Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO. I do not take part of the creation, production and distribution of the said anime. The characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi. This fic is written for pure enjoyment and is highly fictional. If such occurrences happen to the original plot, then it is a case of pure coincidence.

A/N: After a very long break, I come bearing a chapter. I just graduated from college, and remarkably, the series is still not done! Wow!

A lot has happened since my absence, Jiraiya died, Itachi died, Sasuke became a douche, to point out a few. But hopefully, you'd still be able to enjoy my offerings to the fandom. I would just like to thank everyone who read the story, especially those who have reviewed, and much more for those who have stay tuned for almost 6 years now. I will always be eternally grateful for all of your support. ^_^

God bless! Stay happy.

Chapter XIV: The Foil in the Plan

While Shino conducted the inevitable yet much prolonged revelation of the century, the jerk and the wussies – more collectively known as "his friends" – sat idly by Sasuke's living room while eating each a piece of rhubarb pie. The pie was in honor of the success of their mission. Typically they should start attacking it when Shino arrives and delivers the good news, but they decided not to wait for him anymore, because they know that he would come bearing good news.

Konoha-nins were awesome like that; it should be their village's tagline.

"Not everyone wants a piece of pie that has already fallen to the ground," Kiba mused as he took another munch on his piece.

"Of course," Neji answered. "By then, it's covered by germs."

"There are still people who abide by the 5-minute Rule," said Lee, scrunching his nose. "I don't follow it, though. 5 minutes or 10 minutes, it's still dirty."

"Amen," agreed Sasuke.

"There is a theory, though, that food that fell from the table is actually clean," Shikamaru voiced out suddenly. Chouji gave him an approving glance but did not look up from his pie.

"You're kidding." Sasuke frowned. Beside him, Neji and Lee frowned as well, unable to believe what they just heard. They were raised to believe that everything dropped to the floor were considered contaminated. The floor was dirty, riddled with germs, so naturally, anything that touches it or has come in contact with it were also dirty and riddled with germs.

Shikamaru pressed the topic further. "In theory, the microorganisms, like the rest of the animal species, have a fear of falling objects. They're afraid of getting squished, so naturally, they try all their best to avoid it."

The boys contemplated on the given subject, before shrugging it off their heads. "We don't buy it," they chorused, and proceeded to eat their pie.

Shikamaru smirked. "I don't buy it either."

"What are you not buying?" Shino appeared out of nowhere and took the empty seat. When he saw the rhubarb pie, he paused, eyeglasses glinting dangerously on the half-eaten pie on the table. "Have you started celebrating without me?"

The boys quickly came up with lame excuses of hunger, boredom and just how awesome Shino was that they left the biggest part for him. Even Chouji was repressing his own cravings. But then, much to their surprise, Shino shrugged and ate in silence.

Six years of being friends with these people had taught him to care more for their happiness and less of their lack of concern over his person. They cared for him when it mattered the most. They just had odd ways of showing it, especially by pretending he never existed.

"So, how was it?" Shikamaru was the first to ask.

Shino cleared his throat and recounted the episode that had transpired. He recalled that the mission was a success. He was able to isolate the Hokage inside the interrogation room where he flat out told his superior that the person they were hunting down was him, Uzumaki Naruto, and no one else.

"And that was where I left," Shino finished his story and his pie, wiping his face with a napkin. "I'm sorry I have not discussed with Naruto-sama about the rewards of the mission. He seemed to be in deep thought. And so I left."

"Wait, you left him?" clarified Lee, eyes wide. "Alone?"

Shino nodded, unperturbed by his statement. "He appeared to be in need of a deep contemplation. But I did unlock the room, so he's free to leave after he is done. Have I done something wrong?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and turned to Sasuke. "Saucy, what do you think?"

Sasuke grimaced at his nickname and growled, "Why me, Shika-kun?"

"You are the official best friend," Shikamaru reasoned out. "And no matter how much I try, I cannot understand what goes on in Naruto-sama's mind. Well? Uzumaki Naruto is left alone to contemplate. What can you say?"

Sasuke took a sip of water before he replied. "I think that Uzumaki Naruto and contemplate should not be used in a sentence, especially with a modifier like alone, else he'd do something drastic."

"For once, I agree with him," Neji concurred with a nod.

"Me too," said Chouji.

It was Kiba who laughed at them for their nervousness. He chided them playfully. "It's the Hokage we're talking about. It's not like he'd kidnap Hinata and ignite a civil war in the village just to get a confession out of her."

It was then that they heard a big explosion followed by a chorus of shouts and gasps from the pedestrians passing by. There was a simultaneous turning of heads, as they peered over the glass window where they saw an appearance of what seemed like a giant wall of sand over the far-east corner of their village.

There was only one living person who could control sand so well, and that was the Kazekage, Gaara. And he was at the Hyuuga compound which was located at the far-east corner of their village.

The radio transmitter brought by Shikamaru produced a static sound. He went to pick it up, and adjusted the volume so the whole room would be able to hear it.

"Shikamaru-kun?" The person on the other line was Sai. "There is a situation on the Point 74 East of village."

"What is the situation?" Shikamaru was almost afraid to ask, because he was mentally putting two and two together and saw in his mind a picture he so did not want to see.

"Naruto-sama kidnapped Hyuuga Hinata and Gaara-sama is fending the Hyuugas off. I have a bad feeling a civil war might ignite in the village. Please bring all the ninja you could find." With that, the call ended.

The boys snapped their heads back to Inuzuka Kiba who had a hand in his mouth.

"I shall use this power well," Kiba concluded. Akamaru barked in agreement.

The group of troublesome teenage ninja misfits reached their destination in a record of time to find in their wake that yes, it appeared like a civil war was brewing. The Hyuugas were on one side, face scrunched with distaste and their blood line limits activated. On the other side, the Sand ninjas stared back with equal distaste.

This was not a civil war. It was more like a recreation of Konoha vs Sand Incident that happened years back. The air around them was heavy with tension. And tt was then and there that Chouji had a brilliant idea.

"Flowers," he said suddenly.

"I'm sorry?" Shino cocked his head at one side.

"Flowers," Chouji said, eyeing thoughtfully at the bundles of flowers Ino forced the Kiba and Shino to buy this morning.

Kiba's face was creased, clueless at what Chouji was trying to point out. Did he want to give each one of the ninjas flowers so they could throw it at each other as weapons of mass destruction? At the thought of flowers wildly strewn all over the place, Kiba caught up with what Chouji was trying to say. It appeared that Shino also understood what he wanted to do.

"We can sell them at 10 ryou each," Chouji added. Sensing an amazing kick back, the Kiba and Shino split about and went on with Chouji's plan. "You guys go ahead," he said to Shikamaru and rest, "we'll handle the things here."

With that, the rest of the group trudged to the center where they found Sai, anxious at the tense air about, the Kazekage of the Sand, Gaara glaring his finest at the Hyuuga Clan Leader, Hyuuga Hiashi, who was glaring back. Their bodyguards had no intention of hiding their disdain as well.

"This is beneath you Kazekage-sama," Hiashi said acidly. "Bring this wall down immediately."

"I don't take orders from anyone," Gaara replied darkly, hands refusing to break the seal they make.

"This is an atrocity to my clan. Bring your wall down." Hiashi was known as a man of patience, and would have played this little game with much more refinement, but his daughter was on the other side.

"Surely Gaara-sama is a levelheaded man. Could we not talk about this?" Sai tried desperately to calm the situation.

"No." was Gaara's terse reply. His defiance was firm.

Beside him, Temari, fan at hand and itching to use her weapon, offered to the Hyuuga leader a half-meant smile. "Our Kage is not known to be a good listener, Hyuuga-sama."

It was Ko who countered her, stance ready to perform the Gentle Fist. "The Hyuuga's will not hesitate to fight your insolence."

"Then get ready to rumble," Kankurou voiced out, puppets laid out for battle, "because we won't be leaving here anytime soon." His fellow sand ninjas cried in harmony. The Hyuugas looked fit to murder.

Shikamaru and Neji chose this moment to enter the scene.

"Slow down, people," Shikamaru directed his statement to everyone in presence then turn to Gaara. "Honestly, Gaara, a wall?" He eyed guardedly at said wall.

"They needed privacy," Gaara answered as a matter of fact tone.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes heavenward and then looked at Temari. "And what exactly are you doing here?"

"I'm a very supportive sister," was Temari reply. "You?"

"I'm a very supportive friend," said Shikamaru.

"Neji," Hyuuga Hiashi acknowledged his nephew with a stern scowl. "Is it true that the Hokage has a part in this?"

Neji nodded. "Hiashi-sama, please allow me to explain the situation to you."

Meanwhile, Sai was thankful that half of previously high-strung assemblies of Hyuugas and Sand-nins have calmed down; although he did turn a quizzical eye at the flowers handed out by Chouji, Shino, Kiba and Akamaru. He offered his thanks to Lee and Sasuke who were both previously preoccupied with talking to a few Konoha ninjas called forth to handle the situation.

"No need!" said Lee, rather enthusiastically. "The Rokudaime's Assembled Men of Excellence and Neutrality are ready to serve anytime!" He gave a thumbs-up sign.

Sai gave a shaky laugh. "I see. Your group's name is pretty long, ne? How about I call you Team RAMEN instead?"

Sasuke grimaced at the ingenuity of the advisor. On the other hand, Lee screamed of youthfulness and passion. "The Sixth will approve of that!"

"Approve of what?" came for a female fourth voice. They looked up to see Tenten.

"Tenten, please talk logic to your former teammate and respected Hokage advisor that the boys are not Team RAMEN." There was a dark and ominous expression on the Uchiha that would have scared another person if not trained to deal with brooding and anti-social geniuses.

Tenten turned to Lee. "I think Team RAMEN is cool," she said, much to Sasuke's annoyance. "What does it mean?"

Lee was about to reply when he suddenly stopped and his eyes widened. The three followed his gaze. Standing at least twelve feet away from them was Sakura who just came out of her hospital duties to ensure the safety of her idiot-teammate-turned-Hokage. But upon seeing Lee with Sasuke, she turned and brave feet and skipped away from the almost battlefield.

Lee gave a strangled cry.

"What did you do?" Tenten asked, interested all of the sudden.

Sensing that Lee was beyond the capacity to answer, Sasuke said, "I turned gay and kissed him in front of Sakura." Grabbing the dejected young Green Beast of Konoha, Sasuke sprinted after Sakura, because he thought she needed an explanation.

Tenten and Sai gazes followed their retreating figures.

"What are you two looking at?" Shikamaru asked, having finished with his spat with the sand ninja group.

"Early morning drama series," uttered Sai warmly. Shikamaru eyed warily at him but said nothing.

"Is kissing Sasuke one of your Team RAMEN fraternity initiation thingy, or something?" inquired Tenten all of the sudden.

Shikamaru considered his words for the moment, before answering, "Something. Don't dwell on it."

"Don't dwell on what?" It was Neji's turn to ask, having finished with his own spat with his clan.

At his arrival, Tenten turned heel and exited promptly. Sai raised his eyebrows. Shikamaru smirked. Neji scowled.

"What did you do?" asked Shikamaru.

"What makes you think it's my fault?" There was a noticeable amount of exasperation and denial in Neji's statement.

"It's always the men's fault," Shikamaru pointed out, and Sai nodded at his reasoning. "So, what did you do?"

"Nothing. I was born with wealth and privilege," was Neji's plain response.

"Then do something about it." There was something in the way the strategist voiced the words out that snapped the shackles of doubt in Neji's mind. With a curt bow, he was gone with the wind, leaving a fluttering leaves in his spot.

"What are you guys looking at?" Ino asked, wondering why the two boys were looking at the pile of leaves before them intently.

"Early morning drama series," Sai repeated. He could never tire of saying that.

"Volume two," Shikamaru added. There was a smug exchange between the two and Ino shook her head. She could never figure out boys.

"So Team RAMEN?" Shikamaru quirk an eyebrow, somehow feeling that the name was connected to his hastily formed team.

Sai smiled enigmatically. "Team RAMEN aka Rokudaime's Assembled Men of Excellence and Neutrality."

"What are you doing? Let me go!" Tenten half-hissed half-whispered as Neji magically caught up with her and unceremoniously dragged her across town. They caught the attention of many on-lookers and pedestrians standing by, but nobody interrupted their little dispute. Seeing the deadly glint on Tenten's eyes and the slight frown marring Neji's features, they deemed it wise to ignore the two and proceed with their own activities.

After all, curiosity killed the cat. Who's the cat? No one knew. But that's another issue.

"I said let me go!" Tenten finally managed to break free of his iron grip. Or did he loosen it on purpose? She didn't know, and as of the moment, she didn't care. She was just tired. "I'm going home," was her final say, dropping her shoulders and turning on her heels. She barely had her third step before she felt a hand gripped her forearm, whirled her about and tugged her towards the opposite direction of her home.

"Neji! Where are you taking me?" she fumed, beginning to get angry. This man had always been an impossibility to deal with, and she was starting to get irritated with his attitude.

Neji refused to look back, but he answered her nonetheless. "I am taking you to that dreadful underground barbeque store that sells those repulsive grilled black square objects on sticks, and I am going to buy the both of us their goods until we can no longer eat."

It took a moment for Tenten to realize that this was Neji's attempt to take her on a date – a make-up date – to settle their little misunderstanding. And he didn't even bother to ask her. She rolled her eyes heavenwards.

"You don't even like Betamax," Tenten reasoned, mentioning the name of those repulsive grilled black square objects on sticks; anger slowly ebbing through his novel ideas.

He stopped in his tracks and looked at her – really looked at her, not through her – those arresting translucent eyes evoking long hidden emotions. But before she could determine them, he shrugged ever so nonchalantly.

"I like the girl who eats the Betamax."

Carefully, casually, Tenten chuckled in a way that has always calmed and reassured him. Intertwining her fingers with his, she said, "That's a good line, Hyuuga."

"Thought so myself," he replied, a small smile forming his lips.

And that was how their fight ended.

"Stop following me!" Sakura screamed back at the two figures determined to run her stamina down. Tried as she might she could not lose them. She sighed inwardly. It was hard running away from ninjas of belonging to the same village. They were nearing the heart of the forest, already a good distance away from the village.

"Then stop running away!" Sasuke screamed back, Lee still in tow.

Sakura felt too overwrought to deal with Sasuke. She sighed out loud this time, stopping on her tracks. She felt somewhat relieved that the two followed her suit. At least they had the common decency to stay a careful distance away from her. "Fine," she snarled, turning around to the two dark-haired dark-eyed loves of her life. She first focused her assault on Sasuke.

"I like you," she confessed to Sasuke. Lee was taken back by what she said; he never bothered to hide his disappointment. "I like you a lot," she reiterated, "and you kissed my boyfriend. With tongue. What were you thinking?"

Sasuke took a deep breath, and a long one at that. "I'm sorry," he finally said, and continued with the lamest excuse of the century, "I was drunk, and I didn't know what I was doing."

Sakura looked mildly impress. In fact, she looked murderous. "Well are you done?"

"No," he replied quickly. "I'm a piece of pie." Sakura and Lee snapped their attention back on him, taken by surprise at his statement. He was grateful he captured their attention. Remembering their earlier discussion, Sasuke pressed on his topic. "I am a piece of the most sumptuous, delectable, irresistible chocolate cream pie that had ever graced this world. And I have fallen to the ground."

Recognizing where his little speech was going, Lee stared back at Sasuke, stars in his eyes.

"I'm already covered with germs, Sakura. You need another piece." He put an arm around Lee and dragged him to a standing position. "And this guy is in love with you." The awkwardness and stillness of the setting unsettled the young Uchiha. With so much a smile, he disappeared with a poof leaving the two love birds alone.

They did not know how much time had passed with them standing before each other, eyes locked. With careful deliberation, Sakura tapped on the tree branch and leaped to Lee's side of the tree.

"You like him." It wasn't a question. It was more of an accusation.

"Yes."

It was a great effort for Lee not to cry, not to displace his anger on a non-suspecting tree branch; a great effort to be cheerful while his heart felt like Tenten was stabbing it to pieces. "Shouldn't we be going back?" he forced his teeth to clench, an effort to smile, resisting the urge to grumble the words back at her.

Touching the corner of his face, she bade him to look at her. "I like Sasuke. I will always like Sasuke." Tracing the side of his face with an index finger, Sakura smiled warmly, gently. "But I love you."

Lee stared back at her, unable to believe what he just heard. "You what?"

"I love you." The words sounded raw and deep, as if coming from somewhere deep inside of her. She cocked her head on one side and shrugged a shoulder while saying the three wonderful words he had wanted to hear from her. "Well?"

Sakura thought her well-deserved confession could at least earned her a boyish laugh from Lee, complete with him dragging her into his arms and twirling her around happily. And then, they would share their passionate and youthful kiss.

It never occurred to her that the love of her life would stiffen, would stepped away from her, arms fisted at the side, and would say, "You can punch me now."

Sakura blink rapidly. "What?"

Lee closed his eyes, readying himself for the blow. "I know this is a dream where Sakura-chan would say she love me then turn into marionette from another dimension and ask for a fight. Since I do not make it a habit to hit girls, I would ask the marionette to punch me, and I would wake up from my dream. Please punch me now."

Sakura could not believe the incredulousness, the utter absurdity of the situation she was in. She had a compulsion to punch him, and here he was asking for it. Channeling all her chakra in her left fist, she landed a fierce punch square on Lee's face. He flew a good kilometer away from her, destroying branches and random forestry in the process.

When she went to his side, this time with fury in her eyes, he was gaping at his swollen face.

"Sakura-san?" He gasped at her towering form before him. "You punched me?"

"Yes, you idiot, and I will be punching you more for making a mockery out of—"

But her death threats were seemingly cut off by the time his lips sealed hers. Seared hers. And there and then, through the youthful exchange of passionate kisses, Sakura thought punching Lee would come later – much, much later.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed. ^_^ Next stop, NaruHina-ness.