Me: School is such a bastard.

I have less time to study, and work, and do homework, so you guys have to wait much longer for updates. In fact, the only stories I'll be updating semi-regularly are DoveFoxSnake and Tsuki no Hanayome, so for all you peeps who want me to update the others –

TOO FRIGGIN' BAD.

Ehem. Sorry. In case you can't tell, I'm a teeny bit stressed.

Despite that, I'll try to upload a chapter once a month, hopefully. And I can check reviews from my super fantastical iPod, so please do leave comments. Or concerns. Or com-cerns.

I've been debating on how to make it up to you, and I've decided that a sneak-preview of my next chapter would be suitable. Since, you know, I can't give you cake or anything...(grumbles) lousy intangible internet...

O:-::-::-::-::-:O

They look happy, but she knows better.

Lee watches Sakura. She can feel his adoring gaze on her, but she can't bring herself to care.

Hitomi watches Neji, who keeps sneaking peeks at Tenten, who every so often looks at Kiba fondly, but not often enough to see him occasionally ogling Ino. Shino is also observing Ino, and probably sees her watching Naruto, but doesn't comment on it. Naruto stares openly at Hinata, who smiles softly at everyone. And Sasuke, of course, looks at Hinata with that unmistakable hint of masculine pride in his eyes.

Why shouldn't he be proud? He's going to be a father.

It makes Sakura sick.

All these people, who love each other, who should love each other, can't keep their eyes on their significant others.

But all of this is all wrong, anyway. She knows how the story was supposed to go, right from the very beginning.

Age 5: Ino was supposed to marry Sasuke. That was pretty much the extent of fantasy matchmaking at that point, because no one else was really interested in marriage. Sakura herself pictured being married to Sasuke, but would never voice that to Ino. After all, best friends weren't supposed to like each other's future husbands.

Age 12: Sakura was supposed to marry Sasuke. So what if she'd stolen him from Ino? She was her own person. She was strong. And, as was obvious to everyone but Naruto, Naruto was supposed to marry Hinata. Kiba would probably pine after her for years, before moving on with someone else. Shino was supposed to be single for all eternity. Tenten was supposed to marry Lee, Ino was supposed to marry Shikamaru or Chouji (really, they were interchangeable at times), and everyone was supposed to live happily ever after because revenge was a myth and adultery was a made-up word.

Age 15: Sakura was going to be an old maid. She couldn't have Sasuke, and she couldn't love Naruto without being reminded of his best friend. Ino was supposed to marry Chouji (Shikamaru was out – Temari had solved that dilemma), Neji was supposed to marry Tenten, and Shino, Lee and Kiba would just be bachelors, or perhaps married to girls from prestigious clans outside the land of fire. Hinata was still supposed to marry Naruto. Which Sakura was sure she could accept – but when she thought really hard about it, she realized she couldn't. And betrayal was as common as trees in a forest, but maybe once they put this all business about wars behind them, they could all move on.

Age 20: Hinata was going to marry Sasuke. So in all logical sense, Sakura should've married Naruto, Ino should've married Chouji, Neji should've married Tenten, Kiba, Lee, and Shino should've married strangers, Shikamaru should've married Temari, and all of them would be content, or at least partially so, with their spouses.

...

Well, at least Temari and Shikamaru held up their part of the bargain.

No one else wanted to follow the plan, and now look what had happened. Everyone wanted someone else, and no one was happy.

No one except Sasuke and Hinata, who were so perfect and broken and suited to each other that Sakura wanted to cry. She could never fit with anyone like that. Not even Lee, who worshipped her like a princess. She would never be in love like that.

Once or twice, she considered proposing to Naruto, just so she wouldn't be lonely for the rest of her life. But that was a terrible thought, and it would only make both of them miserable. Sakura couldn't be Hinata, and Naruto couldn't be Sasuke.

It'd be foolish for them to try.

O:-::-::-::-::-:O

Me: Oooooooooo...more discontentments with Sasuke and Hinata's marriage. I promise, this chapter will be good, when I finally get around to finishing it. And if it's not good, I give you all permission to throw tomatoes at your computer screen and hiss in a depreciating manner.

That's all – I have a test to study for, you loveable kids. See you next time!