AN: This is a rewrite of my old fic. I decided that it diverged so much, that I should just post it as it's own piece like this instead of just editing my old fic. I'll be deleting that one soon. This is kind of an alternative to the Naruto ending, but that's not the sole purpose/only ending of it. Please enjoy!
.
A NaruSaku Oneshot
Author: wubbzy
Count: 5904
.
Taste the Ramen
.
.
Fantasy got in the way of reality
.
Nowadays, it was very difficult to imagine herself romantically involved with anyone. Romance was incredibly too idealistic for her liking.
Compared to her twelve year old self, she was more of a realist now, per say.
She wondered, if maybe that's why she was so enraptured in romance novels. She could now distinguish between fantasy and reality.
This was what she liked to believe, at least.
Page after page, Sakura was enthralled by the words imprinted on the white sheets of paper. What was written left more sleepless nights than she thought she could take. The more she read, the more she could distinguish between fantasy and reality.
Sakura had a foreboding feeling, that she would never get her happy ending, anyways.
That was because her happy ending involved Uchiha Sasuke, with a handsome smile decorating his features, sweeping her off her feet. Stardust would decorate the night sky and sparks would fly, right on cue.
Her twelve year old self, who was obsessed with the boy, believed in fairytales like that. She believed that he would smile at her, tell her what a nice and charming forehead she had, and then kiss it to seal the deal. Sakura would be his whole world. He would tell her she was beautiful every day, take her on romantic dates, and kiss her passionately.
That was her idea of romance. That was her idea of love.
But that was in the past. She wouldn't fool herself with such childish things anymore.
She couldn't bring herself to believe in love. Not for herself, anyways.
She gave up on the notion that Sasuke would be molded into the person she wanted. She knew that wasn't true love, either.
He was too submerged in darkness that she was not certain he would ever escape.
She gave up on him.
He tried to break all ties to the village, but was incredibly unsuccessful.
There was someone whose will was much stronger than her own, who would never give up on Sasuke.
Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto was a fool. The fool that claimed he would become the Hokage, and promised to bring back their lost friend. He believed he could accomplish anything he set his mind to.
He made her believe so, too.
She called herself a realist, but she kept herself reading page after page of romance novels, because her views on romance outside of the novel were nonexistent. Romance novels were her escape, into a world where anything was possible. A world where she could believe in love again.
But maybe, deep in her heart, she hoped. She prayed she would receive a happy ending, too.
She'd buried such thoughts, however.
Sakura finally laid her book down on the counter with a satisfied sigh at the romantic scene that was illuminating her mind.
Her head was splayed onto the palm of her hand as her elbow hit the counter in thought. Perhaps it was because she was finally gaining the sense that romance novels just wouldn't cut it anymore. Perhaps, she just wanted to experience the real thing now.
Romance. Love.
Dangerous thoughts started to form this evening. She understood these days were busy times, but for once, she wanted to be the one in the book; she wanted to be the one being swept off her feet.
For once, she wanted to get treated to a fancy restaurant by the man of her dreams.
She smiled, her face flushed at the thought.
Dangerous thoughts indeed.
.
"Ichiraku again?" Sakura inquired, shocked. She knew she shouldn't be surprised by this, but it still peeved her that Naruto still didn't eat a balanced diet. "Naruto, you know there's other food out there, right? You need to eat better," she chided, concerned and frustrated at the same time. She turned to her blond haired friend, Naruto.
He watched her from the corner of his eye, because he was too busy slurping up his ramen noodles to look at her fully. When he placed the bowl on the table, he smiled with pure euphoria from his meal.
"Sakura-chan, haven't you ever heard that ramen is healthy for your soul?" he asked, and Sakura shook her head, disappointed. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong is I feel like if I suggested we go on a date somewhere other than Ichiraku's, you'd actually reject me," she said, shrugging. She inwardly laughed herself at such a thought. The prospect of going on a real date with Naruto crossed her mind only a few times in her life. He asked her once, when he came back from his training trip, and she accepted.
Of course, that one never happened since, of course, Naruto didn't have the money to pay.
She supposed that was a bit traditional, though.
But Sakura liked traditional.
Yet, after that, he never really asked her out. He just, stopped. He didn't even try anymore.
She wouldn't admit that it peeved her a bit, but she supposed they were just friends, anyways. So it wouldn't matter either way. She assumed, that he was past that, anyways. They were too comfortable with each other. He would let her go near his cockroach infested apartment, wouldn't care if she was in front of him when he had to take a piss in a bush during a mission, and wouldn't care what he looked like in front of her.
She assumed they were all signs that whatever fondness he had for her, disappeared.
She figured, that they were like oil and water if they ever did become more than friends.
They wouldn't mix. At all.
She found herself giggling at such a preposterous scenario. She wasn't sure why her thoughts were consumed by Naruto of all people.
"What's so funny, Sakura-chan?" he inquisitively asked as he slurped up noodles from his second bowl of ramen.
"Nothing," she tersely said, feeling a bit vulnerable from her previous thoughts. Naruto noticed her face was heated with a pink hue across her cheeks.
She was acting very strange today.
Sakura decided to continue reading her novel, anticipating the ending and wanting to know what happened next.
Naruto's face furrowed as he watched her read. She was looking down with such intensity, that he wondered if she would pay any regard to anything around her, let alone his words.
"What ya' reading?" he asked.
"A book," she sardonically stated. He became frustrated, knowing two worded responses meant he lost her.
And to a book, too.
He didn't think he was that bad of company.
Naruto wondered, if it was pathetic of him to be annoyed with a book that seemed to hold all of Sakura's attention. This was occurring more frequently.
He waited for her. He waited until Sakura brought the book to her chest and gave a relieved sigh. Her gaze was on the ceiling, her eyes glistening with adoration.
"What an amazing book. Isamu loves Hikari so much, oh my," she squealed, feeling like a kid again.
"Romance novel again?" he asked, knowing the answer to that already.
"I wonder if Sakura-chan was reading an ecchi romance novels, eh?" he teased, and Sakura did not take this well, a blush running across her face.
"Idiot! That's not all there is to a romance novel!" She bonked him on the head, flustered. Of course Naruto would be the one making a perverted comment like that.
"Not all, but that's part of a lot of them, right?" he asked, and Sakura's face grew a darker shade of red.
She would never, in her right mind, admit nor agree to Naruto's accusation.
That would be way too embarrassing.
"Neh, Sakura-chan, are you sick?" he wondered, moving his head closer to hers as he brought his palm to her forehead. She stood from her position, embarrassed.
"I'm a medic, I think I would know when I was sick," she reminded.
"Then you're red because you know I'm right? Romance novels are such crap, with a lot of ecchi scenes," he commented.
Leave it to Naruto to have absolutely no tact whatsoever.
"You don't know what the hell you're talking about! I bet you haven't even read one. Oh goodness, you probably think The Icha Icha series is a romance novel!" she assumed, shaking her head, completely exasperated with him.
"I wouldn't consider that romance. That's just pure perviness," he reassured. Sakura still shook her head incredulously.
"That means you really haven't read one," she presumed. Naruto's eyebrows furrowed.
"You think so?" he asked with a childish scowl on his face. He'd admit that he read a bit of romance before, surprisingly enough. Even so, he still couldn't comprehend what was so great about them. He concluded they were nothing but a load of unrealistic garbage.
"Yes I do. In fact-" She held up the novel, pointing at it as she darted her eyes at him. "Read this book from cover to cover, and let me know what you think," she demanded.
"But Sakura-chan," he whined, observing that said novel was incredibly thick. He did not plan to waste his time on such nonsense.
Sakura glowered at him, her gaze stern and unrelenting. Naruto groaned immaturely, stretching his palm out.
"Fine, I'll read it," he relented. Sakura smiled, giddy at the thought of Naruto actually taking the time to read what she enjoyed. She smiled childishly, and Naruto smiled, a tinge of pink adorning his cheeks at the sight.
"Sakura-chan, you look very… youthful," he paused, scrambling for the right words. Sakura scoffed.
"Don't start acting like Lee-san and Gai-sensei, please," she implored, crossing her arms and turning away from him. Naruto chuckled, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. He didn't intend for her to take it in such a way, but her expression made him grin even more, so he didn't bother to clarify.
Sakura sat up from her stool, stretching before she looked back at Naruto.
"Just make sure you read it," she told him. "And I better not find ramen stains on any of the pages," she snapped, eyeing him suspiciously. "I need to return it by next week," she warned, waving in farewell before she walked away.
Naruto nodded, grinning from ear to ear until he was sure she was a great distance away, before he turned to the thick book in question and scowled. He glared, wondering how he'd ever get through such a torturous book.
Naruto Uzumaki was not a fan of romance novels at all.
.
Sakura was greeted by a blue sky and white, cumulus clouds. She was thankful for the sun's radiant warmth, consuming her and making it impossible not to be in a good mood. She took in the fresh air as the breeze gently caressed her face and brushed through her silky, pink tresses. She looked around, examining her surroundings and wondering where her orange – wearing teammate would be.
"Naruto?"
She crossed her arms and fumed, rather annoyed. She wondered what this was all about when he garishly ran up to her and told her to meet him on the roof top of the tallest building. He took the liberty of at least giving her the address at least, though, which made it easier to find than his first description of where to meet him.
Before she could even attempt to ask him what for, he sped off faster than she could have imagined.
She sighed, suspiciously wondering what he was up to.
"Sakura-chan, over here!" he called, waving his arms.
She turned around and looked up to see Naruto sitting up on the concrete floor of the highest part of the building. He swung his legs to the edge, his arms loosely placed on the rails.
He beamed towards her, excited she was here. He motioned for her to join him, lying back down to gaze at the clouds. He couldn't help but grin when she sat down next to him.
She sat closer than she usually would have in a situation like this.
"What are we doing up here?" she inquired.
"Well, if you want the long version: I was curious about where Shikamaru and Choji went all the time, so I followed them one day. Shikamaru told me how he liked to look at the clouds up here, so I wanted to see what was so great about it. I ended up liking the view ever since," he shared. "Shikamaru doesn't like me joining him, though, because I make too much noise. I try to sneak up here whenever he's gone. He's on a mission, so the coast is clear. Don't tell anyone though, Sakura-chan. Our secret."
He grinned at the thought of the little anecdote he shared.
"You know, people usually start with the short version, but thanks for the long version, actually." Naruto chuckled at her teasing. She observed him, quickly noticing the same book she loaned him tucked behind his head as though it was his pillow. She brightened. "Oh, so you brought the book with you? Did you read it?"
"Yeah," he answered. Sakura was taken by surprise by his answer. She wouldn't have imagined Naruto would even remember her suggestion, let alone actually read it.
"Wow, I never expected you to actually read it, Naruto." She hoisted her head up with her arm as she laid down next to him. "What do you think of it?" Her eyes were brimming with excitement, cheerful she could have a conversation with someone about it.
"I hate it!" Sakura's eyes widened, affronted.
"How dare you! It's amazing!"
"Amazing? Pfft," Naruto scoffed as he scrunched his face in annoyance, just remembering how much this book consumed his free time. It wasn't worthwhile. "Out of all the things I've read, this has to be the worst."
"Idiot! What do you know about good novels anyways?" she retorted, making Naruto forget his angry demeanor and laugh. "What are you laughing at?"
"When I was with Ero-sennin, he surprised me when he actually did real research sometimes. I had nothing to do, so I had to read stuff while we went to the library. I didn't like it at first, but I got to read some pretty cool books. I'll admit, I did read some romance too, and there were a few I liked, but there were a lot I hated. This one right here is no different," he criticized. Sakura pouted, hurt by his harsh words. She didn't think she would feel like this by Naruto... over a book.
"But how could you hate it?" she asked, uncharacteristically timid. She felt insulted herself by his harsh words for the book. Naruto sighed.
"The plot was so generic and cliché. I'm surprised the heroine could even stand on her own two feet, and the way she fell in love with that Isamu guy at first glance was unlikely. Sometimes I wonder if she was really the heroine of the story. The author doesn't even write it realistically." He closed his eyes.
Silence.
He opened his eyes, turning his head to get a view of Sakura. Her normally shining emerald eyes were shadowed.
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan," he began, but was interrupted.
"The build up to the climax was great, though. You're right about Hikari in the beginning, but at least she stands up for what she believes in by the end. It's called: character development!"
"Not if she just reverts back to how she was in the beginning," Naruto cut in. "She was like that towards the middle of the book, which I thought was going to get better, until I realized that she wasn't really going to do anything else besides cry out for that guy's name."
Sakura garnered her thoughts as she thought up a comeback.
"See? I know I'm right!" Naruto said with a smug smirk when Sakura didn't follow back with a reply.
Her fist clenched, her glare evident. She just wanted to punch the idiot, who didn't even seem like much of an idiot at the moment.
"No, you're wrong—"
"Oh, and another thing. Hikari shouldn't have had to change herself for that Isamu guy if he really loved her. He would have loved her for the way she was and not just her body." Naruto frowned. "Sakura-chan, did you really think this was good?"
"Of course I did!" she yelled, her knuckles blanching. "You're wrong about Isamu! He cared deeply about her. Not just for her body. From the beginning, he knew she was strong, he saw her potential. He just wanted to push her, so she could get stronger. And FYI, love at first sight can turn out true, too. It seems unrealistic, but it can be," she argued.
"Really? Cause there are a lot of examples where it doesn't. I'd even bet on it."
"Fine. I accept your challenge."
"Then you treat me to some ramen when I win." She rolled her eyes at his confidence, but mostly at the terms he set for the bet. She still nodded her head in agreement.
"You better treat me to a place of my choice when I win, alright?" Naruto laughed, agreeing. "That fancy place, or so you call it." Naruto nodded, still grinning from ear to ear.
"Well, I'll just have to show you how wrong you are, Sakura-chan."
"Fine, if you think it's the truth, give me some evidence then. Some factual evidence," Sakura clarified.
"Fine. I read a book that was based off a true story." Naruto smirked, ready to prove his dear Sakura-chan wrong.
"This women was at a café where she met the 'man of her dreams'. They actually got married and had a child too when he protected her from the guy that becomes her best friends by the end of the book. She thought he was some criminal in the beginning. Bottom line: the guy that protected her at first, love at first sight, ended up being abusive to the point she almost got killed. Funny how the guy she expected to want to hurt her in the beginning was the one who helped her out by the end."
Naruto smiled at the irony, and at the intrigued expression Sakura now held. She was curious. The thought that yes, Naruto did in fact read books, was also in the back of her mind as well.
"Wow… How does it end? Does she end up with the other guy?" she probed.
"Well, it wasn't really a romance to be honest. It was more of a suspenseful story where it's not about that kind of gushy stuff. Probably why I liked it so much, but it's still an example of how love at first sight doesn't work."
"Then how does it end?" He grinned.
"I don't want to ruin it for you. No spoilers. I'll go to the library with you to get it if you want. In fact, do you want to go tomorrow?" he asked.
She nodded, momentarily considering his offer. After a while he began to smile again.
"Another example that you know firsthand: Ino." She gawked at him, confused.
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"Ino is always going around dating guys and thinking that she's in love with them just because they're cute. By the end of a date she makes sure none of them even know where she lives," Naruto chuckled, continuing. "Shikamaru told me that, but tell me if you think otherwise."
He grinned, knowing that he was right. Sakura sighed, her eyebrow twitching. It was annoying seeing Naruto act so smug. She wasn't used to it, and she didn't like it at all. She sighed, feeling a bit defeated.
"No, you're right." She crossed her arms in defeat, but just this once. He gave her such accurate examples, and she wasn't so sure she had any to back herself up.
"I gave you my evidence. Do you have anything to prove me wrong, Sakura-chan?" Sakura thought for a moment, trying to think of any real life examples.
Naruto began to chuckle. "You can't think of anything, can you, Sakura-chan? Looks like I win then…" he taunted, excited he finally won.
Sakura frowned. She didn't want to lose to him. She wanted to prove herself. She hated the fact that Naruto, a goof ball, could actually defeat her in something as simple as this.
She was desperate to find something. Anything.
Then one thought came to mind.
"Sasuke-kun," she said to him in desperation. "I was young when I first saw him and I did feel it was love at first sight, and even now I still care for him, and I," she began to say, but stopped when she felt the atmosphere alter a bit.
She didn't see how stiff and rigid Naruto became, but she felt the change in his demeanor, the tension that was between the two now.
Naruto was silent, his normally oceanic eyes shadowed. He looked up towards the blue sky, and Sakura noticed a rather poignant smile. Sakura was confused. His grin seemed strained – forced.
"Heh, you're right… I guess you win then…" he said whilst getting up. He dusted himself off.
"Wait, Naruto! But you're right too! I mean, I do care for him, but I never said I was still—"
She stopped herself. She realized what she was about to say to him, but why was she so determined to tell Naruto this, to reassure him? She took a moment to stop her boggled mind, and wonder why she was so adamant on proving Naruto wrong. She gulped, afraid of the answer.
She lied. To prove her point, she lied.
Sasuke… Sasuke was the reason why she didn't believe in love anymore.
That's what she continuously told herself, anyways.
Sakura was lost in her thoughts, confused. Her mind was racing for answers to questions she couldn't even begin to comprehend.
Silence permeated the thick air.
.
"Sakura-chan? What are you doing here?" he wondered, half lidded eyes with crust in them, opening widely at the sight of her on his doorstep.
"We're going to the library today," she proclaimed.
"W-what?" he spluttered. Sakura sighed in annoyance.
"Don't you remember anything? Yesterday, you promised me that we would go to the library to pick up that book you were talking about," she reminded. Naruto paused, scratching his cheek, before his face light up.
"That's right!"
"Let's get going, then."
"Meh, Sakura-chan, we didn't pick a time, did we? I didn't think you were that interested. I still-" he began, trying to make excuses, but Sakura stared him down sharply. She took his hand in hers, making Naruto's eyes widen at the contact. Her face was closer to him, and he was an idiot, for thinking her angry expression was rather cute.
"Let me stop you right there. First of all, I am forcing you, alright? Come on." She pulled him out of his apartment, making him gasp.
"B-but I haven't eaten yet! I'm not even ready or anything! I need shoes at least! S-Sakura-chan!"
.
"Is this it?"
"Yup, that's the one. It's pretty good. It kind of took me a week, though. Well, because I only read it at the library."
She nodded, grabbing the book from its proper shelf. She read the cover again."The Limit." She smiled.
"I can't wait to start reading it!" she said excitedly. Naruto smiled at the sight of Sakura's emerald eyes shining with delight. Her smile showed pure happiness, and he couldn't help but think she was even cuter when she was happy.
Naruto yawned, watching Sakura turn to him.
"I'm going to look for books I need to read. Do you want to find some books for yourself?" Naruto pondered for a moment.
"I'm not really sure." He nonchalantly shrugged. "Now that that's all done, I should get going, though."
"Why?" she wondered.
"N-no reason. Just need to finish something," he stuttered, and Sakura's eyes darted towards him warningly.
"You're hiding something from me. Naruto…" she seethed. Naruto was about to leave, but Sakura, once again, clasped her hand in his. Naruto looked down where they were connected, realizing this was the second time he had the pleasure to hold Sakura's hand.
"S-Sakura-chan. I don't understand. Do you want something?" he asked. Sakura paused, feeling that was a rather loaded question.
What did she want?
"I want… I want you to stay with me, for a bit," she confessed, and Naruto raised an eyebrow. Naruto sighed, defeated.
"Sakura-chan, of course I'd want to stay here with you. I have a confession, though," he started, and Sakura gulped, not sure where this was heading. She anticipated his next words, wondering if he'd tell her what she concluded last night.
Sakura was a smart girl.
She figured, that maybe he wasn't over his crush, as she previously thought.
She wondered, if he would confess. She gulped, not sure if she would be ready for such a thing.
Her heart pounded so hard, she felt as though it would jump right out of her chest. Her stomach churned in apprehension, still confused with her own feelings.
She was not ready for this, and even her own body was giving mixed signals.
"Sakura-chan, the truth is… the book wasn't based on a true story," he confessed, and Sakura deadpanned, feeling as though things became so anticlimactic. She quickly began having racing thoughts, wondering if she was completely wrong to assume that he still had a crush on her.
"That's all?" she asked, and Naruto grinned coyly, averting his eyes.
"Well, that means you won. I was going to plan something for you."
"What was it?" she asked.
"It was a surprise," he merely said. "But, since you won, I was thinking of taking you to that fancy restaurant. That's what you always wanted, wasn't it?"
"W-well, I guess…" she trailed off.
"Last night I talked to the guy who owned that restaurant that sells those odd looking types of food, and he said if I wanted to even think of getting a seat without making any reservations, I had to be there at three o'clock sharp."
"Naruto, you don't have to do that. I didn't win anyways," she declared, and Naruto looked at her questioningly.
"But I already told you it wasn't even a true story! I lose for cheating!"
"But, I was lying, too," she admitted, and Naruto looked at her, stunned.
"No, Sakura-chan. Even I can see. You love Sasuke. That's genuine," he declared, another strained smile forming. Sakura frowned, affronted.
"You're such an idiot. Sasuke-kun is the reason I don't believe in love anymore. At least not the romance kind of love."
"Huh? I don't understand, though. Why do you read romance and why were you fighting me so much yesterday if you don't believe in love?" he questioned, confused.
"I – don't know. I just don't know, and that's the truth," she clarified. She gripped his hand once more. "But stay with me, here. We both lost the bet anyways, so it doesn't matter anymore. Just help me pick out more books, please?" she pleaded, and Naruto gazed towards her, smiling and nodding.
"Of course, Sakura-chan."
.
"Neh, Sakura-chan, this isn't what I thought our date would be like," he said jokingly, holding a tower of books as they made their way towards the checkout counter. Sakura's eyebrow perked suspiciously.
"Who said anything about a date?"
"I thought it was obvious you were asking me out on a date earlier. I didn't think we'd be in the library, with you getting a bunch of books," he laughed. Sakura shook her head.
"How could this be a date when you never even asked me out?" she wondered. Naruto halted, shifting his body to look at her around the tall pile of books he was holding.
"Um… did you want me to ask you out on a date?"
"Stupid question… but I wouldn't reject you if you did, you know, ask me out," she added. "I'm not asking right now or hinting that you should… I'm just saying hypothetically, if you were to ask me out again, I wouldn't say no," she sputtered.
Naruto stared at her enquiringly.
"Sakura-chan, you're acting weird again," he noted, and Sakura sighed, getting rather frustrated with the blond haired ninja.
Maybe she was wrong after all on her theory.
Maybe he really was over his crush.
She was hopeless. Why was she even trying to figure it out, anyways?
She did like mysteries. She wanted to know for sure. She didn't want to assume, especially since he's only given subtle hints, really.
But it wasn't enough.
She wondered, what she would do, when she found out the answer.
.
"Do you believe in love?" she asked one day.
Naruto opened his eyes, alarmed by the abrupt question. They were back on that same rooftop in a comfortable silence as they both relaxed in each other's presence.
"Huh?"
She couldn't help but look at him - really look at him. She looked down and noticed his features on closer inspection: his masculine jaw, to his still child-like cheeks with the same whiskered marks, to his cerulean blue eyes.
"I was just wondering what your view on love was. I know you don't believe in love at first sight." Naruto shrugged
"Well, I never said it couldn't happen. I just didn't think it was realistic all the time in romance novels. They do it every time, which gets pretty boring," he clarified, and Sakura shook her head.
"That's not what you said earlier."
"Well, that's what I believe now," he said. "Everyone is different. Everyone has a story. My mom and dad had an amazing love story."
"Really?"
"Yeah." He told her all about it, reiterating what his mother, Kushina told him. He told her about when she first moved to Konoha, how she was called the red habanero, and how she did not like his father until he saved her that one night, complimenting her hot red hair.
"That is an amazing love story," Sakura said, happy at the thought. That was more romantic than anything she read.
"I definitely believe in love. Always," he declared, his determination rising. It was then, that she truly understood, that Naruto could make anyone believe his beliefs, in his dreams and aspirations.
He was the type of guy that could make anyone believe in his dreams, in his passions, too.
He made her believe so.
She smiled the same smile she would always give him when he wasn't looking, her expression gentle and tenderly.
"Truthfully, I read romance novels because they were my escape. I didn't believe in love anymore, but, I guess I still have a little faith now. Do… do you think someone can fall in love twice?" she questioned.
"I'm not sure, Sakura-chan. I've only ever fallen in love once," he confessed, and she looked at him questioningly.
"Who?" she asked, anticipating the answer. Naruto began to splutter, his face heating.
"I-I can't say it. Not yet, not when…" he trailed off, his fist clenching, his somber eyes down-casted and frustrated.
"Not when what?" she thought aloud, a frown forming.
"I can't say it. Not when I'm the type of man who can't keep his promises," he rasped, his eyes closing as though it was too much to bear. Sakura's eyes widened.
She knew. Then, she knew.
Her heart fluttered.
.
"I want to go on a date, Naruto," she told him one day, and his eyes widened, taken back by her words. It had been two weeks after the war, and to bring this up, was surprising.
"W-what?"
"I'm asking you out on a date," she reiterated. Naruto's face was tinged red, and he was blabbering like an idiot.
So much happened, with the harsh war that finally ended, Sasuke returning, and the village in celebration from the three of them saving the world from destruction, but also in mourning for the lives lost.
One thing hadn't changed - from that time in the library, from that day on the rooftop...
"I want you to stay with me," she said, finding his hand to interlock with hers. She was not angry this time. She was more embarrassed, than anything else. "So please, go out with me." He could only dumbly nod. "I know this is sudden, and you're still recovering from your surgery, but I would really like it. Just the two of us."
"I'd like that, too."
.
"I finally had the chance to finish that book, The Limit," Sakura conversed as they waited for their ramen. Naruto was definitely surprised when she was the one who suggested Ichiraku's.
"That took you a long time, Sakura-chan! I almost can't believe it," he teased, and Sakura giggled.
"You know there was barely any time with all that was going on." Yes, so many villains and a raging war made it extremely difficult to read suspenseful books.
"What did you think about it?"
"It was wonderful. Very intriguing. It was, frightening too, at times, but Satsuki handled herself well throughout the entire book. Her situation… I couldn't imagine going through that, but the author made it so relatable," she commented.
"I'm glad you liked it, Sakura-chan. It's been a while since I read it, so I barely remember it," he admitted, and Sakura shook her head, a smile curling up.
Their conversation was interrupted by Teuchi delivering their ramen.
"Oh boy! I'm starving!" Naruto exclaimed, ready to devour the noodles, and possibly the bowl itself if he wasn't too careful. He began slurping up noodles, but then stopped. He looked over at Sakura, though, and gulped, staring down at his bowl of ramen. Sakura gazed at him questioningly.
"We're on a real date." Sakura was taken back for an instant.
"Yes, we are. What are you getting at?"
"That means I should act more civilized." Sakura chuckled.
"Well, although, yes, you shouldn't eat so fast, more than anything, you should be yourself, Naruto. I already know when you aren't, so there's no point trying to act a certain way," she explained.
"But still…"
"Naruto, I fell for you just the way you are. Don't change up on me now," she said, and his eyes widened, shocked by her confession. Sakura blushed, averting her eyes away. "I mean, it's useless to act any other way but yourself. We've been friends and teammates for a long time now, it's not like it matters-"
He kissed her, his hands gripping her shoulders tightly, planting a rather chaste kiss. Naruto looked at her with concern when she stared blankly. Sakura gazed up thoughtfully.
"You're the girl I've loved. You're the girl I've always loved, Sakura-chan."
Silence.
Naruto got nervous.
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I didn't mean to! I mean, I meant to, but, but…"
"You… taste like ramen. I should've known." She laughed at that thought.
"I should have wiped my mouth first…"
"Yeah…" She blushed, sighing as she shook her head.
He was surely an idiot. She still read romance novels, but they were no longer her escape.
She preferred her reality with her idiot, anyways. She didn't need romantic gestures, albeit, were very nice when they came unexpectedly.
She just wanted him to stay with her.
And she didn't mind that his lips tasted like ramen, either. She figured his lips would taste like ramen, anyways.
She didn't think she could ever get the taste of ramen off her lips.
.
AN: And this is my rewrite of Taste the Ramen. This one is more compliant to the manga (except of course the ending, haha). I will leave my old one up for a bit, I don't know how long, but then delete it. If you've read it before, you will definitely see the improvement, haha. Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think! Hopefully this one was better! Let me know your thoughts with reviews. If I've messed anything up, please let me know!
I also apologize, I was supposed to be writing my other stories, but the recent Gaiden chapter threw me off, haha. Right now, what I just wrote was a blur. I'll edit it later. For now, I'm just going to soak it all in, try to remember what I wrote, haha. I have other fluffy one-shots that I never even posted, but I want to finish Different Life, Chapter 2 first, ahah. X) Hope you liked! If you read my previous story before, let me know which version you like better!
