Chapter 4: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

A/N: Minna-san! Merry Christmas!!! Here's the next chappie… read and review onegai!!! Arigatou…

It was already midnight when someone entered the house. Never being early sleepers the whole gang was up watching some sort of suspense movie. "Sakura-chan!!! Where were you and what happened?" the loud interrogation of the blond made her head spin then she heard the whole gang approach her.

She stepped into the house soaked. Her clothes drenched from the rain and her hair disheveled and dripping wet. Her breathing was becoming difficult as she felt her body uncontrollably shiver. "Oi, oi are you alright?" Shikamaru's statement rang in her head as her vision started to become blurry. Feeling a warn palm on her forehead, she raised her eyes to see the bowl cut boy feeling her temperature. "This is bad she has a high fever," Lee revealed.

"I'm alright. Nothing I can't handle," she tried to step forward but her knees buckled making her fall but before that can even happen she was caught in a pair of strong arms. "Are you sure you're alright?" a deep male voice asked worriedly.

Her weak forest green eyes turned to steel as she found the strength to stand up and reply "I said I'm fine! I know my body best! Just leave me alone!" she exclaimed then she ran into her room and slammed the door shut. "Sakura-chan!" the blond was about to run after their friend but someone tugged his wrist. "Sakura's not an idiot. She knows what to do with herself. I think it would be best to leave her alone," the boy with spiked hair said intellectually as he glanced at Sakura's closed door. "Guess she won't be eating dinner then," the fat boy threw a potato chip in his mouth as the gang fell silent.

Hearing her coughs and sneezes behind her door kept him more than awake. In truth, you wouldn't hear those things if you were really not that attentive. She's trying to keep her voice down. Probably, not wanting to attract unwanted attention. The red head looked at the closed door from the foot of the stairs as again he heard her sneeze. What the hell happened? Not having a clue to what was happening, Gaara irritatingly glared at the door as if it would blurt out his needed reply.

Morning crept into her room but she couldn't care any less. Though the pleasant day outside was more than inviting, she decided to stay in bed as long at the gang was still in the house.

Hearing them leave, she let a few minutes pass until she stepped out of her room. Her fever never really receded but her feeling was more than okay compared to the hellish way she felt last night.

Her jade eyes caught something unusual on the dinner table. Her thin eyebrow rose in curiosity as she approached those foreign objects. There were a couple of medicine pills on the table. "Must be Shikamaru," she muttered as she inspected the rest. Beside the pills was a bottle of energy drink "Of course this is from Lee," she grabbed the bottle and looked at the label. She can't help but smile as she saw a pack of untouched potato chips. Who in their right mind would make chips their breakfast? But that's Chouji for you. It must've taken a lot of mental strength to leave your favorite pack just for me.

But all her reaction was nothing compared o the one she has now. Right before her was a full course breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes and even milk complete with a vase containing her favorite carnation. Her initial reaction was blinking continuously thinking that this had to be a dream. They left me a decent breakfast?! Hearing her stomach complain she had to help herself.

Taking the first bite, her eyes widened in surprise as she realized this breakfast was not the one they usually ordered. Noticing a piece of paper beside the vase, she took it as she kept on eating. There's no mystery as to who the writer was. It could've been mistaken for hieroglyphics if not for Sakura knowing who the author was.

The note says…

Sakura-chan!!!

Everyone's did something special so I thought of looking for a greeting card or something that could say the things to make you feel better but those crappy lines make my skin crawl so I tried my knack in writing…

Here is a series of promises that I will surely keep…

When you're sad, I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.

When you're blue, I'll try to dislodge whatever is chocking you.

When you smile, I will conclude you finally got laid.

When you're scared, I'll rag on you about it every chance I get.

When you're worried, I will tell you horrible stories about how worse it could be and to quit whining.

When you're confused, I'll use little words.

When you're sick, stay the hell away from me until you're well again. (I don't want whatever you have)

When you fall, I'll point and laugh at your clumsy ass.

This is my oath, I pledge until the end coz you're my friend.

So how was it? I think it's what you can call a masterpiece right?! No grammatical errors or whatsoever. Maybe I should become a writer. Anyway get well Sakura-chan! Oh by the way, Gaara's the one who cooked for you. It would be a disaster if even one of us held an innocent skillet. Though he didn't want me to mention it he's really worried about you.

Naruto… what ever made you think you can survive in the writing field with these cheesy lines. She smiled as she thought of her blond friend scribbling something seriously and beside him are piles of crumpled paper. The fork she was holding fell loudly on the floor as she read the last statement.

Her eyes wandered to the half-eaten meal before her. I didn't know he can cook. Staring at the whole preparation done for her, a tear escaped her eye as she forced a smile. "Really, these guys are so sweet." She folded Naruto's drabbles and put it in her pocket as she finished her meal.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hurry up! I want to see Sakura-chan!" the blond pushed Chouji away from the food stand. The whole gang the red head included left the school as soon as the bell rang. They were really anxious about the condition of their pink haired princess though they pretend to have other reasons why they should be home early. Naruto was the only honest egg in the bunch.

"Sakura-chan!!!" the blond exclaimed as they entered the house. There was a bit of rambling in her room so he decided to check it out. "AAHH!!!" Naruto yelled as he pointed at the intruder. "What is it?" Lee looked at Naruto's shocked expression to the direction he was pointing at. "Yoh," the man with spiked silver hair greeted casually.

"Kakashi, what are you doing here?" Shikamaru approached Kakashi as he surveyed Sakura's room. "Oh… she didn't tell you anything eh?" "Tell us what?" Chouji stuffed his mouth with chips. "Eto, I think we better talk down stairs," Kakashi lead the way to the living room.

"So what's wrong with Sakura-chan!!" the blond asked even before Kakashi could sit on the couch. "She decided to study medicine. She decided to leave for America." "WHAT?!"

The blond jumped out of the couch and to the door. "Naruto, where do you think you're going?" Shikamaru immediately asked. "Isn't it obvious I'm going to the airport and stop Sakura from leaving," he was about to dash out when "She already left," Gaara said sternly with an unreadable expression across his face.

"She left this morning. Right after breakfast," Kakashi continued as the blond slowly made his way back to the couch. "So I'll be the one taking her room. Well now that's all settled. I'll have to leave you guys here to finish my unpacking," he got up from his seat and went straight to his room.

The question "why" wasn't even brought up even by the tactless Naruto. The whole gang sat in silence, trying to digest each and every detail of her departure.

XXXXXXXXXX

The house turned from loud to silent that day. Kakashi's presence isn't really the problem. In fact, he's part of the gang but nothing can ever replace their pink haired princess. Often times, they would miss how she would be the one to say the "ready, get set and go" of lunch and dinner and stuff like that… things that would often go unnoticed until today.

Today was the day before Christmas. Though it had been a month since she left, there had not been a call or letter from her. The gang wasn't really mad about stuff like this but… it IS Sakura they're talking about here. The person who would put their needs first before hers. She was no ordinary girl that would go abroad and forget her friend with a snap of her fingers. But reality was really not supporting their claim, so they decided not to bring up that topic ever again.

Here they are a bunch of boys decorating their shabby home as Christmas Eve drew closer. "Alright guys… all we need to do is grocery shopping and we're home free," Kakashi revealed much to the guys relief.

Due to Chouji's endless picking and Kakashi's insistence, the gang was forced to carry more than they could. It was a relief to finally drop their paper bags on the floor as soon as they arrived. The red head looked at the kitchen as he heard something. "Welcome home," everyone was so surprised that they all had no words to say.

Their pink haired princess was there but her hair now only shoulder length. "Merry Christmas everyone," she greeted them with her brightest smile as she held up a cooked turkey. She looked like a goddess… her beauty illuminated by the bright Christmas lights as smiled as of she never really left.

"SAKURA!!!" the whole gang ran to her in welcome. As everyone was so excited, Gaara stood rooted on his spot as his mind still can't register her return.

A quick look from her bright forest green eyes was all the proof he need to make his mind understand. She's back! She's here… right in front of me. Jade orbs met her emerald eyes in silent conversation as they exchanged smiles for the longest time.

A/N: Minna-san Merry Christmas desu!!! Read and review onegai…