Hmna: I know this is a late update but I am now back in my hometown, Yangon, where internet connections aren't that superb. Also, I've started to study for some exams. But what I want to say is I'm still continuing ALL of my fan fictions so I do hope that your supporting continues too!

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Still Flashback:

It was almost midnight but Sai hadn't slept a wink. He was walking around the room restlessly and occasionally checking the sound of approaching footsteps that didn't come yet. He knew that any moment, Sasuke would come back, probably crying.

He didn't get it but Sasuke always seemed to get into trouble. And master Ibiki never overlook even the tiniest mistakes and made sure that Sasuke received a punishment every time he did something wrong.

Several times, Sasuke had fallen ill as a result of fear and pain from his punishments. Sai felt really sorry for him whenever he sees markings from the beatings Sasuke received often. Unfortunately, as they were fellow servants, he couldn't provide Sasuke with more than a supporting shoulder and soothing words which Sasuke found very helpful.

He could hear the soft footsteps now. He opened the door to see the poor boy looking very down. As usual, Sasuke saved the tears until he reached the room. They were strictly forbidden to show any kinds of emotions.

Once in the room, Sasuke collapsed onto the floor, tears spilling out of his eyes. He was whipped mercilessly and all the time, he was forced to fight back his own tears and say over and over that he was sorry and how careless and irresponsible he had been.

Sai bent down next to him and patted him gently. It had been two years since the boy first came into their room and cried all over him but the brotherly caring feeling of Sai for Sasuke hadn't changed one bit.

End of flashback:

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"He sounds like a really nice person, I look forward to meet him soon," princess Sakura told Sasuke who seemed momentarily out of control, babbling away his random memories.

Princess Sakura could almost trace a small smile on Sasuke's face. She noticed that he seemed warm and a bit child-like when he talked about Sai. She wondered if he forgot about his 'nii-san' already.

"Is your brother like him too?" princess Sakura asked out of interest but the moment she said it, she wished she hadn't as Sasuke suddenly seemed sad and hopeless again.

"Look, I'm sorry if I..."

"Do you know that you are quite different from all the royals?"

"Wha... I'm sorry if ..." Oh god! Was he mad at me for asking questions I shouldn't? Sakura thought.

"None of the royals here ever ask us about our families or our lives..." Sasuke said thoughtfully. "Nor they apologize..." he added with a chuckle.

"Princess Sakura," Sasuke said with a grin, "It's nice to meet you too."

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The next days, as princess Sakura noticed happily, Sasuke seemed a lot more open with her. What's more, they were now some kind of 'friends'. The problem was, it seemed to princess Sakura that her maid, Ino had also taken a liking to Sasuke. But to the princess's glee, Shizune called meetings much more than she did at their own palace.

Sasuke and Shikamaru would arrive at their suite every morning, Sasuke carrying breakfast for the princess. It became like a routine that as Ino and TenTen departed for breakfast, accompanied by Shikamaru, Sasuke would accompany Sakura. The princess could tell that Sasuke did enjoy her company although he rarely laugh or even smile. But that was probably because of the results of his trainings in his early years.

As princess Sakura became more and more fond of the servant who was assigned to be her guard, she also became aware that the prince himself was as distant to her as ever, which wasn't good because that was the whole point of this visit. Sure, they did spend time together, always accompanied by their respective servants and maids. And their meetings were always too formal, at least that was how the princess felt. Often, she wondered whether the prince had lost his childhood. Despite being a seven-year-old, prince Gaara was never spotted showing signs of being one. And Sasuke and Shikamaru returned to their servant manners whenever their prince was around. Because of that, TenTen and Ino also were reluctant to join the conversation. So despite the fact that they were a group of seven-year-olds, the conversation often came out like this:

Gaara: How are you doing princess?

Sakura: Oh, wha.. fine!

Gaara: Do you find the service okay? Is there anything you would like?

Sakura: No, no, it's absolutely good!

Gaara: Good. I'm glad you find things here okay.

.....Silence....

Sakura: Ummm... What games do you like to play?

Gaara: Games? I don't play.

Sakura: Oh! Sorry...

.....Silence.....

Gaara: What subjects do you like to study?

Sakura: Subjects? Oh, arts and maths. I guess...

Gaara: Don't you like Politics?

Sakura: Actually, I don't learn them...

Gaara:...

Their conversation always went like that. They didn't have a thing in common except that they were both royals and the same age.

When Gaara was not there, things would get back to normal, when Ino would explode and TenTen would do things clumsily, which Shikamaru would make annoyed yet amused comments, at which Sasuke would chuckle. Sakura liked that atmosphere so much that she often wished that Gaara would stop visiting. But then, it seemed a bit unfair for him. At some tiniest moments, Sakura wondered if all Gaara doing was trying to fit in and make her at ease. But that was only tiniest of teeniest moments and she did wish that he would leave her alone instead of visiting her every day, trying to make conversations that didn't go anywhere. But then, she strongly suspected that Gaara was only coming to her because his parents ordered him to. Besides, it would be rude not to visit the princess who was staying at his palace. Whatsoever, it was quite clear that they did not crave for each other's company. At least, the princess didn't.

And to make things worse, that incident happened.

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That evening, Ino and TenTen went to an extra long meeting that Shizune called and Shikamaru, as usual, was dragged along by TenTen with an excuse that they didn't want to get lost.

"Where are we going today?" princess Sakura asked happily.

It had become their habit to sneak out somewhere whenever the meeting was warned to be extra long.

"The lake," Sasuke replied.

"What? Is there a lake in this palace?" She had to admit that this palace held some surprises.

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The lake was huge. The cool breeze was blowing in their direction which made Sakura's pink hair and pure white cotton dress dance happily in the wind. There were rocks bordering the lake. Both of them had taken off their shoes. Sakura stood in the water, which was only ankle-deep. Sasuke looked at her playing happily. He, too, was happy to find that princess liked this place.

Then, suddenly, Sakura slipped. She didn't fell down, she managed to balance herself. Sasuke quickly went to her aid.

"Princess, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so..." She tried to walk towards the bank but instead, she stumbled. It seemed that she had sprained her ankle. Sasuke helped her towards the bank, firmly guiding her by the arms. Sakura blushed at the closeness of him.

Sasuke led the princess to a bench nearest. As she sat down, trying not to hurt her ankle, Sasuke kneeled in front of her.

"Princess, it would hurt but forgive me." With that, he turned her ankle back.

It was so sudden yet the pain was so intense. Sakura screamed, tears filling her eyes. But her leg feeling gradually better meant that Sasuke had set it right.

Sasuke took out bandages from his robes.

At this, the princess laughed, tears still in her eyes.

"You mean you always carry those around?"

"No, not always. I started carrying them since..." he looked up at her, his hands pausing from bandaging her ankle.

"Since when?" Sakura asked with a smile.

"Since I learned that the girl I was assigned guard was a playful, clumsy princess."

"You know, I can punish you for saying that," the princess said playfully. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "In fact, I've decided I will punish you."

Sasuke looked up at her, trying to catch a hint of a smile. He had already finished bandaging her ankle.

"Your punishment would be to carry me back to my room on your back," Sakura told him. But Sasuke kept looking at her with a straight face.

"Actually, it's not a punishment," Sakura quickly added. "It's more of a request. You know I cannot walk back." She looked at him, worried that he would refuse.

But Sasuke had already looked down. Although it was starting to become dark, although Sasuke's head was bent down, the princess was pretty sure that he was blushing.

Then he mumbled which did sound like "I was going to do that anyway..."

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"Am I heavy?" the princess asked Sasuke. She heard him chuckle and say, "Yes, you are."

"Actually, I'm hoping you'll always carry me like this."

"Only if you always sprain your ankle."

"No way! Do you have any idea how much it hurt when you turned it back?"

"Yeah, I do."
"Then you knowingly hurt the princess! You really ought to be punished!"

"Doesn't carrying you count as a punishment?"

"No. It was a request."

"Then, I decline it now. You can walk back yourself. I'll be waiting at your room to serve the punishment."

"You are so ..." But Sakura couldn't carry on with her sentence.

The prince himself, along with his two other personal servants, was standing right in front of them.

Sasuke stopped walking. They weren't aware of the prince coming from the opposite direction.

Gaara did not seem angry. His face was as passive as ever, but his voice sounded colder than usual. But that might be how he always talked to his servants.

"What's happening?" he coldly asked Sasuke.

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Hmna: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. And if you did, let me know.

I also want to know if you want Neji-Hina pairing in this story where they are not cousins. Actually, I've already written a part and it seemed irrelevant but if my readers want it, I'm planning to include it in the next chapter.

Although it is minor, Shika-TenTen pairing also seems to leak out in the story. I hope to develop that too if people support it.

I also really hope that their age and their behaviour, words match but if you find that they don't, forgive me as I don't have a seven-year-old close by to actually remember the age.

Thanks for reading and reviewing me! Every word of support drives me on!