Chapter 4:

Why can't I say hello?

Naruto….I can't believe you're the Yōkaikage. I guess when I asked myself if you were in some other village working hard to become their Kage – I was half right. It's almost too good to be true. I'm probably still on my way there – daydreaming. If not – how come this is all so good? And why can't I come by and see you? When Nani called you – why couldn't I look? You were right there and I couldn't even look over my shoulder or wave. Naruto….

…why can't I say hello?

~*~

A knock at the door woke the pinkette up. She sat up immediately and looked over. She made a slight confused face. Not only was the door being knocked on but everyone was awake. "Did I sleep in or something?" Sakura asked as she looked at the Hokage; who was reading a few papers Naruto had given him. He shook his head and pointed to the clock; still looking at the paper. She glanced over and saw that it said ten o'clock. "Ten o'clock? Why are you guys up so late?" She asked as she got off the bed.

"Couldn't sleep"

"Have paper work to do…"

Sakura sighed after both men answered her. They didn't even bother to answer the door and waited for her to wake up and do it. An annoyed grunt slipped from her mouth as she opened the door. There was no one there. Sakura cocked her head to the side and went to shut the door again but a hand being raised was soon in her view.

"I'm down here"

She glanced down and blinked. "Nani…." She asked. "What are you doing up so late?" She pointed to the clock behind her but the brunette girl shook her head.

"I'm sorry Sakura but I need your – hey I remembered you name" She smiled and set her hands on her hips while Sakura shook her head. "Ok…to the point…I lost my frog and you were the only one I could think of to help me look for him"

"Frog?"

"Yeah Yeah!"

Sakura sighed. "Ok…I probably won't get back to sleep for awhile anyway." She then muttered as she made her way out. It was true. With all the lights on and the fact that she had been woken up she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep.

"Yay! Thank you so much Sakura!" Nani yelped as she grabbed the pink haired woman's hands. She dragged her out of the hotel and down the dark street. "It's over this way!" She yelled as they turned the corner in front of the Yōkaikage's mansion. Sakura looked at it the whole time – thinking about him. They stopped in front of a home and were soon walking to the side yard. "He's in the garden back here somewhere…I know he is" Nani muttered as she grabbed the turned the flashlight she had on.

"Where is it usually?" Sakura asked. "Does he usually run off?" Nani nodded and pointed to the bush in front of them. "Is that where it always goes?" Nani nodded again. "And you can remember this?"

"It happens so often…."

"Oh…" Sakura nodded and crossed her arms from the cold. She looked in the bush as Nani shone the light within, but then there was another light lit; making both girls look up to the window to their right. "Is that—"

"Get down!"

Nani grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled the pinkette down. "Ow…" Sakura muttered as they both lied there in the grass. "Why do I have to get down?" She then asked. Nani just looked at her and held up and finger to her lips.

"That's Naruto-kun's room" She told the other girl. "I don't want to get caught." She glanced up and looked at the lit window, but then her eyes caught the porch light. "Crap." Nani then snapped as she heard a door open.

"NANI!?"

Nani sighed and looked at Sakura. "Gotta g – oh hey there!" She yelped; surprising Sakura. The brunette reached into the bush and pulled out a frog. "Found him" She then said with a smile. She then stood up and ran over to the light. Sakura only stayed put. "Hey Naruto-kun….had to find my frog again" Sakura heard the blonde sigh and ask for the flashlight. "Ok…I'll go get it." Nani ran back over and knelt down. "After the lights go off, you can go ok?" She asked. Sakura nodded before handing her the flashlight. "Thanks for helping me"

"No big deal" Sakura said back as the small brunette ran back over to stand in the light. She saw Nani hold it out and caught a glimpse of his hand taking it. She was leaning over so far that she had fallen over. 'Say something damn it…' She thought as her face rested on the ground. 'he's right there' she looked up and went to stand to walk over but stopped herself when she saw that all the light's were out. 'Damn it!'

Sakura stumbled into the hotel room and shut the door to lean on it. She blinked and looked up only to see that Sasuke was about to pass out from fatigue from reading the papers all night. He was barely able to keep his eyes open and head up as he read one page he held in his right hand. Sakura sighed and slowly made her way over before sitting down on his bed next to him. She took the paper out of his hand making him look up and then took the rest of the papers off the bed. She then set the pile down on the table. "Sasuke you need rest ok" She muttered as she turned to face him. "It's not good for you to stay up all night reading, besides you can finish it tomorrow before you meet with Naruto. You guys are meeting for lunch…right?'

The Uchiha nodded and she nodded back. "Alright get some sleep" He nodded once again and started going under the blankets while she shut off the light. "Good Night Sasuke…" She then muttered as she made her way over to Sai; who had passed out on the couch while reading. Sakura grabbed his blanket and pulled it over his for warmth. "Good Night Sai…" The pinkette then said as she shut the small lamp at his side off. She then walked over to her bed and lied down herself. The soft bed she lazily laid on that was like a cloud. It wasn't like the one at home. She wished she could have this one…

'And Good Night….Naruto…'

The next morning Sakura followed Sasuke around like a small duck following its mother. She wanted to see – no – she 'needed' to see Naruto. She waited patiently as she watched him do the rest of the paper work that early morning. Now she was following him to the small grill they were meeting at. The pinkette knew that she wasn't allowed to attend the meeting but Naruto was surly going to be waiting outside…right? Sakura watched intently over the Uchiha's shoulder: trying to spot the blonde man in front of one of the buildings. She fiddled with her fingers nervously as they approached a sign that said 'Grill' on it. She was now biting her lip repeatedly.

No one

Sakura stopped walking when she noticed the small amount of people waiting outside. Zero. The pinkette huffed and looked away in anger. Why wasn't that Damn Baka there? "He's probably inside" Sasuke muttered. "I'll be out in a little while—"

"Sasuke?"

The Uchiha turned around to face his secretary and raised a brow. "What is it?" He then asked. Sakura was looking at the ground. At that moment she was thinking about how the blonde reacted to the news of Sasuke's execution. She wondered what Naruto did when he found out he was still alive..and not only that – but Hokage as well.

"How—" Sakura stopped herself to think about the question. She only had one chance at asking so she had to make it right. "When you first saw that it was Naruto…." She started. "How…how did he react to the fact you were still alive? How did he react to see you as Hokage?"

"He wasn't quiet surprised I can tell you that" The Uchiha started. "Once I entered the room he stood up and looked as if he had seen a ghost. But that was only because he hadn't seen me for a long time. He already knew it was me back when we were sending letters to each other. All I can say is that it wasn't him who was surprised – it was me."

"Oh…"

Sakura looked at the ground again and blinked. Sasuke was so lucky. He could request to see Naruto anytime. Sakura could too but she still couldn't say hello or anything. What was wrong with her? Was she going to do this forever? Was she ever even going to see the blonde? Who knew…. "Sakura this is our last day here. We're leaving after this meeting. You might want to gain the courage to say something to him" Sasuke then said to her before turning to go inside. "He'll be leaving at the same time as me. When he steps out I suggest saying hi…he really misses you, and talking to him will lighten his day…I guarantee it."

Sakura nodded before he disappeared inside. Then she smiled. 'He…misses me?' She then thought. 'I…I guess I could try' She leaned on the wall and shut her eyes. The meeting usually took about an hour or so. The first one wasn't so long but the newer ones seemed to drag on. She envied Sasuke. He was spending hours of time with Naruto. Probably talking about the past…sharing a few laughs together. If Sasuke said he really missed her; that defiantly meant they were talking about the past at some point…right?

About twenty minutes later the smell of a cookie made her open her eyes. Sakura blinked at the sight of a cookie being held in her face. She then looked up to see the person giving it to her was before smiling. "Thanks Sai" She said; taking the cookie.

"Your welcome" He said back before biting a piece off his own cookie. When he pulled it away he smiled. "I had an extra and didn't know what to do with it...I didn't want to eat it so I decided to give it to you" Sakura smiled back but this time a little sarcastically.

"Thanks for making me your second choice Sai" Sakura said sarcastically. "Now move so I don't miss out on saying something to Naruto" She reached over and moved him aside to watch the door. Sai looked at the door a couple times before looking at the other on the other side of her. He looked up and saw that it said 'Exit' on the top of the door.

"Um…Sakura—"

"Not now Sai"

The pale man looked at his friend and then the door on the other side. The grill had an exit and an entrance and for some odd reason she was staring at the entrance. If Naruto was going to leave…he was going to leave from the exit…not the entrance. He pointed at the door and grabbed her sleeve to pull. "Sakura you're looking at the wrong do—"

Her arm jerked away as she took another bite of her cookie. "Sai…why don't you go read in the garden" She then said. Sai blinked before shrugging. He tried. Sakura watched him walk away in the corner of her eye before looking at the door again. She stared intently almost like she'd attack the next person who came from inside the door. If this didn't work she was going to go straight to the Yōkaikage's mansion behind her and stomp his door down. She smiled and shut her eyes at the idea. She could imagine the blonde's face as the door hit the ground. She brought her hands close and shook in excitement as the door behind her closed.

"Later Sasuke"

Her green eyes widened. That was his voice. But why was he behind her? Sakura quickly turned around only to see the Uchiha; who was looking at her while shaking his head. "What?" Sakura asked. "I thought I was watching the right door. I didn't know you had to come out that one!" She pointed to the door as he shut it.

"Well…you just missed him" Sasuke said. "He was right behind you for a full three seconds before disappearing. You could have turned around and caught him before he was gone" He then said as he started walking away. After sighing, Sakura ran up to catch up. "He needs to go over a few more things with his elders and then he'll deliver the final papers next week."

"Himself?"

"Yes" Sasuke answered with a small shrug. "I was quite surprised he said that, but he said he'd stay outside the village. He just wants to see the place again" Sakura nodded. Maybe…she could see him then, but when he said 'outside' the village….did that mean right outside the gate or down the road some? The pinkette shook her head as Sasuke entered the hotel. She went to go look for Sai thinking. What if she wasn't able to see him then?

Would there be another chance?