Title: A Change of heart

Author: Anne-twilight

Genre: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Warning: Some words aren't appropriate for 13 and below.

Summary: Sakura had a change of heart. Since Sasuke don't like her, she given him up and put all of her attention on practicing and making herself strong. She doesn't want to be weak. But she doesn't know that this change might catch some unexpected attention... (NejSakSas)


Chapter X: Shikamaru's Confession

"Chosen people of Konoha, Let's celebrate!" Ino announced as she raised her cup of orange juice.

Some of the girls and boys raised their own cup of juice but the others didn't. On the other hand, Ino decided to ignore them in the reason of they shouldn't spoil her evening.

This is the last day that they were going to stay here. The thought makes her happy but saddened her at the same time. From the very start of this, it was like she rather die than to see Haruno almost every second.

But now, Ino couldn't understand why she can't even say that she despised her from the very second she announced that she had a secret crush on Uchiha Sasuke.

Ino, of course, could say that she have respected Sakura ever since they were a child. It grew even more when they had a drawn recently in the Chuunin Exam.

Eventually, Sakura also help her to understand whom she really likes. She, herself, didn't realize it until she had eavesdropped last night to their conversation with him.

.::Flashback::.

Ino woke up with a start. She didn't know what happened to her dream that made her woke up. All she remembered was that it was not good enough to be talked to with others.

She really didn't entertain nightmares to; she shrugged it off and completely ignored.

Then, she noticed that her throat had gone dry. Maybe because of her dream.

So, with a new gathered courage to step out of the cold room into a total hot one, she got up and walked to the door silently (trying not to wake others, which successfully happened).

When she opened the door, she almost fainted when the hot air hit her. But her throat was sour and her need for cold water got the best of her, she finally stepped out of the room in tiptoes.

Getting into the kitchen was not as easy as she thought. She bumped into what she presumed the old cabinet, the component and so many others she can't put a name to. Of course, searching in the dark wasn't one of Ino's many talents.

After 10 minutes or so, she (fully alive and with no bruises) arrived at the kitchen door. She garbs the doorknob and was about to turn it when she heard the unmistakable voices of Sakura and Shikamaru.

A deep frown graced her features. What are these two doing up in the kitchen and in the middle of the night no less?

A foreign feeling rose through her as the thought pop out of her brain. Ino shooked her head and controlled herself. Who is she to interfere if they were having such conversation in the middle of the night?

It wasn't her business nor problem.

But being Ino she is, she would never let this opportunity to blackmail Haruno Sakura. And she is already here, so might as well go beyond her limits and listen a little to their so-called conversation.

"Come on, Shikamaru. Don't give me that look. I just told you what I've observed." Ino heard Sakura said casually to Shikamaru. Ino couldn't see anything from the small keyhole but light.

She can't help but wonder. What did Sakura said to Shikamaru that made him look at her like that (Even though she can't see what kind of look Shikamaru had given)?

Ino waited for seconds and still no answer from Shikamaru. She was curious, yes. But what will happen to her if she was caught listening to other's conversation?

What a shame.

She also was attentive if someone was walking towards the door or something sort of.

Ino heard someone sigh. She doesn't have a clue if that was Haruno or Shikamaru.

"Fine. I admit it. I like Ino. So what now? She always notice Sasuke not me. It doesn't really matter of what I feel because the person I like is in-love with someone else who doesn't even glance at her. For that, there's nothing I can do about it." Shikamaru said in a soft voice.

As for Ino outside, it took her a moment to register what her teammate had just said. He likes Ino.

He likes her? Her? Yamanaka Ino? The girl who always criticizes him? Maybe he was insane. Yes, maybe.

But...

What about her? What about her someone else who didn't even glance at her or more simple Uchiha Sasuke?

At the very moment, Ino heard another statement coming from Sakura. But right now, she could care less.

All she needs to do now is to run to their room and think. Think about her, Sasuke and Shikamaru.

Her feelings for Sasuke had somewhat stumbled down when she heard Shikamaru's confession (Not to her but to Sakura).

Neither she knew that Sakura was able to sense her chakra and knew all along that she was outside...

.::End of Flashback::.

"So Sakura-sensei, can you teach me how to cook these type of foods?" Choji asked the pink-haired girl who was currently sipping her orange juice.

She sat in her favorite spot of the table and eventually enjoying her night.

"Ask it out to Shikamaru. He knows how to cook it since he was there when I cooked it." Sakura replied politely. Choji smiled thankfully at her before buzzing out of his seat to Shikamaru, who glared at her (In which Sakura decided to ignore fully).

She shrugged it off and cast Neji a look. When she did, a big scowl formed. Neji was wearing his casual white shirt and long white pants (Like others since this was their last day.)

Neji looked like he was angry at something and (unbelievably) it affects her greatly. Sometimes she feels this kind of feeling too but ignores it. And now, it was taking into her again.

She tried to shrug it off, only to find that she can't. She didn't like this. She didn't like this at all.

She knew this feeling all too well. This is the feeling when she had seen Uchiha Sasuke practicing or training in the woods one day. Her long crush was gone but her memories were not.

Is this love?

No, this is not. Sakura kept chanting into her head. She wouldn't agree with her heart. She had gone all through this before and when Sasuke rejected her it almost broke her.

And now she was starting all over again. She wouldn't fall-in-love with a man who is so much like Uchiha Sasuke. In emotions, physical strength, intelligent and almost all...

Don't compare someone over someone!!! A voice screamed in her head making Sakura flinch.

What to do now? She can't possibly fall for an anti-social boy without any emotions left within him.

"Everyone. We had a visitor." Sasuke announced indifferently. He stood up and grab a knife near him, and threw it somewhere. Everyone in the room abruptly stopped whatever things they are doing.

Sakura raised her eyebrows to Sasuke's actions. Why did he do that?

"Why did you do that?" Neji said. Not liking the idea of Sasuke having Sakura's attention. He, of course, had noticed some unknown yet familiar chakra in the room.

"Sasuke, you should have finished the party before you did that thing. You should have tortured our unwanted visitor by making him wait." Sakura revised Neji's recent statement.

"How did you know it was a he?" Shino asked suddenly. He sensed something that wasn't right.

"Well, show yourself... Kabuto." She said as she sipped her cup empty and placed her cup neatly at the table.

Within a second or so, Kabuto appeared with that freaking smirk in his face. "My pleasure, Haruno Sakura."


AN: Hi!!! So how was that? I put extra effort in writing that one. So please review!!

And also! Please read my two new fics here in FF.NET. Pretty Please?! By the way, thanks for vivian-chan for editing this chapter!!

Thanks a lot to all that reviewed this story!! :D

Anne