Chapter 2. Funny how love is
She woke up after a 15-hour sleep, feeling as if she had been born again. Obviously she hadn't got over Sasuke yet, but at least she wasn't feeling that miserable anymore. After a quick and healthy breakfast, Sakura changed into her usual attire and left her apartment. After a 10-minute walk, she entered the Yamanaka flower shop.
"Good morning, Ino!" she waved at her blonde friend. Yes, they resumed their friendship as soon as both agreed that fighting over a boy was just plain stupid.
"Good afternoon, Forehead!" Ino waved back. "So, what's up?"
Sakura approached her friend. "I'm going to the hospital, I'm going to…"
"You're such a workaholic! Today's your day off, you should be anywhere but there!" her friend scolded.
"As I was saying, I'm going to visit Kiba and Tenten. Wanna come?" She started to look for the perfect flowers for her friends. Tenten loved sunflowers, so Sakura got half a dozen of them. For Kiba, she got half a dozen of lilac irises. She was halfway from getting some carnations for Sasuke, but she remembered clearly that he said he wanted her out of her life. Besides, she was trying to get over him, so she wouldn't step into his room while not at her shift.
"Sorry, I can't" Ino said while arranging the flowers into two neat bouquets. "I have to take care of the shop today. But give them a hug for me, ok?" she handed the medic-nin the bouquets.
"All right then, Ino-pig! See ya!" the pink-haired kunoichi sighed deeply as soon as she got out of the flower shop. The day had started well, but now everything seemed to be mocking her.
Funny how love is everywhere just look and see
Funny how love is anywhere you're bound to be
Funny how love is every song in every key
Funny how love is coming home in time for tea
Funny, funny, funny
The sky was blue, the sun was shining, birds were chirping. And she saw happy couples everywhere. LOTS of them. It's not that she envied other people's happiness; it's just that she wanted to have a happy love life with her Sasuke-kun. 'Guess that's asking too much, ne, Fate? Oh great, now I sound like Hyuuga. I must have hit the bottom' she was lost in her thoughts, trying her best to not see all those people kissing, hugging and cuddling. Luckily her feet were well trained; she got to the hospital easily.
'Ok, who's first? Maybe Tenten, her room is the nearest from here' on her way to room 3, she greeted some of her fellow medics and nurses. After knocking at the door, Sakura entered the room.
"Hi, Tenten! I'm glad you're awake. How do you feel?" she said while putting the sunflowers on a vase. "Oh, these are for you" she smiled at her brunette friend.
"Sakura! Good to see you. I'm feeling better than I expected… I was pretty bad injured yesterday, ne?" Sakura nodded. "You just missed the guys; they stopped by before going to the training fields. Those boys are so sweet when concerned about me" Tenten giggled softly. By "the guys", she meant two green spandex users and a somewhat cold prodigy. Sakura wondered about how her friend could see sweetness on those three, but shrugged and started a happy girl chat.
Funny how love is the end of lies when the truth begins
Tomorrow comes tomorrow beings
Tomorrow brings love in the shape of things
That's what love is, that's what love is
Sakura heard the door being opened and saw Tenten's eyes and smile widen greatly. She turned around; at the door frame was Hike Masahiro, Tenten's boyfriend. She waved at him.
"Haruno-sensei, when can I get my girl from here?" he asked while walking to his girlfriend's bed, kissing her forehead. The medic-nin felt a bit jealous, she couldn't help it. 'This unrequited love of mine is driving me crazy! Now I'm jealous of Tenten's relationship. But wishing for a boyfriend is not a crime…"
"Well, Hike-san, I'm here as a friend, not as a doctor" she said playfully, trying to hide the bitterness that was growing in her heart. "But this girl recovers fast, I'm sure she'll be out of here by the end of this week." She smiled sadly at the couple in front of her. "Well, I'm going to see Kiba now. Get well soon, Tenten! And take care of her, Hike-san, or else!" she winked and got out of the room.
Funny how love is can break your heart so suddenly
Funny how love came tumbling down with Adam and Eve
Funny how love is running wild and feeling free
Funny how live is coming home in time for tea
Funny, funny, funny
"Sakura-chan!" someone yelled at her, the voice echoing through the hallway. Sakura glared at her blonde friend.
"Naruto! Where do you think you are? This is a hospital, you can't disturb the patients." He gave her a 'whatever' look.
"Anyway, Sakura-chan, where's Sasuke-teme? I heard he got here yesterday almost dead."
"Yeah, Naruto, he was pretty bad. But I was able to heal him on time, although it cost all my chakra. He's on room 8" she pointed the direction.
"Thanks! Are you coming?" she shook her head.
"No, actually I'm going to visit Kiba. Besides, Sasuke is probably asleep now. And if it's the case, don't you wake him up, ok? See ya" she entered room 5.
'Ha, no way I'm letting teme rest! I'm sure… Whoa, did Sakura-chan just say Sasuke, not Sasuke-kun? Nah, I probably misheard her.' While thinking, he entered room 8.
Room 5
"Good afternoon, dog boy! How are you feeling today?" she said while petting Akamaru.
"Afternoon, forehead! Told ya I had only scratches! I just can't wait to get out of here – no offense, you know." She shook her head.
"None taken. Here, I brought these irises for you. I had a feeling you would like the color…" she said mischievously. She was good friends with Kiba, so naturally she knew a few secrets about him. Like lavender; every time he saw anything that color, he would remember a certain heiress's eyes.
"Looks like I have nothing to hide from your jade eyes, Haruno-sensei!" both of them laughed. "How's our little quest going?" she knew he meant her 'I-will-get-over-Sasuke' plan.
"Well… It won't happen suddenly, but I made a decision that will surely help me. From now on, my relationship with Sasuke-ku ahem Sasuke will be strictly professional. I'm not even seeing him today, only because it's my day off. It'll take some time for me to get used to it, but I guess I have no choice."
"That's my girl! I think you're on the right path. But you can't pretend you control your feelings, you really have to get over him." She looked at him, then at the flowers, and then back to him again.
"I know it, Kiba. I have too much love in my heart; I need to give it to someone. I told you that the other day."
"I remember that. Too much love will kill you if you're not able to establish a healthy relationship."
"If only it was that easy! But until I find somebody to love, I guess I'll share it among my friends. Perhaps it works for a while" she grinned at him.
"As long as you give me some of it!" they laughed again.
From the earth below to the heavens above
That how far and funny is love
At any time, anywhere
If you gotta make love do it everywhere
"What's so funny?" they heard a soft voice from the door.
"Hinata-chan, you stealthy girl! Dog boy here was being funny, as always." Sakura knew Kiba was more than happy to see the white-eyed girl there. The pinkette winked at him and turned her attention to Hinata.
"Let's have dinner together tonight? Just the two of us." Hinata nodded happily. "Ok, I'm going then, I think I need a haircut! Kiba, if I hear you tried to get out of this bed, you're SO dead! Bye!"
Her low heels made a faint but audible noise as she walked down the hallway. Getting a haircut wasn't a lame excuse to let her friends alone. Her hair although short was messy, and her nails were begging to be manicured.
Room 8
"Sasuke-teme! I thought I would have to slap you awake" Naruto ignored Sakura's remind. He would never be quiet.
"Hn."
"Sakura-chan told me you'd probably be asleep." The blonde was now opening the small fridge beside the bed, looking for the candies sent by Sasuke's fan girls. Yeah, there were still some of them around, though Hyuuga Neji's fan club was now the biggest in Konoha.
'Hn, soon she will be here, annoying me with questions and hugs and tears.' Sasuke thought.
"Almond truffles! Can I get these? Sakura-chan loves almond truffles, and since she's not coming today I'll give them to her later." But he didn't wait for an answer, tossing the truffles inside his backpack.
"Take them; you know I don't like sweets. Wait, did you just say Sakura's not coming?" Well, that was something new.
"Yeah, she said she was going to visit Kiba. Hey, white toblerone! Your fans really love you, teme. I'm getting these too."
But Sasuke wasn't listening anymore. 'She's not coming? And I thought she couldn't be more pathetic… I bet she's playing hard. But these little girly schemes do not work on me.' His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of steps heading the opposite direction from his room. Sakura's steps. 'Hn, let's see how long she can keep on this'
A few hours later
That's what love is, that's what love is
Funny how love is everywhere just look and see
Funny how love is anywhere you're bound to be
Funny how love is every song and every key
'Now I feel like a girl again!' Her hair was well cut, silky and smelling like strawberries. Her nails were French manicured – because of her work her nails couldn't be darker than light pink. Taking care of her beauty was a gesture of self-love. Sakura neglected herself since her first chuunin exam, believing that kunoichi shouldn't loog pretty; they should look strong. But the kunoichi from Sound who told her that was oh so wrong in the end. Being feminine was not a sin, and she learned it from Ino.
The sun had just set; the first stars were shining in the sky. Sakura was heading home; she should get ready for her dinner with Hinata. Said girl and Kiba were helping her a lot about her Sasuke issue, so she thought she could return the favor.
Funny how love is when you gotta hurry home
'Cos you're late for tea
Funny, funny, funny how love is
Tomorrow comes, tomorrow brings
The girls had already eaten their dinner and were now sitting on a bench, eating the truffles Naruto brought earlier.
"So, Hinata-chan, what do you think about Kiba?" she asked directly. The Hyuuga girl's face became beet red.
"Wh-what do-do y-you m-m-mean, S-sakura-ch-chan?"
'Shannaro! I knew it! It's been years since the last time she stuttered like that' Sakura and Inner Sakura high fived.
"You know exactly what I mean. C'mon, you make such a lovely couple!" 'I wish I could make a lovely couple too' she lowered her head, then remembered that the conversation wasn't about her.
"D-do you re-really think so, Sakura-chan?" white eyes looked at jade ones with hope.
"No, I KNOW so. When are you two getting together? Don't let him slip away, girl!" she winked.
"A-actually" Hinata got impossibly red "we al-al-already… you kn-know…"
Sakura's jaw dropped. "No way! I'm so happy to hear that! When did it happen?"
"A-ano… This afternoon, after you left." The dark haired girl smiled. "I told him I freaked when I heard he was severely injured. I was telling him to never scare me again, and when I noticed he held me in his arms and… well… kissed me. Now we are officially together"
Sakura squealed. "SO CUTE! And because I'm happy for you I'm not killing him for getting up from his bed. Just this once!" her friend was glowing. That was the kind of feeling love should bring, not the tears or the sorrow caused by Sasuke. "Girl, I don't know why I'm holding you here! I'm sure you can't wait to see him again, right?" Hinata nodded. "Go meet him then! I need to sleep early today, my shift starts at 5 AM." Damn Tsunade and her crazy schedules.
"Bye, Sakura-chan! Thanks for everything!" They waved at each other and parted.
Tomorrow brings love in the shape of things
At any time, anywhere
If you gotta make love do it everywhere
That's what love is, that's what love is
"I'm happy for them! It was about damn time…" she muttered to herself. "I just hope I can be happy like that before my sixties".
A/N: Hike Masahiro is an OC and he only appears in this chapter. I promise! And yes I like KibaHina more than NaruHina, don't kill me for that [hides under the bed.