Disclaimer: No (sigh)…I do not own the characters of Naruto…they all belong to that wonderful genius Masashi Kishimoto :-)
A/N: I just want to say another big THANKS to everyone who took the time to review :-) You guys rock!
Thoughts - Italics
Speech – ""
Aishteru Naruto…I Love You
Part 3:
(Sakura)
Sakura watched with a heavy heart as Naruto and Hinata walked hand in hand away from her. She then released a sad, little sigh before she turned around and began her lonely trek home.
The late afternoon sun was slowly beginning to set, splashing a riot of dazzling colors across the darkening sky.
Sakura brushed a weary hand across her tired eyes as she continued walking along the path that would eventually lead her to her apartment.
I'm not lonely…Sakura thought to herself as she turned one last corner, and came within sight of the building that housed her second-floor apartment.
I have a great life with friends who care for me…a nice, comfortable apartment…a sensei who is teaching me new and amazing things…I mean what more could I possibly ask for? I should be feeling like the happiest girl in the world right now…but for some reason…the only thing that I feel is sadness…
Tears began to gather in Sakura's brilliant-green eyes and she raised her hand to quickly wipe them away.
When all of the tears had been wiped away Sakura looked up and gasped in surprise when she saw a familiar young man waiting at the foot of the stairs that led up to her apartment.
He was tall and muscular, with jet-black hair that was styled to look like a bowl, and the fuzziest set of eyebrows that were ever seen on a human face.
He wore a Chuunin flak jacket over a tight, green leotard that showed off his powerful muscles, and when he smiled his entire face lit up like the candles on a birthday cake.
The young man began walking towards Sakura as soon he saw her, flashing his patented 100-watt smile the entire way over.
"Sakura-san! How are you? Did practice go well today? You look a little tired. Would you like some help getting up these stairs? I can help you halfway up if you like? If not then maybe I can…"
"Lee-kun, stop stop please…(lol)…I'm fine…I was feeling a little sad before, but now I'm actually feeling pretty good," Sakura said laughing at the rapidness of Lee's concerned questions.
"Really? That's great!" Lee cried out exuberantly, the smile on his face getting impossibly wider.
"I was, uh…actually wondering if you would do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner tonight Sakura-san?" Lee asked, flushing slightly. "It will just be a meal between two good friends," he added quickly. "I understand that you consider the two of us as 'friends only', but I've noticed how hard you've been training under Tsunande-sama lately, and I just thought that it would be kind of nice if the two of us could go out to dinner tonight in celebration of your successful training," Lee continued shyly.
"Of course Lee-kun…how could I possibly say no to such a generous offer?" Sakura said with a happy laugh.
"That's great Sakura-san! And I know just the place that we can go to!" Lee cried excitedly, as he linked arms with Sakura and turned her back around. "I hear that the Ichiraku Ramen Shop has a special sushi menu available tonight, so that would be a great place for us to go to."
"Ah, the Ichiraku Ramen Shop…actually Lee-kun…would it be too much to ask if we went out to eat somewhere else tonight," Sakura asked nervously as she and Lee continued walking through the darkened streets of Konoha.
"Not at all Sakura-san…but…is there any particular reason that you don't want to go to the ramen shop tonight," Lee asked as he looked down at Sakura in slight concern.
"Ah, what…a reason…no, no, Lee-kun…there isn't any reason," Sakura said laughing nervously. "In fact forget that I said anything about not going there tonight…I would actually love to go," Sakura said as she gave Lee an overly-bright smile.
"Well…only if you're sure Sakura-san," Lee said as he continued to look down at her in concern.
"I'm really sure Lee-kun," Sakura answered as she gave Lee a genuine smile this time.
"Okay!" Lee replied excitedly. "Well then…sushi night here we come!"
Great...Sakura grumbled to herself.
When she and Lee arrived at the ramen shop five minutes later, Sakura was presented with the image of Naruto wiggling a thin strand of noodle in front of Hinata's face, making it dance around, which was making Hinata laugh with slightly embarrassed pleasure.
Sakura felt her heart clench slightly as she watched Naruto happily entertaining Hinata.
Lee, oblivious to the confusing emotions raging through Sakura at the moment, called out excitedly to Naruto and Hinata.
"Hey Naruto-kun…Hinata-chan! How are you guys? Sakura-san and I decided to come by tonight to try out the new sushi menu…I hear that it's supposed to be really good," Lee said happily, as he and Sakura sat down next to Hinata and Naruto.
"Hey, Lee-kun…Sakura-chan! Yeah, the sushi is really good! Teuchi-san really outdid himself this time!" Naruto replied excitedly.
"Hello Lee-kun…Sakura-chan…are the two of you out together tonight on a date?" Hinata asked quietly, her eyes watching Sakura's face intently.
"A date!" Naruto cried out at the same time that Sakura cried out, "No!"
Sakura then took one look at Lee's slightly crestfallen face, and reached over to gently squeeze his hand.
"No, Hinata-chan," Sakura answered Hinata again, this time in a much quieter voice. "Lee-kun and I are out together tonight as friends celebrating my successful training under Tsunande-sama," Sakura continued saying as she returned Hinata's stare.
Hinata held the stare for a second or two longer before she slowly looked away.
"So…the two of you aren't here on a date?" Naruto asked with what he hoped was casual disinterest.
"No Naruto-kun," Lee answered as he returned the light squeeze that Sakura had given him.
"Okay…well then in honor of Sakura-chan's successful training, the rest of tonight's dinner is on me!" Naruto exclaimed in happy relief. He had been really worried that Sakura and Lee had come to the ramen shop together on an actual date!
"Well then, Naruto-kun…if you are going to treat the three of them to dinner…you might as well treat the rest of us to dinner as well," an amused voice spoke up softly from behind Naruto.
Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, and Lee all turned as one to see Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, and Ino all standing casually behind them.
"So how about it Naruto-kun?" Neji continued, a mischievous look coming into his pale, silvery eyes. "Dinner for eight?"
"Nooooo!" Naruto's agonized cry echoed through the streets of Konoha, the sound of his friend's amused laughter following closely behind it.
To be continued…
A/N: Hey everyone :-) I hope that you have all enjoyed this chapter. And I also want to send out a special thanks to all of the people who took the time to review my last chapter:
gonekrazy3000, Sean, SkyMaiden, Saico, Drolkrad, madnarutofan, maxhrk.
Please review! I live for your reviews :-)
