Title: Reciprocal of an Uchiha

Chapter: 1- Annoying Questions

Summary: Sasuke is persistently trying to catch up with latest events in Sakura's life, but only focusing to her love life.


"So how many?"

Obsidian orbs were staring at her intensely.

It was a fine day at Konoha.

Ten years after the fourth ninja war.

It was finally peaceful.

All was back and better.

No more war.

No more revenge.

Everyone were friends again just like in the story book for kids.

Supposed to be…

"How many were they Sakura ?"

But what the hell is this? An epilogue of a story should not be an interrogation!

"Excuse me?" Sakura answered cagily, taking another slug of sake.

Sometimes it was so hard to understand this man.

"You know… "he scowled "How many men had you gone out with?"

Soooo complicated.

She was both puzzled and amazed on how this boy could ask something like that to her, it was very far-fetched behavior.

Sighing, he even tried to elaborate it further "You know, date, socializing one on one with a person that usually comes with a little flirting or kissing and maybe after a cup of tea inside the house then banging each other like there was no end."

Blush. Blush.

Eh?

WHAT!


Sakura was so happy that she had finished the hectic work at the Hospital, finally she could relax. Maybe reading something nice like Icha Icha Paradise (Well she's already in the rightful age to read things so why not?), cooking herself a decent food for a change, taking a bubble bath and sleeping in the bubble bath maybe?

Spoil is the term! She wants to pamper herself even just for once in a month in the three hundred sixty days of the calendar.

She took the long way to her home wanting to recall all the events that took place in Konohagakure after she was born. It was very funny that it seems just like yesterday that she was a young girl filled with high hope, foolishness, love, and weakness.

Sakura stops by at the academy and had seen her teammate from her genin days, Uchiha Sasuke, the redefined ex missing wanted ninja Uchiha Sasuke was playing ninja with some little kids. He's a jounin at level right now about to leap forward to ANBU.

Ha! She wanted to laugh and boast it in his face that she was indeed an ANBU right now and captain before him. Ohh the greatest achievement she would have done if she had guts.

Yet even he had that level of being a ninja, many people are asking and wondering why he is still at the academy molding and teaching little kids on how to be a ninja.

It's a trick some would say, to prove that he really had changed into a better man… some would say that he had learned Orochimaru's pedophilic characteristics, he did stay with the him and Kabuto for three years.

People's imagination can do marvelous things to damage one's ego…

But if you could see right now his face, you will instantly feel that he enjoys what he is doing. Perhaps he likes children? But not like, you know not like a pedophile but a man wanting to be a father or a brother.

Shocking revelation? or maybe not? At a young age he did lost his family, so it's not that of a shocking revelation.

Though he was smiling a lot more nowadays…

But still Haruno Sakura had to admit that she still unsure about her feelings towards him, how should she handle he tried to fucking kill them let alone destroy Konoha… So yeah… it is weird that he's here with us, having now a normal life. As if nothing happened at all.

He was like a deer stuck in the headlights after battling his brother Itachi and after being defeated by Naruto. Yes may be his huge ego went down in the drain and like he will never get it back. You ask why? Well my dear friends as if like magic his all mighty arrogant manner was lessen.

Yes, lessen.

An earth shaking event? Yeah maybe for about two and a half years he was here in Konoha it was, but as time passes by… well it was like the natural thing in the world.

Maybe it was a condition between him and everyone? so that he could stay in Konoha?

Nah. He is already paying his sins, everyone understood him and his family who is six feet under had been the way to more brighter and positive future. I don't know what is the deal between Sasuke and Naruto and the Kages on how Sasuke would repay things he did, but what is apparent is this…

Three words… Sasuke is back.

Description of him?

He is seemingly normal.

When he had seen her walking (more like wandering) he approach her immediately and offered that they, you know, if she wouldn't mind that they could eat dinner together and catch on with each other.

Catch on?

WOW

WOW!

Let's correct the description … seemingly not normal for an Uchiha Sasuke.

So here we are… somewhere in Konoha eating, drinking and chatting about things that he, Uchiha Sasuke, should be rarely interest about.

"Are you drunk?" blinking few times, Sakura thinks she seems to be hearing things.

"I only have one sip of sake… do you think I am already drunk?"

"No?"

"So you have to be drunk to ask that?"

Sakura shook her head "No."

"No?"

"Why do you need to ask?" poking her cheek with her finger "You're asking me something that is uncomfortable to discuss, don't you think so?" with a little laughing.

"I can't see the reason why not."

"But you're Sasuke…"

"So I have to be someone else for you to answer me?"

Harsh…

"No."

"Can't you just answer me?"

He's becoming so nosy…

Sigh

Defeat

"Few?"

"Define few…"

"Do I look like a dictionary?"

"You know what I mean…just answer it."

"Sasuke this is really awkward."

"Okay."

… Silence

"At least three guys?"

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke smirk

Persistent, also pushy…

"Just tell me the names, most recent may I add, of those three guys that you had gone out with…"

Grrrr

AHA!

"Ino is that you?"

Sasuke glared at her.

"If I were Ino why should I turn myself into Sasuke?"

"To play tricks on me?"

Sasuke frowned

"I am not Ino…"

"So what's up with these questions?"

"Round and round Sakura."

"Just answer the question Sasuke."

"This is training for ANBU."

"Sasuke… I AM an ANBU." Sakura said in a matter of fact tone "and you're a jounin."

How rare can you tease an Uchiha?

"It is hard yes, but, sometimes acceptance is the key."

She did really love teasing this handsome raven haired man.

Glare

...

Smile

...

Glare

...

Smile

...

Smile

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...

"I just want to know… I just want to catch up on things… is that a crime too?"

Sai?

"You're Sai aren't you?"

...

...

Intense glare

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Sharingan

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Sakura gulp air "Arre..."

Okay maybe this was not the time to test his patience?

...

...

"SASUKE-KUN! I love you!" she squealed, imitating the fan girl like version of herself when she was thirteen years old.

"Hn"

Deactivated sharingan.

"Well it is weird you know… You're acting like someone else. "

"Two?" Sakura paused "Sadly, there were only two…"

"Okay, two."

Sakura nodded at Sasuke.

" Then what happened?"

"What would you gain from this Sasuke?"

"Information."

"Then what would that information bring you?"

"Knowledge."

Face palm

Oh how she need distraction and fast.

"Sasuke you haven't touch your food... aren't you hungry?" Sakura asked as her eyes landed on Sasuke's plate.

Sasuke just scratch his head in annoyance and bite a piece of the food. "Happy?"

Immediately she reached out to him "Why do most of the guys prefer their hair spiky and standing?"

She felt him stiffen, "Not that it doesn't look good, remember you chicken ass hair is one of your asset that girls die to worship." giggling to his reaction.

"Changing the topic?"

"Nope," she stated still giggling "Just an observant girl who also has a curious mind."

"It's okay if you don't answer the question."

Smile

"I know I haven't been that open to you… but still I know you consider me as nakama."

Sigh

"Who could blame my actions," Sasuke said dramatically "I was traumatized by so many things."

"How low…" Sakura muttered, feeling defeated "Naruto and Neji" she finally told Sasuke, with a defiant swagger

"Bad taste Sakura."

"I was also in love with you when I was young if I may add."

"Well I was the only good one..."

Speechless.

"Years?"

"Excuse me?" she tilted her head slightly, giving him another puzzled face.

"Statement of the night?"

"Well I am sorry I am not a genius like you." she whispered.

"How many years with Naruto and with Neji"

"Oh!"

She wanted to slap herself.

Pff, as if he would like to know the duration of her undying love to him which is up until now.

"Three years with Naruto…" she replied, "and five years with Neji…" while counting with her fingers.

"How did you and that fool started even dating?"

"Do you really need to know?"

"Curiosity…" Sakura gave him a questioning look "I feel left out?"

Feeling left out?

That was so PRICELESS!

"Right…"

"It started actually" Sakura's fingers were tapping the table "after the ninja war, we wanted to try things out you know… see if it will work out between us. Like you, we were curious…"

"and…"

"and what?"

"How did it turn out?"

Sakura was not having a merry mood on Sasuke's questions "You're annoying."

Take that!

"You're annoying too." Sasuke smirk

Sasuke will never let her win so she decided to answer his question yet again. "Well the first two years was like a cup of hot chocolate on an oh so cold rainy day!"

"You didn't get it do you?"

"No. I get it… I am not slow like you." smirk "Genius here."

"Cocky son of –"

"Where getting of topic here…. Again " Sasuke interrupted "So what happened after two years? Got bored with him?"

Sakura snorted in response "NO! After that it seems that we weren't meant to have a relationship."

"Why?"

"To put it simply, we don't have romantic feelings for each other… we had a brother and sisterly kind of love," she giggled "And I know that Hinata do loves Naruto so much and Naruto is slowly warming up to the idea."

"Hn."

"You haven't changed…" Sakura smiled, sighing "You're still a man of few words Sasuke."

Sasuke asked again "So what about Neji?" changing the subject.

"Ah! Neji-kun" Sakura said closing her eyes "He was the man that really made my heart go nuts and excited."

How good it was to reminisce the good old days and she was lost in her thoughts.

"So he's Neji-kun and I am Sasuke?"

What a good way to burst her day dreaming.

"Hurt? Sasuke-kun?" she said teasingly "How sweet."

"Yeah I am dying..." Sasuke said rolling his eyes.

"Could you pretend you're hurt at least?"

"Ouch?" Sasuke said "Do you want me to play dead too?"

He smirks

She frowns

"Any moments?" he asked

"What a vocabulary you gained Sasuke-kun." in a teasingly manner Sakura said.

Sasuke gave her a raising eyebrow "A compliment? thank you."

"So Neji was like the most romantic person I've met so far, he could melt even a block of ice." making an emphasis on Neji's name without the suffix.

"Romantic?" Sasuke frowning "Hyuuga?" saying in disbelief.

"Yeah I know he's like you but did you know it is only from the exterior view." yeah she knows Sasuke was glaring at her "When we are alone together it was like I am going to melt by the words that are coming from his lips." she continued.

"Ew…"

Sakura glared at Sasuke

"You ask, I just answered truthfully."

She smiles

He frowns

Her smile grew wider.

"Kissing?" Sasuke said in an unconcerned tone.

Sakura twitched at that question.

"Tell me again why the hell I am answering your questions?"

"Catching on?"

"Oh yeah! You are like the old Sai" Sakura said wondering what would be his reaction "learning to communicate, because you're socially handicapped."

"Whatever you say Sakura…" Sasuke merely replied.

"So?"

He was really curious

What joy!

"Be glad that I am your friend."

"Thank you and that I am blessed to be one of your friends."

"Hmph!"

Arrogant asshole

"He was good…" thinking of second thoughts her two hands formed an x. "Slash that extremely good "

"Maybe you're a bad kisser?"

"Excuse you! I am good at kissing! Do you want me to kiss you? no malice applied!" she said closing her eyes and offering her lips.

"Thank you… but no," Sasuke briefly said " tempting though."

Sakura giggle "As if!" Sasuke just stared at her.

"You know I thought we were getting married..." Sakura said seriously "But oh well there can be miracles!" and then burst with laughter.

"Anyway" The grown medical kunoichi spoke again "that was all in the past, we are still friends like before anything else." she shrugged

"Touchy"

"Are you lonely?"

"Yeah…"

"You'll manage"

"Thank you?"

"Welcome."

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?


It was already ten in the evening when they were finish eating, Sasuke offered that he should walk her home, it was a man's duty he said. It was silent at first as they were walking but that didn't last long.

"So." Sasuke hissed

With a heavy sigh Sakura replied "So?"

"Want to go out with me sometime?"

"Don't you remember? We ate already!" smile "Silly Sasuke."

Sigh

She was actually playing dumb with him.

"Would you like to go a date with a little flirting and maybe kissing?"

DAMN!

Sakura was surprised how really blunt Sasuke is becoming when it comes to expressing his feeling "Sasuke, I'll be honest, but I don't have those kind feelings for you anymore."

Maybe this can become a habit, teasing Sasuke.

"How about going out as friends?"

Really pushy… aren't we?

"Why?"

"I want to test something"

"And what is that?"

"That if I date you for numerous times maybe I can get you to like me again."

"You sound so sure."

"I try to be confident."

"What if it doesn't work out?"

"That is why will see it for ourselves." he groans "The testing period, people like to call it."

"I don't know…"

"Scared?"

"Of what?"

"That you'll be in love with me again?"

"Cocky much?"

"No."

"No?"

"I know for certain that you will fall in love with me."

"A challenge Sasuke-kun?"

Not minding what Sakura said

"Same time tomorrow?" he asked rather confident.

"But I'll be busy tomorrow…"

"Now you tell me who the cocky one is between us?"

"I am telling you the truth."

Sakura and Sasuke are in front of her house, knowing it was lock she quickly reaches her keys in her pocket and knowing that Sasuke will sooner or later will asks her something again…

As she opens the door his voice was heard again.

"Lunch?"

Right on the spot.

"I don't know." she replied lazily.

"Hn."

"Sorry Sasuke try again next time… Goodnight."

Sakura was about to close the door but Sasuke hold the door that prevented her from doing her actions.

"Dinner!" he snapped "Same time tomorrow."

Sakura groaned in response.

He let go of the door and stared at her he didn't move an inch, he didn't really need a response from her because it was now an order that Sakura should join him again.

"You know Sasuke…"

He didn't expect her to speak or to react.

Sakura smiled "You really are… annoying."

SLAM!

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Sasuke smirked

"Hn…"

"I am not opening the door Sasuke!"

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"No worries, you never dare to close your bedroom's window."

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おわり