CHAPTER III

~ PREVIEW ~

As I was about to head out of the room,
I heard the mattress' spring crunched from her movement,
As she curled on to her side...
Then with a faint voice she gently spoke,

"Ya..ma..to..."

The day has ended and Yamato wanted to spend some time to relax. Dinner and booze seemed to be a perfect way to end the night. So he went to one of the popular restaurants in the village. He was situated at the farthest corner of the long counter table. He opted for this spot since he was alone. Yamato didn't mind eating alone but he isn't a loner either. He just considers himself flexible in any given situation.

Later while he was drinking his sake, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to his side, and it was Kakashi.

"Yo, Yamato!" The copy nin greeted with a smile under his mask.

"Oh, Ohayou Kakashi-senpai!" He replied.

"So what's with all this?" Kakashi gesturing at his side of the table.

"What's with all this, what?!" Yamato reiterated.

"All this, eating and drinking alone! Are you some kind of a loner now?!" Kakashi jokingly said.

"Baka! Of course not! I'm just spending some time with myself... What's wrong with that?" Passing a ceramic cup, with sake to Kakashi.

"Oh, nothing really. It just seems like your a loser..." Then Kakashi drank the entire thing.

"Well, I thank you for your compliment Kakashi. I am deeply touched." He said sarcastically but didn't take it personally.

"So what brings you here?" He asked casually.

"Hmmm... I'm about to meet someone any minute from now."

"A date?!"

"Yeah, you could say that..." Kakashi mused, having his second drink.

"Might I know who it would be?"

"Well, she's from the cryptanalysis team... Pretty smart lady." Kakashi said.

"I am not surprised Kakashi. You seem to be quite a charmer with all the fine ladies in town."

"Hah! And as for you, none seem to fit your taste." Kakashi fired back at him.

They both laughed as they made a toast and chugged another shot of sake. Suddenly they heard a loud cheer. Both of them turned their heads and saw a group of young ladies across the table. It was the girls from team 7-10 namely; Ino, Hinata, Tenten and Sakura together with Shiho from the cryptanalysis team specializing in decoding encrypted messages.

They girls screeched in unison when a young lad dressed in black approached their table, handing a neatly wrapped, square-like thing and a pink rose stem on top. Yamato and Kakashi looked in closely for the next scene to take place. Then the guy handed it to the pink-haired kunoichi, Sakura. Sakura blushed as she received of what seems to be a gift. Then they realized that it was Sai when they saw him grinned, grandly.

"Shit!" Yamato bitterly cursed to himself.

"Well, looks like someone has inherited my charming expertise." Kakashi said sounding absurd.

"Yeah..." Yamato plainly said. He couldn't agree more. He felt jealous over this young shinobi who can openly express his love to her.

"Well then, looks like my date is already here. I'll go ahead Yamato." Kakashi said, down to his last shot of booze.

"Alright, see you around." Yamato, bid farewell.

Yamato continued to drink the night away. He couldn't go out yet, without passing by the girls' table. Yamato wanted to stay away from their prying eyes, so he opted to stay right where he was until they all went out.
Soon enough the girls were all good to go. Good thing he wasn't really drunk yet or he'd be stumbling all over, going out of the restaurant. As soon as they were gone, he managed to pay his bills and left. He walked the dark empty streets towards home.

He passed by an area with benches on the sideline. Then he saw someone sitting on one of the benches, bending half of it's body towards the ground. It was a woman with pink hair and had a read headband. He gasped when he realized it was Sakura. So he walked towards her and tapped her back.

"Are you alright Sakura?"

"Hmmmm?"

She looked up at him. Her face was as red as tomato and her emerald eyes were already half-closed.

"Sakura? Are you alright?"

He asked again, assisting her to sit up and lean on the bench.

"Hai hai, Yamato-tenchou! I'm okay... hiccup"

"Tsk! She's drunk" He muttered.

Then he saw that square-like thing, and the pink rose on the other side. He remembered Sai.

"Where is Sai anyway? He should be the one taking you home."

Her groggy face looking up at him, "Huhhmmm? Sai? I don't know... I could care less where he is..." She replied in between hiccups.

Yamato was confused. He thought it was ironic for her to say something like that, especially with the scene they pulled up in the restaurant. He tried to analyze this while looking away from her. Suddenly Sakura's dropped forward, as if she was being pulled towards the ground. His eyes widened in shock. Within a split second, his quick reflexes. he managed catch her shoulders before her head could hit the ground.

Then her eyes suddenly looked more serious and sober, as he was assisting her to lean back.

"You catched me.." she said in a humorless tone.

'Yeah..." Yamato calmly replied still gripping her shoulders.

Her eyes still looked intense while staring on the ground as she spoke,

"Then, would you catch me, even if I fall for you?"

Yamato's body stiffened.

He immediately let her go from his grip. She was deadpan schocked at what he had heard, until Sakura bursted into laughter. This made him sigh. He couldn't believe he almost fell for it. It was clearly an effect of the alcohol.

"Sakura, you're drunk... Let's go... I'll take you home."

He grabbed that thing that Sai gave her earlier and stuffed on to his pockets. Then he swiftly lifted her up and carried her in his arms.

"I am not drunk! Put me down, taichou!" She struggled against his arms.

"Sakura, please! Stop being so difficult. You're clearly wasted." Yamato's voice was calm and gentle.

"Wasted?! It's my birthday! I just wanted to celebrate because I just turned 18!" She whined.

"Birthday? I didn't know that..."

"So that explains Sai's present..."
He now understood what it was meant for.

"Whatever taichou! Now please put me down!" Her voice echoed in the air as Yamato continued walking.

"No! Party's over!" He sternly said.

Sakura was pissed that she couldn't say a word. Her eyebrows were narrowed wearing a grumpy face. Yamato couldn't help but feel amused at her temper.

"Well, it isn't midnight yet. So I guess, it's safe to say 'Happy Birthday'..." He genuinely smiled at her.

Sakura looked up, and her eyes gleamed with a faint smile. She didn't say a word. She just snuggled her head to his chest and soon enough she was asleep. A few minutes later, they arrived at her apartment. As much as he wanted to bring her home, he opted to bring her here instead. "It is the right thing to do, after all.." He said to himself.

So he went in, and headed straight to her bedroom. He was pleased to see that her house was clean and organized and was interested with her choice of furniture. He then gently laid her on the bed with white sheets. His hand cushioned her head and softly laid it on the pillow. He didn't forget to place Sai's present on to her side table, since it bulged ridiculously in his pocket.

He then sat on the bedside and gently stroked her hair.
It fascinated him to watch her sleep and be close to her as this.
In his heart, he wished this night would never end.

YAMATO'S POV

I am consumed by her sweet scent as I carry her in my arms...
Luckily, the effect of alcohol didn't include her smelling like one...

I gently lay her frail body on the bed...
With her eyes closed, her top and bottom lashes beautifully collided,
Just like a bewitching enchantress..

Sitting beside her and watching her sleep is definitely one of my secret fantasies...
Being able to stare at her and hold her without her noticing it...
I stroked her hair and brushed her fringe away from her forehead...
By gently brushing my thumb on her sweet pink lips,
made me wonder if I'll ever be given a chance to feel it with my own...

Then she sighed... peacefully...
She must be exhausted...
I leaned forward and gently pressed my lips on her forehead...

"Happy Birthday my love..." I whispered...

And with my goodbye kiss, I stood up and head towards the door
When suddenly I heard the mattress' spring crunched from her movement,
as she curled on to her side...
Then with a faint voice she gently spoke,

"Ya..ma..to..."

My body froze...

I turned my around in fear for waking her,
Only to find out the her eyes were still shut...
Then she made a gentle moan and her lips smiled..

She was dreaming...
Could she be dreaming of me?

~ end ~

Tada! That ends chapter 3.. I really like how the story goes from the beginning. I'm also determined to finish this story right away because I'm definitely in-love with Yamato! lol! :P If you guys are wondering why it's RATED M and there hasn't been a slight of yamaxsaku sleaze part, well I'm saving it for the following chapters.

Anyway, I hope you guys like it as much as I did.. :)

Thanks for all the views, faves, follows and reviews. I'll make an update real soon.

NOTE: I do not own Naruto.

copyright-Masashi Kishimoto