Unscripted Love

Estrella de Amore

Chapter Two: Just Friends

A/N: Wow! Thank you all so much for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! I just wanted to make it clear that this story is a Sasuke and Sakura (SasuSaku) romance. Before it might have said Naruto x Sasuke, but that was on accident lol. Anyways, enjoy :)

"Sorry about the mess up. Iruka told us it would be a good idea for the three of us to come to this party where he is at right now. He just called me and told me about the perfect publicity that there is over there."

Sakura sighed loudly. She wanted Sai to know her disappointment because she was looking forward to spending the day with her best girlfriend, Hinata. A little time at the spa before kicking it off at one of the beaches. The next two weeks were going to be stressful and this might be her last day of comfort for a while.

This was her first time working with the ponytailed movie producer. She had to say that this was also the most time consuming film she has completed in the course of her five years in the movie industry.

Luckily, she got to spend a little more time with Naruto day by day. And, Iruka wasn't all that bad. He was hilarious and a great friend of hers. Sai, too. So, it wasn't all a loss.

"It's cool, dude." Naruto comforted the panicking director. Sakura admired the way the blond man handled the situation with such ease. It was probably because he was such a great guy, overall.

Sai smiled to the lead stars in his movie. "Thanks." He seemed relieved that neither of his stars were hating on him for calling them in the middle day for some party their producer wanted them to attend.

"So, should we start going?" Naruto asked with a grin on his glowing face. "I totally call shotgun!"

"You can drive if you want." Sai told him with a sweat dropping from his forehead.

"Your five hundred thousand dollar sports car? You didn't have to ask me twice!" The actor told the director, keeping his grin on his face the whole time as he pranced towards the car.

"Uh, how long do you think we are going to be staying there?" Sakura asked both men. She was texting Tsunade to let her know of the publicity stunt her producer was pulling. Also, in the event that party may run past midnight, Tsunade would need to adjust her schedule to fit this party in as well as the interview she was going to have with Vogue Konoha and the cast party for Sasori's film.

Naruto shrugged. "Does it matter? Iruka is actually inviting us to one of his parties! I mean how is this something to plan or even worry about?!"

Sakura noted that Naruto was good friends with the thirty five year old. The two had worked in one of Naruto's most acclaimed film and now the two were working together once again. It also helped that Naruto was heir to the Uzumaki family, the biggest family in all of Konoha's film industry, which meant that his family was in good ties with the man.

He was like the prince of the movie world. From his very first film, critics praised him to no end. Even now, years later, he is one of the most talked actors in Konoha.

"Oh, Naruto, hush!" The rosette muttered. Her cheeks felt warm of embarrassment. It was hard to believe that four years ago, the two were chummy and dating. Naruto and Sakura. Sakura and Naruto. They became Konoha's hottest couple in an instant.

Then again, by that time, the both of them were open about their personal life to the press. After a few years in the industry, she's learned never to trust the media. They had the ability to twist and turn the words of any celebrity.

Contrary to popular belief, Sakura and Naruto were able to maintain a friendship. Everyone believed that their pair on the silver screen was doomed after their high profiled breakup. Partially, she knew she was to blame, but even now, she didn't regret what she said.

It was to whom she said it too.

He was now her closest guy friend. She could confide all her secrets with him. Never did she have to worry that he would tell someone or ever take advantage of her. Whenever she was around him, she knew she was in safe hands.

Everyone: the public, the media, her friends, his friends, movie producers, directors, interviewers, basically everyone she talked to believed that there were still some sort of hidden feelings inside both of them. It was no wonder that speculation had increased that the two were dating again.

Apparently, nobody in Konoha or around the world would understand that when two actors work in a movie, it does not always mean they'll fall in love with each other or are dating each other. For two actors to honestly work with each other, they must form some sort of a bond. Chemistry. They need to create some sort of a chemistry that connects them, otherwise how will they properly act in a movie. Especially if it is a romantic film.

"Just friends." Sakura repeated to the reporters who questioned her relationship with the blond. She was sure Naruto was sick of saying the same words over and over again.

She truly believed that for two actors that have dated each other and have broken up, no matter how nasty the break-up was, if they work in a movie together, they'll rekindle some relationship. Their romance may pop back up, but she doubted that. From her own experience in this film with Naruto, she could proudly say the best advice she could give to anyone would be:

"Don't let your personal life stop you from what you're doing. In the end, you'll love yourself and possibly love that obstacle that made you doubt your ability."

As he requested and practically forced upon Sai, Naruto drove the three of them to Iruka's party. He managed to avoid scratching the precious car while having the time of his life by freaking out the director whenever he purposefully when too close to a car.

The party that Iruka was at was a birthday party for a good friend of his: Mizuki. The white haired man who had hints of blue in his hair welcomed the three of them into his mansion. She remembered the man to be Iruka's childhood friend as well as a fantastic movie producer. He actually inspired Iruka to start making movies.

Mizuki was also the first person to cast Naruto and Sakura together in their first movie. The movie that drew their hearts together.

"Naruto! Sakura! Sai!" The man who looked a lot older than her producer was actually a few years older than him. Late thirties for sure, at most early forties.

He embraced all of them. The party that the man had been throwing was a total 'White Out' theme. Everyone around them bore white suits or dresses. Either Iruka forgot to mention that to Sai or Sai forgot to mention that to them when he called them in his anxious tone.

"Looks like we are the only ones standing out, huh?" She muttered. She didn't feel embarrassed, but she didn't feel too pleased either. Her bright red dress contrasted with the pure color everyone else standing adjacent to her coated.

Naruto looked even more out of place than she did. Apparently, he hadn't been expecting such a party. The blond dressed in a casual plaid button up shirt with a puffy vest over his shirt. He also wore sagging denim jeans. He pulled his collars. "When aren't we?"

She looked at him. His ocean blue eyes waved with mischief. "We're Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki," he mocked the words of several reporters in a kiddy voice. "We're bound to fall back in love."

She let out a large laugh. Even the boy with whiskers on his face grinned. His dimpled clenching on his somewhat tanned face. "Naruto, did you get a spray tan?" The rosette asked the blond when they leaned on the bar. Iruka told them to relax and enjoy themselves because he'd take a second to get whatever he needed.

He scratched his head while taking a martini from the bartender. "I might have. I promise you it was solely for movie purposes."

"Was it really?" She eyed him graciously.

He sighed in defeat. "Maybe it wasn't. I maybe have accidentally stumbled upon a very pretty spray tan company consultant from some company who offered to give me a spray tan for free."

The color in her face dropped instantly. Before she could reply, Naruto snickered. He was probably hinting that he was only kidding.

"Dude, you should've seen your face! I'm kidding!" He snorted. "I went to a tanning salon with a few of the buds and well, I thought it would be funny. You know? What's the harm?"

"So, you're telling me that you wouldn't have let some random consultant from a spray tanning company see you completely naked as she sprays that orange color all over you?" Sakura looked at him. Even before she dated him, everyone talked about how much of a casanova he was. For some reason, she felt a hint of jealously even thinking that he'd be content with some other girl.

While it hadn't been confirmed by any tabloids that he dated anybody else after the pair broke up, there were hundreds, almost thousands of rumors that he was dating "it" girl, Ino Yamanaka. The American born starlight hit some sort of lust nerve with the male audience because everyone was obsessed with her. Naruto worked with her in a few movies and apparently, the two had grown "very close" in their shoots.

Naruto eyed her carefully. He moved his head closer to hers. The scent of the martini he just drank was evident from his breath. "Are you, Sakura Haruno, getting jealous?"

"Jealous?" She snapped. "I wouldn't be jealous of any girl you sleep with even if I tried." She tried to walk away, but she felt Naruto's arm grabbing onto hers.

"Sakura?"

The rosette turned around and laughed. The tanning on his skin melted away.

"I'm kidding, Naruto!"

He laughed for a few seconds before pausing for a few moments. "You deserve an Oscar for that performance! I was totally blown away."

She brushed some hair off her back. "I know." She giggled afterwards. The two continued their conversation about Konoha's weather. Obviously, they were like normal people. They could sit and talk about anything without making the conversation completely awkward.

They.

Were.

Just.

Friends.

"Is Iruka ever going to come back to meet with us?" Sakura grumbled to Naruto. If she left now, she could still make it to the reservations she made with Hinata for dinner. Possibly, they could go to a spa. If they were able to tip the employee enough.

"Let's make a run for it." He suggested. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"You are kidding!"

"Nah."

"Aren't you the daredevil?"

"I can't deny that statement."

"Well, guess what, guys?" Iruka's voice overpowered theirs. "If you could just take a few pictures outside, you can leave."

"Let's go!" Naruto jumped up from his seat. He winked at Sakura to follow him.

"They may or may not ask you about the movie. So, small talk, please." Sai offered his sage advice to the two experienced actors. "The full fledged promotions start the day after tomorrow."

"Any questions?"

Naruto raised his hand.

"What?"

"I have to go to the bathroom. May I go?"

Sakura giggled, appreciating her ex-boyfriend's humor. Sai rolled his eyes while hiding his smirk. Naruto readied his vest.

"Ready whenever you are, partner."

"Do you need hair and make up done?" Iruka suggested.

"Iruka, we are going to answer a few questions, not sit down and have a beer with them." The blond actor commented.

"Now that you mention it, that would be a-"

"No." The two of them said in a unison.

Pouting, Iruka nodded and walked away. The two followed him out to the front door.

"Small talk." Naruto mocked again. He kept his joyful smile on the whole time.

The moment the two walked towards the photographers. A whole flood of paparazzi raided them. This hadn't been expected. The both of them tried to walk away as soon as their pictures were taken, but they weren't fast enough.

"Tell us about your movie, Naruto!" One shouted.

"Our movie is a romantic comedy-" He said despite showing his back to the cameras.

"Was there any romance behind the scenes between you two?"

Sakura paused. Why did they always have to ask about their personal life?

"No. But, there was a lot of chemistry on screen between our characters." The rosette handled the situation the best she could to give more insight on the movie.

"What about off-camera?"

This struck an instinct for her to turn around and face the cameras. Naruto did the same. She sighed before responding to the ignorant and nosy man's question. Instead, her co-star acted for her.

"Off camera we are just friends. Very similar to our characters, it's the story of two friends that-" Naruto was interrupted again when a mic was forced towards Sakura.

"Are you two really friends or are you more than friends?"

"Excuse me?" Sakura asked irritatedly. The man with the mic was practically forcing the mic down her throat. She took a few steps back, almost tumbling in which Naruto helped her.

Of course, this was going to be all over the web in just a few hours.

"How do you feel about working with Naruto again? Especially after you called him a deceit on national television!?"

Naruto turned around and glared at them. "You know? Such cheap questions can only come from cheap people," He bitterly spat at the press, "I mean you people are throwing this microphone down her throat, almost made her fall, and are now questioning something she said two years ago! What the hell is wrong with you?"

She could see his face slowly becoming red. She muttered something to the blond, who seemed more interested in denouncing all of the men and women in front of them.

"So, you do still have feelings for her, right? What made you get back together?"

Sai finally came and began shooing away the press. It wasn't a surprise that an encounter with the paparazzi ended up like this.

The three of them stood near Sai's car.

"Naruto, calm down." Sai motioned for the actor, who seemed too irritable after what had just occurred. "Forget about them!"

There was one thing she kept in mind. The way Naruto saved her fall. The way Naruto protected her from the obscene questions the reporters threw at her. He defended her with the sacrifice of his reputation.

"Naruto, thank you." She told the boy.

"It was nothing. I'm just mad that they got away with it. I mean..."

"It's all over now. All right? Just prepare yourself for a little more of this when we began our tour." Sai warned. "This time there is only so much we can do as it's a free question and answer period. We had the advantage of private property here. Outside, not so much."

She nodded her head and looked over at Naruto. He was still fuming, but he was beginning to relax some more too.

"I'm gonna stay back just to handle any more messes. So, take my car again." Sai handed the keys back to Naruto.

She could a sheepish smile grow on the tanned boy's face. He began the engine and drove off quickly.

"Naruto, you know you didn't have to protect me."

He looked at her. His deep crystal eyes comforted her. "Please, Sakura. I don't care if we still aren't together. You are my best friend. I wouldn't want you to get hurt, now would I?"

"No, I suppose you wouldn't."

He did his legendary wink at her. This time, she felt her heart melt.

Was she, Sakura Haruno, falling for Naruto Uzumaki once again?

A/N: Comments, reviews, anything is appreciated! Let me know what you thought.