Author's Note : As of today… this fic is rated M. I'm trying to discover new things.
Anyways, enjoy!
22
.
in·formed con·sent
a process for getting permission before conducting an intervention on a person
.
Just holding her to remain balanced proved to be more difficult the more steps they took. It was the first time they visited this town, the streets weren't as familiar, the wind felt colder than at home, the hotel room was booked by Ino when they were on the way to the bar so they could go back to the hotel together, but changes were bound to happen in life. He had gone there once to park his car, but the distant memory didn't help at all. The last time he checked on his phone, the hotel wasn't supposed to be that far, but not with the condition he was in obviously. Somehow with all the energy left inside his body, he could still manage to stay sober, at least just to walk straight and arrive safe with an intoxicated Hinata beside him.
"Sasuke-kun."
Sasuke cringed, looking at the giggling mess in his arms.
"Should I call you Sasuke-kun again?" Hinata continued.
"No."
Hinata broke free of his arms, now staring at him on the eye, slightly squinting. "Why?"
Sasuke licked his lip and pulled her by the arm gently, bringing her to start walking again. "Because I want you to call me Sasuke."
Staring at their moving feet Hinata pouted. "But I want to call you Sasuke-kun."
"You don't."
"Sasuke-kun."
"What?"
She paused, turning her head to look at him intently.
Sasuke too halted while managing to bring them closer to the wall of some building nearby to let the other pedestrians pass by. "What?"
"Why are you so handsome?"
Sasuke stared at her in mild disbelief. "Close your eyes," he ordered.
Hinata did as told. "Why?"
Trying to stifle a smile that threatened to appear he bit on his lip. "Let's just go," he said, pulling her with him.
Hinata was calm for a very short time before she pulled away from him. "I feel so hot," she confessed, hands fumbling to discard her coat.
Sasuke stopped her. "It's freaking cold, Hinata."
"I know." She paused for emphasis. "It's because you're near me."
Sasuke let out a sound of hindered chortle. "What?"
Hinata giggled, eyebrows wiggling suggestively in failure. "You are hot."
Staring at her in gentle terror, he said, "Okay, this is enough. Climb on my back."
Hinata complied easily when Sasuke knelt in front of her. Sasuke took his time, enjoying the feel of her breath on his neck and the weight on his back.
"I've been wanting this," confessed Hinata quietly, her warm breath transmitted weird sensation on his neck. He couldn't say he didn't enjoy it. "I've been wanting you to carry me on your back."
Sasuke readjusted her position. "Why didn't you ask sooner?"
"On what occasion?" Hinata expelled air on her fringe. "Unless I'm incapable, you wouldn't do it!"
A pause was her only answer.
"I know it." Hinata sniffed. "I need to be wasted like this first."
Sasuke sighed. "Why do you like to assume so much when you hadn't even tried?"
"You would, then?!"
Sasuke shook his head, choosing not to answer. It was a miracle when he found the right building. As both of his hands were occupied at the moment, someone exiting the building held the door for them. Sasuke nodded his gratitude. He went straight to the lift then asked Hinata to push the button.
In the lift, no one was coming with them. After pushing the button to their floor, Hinata was terribly quiet. Sasuke turned slightly so they were facing the side with the mirror. On the mirror, Sasuke could see Hinata was leaning her chin on his shoulder, her eyes downcast.
Suddenly, she called him the normal way she usually did and she sounded serious. For a moment he thought she was sober.
"Sasuke."
"Hm?"
"Why haven't we done it?"
His eyes widened and their eyes met. Hinata held his gaze, her eyes didn't waver even for a bit. From the reflection one could easily decide who was more flustered. Sasuke hoped the sight of her sober was just an illusion, either she looked like she was sober while in fact she was drunk or he was the one getting drunk and started seeing things.
Hinata broke her gaze only to look at the real person who was stubbornly staring at their reflection on the mirror. "You know, sex."
She felt him stiffen below her.
"You wanted to go slow," he finally murmured, eyes staring at some point of her hair in the mirror.
"Ah." Hinata nodded slowly. "I see." A pause before she continued, "how about you?"
His answer came out easier. "I want whatever you feel comfortable with."
Hinata nodded again. "So," she breathed, introducing reek of alcohol to open air, "you're waiting for my consent?"
Sasuke let out a noncomittal chuckle as he shrugged. "If that's how you want to think about it. So, yeah."
Hinata nodded quietly before leaning her head on his shoulder, making her long hair fall and conceal her face. The rest of the ride towards their room was quiet.
Inside the room, quietly Hinata asked him to lower her. He did after he pushed the door close with his heel. Sensing Hinata adjust her footing behind him, or dusting her coat unnecessarily perhaps, he fastened the lock for good measure or just a habit, or just something to do. Turning away after he was done, he didn't have any idea on what was coming.
Hinata surprised him by kissing him on the mouth, hard, almost staggering him backwards.
But he was stronger.
Hinata didn't have any idea just how low her chances of winning were.
It was his first.
Sakura knew right away the moment his bright blue eyes had widened when she started working on her buttons. She had raised an eyebrow, pausing her doing. "Don't you want to?"
There was an almost perceptible emotional conflict beneath his gaze, but he recovered easily, as if he had been trained just for this moment, then she was pushed backward by his stronger build. Next thing she knew, she was on her back and Naruto was on top of her.
His following clumsy advances and awkward approach to something as intimate as sex only corroborated further of her assumption. She hadn't said anything throughout the night. He hadn't confirmed verbally either.
She didn't mind.
He didn't seem flustered or uncertain either. He was discovering new things, she noted, and she felt too amused not to indulge him.
When he reached for her bra clasp, she had felt the need to explain whatever was happening between them; that she wasn't looking for anything after this, that she didn't want a relationship out of this, that she hoped they were on the same page about the whole affair, that they just consensually wanted emotionless sex.
No strings attached.
So she had tried to look at him on the eye, to make point of her conditions, and she did look him on the eye.
That was actually a mistake.
His eyes were blue.
She had known that fact when her eyes first landed on them earlier in the afternoon on the parking lot. Naruto sensed that she wanted to say something that he actually paused his advances. That was the only logical explanation to reason why their eyes met. It didn't help that she could see her reflection on the black area of his dilated pupils.
His eyes were blue, the same shade of the sky right after the sunrise on the summer. They were bright, just at the exact level of comfort, clear, no clouded insidious intention, and darker than she had initially thought now that she looked at them closely for the first time.
She felt lost.
And she felt like she just have to surrender. It wasn't too late.
She blinked at the right moment, any later than that she didn't know if she could whisper out the words she had managed to form in between her internal clashing.
"Whatever happens here stays inside."
Her words sounded shallow, pointless. His light chortle as his response didn't help at all. He raised an eyebrow as one corner of his lips rose to form a boyish smirk, that kind of smirk she presumed only he could pull off.
The rest of the night, she had been completely lost.
The minute gravity was just about to fail him, Sasuke took a sturdy step forward as he wrapped Hinata's slender torso with his arms and swept her off of her feet. Hinata's hands roamed upwards in desperate search to something to hold onto while maintaining the contact her lips and his had. But Sasuke's hold was strong enough, making her effort to be futile. Just before her hands reach his nape, she pulled on his lapels, demanding the black coat to be pulled off. In quick movements, Sasuke swept her around with him, pushed her backwards so her back come in contact with the wall, lips still in competition for dominance. He then removed his coat carelessly with the help of Hinata's hands, and helped Hinata removing hers. When they were free of their extra layer, Sasuke lifted Hinata on the waist, leaned her on the wall as his hands moved to support her under the thighs and on impulse she wrapped her legs around his waist.
When she deemed she was steady enough, Hinata pulled off her fossil gray shirt, leaving behind bone-white camisole. Sasuke stared the whole process in awe. Fingering the thin straps of white camisole and black bra, his eyes returned to her pearly ones but not too long for she immediately reclaimed his mouth.
He felt her hands working on the buttons of his shirt and Sasuke was pushed over the edge of control. He savaged her inner cavern, tracing every groove with his tongue, rendering hers useless to try overwhelming his.
She was bold, he noted. It only encouraged him to be bolder.
With his teeth teasing her on the bottom lip, Sasuke brought his hand to land on her right breast, gently squeezing it with his palm over the camisole and while she was still wearing bra, he could feel the soft mound distinctly as if she weren't wearing any. He didn't know if he should be alarmed by the recent fact he'd discovered but it'd be a lie if he said it didn't excite him at all.
One of his fingers brushed her peak without him meaning to and Hinata escaped a sigh.
It turned him on on more ways than one. In the blink of an eye, his mind was starting to get clear.
Despite the tightness on his crotch, he pulled away slightly breathless. Hinata was aiming for his neck, but he was faster. Left hand cupped her on the cheek, he searched her eyes; her gaze reflected his.
Lust.
"Are you sure?" he asked quietly, still trying to control his breathing. "Do you want our first to be under the influence?"
Still with similar gaze, Hinata furrowed her brows, cheeks scarlet and lips swollen. As sober awareness gradually sank in, her eyes widened. Immediately she buried her face on his chest. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she mumbled helplessly, hands clutching on his shirt.
Sasuke, having his hand removed involuntarily from her cheek, encircled his arms around Hinata in a tight embrace. "I don't want that either."
Hinata snuggled closer to his chest. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine." Sasuke cleared his throat, feeling dampness started to spread on his chest. "But… I'm already uncomfortable down there. I think—I…need to…"
Hinata pulled away immediately without calculating the short distance between her back and the wall which ended with her letting out a yelp of pain-tainted surprise. Sasuke lowered her promptly without suspecting any chance of her thighs brushing him on the crotch which ended with him letting out a groan.
Blurred with unshed tears, Hinata's eyes darted to the bulge on his pants out of reflex before she turned away and created some distance away from him. "I-I'm sorry, Sasuke."
"It's fine, Hinata," Sasuke tried to utter calmly when in fact he was clearly holding himself in difficulty. They locked eyes before Sasuke licked his lips and made his way to the bathroom only to stop midway. He turned around slightly. "Don't go near the bathroom until I go out."
Hinata stared wide eyed at him.
Sasuke almost let out a groan. Almost. "Promise me?"
Hinata could only nod stiffly.
Nodding himself, he immediately dashed to the bathroom leaving the door locked.
Hinata stood unbudging for another seconds that felt like minutes. She then paced around the entry hall and that was when she heard rustling of clothes followed with running water behind the bathroom's door and realized her state of undress. Staring wide eyed at said door in terror, she immediately backpedaled deeper inside. Inside the main room, with persistent palpitation of her heart and heat on her face, she looked over the whole space trying to find her shirt but in the end decided to wear something else altogether, something warmer and more comfortable. She couldn't wear the clothes where she had been highly aroused in if she wanted to have a good sleep that night.
She pulled a sweater she was supposed to wear tomorrow from her backpack. Promptly, as to elude any other inappropriate encounter with Sasuke, she removed her camisole, then spontaneously realized why she was very sensitive because of all bras she had brought with her, she had worn a non-padded that night. Shaking her head to regain control of herself, she quickly wore the taupe sweater.
Now having nothing to do, her eyes darted around to any object she deemed deserve her undivided attention. But none held her interest for more than one second, until they landed on Sasuke's backpack.
Biting her bottom lip, she walked forward, stopping midway she shook her head, then turned away before she turned again and walked toward said item with unrivalled determination.
The least she could do was to prepare his change of clothes.
She pulled the zipper slowly, as if in fear Sasuke could hear she was sneaking into his things, which she did but knew at the same time that he wouldn't mind. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes, trying to calm her nerves. When she opened her eyes, her gaze filled with fondness driven confidence. She brought the dark denim backpack with her to the bed. Calmly she lowered herself to sit on the edge of the bed then pulled the zipper to its full length, retaining the calmness, she ran her hand through handful set of clothes and managed to pull his navy college hoodie. Smiling, she traced Konoha Medical School in sans serif on the chest area with her fingers. Settling the item on her lap, she then proceeded to retrieve his light gray sweatpants.
She sure concentrated too much for this tedious activity that she almost forgot just a wall from here, Sasuke was occupied in other activity that was … unquestionably more strenuous. Retrieving his underwear was to be done next and she did so quickly that she failed to note if it was either trunks or boxer-briefs but really she wasn't curious at all.
Even after she finished returning his backpack to the sofa, the shower was still on. She didn't want to keep track of the time but her eyes persistently glancing at her wrist watch. She turned the TV on just because. Although it didn't hide the sound of water drizzling in the background completely, at least it did dampen down the sound.
She then sat on the sofa, leaning on her back and she felt the instant state of drowsiness. If she were to succumb into the temptation to just sleep, she could, but the anticipation she felt at the moment was more prominent. After how long she wasn't quite sure, the water stopped. She felt the immediate adrenaline rush as she hastily hugged his change of clothes then dashed toward the bathroom.
She leaned her left ear to the door with the support of one hand to listen to …nothing. Pulling away slightly she sighed, then knocked on the door softly. "Sasuke?"
A momentarily quiet atmosphere, then, a low, "Hinata?"
"I-I'm holding your … new set of clothes."
Another pause, then, "wait a sec."
Hinata waited more than one second and she really did count it was actually five seconds. The knob twisted, the door swung inwards producing a narrow slit to reveal outstretched hand of Sasuke's. Promptly she placed the clothes on his hand. "Here."
After securing the item within his large grip, Sasuke's hand hovered midair unmoving. Hinata bit her lip, slowly starting to back away.
"Hinata," Sasuke said quietly from behind the door.
"Yes?" She sounded too high-pitched than she would like.
"Thanks," he finished, retracting his hand which followed by a gentle click when he closed the door.
Hinata nodded and couldn't fetch her voice to answer with anything. Turning around in a not the best consciousness she had at the moment, the previously interrupted lethargy returned now that she had nothing to anticipate. Half-consciously she plodded toward the sofa.
She didn't remember much the rest of the trip or the fact that now she was sleeping in a fetal position on the sofa.
Sasuke opened the bathroom's door not too long after, dressed in the clothes his girlfriend had set. Padding deeper inside, his eyes immediately spotted the state she was in. He knelt before the sofa, all the while maintaining the intensity of his gaze. Gently he brushed away her side fringe, then her earlobe, until his fingers landed on her chin. Hinata's eyes fluttered open and she immediately rose to sit the moment the sight of Sasuke kneeling before her was perceived.
It was a wrong movement for she felt the immediate hurl of dizziness.
"I-I fell asleep," she murmured, wide pearly eyes clashed into stoic obsidian. For a moment, she forgot about the dizziness.
Sasuke smirked. "I could see that." Holding her gaze he stood, offering her his hand.
Hinata's brow furrowed in self-reproach. "I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry? Come here."
Slowly she raised her hand to take his and with a gentle pull from him, Hinata stood. Together they made their way toward the bed, inwardly full of anticipation and yet everything felt so natural. Sasuke pulled Hinata with him as he laid on the bed on his side, positioning himself behind his girlfriend's more petite figure with an arm supporting her head, the other held her tight into his chest.
Couldn't direct her gaze at nothing but the closed black curtain in front of her, Hinata impulsively adjusted her head on his upper arm, sensing his calm breath at the back of her head. This position they had at the moment was surprisingly very comfortable. And this state of comfort amplified the heaviness she felt on her eyelids at the same time the release of control on her lips. "What were you thinking about? W-when… you know."
Sasuke tightened his hold. "Shut up and just sleep."
A pause when both blinked for different reasons; the girl was heavy with sleep, the other was contemplating his actual answer.
"Of course I was thinking about you," he confessed quietly.
A soft sigh escaped and a gentle pressure he felt when she caressed his hand with hers was enough indication for him to know that she heard.
It was easier to sleep afterward than he would have initially believed.
Sasuke was awaken by a subtle ticklish movement on his chin, gradually increasing throbbing on his head, and the unwanted crisp atmosphere that urged him to tighten his hold onto something soft within his embrace. Something soft and pleasant, familiar yet foreign.
Of course he remembered it clearly what was this soft being in his arms, or who in this regard. He should be waking up now, he realized. But the throbbing on his head didn't help at all and holding her was the thing he wanted to do most at the moment, so he relented to his innermost desire.
They had changed positions somehow. On his hands was the smooth surface of her back and long soft tresses, no more smooth curves of the ventral part. On his neck was the warm exhale of air on calm steady rhythm, tickling him subtly in the most pleasant way possible. On his waist, her slender arm curved over with the feel of her tender palm on his lower back.
He tightened his hold on her just because.
She was very petite and he felt the pride of being able to engulf her within his embrace easily and so… naturally, like it was in his nature to have her within his hold.
Hinata stirred momentarily and Sasuke felt a light caress on his back as she huddled closer to his chest, exhaling softly.
To smile was too easy and he didn't try to impede.
It wasn't long since he first woke up, but he could already deduce;
waking by her stirring next to him was… perfect.
He had been a medical student for the past prominent years in his youth and mornings had never been the time he'd like to have first thing when waking up.
But this, he could stay like this for the rest of his life and he wouldn't ask for more.
Was he in love?
Admitting to be might be difficult. Because it isn't something as definite as when saying one's own name. Love is a word, but how to really define it?
Maybe it was love.
Let's just say it was love.
Strangely, he wasn't bothered at all.
Admitting it was easier when he let himself.
He felt Hinata shift again; her nose made contact with his clavicle.
"Sasuke."
His name was pronounced by her lips as more than just a name.
It was indeed possible to admit loving someone as easy as to say your own name, as easy as to say her name.
Only if he let himself.
He didn't have anything to lose not to after all.
"Hinata."
Now applying mascara on her right eyelashes with him watching in amusement on the background, she wondered if she should take her own words.
The morning after had always been awkward, or she always left first before they even as much as to open their eyes. It wasn't the case for the blonde guy clad in nothing but the duvet that covered his lower half who casually rubbed on his left eye and yawned as he watched her applying make up though.
He was too comfortable for her liking and what infuriated her more was the fact that she didn't actually mind. She needed to remind herself that she didn't leave earlier either.
She turned on her stool to face him.
He stared back just as intense.
She swallowed hard.
"About what I said earlier… you could try to find out if it really needed to be stayed inside."
Naruto was actually grinning. He nodded, stood in all his glory, and made his way to the bathroom.
It was the perfect time for an escape.
Naruto knew, Sakura knew.
Sakura wondered when leaving first wasn't an option anymore.
From strangers' eyes, the sight of the three young adults in the lobby was not even near eye-catching. The platinum blonde woman in knee-length royal purple dress was pacing to and fro before the other two dark haired couple seated on a black couch and despite the comfortable bearing of the furniture Ino didn't know if they were feeling comfortable or not. Because she surely wasn't.
Ino was restless, the fact itself was telling something.
She was never restless over something not related to her shoes or her family's flower shop back in Konoha. Even on exam weeks, she always felt confident because she'd studied enough if not more.
One thing she hated was to be kept waiting, hence she hated being late because if the person waiting for her was feeling even as little to how she'd feel about waiting for someone, then it was enough moral warning for her to wake up earlier and prepare herself.
She had done just that this morning, disregarding her state of hangover. It was such a relief to enter the main lobby door at the same time Sasuke and Hinata exited the ground floor lift thirty minutes ago. The dark haired couple had been startled at first to see her entering from outside, not from the same lift as how they had been.
Ino had been too focused in ensuring herself that she would arrive on time that she had forgotten how peeved she was the previous night.
"Sakura left me alone with no keys so I crashed on the boys' place, replacing Naruto," she had bitten out.
Hinata and Sasuke had shared an inquiring glance to each other but Ino wasn't too curious about it. She was too occupied with her own frustration and somehow regret for not bringing Sai with her.
Now, back to thirty minutes after, Hinata sat neatly on the couch while her boyfriend slouched on the armrest of the same couch, idly playing with strands of midnight hair but was too subtle for anyone to notice and the only promising spectator within range was too restless to notice as well.
When the lift door slid open to reveal Sakura and unsurprisingly Naruto, both in yesterday's clothes, Ino knew it instantly what was going on and as if her best friend had known whatever snidy remarks she was about to strike her with, the moment her green eyes locked to her blue ones, Sakura took a sharp turn to the left toward the reception desk.
Naruto looked lost for a moment, then he flashed a blank glance to the three on the lobby before taking his own turn to follow the pink haired girl.
In indignation, Ino turned around, face still contorted in controlled anger. But her expression soon changed the moment she perceived the sight before her. Now facing and for the first time really focusing to the presence of her company, her eyebrows twisted in confusion. Both the dark haired's contrasting colored pairs of eyes were focused to two persons who were now obligately checking out in the reception desk. She could accept how utter shock was shown on the too-easy-to-read face of the girl, but even the usually stoic and nonchalant Uchiha was evidently shocked? Albeit subtler than his girlfriend, it was still a noticeable sign.
Epiphany suddenly hit her on the head.
"Ah, Naruto's your friend," she mumbled, then in a clearer tone, "surprised? But, it's rather easy to guess what happened, right?"
Hinata's eyes turned to her. "W-what happened?"
A blonde eyebrow rose. "Same room? Yesterday's clothes? Man and woman?"
"How can you be so sure?" asked Sasuke suddenly in a level tone, but his eyes gave away his incredulity.
Ino nestled both hands on her hips. "I don't know about Naruto, but I know Sakura."
Hinata didn't get it, Sasuke did. Suddenly Ino was afraid if she had phrased it the wrong way. But then she calmly exhaled, whatever they were thinking wasn't her concern.
"You see… she doesn't believe in relationship, so she's just being human with… needs," she explained essentially. She looked at Hinata, who was slowly comprehending, "she's a nice girl by nature, just bristly on the surface," then at Sasuke with a more pointed gaze, "and she's no slut and she always draws the line as clear as possible, so Naruto should've consented to whatever they agreed on."
Somehow, her explanations only made Hinata look more awestruck. "How can you be so sure?"
Ino looked at her funny because she just repeated what her boyfriend had uttered previously the only difference now it was in a more… apprehensive tone. Now, she was the one who didn't get it. What was so hard to believe?
She planned to say something, or she didn't actually, because she was more relieved if she didn't have to. In the end she didn't have to; Sakura came at the right moment.
Green eyes looked over the only medical students the owner did know and was actually friends with, but she avoided looking at her actual best friend. "We're leaving now?"
It was rather unsettling and surprising when Sasuke was the one to answer. Standing up, he said easily, "We are," as if he hadn't waited thirty minutes and Sakura hadn't come with his best friend who was supposed to like his other best friend now girlfriend tailing behind her. Unsettling because as he said that, he wasn't looking at Sakura but at Naruto. "See you next time," he then said.
Naruto nodded stiffly. He tried to stop the urge to direct his eyes to Hinata. He gave in.
Hinata smiled at him, "See you next time, Naruto," while taking Sasuke's hand as if she had done it a million times in the time they weren't with him physically. As if even before they realized their feelings towards each other, they had been doing it. Behind his back.
Naruto didn't know what to make of his feelings toward this…realization borderline accusation. It hurt. But why he was feeling … soft all the same? He found himself not even remotely hating the idea of them being together behind his back. But it still hurt. Yet it didn't.
He was almost late to realize everyone was watching him, waiting for his response from the look of it. So he did.
"Yeah, take care, all of you."
He really meant it.
And to all of them.
"I'm having none of it anymore."
Actually, Sakura was the one having none of it anymore. Of course, she couldn't voice that out loud, because she had to admit she was at fault here. But simply answering honestly wouldn't stop Ino from elaborating more just how pissed she was as her best friend and how she'd done that far too often for her own good. Green eyes easily rolled to the side, catching the sight of the dark haired couple at the front seats interacting in silent conversation. If she remembered correctly, Ino was the one that had asked them for a ride politely, yet now they were the ones keeping low to themselves while Ino candidly exposed her trouble to be friends with an irresponsible human being.
Yes, that irresponsibe human being was her.
She'd got that a lot from Ino, so unsurprisingly, it affected her no more.
"You should've alerted me beforehand."
Sakura suppressed the urge to groan.
"Then I wouldn't have needed to—"
"I am very sorry, Ino, okay?" She punctuated each words with pauses. She really did try to restrain herself. "I was drunk. My phone's whereabout was the least concern last night." But she couldn't apparently.
"Of course," Ino hissed. Sakura noticed a subtle flickering of heads at the front. "You've landed eyes—"
"Ino." Sakura was becoming uncomfortable. Not because their attitude as guests was overstepping bounds, when in fact it was, but because their conversation was getting out of hand. Didn't Ino know that the blonde head of their topic was the dark haired couple's close friend?
"What?" Ino glared at her.
Sakura glared back before flashing a glance to the front. Eyes the shade of turquoise widened as the owner at last perceived she had done…wrong. With a huff, Ino leaned on her back, arms locked over her chest, lips sealed, and she said nothing more.
"It was only a one night stand," Sakura said lowly as closure.
Closure to whom, she didn't know for sure.
She bet it didn't satisfy the dark haired couple's silent yet vivid wonderings and it surely didn't pacify Ino's anger.
Strangely, it didn't sit well with her as well.
Author's Note:At last, I want to rant about Naruto's immediate attraction to Sakura no one asking for LOL.
In any universe, I believe Naruto would always have eyes for Sakura the moment he landed his eyes on her. In this story, Naruto has been friends with Hinata first, that's why he fell for her first because of her personality or her other traits but not physical, and it took long for him to notice his own feelings. If we're talking about physique-wise, love at first sight, whatever you want to call it, it would be obviously Sakura over Hinata. So, my explanation to Naruto's immediate change of feelings is, actually, Naruto still have the same feeling for Hinata. It could have been weakened, or lost its initial potency because he sees no bright end in indulging to these feelings and tries so hard to move on. He tries not to linger to these feelings as much as he could. As for Sakura, Naruto is physically attracted to her. Call it a rebound, but Sakura isn't looking for a real relationship either, because I'm trying to portray Sakura to be an independent individual who has no interest in commitment (at the moment). Humans are supposed to have imperfections, and I'm bringing these facts to you through these characters.