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A/N: WARNING! Jealous Sasuke ahead XD This one was written for a friend of mine. She kept bugging me for almost two weeks, and now it's finally here…. It's not going to be just a one shot, or else it would be incredibly long (even for my patterns XD). I've decided to post it now because I'm almost done with my tests, and you won't have to wait too much for the next parts... Honestly, guys... This whole situation is killing me. I haven't written anything since FOREVER! Thankfully, I'll fix this as soon as my last test ends! Well, I hope you enjoy it! Don't forget to leave me Reviews, guys!

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Coming home was supposed to be something good for the Uchiha. It was supposed to bring him good sensation, make him feel nostalgic and happy to see his friends and formers mentors. It was supposed to make him happy to finally see her after 7 long months.

But that guy just ruined his return.

For she was the first person he would always see whenever he returned home, nothing had prepared him for what his eyes saw. It was still really early and there weren't many people walking around the village by the time he crossed the entrance gates. The whole atmosphere enveloping Konoha was calm, and the whole path towards her apartment was serene. Everything around him was telling the Uchiha that good things were going to happen on that day, and for some reason he didn't quite know, he believed in those things.

He believed that day would be a good day, for he would be able to see that silly smile of hers and he would also be able to hear her sweet voice welcoming him home. He would probably be the first person her emerald orbs would see that day, and he couldn't wait to see that sleepy face of hers.

That day would be a good day.

Or that was what he thought before seeing her and another guy standing in front of her apartment.

What could be happening in between those two?

After spotting that scene, Sasuke's pace slowed considerably. His brows furrowed in confusion, and his lips parted in curiosity. What could a tall, blonde and athletic man dressed in ANBU clothes want from her at such early hours?

Did Kakashi ask him to deliver any message for the girl?

No. There was no scroll in his hands, and there was no formality in their expressions.

Could it be he was escorting her home from somewhere?

Impossible. Sakura is too stubborn to be escorted by men, especially by a stranger.

Then was he asking her for some medical tips?

That seemed to be the most acceptable answer for him, but it still didn't explain some other details that were leaving the Uchiha incredibly annoyed.

Pissed, to say the least.

From the place where Sasuke was standing, his eyes could clearly see that stupid, bubbly smile of a boy in love playing on that guy's lips. The Uchiha could also see how that stranger's eyes were tenderly looking at the pinkette, and he was incredibly irritated by how close those two were standing.

Who did that ANBU think he was to stand that close to Sakura?

Did he think he was her friend to act so intimately next to her?

Sasuke didn't know the answer to any of those questions, but regarding the intimacy one, well, the blonde ANBU made sure to show him how close he was to Haruno Sakura.

Time seemed to be frozen when that happened. His heart almost stopped, and his mouth went agape due to the shock that took over his body. His lungs became empty in a matter of seconds, and he felt an unbearable pain in the left side his chest as soon as those lips touched hers.

Oh, Sasuke certainly didn't see that coming.

What on earth had happened to his great day?

The kiss that stranger gave her was extremely unexpected by the team 7 members. Both of them were shocked after the blonde leaned down to peck her lips, and if not for the fact that her lips were involved in such sudden act, Sakura would have also gone through the same things the Uchiha went through. She was taken by surprise, but the whole thing wasn't as weird for her as it was for Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke's mind went blank for some good minutes and all he could do was watch as the stranger released her lips and disappeared in between the houses' roofs. He watched as the pinkette was left behind, with her fingers grazing her lips and with her fingers, and a faint blush tinging her chubby cheeks.

Damn it, she was looking so beautiful like that…

A girl that has just been kissed.

A delicate Sakura blooming in romance.

Oh, and how he hated seeing her like that.

For a reason he didn't really know, Sasuke was feeling incredibly mad about what had just happened. He knew that there was nothing going on in between him and his pink haired teammate, and he also knew he had nothing to do with her love life. He, who has rejected and broken her heart many times, had absolutely no right to tell her what do to with her own feelings. Sasuke knew she had all the right in the world to move on from that destructive crush she once called love, but just knowing didn't seem to be enough for the Uchiha.

It wasn't enough because, in his eyes, what had just happened in there wasn't love.

What had happened there was a crime. A crime that was committed by an ANBU.

Seeing her surprised face only helped the Uchiha conclude that his teammate had just had her kiss stolen by a stranger. If she was really going out with that ANBU, Sakura wouldn't have been surprised at all. If those two were really a couple, her cheeks wouldn't be blushing in anger like that.

Yes, it all made sense now, he thought, finally being able to breathe.

Everything suddenly became really obvious for the Uchiha, and somehow, his conclusion made him feel a little more relieved. His heartbeats were returning to their normal pace, his hands weren't sweating anymore and he could finally think carefully about what to do next.

He was definitely going to kill that robber.

But not before seeing the pinkette. She was probably still nervous because of that, and maybe she needed some help, right?

Well, not really….

By the time his denying thoughts allowed his body to move, Sakura had already returned to her apartment. The Uchiha didn't waste a single second before following her, and before he could notice, he was already opening her door. For he knew she usually leaves the door unlocked, the Uchiha wasn't really invading or anything, but still, it was Haruno Sakura's apartment. And sometimes simply entering isn't really the best of the ideas. Fortunately, for his own safety, she was running late for work and didn't have time to throw her furniture at him.

While he was taking off his shoes, his ears captured the sound of her rapid steps against the wooden floor. His eyes, then, blinked once and looked up to see a surprised, pink haired girl, with lips parted in awe and stunning emerald eyes looking straight at him. Her short hair was tied up in a messy ponytail, with some locks framing her face, and almost caressing her white lab coat.

Oh, how good it was to see her again.

" It's you…" Her eyes were widened, holding a hint of sadness in their gleam. " Sasuke-kun…"

" Hn." He said, standing up and taking a step closer to her. " Yeah… It's me, Sakura."

As his body towered over hers, their eyes remained connected for a long time. It was as if they were introducing themselves again after 7 months, talking about all the things they didn't during that time. Their eyes were making up for the time they were apart, observing all the changes that had affected one another ever since their last encounter.

There was hardly any changes on their outsides, but on the inside, oh, how those hearts had changed.

After a while, Sakura was the first to break their eye contact, regaining her composure and wiping her right eye before any tear threatened to pool. She took a deep breath, and offered him a calculated smile. Clearly, he noticed, there was something bothering her.

Oh, that boy…

" It's good to have you back, Sasuke-kun… It's been a long time."

" Aah."

" Did you… Did you go see Naruto already?"

" Not yet. You're the first one I'm seeing."

" Oh… Thank you for your consideration. It's a shame I'm late for work now." She said, heading towards the dinning table where she had left her ninja bag. He was facing her back, and he could clearly see the tension in her shoulder.

He was definitely going to kill that ANBU.

" Sakura, I-"

" I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun, I can't stay, I-"

" I saw it."

Her eyes grew wider as soon as the last syllable left his lips. She swallowed dry, clenched her fists and before any childish regret could take over her, Sakura turned to face him, with her head lifted and her mind already set.

It was not the time for her to have a breakdown.

She wasn't doing anything wrong, after all.

" Oh… You mean the kiss?" Her voice was low, as if she was expecting an explosion from him. There was no way he would simply accept those news in a good way, right?

" Aah…"

" …." She sighed. " You see, Sasuke-kun, we-"

" I understand."

" You do?" She blinked in confusion, analyzing the calm expression ruling his face. Was he really okay with that?

" Yes. I'll confess it did get my by surprise, but I understand how you're feeling."

" And are you okay with that?"

" Of course. It's not like it was your fault, right? It happened…"

" Sasuke-kun…" She smiled at him, feeling relieved after discovering he understood her acts. It made her feel a little less nervous around him, since he was really willing to support her new decision. It felt good knowing that he understood that she just couldn't wait for him forever. " Thank you for saying such words. I'm glad you understand that I've grown tired of wai-"

" Hn, it's not your fault if that jerk kissed you by force, right?"

Or maybe she was just mistaking things….

" Uh?"

Suddenly, all of that optimism that filled her heart disappeared, leaving behind an empty doubt. Her brows furrowed, sending him a doubtful glare that he certainly did not catch. Sasuke seemed to be lost in his thoughts, and that cocky way he was placing his hand on his hip was just starting to piss her off. Knowing the Uchiha as much as she does, Sakura knew that his next words would definitely make her want to slap herself for believing he could have actually comprehended her.

And oh, how she was right…

" Hn, that guy… He's a jerk for kissing you like that. He must be a pervert, for sure."

" What?"

" Of course… What kind of normal guy simply kisses a girl randomly?"

" Hey! It was not that random, Sasuke-kun!"

" Fine… Then is he stalking you or something?"

" Stalking? What are y-"

" Maybe he has been following you around, Sakura… You shouldn't walk alone anymore."

" Are you insane, Sasuke!? Kakeru-kun is a-"

" So you know him? Then it means he has planned this for a while and you two are-"

" We are going out!"

Her scream echoed around her whole apartment, as an uncomfortable silence was set in between them. Sakura was biting her lower lip in nervousness, as she watched the blank expression that took over his face. Sasuke suddenly seemed to have turned into a vegetable, and the pinkette became really worried about the possibility that maybe he had stopped breathing. He had stopped blinking, his eyes were set at the unknown and his hand had dropped loosened to the side of his body.

Yes, Uchiha Sasuke had simply collapsed.

And only she could bring him back to his old self.

But she wasn't really sure how.

In a moment of desperation, Sakura held his cold hand in hers, causing his dull eyes to look at her. She was holding it tight, trying to offer him a comfort she didn't know he would ever need from her, while internally begging for him to return. The pinkette had no idea of what to do to make him feel better. She didn't know why he was reacting like that in the first place. That boy is certainly full of surprises.

Why couldn't he simply accept she was trying to move on?

" Come on, Sasuke-kun… Naruto also didn't react well, but that's too much, don't you think?"

"…"

" Tch… I don't get it why you're like this. I know you're probably worried about me, but Kakeru-kun is a nice person."

"…"

" Trust me, you two will be friends in no time. And then we will go on missions together and…"

His ears suddenly couldn't hear her voice anymore. His eyes could see her lips moving, but he felt as if a bomb had exploded near him and al he could hear was a continuous, low sound, which couldn't simply muffle the words that had been resonating in his head.

Kakeru-kun…

Kissed me…

We're going out…

Those words had certainly felt like a bomb to him, and he just didn't know how to gather his strength to recompose himself. His world seemed to have fallen apart, and returning to that reality didn't seem to be worth it at all. That reality would be stained by that not-so-stollen kiss, and for the risk of bumping into those two as soon as he tried to walk around the village. It would be a place worse than darkness itself, for his light wouldn't be there to guide him home.

His light would be guiding another man.

And deep inside, he knew he was the only one to be blamed for it.

Ever since the pinkette confessed her love for him when they were still genin, Sasuke knew that if he wanted to pursue his objectives, he would have to risk losing her love. Even if he wanted to accept her feelings, there was something bigger than all of that pulling him away from her and from his own self too. The path he chose could not be chosen by those who were in love, and he knew it. He knew it, and that's why, on that windy night he left the village, the only things he could do were thank her for loving him, and hope that, someday, he cold have the chance to finally answer her feelings.

She deserved to be loved, and he wanted to be the one doing so.

As the years went by, neither his objectives nor his feelings changed. He still wanted to avenge his family, and he still wanted to go back for her as fast as possible. What happened to him after his brother's death was never meant to have happened, and the madness that took over him after that should have never affected him that much. He should have put his feelings over his manipulated objectives, instead of following a distorted truth.

He should have returned to her instead of trying to kill her.

But the past can't be changed, and once the future was offering him a new beginning by her side, something different took over his heart, and even if staying hime was the one thing he wanted the most, Sasuke knew that there was still one last thing for him to do before he could finally settle. He had to see the world through his own eyes, and he knew it would take a long time for him to do so. He knew she couldn't join him, and he knew he couldn't simply ask for her to wait for him any longer than she had already waited.

He couldn't ask, but he could hope.

Hope, wish and pray for her to still be in love with him by the time he returned for good.

But he couldn't blame her if she chose to move on.

And at last, she did.

Haruno Sakura had finally reached her limit, and there was nothing he could do to change her heart. He didn't have the right to do so.

Still, love knows no right or wrong. And at that exact moment, Sasuke realized that it was finally time for him to take her.

Time for him to love her.

" - and I'm sure he will treat me kindly, and-"

" There is no way…."

" Uh? What did you say, Sasuke-kun?"

" I said…" His eyes started to shine in confidence, and before she could react, his hand held her wrist tightly, and he leaned closer to her face for her to know he was not joking at that moment. " There is no way I'm going to let you date that guy."

Her cheeks were red in a mix of anger and embarrassment, and her childish inner self was excitedly cheering up for the raven haired boy. Her heart was beating faster, and that proximity was definitely clouding her thoughts.

Damn that boy and his effect on her.

Sakura was breathing rapidly, when her emeralds started to glare at him.

Who did he think he was to give her an order?

As soon as she came to that conclusion, her confidence was brought back and she also leaned forward as if to show him she was ready to fight for her freedom. She was going to fight him for having the right to choose her own love. However, he couldn't care less about her ideals.

Uchiha Sasuke was not going to back off.

" You're not dating that guy, Sakura."

" And who do you think you are to tell me what to do, Sasuke?"

" That's not the point! Tch, just look at him! He's an even bigger loser than Naruto!"

" How can you be so sure of it, Sasuke!? He's an ANBU! He's the captain of his squad and someone Kakashi trusts with his life! He's not a loser. He's a nice guy, and you bet we are going to date!"

" As if… What did you even see in him? He's definitely not your type."

" Oh, and what would be my type? You?"

" Well, you were in love with me before, and you used to say I was cool, so… Yeah, I am your type." He smirked, annoying the girl even more.

" You…" She glared at him, not backing off a single centimeter. " Hn, at least you've said something true. I was in love with you. I'm not anymore and that's why I'll go out with Kakeru-kun! I'm moving on, and-"

" Do you love him, Sakura?"

His eyes were now capturing her in an atmosphere of tenderness and regret, and for the first time, Sakura felt her heart skip a beat.

How dared he ask her something like that?

How dared he have such inviting eyes at that moment?

That boy….

" Y-You have nothing to do with this…" She tried to free herself from his grip, but he only tightened his fingers around her wrist. They still had some things to talk about before he could let her go.

" Yes, I do. You used to love me, so wether you want to or not, you need to tell me why you've stopped loving me."

" Isn't it obvious? I've been waiting for years, and now I've grown tired of waiting!"

" You're lying."

"No, Im not! I-" He pulled her closer, so their faces were mere inches apart and his breath was tickling her lips.

" The Sakura I know is too stubborn to give up like that…" His voice came out as a whisper, and her heart was almost jumping out of her chest. " She wouldn't give up on me for another guy… You still love me, Sakura. Don't deny it."

The smirk playing on his lips was the biggest evidence of his victory, and Sakura knew it very well. She knew he was right and that the Sakura he once knew wouldn't give up on him because of that. The Sakura he knew would always love him no matter what, and even if she hated to admit that, the pinkette knew she was still that same Sakura.

She knew that she still loved him.

Even if she really was trying to move on and dedicate her heart to someone else, the pink haired girl that she just couldn't bring herself to love another man. She couldn't force her heart to forget the Uchiha, but her mind was really tired of all those years of waiting. She was tired of always being put after his goals, and she was tired of waiting for something she didn't even know would happen. Their love was a love that was never sure, and that has always brought her many heartbreaks.

She was tired of getting hurt.

But she would never be tired of loving him. Never.

And that's why, when his face started to lean closer to hers, her heart was the first to tell her to answer his actions. Her heart told her to keep loving him. It told her to kiss him, but Sakura knew better than to continue to listen to her heart.

It was time for her to use her head.

Before their lips could join in a kiss, the pinkette used her other hand to push him away, and consequently free herself from his grip. She turned her face away from the Uchiha, clenching her fist in regret as the raven haired boy simply stood behind her.

So she was really going to act like that, he thought.

Yes, she was going to act like that. She was going to fight for her right to be loved.

" Sakura… We both know how things will end up. We-"

" There is no We, Sasuke-kun. There never was and never will be. I am tired, and I can't stand another heartbreak. I don't know what kind of game you're trying to play with me, but I don't want to play anymore."

" There is no game, Sakura. I really-"

" Don't you dare say those words!"

"…"

" Don't you dare tie me back to you."

As she tried hard to hold back her tears, a deafening silence enveloped her whole apartment. Even if she couldn't see him, Sakura was sure his eyes were observing her, looking for the slightest signal of weakness in her words. She could tell he was expecting her to never change, but that was something she could not do anymore.

She had to change.

For her friends, for him and even for the Uchiha himself.

She had to change for herself. And if he didn't like how things were going to be, then there was nothing more for them to talk about.

" Sasuke… Please… Just leave, okay?"

" Uh?"

" You're good at this, aren't you? Just go, okay? I need to go to work and… tch, just go."

" No, Sakura, I'm not-"

" God damn it, Sasuke!"

She turned to towards him, stomping her feet against her wooden floor until she started pushing him out of her apartment. He tried to stop her, but for she was using a part of her monstrous strength, nothing could stop her at that moment.

" Wh-What are you doing!? Stop, I still have to tell you-"

Even if he tried to explain himself, the only thing he received from her when he was pushed out were his shoes. The girl closed the door behind her, locking it and walking away from there. She knew that there were still chances of a breakdown, and for that, she figured it would be better to just stay away for a while.

No matter for how long he knocked. No matter how many times he called her name, Haruno Sakura was not going to welcome him into her apartment.

She was not going to welcome him into her heart anymore.

I hope you've enjoyed the first, out of 4 parts! Please, tell me your opinion so far! Leave me Reviews about what you think will happen next!