Wooing The Sakura Blossom

Chapter Three

There were books and papers everywhere. It hardly mattered to Sakura as she sipped absently at some now cold tea while her eyes skimmed intently over the many scrolls before her. Tapping a pen lightly in her other hand, she wrote down jots of information as she flipped through books taking in the information swiftly and processing it.

Frowning at something she read, she muttered a mild curse under her breath before she dug through the papers and scrolls to find one and re-read it, rechecking the writing. So intent was she with her studies, she realized too late that she had company, and looked up sharply to find three gazes, well, two and a half, staring down at her bemused.

"What?" She asked innocently.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Sakura…can you even move?"

She looked down, finding books sprawled all over her as she sat comfortably on a cushioned chair behind a desk. "Yes." She answered mildly. She set down her tea and gathered the papers up swiftly, closing books, making sure they had markers, before she stood with ease, stretching. "So what do I owe the company of my favourite guys?" She cocked her brow curiously at them as she straightened more papers.

"We were just wondering if you were still alive." Kakashi replied with mild amusement. "We haven't seen you for a week."

Sakura blinked. "Has it been that long?" She asked and gave an apologetic smile as they stared. "Sorry, I've been…" she gestured to the papers.

"Ne, Sakura, you need to rest." Naruto frowned at the books. "What is all of this anyways?"

She started to give an explanation, than stopped, grimacing. "I don't think you want to know Naruto." At his blank look, she sighed. "Research." She said simply. He cringed as predicted with a mock cry: "Arghh, the dreaded studies!"

Giggling she shook her head. "Okay, point made." She matched his grin with her own. "Did you come to drag me away?"

"Actually…" Kakashi cleared his throat. "I believe there's a certain festival happening tonight…"

"I know." She shrugged. "Ino all ready came and bugged me about it."

"Are you going?" Naruto asked. "I've asked Hinata all ready, she said yes." He looked ridiculously smug, but Sakura smiled proudly at him anyways. "Are you nervous?" She asked.

"Kinda." He admitted giving a sheepish grin. She patted his arm lightly. "You'll do fine, just remember what Ino and I told you."

"Like I'd forget, you drilled me until I thought I was going to die!"

"It's not our fault you didn't hear half the things we told you." She retorted lightly as they walked out of the room. Naruto shrugged, glancing back at the other two following silently. "Are you going?"

"I think I might." Kakashi replied with a faint smile behind his mask. "A lot of pretty ladies will be there."

The three rolled their eyes in response. At both Naruto's demanding glare, and Sakura's curious glance, Sasuke gave a shrug. "Yeah, I guess," he muttered.

Naruto grinned. "You could go with Sakura!"

"Why?" Sakura asked mildly. "You don't need a date to go."

"It's company." Naruto shot her a look, surprising her. A shrewd glint, one she recognized was in his eyes. She frowned at him as Kakashi spoke up mildly. "I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't mind."

Looking between the two, she realized she was caught. And so was Sasuke. She looked at him helplessly. "I think we're being played."

"You noticed too." He sent the other too a glare, which they ignored. Sighing, Sakura threw up her hands. "Fine! I'll go with Sasuke if it makes you happy."

"Very. We don't want our cherry blossom hurt." Kakashi patted her head like he had used to years ago before he disappeared. Naruto grinned happily. "I'm going to go get ready, I'll see you there!" Vanishing, he left the other two.

"They're up to something…" Sakura muttered frowning. She glanced at Sasuke as he stood bored, and her eyes narrowed. "Sasuke…" he glanced at her. "Did you just get back from a mission?"

He looked down at his attire, a black shirt and pants with a dark vest. Dirt and splattering of blood covered him. He hadn't taken notice of it, until now. "I finished reporting to the Hokage when they dragged me here." He answered.

She rolled her eyes in response. "Are you hurt?" She asked eying him over with a professional eye.

"Scratches, minor." He grunted telling her without many words he didn't need to be healed. Nodding, she continued on, he fell into step beside her as they walked through the quiet halls of the hospital. Passing through, Sakura signed herself out before looking to Sasuke. "Go home," she told him with a small amused smile. "Relax for a bit before Kakashi comes and drags you to the festival."

Sasuke lifted a brow. "Not Naruto?"

Sakura laughed. "He's got a date to keep with Hinata, I know he won't want to mess this one up." Bidding him a quick 'later' she vanished leaving swirling cherry blossoms. Catching one idly, Sasuke looked over it before he smirked to himself, and also departed in an instant.


With a sigh of contentment, Sakura slid deeper into the tub of hot water and closed her eyes at the pure bliss. It was a long forgotten luxury she didn't indulge in often anymore, but she thought she deserved it for the amount of work she'd been doing lately. After a time, she rose wrapping a towel around her, and dried herself off, before she picked up a brush, and placed it to her hair, smoothly working it through the short strands of her pink mass.

Over the years, she'd let it grow out to her shoulders, so now she was able to work with the lengths, placing them up. Taking her brush, she neatly swept her bangs to the side, allowing them to fall sideways across her brow before she lifted the mass of damp hair, and placed pins in as she twisted it up. When she was finished, she regarded herself, satisfied before she took up the robe she had chosen.

It wasn't exactly a kimono; she'd decided not to wear one. She'd liked the colour of the outfit, a deep crimson red with pale flowers of white and pink decorated over it. After placing on her undergarments, she slipped it over her shoulders letting the heavy silk slid against her soft skin as she wrapped it around her body tightly, closing the front, and tying the sash around her waist.

Fixing the collar to open and reveal the pale column of her throat, she played with the front for a moment; until she was satisfied she would be able to move easily if she had to make an escape, or if trouble arose, not that she was counting on it. After placing on small red heels strapped high around her ankles, she quickly applied mascara, and lip-gloss, before standing back to observe herself.

"Not bad." She mused before she turned and left for the festival.


She arrived later than most, but that was fine by her. Gazing about, she walked along through the crowd, taking in the decorations that lit up Konoha and felt a sense of pride rush through her. No matter what, each year, the festival shone. Lanterns hung in the air lighting the streets and filled the cherry blossom trees all around. Vendors and game stands stood on the sides with people clustered around them as others walked down the streets in groups, or in couples.

Seeing other ninja's in the crowd, she stepped to the side, not wanting to be seen quite yet, or join in, content to lean against a tree in the darkness and watch with a fond smile. Her solitary didn't last long, before a familiar chakra spilt on the edge of her awareness, as a person stepped up to her side. She glanced up giving a soft smile in greeting before turning her gaze back.

Black orbs followed her gaze, taking it all in silently before he spoke. "You're not joining in."

It came out both a question, and statement. Sakura nodded in agreement. "I prefer to watch more these days than actually participate."

"Unlike you."

She hummed to his words, neither agreeing, nor disagreeing. "Oh, look." She pointed. "Ino managed to drag Shika out. And there's Hinata and Naruto." She smiled wistfully to herself. "They look good together."

Giving a silent nod, Sasuke regarded the two blondes as they dragged their partners around gleefully. Shikamaru was going willingly, but slowly, while Hinata was all but racing to keep up with Naruto, smiling and blushing the entire time.

"Dobe." He muttered under his breath shaking his head exasperated as Ino picked up a small rock, and when Shikamaru wasn't paying attention, threw it, and hit Naruto in the side of the head.

Yelping, the Kyuubi holder turned around annoyed, only to falter seeing Ino's menacing glare, and swallowed visibly, before turning to Hinata and saying something to her, holding her hand. She blushed brightly before answering, and with a meek grin, he walked with her scratching the back of his head at a more moderate pace.

Sakura giggled softly. "I knew Ino would watch over them."

"You won't?" Sasuke glanced down at her.

"No." She answered firmly. "I only gave him tips, the rest is up to him. Frankly, I think he can do it without help at all. Hinata doesn't care how he acts," her voice softened as she smiled. "She loves him as he is."

He glimpsed the sad yearning in both her tone and eyes before it faded away. Looking back to the crowd, he found many couples strolling through, and shifted uncomfortable. He knew that she wanted to have a relationship of a kind of her own, despite the denying she did, but he knew next to nothing when it came to relationships, let alone courting. But…

She loves him as he is.

Good enough.

"The fireworks will start soon." He observed. She smiled, her eyes lighting up. "I can't wait, it's my favourite part." She murmured.

He hesitated. "I know a good place to watch them."

She turned towards him, curious. "Really? Where?"

He shook his head, making her pout. "Come on, Sasuke." She complained. He smirked turning away. Instantly, she straightened and followed, frowning at him. "You could just tell me." She pointed out.

"Takes all the fun away." He muttered. Her brow arched as her lips curved. "Oh? You know how to have fun?" She teased lightly.

"Sometimes I remember." He replied seriously. Her amusement faded and she fell silent walking beside him. "Sorry." She murmured.

He glanced down at her and sighed. "It's not your fault, Sakura." He muttered.

"No, its Itachi's." She said flatly, her eyes flashing. He glanced at her again, surprised, but said nothing in return. Sakura bit her lip, than asked softly. "Have you heard anything about him?"

"No." Sasuke muttered staring ahead.

Nodding Sakura let it go and looked around as they walked. Suspicious, she frowned. "Where are we going?"

Once more, Sasuke didn't answer making her slightly annoyed, but she followed him, before they came to a district where no one walked anymore, finally recognizing the surroundings, she stopped abruptly, shocked. "Sasuke, this is the Uchiha grounds!"

"I know."

She stared at him. "But…" she trailed off uncertainly. "Why?"

He stared ahead at the dark ground ahead of them silently. "I come here every year at this time." He finally muttered in a reluctant admittance.

She stared at him surprised, and uncertain. "Sasuke…why bring me here…I mean, this is…" she looked to the Uchiha district darkened and forbidding. "It's your privacy." She finished quietly. "I don't want to intrude."

Glancing back at her, something flicked through his gaze. "Come." He muttered. Sakura hesitated for a passing moment before she followed after him and caught up, looking around curiously. She'd been to the Uchiha district before, long ago, before the massacre, she couldn't remember why, but it had awed her, just as it did now, nothing had changed, it was just…empty.

She didn't like the emptiness, and unconsciously drew closer to Sasuke as they walked. He noticed, but did nothing, silently moving further in towards the main buildings. Passing without a thought to where he was going, he stepped through an arch frame and walked up stairs before coming to a landing and paused stepping to the side as Sakura appeared and stopped, a gasp escaping her.

Built within a grove of Cherry blossom trees in full bloom was a small shelter that rose above the district and overlooked apart of Konoha where the festivities were taking place. He leaned back in the shadows watching the pink petals flying through the air softly to float down as Sakura walked further in drifting through the whirlwind of blossoms. She paused at the edge and rested her hands on the railing staring out. Silently he moved closer and stood at her side.

"It's beautiful here." She murmured softly. "I can see why you come here every year."

He didn't bother to answer as suddenly bright colours filled the sky, sharp whistles sounding before the crack of the fireworks went off. Delighted, Sakura laughed, leaning forwards to catch every bit.

Eying her, Sasuke felt something odd twist in his chest and averted his gaze, lifting his chin to observe the fireworks. He'd never found any pleasure in watching the bright lights flare across the night sky. Yet, every year he did watch, just as everyone else did.

They enjoyed this simple, silly tradition.

Sakura enjoyed it.

As did Naruto.

Even Kakashi.

So why could he not? Contemplating, he didn't notice that Sakura had turned to regard him, smiling slowly fading. "Sasuke?"

Glancing over, he tensed.

"What's wrong?"

He hesitated. "Nothing." He finally answered.

Sakura slowly nodded, and didn't push, turning her attention back as more flares were sent up. Her smile rose up again, and along with it, dark confusion filled Sasuke.

"Why?"

Blinking, Sakura tilted her head. "Why, what?" She asked.

Sasuke heaved a low sigh. "Why do you enjoy the fireworks so much?"

Surprised, Sakura frowned. "I'm not sure." She finally admitted. "I find them fascinating, the compounds that cause such reactions, just with a spark of fire." She tilted her head, brow furrowing. "When they go off, they light up the sky, and the shapes that they make…" her gaze lifted and the glow from the sky was reflected off of her eyes, and casting a shine to her skin, tingeing it with the differing colours of the fireworks.

"It's a small way that allows us to relax, enjoy all the better things in life. We can let go, get away from responsibilities, if for a little while." Sakura's voice softened. "Things like this, the festival, and fireworks, helps. I suppose it's just in most peoples nature to find simple things like this pleasurable." She finished, looking at him. "Does that answer your question?"

Sasuke nodded as his mind turned over her words. Slowly, he leaned against the railing next to her, and relaxed. Just once, he could afford to enjoy himself.

For a little while.


Okay, good, needed work? Please tell me...

Storm