Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Crossroads

Chapter Three


"The paperworks for your return have already been processed. We appreciate you sending your report promptly." The Rokudaime said.

"Hn. I guess we do learn from our teacher's shortcomings." Sasuke sarcastically said. Their former Sensei never had a sense of time when they were genin. The hours they spent just waiting for him before made him annoyed by the mere memory.

Kakashi chuckled at his reply. "Finally just learning how to joke Sasuke."

It wasn't a joke.

"Well.. you can finally let Shikamaru assist you with the tests you need to accomplish for your rank promotion." He continued.

"Alright." Sasuke responded.

"I almost forgot, the Fifth told me to tell you to get your prosthetic arm checked. As she's not here to check on it herself, she said Sakura could do the work instead. You know where to find her. Now go and learn some more of those jokes." He relayed.

"Thanks." He gave a small nod and closed the door behind him.

He was pretty much convinced that his prosthetic arm was fine but this gave him an excuse to visit the pink-haired medic in the hospital so as just to get rid of his curiosity.

He wonders if Sakura is already in the hospital this early in the morning though, when everybody seems to know that she gets out past midnight. He had to give it to her for her dedication.

Sasuke entered the Hospital and went to talk with the receptionist. He noticed some nurses whispering once he had stepped inside. By the sound of their giggles, it didn't seem like they hated him but he was still equally annoyed.

"Where is Sakura Haruno's office?" He asked the reception straight to the point.

"Uhm.. 2nd floor to the right, the 3rd door. You won't miss it." The receptionist said, trying to avoid his eyes.

"Thanks." He told her and headed towards the stairs. This always seems to happen when he talks to strangers. How bad were his people skills really?

He turned right and sure enough the receptionist was indeed correct, you wouldn't miss it. The door was freaking pink it felt awkward if anyone sees him coming inside. He stood in front of it and raised his hand to knock lightly on the door.

Nothing.

He knocked a little louder.

Nothing.

"I'm coming in Sakura." He said audibly and twisted the door knob. His eyes immediately came across to an empty chair with a table full of documents. When he closed the door behind him, he had then found Sakura sleeping soundly at the sofa from across her table.

She was curled up on her side breathing slowly. She must be tired from her demanding schedule. There was a stray hair that fell on her forehead. Sasuke headed towards the sofa quietly and didn't hesitate to reach the stray hair to tuck the strand back in place. Hos hand froze in midair when she slowly opened her eyes.

"Sasuke-kun" she asked while she rubber her eyes and shifted to a sitting position.

Sasuke let his hand fall and waited for her to awake her senses.

She gave a small stretched and yawned.

"What brings you here Sasuke-kun? Sorry. Late hour shifts and early morning ones after isn't my cup of tea." She stood up and went to her desk, asking Sasuke to take a sit. He followed and took a seat on one of the chairs.

"The Fifth relayed a message to the Hokage to get my arm checked. She said you can do it on her behalf." Sasuke said looking at her directly. He noticed that she seems to be avoiding eye contact.

She cleared her throat. "Oh, right. Okay, let me have a look." She stood up and went to stand in front of Sasuke. She held his arm by the elbow with one hand while the other emitted a familiar green light.

Sasuke wasn't one to be fond of physical touches. It disturbs his personal space. He was also not one to initiate contact with other people. As he was watching Sakura in a rather close range, it seemed like the pink-haired girl was an exception to the rule. When he thought about it enough, it didn't seem like he was annoyed with her being a little too touchy in their days as genin.

He only ever had the chance to look at her closely now. Thankfully, without anyone around to observe. She had developed a woman's figure now, just the right curves for her body type. She had kept her hair at shoulder's length, clear white skin, pink lips and the most enthralling emerald eyes.

His distraction was interrupted when Sakura finally let go of his arm.

"All good now. It doesn't seem to be strained. Everything in tact. How does your arm feel?" She asked.

"Like a normal one." He answered and she nodded.

"Alright all done now. You can go. I know how much you hate hospitals." She said to him and walked back to her desk as he watched her.

"You seem busy." He stated. Trying to get around asking why she wasn't present during their night out.

Sakura lightly scratched her cheek. "Yeah.. Sorry I couldn't make it to your homecoming. Something came up I couldn't leave. I really didn't want to miss it." She explained.

"Hn." He answered and stood up. "I'll see you around then." He said and quickly closed the door behind him.

What the hell was that about. She thought. Slightly annoyed at his reaction.

She puffed.

I get same old moody Sasuke today then.


Naruto had just dodged a massive kick in the chin by Sasuke as he casually continued their conversation while training.

"So you went to see Sakura awhile ago huh? What'd she say?" He asked as Sasuke grabbed him by the arm and threw him backwards, Naruto perfectly landing on his feet.

"Yeah. She said she's busy." He said coldly. Sasuke missing Naruto's punch by an inch.

"That's what she always says. At least try harder, idiot." Naruto backed away before Sasuke hits him with his elbow.

"Say that again, Sasuke growled. You're the idiot here what the hell are you even talking about." He said as he tried a combo punch kick to Naruto, answering to them with his very own moves.

"Why can't you even admit that you like her?" Naruto said teasing Sasuke who suddenly stopped in the middle of their exchange, blocking Naruto's punch with his fist.

His eyebrows all of a sudden meeting in confusion.

"How the hell would you even know that? You're a nosy assuming ass as always." He scowled at Naruto who laid down the grass at the training grounds laughing.

"Sasuke you're such an idiot you don't even know how it feels to like someone!" He blurted.

He didn't like Naruto to continue further. He would annoy him insanely now.

To his defense, a boy like himself in the past who was so blinded by rage and hatred would not have time to think about silly crushes or so. It definitely wasn't an option as well even before and after the war. It felt like these kind of emotions would be the main reason for him losing focus.

"Shut up. I'm done fooling around. I'm going." He said with another scowl and left his blonde friend laughing.

"You're welcome to come to me when you realize you have feelings! Stop being an idiot for once!" Naruto shouted teasingly. It was always double the fun when he gets the chance to rile up Sasuke. His intentions though were pure and he had hope that his friend will finally realize a thing or two.

"Tch. Dobe." Sasuke muttered and walked away.


He was getting hungry from all the fuss and decided to get himself some takeout.

He stumbled upon Shikamaru along the way and asked him about the tests he needed to take.

"Everything's ready, just come to the Academy tomorrow. It'd be a week long, combat part is after the first 3 days of written examination. You know the ropes. Get ready." Shikamaru explained.

Sasuke smirked. The Uchiha always comes prepared. He's not even going to break a sweat at this.

"Can't blame us for trying right?" Shikamaru raised his shoulders.

"Well I gotta go, have to meet Temari by the gates. Troublesome woman." He continued and raise his hand to say goodbye.

"Hn. Thanks." Sasuke replied, remembering Naruto saying that Shikamaru and him were together. A high strong woman and a lazy man. Seems perfect.

He actually can't wait for his rank promotion. He'd been itching to do a mission since after a week of getting home. Thankfully enough, the Sixth did not assign him genin missions. He might just have left the village again if he'd been ask to chase an escaped bear.

On his way for some takeout at one of the stands, he again encountered someone he really didn't want to encounter yet.

It was too late to look away when Sai gave him a smile and a small wave.

"Sasuke. You seem to be in a sour mood today." He said, still smiling.

"Mind your own business." He muttered and walked past him trying to shove the scene he witnessed from the other night in his head.

Sai had walked beside him despite Sasuke's attitude.

"Naruto once told me that the key to Sasuke's attitude is tolerance." Sai had said like it was some sort of trivia, with his pointer finger pointing upward.

"Well I have zero tolerance for people. Stop following me." He answered him.

"Okay, then why don't we have a meal together?" He asked Sasuke casually, like it wasn't awkward at all.

"Didn't I say to stop following me." He glared. Not even knowing what has gotten into the artist's mind asking him casually for a meal.

Sai's seemed to look like he was thinking, clipping his fingers in his chin. "Ugly once told me that sharing a meal can bring people close to each other." He retorted.

Sasuke rubbed his temples at this. He knew Sai would not let this go and has no idea why that is and why the hell did he even come to a place where he could encounter people. He cursed in his mind.

"Whatever. Shut the fuck up already." He said and forfeited.

Sasuke was not one to just be with people alone he doesn't really know well. He's as private as someone can be. This is just to way out of his comfort zone and it annoyed him every bit.

They'd ordered and waited for food. Sasuke looked in another direction so as to avoid Sai who was obviously observing him.

"Why were you looking for Sakura the other night?" Sai asked, breaking the silence.

"I was just asking. It doesn't concern you." He answered coldly. Sai smiled for this. It seems that it's always his response for about everything. It was annoying and creepy at the same time.

"Okay. I just thought you'd want to know more about her since you left." He said.

"I don't care. Just shut up." He replied quickly.

"Oh okay then. At least now I know I can give other men information about Ugly now. Quite a lot of them seem to be really interested." Sai suggested.

Sasuke tried not to react about it but felt like slamming his fist at the table. It was a good thing the food was now set in their table.

They were eating in peace and now and he was starting to get bothered with what Sai had said. Did she ever entertain the men Sai was talking about? Wasn't she always busy? Why would he even be bothered in the first place.

"She said she's busy." Sasuke said out of the blue. Sai seem to smile again, looking like he had finally got to him. Slick bastard.

"That's what she always says. You just need to try harder." Sai responded.

He growled. "What is this try harder crap you and Naruto are talking about?"

Sai laughed at Sasuke's reaction. "Your indifference seem to fail at hiding that you like her." He said.

"I'm not having this conversation." Sasuke had said while standing up and left.

Sasuke finally got home. He felt so relieved not having to encounter anyone after Sai.

He was greeted by his kitten once he stepped inside the house. He had decided to call her Midori. Her green eyes seem to have given it away anyway.


"Hey there." Sasuke kneeled as he petted her. "You seem to have grown a little." He told her while she purred in his touch.

He had fed her and then he took a shower and changed his clothes. He decided to just stay home for the day and relax. He'd be busy the whole week anyway.

It had felt like socializing with people was much more tiring than the training he did with Naruto today. Stepping out of his comfort zone really isn't a joke.

He kept getting asked awkward questions he didn't even know the answer to.

How would he even know if he likes her anyway? What does it even mean to like someone?

He can't seem to answer his questions by himself.

It frustrated him to no end.

Sasuke sighed in defeat. You just have to try harder, Sasuke. He thought.

Then it hits him.

"At least try harder, idiot."

"You just need to try harder."

A small smile crept in his lips.

"Those idiots."