A Cherry Blossom in the Garden.
Sakura fingered the dried and pressed flower gently. She had been going through her old medical textbooks; she had a test from shishou coming up soon and needed to review. Then she had come across the old blossom. She remembered taking it because it looked like a heart, and it reminded her of Sasuke. He had just broken her heart and the day she found the flower, she decided she wouldn't cry for him again. She would be strong without him. She knew that she could. But now as she looked at the parched blossom, it made her smile. A bleeding heart flower wasn't always for heartbreak. Maybe it could be for new love as well. Sakura looked at her clock and seeing the time, she snapped her book shut, but placed her flower back in its place. Time to meet Hinata for the mission, but if she were lucky, she would get to see him there before the two set out.
In the Hyuuga Compound…
He saw her there often.
She and Hinata-sama often worked together in the medical corps. The two of them also went on several missions together, hence her visit. Hinata-ojou-sama was busy getting her supplies together for the mission and left her to wait in the garden, something that happened every time they worked together. She had even suggested that Hinata-sama join the ANBU medics with her, but as ojou-sama was busy training to take over the main branch, just as he was busy learning to control the ninety-six different families that made up the cadet branch. In fact, he should be studying right now, but he couldn't tear his eyes from the delicate beauty in front of him. She was radiant. She always was.
Her eyes glided over the beauty of the garden, and as her emerald orbs scanned the gardens, her body twirled as if she was trying to take in every single detail. The early spring air was crisp and the sun shone brightly sending gentle rays of warmth over the planted plot. The trees were bearing the incipient buds of leaves and the just beginning to bloom flower buds. The shoots of grass sprung around her feet and sprinkled the ground around her with sparkling droplets that made the air around her body glimmer and shine. The droplets caused her own image in his eyes to flicker and twinkle around her, distorting the air around her and making her gleam. She was so exquisite. Her long hair, it had grown back down to the small of her back, swung around her. Its crimson coloring put the freesias to shame that grew behind her. The green leaves of the burgeoning leaves were the same shade as her bright eyes, which were so light and carefree despite the pain her first love had put her through. Ever since she got over him, she had become so much stronger, so much more beautiful and so incredible. Her confidence and strength was so apparent, like a tree that sprouts out in the middle of a grass plain, it covers everything around it and radiates strength and control. She was here often.
He could still remember the first time he saw her here.
It had been only a year after her first love had left. She was still so young, and her heart was still fresh from being broken. The early summer was rife with heat and the deep humidity permeated everything. The garden was in full bloom, the flowers were flourishing under his tender and vigilant care. It was thriving with life. She had stumbled into the garden by accident, as Hinata got ready for their mission. The moment he saw the angelic beauty in the garden, he knew it was too early for her to be on missions. It had been such a short time since he had abandoned her and broke her heart, and she appeared to be overworked from recently starting work at the hospital and training with their new Lady Hokage. Within seconds of her entering the garden, she fell to her knees next to the bleeding hearts. Their small, scarlet blossoms resembled little hearts and she fingered them gently. Suddenly she burst out crying. He wanted nothing more than to run to her, hold her, kiss away her tears and make her happy. The moment he thought that though, he was so embarrassed that his face burned a deep ruby and he was unable to move. After a minute or two, the crimson haired beauty wiped away her tears and plucked off a strand of the bleeding hearts. She placed it tenderly on the freshly cut grass and rummaged through her bag. Extracting a book, a real book, not a scroll, she pressed the flowers in between two pages of the book. He was able to get a glance at its cover; it was a medical textbook. She closed the book shut, put it in her bag, and smiling, rose to begin her mission.
That was the only time he had ever seen her cry.
And he hated it. He loved to see her, it made his day. The fact that some other boy, could make her cry was horrible, and back then he couldn't understand why seeing her cry made his heart clench in pain and anguish. He wanted to never make her cry again, but he couldn't. All he could do is wait to see her again. Every time she visited the garden, it made his day and he felt euphoric.
He had seen her many other times. The only time he had actually managed to work up the courage to talk to her, but then his cousin had messed it up. It had been early in the winter, and the garden hadn't even been very pretty. Only a few plots of Forget-Me-Nots that Neji had spent hours working on to get to grow. Despite the beautiful flowers, the garden still seemed desolate and austere. It was so listless and lifeless but the moment that her feet dignified the garden with her presence the entire yard started to sparkle. The weak winter sun seemed to center her, illuminating her to a point beyond all belief. It was so blinding to look at her; all of the sun's rays seemed to bounce off the snow and center on her. She was so bright that it had nearly burned his eyes to see her. She seemed so serene standing there, no longer held down by her pain. He could see by the unfamiliar elation that her eyes held as she stood in the ashen and lifeless wonderland. Her eyes were bright and ready, they no longer held the pain that they normally came with. He was taken aback by her confidence and stepped out of the bushes to speak to her when Hinata ran up pulling his romantic whim away for a mission.
She seemed to come to the garden mostly in the spring, just as her namesake bloomed in the early spring.
It suited her.
Her hair was the color of some of the most beautiful flowers to grace the earth. And her eyes were more stunning than any green shoots could be. She was probably the most eye-catching being she had ever seen. Her beauty and elegance were so incredible that he doubted any man could ever imagine anything greater. She was an angel in his eyes, more beautiful than the earliest flower or the last to bloom.
Shit.
He was starting to sound like his sensei, Maito Gai. Really? He had just spent what; Neji looked down at his wristwatch, the last freaking thirty-seven minutes going on about her beauty… He shouldn't be spending so much time mooning over a girl who would never feel the same as he did. She was more work orientated than most girls her age were. She spent all of her time working, between her ANBU team, being the Vice-director of the hospital and working with her sensei, the Lady Hokage, he was surprised that she had anytime to even spend with friends. There was no way that she could ever have time for a boyfriend, no matter how much he loved her. 'No', Neji thought to himself shaking his head. 'Not love, admire.' Then she bent down. She fell to one knee softly, and her hand fell to near her foot. Her long delicate fingers, slender from years of working precise scalpels during long and arduous surgeries, gently cupped a single flower that had bloomed apart from the others. Slowly she plucked the flower the earth and stood as she brought the blossom to her nose to take in its sweet fragrance.
Whom was he kidding?
She looked so beautiful standing there, the ultimate epitome of femininity. She was so graceful and beautiful, long hair that fell over her shoulders and shone like the blossom's of her namesake. Her face was gentle and honest, always showing her open feelings. Its heart shape framed by her signature locks, held back as always by her headband, and her high cheekbones brought attention to her sparkling eyes. Her jade orbs were often tinged with sadness, from losing her friend and first love after his desertion of the village, but now were more often seen smiling then with pain. She was strong enough to get over him, and realize what it was she wanted, and now her eyes were as peaceful and content as she basked in the warm sun's waves and bathed in the scent of the flower. However, not only was she beautiful, but strong too. Her body was toned from years of work, enough to make even Gai-sensei say that she could have been part of their team where taijutsu was the first requirement. She was the Hokage's apprentice and no matter how hurt she felt, she always did what was best for the people she cared for. She was strong enough to do anything she set her mind too and there was no way she would ever give up. She would die trying first.
Hyuuga Neji was undeniably, unreasonably, irreversibly, and absolutely in love with the pink haired beauty known as Haruno Sakura.
Neji closed his eyes and shook his head, holding his face in the palm of his hand. He shouldn't feel this way. He was getting ready to take over the cadet branch; odds are he would be put in an arranged marriage with one of his other cousins in the cadet branch. Just like Hinata was being married to her cousin in the main branch. It didn't matter what he felt, odds are he wouldn't be with her. No, it wasn't uncommon for cadet branch members to marry outside of the clan, but if he was going to take over the families he would odds are have to marry within the families. He looked up again and saw that his cherry-named-and-haired fancy to have disappeared. She must have started off on her mission.
"The garden is so beautiful, is it not Neji-san?" Neji turned around to see the object of his adoration standing beside him. Even closer up she was so incredible. He could smell the strawberries on her skin even over the many exotic aromas from the blossoms that surrounded them. She was his weakness, his Achilles' heel, his limitation and Neji knew he would do anything to get close to her. "I see you here in the garden a lot actually. You always look so intense as you stare at the flowers. Did you know that you don't even blink sometimes?" She said with a smile. Her voice was not mean or spiteful. Just calm and quiet, and she were so sincere as her hands floated over the flora. Inside Neji was blushing furiously, but managed to not let the blood rush to his face. She knew he stared? Luckily, she hadn't realized that it was her, and not the flowers, that seized his gaze. "I tend to space out too though. It is just so beautiful here; you're very lucky to get to live here. I wish I could live somewhere as beautiful as this."
Neji couldn't control himself, "All the flowers in this garden, in the entire world, their combined beauty is meaningless when combined with you."
Sakura blushed, "Thank you Neji-san." After a second they both just stood awkwardly and then the jade eyed beauty started laughing, "Oh my god. I just realized whom you sounded like. You sounded like Gai or Lee!"
Neji blushed, "You try being on their team for eight years and see if you cannot start talking like them when you get passionate."
Sakura smiled that dazzling smile that melted Neji's stoic heart, "I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I mean ever since being on Team Kakashi I've started being late to things more often and well … Kakashi-sensei even got me to read one of his books…" a deep blush crossed her face. Neji smiled a little inside, but didn't show it on his face. She read the same books that he hid under his bed did she? "And the end result is the fact that what little respect that I had for Jiraiya, if only for his shinobi abilities, disappeared. It's okay though, it was nice to hear something like that from someone other than them. Especially a man," Sakura's hands started to grace the side of his arm, ghosting over the material of his sleeve, "As handsome as yourself." Her hand continued to trace over his arm, going up his shoulder, to his chest where her hand connected with his abdomen and Neji's breath quickened. He could barely even breathe.
Then a voice rang out, Hinata's, "Are you ready Sakura?" She always seemed to stop him from talking to his passion.
Her hand pulled back, suddenly, as if she had just realized what she was doing, but Neji grabbed it in mid air and brought it too his lips. He kissed the lightly scarred knuckles, evidence of her years of hard work, and kissed them gently, causing her face, even her ears, to go the same color as her hair. He lowered their hands and using ever nerve in his body to keep himself calm and composed, "You know Sakura, would you like to go on a date with me after your mission?"
She smiled and kissed his cheek, "I should be back on Friday. I'll meet you by the fountain downtown at seven." She ran off and Neji could only stare into the spot she had vacated. He knew that he would never let her go willingly. He wouldn't tell her his feelings yet, it was too soon for her to accept him like that. Neji knew she would have to care for him more before he could reveal it, but he knew that by the time her namesake's would be in bloom, she would know of his feelings. She would know that every day she came to the Hyuuga Compound's Gardens; it was like Hanami Festival, for him, except that he gets to see the most beautiful flower in the world.
The Sakura he loved.
Okay, I love this couple and have absolutely no idea why I do. There is nothing in the original manga or anime to support this, unlike my other favorites. Ayame and Naruto is possible because of their close relationship that's sort of implied by Naruto's love of ramen and her occupation, Kakashi and Sakura have always had a unique bond that could develop into more and Kakashi and Kurenai could work as their both jounin, Kakashi and Asuma were friends and odds are Kakashi would have been friends with his wife, and very kind. Nevertheless, I do not think these two have ever even had an extended conversation, but oh well. I just thought of this as I was napping on the bus ride today, back to school after a swim meet (I did a 500 yards in 6 minutes and 22 seconds!). The entire ride back the idea just formed in my head and I wrote it the moment I got home. I also kind of just wanted an excuse to write a ton of descriptive scenes. So here it is. I always appreciate reviews and would love to hear any feedback you have.
Love and God Bless!
Emi-chan