This was going to be difficult. Very difficult. He shook his head and cleared his throat as he glanced at his mirror for the hundredth time. He can do this. He can do this! He smirked at his reflected image as he lifted his hand up and pointed at his chest.

"Naruto Uzumaki is about to confess his undying love for the amazing Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with determination.

But who knew, that it would be this difficult to gather the courage and to prepare a speech for this particular event. Whether she rejected him or not, he would take it like a man. That was his plan. He gently smoothed down his outfit as he walked out of his small, and of course, messy room.

"Sakura-chan...I…" he began to rehearse his speech but kept messing up the words or forgetting what to say next. "I…lub-"

Lub?

"I-I mean, love who…"

Who?

"I love you!" he blurted out.

A young citizen girl giggled as she walked past him, making him turn beet red.

"Ah! No, I meant-" he called after her, but she was already gone.

He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing deeply.

"Naruto?" a familiar voice rang from behind him.

He froze in place and slowly turned his head.

"S-Sakura-chan…" he said quietly. "Ah! R-right! M-my speech!" he said, his tone a bit higher than usual.

"Speech?" the pinkette peered into her comrade's crystal blue eyes.

"Well! Not exactly a speech but an um…a…uh…" he struggled to find the right words.

"A what?" she urged him on.

Hands trembling and sweaty he took a deep breath.

"I…I…." he stuffed his hands into his pocket, clutching onto the piece of paper that had his speech.

Something about her hair? Eyes? Was it her brute strength?

"Naruto, hurry it up." Sakura's harsh voice snapped him back to reality.

"AH! Right!" he squeaked.

But what should he say?! He forced himself to look straight into her emerald green eyes and tried to calm his anxious heart.

"Sakura-chan," he began.

Then, the words just tumbled out from his mouth, slithering away from his lips.

"Sakura-chan! There were a lot of things that Sasuke couldn't see in you, but I could. There were a lot of things that he refused to see, but I saw them."

Sakura's eyes widened as she realized what this goofball was trying to say.

"Most people couldn't see it at all, but I DID!" The blonde looked up, his eyes gleaming, and putting on the widest, brightest smile he could possibly create. "You couldn't see it, but I could. Your smile is beautiful, Sakura-chan." He said gently. "Your body isn't all that developed like Granny's-"

The pinkette's eye twitched.

"But who cares? I think you're gorgeous just the way you are. You may not exactly like your large forehead, but…" Naruto laughed as he leaned towards her. "It makes me want to kiss it."

The medic stared and stared at him, her heart beating rather too quickly.

"I love you, Sakura-chan." He said, his smile beaming, his eyes hopeful, but she could tell that he wasn't expecting much.

Now here comes the part where she would reject him or not. Naruto thought of all the different scenarios that might happen if she put him down. Would she punch him? Apologize and run away? Say nothing and walk away? Whatever she might do, he was prepared for it. He swore that he wouldn't cry. He would smile and tell her that it was okay, as long as she was happy.

"Are you crazy?" her harsh voice slapped him hard on the face. "Sorry, but there's no way that I would fall for someone like you. You're my friend, and friend only. Did you really think I would return those feelings back to you?"

Naruto was taken aback. It stung. Her words shot through him like needles, slowly penetrating his heart.

"A-ah…" was all he could manage.

He felt heavy, he couldn't move his legs.

Take it like a man. Come on! Take it like a man! Smile! Tell her that it's okay!

"What would you do if I said that?" her tone changed.

It was soft and carried itself lightly. His eyes traveled up as it rested on her face. She was crying? Sakura-chan was crying? But she was also smiling?

"You're such an idiot." She said, through her tears, wiping them away. "An idiot. A huge idiot. A huge stupid idiot."

"Uh, Sakura-chan? I think you're overusing the word 'idiot' now." The blonde haired boy said awkwardly.

The last droplets of water splattered against the concrete floor as a soft, melodic giggle drifted from her lips as she took a step forward and leapt into his arms, squeezing him tightly, afraid of letting him go.

"Gah! S-Sakura-chan! I…can't….BREATHE!" Naruto gasped for air, clawing at the sky.

"I love you…" she said in such a quiet voice that the young hero almost missed it.

He stopped struggling and stood still, listening.

"W-what? What did you say….?"

"Didn't you hear me?" she snapped, bringing him in even harder. "I love you."

Naruto couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe what he was hearing as he slowly wrapped his arms around her. Then, his emotions betrayed him as silent tears rolled down his cheek. A smile, as big as the sun itself, spread across his teary face.

"R-right. Yeah. Good." He didn't know what to say.

He squeezed her a bit more as if she might slip away. As if this was all a dream and he might wake up.

"Good." He repeated. "Very good."

"Still don't believe me?" Sakura whispered in his ear. "I'll say it again, Naruto." She looked into his teary eyes.

Her face was determined and eyes stern but filled with warmth. She flashed him her most beautiful smile as she dug her emerald green eyes into his crystal blue ones.

"I love you, Naruto Uzumaki." She said. "Believe it."