Chapter Eight: Loneliness and happiness  L J

"Don't feel that bad for me, I know you would not care that much as of today." She said "and in case I left you just stay calm. I know you'd be able to recover."

"You're leaving?"

"Yup… I can feel they've tracked me. Many people saw my existence at the hospital. Baka… if only you've worked well with your fight, Hokage-sama… they finally got who I was going with!" she laughed falsely. He doubted it.

"You're not that happy."

"How did you say so?"

"In your eyes,"

"Watashi no me?" she asked. "Doushite! Doushite!"

"Why would he notice after all! He was a complete stranger… I wish I can find it easier to deal with him." She thought and touched her lips. "A forced kiss by a stranger… oh no… he became colder and he seems like a hard stone."

"Shouldn't you be enjoying it?" inner Sakura asked.

"NO." she stands up on herself. "Never! I will wait for the time that Sasuke-kun will do it!"

Sasuke felt something cringes him or what, as if he was stabbed by a Kunai by what she said.

"She forced me to do so," he thought. "She actually deserved that."

But in a way he thought she needs patience in understanding his situation…

"Ahoy! Everyone!"


"Ah--- that dobe again…" Sasuke sighed. "Hey you, why do you entered the house, without even making me notify?"

"Oh, well bastard--- yup! I'm free to call you that way again!"

"I was used to. You are Dobe,"

"No! It's just hime-sama, Sakura I mean, slapped me and punished me before at the Jamboree for hearing me call you Bastard!"

"She did?"

"Yeah. And that was the first time I saw you hang out with a girl."

Hinata was beside him now. "How's it, Uchiha-san?"

"Nothing improved, nah…"

"Just be patient. Hello, Hinata-chan and you Naruto," Sakura said as she entered the scene with a flashing smile.

"Well, I can't get her mood," Sasuke contemplated.

"Hmm… what if we try Hot springs, eh?" Naruto asked. "Tat is shu nice…" he can't speak when he stuffed too much Ramen in his mouth. Sakura laughed, and then smiled.

"You shouldn't do that!"

"Did anyone teach you manners?" Sasuke muttered under his breath,

"Iruka-sensei doesn't also have one,"

Hinata smiled and seemed to be pleased.

"I'm glad Sakura hime-sama smiled once more and even laughed."

"Ano… she's absolutely right, ne?"

"Hai… I'm quite contented. Anyway, one of these days I might leave now to be scolded and everything…"

"You mean returning to the palace?" Naruto exclaimed. "Duh! I thought you hate it!"

"Of course… but no choice. And would you care to attend my wedding too?"

"WEDDING!!!!!!!??????????"

Naruto choked and Sakura ran to fetch water for him. She was sorry she broke the news unexpectedly unto them, and then continued:

"Well, actually it's not the palace I hate but the engagement. You see, before me and my Sasuke-kun met, I was engaged to marry a Jounin--- not just that: a rich Jounin named Rock Lee…"

"… And besides that, I think I should fulfill that duty. And my parents gave everything--- why not gave them what they want?" she added.

"You seem not that serious," Sasuke mumbled angrily and stormed off.

"What happened to him?" Naruto asked.

"Jealous…" Kakashi entered the scene. "Didn't you noticed? Jealousy speaks off brutally. You mocked him, princess. He really hates it that way. And he feels love once more I think…"

"Argh!" Sasuke cried out "why am I ranting?"

"Well, actually it's not the palace I hate but the engagement. You see, before me and my Sasuke-kun met, I was engaged to marry a Jounin--- not just that: a rich Jounin named Rock Lee…"

"… And besides that, I think I should fulfill that duty. And my parents gave everything--- why not gave them what they want?"

"I hate it…!" he shouted.

Let's go check the castle…

"It will be soon, Papa…" Rock Lee promised the emperor.

"I miss my sweetie." He said. "Lee, I expect that you'll make her happy, okay? And save her from the evil that kidnapped her…"

"Hai. Promise." He vowed.

[So short!]

That night after dinner, Sakura went to their room and ponders at the words Kakashi said, Sasuke is jealous. Must this be the start again? Can everything be back to normal once more? How? Is it the right time?

Sasuke entered the room and seems to seethe inside him. He faced her and sarcastically spoke to her. Their sights gazed each other carefully, and his face was only few inches away hers.

"So, how's that with your fiancé?" he asked and frowned, "why not leave me? I thought you'd want to get married?"

"You want me to keep away from that wedding?" she guessed.

"Yes." He nodded.

"What gave you the right to do that?"

"I was your first kiss. It is an old Konoha custom that…"

Her face flamed. "S-So what?"

He shrugged. "Nothing." But his smirk said otherwise.

"You really enjoy making me cry, don't you?" Her eyes crinkled in anger. "Well, let me tell you this, Sasuke Uchiha. I say that you don't have the right to tell me whom I should be married. Yes, you have my first kiss, but so what? It means nothing to me from the start!"

"Nothing?" His eyes burned.

"Nothing." she repeated firmly. "Just like I said before, it wasn't that romantic. Just a lip lock. A---"

The rest of her words were cut when Sasuke grabbed her harshly and pushed her down the bed.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked furiously, voice dangerously low.

She gulped. "A…" She felt courage desert her, especially when she saw his face coming down on her closer and closer.

"A…?" he prompted. "Go on."

She shut her eyes fearfully. "Please get off."

"No," he said flatly.

"P-Please…" her voice broke.

Sasuke felt like a bucket of ice water was thrown on him. His eyes wandered on her frightened face, and his fingers touched the delicate contours of her face.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I was just---"

She looked at every corner of the room, in everything to avert her thoughts on--- she even thought on how many the stars are tonight… how and what are they living--- her sufferings is not worth everything. He made her life somewhat miserable, the new Sasuke… and because of that escape--- what did she expect? Nothing was to come. Only more pain for her, so she thinks she shouldn't ran away on the first place. Too late to regret. This guy hurts her. And so there she is, lying uncomfortably on the bed, forcing her tears back.

"I don't get it, Mr. new Sasuke." She replied. "Well gomen ne if I don't want it that way or any. I will leave and that's it. Oyasumi. Sleep tight… and---"

"And what?"

"Just go to sleep…" she arranged herself and plastered a fake smile. She lied down the bed and turned sideways away him. Sasuke was reluctant in getting into the bed, but did too.

"I said I'm sorry and I mean it," he whispered to her ear as he leaned closer to her so that she can hear. "And that's for everything."

"Alright… forgiven… but you will need to recover fast so that--- I will have you back, huh?" she said

"If that day comes, will you still be married?" he asked childishly.

"Of course not, and if you can catch me before the wedding… but anyway, it's still better late than never. I won't forget the Sasuke-kun I knew and _loved_ in my heart."

"Promise us that.." he said and smirked.

"Hai. Cross my heart, and hope to die… but not now, 'kay? Oyasumi," she said and a smile was formed in her face. The pale moonlight soothes through the curtains as Sasuke watches her sleep peacefully by his side. He gently weaved away the hair in her face and kissed her forehead.

"I know how very dear you are to us…"

Morning, the following day. Sakura welcomed the morning with a glistening smile, and she hopes breakfast is served. Then she looked beside her, no Sasuke. He is early today. She goes downstairs and found him eating already.

"Why didn't you woke me up?" she asked him. "So that we eat altogether…"

"I know you have a nice sleep so I didn't bother to destroy it."

"Oh,"

"Anyway, I was trying to sleep hard but I pondered about what happened last night."

"You bet," Sakura said and smiled. "Learned your lesson?"

"Hai. Certainly." He motioned to eat again.

On those trying times Sasuke forgets still his teacher and friends are there for him. Some also from the Chuunin exams, like Mistress Anko, the examiner who made the hardest form of survival tactical exam, which Kakashi seems attracted to. She wants to _help_ in every way to make him remember, and almost planned to hit him hard on the head. Unfortunately the concerned Kakashi-sensei prevented her from doing so. Ms. Anko created more humor and hilarious effects on the mansion, how Ms. Anko tries to stab Kakashi-sensei and he says that it was a stab of love, which she highly denied. From there on, they've come and gone the mansion.

"Oh, women!" Kakashi exclaimed as he was beside Sasuke in the garden "they even make us men miserable and look helpless--- as if we're animals! But we can't help but follow their commands…!"

Sasuke laughed.

"Nee--- you--- have just laughed! Oh my god!" he almost threw his book up above. "Nani?"

"I remember an instant like that about women…" he replied.

"With regards to Sakura?"

"Hai…" he began "all I can recall is that I follow her even sneaking at the palace itself."

"Hmmm… it's nice you're improving. So she mustn't leave you for once." His sensei replied. "Well, I know she wouldn't."

"And I won't let her to do so." He said unsympathetically.

"What jutsu can I use with Anko-san?"

"Shite janai wa…" he replied mockingly.

"Dou?!" Kakashi exclaimed.

"Naruto's Ai no Jutsu techniques shall help my suffering sensei!" Naruto entered the scene. "And take it form the 'Love Guru'"

"I doubt it, Dobe…" Sasuke frowned and left immediately.

"I wish the thing he _forgot_ is mocking me…" Naruto cried…

"What's the thing?" Kakashi eagerly asked.

"You want it?"

"Hai!"

"Then treat me Ramen bowl later…" he grinned childishly. "Call?"

"Dobe!" then he gave him a wad of cash. "Spent all you want even to date Hinata. Just tell me. I need my move tonight or tomorrow she'll be killing me!"

"I understand the value of sensei's life… then I shall tell you." He came closer to him and whispered some words, apparently, he was nodding briskly…

And so night came and the rest needs to help their sensei. Hinata and Sakura brought Anko to the place without even doubting their angelic faces. Kakashi readied himself by wearing his most appropriate dress for that. At the certain restaurant Sasuke had paid as his share Sakura and the 2 girls sat, and with one signal of Sasuke through the wave of his hand, it all started.

"A--ah Anko-san, I think I got to go now, Sasuke said we'll be meeting at exactly eight, I don't wanna get late."

"Oh too sad, Sakura… well, Hinata…"

"I also have a date with Naruto…"

"Well, keep him waiting! I wanna be here all night to forget about Kakashi!"

"But Ms. Anko…  .don't get yourself drunk. If you wanna forget him, just pray on. Well, love isn't cured that way. Ja!" the girls left and it's Kakashi's time to move.

"I wanna die---!" Kakashi cried out to himself.

"Go sensei! I'll be having my date!" Naruto exclaimed as he pushed him. "bastard, why not meet with Hime-sama now?"

"C'mon now, Dobe…" he replied and they left. And now it's Kakashi's hour…

"Hatake Kakashi?! What the heck are you doing here?" Anko exclaimed getting off her seat.

"To talk to you," he almost whispered…

"How was it?" Sakura asked as they all meet outside. Sasuke did a thumb-up.

"I wish he does it or else my money is wasted." Sasuke said his that-must-be phrase.

"So, Hina-chan, let's go!" Naruto said, taking her hand.

"Nani? Doko demo?" she asked shyly.

"Aren't we supposed to be dating? You told Anko-san and we'll do it!" they ran away as Hinata waved back.

"Ja! Mata ashita, enjoy!" Sakura said.

"He used an excuse for his timidity…" he said coldly.

"… and where are you taking me?" she asked teasingly…

"Home." Then he hoisted her up through his arms, and Sakura found it so nice…

"Anko--- I am dumb but now serious! I really like you and as an excuse I build up stuff that would draw your attention!" Kakashi continued his story.

"Oh yeah, and I was fairly attracted. I also like you so I do things that would drive you nuts about me…" she smiled at him.

"So… what do you mean?" he asked excitedly.

"Baka… just court me first!"

"We're older now compared before!"

"But that is a Konoha old custom." She said "So, I'll be waiting for your move."

"Like this?" he pulled her out the restaurant and then kissed her. The kiss become intense as Anko kisses him back. And so that's all for their night, and they realized they loved each other…!

A/N: I like the Anko-Kakashi pairing for one reason: to keep them having a love life! Well I don't think they become close or whatever, but am I putting too many flashbacks? Just tell me, OK? Please, REVIEW!!!!