AN: i hope everyone had a happy Halloween! My toddler and I spent ours at home with strep throat. I swear, I've been sick more times this year than I've been in my entire life. I guess that's the joy of having children, which are basically walking petri dishes lol. On the bright side, it meant I had the day off of work to spend time working on this chapter. A segment of it was inspired by a chapter from the Korean novel "Under the Oak Tree."

Shoutout to the guest commenter who wrote, "I think they are gonna do it. Just do it for god's sake you dumbasses." Because I swear, that had me cackling for ten minutes. Also to the people who keep commenting how much they like this depiction of Sasuke and Sakura's relationship. You guys are seriously the best and thank you for the support!

I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.

Chapter Twenty

Sasuke walked towards the hospital with his lone hand thrust into his pocket and his eyes glued on the street ahead. It was odd and intriguing how much his life had changed in such a short period of time. Here he was, in a village that he had loathed more than any emotion should be allowed to be contained inside a body. Not only that, but he wasn't alone. Sasuke had once thought that it was his destiny to be alone and that it should always be that way. He saw people as a nuisance, below him, pawns to be used to achieve his goals. That warped thinking during his teens caused by pain and sorrow made the idea of repaired bonds seem like a fleeting fantasy.

But now her breath painted patterns against his skin throughout the night and pink locks spread against a pillow that was her canvas.

The Uchiha had grown used to Sakura's company day after day and he was surprised by how much he missed her. He should have pulled her back inside the apartment instead of letting her return to work. Should have spent the morning sipping tea and having her laughter fill the room like music. Instead, he wandered like a man lost in a foreign place. This village wasn't much to him without Sakura by his side.

The corner of Sasuke's lip twitched. It was dangerous for one person to mean so much.

"Bastard!"

Sasuke's footsteps halted and he sighed. Only one person called him that. He turned as Naruto jumped from a building and landed next to him. An annoyed look was spread across foxlike features and Naruto pointed a finger in Sasuke's face.

"Where the hell have you been?!"

Sasuke sighed again and pushed Naruto's finger away from him.

"Busy," Sasuke barked back.

"You haven't been at your apartment. Where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages! In fact, I haven't seen Sakura-chan either..."

"You're a ninja," Sasuke interrupted. "You can figure it out."

Sasuke's eye twitched as a sneaky grin spread across Naruto's face. It was clear that the Uzumaki had already drawn his own conclusions and was antagonizing him.

Naruto crossed his arms. "I figured you were taking care of Sakura-chan. By the way you were crying over her at the hospital-"

"I wasn't crying," Sasuke snapped.

"No, you were just moping around like crazy." Naruto pointed out.

Sasuke could feel his patience growing thin. He hated how observant his friend had grown over time. The Uchiha almost missed how clueless the blonde used to be.

"Are you living with Sakura-chan?" Naruto bluntly asked.

"None of your business." Sasuke's face betrayed his words as he looked away and felt himself growing flustered at the uncomfortable conversation.

Naruto's eyes widened upon seeing this uncharacteristic reaction. He sprang into the air, pumping his fist, and yelled, "Yatta!"

"Idiot," Sasuke snarled as he looked around, noticing the curious glances villagers were casting their way. "Don't you ever know when to shut up?" He hissed through his teeth.

"Finally!" Naruto said, pretending not to hear him. "Did you kiss her? When? How was it? Wait, do I want to know? I don't. Gross." Naruto shuddered. He crossed his arms then and smiled. "I can't believe the bastard finally did it. So, is Sakura-chan your girlfriend now?"

"Stop butting it," Sasuke grumbled and turned to continue towards the hospital.

Naruto ignored the rebuttal and fell into step next to him. "Why? Did you suck at it? I mean, it's your first kiss, I'm assuming."

Normally, Sasuke would've bit Naruto's head off for the ridiculous and invasive question. Instead, Sasuke's brow furrowed as a weird feeling swirled in his gut. His mind ran over Sakura's reactions to his advances. Did he suck at it? His mind conjured images of Sakura grasping his shirt with small hands and melting beneath him. Of her gasping for air and mewling at his touch.

Sasuke realized he hadn't answered yet. Normally, he wouldn't care to, but he had never enjoyed the way Naruto challenged his abilities. Sasuke smirked. "Don't project your insecurities onto me."

"Hey! Hinata is very happy, ya know." Naruto crossed his arms behind his head and said with a mischievous grin, "In fact, just the other night-"

"Don't finish that sentence," Sasuke interrupted and shot his friend a look.

"But I could give you tips."

"I don't need any tips."

"Suit yourself." Naruto shrugged. "I was just trying to find you to see if you were going to the festival."

Sasuke lifted his brow in response.

"The summer festival," Naruto continued. "A bunch of us will be there and, of course, I'm gonna take Hinata. So? Are you taking Sakura-chan or what?"

Sasuke thought about it silently. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been to a festival. Had he ever participated in one? He must have at some point during his happier childhood years. Or maybe not. His dad hadn't seemed much like the festival-going type.

Normally, this was the kind of activity Sasuke would avoid. It was a village event that held little interest to him if any at all. Would he have gone if he had stayed in the village, instead of abandoning it all those years ago? A thought flashed in Sasuke's mind; picturing Sakura surrounded by her friends.

Laughing, with a smile that could light up nations. Pretty pink hair framing her bright face as lanterns in the night cast shadows over her. Small hands tugging on his empty sleeve as her happiness filled his empty heart.

Naruto seemed to take his silence as a rejection. "Don't be such stick-in-the-mud! Just because it doesn't include brooding in a dark corner, doesn't mean it won't be fun."

Sasuke gave the blonde an annoyed look and said, "I never said I wouldn't go."

Naruto blinked in surprise. "Oh. So... are you going or not?"

"If Sakura wants to, I will," he said and shrugged.

Naruto burst out into laughter and patted Sasuke on the back. "You're so whipped."

Sasuke's head snapped towards him but before the Uchiha could hit him for that, Naruto dashed off. He waved back, saying, "Welcome to the club!"

Sakura pushed the food around on her plate absentmindedly with her chopsticks. More food had been scraped around numerous times than she'd eaten. Despite having a long first day back at work and a nonexistent lunch, she found that she didn't have much of an appetite.

She frowned, playing back her interaction with Ino for the thousandth time.

"No but's! Attendance is mandatory so you better be there!"

Sakura nervously glanced up at Sasuke. She wasn't sure why the thought of asking him to the festival made her so nervous. After all, Sakura unabashedly used to ask Sasuke on dates and pour her affections onto him. Perhaps it was because now that Sasuke was finally beginning to return her feelings, it made the fear of rejection more daunting. Before, she hadn't been surprised when Sasuke would decline her invitations, but now...

Sasuke looked up from his food and caught her eye. "Something wrong?" he asked.

Sakura bit her lip and looked away, nudging broccoli with her chopsticks again. "It's nothing, really..."

There was a pause and Sakura could feel Sasuke studying her. She shifted underneath his gaze as she picked up the piece of broccoli, only to set it back down again.

A sigh resonated from across the table. "Sakura."

The pinkette shifted her eyes back up to Sasuke, who had sat down his chopsticks and was frowning at her.

"If you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask you again," he said. "But if you do, you should say something now."

After a few moments of silence, Sasuke picked his chopsticks back up to leave her be. Her eyebrow twitched and she wondered why she felt disappointed that he didn't try harder to force the information out of her. He was respecting her boundaries, but for some reason, Sakura had wanted him to ask her again.

Sakura continued to watch him and realized that he wasn't going to say anything more. He'd spoken his peace and had allowed her the opportunity to talk. Now was her only chance.

Attendance is mandatory! Sakura could hear Ino's voice so clearly inside her mind, that she wouldn't be surprised if the blonde was using her ninjutsu to project the words.

"I..." Sakura started and then paused, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Sasuke's chopsticks paused, hovering near his mouth. Mismatched eyes slid up to meet her, waiting for her to continue.

"I was just thinking that..." Sakura took a breath and pushed forward. "I-Ino was telling me that the summer festival is next week. A lot of people will be there, like her and Sai and Hinata and Naruto..." Having just named the couples, Sakura blushed at the implication and quickly said the next part. "Anyway, I was just thinking that it might be fun to go. But if you don't want to, I understand..."

Sasuke studied her for a moment. Although it was only seconds that went by, it felt like hours. Finally, he asked, "Do you want to go?"

"Well," Sakura said. "It should be fun, I think, but I understand if it's not your thing and you'd rather not-"

"Sakura," Sasuke said, interrupting her rambling. "Do you want to go?" he asked again.

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek and nodded.

Sasuke returned her nod and took a bite of food. Once he swallowed, he said, "Then we'll go together."

Sakura's eyes lit up, emerald irises shining at the turn of events. "Really?!" she asked excitedly. When Sasuke nodded again, Sakura giggled and picked up her chopsticks, plopping a piece of chicken into her mouth. She began to scarf down her food, realizing how famished she was now that her stomach wasn't knotted up in anticipation.

As she cleared her plate, Sasuke gave her a small, amused smile before it shifted into a look that Sakura couldn't begin to interpret the meaning of.

Having left his basically empty apartment several minutes ago, Sasuke had nearly arrived at the apartment he and Sakura now shared. Ino had arrived earlier in a frenzy, saying that she was there to help Sakura get ready for the festival. This had confused him because, as far as Sasuke knew, Sakura was completely capable of dressing herself. Was it some kind of girl thing? Sasuke shuddered at the thought of Naruto arriving on his doorstep to dress for a stupid festival.

Regardless, Sasuke hadn't stuck around to find out the meaning behind "getting ready" and opted to pick Sakura up later. He walked up the steps and hesitated, before awkwardly knocking against the wooden door. Sasuke was so used to coming and going as he pleased, that he wasn't sure what the protocol should be in this situation.

The door opened slightly and Sakura peaked through the crack.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun," she said, blushing.

"Are you ready?" Sasuke asked, wondering why she looked so embarrassed.

"Uh, yeah," she said. Sakura opened the door wider and stepped outside. "Let's go."

As she turned to lock the door, Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat and took in her appearance. The pinkette wore a white yukata dotted with pink cherry blossoms and a red band around her small waist. Shiny pink locks were tied into a bun with wisps of hair framing her face. A small white flower pin secured her bangs in place. As Sakura turned around, he wiped the expression from his features.

Sakura looked him up and down. "You look nice," she said, her face heating again as she looked away. "I didn't even know you owned a yukata."

Sasuke glanced down at the plain black garment. "It's nothing," he said, beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"Well..." she began, green eyes sliding back to look at him. When Sakura caught his gaze, she looked away before asking, "What about me? I mean... do I look okay?" Her face nearly matched the band on her waist as her hands fiddled with her skirt.

Sasuke breathed out a laugh, too low for her to notice. "Yeah. You look..." Sasuke scratched his cheek, looking away as he mumbled, "Beautiful."

He heard her breath hitch and noticed from the corner of his eye that her head whipped up to look at him. As he turned his head back to fully look at her, a wide smile spread across her face and she giggled into her hand.

"Well, what are we waiting for!" Sakura exclaimed excitedly. And, with that, she grabbed his hand to drag him towards the direction of the festival.

With her back towards him as she pulled him to the street, Sasuke smiled at her. This is exactly the way that he wanted to see her tonight, cheerful and laughing. As they neared the twinkling lanterns and sounds of people, he silently noted how Sakura dropped his hand. It was likely because she wanted him to feel more comfortable and for this, he was grateful.

Once they arrived and Sakura spotted her friends, Sasuke followed after her as she made a beeline towards them.

"Yo!" Naruto yelled upon seeing them. "You made it!"

"Of course!" Sakura said and turned towards the women in the group. "Hinata, Temari, you both look so beautiful!"

Ino loudly cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Forehead, but what about me?" The blonde dramatically flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Worried to call attention to me because you know that I outshine you?"

Sakura's eye twitched. "I told you that you looked pretty when you got ready at my apartment, Pig. What, are you so insecure that you have to hear it twice?"

As the two women bickered, Hinata laughed awkwardly while Temari sighed and crossed her arms. Cutting through the tension, the Hyuga princess interrupted to say, "You look pretty too, Sakura. I love your dress."

"Thanks!" The pinkette replied brightly.

"I picked it out," Ino said with a smirk.

Sakura shot her a look for that. "You always have to be the center of attention, don't you?"

As this continued and Sasuke stood by as an onlooker at the situation, he couldn't help but note how uncomfortable he was feeling. It still felt weird being around old classmates and fellow shinobi that he'd once betrayed. Just then, Naruto slapped him hard on the back.

"Look who actually showed up!" Naruto said and gave his friend a teasing grin. He sized up Sasuke's appearance. "You don't always have to dress super depressing, ya know. It's a summer festival."

Sasuke eyed Naruto's hideous orange yukata and sneered. "And you don't always have to assault everyone's eyes. You look like a dork."

"Hey!" Naruto yelled, looking annoyed by the insult. Naruto snatched Hinata's hand and began to pull his blushing wife towards the booths. "C'mon, Hinata, let's go play some games!"

As the group began to disperse to enjoy the festival activities, Sasuke and Sakura lingered behind, unmoving. Sensing his awkwardness, Sakura bashfully rubbed her arm and looked at him uneasily. "So... is there anything you would like to do?" she asked.

Sasuke glanced around at the bustling crowds and brightly lit booths. When he dragged his eyes back towards her, he said, "I'm just here. We can do whatever you want."

This seemed to be the wrong answer, he realized, as he watched Sakura's face deflate. Sasuke's stomach knotted and he looked around nervously. As he quickly took in the scenery, the Uchiha's sharp eyes caught the sight of a little girl munching happily on dango as she walked by. Without further thought, Sasuke's feet drug him towards the booth where the sweet treats were being sold by a plump woman.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said his name in confusion.

Sasuke looked at her from over his shoulder and jerked his head to signal Sakura to follow him. She blinked and scurried to catch up to him. When he stopped in front of the booth, he paid the woman for the dango and silently handed it to Sakura.

He relaxed as Sakura's face lit up and she bit into the sweet treat. Feeling the tension begin to falter, Sasuke followed Sakura around as she played festival games with her friends. Although he did little to participate, he still felt content to tag along as a spectator. Sakura seemed so happy, laughing and having fun with her friends, that it was hard for Sasuke not to enjoy himself. His stomach tugged as he watched her, remembering the good times he had when they were genin and was once again reminded of everything he'd missed while away.

Every once in a while, Sakura would try to engage him in an activity that he would reluctantly concede to. When he joined a water gun race game upon Sakura's request, Naruto plopped himself in the seat next to him.

"I'm gonna kick your ass and win Hinata a prize," the Uzumaki said, nodding to an assortment of stuffed animals hanging overhead.

Sasuke scoffed, unwilling to engage with his friend's taunting. Still, he focused his gaze on the target in front of him and felt the competitive side of his nature begin to take over. The two used the water guns to shoot a stream of liquid at the target that caused small stuffed bears to rise to the top of the booth.

The friends were equally matched in skill and with this being a simple game for civilians, it wasn't hard to hit the target in the center. As both of their stuffed bears neared the top equally, Sasuke glanced at his friend who was intensively focused on the task. Sasuke swiftly kicked his foot out at Naruto's stool, which caused Naruto to collapse to the ground with a yelp. As his grip released the water gun, the Uzumaki yelled, "What the hell?!" The bell dinged and lights flashed, signaling Sasuke's victory.

The old man operating the booth laughed loudly and handed Sasuke a pink stuffed bunny as Naruto stood up and hurled insults.

"You cheated!" he shouted, gritting his teeth.

"Tch, you should've been paying attention," Sasuke replied.

"How was I supposed to know you were going to pull something like that!?"

As the two girls behind them tried to stifle their laughter, Sakura spoke up to diffuse the situation. "Oh, c'mon, Naruto. It was funny!"

"Well, I didn't think so!"

As Sakura continued to laugh, Sasuke silently nudged the toy into her hands. She paused in her laughter and blinked down at the pink bunny.

"For me?" she asked.

Sasuke shrugged and shoved his hand into his pocket. Behind him, Naruto continued to grumble about the situation to Hinata, who was reassuring him that the armful of stuffed animals he'd already won her was more than enough. Not seeming to hear them, Sakura giggled and buried her pink cheeks into the bunny's fur. Seeing this reaction, Sasuke's heart warmed and his fingers twitched in his pocket, wanting so desperately to embrace her right then.

The next activity was a strong-arm game that the girls decided to participate in. As civilian men smugly used all their might to hit the bell at the top with the mallet, it was no sweat for Ino, Hinata, Temari, or Sakura to achieve the task. Sasuke smirked as Sakura spun the mallet and stepped up to take her turn. With one hand, Sakura nonchalantly tapped the mallet down and sent the bell flying off the top. Sasuke's lip twitched upwards as he watched her apologize to a very annoyed festival worker.

As Sakura was securing the bell back to the top of the game, Sasuke felt someone grab his right arm and pull him towards them. His eyes flashed and he looked down in annoyance as a woman with long black hair pressed her body against his arm.

"Hey, handsome," she said, batting ridiculously thick eyelashes up at him. "Are you alone?"

"No," he said, frowning down at her.

The woman began to pout. "That's too bad because I was thinking you could watch the fireworks with me later. How about it?"

Ino laughed as Sakura fixed the bell back to the top of the strong-arm game. As Sakura hopped from the top and landed next to her friend, she couldn't help but laugh along at the ridiculousness of it.

"Sasuke-kun, did you see-" Sakura stopped short and the words died in her throat at the sight of a beautiful woman pressing her body against Sasuke's arm.

Sakura angrily clenched the handle of the mallet as the woman further pressed her breasts against Sasuke. The wood splintered beneath her grip and she threw it down in frustration as she marched towards them.

Sasuke was looking down at the woman with his body leaned away as he shoved his hand into his pocket. His brow furrowed but even still, the woman continued to cling to his arm as she looked up at him seductively.

"Hey!" Sakura shouted as she reached the two.

Angrily grabbing Sasuke's empty sleeve to pull him away, she shouted, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The woman's eyes shifted up and down, clearly sizing up Sakura's appearance. Seemingly concluding that she wasn't anyone to worry about, the woman tugged on Sasuke's arm.

"Handsome was just about to take me to watch the fireworks. Isn't that right?"

Sakura was fuming now at the woman's bold indication. "Sasuke-kun is with me!" she shouted.

"Sasuke, hm? What a cute name." The woman smiled up at the Uchiha then shot Sakura a dirty look. "With you, huh? And who are you to him?"

Sakura stopped short, her face paling as she felt the eyes of her friends watching the altercation, including Sasuke who was awkwardly caught in the middle. The woman lifted her eyebrow and smugly smiled at Sakura who began to stutter. "I-I... Well, I'm... Um..." Sakura looked down, feeling mortification beginning to overwhelm her.

"She's my girlfriend."

Upon hearing the words, Sakura's breath caught and her head whipped up. Sasuke was smirking down at her, clearly finding amusement in Sakura's jealousy. Sakura couldn't begin to feel mad about it upon hearing Sasuke's open declaration that Sakura was, in fact, his girlfriend. She blushed and looked away, clutching tightly to his empty sleeve.

Simultaneously, Ino and Naruto yelled out, "GIRLFRIEND?!"

The woman tsked and released her grip on Sasuke's arm as she muttered, "Boring." With that, she sauntered off, flipping her long black hair over her shoulder.

Sakura was transfixed, her green eyes caught in Sasuke's mismatched stare. As he watched her, his eyes softened as they held a silent conversation throughout Ino and Naruto's incoherent babbling. Music began to play but everything sounded underwater as they continued to watch each other. Sakura barely registered Ino tugging on her arm to pull her away.

It wasn't until her fingers slipped from Sasuke's sleeve that Sakura registered Ino laughing that they were going to dance. The Yamanaka whispered into her friend's ear, "Don't think I'll forgive you for not telling me this, Forehead. When did he start calling you his girlfriend?"

Ino pushed Sakura towards the group of dancing girls who spun in circles around beating drums. As thumping continued so loudly that it mixed with Sakura's heartbeat, lanterns illuminated the faces of joyful girls who danced in the moonlight.

Sakura was euphoric and slipped right into the festivities along with her best friend. She laughed with Ino's hand in hers as they spun around. As Sakura's feet moved to the pounding of the drums, she stretched her arms out as a smile swept across her face. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this free or secure, surrounded by her friends and perfectly content with the world.

And Sasuke.

Sasuke was here. He was with her. He was...

"She's my girlfriend."

Sasuke's hands were in her hair, his lips drawing patterns against the nape of her neck, his breath mixed with hers, his hands gripping her waist and pulling her into him. The low timbre of his voice declared that he loved her and now he was publicly called her his girlfriend, like the title was so natural.

Sakura had long released Ino's hand and twirled around again, wondering if life could get any better than this. Lanterns flickered overhead, mingling with the stars speckled in the night sky. Sakura looked up into the night, wanting to drench this euphoric feeling into her bones as she danced. Her hands, feet, and waist moved freely, happiness radiating off her form.

A hand suddenly snatched her wrist and a husky voice murmured, "Sakura-ka."

The hand halted her movement and Sakura's wide eyes looked up at Sasuke who was gazing down at her with a heavy, indiscernible expression. As Sakura struggled to interpret the meaning of his look, Sasuke silently pulled her away from the dancing crowd. She followed him, too drunk on feeling to register why Sasuke was dragging her elsewhere. As he walked her away from the festivities towards a patch of forest outside the festival, Sakura glanced back. No one seemed to notice them leaving.

When they reached the forested area, Sakura asked, "Sasuke-kun, what's-"

Sasuke's lips came crashing on hers, causing the words to die in her throat. Sakura gasped in surprise and he took this opportunity to run his tongue overs as his lone hand gripped her waist tightly. She shivered at the sensation and opened her mouth wider as she threw her arms around his neck. A low rumbling noise erupted from his chest and he pressed her back up against a tree.

Sakura's body buzzed at the intensity of his actions and she felt herself getting lightheaded. If it wasn't for the tree against her back and the arm holding her steady, Sakura thought that she may collapse at the sensation. As their lips moved together and their tongues shared warmth, Sakura's fingers wove themselves into his thick, dark hair. A low growl escaped him as he continued to kiss her, their lips moving and molding perfectly together.

When he nipped her bottom lip, a hum of pleasure escaped her. His hand released its purchase on her waist and instead moved underneath the hem of her dress. Fingers glided over the inside of her thigh, bunching the fabric up. Sakura held her breath as his fingers neared the more sensitive area of her skin. She gripped his locks tighter while their tongues battled for dominance. The air nipped at her exposed legs and Sakura shivered again, unsure if it was due to the chilly night or from his touch. Heat pooled in her stomach which was wound up in knots. His fingers that ran over the edge of her underwear were soft and warm and-

A deafening popping noise that sounded overhead caused the two to jump. As their kiss broke apart, the pair looked up as a bright flash appeared in the night sky. Fireworks in bright colors sizzled overhead and the beautiful scene was filled with the sound of their heavy breathing. Sasuke still had her pinned against a tree and her face heated as she realized the reality of the situation. Her green eyes darted around, worried that someone may have seen them. But they were far enough away from the festival and everyone was too preoccupied with the display of fireworks.

Sakura tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that had fallen out of her bun. She glanced up at Sasuke who was looking down at her so intensely, it caused her heart to flutter. The Uchiha groaned and pulled back, running a hand through his disheveled hair. Sakura looked away and blushed, remembering that she had been pulling at it no longer than a minute ago. She felt a mixture of emotions, ranging from happiness to disappointment to embarrassment.

Her eyes returned to the Uchiha who was studying her again. When their eyes met, he sighed. "What would you like to do?" he asked.

Sakura glanced back at her friends who were watching the fireworks show. Then, her eyes shifted to the breathtaking display of colors that illuminated them overhead.

"I think..." she began, her words trailing off. Sakura's hand grabbed Sasuke's and she smiled. "I'd like to stay right here, away from everyone else. I want to watch the fireworks with you and then..." She smiled sweetly at him. "Then we can go home."

Sasuke intertwined his fingers with hers. "Ah," he mumbled in agreement.

The range of colors displayed in front of them somehow seemed to sum up everything that they were feeling inside.