A/N at the end.

Chapter 8

"What did you wish for?"

Sakura stared vacantly at the burnt candles she collected in her palm. The remnants of the chocolate cake on the wax sticks smeared the base of her thumb. She tilted her hand to a slant, letting the candles roll down into the garbage can, before bringing it up to her mouth to lick the bit of icing off of her palm.

The sugary sweetness at the tip of her tongue was not enough to replace the bitterness in her heart. Remembering Ino's knowing expression and playful nudge that coupled her nosy question from earlier, Sakura sulked. It took a good chunk of her willpower not to lash out against her friend's false assumption and let the world know that she'd stopped wishing for his return many, many birthdays ago.

No longer was she the hopeful idiot who'd always diligently recite the same birthday wish year after year. Sakura had turned 34 this year and more of a convert to pessimism. She wasn't going to pray to some deity for intervention to right her grievance. Ultimately, Sasuke was the one who had power and control over his own actions… over the things he chose not to say and over the things he chose not to do. Just what kind of message he was trying to send with all these missed birthdays of his wife and daughter, among other things? A question that begged to be answered on all those nights when she lied awake while her company of doubts and suspicions paid visit at her bedside.

Lips taut, Sakura tried to push these selfish tainting thoughts to the back of her mind, a place where she'd locked her darkest secrets. She refused to give them voice. Tonight was supposed to be a joyous occasion, where her friends gathered at her residence to celebrate her and Sarada's birthdays. Yet, Sakura rejoiced little from the assembly of her peers, especially when their company only served to underline the missing piece in her life.

But, she couldn't blame Hinata for lovingly feeding Naruto a bite of the cake or Ino for affectionately clinging to Sai's side in her presence, all of which were an sight she enviously beheld. Sakura's arms came to circle her sides, hugging herself. Once again, the reserved spot beside her was glaringly empty. Strange, it was when she was surrounded by the most that she felt she was truly alone.

Sakura discarded the last of the used disposable cups. The celebratory crowd had come and gone, taken with it the liveliness that had earlier filled the living space of her small apartment. She shut her eyes. The thought of Sarada's bright smile that accompanied the chorus of the birthday song was her only salvation at the moment to deter her mind from sinking into an abysmal place.

That, or the sound of someone tapping on her front door.

Curiously, Sakura made her way to the entrance of her apartment, but not before noting the lateness of the hour with a cursory scan at the clock on the wall. Had a party guest forgotten their belonging at her place and returned to retrieve it, she wondered? But she hadn't noticed anyone's property left behind during her cleanup, come to think of it. Or maybe it was her amiable, yet too-forgetful-for-his-own-good neighbor who'd gotten locked out and wanted to utilize her patio to gain entrance to his unit? Quite possible, since it wouldn't be the first time. Sakura sighed, as she reached for the doorknob.

But none of her guesses were tangentially correct as the the door opened to reveal a person whose features were so distinct that she thought he'd always steal the spotlight wherever he went: The fiery red tattoo above his left brow bone was the most prominent; next, his eyes, a shade of teal that reminded her of the summertime ocean; then, his blood red hair, slightly ruffled with a few rebellious strays as though he hasn't had the time to comb and gel it down. Sakura found herself actually liking this bit of disorderliness in his usually disciplined look.

Despite her surprise, Sakura smiled widely. Her previous depressing thoughts were instantly shoved to a neglected corner of her head space.

"Gaara. You came."

"Am I too late?" Were her visitor's first words, mixed within a bare hint of breathlessness.

"You missed everyone by… say, about two hours." Her smile remained unwavering to show that she was not at all bothered by his late arrival.

"I apologize," Gaara spoke sincerely, yet a scowl found its way to his face. "Some last-minute requests caused unnecessary delays to my departure from Suna."

"No, not at all, don't apologize. Please come in." Not wishing for her guest to linger any longer on her doorsteps, Sakura was quick to usher him in. As she trailed behind him into the living room, she said, "Sarada told me she invited you."

"You really shouldn't have bothered yourself to come all the way from Suna just for this. It's too much!" In spite of her courteous words, she was more than elated by his presence and wouldn't have wished otherwise.

"It's no bother," Gaara told her, before reaching into his travel pouch and pulling out two boxes. "Here, for you and Sarada. My congratulations to you both."

"What's this?" Sakura blinked. Her focus fell from the man's genuine smile to the square objects, adorned in basic yet elegant wrapping paper, in his hands. The rich red color of the covering attracted her eyes.

"It's customary to gift the celebrating party a token of good wish, is it not?" he asked rhetorically. A trace of amusement danced in his eyes at her confusion.

Birthday presents… Sakura nodded dumbly, as she extended her arms and accepted his goodwill. Pressing the gifts closer to herself, her lips quivered the slightest before she caught them between her teeth.

His simplest gesture touched her once more.

"Thank you…" She willed away the moisture that was about to inexplicably rim her eyes and smiled again, this time in gratitude. Feeling quite silly over her own sensitiveness, Sakura inwardly steadied herself. She then motioned for Gaara to follow her and quietly led him through the short hallway to Sarada's bedroom. Pausing at the entrance, she signaled to the redhead with her index finger to her lips, to which he nodded in cooperation.

The door to her daughter's bedroom cracked open with a soft click and a gentle push. Sakura poked her head into the dark of the room. The light from the hallway poured from behind her through the opening and illuminated the inside. The blanket hid most of Sarada's body from view. Her chest rose up and down in regular rhythm. Her eyes were closed in the most serene manner, unaffected by the intruding light. Deciding against waking her daughter, Sakura's eyes stayed on the girl's sleeping form for a few seconds longer before pulling the door to a close and making her retreat with her male companion.

"That child sure gives you a lot of trouble, huh," Sakura commented as she and Gaara made their way back into the living room. Thinking about the unfinished baked goods in the kitchen she has yet to put away, she offered to her guest, "Care for some cake?"

"No, thank you," he politely declined.

"We also have cookies and chocolates."

"I'm not keen on sweets."

"Everybody likes sweets!" Sakura exclaimed, feigning playful disbelief. Setting Gaara's gifts down on the coffee table, she asked him, "What do you like then?"

"Gizzards and salted tongue."

"Ah." At Gaara's literal answer, Sakura's brows rose higher. That's an odd food, she thought. Still, she found joy in learning a new fact about her red-haired friend.

Sakura glanced over to the clock. It was late and the birthday party was already done and over with, but the selfish part of her was reluctant to send her guest off. Gaara was here, and she knew how rare the opportunity ever came by. So she'd take advantage of every single minute of it.

Besides, he'd just arrived. It would be rude to have him leave, she reasoned over the more considerate side of her that argued that Gaara could very well be fatigued from his travel and therefore needed to rest. Willingly ignoring the possibility of the latter, Sakura was inclined to let herself enjoy his company a bit longer.

Hoping her companion wasn't too tired just yet, she proposed to him, "Hey, you know what, I think I need to walk off some of that birthday cake. Join me to get some fresh air?"

The cloudless night sky that loomed above Konohagakure was always a favorite of Sakura's. The pale moon hung in the heavens, a silver beacon for all those who might be lost in the impenetrable darkness. Beneath slept a tranquil city, yet its dazzling lights made it seem very much alive.

Atop of the Hokage Rock, Sakura sighed in wonder at the unobstructed spectacular view that her vintage point provided. She was thankful that this was one of the few nostalgic places that were left undisturbed from the rapid developments that'd metamorphosed the Hidden Leaf. The urban planners had designated this area as a recreational space, which now included walking trails, play grounds, and planted lawns for picnics.

Stretching out her legs, Sakura reclined her back into the wooden bench that she currently occupied with her red-haired companion. Through her peripherals, she peeked at him. He held the same relaxed posture: Hands loosely gathered in his laps, his body leaned against the bench, he quietly gazed into the horizon.

With no one else around, it was a peaceful moment that they both seemed to be relishing.

"Gaara," Sakura eventually spoke up, catching his attention. "I really appreciate it, what you've been doing for Sarada."

And me. This part she wanted to add, yet she omitted. Too shy to admit openly that she'd grown dependent on him.

"I couldn't pass on the food offerings that was tied to my service." A small lift of a corner of Gaara's lips showed his jest.

"Well, I'm glad that you approve of my cooking then." She laughed softly.

"As I said before, it's adequate." He returned in kind.

Shaking her head in humor, Sakura changed the subject. "So what brings you to Konoha this time? More work?"

Gaara turned to her. A smirk appeared on his face, as he answered plainly, "Vacation."

Sakura tilted her head as she blinked, before teasing, "I didn't know that word existed in the vocabulary of a Kage."

"It's needed occasionally for my sanity to stay in tact."

"The paperwork is that bad, huh." She could empathize, having seen firsthand the hellish amount of documents that Tsunade and Naruto struggled through in their daily grind.

"So you understand."

She nodded with mirth. A brief silence passed between them, as she looked heaven bound. Sakura loved the stars, thousands of bright specks that glittered across the black velvet, telling of a promise that there was hope even in the darkest times and places…

At least, that was what her younger naive self used to make believe. Now she no longer felt consoled by the panorama of the brilliant constellations. With a weight on her heart, Sakura began, "Do you…"

His focus stayed on her as she formed the rest of her sentence, "…ever look at some things in your life and wish you can have a do-over?"

She felt his speculative eyes on her, but she refused to face them for fear of her own betraying her innermost thoughts. She was deliberate in guarding her emotions from spilling over; it wasn't a load for him to carry. Still, she wondered if she could find some solace in his wisdom.

"I try not to. It's counter-productive."

His response was straight to the point. Sakura couldn't help but feel disappointed that there was not more to it.

"Hmm… I suppose you are right," she agreed superficially. As sensible as his advice sounded, Sakura knew it was something that, try as she might, she couldn't realistically practice.

As though reading her dissatisfaction with his answer, Gaara decided to elaborate. "When we look to the past at the things we could've said and done, we become stationary. I take my regrets as lessons learned to effect actions that impact the present and the future."

Returning his gaze to the skyline, he stated unequivocally, "I accept the past that's made me who I am, so I can move forward."

"Sabaku no Gaara…" Moved by the determination in his expression, Sakura smiled to herself for the umpteenth time that night. He never ceased to amaze her. "Who would've thought? After all these years, I'd be sitting here talking with you out of all people, the person who'd almost crushed me to death when we were little."

"I beg your pardon?" He was quick to implore her for clarification. Bewilderment was apparent in his tone.

"You don't remember? Shortly after the finals of the Chuunin tests, when…" Sakura stopped herself short, unsure why she'd brought up a memory that would only pain her the more she thought of it.

The abrupt halt in her speech went unnoticed by Gaara, however, as he confessed, "My memory of that period is vague."

"Well, I guess it's just me then. It's hard to forget a near-death experience when you are young," she joked half-heartedly, hoping to diffuse the somberness that she was unwittingly building up.

"I'm sorry." Eyes to the ground, he acted and sounded like a child who'd just gotten admonished. "For hurting you."

His apology was so genuine. Suddenly feeling guilty over broaching the subject, Sakura berated herself on the inside. It was not her intention to fault him. "It's okay, really! I didn't bring it up to make you feel guilty or anything. I'm not holding grudges. I just think it's unbelievable how things have changed."

"You were so mean when we first met you. Look at you now: The Kazekage of the Hidden Sand, admired and respected widely by so many."

"Mean" was too mild a term; it was more like bloodthirsty, but she knew better than to penalize him for an offense long forgiven. Though, given that precise facet about Gaara's past, Sakura didn't think she'd ever get over how much the very man before her has changed and matured… as well as how she'd come to develop a closer friendship with him.

With that thought, she silently and contently studied him. The cool night breeze tousled his lustrous crimson hair against his smooth fair skin. The dark shades that circled his eyes accentuated his iridescent jade irises. The moonlight was kind to his features. Too kind… And so too were the hands of time that had shown their grace by molding his appearance into perfection, boasting their masterpiece through his chiseled cheekbones, well-defined nose, sharp jawline, and flawless skin. The deepened lines on his face added not age to his features but a certain allure associated with his transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Her eyes traced the outline of his profile, greedily drinking in the mystifying sight, one that was now more breathtaking than the star-lit sky.

Funny, she remembered from her last visit to Suna the existence of his fan clubs with massive followings. Sakura now understood why.

"You really are handsome..." In an airy whisper, her thoughts tumbled out unchecked from her brain.

Spellbound and driven by impulse, she reached out.

Her fingertips closed their distance by making a soft landing on the tattoo on his forehead. The feather-like contact had incited an instant reaction out of him, as he turned ever so slightly into her touch. His turquoise eyes bore into hers with puzzlement, which was soon replaced with a display of fascination that only emboldened her to carry on with her daring movements.

Sakura invited herself closer. Her fingers followed the natural curve of his face, and she cupped his cheek. Though his body stilled like a stone statue; his emotions, unmasked through those lucid pools of jade, were of such intensity that enthralled her so deeply that she'd almost forgotten how to breathe.

He sat unmoving, tacitly accepting her exploration with his steadfast gaze. Her focus fell from his eyes to his slightly parted mouth. A magnetizing force, quite unexplainable, pulled her body toward his until she felt his steadily controlled breaths tingled her nose. Without any restraint, she leaned in closer, thirstily drawing on that heightening sensation that was making her insides flutter wildly; an experience so wonderful that she'd never want to come down from riding on that high; a feeling that excited her heart to race so fast that it'd taken her down that memory lane, to the last time that she'd ever felt this way…

Sasuke-kun…

The thought jolted her. Like being forcefully woken from a dream, she batted her eyes to refocus. What greeted her vision was not a pair of mismatched black and violet eyes; in lieu, churning jade eyes drilled into hers from inches away. Sakura promptly froze to her present circumstances. At once she withdrew her hand as though she'd been scalded. Swiftly scooting away, she dispelled their close proximity. Her previously dazed mind, now a racetrack for a dozen incoherent thoughts competing to explain the most compromising position she'd just found herself in with another man…

"I-I…" Sakura panicked, averting her eyes and grappling with her words.

"I am so sorry! I-I have to go!"

With that, she jumped to her feet and fled as fast as her legs could carry her.

A/N: Welp, I guess it's time to hop off the slow burn train?

Thank you for the abundant support you all have shown me in the last chapter through your reviews, follows, and favs. I enjoyed reading each of your comments, and they help me to move forward with my writing despite all the distractions. I've progressed more than I've ever imagined, and for that, I'm grateful to your encouragements.