They were both staring into each other's eyes, no words were spoken, no words were needed in that endless moment. Sakura was undeniably captive in his gaze. But, to his own surprise, Sasuke found himself not being a predator. He was as imprisoned as her. Sasuke wasn't the type to lose control but if there ever was someone able to make him lose his mind that would be her. Her who he desperately tried to stay away from. He couldn't risk having her too close. But that was before.

Sasuke decided to take the risk.

His hands started shaking, as if he was about to lose the grip of any power he had left. He cleared his dry throat and tried to tame his beating heart. He was feeling feverish and his body was suddenly weak, so he feared he might have gotten sick. But then he focused on her gaze once more and finally understood that it was no disease. It just had been a long time since he last felt this way.

Sakura had already noticed his sudden uneasiness and she couldn't help wondering why. She figured it would be better to leave it alone, Sasuke was not a man whose pride you should hurt. Sasuke was not a man you should hurt at all. She lost herself in those thoughts that when she came back to reality it was already too late to defend the attack.

His now steady hand was aiming for her neck once more. She was as good as dead. She knew it. She knew it all long.

Sakura closed her eyes and then took a deep breath. It had to happen eventually. If she was to die than she wanted it to be by his hands. Not that it made any sense.

And then there was no pain, no coldness, no light at the end of the tunnel. There was nothing but the warmth and gentleness of his touch. He had never touched her this way... so delicately, almost as if she was a precious good he didn't want to break. She finally opened her eyes, confused by it all.

Sasuke's hand caressed her a face, leaving behind a flaming heat she couldn't erase. His eyes were still on her, going deeper at every passing second. She had always loved Sasuke's eyes. She would lose herself in that darkness that hid so much and told nothing else but pure sorrow. She had always loved Sasuke. ...but she no longer did, right? 'It's a lie Sakura. We both know it's just a lie.'

He was now playing with her hair and his full attention was at her cherry-colored strings. "Why did you keep your hair short?" he finally whispered.

"Eh?" Sakura awoke from that trance. The magical moment - her imagination she thought - had ended at last. "Why you say... a kunoichi doesn't have time to worry about beauty. Hair like this doesn't get in the way and it's only more practical!" Her tone was not as aggressive as she wanted it to be, she was offended after all. 'Excuse me if I'm not beautiful!'

"Hmmm... well I don't know much about beauty but I think it suits you."

"Hah the pretty boy doesn't know much about beauty- wait! What?!"

Sasuke couldn't help but to laugh. He was already expecting her surprise, but she sure had the most comical reactions. "I said I like it!" he told her smiling.

Her cheeks grew to a flush red and her heart started racing more than ever. She tried remarking aloud, however she could hardly mutter a "B-But" from her only thought: 'But that's insanely impossible!'

He stepped back, aware that he too needed to cool down. After what he considered to be a safe distance, he proceeded in his speech. "It reminds me of what you've put up in the Forest of Death to stand up for me..." He coughed, aware that it might have come out arrogant. "...and Naruto of course," he added. "It was the first time I've ever admired you in your kunoichi way."

'Eeeeh? So you didn't admire me before huh?' Sakura rolled her eyes as she whispered a "Well... thank you" she wasn't sure to be truthful.

Sasuke was discouraged by her attitude, he had never been too good at this communication thing. It was frustrating to realize he wasn't reaching her. But he also had never been an easy quitter. He took a deep breath and continued. "You used to wear it like that before though."

"Hm?"

"When you were little, earlier in the academy. You'd wear your hair short like this and usually with a ribbon, right?"

Sakura's jaw dropped in shock, disbelief and everything else that his gaze were to deny. His words were the definition of unbelievable. "How-?! How do you know this?"

"Eh?" Sasuke was confused by her surprise. 'Did I say something wrong?' He shook his head in midst of his own thoughts. "We were in the same class remember?"

'Well duh, of course I remember! That's not the point.' her mind face palmed itself, he was starting to irritate her."You're telling me the almighty Sasuke noticed the invisble me?!"

Sasuke chuckled, how oblivious was she? "You make me sound horrible!"

'Is he making fun of me? ...that amusing, am I?! Well guess what? Bitch mode is on!' "Well... you were always in your snobby little world and you'd never talk to anyone remember?"

Sasuke chuckled again, angering the girl before him. But Sasuke intended no harm, he was just genuinely giggling at her misconceptions. "Sakura... I was just a shy kid!"

"You were a coldhearted brat who could only think about being the best in class and overcoming your brother!"

"Of course there was that too... " he told her with a smirk on his face.

Sakura gave up. She couldn't solve this puzzle. So, instead of insisting in this child's play of his, she coughed and carried on to make her point across. "Anyway, despite what you might think, I have no intention of letting my hair grow again... not because of you!"

He went back to his serious self... too quickly. Almost as if he was hurt by her words. He stared at her eyes, giving her no chance but to answer truthfully. "Is that why you let your hair grow back then... because of me?" he softly asked.

She was caught by astonishment again, how oblivious was he? "No, Sasuke. That's why every girl let their hair grow back then... because of you!"

"...why?"

"Eh? Why? Because you like long hair!" she determinedly affirmed. Yes, Sakura had no doubts in her mind. She remembered it clearly, after all that was how she found out Ino also liked Sasuke and thus what destroyed their friendship.

"...said who?"

"Eh? Well... the rumors?" Sakura had no doubts in her mind...

Sasuke burst into laughter. "I can't believe this! You changed your appearance because of a rumor?!"

Sakura's mixed feelings of embarrassment and anger forced her to give him a silly excuse. The "it wasn't just me" excuse.

"It's not like I have a preference on a hair length, you know? I mean think about it: me saying that?"

Embarrassment was definitely winning over and there was no excuse left. "I-I mean, sure when you put it like that it doesn't sound right."

"It doesn't sound right? It's hilarious!" he told her laughing non-stop.

"It's not that funny..."

He tenderly looked at her, empathizing with her mistake. "You could have just asked me you know?"

"Huh? Are you out of your mind?! If any of us was shy that would be me! How could I ever go and talk to you?! »Hey Sasuke I'm Sakura, the invisible girl everyone makes fun of, oh by the way do you like girls with long hair?«"

He tried, he really was trying but how could he not crack up after her impersonation? "That would have done it yes!"

"C'mon Sasuke- and would you stop laughing?!"

"Oh I'm sorry... but if you only knew how funny this really is!"

'I've never had such an urge to punch him...' and Sakura might had indeed punched Sasuke if he hadn't been laughing so much. 'He has never laughed this way... it's almost as if for this brief moment he left behind all the sorrow, all the grudge and all the pain he holds in his heart.' She told herself it was a moving sight while containing her tears. It was moving... moving her.