Disclaimer: The characters I used in this story are not owned by me. All rights are reserved to Masashi Kishimoto, respective creator of Naruto.
To The Heart
By Rikayu
Chapter Ten: Excuses
If only Ino hadn't coaxed her. But it was only tradition after all, so not going to her place for the usual weekend thing was considered a terrible crime. Ino-pig would go rampaging throughout all of Konoha, and that usually wasn't pretty.
If only Shikamaru wasn't so non-chalant about the whole matter, maybe he'd actually think of stopping the crazy woman. But she had him wrapped around her little finger, so there was no use in even trying.
If only the dinner Choji had prepared hadn't been so sweet-smelling from the window then maybe she would have actually gone through her plan of only staying to chat for a while. As much as the ninja loved to eat food, he also loved to cook, and Sakura was one of his favorite testers for any new concoctions.
If only Kiba and Naruto weren't fighting over the last pork dumpling, maybe Hinata wouldn't have had to play peacemaker. With Ino making most of her time for her family's flower shop and her now two-year boyfriend in Shikamaru, Hinata was the only person where girl-talk could be applied... That is, if she wasn't off somewhere with Naruto, which had been happening more frequently as of late.
If only Shino actually talked more. The silent one still kept to himself for most of the time, and she'd chanced upon exchanging casual conversation a few times, but nothing much. And she was still a little uncomfortable with the bugs...
If only, if only...
If only someone hadn't started bringing out the sake. Naruto's face wouldn't have turned a bright red as he laughed and laughed at some stupid joke Kiba had said about green goblins, or something of the sort. Hinata wouldn't be blushing so much that she had turned the color of Naruto's face as well. Even the quiet Shino had taken to laughing with Shikamaru and Ino. Choji was already passed out on the floor.
If only she hadn't kept promising herself to drink only one or two. As the drinks started to come, one or two became 'Well maybe just one more'. She enjoyed falling into it as much as the others did, and it didn't take her long to start swaying and feel the warmth of the alcohol spread across her cheeks.
If only, if only...
If only this wasn't normal, the mandatory attendance, the food, the drink, the company... Oh kami, the company. The faces she saw nearly everyday and called 'friend', and felt comfortable to spend her time with.
If only this tradition wasn't tradition in their mutual undestandings then she could walk home without concern and save it for some other time. The need for an ending where they would all part ways wouldn't be necessary.
But it was.
So as tradition followed, Sakura exited the door to walk home at around 2 in the morning with Neji Hyuuga as her escort. They'd walk the same route each time, passing by a closed Ichiraku on the way to her apartment. A comment here, a smart phrase there; the usual conversation.
If only it had taken the usual less than 15 minutes to reach their destination, but giggles and staggering feet have a way of prolonging things. A walk to the door and a plan for the next day's training session was as good as a goodbye as any. But as Sakura smiled and Neji stepped forward into her dark apartment, tradition was broken.
End Note: I had fun writing that. =3
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