"It's Tuesday!" Sakura sang as she skipped and twirled her way to Ichiarku's. "Tuesday, Tuesday! The best day of the week!"

How did lowly Tuesday become such an exalted day? Six Tuesdays ago, Sakura was minding her own business, catching a quick lunch before returning to work. She'd just ordered a bowl of her favorite tonkatsu ramen when Sasuke slid into the seat beside her.

"Hey," he said with a nod.

"Hey," she returned. Wow. You're a scintillating conversationalist, Sakura. I'm sure Sasuke-kun's very impressed. I'm sure he thinks—

"What's doing?"

Sakura debated pinching herself to be sure this wasn't some crazy, exhaustion-fueled dream. Uchiha Sasuke did not start idle conversations. Ever.

"Lunch is doing." She grinned wider, hoping to cover the tick in her eye. What did you just say?! Another gem like that and I'm severing the brain to mouth connection for good!

Sasuke grunted, lacing and re-lacing his fingers on the tabletop. "You here for ramen?" he asked then grimaced into his hand as it swept down his face.

Nerves wound Sakura up tight, making her nod much too vigorously. "Yeah. Uh-huh. I am. I'm here every Tuesday. Tsunade asked me to train med-nin at the Academy on Tuesdays and this place is nearby, so…" She trailed off, her babbling brook of words drying up. In an attempt to keep the conversation alive, she asked, "Do you come here often?" and blushed. Oh crap! Did you really just use a corny pick-up line? On Sasuke?!

"Not usually. I just got off a mission, so I was—"

"That's right! I heard you went to Ame with Sai and Kiba. Naruto told me," she added when his eyebrow quirked. "How'd that go?"

Their bowls landed in front of them and, unbelievably, Sasuke filled an entire hour with the story of his mission with Sai and Kiba and how each had taken a turn claiming the title of 'Worse than Naruto.' At the end, Sakura's cheeks hurt from laughing. When she told Sasuke this, he smirked and offered to walk her to school…since it was on his way.

Since then, Tuesdays meant lunch with Sasuke.

He always had a reason why he happened to be there on the same day as her—meeting with the Hokage, errand in the marketplace, going on or returning from a mission. Sakura chose to believe he arranged all of these events to coincide with her lunchtime. So for the first few weeks, she waited for him to make a move, tip his hand, confess his feelings, anything that even remotely resembled romance…and was disappointed when each Tuesday was merely ramen and conversation.

When she sobered up to the idea that they were two good friends who happened to be at the same place at the same time, she found herself laughing more, talking more. She enjoyed being in the same space as one of her favorite people.

So today—Tuesday—when she found her place at Ichiraku's counter, she was pleased to find Sasuke already in the seat beside her.

"Hey."

"Hey," she returned. "Been on any missions with Sai lately?" Sakura had come to love his Sai stories—the most recent addition to Team Seven knew exactly how to get under Sasuke's skin, making for the most unintentionally hilarious tales.

"Nah."

Sakura's smile melted as Sasuke pushed the noodles around his bowl. She knew something was bothering him, but was hesitant to burst the happy bubble that'd become Tuesdays. Concern warred with bliss. Concern conquered.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He glanced at her then back at his ramen. His noodles were taken on another whirling trip around the bowl. Concern planted a flag in new territory when she touched his hand. The noodles halted.

"What's wrong?"

"It's…nothing." He worked his soup into a churning vortex.

She leaned closer, her fingers closing around his hand. "It's something."

"Hey, asshole!" Naruto clapped Sasuke's back then leaned around him. "Hi, Sakura-chan! What's going on?"

"Nothing," they both replied, snapping into casual poses.

"Uh-huh. Nothing. Riiiight." Craning his neck to see into the kitchen, Naruto yelled, "Hey! Old man! Lemme get a miso!"

"Get lost," came a low grumble from beside him.

"Excuse me? I don't think I heard you right, jerk."

"I said, get lost." Sasuke added, "Moron," for good measure.

"I have every right to eat here."

When Naruto's ramen was placed in front of him, Sasuke shoved it down the counter.

"Hey! You coulda spilled it!"

"I told you to move!" He kicked Naruto's chair.

Sakura sighed, knowing their friendly lunch had just ended. The boys would bicker until punches flew and bruises formed.

"Why do I have to move? It's not like you two are on a…date."

Time crashed into a brick wall as Sakura looked from Naruto's wide eyes to Sasuke's red-tipped ears.

"We're on a date?"

"Taking this to go!" Naruto announced, throwing down some change and sprinting away with his bowl.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He sighed and stood. "Walk you back to school?"

"O-okay."

He was silent the entire way, giving Sakura the feeling that they were navigating along the edge of a deep ravine—her stomach and head whirling with the vertigo of uncertainty. They stopped at the Academy gates.

"So…" She needed an answer to a question she had no idea how to ask. "So…we…"

Without warning, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against the corner of her mouth. It lasted only a second or two, but it paralyzed her, her heart careening around her ribcage.

"Sakura," he said, his hair tickling her cheek as he pulled back. "See you next Tuesday."

Oh, Sasuke...you silly boy. And leave it to Naruto to out his best friend while he's trying to be all smooth and covert.

Paige, Paige, Paige. Now that the SasuSaku rocketship has been blown apart from the power of Kishi's SS love, what will we do with all these monkeys? Maybe we can teach them to write adorable fics for us?