Fillers are over! Back to serious business! The most important chapter of story, coming up… RETURN!

Chapter 11

Return

After two weeks of travelling with their super annoying team-mates, Neji and Sakura's undying love finally convinced Naruto and Lee that they are REALLY in love… so in the end, they had an agreement, agreeing to leave the two little love-birds alone for three months. The "contract" looked like this:

Uzumaki Naruto and Rock Lee will observe Hyuuga Neji for three months. In these three months, Neji must:

1. Protect the beautiful lotus blossom from any harm even if it costs his own life!

2. Eat ramen with Sakura!!

3. Do whatever Sakura tells him to do!

4. Never call Naruto an idiot.

5. Hey! Naruto, stop writing down stupid ones!

6. Ramen is cool!

7. What else?

8. I know I know! They have to help Naruto and Lee finding their love, too!

9. … I only love Sakura-Chan!

10. Well… all right, cross number eight out then.

11. You BAKAS! This is enough! Give it to me!!!!!!!!!!!

12. Sakura-Chan is so scary when she's angry…

Signed: Naruto and Lee

Neji sighed as he read the "contract". I just hope there are no more Sakura lovers… all Sakura lovers are so… crazy.

When Team DragonSlayers finally arrived Konoha, Naruto nearly screamed with excitement, forgetting everything else, including his precious Sakura-Chan (for only about two minutes). He had been thinking about that one certain ninja for so many times during this mission. Now that boy was standing right in front of his eyes… a smirk that was so familiar yet friendly…

Uchiha Sasuke was leaning against the gate of Konoha.

"Yo, Dobe."

... there was a little pause.

"Sasuke you bastard!" Naruto happily shouted with a twinkle of tear in his eyes. He gave Sasuke a nudge; Sasuke rubbed Naruto's head with his fist. Kakashi smiled, watching the two best friends.

"Sa… Sasuke-Kun?" Sakura still couldn't believe her own eyes… Sasuke-Kun has returned?

Neji walked on, Sakura looked at Neji's back in a confused face, Neji?

...I wonder if she is still a Sasuke-fan-girl like she was five years ago… Neji's expression didn't change,Everyone in Konoha knew how much Sakura loved Sasuke… in fact, before the mission, Sakura still thought of Sasuke every night and cried in her sleep for not able to convince Sasuke to stay. He was hoping that Sakura won't leave him because of Sasuke's return. But if she loves him, then it is still her choice, I shouldn't stand in her way.

"Welcome back, Uchiha." Neji murmured monotonously as he walked pass Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded, then turned to Sakura. He expected Sakura to jump onto him. Kakashi told him how hurt Sakura was, and all the rookie nines had sad stories of how Sakura searched for him, wanting to become stronger just for him, and of course, how she pretended that she don't care any more so Naruto won't get worried…

To Sasuke's surprise, Sakura didn't move a muscle. She just stood there… there was no flirting like when they were twelve years old, Sakura was simply repeating to herself, "Sasuke-kun is back?"

Sasuke smiled. He stared into Sakura's emerald green eyes, they were so clear… she is more beautiful than I imagined…

"LET'S GO AND HAVE SOME RAMEN!" Naruto shouted, dragging both Sasuke and Sakura along, "Lee, are you coming, too?!"

Sakura suddenly realised that Neji had already gone home.

Lee laughed, "sure!"

They talked for quite a while, laughing at old memories, asking each other what they had being up to in the previous years… Sasuke had changed. He didn't want to kill Itachi any more; he finally understood what Kakashi meant five years ago…

"Sakura?" Sasuke looked at her, "you've been a bit quiet… what's wrong?"

But, Sakura just smiled at Sasuke's question, "This is so unexpected…"though inside, she was screaming. What should I do?! Sasuke is back and he is showing interest in me! But I'm Neji's girlfriend… oh Kami, what should I do?!

Sasuke laughed lightly, seeing Sakura so cutely twisted her fingers… a strand of her pink lock brushed over her face. She is beautiful…

During their entire meeting, Sasuke had being staring at Sakura with a passion that he didn't even try to hide. He studied her intently, smiled at her little movements such as biting her lower lip, shifting in her seat… he couldn't help the thought of wanting to kiss her. Do you really think you mean nothing to mean in all those past years? Do you really think that i don't care about you at all? Then why, why are you the only one who can stop my curse seal from spreading with just a little hug... why, why are you the only one who can make my heart cry as I left Konoha... why, why are you the only one who made me understand the word, love... you mean more to me than you think, Sakura...chan.

Sakura can sense Sasuke's gaze. She turned, not wanting to meet those passionate eyes, those eyes she fell for all those years.

"Sasuke-teme, when did you come back?"

"oh, a week ago." Sasuke answered Naruto, but his eyes never left Sakura.

"hmmm, how did Kakashi-sensei convince you?"Naruto was a bit dissapointed that he wasn't the one who brought Sasuke back.

Sasuke smirked, "I came back because of Sakura."

"REALLY?!" Naruto and Lee both looked at him as if he suddenly turned into a huge polar bear.

"yes."

Sakura was blushing very hard.

"I miss you." Sasuke murmured to Sakura.

Kami, she's so CUTE when she blushes… what was I thinking, leaving her and ignoring her all those years! I could've had the prettiest girl in Konoha! She's more gorgeous than all of the Sound girls plus together… while Sasuke was having naughty thoughts of Sakura, Tenten came along. She greeted them with a huge 'Tenten-smile'.

"cool, you guys are back!" Tenten waved her hand, "how was your mission?"

"it was alright… the girl fell in love with Neji…" Naruto tried to remember what happened.

"… A girl fell in love with Neji?" after a little pause, Tenten burst out in laughter, "really? Hah ha, what happened? Did Neji date her?" though she acted like that on the outside, but she was actually thinking, hmmm, interesting, I'm getting more rivals…

Sakura remembered how Fantasy loved Neji, and she was very sure that she still hates Fantasy for flirting with HER Neji.

"No…" Lee answered.

Tenten let out a little sigh; thank Kami… Neji's still single.

"But Sakura is his girlfriend now…" Lee finished his sentence with nearly a sob.

"WHAT?!" both Sasuke and Tenten were so surprised that they chocked… and coughed… and chocked more… then coughed more…

"Tenten!"

"Sasuke-teme!"

Naruto and Lee rushed to their teammates. Sakura's face was as red as a tomato.

She looks like a strawberry… Sasuke managed to keep his gaze on Sakura even when he was coughing. Yes, of course Sasuke will come up with a better simile than the author…

"SAKURA IS GOING OUT WITH THAT HYUUGA?!" Sasuke had chidori in his hands… where is that damn Neji?!

Next chapter

Sasuke Vs. Neji! Battle I

-End of chapter-

My little anonymous-review-replying whiteboard!

Um… thank you for your reviews. But unfortunately, some reviews are anonymous, so I can't reply… no matter; I am replying them in this.

1. Thank you,al2010, UwIllNevERn0, narutogrl93,shadow miko, and arubadiamond for your constant support.-rewards all of you with a lollipop, lol, i'm poor, so i can't afford two lollipops-

2. Diana: yes, I have written all of the chapters for this story, but on paper. So sometimes if I can't be bothered turning on the computer and update the story. I still have the story somewhere in my incredibly messy room.

3. Somebody you don't know: I'm glad that you like this fanfic better than the other one I wrote… Chapter two: well, some fan-subs translate Neji's technique as "strikes" other than "palms". oh and thanks for the review.

4. Sasuke's-girl: thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you like the story, lol.

And finally, to all my reviewers: "Return" is an extremely important chapter; therefore I have fillers before it. And besides, I need to make it sound as if the team were gone at least three months.

AN: I'd really appreciate your review, suggestions and critisisms, flames are welcome as long as you don't swear.