Nomi: *jumps and leaps in joy* Yay! Chappie update! Please enjoy!

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Chapter 5

Everybody was in the dining room eating dinner. I decided to sneak away early. I had lost my appetite thinking about Sasuke-kun and I didn't want to be around such happy people when my mind was filled with sadness.

It felt like such a lonely night just because Sasuke-kun wasn't there. I found that I was coughing often and sniffling my nose. I was all heated and stuffed. My skin felt hot but my heart was cold. I opened the screen back door to get outside where it was cool. The snow had calmed down and there was a nice breeze as if it were a summer night.

The stars were completely visible in the vast sky. Finding Sasuke would take longer than counting every star. I leaned against the rail of the back porch. Why couldn't I simply be happy? It was a big party on a Christmas Eve night. I was the only one not smiling, not laughing…

It was the least expected person to come outside onto the porch where I was. Lee-san came out and closed the door behind him.

"Sakura-san," he said. "What's wrong?"

"I looked down. "Nothing. I was just hot inside."

"Something's wrong," Lee-san said. "I can see it in your eyes."

"I'm just…" I started. "I…"

"Is it Sasuke-kun?" Lee-san guessed.

"Y-yeah."

"I miss him too. But you can't get your happiness down. Think positive thoughts."

The tears started flowing out. I wanted to scream as loud as I could in the frozen air.

"I don't just miss him, I love him! What if he's dead now?! What if he's gone forever?!

"Gai-sensei," Lee said quietly, "told me about Kakashi-sensei. Kakashi-sensei has lost everyone he loves. But still you see his happy face and warm smile. Gai-sensei said that if you have lost someone you love, you can't let he or she pull down your life. You'll find yourself with an extraordinarily heavy life. Kakashi-sensei went on and made the best out of his life that he could. You should be able to, too, Sakura-san. You are strong. You have a strong, loving heart. Same with Tsunade-sama. Gai-sensei told me that she lost her little brother and the man she truly loved. That way she was determined to make my surgery a success.

I was speechless. My heart had just opened its eyes. Hinata was right all along.

"I'm sorry," I said very softly.

"You don't need to say that to me," Lee-san said. "Say it to your heart."

"Why do you care so much about my feelings?" I asked.

"I love you, Sakura-san," Lee-san told me. "Remember?"

He turned around to head back into the house.

"Arigato… Lee-san…" I said right before he closed the screen door. I wanted to stay outside a little longer. I was truly thankful, from the bottom of my heart. What Lee-san told me changed the whole mood of my mind. But what I realized was that not just Kakashi-sensei and Tsunade-sama were examples. Lee-san himself was one. He loves with unrequited love. He loves me even though he knows I love Sasuke-kun. I should love Sasuke-kun no matter where he is or how he feels about me or no matter how cursed he has turned.

I closed my eyes and started dreaming. I wasn't asleep but my thoughts were controlling themselves. They forced themselves to be happy. And I realized this was the happiest I had been ever since Sasuke-kun left. So this is true love.

I opened my eyes to see a faint shadow in the darkness of the night. It moved closer to me. I turned around and almost barely saw who the figure was. But I could smell and feel his presence again. I froze in awe.

"Merry Christmas, Sakura," the figure said. The voice was so soft that I could barely tell who he was. "Thank you… for everything." Then his presence was gone. I turned and looked around me. No one was there. It was a miracle, though.

I decided to go back inside now, and keep the incident to myself. What I felt was completely different from what I had felt ten minutes ago, or from the past several months.

Now I could be happy with everyone else. And I could be with Sasuke forever if I kept my unrequited love or him.

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Nomi: Did you like did you like it did you like it????? Hurray for all you SasuSaku fans! *still hates Sasuke though* By the way, I'm starting a sci-fic fic on fictionpress. Please read it when it is posted!