Boys Over Flowers

by Mandarins

[Private School AU] "You should watch your back, you don't belong here." Sasuke uttered before leaving, three others following behind him. Having none of this upper-class propriety, Sakura decides to go against the grain of the prestigious school. However, sparks begin to fly and she slowly tears down the walls they built-up all these years. [better in later chapters]

13. Chapter 13

A/N: This chapter may seem so rushed, but it's because I honestly hate this arc in the show. But is has to happen. :

quite literally in the show: they get there - drama same day - pyo leaves the next day

the beach arc lasts I think three days at max, so this is me trying to space it out more lmao

---

To say that Sakura was confused would be a complete understatement.

Dinner was long over, Ino and Shikamaru opting to speak privately, but Sakura knew better than to believe their words. The pinkette would not be surprised if she saw the two engaging in a walk along the beach as she did so alone.

Gazing back up at the night sky, Sakura marveled at the beauty of the peaceful night. Away from the night pollution of the city, she was able to fully appreciate the unhindered light of the gorgeous stars above her.

Sakura dragged a lazy finger along the boardwalk's metal fence, taking in the environment around her. The reflection of the moon bounced off the soothing waters, as the pinkette lost herself in thought over the last few months.

A certain weasel promulgated the most thought within her. He seemed to just always be there, when Sakura needed him. The older Uchiha seemingly making it his mission to get closer to the pinkette. If not for the incident with Karin, Sakura would have expected him to be perfect in every way. But the situation made him much more real - imperfect and trying.

And yet, somehow the distant looks of Sasuke and Naruto also hung in the background. Sasuke was being strangely friendly to her. But if Sakura had to pin-point it to an exact moment, maybe it was originally at the yacht. Or when she beat his ass.

There was no way to be exactly sure, but Sakura knew better than to try to understand the enigma that is Uchiha Sasuke.

And then there was Naruto. The bright blond who acted seemingly as a light in the darkness, during her first few weeks attending school. And now, it seemed his personality did not fit his real character. He was different in every way that seemed to matter to him before, which made Sakura wonder what really happened while he was away with Hinata.

Naruto's genuine smile always motivated Sakura to share the same sentiment right back at him.

But the occasion seemed rare and more spread out than usual.

Sakura even had a difficult moment visualizing it. His smile these days came out more like a smirk or something obviously feigned - like he was hiding something with his own inclination underneath. Why could Sakura not will a real smile in her own mind? Why was Naruto so real - that he no longer held his usually bright visage?

Then she was casually knocked on her forehead with the palm of someone's hand.

"Is it safe for you to be walking around alone?"

Sakura rubbed at the area, the pressure light and as the stinging held for more than a few seconds later. She was still doubled-over, hair draping over her line of sight. The pinkette had half the mind to sock the guy in the stomach, but looked up to a familiar face.

"What is up with you?" Sakura hissed at the motion, pushing the hand of her male friend away.

"Why so mean, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked with a small grin.

Sakura grimaced and seriously contemplated just flat-out pushing him into the water, instead saying sarcastically, "Can I help you?"

His grin morphed to a smirk, "That depends, what do you have to offer?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, so much so that she must have lost them back there. "Goodbye, Naruto."

But he was immediately following, close next to her. They were nearing the end of the boardwalk, the side-by-side pair now entering the boundaries of the beach. There were a few people walking along as well, basking in the beauty of the night sky.

After a small exhale on her part, Naruto asked, "Thinking about something?" He hesitated, "Or should I say someone?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sakura teased.

"Never thought you'd end up an Uchiha."

"I still don't."

Naruto quirked a brow in questioning, "We both know that's a lie." Sakura was quick to say something, but she was interrupted. "I'm sorry, weren't you cuddling hands with a certain clan heir just this morning?"

Sakura bit her bottom lip, "Do you wanna fight?"

Naruto laughed, it was not often that the pinkette's rough vernacular made an appearance. It was often in the presence of or subject to the Uchiha's.

"You told me to be honest with myself. Do you not follow your own advice?"

Sakura hesitated, that's true. If she was being completely honest, keeping in mind everything she knew and all the responsibilities she has, then there was one clear answer to everyone's strange feelings.

"I have too much on my plate to seriously be with anyone with right now." Sakura sighed out, happy to get the truth out in the open with someone willing to listen. "I have a scholarship and an apprenticeship that has not been offered to anyone in a generation. I can't squabble it all away now over some guy."

"You're truly one of a kind, Sakura-chan."

"Why?"

"Education over the Uchiha heir?"

Sakura paused then conceded, "Touché."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I have much more to prove to myself and everyone else."

Naruto nodded along, genuinely taking in his friend's concerns.

"Since this is honesty hour," Naruto started, "It's only fair that I offer something back."

Sakura smiled in question, unsure where the blond was going with this.

"I was so caught up with what I wanted to have with Hinata, that I neglected what I already had in front of me - with you."

Sakura paused, looking toward the open side on her right before turning to the blond fully.

Before her was a man, crushed from feelings that never really came to fruition. A man who wanted nothing more than to be with the absolute love of his life, but came to the cruel realization that they simply did not work. Naruto's wounds were still fresh, not having any closure for his life-long dream. Sakura looked at him sadly, realizing all this.

Putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, "If only."

"It seems I really am too late?" Naruto asked, eyes looking as if he was pleading.

"You mean so much to me, Naruto -"

"Ah." He interrupted, "I recognize those words."

Sakura hesitated before sliding her hand down from its place to encase his much larger hand in hers. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm just an idiot." Naruto murmured, downcast expression prevalent. "Is it because of him?"

"Who's him?"

Naruto looked at her with a gaze that basically read you know who. "Either."

"No." Sakura said definitively. "I've always wanted to focus on school, even when I first enrolled. I don't know what's up with Sasuke, but remember I kicked his ass."

That cracked a smile on Naruto's serious visage, "As if I could forget."

"And Itachi." Sakura paused in her words, "I don't think I'm ready for something as serious as he is."

Naruto nodded, this time not responding to her candor. Sakura missed this - having someone ready and wanting to listen. It was often someone else - Uchiha's especially - who talked and had their will imposed on others without regard to their feelings.

Sasuke basically violated her person - she would never forget his act of drowning. And Itachi, she knew as damn fact at this point, allowed his will to come to life through other people. Students, teachers, his own mom - they all contributed to their relationship and there was no way Itachi was unaware of this. That was the one major thing she did not like about either man - they always had an agenda. In all honesty, everyone had something they desired. But Sasuke and Itachi specifically, Sakura was sure what they wanted involved her - and that was something she did not want to simply give into.

"You're so mature, Sakura-chan." The blond vocalized in a teasing voice.

She lightly pushed his shoulder, "One of us has to be."

But Naruto grabbed her hand before she could draw it back, lightly pulling on it to bring her hole body toward him. Before Sakura had any say in the matter, he was holding her in a gentle embrace, one that she could surely break if she made any movement whatsoever.

"I'm glad I got to know you, Sakura-chan." He murmured into the top of her head, both of his arms engulfing her in a bear hug. "I wish I met you even sooner."

"Naruto..." Sakura started.

"I know, I know." He reasoned as he drew back, enough that he could speak to her face-to-face. His arms were still around her and she returned the sentiment, "You're my friend. And I have to put that above everything else."

The pinkette smiled.

"Even my feelings." He added.

Sakura stiffened immediately, but at least appreciated that Naruto knew where her mind was as well. If not for their complicated feelings, they could be great friends (the pinkette later mused this was probably the case for a lot of people).

"Know that I care about you, Naruto." Sakura continued, "But... You're my friend."

"I know."

Sakura kept her thoughts around this, even as Naruto guided her back toward her personal cabana since it was getting late.

Naruto bid her farewell at her door, waiting until it was fully shut behind the pinkette before he started walking away. The night was still young and he was on his own walk to clear his mind when he accidentally ran into the person who was plaguing said mind.

The blond could concede, fully and unabashedly, that he was easily swayed by his emotions. He tended to follow his gut feelings and even more his sense of want and desire. For so many years, there was only one person who could fill the slot of his endgame. Children adorned with bright blue eyes and long flowing dark hair were the only ones he could even perceive.

And yet now every where Naruto looked, he could only see pink.

He grimaced at the turn of events and cursed himself from months ago even more, there was no one to blame but his own blinded desire.

And he would be damned if he went down without a fight.

Naruto gazed out to the sea, right where he had been staying just moments ago with the pinkette, thinking of just what and how he was going to do next.

Life was so unfair.

Returning back to the very spot on the beach, where moments ago he was with the pinkette, Naruto gazed out to the ending abyss that is the open sea. He thought back wistfully, wondering just how far him and the pinkette could have progressed to now, if he had instead turned his attention to Sakura months ago.

He reached down, hand rubbing at the soft sand, before reaching to a rock smoothed by the waves. Naruto sighed, closing his eyes as he raised it and let it loose against the water.

The blond did this a few more times, before sitting down to the sounds of his thoughts and the sea.

But his hand hit something much more solid, holding a shape of something much more delicate than a rock. A part of him wondered if it was a beach snake and he seriously contemplated throwing it into the water, far away from him now.

It was an anklet.

Was this Sakura's?

Naruto thought back to her bodice, it was unlike the pinkette to wear something like this. Actually, it was rare for Sakura to wear any jewelry at all. She had learned the hard way that Sasuke had not qualms in vandalizing her backpack or destroying her bike, so why wear anything of value that could be just as easily wrecked?

Just for safe keeping, Naruto secured the anklet around his own wrist, making a mental note to ask Sakura if it truly was hers the next day. And if not, then it would be a sentimental gift from him.

Brown eyes peered at the earlier exchange, a little ways in the distance. Neither Naruto or Sakura had seen her, but she sure as hell saw them. Sakura smiled away as the blond waved her goodnight, before she returned into her designated home. It was confirmed by the pinkette herself that she once had feelings for the blond, so what were they doing together now?

"You see something?" Iwaizumi asked from alongside her.

"Yeah." Tenten responded vaguely, "Sorry. I just saw my two friends and they have a complicated past together."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, just hope they didn't do anything they'd later regret." Tenten explained, her mind now removed from the walk she was having with the volleyball player.

"But I trust Naruto, he's the good one." She murmured.

Iwaizumi eyes widened in recognition, "As in Uzumaki Naruto?"

Tenten bit her lip, worried that this could break into a possible scandal, "Yes, why?"

He stopped in front of her, arms now crossed, but a smile adorning his face. "You're a strange girl, Tenten." Tenten reeled back, not expecting that type of response.

"Even I know who the Uzumaki's are." Iwaizumi explained, "But it's none of my business, anyway."

Tenten smiled in appreciation. Iwaizumi was growing more and more on her, it seemed. He was athletic (with a wildly impressive physique to boot goddamn) with a down-to-earth personality. The dark-haired man was much more moderate in his social ability, as opposed to Tenten's eccentric close friends.

"I wish I could get to know you more." Tenten admitted.

Iwaizumi hesitated, before responding. "Then we should make the most of our time here."

Tenten shot a beaming smile at him, before including him in the plans made for the following day.

---

There was no way to categorize Sasuke's behavior, Sakura mused.

He had personally taken the time to wake her, none-to-gentle, of course. The onyx-haired man had no problems banging on her door just as the sun was rising. Sakura ignored it for a good bit of time, before the knocking had suddenly turned gentle and much too close.

Sakura threw the blanket off her head just to see Sasuke sitting at the chair in the corner of her room, lazily knocking on the dresser next to him. He had that damned smirk on his face and it was too early to have to deal with this.

The pinkette took one hard look at the Uchiha, who was seemingly smirking away as he maintained eye-contact, before shoving herself under the sweet security of the blanket once again.

"Sakura." Sasuke permeated the silence of the room and she could hear his sigh.

It was his fault anyway, Sakura grumbled inwardly.

But her thoughts of dismembering him or throwing him off the dock were instantly replaced with fear, as she felt the bed dip with his added weight.

Sakura instinctively drew her foot to herself, similar to a fetal position, but Sasuke lifted the blanket and grabbed her foot all in one movement.

She barely had any time to threaten him before he was tickling the bottom of her foot.

The pinkette could not stop the flurry of laughing and curses that immediately followed. Rather, she tried kicking him with her free appendage instead, to which he grabbed and smirked.

"Wait, I give!" Sakura conceded, steaming inside at being bested by this ass.

"Good." But she had yet to actually sit-up. "Where were you last night?"

Sakura refused to answer.

He whispered her name in a low-tone, one that surely spelled trouble, which made the pinkette sit-up in anguish. "I'm not a dog for you to play with at your beck and call.

The Uchiha poked her on the forehead, "I know that. But you're a damn swimmer and you still almost drowned. Am I not allowed to be worried?"

Sakura was stunned into silence. This was the same Sasuke, the one who constantly ridiculed her? Even attempting to complete demoralize her reputation?

Why did he even care?

He scoffed at her lack of response to his question and continued, "There's breakfast."

Sakura plopped face first back into the bed, "Tell the others I'm going to be late."

"It's just for us."

Sakura lifted her head, "I hate you." She murmured. Sasuke only laughed at the statement, bending to sit down directly next to the prone body, now muttering curses at him.

"I'm giving you three seconds to take your ugly ass off my bed before I forcibly make you." Sakura basically commanded, but the Uchiha did not let up. Rather, he sat further into the bed, cherishing in her averse reaction.

With a battle cry, Sakura attempted to attack the Uchiha off her comfy place of solace, only to end up getting thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Which led to Sakura now, blatantly unhappy at being woken at such a goddamn hour, sitting across from a smirking Sasuke.

After a few moments of simply glaring at him, she asked. "Why did you do this to me?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "I thought you'd want to say hi to your family, before they left for work."

At this, Sakura immediately sat upright, "You kidnapped my family too?"

At this rate, Sasuke's eyes were going to roll out his head and all the way back to Japan. "Here, you can video chat with them." He handed her one of the new, more expensive devices that Sakura was sure could be three months worth of meals for her.

It was the little things like this that confused Sakura to no end, why was he trying so hard?

And she voiced this very thought out-loud.

"Don't be stupid."

The cryptic responses did not help one bit - not even in the slightest.

The couple met the group for horseback riding closer to lunchtime, Shikamaru and Ino already mounted and chattering with Naruto.

"When are you going to make my friend an honest girl?" Sakura teased, causing both to immediately deny their status. "Believe me, no one is surprised."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, the pinkette was the absolute worst when she was teased, but had no qualms in doing it to other people. The spit-fire had such a weird personality, he mused.

Neji was followed by Tenten a few minutes later, which made Sakura wonder why they had all not appeared together? But decided against questioning it now, in case the situation was strained beyond her understanding.

"How was your walk with lover-boy?" Ino teased, looking back toward the brunette who was still mounting her horse.

"Lover-boy?" Naruto voiced.

"More like a man, with tanned skin and arms of steel, apparently." Sakura joked.

Neji tightened his hold on the reign, but no one noticed.

Tenten rolled her eyes, before narrowing them when Sakura accurately described Iwaizumi. Had their pink-haired friend seen her yesterday, but pretended not to?

Ino voiced something along the same thoughts, "You've seen him before?"

Sakura shook her head no, "I'm going off of Tenten's description and star-struck reaction."

The brunette rolled her eyes, but mentally noted Sakura's vague answer. Did she not want the others to know that she was with Naruto late last night? It made sense, with Sasuke's attitude and the other members of the F4, it would only lead to further drama that the pinkette wanted to avoid and yet always seemed to instigate (Tenten mused with a smile).

Sasuke made sure to ride close to the pinkette, she was so completely clumsy that something like this would probably have her high-strung.

But the Uchiha held some type of odd respect for the woman, as she held the reigns with confidence and rode alongside Naruto like a pro.

"I've never done this before." Sakura admitted, turning to Sasuke next to her.

But he withheld his previous thought, "I could tell."

She hmped, turning her head away from him and back toward the group ahead of her.

"Thank you, for arranging this." She murmured.

And simply to spurn her blushing face and avoiding eyes, he said loudly, "Sorry, I didn't hear that."

"Of course not, you asshole."

---

While Sasuke tended to hang around the back of the group, the pinkette tended to bounce from market stall to stall with her female friends, with him following not too far behind. Besides, he was sure to gift Sakura another precious object, if it seemed to really catch her interest.

Gotta treat my girl right, Sasuke mused with a smirk.

But it immediately turned to a frown with some simple words.

They were crowded around a flower-stand, one that Ino demanded the group return to after seeing such gorgeous ones before.

A younger girl came out from within, greeting Naruto and asking in Korean, "How did your pink-haired girlfriend like the love flower?"

Sasuke immediately stiffened, eyes traveling to his blond best-friend of more than a decade, and narrowed his eyes in complete disapproval.

Sakura was standing there as well, but had no idea what the young girl had asked. So the pinkette just kept smiling along, gauging the reactions of both men in order to understand what just happened.

"You did what?" Sasuke asked his blond friend, still in Korean.

"Am I not allowed to give my friend a gift?" Naruto contested, "Besides, she accepted it anyway. What about you?"

The Uchiha barely suppressed a growl, to which Sakura placed the back of her hand to his forehead.

"Are you alright? Or is the stupid taking over?" She attempted to ask in a serious tone, small grin breaking the facade.

Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breathe, returning back to the language he spoke every day at home. "I'm fine, don't worry about it."

The seeds of doubt started sprouting in the Uchiha's mind, eyes glancing between Sakura and Naruto. It seemed the pair would always have some complicated chemistry, if not for the interference of outside influences, the two probably would have been a couple by now. Naruto drew close to her from the start - meaning there was a lot of their relationship that Sasuke had no idea about.

Had Naruto gifted her things in the past? Do they have inside jokes? These were all questions that had to be answered from the beginning of their friendship, when Sasuke was so keenly inclined on terrorizing the poor pinkette. Sasuke knew that he had no right to question that previous time, he had inexcusable behavior. But that did not change the fact, that here and now, he was interested in pursuing Sakura.

Whatever history there may be, Naruto made his first choice of the Hyūga.

That fact was unchangeable - Naruto was willing to sacrifice the life he had at Konoha High for one with Hinata. This encompassed the F4, who were all finally happy that the poor blond was following his love, and Haruno Sakura, who spurned the couple to finally be together.

And yet Naruto and Sakura were, seemingly still, so close now.

Sakura laughed at something the blond had said, making Sasuke mask his visage with a neutral one, but inwardly held back the drops of suspicion that were rising to his outward-appearance.

The Uchiha simply stayed quiet, observing as Sakura took the lounge sandwiched between her female friends, when the group returned to their tent at the beach.

"Are those the people you played volleyball with yesterday?" Sakura asked the brunette, who nodded. "We should play!"

Naruto was already up, along with Neji. Pale eyes wandering the same field of friends, wondering just who the hell this supposed Iwaizumi was anyway. But Naruto welcomed the game, one that surely screamed competition and would get his mind off the game.

But even the burn in his forearms and the sweat that dripped down his face was not enough to take his mind off the possibility of Sakura still being enamored by his blond best-friend. She smiled and high-fived one of the other volleyball players, before turning to Sasuke with an inquisitive look on her face. Not wanting to be caught suspicious, Sasuke attempted a smirk to placate the pinkette, but she hid her own curiosity and chalked it up to good ole Sasuke before turning back to the game.

It seemed even Neji was tense, Sasuke noted.

The Hyūga had a calculated look on his face, one that surely spelt trouble in the past. The constant mention of some Iwaizumi, a young man who (Sasuke would was pretty buff, like really buff) they could now associate with a face, had the Hyūga silently reacting. Sasuke knew his friends better than anyone and while Neji probably thought he was slick in hiding his tense fists or the fractional narrowing of his eyes, the Uchiha knew better.

Tenten just kept on smiling, cheering as she successfully spiked and thanking Iwaizumi for showing her how to do it properly. Neji fought the urge to throw hands as Sakura smiled at scene knowingly - it seemed Sasuke was not the only one with possessive tendencies.

Naruto thanked Sasuke as he all but threw the water bottle at his head, but caught it with his free hand anyway. The blond chalked it up to his personality, nothing was ever good enough for his temperamental best-friend.

Raising the bottle to gulp quickly and then pour it over his sweating body, Naruto stopped in the action when a surprised Sasuke quickly gripped his wrist.

"Something wrong?" Naruto quirked a brow, but his dark-eyes were still trained on a certain accessory.

"It's not like you to wear something like this." Sasuke commented tensely.

"It's called fashion, Sasuke."

Sakura's anklet.

With a curse and downcast eyes, Sasuke stalked away from the games - even at the call of his name from his friends and Sakura herself.

---

It was a seemingly perfect vacation, one that had yet to be tinged with drama and one that Sakura desperately needed. She had never before in her life got to experience such luxuries of simply laying around - nonetheless riding horses or going zip-lining. It made Sakura wonder just how much of it she truly deserved, but then remembered her stubborn best-friends who would want nothing less than for her to be there.

It was an unspoken rule, that Naruto and Sakura would meet-up later at night to simply talk.

The pinkette saw him lounging on the beach, knees pulled to his chest as he sat and listened to the sounds of the waves crashing.

"A lot on your mind?" Sakura asked as she sat down next to the blond.

"Yeah." Naruto answered before continuing, "Why did you push me so hard to Hinata?"

"Because you love her."

It was obvious he did not like that answer, if the scowl on his face was any indication.

"Did you love me?"

"If you had asked me, I would've said yes." Sakura carefully thought over her words, "But that wouldn't be true."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't love you the way Hinata loves you."

He sighed loud and deep, before fully turning to the pinkette next to him.

"Hinata's love for me? Sure, ignoring me for days on end and refusing to compromise or even just talk about the problems instead of pushing them aside."

Sakura looked away, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for loving me? Or sorry for giving up so fast?"

"I did not - !"

"Don't even start with that." Naruto interrupted, "You dropped me the moment you had a chance. You're right, you didn't love me. Otherwise you would have fought for me and actually tried to be with me. Why didn't you heed your own advice, Sakura-chan?"

She knew that he was saying all this from a spiteful place, a place in his heart that was just recently heartbroken and facing the affects of regret and sadness. The poor man was not in the right frame of mind and Sakura was not going to continue this tense conversation if he was not going to think rationally.

Sakura got up to retreat back to the cabana, if not for the sudden pull she felt at her elbow.

"Naruto - !"

But her words were muffled against his, both students encased in a lip-lock.

Sakura felt her own eyes widen at the action and once he lessened his hold...

... she kneed him in the stomach.

"You asshole!" She yelled in an outrage, fighting the urge to continue punching him when Naruto stayed bent-over the sand, elbows on the sand. He said nothing, but Sakura could not help but feel that the blond that she was growing so close to had violated her and her personal space.

She raised her arm to punch him, but stopped when a different arm held hers at the elbow.

Sakura turned to the intense eyes of Uchiha Sasuke, the dark glare never leaving Naruto's bodice. And just as quickly, his eyes snapped over to her before she was being dragged back in the direction of the cabanas.

"Why are you being so mean to me? He's the one who man-handled me?"

Sasuke sighed, looking ahead and not at her. "Why were you even there with him?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were with him last night, weren't you?"

"Okay, fine. And?"

"It's obvious what he feels about you and yet you found no qualms in spending time alone with him?" Sasuke asked, "We all know you used to like him, but are those feelings truly gone?"

"I just kneed him for kissing me!?"

"Are you telling me you broke the kiss immediately?"

Sakura hesitated, "I... Well."

"Have you been playing with me this whole time?"

"What?"

"Why do you not take my feelings seriously? I've made myself glaringly obvious and yet you feel the need to spend more time with Naruto of all people." Sasuke sighed out, looking up at the sky in his anguish and Sakura could tell he was trying his best not to let his anger overcome him.

Sakura had never considered Sasuke as one to actually... feel.

Itachi had made it rather known, through his tender touches and his need to continually be with her. And yet Sasuke, in his own specific brand of something, was trying to express the same sentiment.

It was all too confusing. This was the same person who found the need to give her a red-card? The same person who took her phone and dropped it in a vat of acid, laughing as the poor object melted before her very eyes? The same person who wanted nothing more than for her to leave the school with nothing, not even her pride?

Sasuke would never make any sense to her - who was he to talk about feelings?

This was her abuser.

And she would not fall for that.

Sasuke had attempted to make amends for all of that, she would concede. But there was still something at the edge of her mind that screamed warning bells, that this was just not right.

"Why did you abuse me?" Sakura asked, just as Sasuke was about to walk away out of earshot.

He paused in his walk, it was obvious that he had heard her question.

This was a main reason why the pinkette had held back in taking the Uchiha seriously. At the beginning of the school-year, more than just weeks but months, this was her tormentor. She would literally wake-up and wonder what absolute hell was Sasuke going to execute to her now. What worse could he possibly do to make her want to leave the school.

why did he feel she deserved this?

But Sasuke had yet to answer her question. And for once, Sakura walked away.

---

Sakura left for home earlier than the rest, leaving at the crack of dawn at an airport that was thankfully within a few minutes of where they were staying. She had left a note to both Tenten and Ino that there was an emergency in her family that required her to go back home immediately and they had texted her the moment she got home.

Giving lackluster excuses, Sakura attempted to sound calm and friendly when Ino called her.

But there was no hiding the fact that she felt trapped and just disappointed. She loved her best-friends, but Sakura could not stand another second with Naruto, who betrayed her trust, and Sasuke, who felt the need to control her life even after exacting unjust violence on her.

She hadn't texted Itachi.

Rather, she continued on like nothing happened, not answering her parents' questions when they asked about her sudden appearance back home.

She just needed time to think.

Ino and Tenten made a point of calling her early and saying they were all going to school together the first day after break. Seeing the familiar model of Ino's car, Sakura jumped in the back to see that the two girls were there as well, a driver on the other side of the car wall. They caught Sakura up to the details of the rest of the vacation, apparently they had to physically stop Neji from punching Iwaizumi except they had no idea why.

Sakura looked over to Ino as Tenten said this, both girls having a good idea why.

It seemed the poor brunette woman was just as oblivious.

"Naruto was pretty un-Naruto the day after you left." Ino commented. "Like he was really sluggish."

"And Sasuke?"

The two girls looked at one another, "I thought you guys left together?"

"No, we didn't..."

"He left that morning too." Ino answered. "That's why I wasn't that worried, I just thought you guys went off alone or something."

"Something happened that last night."

Ino withheld her need to ask what exactly and Tenten patiently waited.

"Naruto kissed me, even when I said I wasn't interested. So I kneed him."

"Holy hell." Tenten remarked.

"And Sasuke saw."

"Oh god, it gets worse!" Ino felt anxiety crawl at her own heart. And it wasn't even her drama!

"He kept asking me about Naruto and I just got so mad. Why does he feel so entitled over my life when he tortured me for so long? Why care now?"

"What did he say?"

"He didn't answer me, so I left."

Tenten sucked in a breath, turning to look out the window as she held her chin in her hand. Ino bit her lip before taking Sakura's hand in her own, trying her best to comfort the pinektte in the cramped space of the moving vehicle.

"You don't deserve this." Tenten commented, looking at her emerald eyes with an apologetic expression.

"I'm so sorry." Ino added.

"Why?"

"We shouldn't have pushed you or teased you so much about Sasuke." Ino answered, "I didn't know this was on your mind. And you're totally in the right to feel this way."

Sakura wistfully smiled at Ino's gesture, before turning out the window and seeing the proud landscape of the Uchiha owned school.

"I'm just trying to get through the school-year."

Unfortunately, Sakura had to wave goodbye to both girls since they did not share classes together. Rather, she felt her feet bring her to her first class of the day (thankfully without seeing any member of the F4 on her way) and sat completely silent to her surroundings.

While Sakura appreciated her time alone, she knew it would quickly come to an end in her next class.

Shisui approached her first, without Itachi, and took the seat next to her. "Enjoyed your vacation?"

While the question seemed entirely casual, it was in such a serious tone of voice that Sakura looked up from her book to the Uchiha. He had firm, peering eyes that looked so uncharacteristic on him despite his stern lineage. He turned to place his backpack on his chair, but even the pinektte could feel his prying eyes.

He was attempting to gauge her reaction.

Which meant that somehow, for some reason, he knew.

"That depends, am I dead?" Sakura sarcastically bit out, hoping that the joke was enough to disarm Shisui.

He raised a brow, "No, but a heart-breaker, I've heard."

Sakura sighed as she lowered her head to her desk, encasing it between her folded arms.

"Do you hate Naruto?"

"No, but he still made a move after I told him I didn't have feelings for him." Sakura candidly stated, "I just don't trust him, moreso than anyone else right now."

"And Sasuke?"

Sakura paused, biting her lip before looking fully at Shisui. "How can I begin to forgive someone who has never apologized? Or even attempted to?"

Shisui nodded, taking in her words before looking away.

"I understand." Shisui stopped before adding, "I like to think of us a friend's now. Even though I may have a bias to my best-friend, you're still a person just like the rest of us. I would hate for anything to happen to you."

Sakura appreciated his words, nodding and turning to the sound of the door opening.

"Class is about to start, where's Itachi?"

"He's had a lot more responsibilities as the heir to the company. And you could imagine that an Uchiha owned school would more than likely turn a blind eye." Shisui explained as he opened his own notebook, turning to the page the instructor stated.

True to his word, Shisui stayed with Sakura even without the presence of Itachi. They continued on with class, side-by-side, and even with lunch just the two of them. It was strange to Sakura, to see Shisui as a newly gained friend without the agenda of furthering her relationship with Itachi.

As they munched down on lunch together, Shisui was going on about his love for modern Impressionism when his phone started vibrating multiple times.

"Mikoto invited the both of us to dinner tonight." Shishui iterated to the pinkette.

She bit her lip, happy that the matriarch was making true her previous invitation. But also worried about the possibilities of entering the Uchiha main house after their absolute mess of drama last week.

"Is Sasuke going to be there?"

Shisui lowered his phone with a frown. "Probably, but you'll have Itachi and I there as well."

"Yeah, okay." Sakura stated with a low voice.

"Seriously, you don't have to go if you don't want to. We can all get dinner somewhere else."

"No, it's fine." Sakura looked to the side, but heard Shisui hesitantly text back their confirmation.

"There's something else at play here." Shisui mutter under his breath, "You know you can talk to me. Why are you so apprehensive about Sasuke?"

"He's... I don't get him." Sakura explained, "For months on end he was my tormentor. And now you're telling me he's romantically interested in me? That doesn't seem like a healthy start to a relationship."

Shisui took in her words, nodding at the end. "I understand."

Shisui was like the level-headed friend that Sakura was missing, she would admit. Tenten and Ino were her best-friends, but they tended to skew themselves toward the possibilities of romance. That was not entirely bad, but for the pinkette, who was trying so desperately to understand herself, it was not exactly the view she preferred. And any of the boys... well they had personal ships that they wanted.

At least when necessary, Shisui could be the the caring neutral friend when needed.

It felt strange to be at school without Itachi around. They shared classes together, but also enjoyed one another's company when it came to meals and simply spending their free time on campus with one another.

Sakura felt strangely... lethargic without him around.

When both the Uchiha and Sakura exited their last class, Shisui offered to drive her himself to the Uchiha Main House for dinner. She contemplated going home to freshen up or drop off her books, but she felt a strange excitement in maybe seeing Itachi after their long break from seeing one another.

Sakura may have insinuated this to Shisui, who smirked and teased her that she should finally be true about her love for Itachi.

But both students stopped in their tracks at the sight of Naruto, who was waiting for her presence at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey. Can we talk?" Naruto requested, with a hand on the back of his neck.

Sakura nodded, but added. "He's staying." She motioned to Shisui behind her. As if to solidify the statement, the Uchiha stepped up to stand directly next to the pinkette.

Naruto stood quiet, as if trying to fully formulate his words in the best way possible. But Sakura beat him to the punch.

"Why did you kiss me when I already said I wasn't interested?"

"I'm sorry." Naruto replied, "I was just so hung up on what I thought you felt for me before I left... I knew you had feelings for me and I pursued someone who ended up not loving me as much as I loved them."

"Naruto..."

"I'm sorry, that I redirected my emotions from Hinata to you. I loved her for so long, that I wanted so much just to be loved back."

Sakura slowly descended to the foot of the stairs, Shisui trailing not far behind her. "I understand how emotions can affect someone like that. But know here and now, that I won't be your rebound."

Naruto took a deep breath, "I know. And I'm so sorry for making you feel that way."

"I know we can be friends, but..." Sakura paused, "It'll take time for me to trust you again."

"I understand." Naruto formally bowed, "You're the one person I would do anything to have in my corner. Thank you for even being willing to speak to me."

Sakura frowned, not liking this formal and brisk version of Naruto. She felt bad for the blond, nothing was working in his favor. It seemed the world he was so used to was falling apart.

With a small smile, the pinkette extended her hand out for the blond to take. Sharing the same sentiment, Naruto took the hand and shook it with a wide grin.

"See ya, Naruto." Sakura took her hand back, still smiling, before walking past the blond.

Shisui followed along much slower, taking a gander at Naruto up and down his bodice, before following behind the pinkette. The blond did not appreciate the Uchiha addition to the conversation, but did not voice this in order to not further incense his friend.

"That went better than I thought it would." Shisui noted when he caught up to Sakura.

"It's crazy, but... I understand." Sakura explained, "Whether it's Naruto or Izumi, they both had their hearts broken after almost decades of being with the same person. You don't come out of that with a good mentality."

"How mature of you." Shisui commented.

"It's what I do." Sakura shrugged with a smile.

Shisui had his car parked much closer to the school, an area in the lot that was attributed to the good students, but most knew better that almost every vehicle was owned by an Uchiha-born. A slot away was Izumi, her luxury car starting alongside Shisui's.

Sakura watched as the older Uchiha woman walked next to them, refusing any and all eye-contact to the pinkette and friend of more than half of lifespan. Shishui said nothing as he turned away, entering the driver's side as Sakura did the same in the passenger's.

"It hasn't even been a whole school-year and look at the mess you've made." Shisui joked as he watched Iwaizumi pull out of her spot and drive away.

"Don't remind me." Sakura grimaced.

"Don't worry, you'll be with your boyfriend soon enough." Shisui joked, causing Sakura to roll her eyes.

---

"We're glad to have you back again, Sakura-chan." Mikoto stated at the dinner table, "Although, I wish you could have joined us sooner."

"Of course, it's just that I've been more caught up with my studies."

"Yes, well being the apprentice to the Slug Princess would surely do that." Mikoto commented.

Both Fugaku and Itachi were missing, stating over the phone that they were held up at the office and would join them a little later for dinner. The head of the the table, along with the seat at its right-side, were then left empty. Mikoto sat at the left with Sasuke next to her, with Sakura on the opposite side of Sasuke and Shisui on her left.

"I'm sure my responsibilities are much less in comparison to an heir to a corporate empire."

"Thank you for being more understanding regarding Itachi's missing status." Mikoto commended, passing a plate in the pinkette's direction.

"He's going through a lot right now, in terms of pressure. Itachi needs the support from his friends more than ever and I am happy to play even a small part." Sakura said, causing Mikoto's smile to widen and even Shisui to look at the pinkette with a raised brow.

"Right, his friends." Mikoto outwardly remarked.

Sakura did not expand on her observation and thanked the heavens when Shisui changed the topic of conversation to something other than Itachi.

Other than the surprised expression when first opening the door, Sasuke had yet to actually address Sakura personally. He had yet to say anything to her, opting to stay deliberately quiet throughout the course of dinner and retreating to his room at the first opportunity. The pinkette noted that he even looked solemn. (But there was no way in absolute hell was she going to approach him first).

"Please forgive our lateness." Itachi greeted as both him and his father entered the dining room. They had already moved onto tea and were simply conversing at this point.

"There was an emergency and I'll have to take dinner into the office." Fugaku explained toward his wife, placing an apologetic hand on her shoulder.

"I understand." Mikoto nodded as she stood, moving the place-setting and ushering the servant to follow along as well.

"Thank you." Fugaku stated, putting a hand on his wife's waist and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead, before moving along to his study.

"It's already late, so I should take my leave. But I'm glad to see you're still alive, Itachi-kun." Shisui noted, patting his cousin on the back as he stood in greeting.

"I should as well, I don't want to impose."

Mikoto eyes widened as it traveled between her eldest son and the pinkette. "Nonsense, you've barely seen each other. Why don't you stay the night?"

"What? I couldn't possibly..."

"It's not like you haven't before anyway." Mikoto teased, "Besides, this is a direct invitation. Would you deny an older woman like me?"

Shisui chuckled at the situation while Sakura inwardly grimaced. Itachi said nothing, a small smirk on his face as he surmised her inner-turmoil and his own mother's insistence.

Sakura sighed, "Of course, not."

"Excellent. I'll have a guest bedroom ready for you." Mikoto replied, nodding in their direction before walking off in the same direction as Fugaku.

"See you tomorrow at school, you two." Shisui waved before walking off toward the entrance to the Main House, a servant in tow.

Sakura waved back and sank back into her seat, spending dinner alone with Itachi.

"I'm glad to see you after such a long time." Sakura noted first, catching the Uchiha off-guard. He was always the one to take initiative, it was strange to hear it first from her instead.

She must have then realized her words, for her lifted her hands in defense and added, "Well, I mean we always have class together and I'm used to seeing you almost every second of the school-day. And then having lunch without you and just Shisui, it was nice just not the same since you weren't there. Not that you have to have lunch with me at school, but I do really like your presence and omg why did I say that I just -"

Itachi sighed, smile on his face, and poked her on the forehead to silence her.

"I appreciate the sentiment." He teased with a light tilt.

"Thank god." Sakura took a deep breath out.

"I apologize for my prolonged absence from dinner."

"It's alright. You're here now, right?" Sakura smiled.

Itachi paused in his actions, looking at the pinkette straight on and saying. "Thank you, for your willingness to wait for me."

Sakura took in his serious demeanor and stated back. "Of course. You're worth the wait."

He smiled lightly at that before resuming his dinner. Sakura informed him on the various updates at school he had missed, along with certain comments about professors and even Shisui (and the Uchiha's mischievous love life).

Once his plate was emptied, Itachi turned to the pinkette and requested. "There's been something I've been meaning to talk to you about on a personal note. Would you be alright with retreating to my room to speak more?"

Sakura nodded, aware that finally, they were going to have the talk.

She was more prepared this time, steeling her spine against Itachi's good looks and smooth talk. It was obvious that he had a certain hold on her and, if she let her guard down, than she would be unable to truly iterate her reasoning to him.

Having been to his room several times now, Sakura watched as Itachi entered with a certain air and guided her to the edge of the foot of the bed. Fighting down her blush, at the pure action that she was now with the object of her affections (on his bed of all places!), Sakura smiled at Itachi hoping he would approach the situation first with caution.

"You are already aware of my feelings for you." Itachi started.

Or you know, plunge right in.

"Even if I had not already made it clear." Sakura explained, "You should know that I hold you in a similar sentiment."

Itachi smiled, raising a brow at her roundabout way of iterating her feelings. It was so unlike Sakura to not be blunt about her feelings. She was the type to push and shove with a brisk determination, it was amusing to see her sheepish.

He sat beside her on the bed, thighs pressed against one another in their close proximity. The Uchiha lifted a hand slowly, caressing the side of her cheek before pushing some of the loose hairs from her face and behind her ear.

"That's good to know." Itachi whispered against her ear-lobe, placing a light kiss there and basking in the knowledge that Sakura shuddered in delight at the action.

"But there's something else...!" She barely managed over a whisper.

Itachi pulled away, looking at her fully in the eyes.

"I just started an Ivy League school and I have a once-in-a-lifetime apprenticeship. You're inheriting an entire corporation. This doesn't seem like a good time for either of us to lose focus."

Itachi took in her words and stated. "Very mature of you."

"I'm just trying to look at this in the long-run. No matter when we enter a relationship together, it's going to be serious. You have the clan and, I want to be more grounded and ready for that."

He had yet to say anything additive, which was setting Sakura's nerves on fire. It was clear that he had heard her and was pondering it exactly, but had yet to utter a single word. It made Sakura nervous, and when she was nervous around him, she ranted.

"I mean, if your clan ever accepts me! We both know how people at Konoha High feel about me, they look at me as trash. And could you imagine the pressure and emotional strain that would put on you just because you wanted to be with me! It would be unfair, you deserve someone who wouldn't immediately cause the scorn of both your clan and the people within your society. And I would hate to put that on you and would totally understand if you wouldn't want to be with me because of the affect -"

And for a second time that evening, Itachi poked her on the forehead to silence her rant.

"Have you thought about all this?" Itachi asked, surprised at Sakura's sudden words at their ambiguous relationship. She tended to be the one that ran away. And yet she cared this much about her affect on him?

It was heart-warming to say the least.

"Of course, Itachi. I actually... think about us." Sakura turned to the side, blush apparent.

"Thank you." He stated, putting a hand beneath her chin to gently guide her to look at him. "I understand your worries and agree. We're in no place for a serious relationship as of now."

"But I do want to be with you, it's just wrong timing." Sakura added.

Itachi nodded, taking in the information just relayed to him.

"Can I ask you one thing?"

"Go ahead." Sakura whispered in a weak voice, eyes focused on the handsome face in front of her.

"Can you see yourself with me?"

He was an idiot. Her idiot, Sakura inwardly mused.

"You're the only one I can really see myself with." Sakura candidly replied, smiling at his reaction.

"Thank you." He answered, pulling her chin closer and closer to his own.

She knew where this was headed and actually welcomed the thought. They liked each other and demonstrated healthy communication and understanding, it was just not the right time for them. That did not mean she could not indulge in being with the one person she actually had feelings for...

Sakura slightly re-positioned herself to face him more properly, maneuvering her hands to sit comfortably around his neck as one of his arms slid down around her waist. In the crisp silence of Itachi's room, Sakura found herself blissfully happy in the arms of the one person she was growing to trust.

And inwardly screamed in delight at the feeling of his smooth lips against her own.

She felt herself deepening the kiss, swiping at his lower lip and mewling in delight when their tongues met in their passionate lip-lock. There was no denying the deep groan from within him, when she did this. Rather, she felt herself committing more to the intense affections, lifting herself off the bed to gain closer access to Itachi.

To say that the Uchiha was surprised would be an understatement. She was the one who was often escaping at break-neck speeds. And yet here Sakura was, fighting to gain more ground in their passionate session.

Itachi fought the urge to smirk.

He pulled away, instead placing himself at the junction of her neck and shoulders, placing small kisses there before sucking at the area. Never before had the elder Uchiha been moved to such actions, but with the pink-haired sprite it seemed impossible to pull himself away. And hearing the impassioned moan that it illicit from her, he found himself more and more drawn in.

It all came crashing down at the sudden slam of his door.

"Sorry kids, but you're too early to start with grandchildren." Mikoto's voice entered the room, "Come on now Sakura, you'll just be right across the hall."

The pinkette nearly jumped off him and had to physically fight the urge to leap out the window and far away from the matriarch. Her face might as well be blood-red, completely abashed at being caught in such a situation with her son of all people!

"I'll walk her over." Itachi stated in a strained, blank tone.

"Alright, Itachi. But don't forget what I said." Mikoto warned, before closing the door behind her.

Sakura held her head in her hands, elbows leaning against the tops of her knees. "Oh my god."

He moved to sit next to her, putting a comforting arm around her waist as the other smoothed through her hair.

"I appreciate your concerns for a serious relationship, but that does not hinder my interest in you now." Itachi stated with a warm tone of voice.

"But when we start dating -"

"Then we'll get through it together." Itachi interrupted, placing a light kiss on the top of her hand.

(And to his inward delight that she had said when rather than if. It meant she was looking forward to their coming relationship, despite her apprehension).

"Allow me to walk you to your room." Itachi stated as he stood up, outstretching a hand for her to take.

"Thank you." She took it as they walked across the hall. "I'm still absolutely mortified."

Itachi smirked then, "It's not as if you did not enjoy it."

Sakura sputtered, blushing incredulously again. "Well! I mean, you're kinda hard to resist if you can't already tell."

He smiled, opening the door and guiding her into the familiar room. Itachi placed her on the bed, much similar to earlier, and kissed the top of her hand.

"Goodnight, Sakura."

She smiled at the gentleman-ly like gesture, before grabbing his hand before he retreated, and pulling him to her.

"Wait." She looped her arms around his neck again, pulling him in for a quick kiss.

Much more chaste than earlier, they shared a quick peck and lingered in one another's presence.

"Goodnight, Itachi."

---

Mikoto was not lying that it would take a lot of patience regarding the Uchiha heir. It seemed his attention was always pulled away from school, instead on real-life problems and training within the huge corporation that the Uchiha's built from the ground-up, through generations of hard-work.

It's not as if Itachi or even Shisui were deliberately ignoring her, but it was definitely not the same as the beginning of the year. The two of them were both her senior, expectations for them much higher than ones set for her. Their responsibilities within the company were meant to get them more acclimated to their time when they actually do take over their positions. Itachi made sure to text her a good morning and goodnight every day, never missing an instance the last few weeks. Mikoto also invited her to dinner on multiple occasions. And while Sakura would have thought it awkward without the presence of any of the other males, Sasuke being suspiciously gone as well, Sakura enjoyed the matriarch's company.

There was a small, unspoken change in her relationship with the older Uchiha. He would, out of the blue, ask her to dinner or lunch at the last second, as if he was using the very last of his free time with her. Sakura smiled, that despite all his constant pressure, he was still making obvious effort to stay in contact with her. It was nice to see, while both Uchiha's were constantly missing from class. Shisui would come to class once in a while, but even that was not a guarantee.

It was strange how quickly she was to depend on their presence, Sakura noted with a wistful smile.

Today, Ino and Tenten were still stuck in class, the professor extending their class-time in order to fully accomplish an experiment. Naori was nowhere to be found in the cafeteria and Sakura just chalked up to a busy day, sitting alone at lunch. There was just some niggling feeling in the back of her brain, as if it was expecting something to happen. When there were no surprise quizzes or tests, Sakura narrowed her eyes and wondered if her mentor was going to throw her through a wall again. But not even that happened. Okay, maybe she did stab her but, Tsunade guided the pinkette as she patched up the wound.

But her gut-feeling did not betray her.

Izumi stood at the bottom of the steps, her presence obvious as her eyes were trained at the top of the steps, waiting for someone. The moment Sakura's emerald eyes met hers, the pinkette worried if this would be a repeat of their last encounter. Neither Shisui or Itachi were anywhere near campus, but they were in the wide open for anyone to see what they were doing.

"Listen. I won't say this again." Izumi stated from her spot at the bottom of the steps. Sakura stayed at the top.

Sakura raised her chin proudly, a hand on one of the straps of her backpack. "Go ahead."

Izumi bit her bottom lip and turned to the side, before returning back to her emerald eyes. "I'm sorry. I wish you and Itachi the best."

Both women could hear the physical break between her words. The hitch in her breath and sudden sadness, there was no doubt that those words alone were hard for Izumi to utter against someone she was previously willing to hurt. Sakura felt her heart squeeze in discomfort, there was nothing like the heartbreak of loving someone and not having it returned. But imagine it being one of your close-friends, for more than a decade? Sakura could not imagine such a terrible feeling. It obviously messed with her psyche, moving her away from her gentle disposition and one into a desperate sadness.

"Izumi, thank you." Sakura stated and watched as the woman turned to leave. "Wait!"

The Uchiha raised a brow at the word.

"I..." Sakura paused, "Is there someone you've been able to talk to?"

"What?"

"I mean, Shisui and Itachi were who you confided in. I can't how your heart feels after everything."

Izumi hesitated, "Why do you care?"

"Because I know what it feels like to watch someone you love be happier with someone else." Sakura explained, "It seemed like an unbearable pain and I can't even start to imagine how you feel right now."

"Yeah." Izumi sighed out, unsure what to say other than agree with the sadness that grew in her heart.

"I know I'm not exactly the best person, considering everything that's happened..." Sakura trailed, "But I'm still a person with a heart."

The pinkette walked to the bottom of the steps, next to where Izumi stood, and offered her hand out for the young Uchiha to shake.

"You're really weird." Izumi joked with a small lift in her expression, before taking the hand. "Thank you."

Sakura smiled back, happy that their relationship was coming to a full circle. The pinkette remembered the Uchiha distantly from before, a kind woman who was blinded by her emotions. That in no way justified what Izumi had done, but Sakura understood why. And without a healthy outlet, Sakura was sure that Izumi was fighting her own demons alone. She only hoped that Izumi would one day let go, and if the pinkette could help, that would be enough.

Ino scoffed in disapproval and Tenten simply shrugged when Sakura later explained what had happened between her and Izumi. Both girls were spending the night at the Yamanaka's, since it was now the start of the weekend (which meant no school, no homework, no getting wreck by Tsunade for another two days).

Everyone deserves a second-chance, or should I call Karin and say you want to hangout with her again." Sakura joked toward Ino, who simply frowned as she crossed her arms.

Sakura reached over to grab another piece of chocolate, the ultimate comfort food, as she lounged on the blonde's bed. There was a cartoon show playing on the television, but it went ignored in the background.

"Alright Miss Nara Ino, calm down." Sakura teased, making the blonde immediately shriek in outrage while Tenten laughed.

"Oh come on blondie, you don't have to lie to us."

"Oh yeah?" Ino turned toward the brunette, "Care to explain why you've been hanging around Neji so much? There's only so many times you can 'talk about school' before it's suspicious!"

Tenten immediately blushed, "We're working on our friendship."

"Yeah, as if that jealous punch to that volleyball hunk's face wasn't enough." Ino joked back.

"Bleh." Tenten shrugged, attempting to bite down the intensity of her blush.

Sakura laughed before grabbing both her friends into a hug, "I love you guys."