Festival

Music could be only faintly heard over the excited chatter and laughter of the villagers wandering from stall to stall. Scents from different food vendors hung on the air, while the shouts of merchants coaxing passers-by to peruse their goods echoed.

Amidst the revelers, Sasuke and Naruto scowled in opposite directions. All of the rookie nine and Team Gai had decided to attend the firework festival with their teammates while the sensei had made plans of their own. Yet while Sasuke and Naruto were at Team Seven's appointed meeting place, Sakura had failed to turn up.

"It's not like Sakura to be late," Naruto murmured, craning to try and pick pink hair out from the crowd.

Sasuke didn't reply but he too quietly surveyed the area around them. He didn't see any reason to be worried but there was a strange feeling gnawing away at him.

"Sorry I'm late!" Both boys turned at the sound of their teammate's voice. Not in her usual attire, Sakura still managed to look elegant as she ran towards them in a pale blue yukata, carefully embroidered with pink and white flowers. Stopping beside them and breathing heavily, she gave them both a big smile before producing a small wooden box in each hand. "Here, I wanted to give both of you a gift for the festival."

Both boys reached for the box nearest to them and it was only once he held it in his own hands that Sasuke realized the quality of the gift in his hand. On the lid, the crest of the Uchiha clan had been engraved in great detail. He lifted the lid to reveal six shiruken- his preferred weapon. He glanced at Naruto, whose box contained two kunai. By tilting his head, he glimpsed the lid of Naruto's box. It showed the village emblem.

"Wow Sakura, thank you!" the blond exclaimed. He lifted his face towards the pinkette, looking slightly crestfallen. "But I didn't get you anything."

However Sakura only smiled. "I didn't expect anything. I heard about a stall that was doing custom-made weapons box designs and I thought you would both like them."

Naruto grinned. "Sakura, you're the best! Dinner's on me. Ramen?" He reached for Sakura's hand, turning to lead the way and failing to notice Sasuke's scowl.

Sakura had begun to follow but then resisted as she inhaled. "Mmm, grilled squid!" she sang. "Let's have that instead."

Grudgingly Naruto agreed, allowing Sakura to tow him along. Meanwhile Sasuke followed along in sullen silence. If Naruto was paying for Sakura, he would have to find another way of saying thank you, as well as having to pay for his own grilled squid.

Team Seven ate their fill, and they too browsed the stalls that had popped up around the village. Sasuke observed his female teammate as she seemed to look at items with no real desire, as though there was nothing that she really wanted.

Approaching a jewellery stall, Naruto moaned that there was nothing cool and continued on to the next stall. However Sakura seemed fixated on one particular necklace. A six-petalled pink crystal flower hung delicately from a silver chain. Gently grazing her fingers over the stones, the kunoichi spoke briefly with the stallholder. Abruptly she drew her hand away, looked once more at the necklace and then made to follow Naruto. Falling into step beside her, Sasuke didn't fail to notice his teammate casting one last look of longing over her shoulder.

At the river bank, Team Seven met the rest of the rookie nine and Team Gai to watch the firework display altogether. The night sky was filled with beautiful colours, reflected in the eyes of the young ninja, and when a gust of wind caused Sakura to shiver involuntarily, both Naruto and Sasuke took an unconscious step closer to their female teammate.

"That was beautiful," Sakura sighed as they made their way home. Sasuke was the first to part ways, murmuring a thank you to Sakura for his gift. He watched his teammates out of sight before making a slight detour.

"Sakura, are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?" Naruto asked hopefully but his crush shook her head.

"It's only a little bit further. Besides you might even have time for some instant ramen before bed if you go now."

Blue eyes lit up and Naruto didn't need to be told twice. Sakura laughed as he nearly tripped over his own feet in his haste to get back to his apartment.

She was still smiling when she stepped into her bedroom, thinking of how wonderful a night it had been. Then she spotted her curtain fluttering in the wind and she tensed. She definitely hadn't left her balcony door open.

Grabbing a kunai, she edged closer to the door and then yanked the curtain back. There was no-one there. The balcony was empty but for a small black box. Stooping down, Sakura picked it up and flipped it open. Her eyes widened and she gasped. Inside was the necklace she had been admiring- the one she had realized she couldn't afford. She looked around once more but with no sign of anyone, Sakura returned to her bedroom, necklace in hand and smile on her face.

From his spot on the roof, Sasuke smirked before hopping onto the next roof in the direction of the Uchiha compound.