One and only disclaimer for the story: I do not, had not, will not, could not, would not, should not, and can NOT own Naruto. My feeble existence does not allow it.

Pairing: slight Sakura x Sai

Genre: Cannon, General

Story Type: One-shot drabble

Summary: All it takes is a smile for them to be tied; welcome to the clique of the Cheerfully Masked.


It was like looking at a mirror, and seeing her smile, the one she had practiced for so long, being thrown right back at her…

Except that the smile was on another's face

It was at that moment that Sakura decided she hated the new addition to team seven and the replacement for the vacancy left behind by a certain boy. Never before had anyone ever stolen her mechanism of defense: her smile. But here stood the guy, Sai he said his name was, wearing the same exact smile on his lips as he regarded them.

Sakura's hand clenched as she forced her own smile on her face, while holding back the furious figure of Naruto. There was one difference between them; his smile was too fake, unlike her own perfected one. Even her new substitute sensei believed in her bright and cheerful smile, thinking her to be the only logical one.

But at that moment, all Sakura could do was restrain herself from smacking the deranged smile from Sai's face. He was ruining it…using it all wrong… and suddenly she found herself hating him less and less. He was an amateur at employing the mask, unlike her. And as they left the meeting place after their first assembly as the new team seven, Sakura can't help but linger slightly by the new guy as Naruto walked ahead.

Whispering only lightly for him to hear, Sakura started her lessons.

"Rule number one, don't strain too much, the corner of your lips tremble when you force it too much."

(ooxx)

It was fun to watch him refine his façade, but annoying whenever he referred to her own fake smile. But of course, she had used it for so long that hardly anyone doubts her sincerely whenever she smiles. And it was all a lie, one that only Sai knows the truth of. Unknowingly, Sakura had included the emotionless boy into her clique of the cheerfully masked. Yet as he gradually improved his smile, Sakura found herself tolerating the annoying guy more and more.

It seemed that for him, the smile was just a second ploy to use after his insulting remarks. But for herself, she preferred to get physical with it; by beating the pulp out of the victims. This train of thoughts led her back to her first punch delivered to the front doors of the unsuspecting boy's face, making her smile.

"Now, was that a genuine smile or another faked one?" Beside her, Sai turned to face her with his own fake smile still on his face. Sakura laughed as she leaned back against the trunk they were currently resting.

"That Sai, is your next lesson." She stared up at the morning sky and watched a couple of bird fly by.

"Rule number sixteen, always mix the real with the fake, so no one can ever tell."

Sakura closed her eyes as she heard the soft chuckle of her companion.

(ooxx)

The years came and passed, and friendships formed and broke. But the strange thing was, the clique of the Cheerfully Masked stood strong. Even after finding a broken Uchiha avenger, almost loosing the Jinchuuriki to the Akatsuki, and the political war within Konoha in which the roots were disbanded and Danzou trialed then killed, the only two members of the small faction stayed friends. Well…more than friends as some would say. Yet nobody really understood the nature of the relationship between the pink haired medic and the newly appointed ANBU captain of squad six. Some thought them intimate with one another, and others thought they were just simply friendly with one another. To that, the two of them would smile and say nothing.

It was their way

And it was only deep at night when they slept beside one another that they would laugh at the assortment of rumors they had heard about themselves. As they held each other's hands before they fall asleep, the smile that they shared would never leave their lips.

Odd how a simple smile could lead to such surprising results.


AN: For those of you interested, Drunken Luck won't be updated or rewritten for a very very long time. At this point, I'm on my knees and begging for forgiveness. But, I'm working on a second part of Charmed as a Christmas present for all the kind people who read my story, but in a darker mood. And this, is going to be my collection of one shots, starting with the SaiSaku my hand was itching to write. Don't mind my grammar, as always, I suck. Sorry again about Drunken Luck….