The Deal
Chapter 10: Autumn Festival
After being at the hospital for the past month, under careful observation and daily physical therapy, Wataru was finally discharged. As nurses helped him pack up his belongings, Sakura gave him a long speech about taking it easy and alerting her if anything felt off.
"It will be nice to sleep in my own bed again," Wataru smiled at Sakura.
She nodded quietly. She was happy that the chunin-sensei was going home, but the word "home" had been bothering her since the little conversation at the tea house. Since Wataru's reassessment appointment would be one week from today, that meant that Sasori would be leaving Konoha soon. She had grown accustomed to spending every day with him and the simple thought of not having him nearby left a bad feeling in the pinkette's gut. She briefly wondered if that was how he felt when she was preparing to leave Suna.
The medic sneaked a peek at the red head that was standing quietly beside her.
"Sakura-san," Wataru asked, breaking Sakura out of her thoughts, "Am I allowed to go to the Autumn Festival?"
Sakura blinked, "Autumn Festival?"
"Yes, it starts tomorrow night. For the past few times I went, I used a wheelchair or clutches. But I will be able to walk around this year!"
Sakura had completely forgotten about the Autumn Festival, due to everything that had been going on.
Every year, Konoha held this three day long event in early Autumn; hence the "Autumn" Festival. This festival was established near the time of the village's founding and there were multiple theories on why it was created. Some said it was to celebrate peace and prosperity, while others said it was to announce that the unbearingly hot summer was reaching its end. But regardless of the founding reason, all the residents of Konoha greatly enjoyed the festival. There would always be great food, fun games, unique merchandise, and to the current Hokage's joy, lots and lots of alcohol.
Sakura remembered how Team 7 would always go to the festival together. Sasuke was banned from the shooting booth since he was so good at it and always gave the owner a run for his money. Naruto would eat until he got sick, but before the festival ends, he would always catch a water yo-yo for Sakura since it was her favorite thing from the festival. As for Sakura, she loved the team photo that they would take together to commemorate the night. She kept them in chronological order in her album.
Since they became a team, they had never failed to go together, except for the year prior. Naruto had just became a sensei and his team wanted to go with him and both Sasuke and Sakura were busy with missions, so Team 7 agreed that they would make up for it this year.
Sakura tapped her chin, "The festival can be quite crowded, I would be worried if you go alone."
"What if I have a companion with me?"
"Who do you have in mind?" Sakura was not trying to pry, but she wanted to ensure that whoever accompanied Wataru was capable of assisting the man if needed.
A light blush dusted the man's cheek, causing Sakura to grin. He twirled his fingers in the same manner that Hinata did whenever Naruto was around.
"Um, Inuzuka-san," Wataru's blush intensified, "She is one of the senseis from the Academy and she asked if I would like to go with her when she came to visit me the other day."
"Ohhh," Sakura was nearly gushing. She knew there was only one Inuzuka teaching at the academy and she was a friendly and pretty kunoichi, "A date!"
Wataru's cheeks lit up in flame, "No! No! It's not like that!"
"If you say so," Sakura teased, "But yes, it's fine for you to go with her. Just avoid areas that are too crowded and take a break once in a while."
He nodded happily, "Would you and Sasori-san be attending as well?"
The pinkette turned to look at her companion, who lifted his eyebrow at her in return. Then she looked back at her patient, "I actually forgot about the festival until you reminded me. I usually go with my team, so I need to check with them first. I bet those knuckleheads forgot, too."
"I hope to see you there," Wataru grinned as he stood up from the bed. The nurses had finished sealing his belongings inside a storage scroll and they passed it to him with a polite nod.
Sakura signed off the discharge paper and passed it to one of the nurses, "Please walk him to reception for me."
The woman nodded and guided Wataru towards the door, but before he exited, he gave Sakura and Sasori a deep bow. "Thank you for everything that you have done for me, I will be eternally grateful." With that, he slowly walked out of the room, leaving the pair behind.
"Autumn Festival?" Sasori suddenly asked, jolting Sakura.
The pinkette nodded, "It's a three day event at Konoha. There are always good food, games, and things to look at. Team 7 promised to go together this year, but Sasuke and Naruto haven't said anything. I need to go talk to them."
"Am I allowed to join?" Sasori asked softly.
Sakura blinked, then a small smile formed on her face, "Do you even need to ask? Come on, let's go find my teammates. It's almost noon, my Team 7 senses are telling me that Naruto is at Ichiraku and Sasuke is at home."
The pair decided to find Naruto first since the ramen shop was much closer to the hospital. Heck, anything but the Uchiha district, was not far from the hospital. It was as if the Uchihas purposely lived the farthest away from Konoha General to prove that they were such top tier shinobis that they did not need a hospital.
As always, Sakura's instinct was right on point. Naruto was half-way through his third bowl of ramen. Teuchi was the first to notice the pinkette as she entered the store and he smiled warmly at her, "Hello, Sakura! Table for two?"
The jinchuriki's head snapped up at the mention of his teammate, causing him to choke. Sakura quickly walked to his side and smacked his back. After Naruto stopped coughing, she greeted Teuchi, "Not today. I am just here to speak with Naruto. I will come back soon!"
"Did you need me for something, Sakura-chan?"
Sakura sat down on the stool beside him while Sasori remained standing. "Wataru-san reminded me that the Autumn Festival starts tomorrow! I can't believe I forgot! So I came to -"
Before she could finish her sentence, Naruto jumped out of his seat. His brilliant blue eyes were wide as saucers, "It's tomorrow?!"
"Yeah, is something wrong?"
"Hinata asked me, well technically she was just mumbling so Kiba spoke for her, if I could accompany her. I totally forgot to get back to her about it! Since it's usually a Team 7 thing! I was going to talk with you and Sasuke first," Naruto said in one long breath.
Sakura grinned, which Sasori suspected was filled with semi-scheming intent. "You should go with Hinata! Don't worry about Sasuke and me."
"But Sakura-chan, we didn't go together last year," Naruto said quietly. He still felt guilty for choosing his genin team over his teammates, but Sasuke and Sakura really did not mind. Sasuke ended up not going at all whereas Sakura went with some of the hospital staffs on the last day.
"It's fine! Really!" Sakura was glad that Hinata finally built up the courage to invite Naruto out, albeit she needed Kiba's help. But it was a first step nonetheless! There was no way that she would ruin this wonderful opportunity for the shy Hyuga. It had been more than a decade and everyone were dying to see their relationship blossom.
The pinkette stood up, "I am actually on my way to find Sasuke right now. I will let him know you can't make it. Have fun!"
With that, Sakura gave him one tight hug, waved to Teuchi and Ayame, and nearly skipped out of the store. Sasori gave her an odd look as he followed close behind.
"I thought you were excited to go with your team. Why the sudden change? Who is Hinata?" the Suna-nin asked as they headed towards their next destination.
Sakura had a cheerful hop in her step, "Hinata Hyuga. I am sure you know she is the heiress of the Hyuga clan. She has harbored feelings for Naruto since our academy days, but she is too shy to tell him and he is too oblivious to notice!"
"Just like us," Sasori thought.
"I sure hope she confess to him at the festival. It would be so romantic!"
"Romantic?" Sasori titled his head. He was confused why a crowded and loud place such as a festival would be a romantic place for confessions.
Sakura wiggled her index finger, "When people confess, they usually move away from the crowd. The lights and noises from the festival create a nice, warm atmosphere from a distance."
"Would you like to be confessed to at the festival?" Sasori asked quietly.
The pinkette almost stopped walking as a look of terror crossed her eyes, "No! I've been confessed to at the festival and the poor man was nearly killed by Sasuke and Naruto. I don't have any evidence, but I'm sure it was them! They totally ruined the romantic atmosphere for me."
Sakura proceeded to tell him in details of how that confession went from a nice surprise to pure horror and embarrassment that she was still trying to forget. Then she moved on to her other stories that involved her admirers and the suspected intervention of her teammates. The fate of those man, civilians and shinobis alike, should be a bright and clear warning to those who dared to pursue Sakura, but Sasori was not deterred. In fact, he appreciated how her teammates kept the pinkette from being taken before he had the chance to meet her.
By the time Sakura finished her eighth story, the pair had already arrived at the main Uchiha house. Before she could knock on the door, it swung open, revealing Sasuke. He nodded at Sasori in greeting, then looked at Sakura, "I heard you down the road. You don't have proof that Naruto threw that man into the river."
Sakura crossed her arms as she stepped into the house, "I don't have proof for anything and I'm sure you have something to do with it. Naruto isn't careful enough."
A small smirk crossed Sasuke's lips before his expression went blank again. "What brings you two here?" He led them into the main sitting room and plopped down onto the tatami floor. Sakura noted that he must had been reading the stacks of scrolls on the table.
"I was reminded that the Autumn Festival starts tomorrow! So I came to ask you if we are still going together. Naruto can't come again this year, but it's because Hinata asked him to go with her."
"Hinata?" Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, "Are you sure? Wouldn't she have fainted the moment she sees him or something?"
"Technically Kiba asked for her but that's minor details!" Sakura huffed. It was just like Sasuke to put a damper on things.
"I am down to go. I don't have any missions or work that would interfere this year," he looked at Sasori, "I'm assuming you are going with us?"
Just as Sasori was about to reply, a voice interrupted the group from the hallway, "Could I tag along as well?"
Sasori felt the fine hair on his arms bristle.
"Of course!" Sakura smiled happily, "The more the merrier! Let's invite Shisui and Izumi-san, too! This is going to be so much fun!"
That was how four Uchihas, a pinkette, and a red head found themselves meeting up at the main entrance of the street where the Autumn Festival was being held. All the Konoha nins were wearing their yukatas, but Sasori was in his usual gear. Sakura had offered to help him get one after they left the Uchiha household the day prior, but Sasori insisted that he did not feel comfortable in yukatas.
Izumi gave Sakura a gentle hug, "You hair is beautiful!"
Sakura blushed slightly as she subconsciously brushed her side swept bang behind her ear. The rest of her hair was twisted and knotted neatly behind her head and little purple flowers adorned the pink tresses.
When Sakura showed Sasori her pastel yukata and simple hair bun, he had demanded that she sit down and let an artist do a proper job. "Sasori did it for me."
Three pairs of onyx eyes immediately focused on the Suna-nin. One was filled with surprise, another with slight distaste, but the last pair was warm. "You are very talented, Sasori-san," Izumi smiled as she held out a hand, "I'm Uchiha Izumi by the way. That's Uchiha Shisui, we are all cousins, except Itachi and Sasuke, who are brothers as you know."
Sasori shook her hand politely, "Thank you. Nice to meet you."
"Can we go now?" Sasuke, who had been staring at one of the food stalls since they had arrived, said"I'm hungry."
Sakura nodded, "Me too! Let's go! We might see Hinata and Naruto! And Wataru-san, too!" With that, she linked her arm with Sasuke's and led the group into the busy street. Izumi and Shisui held hands as they followed right behind whereas Itachi and Sasori kept a respectable distance between each other. The Uchiha couple had felt the tension rising between them and were trying to stay within a safe zone near Sakura.
After an hour or two, both Sasuke and Sakura had had their fill of food. Just as the group neared the game booth area, Izumi saw some of her friends outside of the clan and had politely left, with Shisui in tow, to speak with them. She promised to return before the night was over. Thus, only the other four were left.
As Sakura waved goodbye to the pair, she saw something through the corner of her eyes.
"Are there any games that you would like to play?" Itachi asked the pinkette, after noticing her gaze was directed at one of the game booths.
"Water yo-yo," Sakura answered, "Naruto get me one every year. Last year, one of the junior medics got me one."
"I'll get it for you," both Itachi and Sasori said in unison, causing Sasuke to lift an eyebrow.
"Thanks!" Sakura beamed, completely unaware of the new level that the tension had reached. "Let's go!"
The various array of bright colors nearly overwhelmed Sasori when they reached the booth. There were no festivals such as this one back in Suna and there definitely was not enough water laying around for people to conjure up a toy such as the water yo-yo.
The old man manning the booth grinned when he noticed the pink hair of one of his regular customers. "Sakura-chan, long time no see! Who is your new knight this year? I don't see Naruto-kun or that other medic from last year."
"I have two this year," Sakura winked as she gestured towards Itachi and Sasori. The man laughed as he held out two hooks towards the ANBUs. Both men had mentally declared that he would get a yo-yo before the other.
Sasuke held his hand out, asking for a hook, "Make it three." The younger Uchiha, unlike Sakura, had felt the spike in tension a moment ago, and decided that it was time to shut both grown men down.
Sakura blinked at her teammate, then laughed as he crouched down in front of the tub of water yo-yo. Itachi and Sasori hesitated for brief moment, made eye contact, then followed suit. The medic picked up a light conversation with the booth owner while the three shinobis hunted down their respective yo-yos.
Almost in unison, all three lifted their hooks and pulled out a yo-yo. Sakura gasped, "Wow! Good job!"
The owner grinned, "Which one is your favorite, Sakura-chan?"
The pinkette looked at each of the yo-yos. Itachi was holding a pink one with swirls of various greens, Sasori had a violet one with pink and white flowers, and Sasuke had an orange one with splashes of blue and yellow. Sakura smiled happily as she reached out and took the one in Sasuke's hands.
"This one is my favorite," she hugged him, "Thank you, Sasuke!"
Sasori and Itachi both narrowed their eyes, but Sasuke ignored them. "You are welcomed," he said softly to Sakura.
"Would you like mine as well?" Itachi asked as he held out his yo-yo.
Sakura was reaching out to take the water balloon from his hand when she noticed two young girls next to her staring at the yo-yo. She smiled and bend towards them, "Do you want it?"
The child who was obviously older nodded as the other girl partially hid behind her. "Can we have it?"
Sakura nodded and looked at Itachi, who gave her a small smile before he turned towards the children and semi-knelt to their eye level. He held out the water yo-yo and the girl took it with both hands and a grateful thank you. Then she turned towards the other, who Sakura assumed was her younger sister, and put the toy in her hands.
"Say thank you," she guided.
"Thank… thank you," the little girl said quietly.
As Itachi stood back up to his full height, he felt Sasori crouch down beside him. The red head held out his own conquest towards the older girl. His face was blank, but the small gesture was enough explanation for the girl. She grinned and grabbed the yo-yo.
"Thank you so much!"
The pinkette had a warm smile on her face as she waved goodbye to the girls, who skipped away hand in hand. She smiled at her ANBUs, "That was very sweet of you two."
"Do you want to play another game?" Sasuke asked offhandedly, before the other men could make the atmosphere awkward.
Sakura looked around and a ring toss stand caught her eye. She pointed at it and Itachi's lips lifted slightly, but it did not escape Sasuke's eyes. However, before the younger Uchiha could speak up, Itachi had already steered Sakura towards the booth.
"Sakura, let's have a contest. If I win, can I have a favor from you?" Itachi asked politely as Sasori tensed.
"Sure! And vice versa, right?" the pinkette grinned. She rather enjoyed ring toss and she always gave Naruto a run for his money whenever they played. There was no way she would lose. That favor might as well be in her bag already.
Sasuke groaned as his older brother paid for their rings while he and Sasori stood behind them.
Sasori, who noticed Sasuke's slight distress, asked, "Is something the matter?"
"Itachi is really good at ring toss," Sasuke sighed, "Sakura just got hustled."