Setting: Ichiraku Ramen Shop/ Yamanaka Flower Shop, post Sasuke Retrieval Arc, FILLERS. THEY SHALL DEVOUR YOU! XD
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Sakura was sitting alone in one of the booths at the Ichiraku Ramen Shop. She sighed.
"What would you like, miss?" The chef, Teuchi asked.
"Hmm? Oh, um, nothing really, but, is it all right if I just sit here for a while? I need to think…" Sakura asked.
"Sure, but there are paying customers, if any come, then I'm gonna have to ask you to leave." Teuchi told her.
"Alright. Arigatou." Sakura thanked him.
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"Sakura-chan? Is that you?" A voice behind her called.
"Lee-san? Oh, Konbanwa." Sakura smiled, but her oceanic eyes seemed troubled.
"May I sit with you, Sakura-chan?" Lee asked.
"Of course." She said, patting the empty seat next to her.
Lee sat down next to her.
"Are you all right? You seem to be troubled." Lee seemed concerned.
"Lee-san, I'm fine. Just thinking." Sakura smiled, as if to prove she was just fine.
"Your eyes speak differently." Lee said, tilting his head, raising his thick brows, looking at her in an "I know you are lying" sort of way.
"I miss him." Sakura admitted.
"Uchiha Sasuke?" Lee asked.
"Hai. I wish he never left." Sakura looked away, to hide the tears welling up in her eyes.
Lee suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. He was talking to the girl he loved, only to hear her talk about the guy she loved, which just so happened not to be him.
She wiped her eyes.
"Lee-san, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be talking about him when I'm talking to you. It's rude. What do you want to talk about?" She asked, quickly changing the subject.
"I only want to talk with you, Sakura-chan, I do not care if you talk about Sasuke-kun." Lee said.
"…Especially if it will make you feel better." He added.
"Oh, thank you, Lee-san!" Sakura exclaimed.
"I've been needing to talk with someone for so long, but I don't know what to say…" Sakura said, and laughed.
"Start with what is most important." Lee suggested.
"I'll need to sort that out." Sakura said. "It'll take a minute."
"Hai, take as long as you need." Lee said.
Sakura thought for a minute. What did she like about Sasuke that made her miss him so much?
Well, he was handsome. But wait, that was awfully superficial of her… And she had called Ino superficial because of that… Did that make her a hypocrite? No, why else did she like Sasuke?
He was an excellent ninja… But then again, so was Lee… Hmm… that brought another question... Why did she choose Sasuke over Lee? Lee might not be the most handsome guy on Earth, but wasn't that superficial too? Sasuke didn't love her like Lee did; Sakura was always battling for Sasuke's affection, but Lee was always battling for Sakura's…
Suddenly, Sakura felt horrible… Even though Lee seemed perfectly okay, it obviously pained him to talk about another guy with her… Sakura realized something: Sasuke was gone, and a guy who actually liked her was right here, wanting to talk with her. Sakura suddenly didn't miss Sasuke as much as she did before, though still missed him terribly.
"Lee-san?" Sakura asked.
"Nande, Sakura-chan?" Lee answered.
"I don't think I need to talk about Sasuke-kun anymore…" Sakura said.
"Are you sure?" Lee asked. "It is all right, I told you."
"No, I think I'll be just fine." Sakura smiled, and though still hurt, her eyes truly meant it.
"Want to go to Ino's family's flower shop?" Sakura asked.
"R-really? Uhm, I mean, yes, that would be nice." Lee said.
And they went off together.
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"Sakura?" Ino asked. "What're you doing here? With him?"
"We came to look at flowers." Sakura said. "I wanted to buy some. My nightstand looks awfully empty."
"I guess I'll help you with a flower arrangement." Ino said.
"That would be nice. Something you think might suit me. And no Ninja Wolfsbane. I know what that looks like!" Sakura teased.
"I think I might know just the thing." Ino said.
Lee wandered off to look at the other flowers.
"Sakura, why're you with Fuzzy Brows?" Ino asked.
"Don't call him that! And it's none of your business!" Sakura snapped.
She sighed. "I'm sorry."
Ino laughed.
"It's alright. I'll start on an arrangement" Ino said.
She gathered a couple of flowers, and asked,
"What do you think?"
She held out the glass with the flowers in it.
It had both a lotus blossom, and a branch of cherry blossom.
Sakura gasped. "It looks beautiful. Ano…" She knew why she chose it.
"Is it what you want?" Ino asked.
Sakura smiled. "…I think it's exactly what I need."