"The power of choice must involve the possibility of error – that is the essence of choose." – Herbert L. Samuel
Chapter 9
"The Party"
Reality had a great way of ruining your life.
She spent half her life wanting him to so much as look her way, see her more then "the weird shy girl." She worked so hard to change from that, she painfully forced herself to get stronger in every way, and he still never saw her more then just a friend.
Now that he finally looked her way. She had no way to be his. If he had bothered to look her way years ago they would have probably had a good amount of time together. Though given, this current point right now in her life would cause some serious problems in any relationship they may have had. The difference between what might have been and what was really happening was much more stressful to her heart. She didn't deny her feelings anymore that kiss by the tree had made it perfectly clear what she wanted. She knew he would never tell her to leave it for him. She knew he would never look at her and say 'choose.' She knew he would never do that to her, never put her in that situation. As much as she wished he would, he would never do that.
When Hinata woke up that Saturday she was almost surprised by the all the commotion in the house. Servants and branch house members were running around so much she didn't want to even leave her room in fear of being run down by someone. She wasn't exactly well rested either. The past few days after her latest sexual encounter had left her so emotionally and physically drained she could barely respond to someone calling her name. Her best option was to just emotionally shut down for the time being, if she was lucky it wouldn't over flow till after her presentation. When her friends came to talk to her, she was only half in the conversation. When Sakura would tell her about how Naruto was her date she would find an excuse to leave be it for work or some non existent excuse about her father or party preparations. In reality she had nothing to do with the party except for her dress and her mannerisms that her father insisted she didn't know enough about.
The idea of turning back into that twelve year old girl she used to be wasn't an option for her. She had worked to hard to come out of that shell, in retrospect she was sure this wasn't the best way to go out things. Acting like a zombie on the biggest day of her recent life would probably raise eyebrows but if it kept her from fainting when he walked in the room she was all for it.
When she finally got up the nerve and control to walk down stairs she over heard cries of missing certain ingredients she dived out of the house to get them. She was sure her father would insist she stay home, wanting her to make her grand appearance tonight, but she had to get out of the house.
Today was cold, colder then she would have expected. The streets were alive even though it was only nine in the morning on a Saturday. She didn't see anyone she knew just yet, which was a good thing.
"Hey stranger." She turned and saw a familiar friendly face she hadn't seen for almost a week smile at her. She felt a grateful smile spread across her lips.
"Ten-Ten." All of her friends had something special to offer her. Ino provided endless gossip and entertainment, and throw Sakura in the mix and the fun went on for hours often and Ino's and Sakura's expense. But Ten-Ten was different, she was calm always calm and always level headed. She spoke to Hinata like an older sister, she often gave advice even when it wasn't asked. Ten-Ten oozed serenity and wisdom, which is why Hinata saw it as a sign she would run into her now of all times.
"Stop me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to be hidden away until tonight." Ten-Ten said in her light voice but didn't object when Hinata started to follow her.
"I had to get out of the house. Where are you headed?"
"Just to do some quick errands."
"Ten-Ten,"
"Hmm?"
"Have you ever…have you ever been…in love?" She saw Ten-Ten stop in her tracks, before she could re-act her ninja friend had pulled her into an alley behind them.
"Hinata!" Her friends eyes were wide, with a mix of confusion and as much anxiousness as a thirteen year old girl at sleep over hearing about someone else first kiss.
"Who? When?" *GASP* "Naruto!"
Okay this was not the reaction Hinata had been counting on.
"Shhh!" Hinata hissed, showing some real emotion for the first time that day.
"But when?"
"I don't…I don't know when."
"What about…your father and what you said about his plans for you?"
"I know …" Hinata groaned, she wad suddenly getting a headache. "I can't go against my father, he would have my head…literally and I can't tell Naruto either, I mean I'm sure he doesn't feel the same…"
His kiss flashed in her head but she pushed it out quickly. He didn't feel the same, he just couldn't.
"Have you…done…anything?" Ten-Ten was all serious.
"He kissed me," She heard herself say and she couldn't meet her friends eyes.
She felt her self blush crimson.
"He kissed you?" Ten-Ten repeated. "Once?"
"Twice."
"Twice?"
A short silence, a sigh.
"Okay did he say anything when he did?"
"No…well sort of…the first time I was by accident…"
"What accident? You fell and his lips caught your fall?"
"No! It just…happened but the second time…"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"The second time we were training cause Neji didn't show up and he asked me why I didn't tell him about the announcement and I didn't know what to say and then he kissed me again." She slid down against the wall onto the floor. Ten-Ten sat next to her.
"What was it like?"
"Like I had no control of myself at all, my brain stopped working I couldn't think of anything but…him…"
"Yeah, that sounds about right." Ten-Ten's voice was wistful. "Are you just coming to this conclusion?"
"I think so."
"You believe you love him?"
"Yes, I believe I do."
"That seems to cause a great big problem what with the agenda for tonight."
She didn't say anything, but Hinata nodded biting her lower lip.
"Hinata, if you really love him you need to say something. You can't go around you're whole life with this as a secret! It will eat you up inside." She didn't catch the hopeless tone in that last part of her speech.
"But I can't!" Her emotions were seriously starting to get her into trouble. "I can't do anything." She said quietly again.
"Why?"
"Because of my father…Neji …him...I-I made a promise to stay away from him, I didn't expect to be feeling this all over again…I-I…don't…what do I do?"
When they first started getting close Hinata looked up to Ten-Ten as that older sister she always wanted and wanted to be. Every time she'd ask those four words to the older girl she would take a few moments and then give her two cents. Hinata may not always take her advice but it was still nice to have. However in this case she was likely to take the first thing she said, especially if it was along the lines of 'I think you should go and jump off a cliff.'
Sakura put on the necklace as a final touch to her dress. She may have gone a little over the top with the long black dress and her entire back exposed but what the hell it was a party! Not to mention Sasuke would be there.
She shook her head almost laughing. She could be so stupid some times. Doing a final spin in the mirror admiring herself she saw it was about time to leave. She smiled at herself, she looked good, really good.
"You look really pretty." Ria said from the door way dressed in a green dress who looked lovely.
"As do you."
"Naruto's here," She said and Sakura grabbed her hand bag shutting the light off behind her. In the living room stood her blonde friend dressed in a tux and looking very handsome. Sakura almost tripped, though she'd never admit it was because she was surprised of the clean up, it was her damn four inch heels.
"Naruto, wow you look amazing…uh…close your mouth please."
"S-sorry, just never seen you look…like a girl."
Sakura frowned.
"I am a girl!"
"I know, I know I just mean…like this, you look incredible!"
She couldn't help but blush.
"Hehe, thank you, are you ready?"
"Just about, we need to wait for Sasuke I told him to meet us here?"
Sasuke?
"Oh, is he coming with us?"
"Yeah,"
Sakura felt butterflies begin in her stomach and she shook herself.
A couple more minutes of idol chatter and the door opened and closed with Sasuke in a very well tailored suit looking just down right hot. Sakura blushed again and looked away so fast she didn't see Sasuke blink twice when he saw her.
He cleared his throat.
"Ready?" He said his voice like velvet in her ears, again she scolded herself.
"Yeah, we're ready. Who's your date Sasuke-bastard?"
"Ria," he said simply and Sakura blinked.
"What?"
"She needs to stay with us and you and Naruto are going together so I offered to escort her, she is like a princess or something right."
"Um…sure…" Sakura said still trying to wrap her head around the picture. Ria smiled brightly and took Sasuke's arm and Sakura felt a twinge of jealousy. Naruto held out his arm and she took it with a smile, Naruto did look good after all.
"Lets get going, we want to get there before the announcement right." Sakura said getting her keys to lock the door behind them.
She looked into the mirror; she could hear the commotion outside the door. Her hair was up only leaving her bangs to sweep around her face. It was being held up with two chopsticks, it gave her a very simple but very elegant look. Her father said the simpler the better, she was heir not participating in a beauty pageant, and he was boss. Her dress made her look like a bride, under any other circumstances this would have made her excited.
"I know you don't want to hear it but you've made your choice Hinata. You need to grow up and face it."
Ten-Ten's may have sounded cruel but she was right. She had to grow up finally. Her clan was counting on her now.
"Hinata." She looked at Neji behind her from her mirror. He was dressed in similar elegant white robes for tonight. They really did look like a couple, this scared her a bit. She nodded to him forcing a smile. They walked out her arm in his.
It wasn't what he expected. He expected an extravagant party with all different kinds of unpronounceable fancy food, he expected the snobs from the snob clans, and he expected the people in his age group to take complete advantage of the free alcohol. However he didn't expect for his jaw to meet the floor when Sakura opened the door.
He had always known his team mate of six years had grown up some where along the way. But after the age of fifteen he sort of stopped noticing her as a girl and more as a fellow ninja. The black dress with the low neckline and halter top exposing every curve of her body was a good punch in the face that Sakura was in fact a woman and not just a fellow medical ninja.
Everyone was dressed up that night; they didn't look like a village of ninjas. They looked like high society. Even Kakashi had shown up dressed in a suit that looked a bit old but still pretty nice on him. He had given his old students a wave and a "Yo" when he saw them.
The night was easy enough, talking and laughing with his friends. The boys making their jokes and the girls getting upset at their immature behavior, it was almost like old times. Then Hiashi sounded his voice on the microphone and commanded their attention.
"Thank you everyone for coming to our celebrations. With out further ado, it is my honor to present to you Hyuuga Hinata, my daughter and the Hyuuga clans future heir."
He had never been struck by lightning before, but he was pretty sure this is what it felt like. Her father had announced her name and announced her as heir.
His eyes were still locked on the girl standing on the top stair case with a fellow Hyuuga at her side in this elegantly decorated hall. Someone had stuffed a glass of sweet tasting alcohol in his hands, someone was talking with him but he only nodded in response. Hiashi kept talking; he had to shake his head to get back to reality.
"Along with announcing my only daughter as heir to our clan it is great pleasure to announce my daughter's engagement to the most outstanding member in our clan, Hyuuga Neji. As of today we look forward to a blessed wedded union."
Time stopped.
Time didn't exist.
There was a tunnel vision and it was just the two of them in the room. She didn't even look at him. The words struck dumb in his brain.
"Naruto!" He turned and saw Sakura staring at him confused. "Toast Naruto toast!" She said raising her glass to the couple on the stairs. Someone else was controlling his body; his brain wasn't working enough to control his body movements.
"Naruto you okay?" He turned and saw a nicely dressed Kiba holding a tall glass of fizzy champagne. He had a cute girl on his arm, he didn't recognize her though. "You look pale." His friend said eyeing him. Naruto shot back the liquid in his glass like a shot of sake. Somewhere in between the time it took to toast to when Kiba walked up beside him Sakura had left his side. He looked around, he saw her and her friends around the girl in white. He felt sick, he felt light headed, he felt like he was going to black out. He needed to get out. With out answering his friend he walked out of the building to the cold night air. He needed to learn how to breathe again.
"Oye Naruto." He turned and saw his scruffy haired friend come out beside him with a whole bottle of champagne in his hand. He handed it to him and stood next to him. Naruto accepted it with out questions and took a large gulp.
"You know I never understood why you never said anything."
"About what?"
"I'm not as dense as you are. I noticed it a long time ago; I just never understood why you didn't say anything."
Why didn't he say anything? Because he wasn't good with those kinds of situations, he wasn't good with handling things like that. Well maybe she was better off anyway.
"When you finished with that, I suggest you come back in before you start to cause concern." His friend advised and let him be.
He didn't know how long he had been out there; he was there long after he finished his bottle which said something because it was completely full when Kiba brought it out to him. He heard the party continue inside but he couldn't stomach going back in. If someone was looking for him they could come out and get him. Even he wasn't at the level of denial to continue to wear a mask in front of everyone as though nothing was wrong. It was best to just stand here and compose him self before he went along with the acting.
He heard someone shuffled behind him.
"It got a little too crowded in there for me, I needed some air."
"Hn."
"You never said anything?" Sasuke voiced and Naruto played dumb.
"About what?"
"Don't be a dobe, dobe."
Naruto looked at stones on the grounds passing his friend the bottle.
"What difference does it make now?"
Sasuke said nothing because Naruto was right. What difference did it make now? Even if he burst in there grabbed her by the shoulders and poured his heart out what difference did it make?
"What are both of you doing out here?" Sakura was poking her head out from the glass doors. "The party's inside."
She shut the door behind her joining them.
"It's beautiful tonight." Sakura said looking up at the stars.
"Yeah it is." Naruto agreed and Sasuke handed Sakura the bottle who took it.
"Naruto are you okay?" Sakura asked looking at him with a soft expression.
"Yeah I'm fine why?" He looked at her with his typical dense smile and she just shook her head.
"Kiba was looking for you, something about owing him a drink."
"That liar," Naruto said but took it as an excuse to leave.
She felt her nerves almost completely take over her own body as she neared the stop of the stairs. She heard her father call for everyone's attention to make his speech at her entrance. She knew she was grabbing Neji's arm harder then she intended to. This was it, her dream, what she had wanted her whole life, it was about to really happen.
Everyone was there; at her place at the top of the stairs she could make out all her friends and loved ones. She saw Ten-Ten standing in her beautiful pink dress with a low back, her hair not in her usual buns but down sweeping along her back. Lee was by her side laughing about something their teacher had said both were dressed in very nice black suits. They stood with Ino in her purple Ino-like revealing dress with her boyfriend. Shikamaru was next to them dressed in a black suit as well with Temari dressed in a red dress. She saw her team mates with dates who she didn't recognize, that girl Ria was there standing between them all, and then she saw him.
He looked perfect, he was laughing with Kiba while Sakura held onto his arm. Sakura in that black dress that tied around her neck leaving her bare backed and her hair tied elegantly up. Tonight she seemed to pull out all the stops. Her heart went double time as she heard her father clear his throat.
She barely heard the words but she couldn't comprehend them. Everyone was staring at her. He was staring at her, she couldn't meet is eyes. In a few seconds he would hear it, and then maybe he would understand.
"Along with announcing my only daughter as heir to our clan it is great pleasure to announce my daughter's engagement to the most outstanding member in our clan, Hyuuga Neji. As of today we look forward to a blessed wedded union."
She looked down, if she looked up she would have met his eyes and her heart would begin to break as it had all week. She'd gone this long preventing it she could go a bit longer. She felt Neji's warm hand touch her own in his arm; she was surprised by the small amount of comfort it gave her. He lead her down the steps to meet the party, she was still in a daze. She had to concentrate on each step before her, begging herself not to trip and fall on her face. The second her foot touched the floor, he let her go. She was a bit thankful; it gave her arms free to hug her friends who had come up to her.
She was surrounded by hugs and kind words of congratulations. Everyone smiled at her and even gave her, her own glass of champagne. She did a quick look around, some time during the time she walked down the steps and now he had slipped out. He wasn't with his date, he wasn't around. This made it that much easier to bare, but that much harder to keep the smile on her face.
Her friends hugged her new fiancé; Ten-Ten even gave her team mate a small kiss on his cheek. Hinata laughed when he got equal hugs of enthusiasm from his old teacher and Lee. It seemed to make everyone uncomfortable, but it was a good distraction from her own thoughts.
As long as he stayed out of sight, then maybe she could get through this night successfully.
"Congratulation Hinata." She looked up and saw Kurenai dressed in an elegant black and simple dress. She looked beautiful.
"Thank you Kurenai-sensei. You look beautiful."
"Not as much as you." Her teacher said with a smile one her face.
Hinata had found a moment to herself away from people she didn't even know surrounding her with idle chatter. She wrapped her arms around her. "The right choice?" She asked in her ear. When she looked back at her, Hinata could only nod her response to her teacher. With one last meaningful hug she let the girl go.
Hinata turned and looked out the windows to the back court yard. There he was. Standing in the middle of the court yard, his back turned to her. What was he thinking? Was he thinking of her? Was he feeling as bad as she had felt all week? She wanted to speak to him, to explain, to apologize, but her body didn't move.
Suddenly she felt as if something was detaching her from the world around her. Something was removing itself in her body and it hurt…bad.
Was this heart break? Was that what this awful feeling of untouchable pain was? Seeing the man you love while you're in the arms of another and not being able to do a damn thing about it? Was this what they talked about on the soap operas and in the movies? She had never felt this before. She felt defeated; she felt the life sucked out of her.
He was gone. She had lost him, she had the chance to stop it but she never did. She chose her path, and it wasn't with him. She was out of his reach, they would never be together. This was something she had known since she was sixteen. So why did this hurt so much now?
"Hinata?" She blinked looking up to her cousin, he leaned into her his breath touching her ear and her back straightened. "Go to the bathroom and stop crying."
Sakura gave a final look at the stars and realized she was a bit chilly and she should get back to the party. She tried not to shiver as a chill ran up her spin.
"You look really pretty tonight." He said quietly and despite herself Sakura blushed.
"Th-thank you Sasuke, you look very nice as well."
"Did you dress Naruto?" He asked and she tried not to be surprised at the concept of Sasuke making conversation. She laughed slightly.
"I can't take that credit."
"Impressive,"
"Indeed."
Another silent moment.
"I should be getting back, are you going back in or are you going to call it a night right here?"
"I think I'll stick around for a while,"
Another surprising move for Sasuke.
"Sakura," She turned to him her hand on the door knob.
Something danced on his tongue, something was right there waiting to be said but he couldn't say it.
"Yes?"
"Have fun tonight."
She smiled at him, a sweet Sakura smile.
"You too Sasuke-kun." And with that she went back inside and Sasuke saw her quickly get snatched away by Ino.
Back out in the court alone Sasuke tried not to kick himself for being such an idiot.
She patted her eyes once more before making sure there was no evidence of her weepiness on her face. She redid her make up, reapplying her liner and then making her lips extra bright she tried to smile. It looked so fake, so she smiled again making it look real. Her body felt numb and broken but she smiled anyway. With a deep heavy breath she gathered her pride and walked out of the dressing room and toward the staircase leading to the dining hall.
She walked quietly trying not to let her mind wander. Mind wandering was dangerous tonight and she couldn't afford anymore dangers tonight other then her long dress and a steep stair case.
She heard muffled voices, she followed. They came from behind a door just before the stair case. She got curious, leaning into the door as the voices got louder.
"I can't believe you never told me." It was a female, she recognized it…someone…
Ten-Ten!
"What was I supposed to say?"
Neji!
Curiosity took complete hold and Hinata pressed her head hard against the door.
"You could have mentioned something, how can you let me find out like this with everyone else!"
"I thought you would figure it out."
"Figure it out! I'm not supposed to figure this out! Your supposed to tell me! I wasn't even a thought in your decision was I?"
"I can't deny Hiashi,"
"Don't pull that bull shit Neji, of course you can you just don't want to!"
"Its more then you think it is."
"Bull shit!"
"Please calm down, we shouldn't be talking about this here."
"You never want to talk about anything. Which is why I was forced to find out like a fool with everyone else."
"I need to go, I expect Hiashi will be looking for me if I am gone too long."
She heard a hiccup of a breath, was Ten-Ten crying? She wanted to hear more but she heard footsteps and she scrambled away from the door just as Sakura and Ino came in view from the stair case.
"Hinata? What are you doing up here?"
"Just had to…touch up my make up…"
"Oh is there a powder room up here?" Ino asked. "Can I see, I think I could use a touch up too!"
Hinata's eyes cast quickly to the closed door her cousin and Ten-Ten were behind. She didn't think it would be a good thing if they came out together while Sakura and Ino where standing there.
"There's one down stairs, come on." Hinata said walking to the stairs.
"Okay," Ino said with out arguing following. Sakura eyed the door, she probably heard something Hinata didn't, she wondered what it was.
"Hinata there you are, people have been looking for you have you seen Neji?" Hiashi asked after nodding to Sakura and Ino who respectfully bowed back.
"I think he's in the bathroom," She lied.
"Come on, your not done down here. A lot more people wish to congratulate you." He placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her away from her friends into the crowd.
She smiled and said thank you as people came up to her and congratulated her. She made political talk with city officials when they brought her a glass of Champaign and she gave them charming smiles. Neji joined her at her side and answered all questions better then she ever could leaving her to simply agree or pick up what Neji was hinting at her to say to make her look good. They worked well as a team. Every so often she tried to sneak glances at her cousin to see if there was any hint of what she heard upstairs but he was stoic. He was business ninja Neji, and he didn't let anything show.
Hinata's eyes scanned the room for a familiar face to pull her from her current very boring conversations of money and power gain and her eyes fell into pools of blue. She tried not to let her breath get caught but she couldn't stop the tingling and sudden coldness in her fingertips. She gave him a smile excusing herself from the company and walked toward him. She new it would look odd if she avoided him all night, so she had to do something and it might as well be now.
"Naruto, I haven't seen you all evening." She said so calm. Maybe too calm.
"It got a bit crowded I needed to get some air."
"Yeah, me too."
He was quiet, just looking at her. Was he waiting for her to say something? Did he expect another apology?
"Naruto," "Hinata,"
"Ah…you go first." He said and she smiled as best she could.
"I…" A flash of them against that tree in the training grounds was all she could see as she looked at him. Suddenly she felt harsh eyes on her and glancing over his shoulder she saw the watchful eyes of her father ignoring some elder who was talking to him and watching her very closely.
"I'm really glad you came." She said her stomach twisting so hard it almost gave her cramps. She smiled again feeling suddenly dizzy and he looked as if he expected something very different to come out of her mouth.
"Congratulations Hinata…on everything." His smile was warm but there was something different in his eyes, something cold.
"Thank you." She said with a small bow fit for an heiress. He nodded to her and before he could say another word she had floated off to someone else who had called her name.
"I'm really glad you came."
Really? That's what she had to say? With all that happened in the past few weeks that's all she had to say!
Naruto was surprised to say the least. And then he watched her go and he new that was it. He thought it would be a lot harder then that. She saw him; she talked to him like nothing had happened. They were friends again, nothing was different. He watched her from across the room, talking and laughing with her guests. He wanted a really hard drink suddenly. He walked to the bar when someone grabbed him.
"Naruto lets dance!" Sakura said so very happy and Naruto swore he smelled alcohol on her breath, but he laughed just the same as she pulled him to the dance floor.
"Are you having fun?" She asked her cheeks rosy and her body very warm.
"Yeah, you seem to be too."
"It's an open bar!" She said loudly and then giggled and Ino and Choji floated by.
"I haven't had a chance to experience it," Naruto said amused by his pink haired friend.
"Oh you should, they really know what their doing, spin me!" And he let twirled her under his arm.
At least some people were having fun because despite all the promises he certainly was not.
Sakura danced a bit longer with Sakura until she was whisked away by someone else and Naruto let her go laughing as she laughed. He made his way to the bar and found Sasuke already there.
"Your still here?" Naruto asked surprised, he was sure Sasuke would have made an exit about two hours ago.
"I got no where else to be." Sasuke answered but seemed distracted. Naruto ordered a drink and settling into a quiet conversation with the bartender while Sasuke said nothing but kept his eyes on the dance floor at all the people dancing.
"You don't dance Sasuke?" Naruto teased and got a dangerous glair in return. "You should go dance with Sakura. That guy looks like he's trying to feel her up."
Naruto saw Sasuke twitch but then bite his lip slightly.
"She's a grown woman," He said darkly but he seemed a bit too captivated by the scene of Sakura dancing carefree and the guy all too interested in her backside.
"She's intoxicated." Naruto said and before he could get another word in Sasuke was gone striding across the floor.
"That was unexpected," Naruto voiced to him self and the bartender laughed.
"That boys got it bad." He said and Naruto turned to him.
"What?"
"He's been staring at that chick all night,"
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked looking back and seeing Sasuke take Sakura's hand as she waved good bye to her annoyed former partner. A slow song came on and Sasuke almost protectively held on to her moving stiffly.
"Yeah that guy you were talking to, he's been standing here for I don't know how long just watching her. It was a bit annoying really."
"Really? Sasuke?" Naruto repeated still watching his two friends move almost awkwardly. Sakura though didn't look like she cared.
"I call 'em how I see 'em." The bartender shrugged and offered Naruto round two.
As the party came to and end, some people started yawning while others had to be carried away drunk, Ino being one of them. Naruto himself was feeling a bit tipsy by the end of the night and by the look of Ria passed out on some chairs he figured it was time to call it a night. Sasuke had already left, he actually ducked out the door not too long after his dance with Sakura and he made sure she has sobered up some. Naruto was still very confused about his conversation with the bartender but he knew asking Sasuke was a nothing short of a death wish so he would be forced to figure that out on his own. He saw the people thinning out quickly and saw Hinata and Neji sitting at the far end of the room saying good bye to people who went to say their good byes. He spotted Sakura was talking to Temari at another table both women looked amused about something when he went over to pick up the small girl. She mumbled a bit in her sleep, something about the color purple when he moved her.
"Sakura," he called. "I think its time to call it a night." He nodded toward the sleeping girl in his arms. Sakura said good bye to Temari and walked over to him.
"Fun night." she said when they were walking back to her apartment.
"Yeah, fun night." He repeated.
-TBC-
