Author's Note: Yo! I actually don't think this is that good. I wrote this a couple months earlier. Like probably at the end of last year. I don't even know anymore. I just thought I could make another story since I don't feel like writing my other ones yet and thanking a break from them. I wanted this to be a oneshot, but that didn't work out because I wanted to post this on Sakura's birthday. Oh well. FAIL. Anyways, Happy Spring Break to you guys! :)

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN.


Bottle-Pop

By: Ryu-Nom

"Happy Birthday, Sakura!" was the first thing a pink-haired girl heard when she woke up. The sun light illuminated from the blinds on her window to the floor. The purple and yellow blob that was in front of her vision was her best friend, Ino, holding up a cake to her face. She smiled up at her and without thinking about it blew the candles out. "Aww, you didn't even make a wish." Sakura ignored her and stretched, hearing the crackling sound of her back.

"What are you doing here, Ino?"

"I don't know, seeing that it's my best friend's twentieth birthday, what else do you think I'm doing here?" Sakura shrugged her shoulders. Today was her twentieth birthday. She couldn't believe that two years had already passed since she moved into her own place, which was an apartment with one bathroom and two bedrooms. At first her parents disapproved of the idea seeing that she was too young. But she wanted to grow up a little and live her own life. She never did went to college even though she was offered lots of scholarships to prestigious universities. There wasn't a lacuna in her education at all, and sought out to travel around the world instead.

Sakura Haruno. Twenty years old. Unemployed. And single. Story of her life.

She never had a job ever since she moved out. She tries to, but every time she goes to an interview, she was always running late. Not a very good first impression on her part. The only money she makes is selling photographs of beautiful scenery that she had taken by traveling. Her grandmother, who had died by the age of ninety-two, had left thousands of dollars as inheritance to Sakura, who was her only grandchild. She made copies of her own work reminiscing over the time she had spent in a country. Her favorite place that she had visited was Paris, France. Only by herself with a few knowledge of the language. She bought Ino a beret just to make her stop whining about not being able to go. As for the single part, she had just broken up with her boyfriend of five months, just two months ago. She had felt the same way as he did. They just wanted to meet new people and slightly other differences that caused distressed to them both.

Seeing Ino still staring at her, she grinned. "Sakura, go get dressed. I'm pampering you today!" Sakura waved her hands in front of her, murmuring something about going back to bed, without listening to any more protests from the pink-haired girl, Ahem, I mean woman, Ino grabbed her wrist and started dragging her to the bathroom. "You're going to enjoy you're birthday, no matter what you say! I'll pick out your clothes so hurry up!" Ino stated and closed the door behind her and started rummaging around Sakura's closet.

After washing her face, Sakura saw her floor practically covered with all of her clothes and Ino sitting on her bed with the smile still plastered on her face. She held out a white flowing baby doll dress. She wondered where Ino got that since she doesn't even own any dresses. "It's a birthday dress. I couldn't find any dresses in your closet, I had this laying in my back pack." Oh.

"Then why'd you have to take things out of my closet for?! It looks like a tornado in here!"

"Calm down and put this on." Ino shoved the material at her fuming friend and rush to the living room.

After five minutes of sitting on the couch Ino heard Sakura's voice through the door, "Ino! I look ridiculous!"

"Come on Sakura I bet you don't look that bad! Come out and let me see!"

The door knob slowly turned and Sakura came out with the beautiful white baby doll dress on her. The puffy sleeve hanging out and the hem of the dress swaying a little when she moved. It looked like the dress was made from the finest of silks. It reached down to her knees making it look like a summer dress. It was plain but lovely, her chest area was puffed up with a white band going around under her breast. She was wearing white flats and had a pallid choker with a small sunflower in the middle. Her shoulder length hair had a white head band holding it in place.

"Sakura, you idiot! You're gorgeous!"

"But I feel silly!"

Ino stood up from the couch and with a lip gloss in her hand walked towards Sakura. "Pucker your lips."

"…Why?"

"Just do it!"

And Sakura did what she was told while Ino applied lip gloss on her.

"Let's go!"

"Okay! Wait, I have to do something really quick!" Sakura rushed back to her bed room grabbing her keys and her phone. Putting them into the small pocket that the dress had. She grabbed the cake that was just sitting on the bed side and quickly putting it in the fridge.

"Are you finished?" Ino said tapping her foot on the ground.

"Yep!" Sakura grinned at her.

--

--

Walking into the café she saw a small area where she saw most of the people she knew. Like Jiraiya and Tsunade, her parent's good old friends. "Happy Birthday, Sakura!" they greeted. Her parents weren't there because of a business trip, but she did have Tsunade and Jiraiya, who were almost like her second pair of parents.

"My my my, doesn't someone look cute today?" Jiraiya said winking at her. Tsunade bonked his head muttering something about Old perverted demons.

"You look stunning, Sakura," Tsunade gave Sakura a hug and handed the present she got her.

"Oh, Tsunade you didn't need to get me a present."

"Well you only turn twenty once."

"You say that every year as an excuse to get me a present."

"Well, what's one more gift?" Tsunade laughed while stepping to the side when Jiraiya handed bouquet of flowers. Hearing a sniffling sound, Sakura looked up to see tears on the corners of his eyes. All of a sudden she was lifted off the ground with Jiraiya having her in a tight embrace crying his eyes out.

"My Sakura's all grown up! No no no! This can't be happening!" Déjà vu. She swore that this happen to her two years ago on her eighteenth birthday. It was the day her father and Jiraiya both were hysterical saying that she wasn't allowed to date without their permission.

Tsunade slapped Jiraiya up side the head which made him released his hold on Sakura. She placed the flowers on the table and saw a cake covered with chocolate frosting twenty candles sticking out already lit up. Then the three people with her started singing 'Happy Birthday' which was weird since they were practically screaming it out, making a big scene at the café.

"You have three wishes at least use them," Ino whispered to her. And that's what she did.

She started listing them off one by one when they stopped singing. "I wish for a healthy life, hope I could get a job, and be able to help people in need."

"Sakura, that was boring! You could've made a wish to spice up your love-life and meet someone handsome! At least not fantasy wishes!" Sakura just shrugged her shoulders and sat down.

"Well enough wishes. Open up your present!" Tsunade suggested. Sakura nodded and took the Tsunade's gift from the chair. Tearing off the bright gift wrap and tore opened the box, in it was a jewelry box that looked like a miniature closet. She opened it up and ended up being blinded my luminescent jewelry. There was pearl necklace with a translucent heart as the pendant.

"Wow, Tsunade! These must've cost a fortune!"

"Anything for you, Sakura-chan! You know you're like a daughter to me. So why not spoil you?"

"Thank you so much!" She ran up to Tsunade and gave her a hug.

"Hey! Why not give us hugs too? We all pitched in!" Ino said. Sakura hugged Jiraiya and Ino.

"Sorry, Sakura. But we can't stay here long. I have to go back to the hospital and Shizune wants to wish you a happy birthday, since she couldn't make it here."

"And I have to do some researching for my new book!" Jiraiya grinned like a wolf.

"Oh. Well tell her I said thank you."

"Bye Sakura!" Jiraiya waved goodbye following behind Tsunade who was already out the door.

"Too bad, they couldn't stay any longer," Sakura frowned.

"Yeah, their just too busy. But! I got you the best orange juice from this place," Ino said. She grabbed something from her bag and pulled out a twelve inch, soda bottle. On the middle of it, it had Swish! with fancy cursive was fizzing a little so Sakura was afraid to open it.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"Yes! I had to especially deliver it to you."

"Where'd you order it?" Sakura asked.

"The lady who you helped yesterday when you were volunteering. She said she makes the most delicious juice ever and to repay you she made you some."

"I need to thank her later." Sakura smiled and took the bottle from Ino's hands. It had stopped fizzing, when she opened the cap she saw some writing inside. Thank you! You have won! Make a wish, blow on the cap and it'll come true! That's cute, Sakura had thought. It had a small bunny with a flower in its small hand. She showed it to Ino, "Here you can have it, since I'd probably be wasting it on another stupid wish." She rolled her eyes, and handed it to her.

"Okay then! Well I wish that Sakura would meet guys who would absolutely drool for her!" And Ino blew on the cap.

"And I make fantasy wishes?" Sakura raised her eyebrows at her, "Mine are more realistic than yours. How are mine fantasy?" Ino shrugged watching Sakura chugging down the soda. She gave back the bottle cap, and Sakura had put it in her pocket. Saying that it was adorable and would like to keep it.

--

--

"Thanks, Ino. You were right I had fun," Sakura said her goodbye to the blonde hugging her before getting out of the car.

"Am I never right?," Ino called out from the passenger window. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Sakura waved goodbye to the van that was driving out of her neighborhood. Walking up the stairs to her apartment. She thought about what she was going to do tomorrow with Ino. They promised each other that they would go around and take some pictures, since it was almost time for her monthly rent. She only saved up two-hundred dollars and needed another two-hundred fifty. Taking off her shoes when she reached her apartment, she walked towards her room and fell flat on the bed. She took her things from her pocket and dropped them down on her bedside table. When her eyelids started getting heavy, her phone vibrated. She grabbed it and flipped it open, and with a groggy voice she answered, "Hello?"

"Bon Anniversaire, mon amour," the deep voice stated. Sakura's eyes suddenly went wide. She recognized that accent and voice. After awhile the voice didn't say anything. Until Sakura interrupted the silence with a dull 'huh?'

"I'm here, amour and I'm here to claim you," the line went dead and all Sakura could hear was the 'beeping' sound of her phone. He came here, all the way from France.

-----

-----

Sakura took pictures of everything around her. France was simply beautiful. Tourists were also there. The facades of the buildings were mostly made of bricks. She saw an artist drawing kids on the sidewalk. It was almost night time and it was her first day in this exquisite country. She wished that Ino was here with her. Too bad her father didn't let her leave the flower shop. Saying that she couldn't handle going to another country.

Her favorite attraction was the Fontainebleau forest she even had pictures. She just had to show Ino the things she'd seen when she gets back home.

She was at a park watching kids playing around and taking pictures of them and the people that were talking. She knew what people wanted to see. Her grandmother had said that people would do anything to look at beautiful things rather than ugly worn-down things. Even if they had more meaning than the attractive un-useful things. After the park, she went into a pastry shop. Her one weakness, sweets. The bell on the top of the door rang when she went in. She saw people staring at her and knew that she was a foreigner.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle, anything I can do for you?" asked an old man, he had a bit of an accent but she understood him perfectly. He probably recognized her as foreigner. His wrinkles showed as he smiled at her. She looked at the clear glass in front of her and saw the delicious treats tempting her to buy.

"Hmm… I would take that pink cupcake and if you have chocolate coco, can I have that too?"

"Yes, mademoiselle, that'd be one Euro, please," she handed him the money and waited looking at the other treats. When the old man got back he was still smiling and handed her the food. She thanked him and walk out towards the tables. She watched birds and cars fly by.

Out of the blue, a puppy came walking towards her.

"Salut, le chiot. You are so cute!" She smiled down. She reached down and scratched it's ears. It licked her hand and ran off after she stopped scratching him.

She stretched when she was finished with her food and threw away the remains, she had stayed in the pastry shop for several hours just listening to the foreign tongues of the people around and jet lag caused her to fall asleep. When she got to France she began working since she got there at seven in the morning after she had drop her bags off at a hotel. What woke her up was the old man shaking her, she woke up to the dark and street lights already up. She panicked and saw that she wasted time. The old man laughed sheepishly at her, saying that she looked tired and had let her sleep for awhile. She told him that she needed to leave, and thanked him.

While walking, she felt her phone vibrate from her pocket, she didn't get a chance to answer, all she had gotten was someone screaming in her ear, "SAAAKUURAAAA! I miss you!"

"Ino? Why are you calling me? You do know that it's long distance and is going to cost you money, right?"

"I don't care. My dad's going to pay for the bills since he didn't let me go to France with you." She could see Ino sticking her tongue out, and sweat-dropped at her friend's immaturity. Static came through and Sakura couldn't understand any word Ino was saying anymore.

"I'll have to talk to you later, Ino. You're breaking up," and with that statement she closed her phone and headed towards the swings in the park. She knew it was dangerous being by herself at a public place, but she took a chance and started swinging up into the air. After a couple of minutes, she finally headed towards her hotel, which was good for her since it was only a few minutes away from the park.

As soon as she was in her hotel room, she took everything off and went into the shower. She grab hold of her camera and started working on the pictures making sure that she made copies for herself. It was a long day for her, and once her hair was dry and her pictures were finished it was already 2:00 in the morning and finally fell asleep.

--

--

The next morning, she got ready and headed out once again with her camera around her neck. She heard that there was a festival going around, but she wasn't so sure. People were already around and moving. She saw mimes and clowns on stilts, she took picture of them and one with all of them with her. There was a big crowd surrounding something, and she had to shoved through people to even see what the big ruckus was all about. For being the clumsy klutz she is, she tripped and stepped on someone's foot.

"Je suis désolé!" she practically yelled her apology, she may be clumsy but she wasn't impolite. The guy chuckled at her, "Je vais bien." She looked up to his red eyes and saw that he didn't look French at all. He looked more Japanese. "You're right, I'm not French," he stated looking at her. She was surprised that he knew what she was thinking. "And I don't know any French with pink her," he grabbed a lock of her hair. "You're cute." She blushed, and excused herself and started back up on going through the crowd. It was a group of circus members doing tricks. One was blowing fire in the background and the others were acrobats doing things with hula-hoops. When the crowd was dispersing due to the group finishing the guy who she stepped on came up to her.

"You're also Japanese aren't you?" he asked. She nodded her head and looked at his crimson eyes. He was wearing a dark suit looking all fancy like. He kissed her on both cheeks, "Just greeting you formally," he chuckled when he saw her face go red.

"Well mademoiselle, would you care to go out and eat with me. I would like to know what's going around in Japan when I was gone." She didn't know why but she nodded her head. She barely knew this guy and he was already asking her to go out and eat.

It was the same pastry store ,that Sakura had been to yesterday ,that the two went to.

"I find you very interesting," he said to her, watching her taking a small bite out off the cake they ordered. "I've moved to France when I was thirteen, my parents thought that it would be best for me to study here, and I haven't been back in Japan in twelve years. I don't even know what my little brother looks like actually." Her eyes soften, but she was suspicious in why he was telling her this. "You caught my interest, miss."

"And how's that?"

"Well for one thing. You're hair is pink."

"And your eyes are red," she furrowed her eyebrows taking a hit at this guy for pointing out the obvious.

"Touché.

"But, another thing is that my dog seem to like you yesterday."

"You're dog?" He nodded and thinking about it, the puppy from yesterday that she petted flooded her mind.

"Why does your dog liking me have to do with anything?"

"He never goes around people except me, and if they do, he growls. Even if their tourists, he growls at them. I thought at first it was just foreign people, but he seem to like you."

"Okay?" He nodded.

"So, tell me about yourself." She didn't know why, but she started talking to him, like her being a photographer and being broke and other things about her life. Like that it was her first time being out of the country and that she only had five days left. In the end, he was with her for five hours, and started developing feelings for her. He never felt any emotions towards a woman before even though they threw themselves at him. He didn't know why but this girl seemed oddly familiar, he just can't place his finger on who she is.

--

--

It was her last day. Sakura never figured out what the mysterious man's name was, since he said he wouldn't tell her until her departure. They were at the airport, and seeing that they spent most of their time together, him touring her around the place, had grown to be good friends. Perfect wife, in his eyes.

She was waiting and when her flight was there. His eyes were full of sadness.

"My name's Haruno Sakura. Well I guess I'm off!" she smiled at him and turned to start walking away. He snatched her wrist and kissed her, Sakura's eyes were wide as plates, when she felt his lips against hers. His kiss was in between with soft and possessive.

"Uchiha Itachi. Au revoir, la femme," once the words left his lips he started walking away. The only thing that snap her away from her thoughts was the flight number being repeated again.

"Oh crap!"

-----

-----

Beep! Beep! Beeeeeeeeepppp!

SMACK.

And that's how the alarm clock died.

Sakura weakly sat up. Her hair was going in different directions. She barely got any sleep last night from thinking too much. She couldn't actually remember what happen, but she did have a funny feeling that something bad was going to happen. She checked her phone and saw thirteen new messages from Ino.

From: Piggy-chan

Subject: Wake UP!

Time:7:15 AM

Sakura!!! Where are you?!?!?!

If you're still sleeping I'm going to attack you!

-

The other few messages were mostly threats, until one of them caught her eye.

From: Piggy-chan

Subject: Dr. Hawtness alert!

Time: 8:53 AM

EMERGENCY!

Come now!

-

Emergency? Why would the subject be different if it was an emergency. Sakura wondered what kind of crisis it was. She still had time and saw that the message was sent five minutes ago. She hurried and threw off her clothes to change. When she was finished she sprinted towards Ino's work at the nail salon.

"Ino?! What's the emergency?!"

"Woah! Calm down, Saku-"

"Ino! Did someone get hurt? Are you feeling okay? Did you get hurt?" Sakura shook Ino back and forth, trying to not panicked that much, even though she was technically already panicking.

"Sakura! No! Yes! And NO!"

"Then what's the emergency?!"

"Someone's looking for you!"

"Oh. Who?" She pointed to someone sitting far away. She couldn't see his face, except his full head of black hair and the fact that he was reading a magazine.

"Dr. Hotness, that's who!" No wonder. Sakura felt her head throbbing with anger at her. She didn't even brush her hair and just rushed to the parlor for an emergency, like someone having a heart attack, and it only turns out to be just a hot guy?! She needs to talk to Ino later to explain what a real emergency was, but right now she needed to see who that guy was. Ino brushed Sakura's hair before pushing her towards the man.

"Ahem? Um… Are you looking for me?" When the guy put down the magazine. She almost fainted.

"Sasuke?!"

"Hn." Uchiha Sasuke. The handsome successor of the Uchiha Police Corp. and her first crush and best friend, that she hadn't seen for five years. Their sophomore year in high school was when he left and transferred to Sound Academy, one of the top prestigious private school.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just thought I'd come back. I miss it here. I got bored there."

"Oh. Well did you contact Naruto, yet?"

"No. I'd thought I'd see you first. That idiot's annoying."

"At least you'll know what he's up to. He disappeared from my view ever since two years ago."

"Hn. Come to dinner with me. After I go to that idiot." Sakura was astonished, this Sasuke was different from the one who she used to hang out with in high school. She nodded her head still speechless about Sasuke asking her out to dinner. "Come back here at 7. I'll pick you up." Again she bobbed her head up and down. She watched him go out the door.

"So. Whose the hottie?" Ino questioned.

"An old friend. I haven't seen him in five years."

"Don't tell me that's SASUKE?!" Sakura flinched and nodded her head.

"He's coming back to eat dinner with me later on tonight." Ino examined her up and down.

"Aren't you going to get ready?" Sakura was immobile and just stared at her.

"Why? Can't I just go wearing these?" Sakura looked down at her red t-shirt and pajama pants.

"You're a disgrace to women everywhere," Ino sighed and grabbed Sakura by the wrist. "We have plenty of time left, for you to get you ready."

----

----

Sakura was standing outside of the beauty salon, wearing a dark cardigan over her red glittery dress that reached down to her knees with matching high heels. A black headband was placed nicely on her head. Ino was standing beside her grinning at her twitchy friend. "Ino you know I can't walk in high heels. Ino just patted her shoulder, and didn't say anything when a black sports car drove to a stop in front of them.

"Wow. Fancy," Ino took notice that there weren't any scratches on it and almost looked brand new. Out came Sasuke from the driver seat wearing a dark suit. He stood in front of them and opened the passenger door. Sakura wobbled a little until Sasuke took her hand into his and helped her out. He opened the door for her as she got in slowly.

----

----

"So… um, why ask me to dinner?" Sakura awkwardly started. They were at a five star restaurant waiting for a waiter. The drive there wasn't as uncomfortable as she thought it would be with the light music playing. She actually almost fell asleep.

Sasuke shrugged, "I don't know actually. I just got back yesterday and thought I would see old faces and it was your birthday yesterday. I couldn't see you, jetlag you know."

"Oh, I see. Well thank you anyways. So what are you u-" a waitress interrupted what she was about to say as she giggled and ask for their orders.

"Nice to see you again, Sasuke-kun," she flirtatiously said. Sakura looked at her, she seems familiar. Her reddish orange hair was uneven and spiked up on the back a little, her eyes were red covered by a pair of frames. Suddenly, a name popped in her head. Karin. "Oh hello to you too, Sakura," she snorted.

"Hi Karin," Sakura politely answered.

Ignoring her Karin asked, "What can I get you?" She wink at Sasuke who ignored her and looked at the menu.

"Spaghetti, please, and wine. What about you, Sakura?"

"Um.. I guess I'll have the same."

"So what were you going to ask earlier?" Sasuke questioned staring at her.

"I was going to ask what you were up to, nowadays?"

Sasuke didn't get a chance to answer when he saw their orders coming. Karin winked at him before leaving and glaring at Sakura. Seeing this, she didn't even want to eat the food.

"Ugly, you may not want to eat that," startled by at the sudden voice Sasuke and Sakura looked up to see Sai with his usual trademark smile.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" A giant blur of orange tackled Sai out of the way grabbing Sakura in a tight embrace.


Bye!

Reviews are appreciated!