from the cry, her hair where a mess and her skin was pale. A worried look formed on Hinata's face

''Oh my God Sakura what happened to your self? Are you feeling alright?'' she asked worried.

''I am fine Hinata, I am just tired from the work at the hospital, that's all'' Sakura answered with a fake smiled again.

Hinata understood that something wasn't going right but she couldn't push Sakura to tell her problems ''Oh, okay then. Get some rest okay?'' Hinata said as Sakura nodded and Hinata started walking away when she suddenly stopped and turned around

''You know Sakura, sometimes a walk through the park makes good to think and find out solutions to your problems'' she said with a small smile and started walking away.

Sakura was taken aback by Hinata's words How did she know about me having problems? Sakura thought while watching Hinata walking away. ''Maybe she is right, maybe a walk through the park will help me to solve my problems'' Sakura said to her self as she started walking.

While Sakura was walking through the paths of the park, many thoughts were spinning into her mind; questions if her denial was due the fact that she might be not deserve Naruto for what she had done to him back then when they were kids. Questions of what she was afraid of telling 'the phrase'. Suddenly she stopped walking when she realized that she was standing in frond off a bench. Not any bench but the bench that Sasuke lie her down back when he left Konoha. She sat down on the bench and memories of that night flashed into her mind.

Flashback

She was standing there with her eyes full of tears confessing her feelings towards to Sasuke ''Sasuke, I am so in love with you I can not stand it. If you would only be with me I promise I will never let you regret it. Every day will be joy, I can give you happiness. I will do anything for you Sasuke; so please I am begging you, don't walk away. I will even help you get your revenge. I will do what ever it takes to make it happen, I swear. So stay here with me and if you can't then take me with you Sasuke.'' She said sobbing.

After a few seconds Sasuke looked at her and said with a smile ''You haven't change; you are still annoying''

End of flashback

With the thought of that night, tears started forming into her eyes. She couldn't believe that she said all those words to just take one simple reply:

You are annoying

You are annoying

You are annoying

That phrase made her feel that someone was cutting her heart with a kunai. With that memory suddenly just like a flash, her confession towards Naruto came into her mind.

Flashback

Sakura was standing in frond of a stunned Naruto when he asked her to repeat what she said few seconds ago ''What I said Naruto is that I love you'' Sakura said looking away from his eyes.

Sakura hugged him and said ''Sasuke-kun just keeps getting away from me but Naruto, you have always stayed by my side; you have encouraged me. I…finally realized who you really are Naruto. You are the hero who protected the village and beloved by everyone in it. I am just one of them. You have become this great and important man and I have been watching from right next to him. But all Sasuke has done is commit crimes and break my heart. More and more he has becoming a different person than he was, so distant. But you Naurto, you are right here where I can touch you like this; you make me feel safe. Right now from the bottom of my heart I-''

But she couldn't finish her phrase when Naruto grabbed her from her shoulders and said ''Give me a break Sakura-chan I told you joke's not funny'' they stared at each others eyes and after a few seconds Sakura tried to convince him that her confession wasn't fake.

That's when Naruto squeezed her shoulders and said looking into her eyes with a serious look ''I hate people who lie to themselves''

End of flashback

That final memory made her heart to break into thousands of pieces. She couldn't believe that she confessed for a second time and the only thing she got was a breaking phrase again.

I hate people who lie to themselves

I hate people who lie to themselves

I hate people who lie to themselves

It might her confession towards Naruto was a fake one but the thought of rejecting her for a second time with a breaking phrase again, made her feel that someone not only was cutting her heart but also he was taking it out with his hands. She stayed there for a while crying and sobbing when she suddenly realised that the reason of her denial saying the phrase to Naruto was because she got rejected two times after her confessions.

She was afraid saying that word because if she would ever say it again, she would get hurt.

That's when a smile formed on her face ''Naruto loves me more that anything in this world. He will never break my heart if I say to him how much I love him'' Sakura said and started to run towards Naruto's apartment. When she finally got there she knocked the door and waited. After three minutes of waiting Sakura thought that he might be at the training grounds and so she started bearing at the training fields when someone called her name

''Hey Sakura what's the rush?'' she turned around to see Konohamaru grinning.

''Oh, hey Konohamaru I am looking for Naruto; have you seen him today?'' Sakura asked with a smile

''Naruto? Didn't you know?'' Konohamaru asked

''Know what?'' Sakura asked confused

''Naruto is on a mission. Lady Tsunade called him this morning and send him on a mission'' the boy answered.

''And why didn't she call me? I am a part of the team too'' Sakura asked

''I don't know but Naruto is alone on this mission so it mustn't be some dangerous mission, so don't worry'' said Konohamaru with a smile. Sakura thanked the boy and left for Tsunade's office; she wanted to learn how long would take Naruto to finish the mission.

At the hokage's office Lady Tsunade was sitting behind her desk doing some paper work. She hated that work more that anything else buy the only thing she could do was complaining to Shizune. But today didn't complain and that made Shizune worried about her.

''Lady Tsunade, did something happen?'' Shizune asked while she was giving some papers to Tsunade

''Why are you asking?'' Tsunade asked while singing the paper

''I am asking because you haven't complained about the paper work today and you are too quiet. Is there something that bothers you?'' she asked with a worry look on her face.

Tsunade looked down at her desk and said ''It's about Naruto; when he came here I saw pain into his eyes and when I gave him the mission which was only a C rank mission he didn't complain'' she paused for a moment and said looking up at Shizune ''This isn't the Naruto I know''

''Maybe he had a fight with Sakura again but don't worry things will fix just as always'' Shizune said with a smile. Tsunade tried to speak when a knock came from the door

''Enter'' the hokage said with a serious voice. As the door opened a pink hair woman appeared.

''What is the matter Sakura?'' Tsunade asked with curiosity

''Lady Tsunade, I came here…to ask when…Naruto will return from his mission'' Sakura said waveringly. She didn't want her Shisu learn that she and Naruto had a fight again; it would only make her sad because Tsunade love those two like her children she never had and Sakura didn't want her Shishu to get sad.

''And why do you want to know? Did something happen between you and Naruto again?'' Tsunade asked wanting to know what was going on with those two again.

Sakura was taken aback from Tsunade's question; she didn't expect her to find out so quick about their problems.

Fortunately for Sakura, she had good news so it wouldn't mind if she would tell the truth ''Naruto and I had a fight. It was my fault really but things are fine know so I was looking for him to apologize. But I found out that he is on a mission and I came here to learn when is he coming back'' Sakura said with a smile trying to convince Tsunade that everything were going to been just fine.

The Hokage looked into her eyes for a while trying to find that all Sakura said were truth. After a few moments Tsunade sighed and said ''Naruto will be back in two weeks''

Sakura thanked her Shishu and turned to leave when Tsunade spoke ''Sakura, just try not to fight again okay?''

Sakura nodded and got out from the office leaving the two women looking at the door. Shizune grabbed Tsunade's shoulder and said ''Do not worry, everything will be just fine''