Ino nearly dropped the pot of flower she was holding. Her mouth had plunged down already, shocked. "Sakura-chan will…commit suicide?"

Lee clenched his fists, nodding. "I know that you had a horrid past, you two, but you have to leave it all behind if you still want to see her safe—"

"Of course I want to see her safe!" exclaimed Ino worriedly. She turned to Choji and placed the flowerpot on his hand. "Here. Take this to Mama and tell her that I have to attend to an emergency." She looked at Shikamaru next. "Will you water those other baby blooms for me?"

"Don't worry about it," said the shadow master quickly.

"Where did you see her go?" asked the Yamanaka court lady, distressed.

At that moment, Sakura came in, looking exhausted. She was holding on to a sharp pointed blade.

"Sakura!" cried Ino, her eyes widening when she saw the tattered edges of her long, light rose hair. "W-What happened…?"

"Lady Sakura! No!!!" Lee leapt towards the startled Haruno lass and slapped the dagger away from her hand. He crashed on top of her, panting. "What were you thinking, committing suicide?"

"S-Suicide?" Sakura's eyes widened.

Lee's eyes filled with tears. "Don't you realize how much you mean to the people who love you? If you were guilty about the deaths of the men then you could have talked to somebody, like me for instance?" He grabbed her shoulders and shook them vigorously. "Lady Sakura, don't ever think of pulling such stunt again! If you die, you will make me die of a broken heart…and overworked tear ducts…and migraine too. Not to mention asphyxiation, influenza, asthma, hypertension—"

"Lee…" The court lady was dazed by the outburst of the usually cheerful earl. Do I really mean that much to him?

"Get off her."

Unison of gazes fell on the grim-looking Prince Sasuke. He was standing by the hallway, arms crossed and looking directly at Lee and Sakura who were still on the carpeted floor.

"Lord Sasuke!" cried Ino, face lighting up.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura pushed the wailing Lee away and dashed right beside her rival, beaming.

Shikamaru had the heart to help the sniffling Rock Lee up. "Buddy, just a piece of advice, in case you still hadn't understood one thing."

"What is it?"

"Unrequited love sucks."

"Hell yeah."

……………………..

Chapter Fourteen

This chapter is written because someone emailed me, asking what happened to Lee who assumed that Sakura was going to commit suicide. So I decided to write this, which would focus only on that night after the Leaf party made it back to the kingdom safely. The regular story timeline will return next chapter Anyway, this is also dedicated to the new names I saw in the review list:

= Yoshimi Aki Hyuuga Uchiha-san, I'm glad that you liked my depiction of the ShikaIno pairing

= Usagi-mun, thank you for the very nice comments you made in the story. And yes, Naruto and Hinata are in this together!

(boos are heard from the crowd; SPOILER!!! ;;)

And to my fellow Pinoys who miss Naruto already (not to mention, Sir Kakashi's voice [sniff] and Sasuke-kun's poging-pogi dub), thank you. Gee, Kamui-san, I was shocked to learn you are a Pinoy too! - Liquid Fantasy-chan, elo din po! Proud tau eh! Hi to White Witch too. Wow, inuulit-ulit mo itich? Cyeet, tats naman ako! Tomoyo129, thanks din po sa pagbasa ng work ko [sabay Aiza bow] pati rin din po dun sa isang anonymous reviewer (ang iniwan nyang name eh [']). Pasencya na at nahuli update ko po ;; Takari-san, anong year mo na? I forgot kung na-mention mo na sa akin o nde. Topak na naman ako eh -.- Ang hirap mabuhay ng walang sustansya galing sa 4:30 pm (okaaay, 5 pm) TV sked ko!.

The girl nodded, and then looked back at Sakura, who was standing on the staircase, probably debating what to say to Lee.  She exhaled audibly, and then marched back to her room.

Sakura sighed, and then went to the earl. "Hey, Earl Lee…" She tried to suppress her giggles. When they were young, she used to tease the little boy who wouldn't stop looking her way as 'Earl Late'. The little boy with very bushy eyebrows, round eyes, and raven hair braided properly. The lad who could astound all of them with his perseverance in taijutsu. The boy who jumped down the lily pond to find a ring she accidentally dropped on the water. The young man who grew up in a moment when he stared at her in the eyes for the first time since they met and told her that he loved her so.

He looked at her, eyes still misty. "I truly care for you, Lady Sakura, even if you can only see me as a troublesome nuisance."

That was enough to make her face soften. "Oh Lee, don't you think I know that?"

His sorrowful expression slightly lightened. "It's really hard to love someone who openly loves another, and watch her get hurt by that person while I stand in the sidelines, helpless to protect her because I know that she doesn't want to protect herself from pain." He exhaled deeply, and then faced her. "You embrace the pain completely, Sakura… and worse, you're in love with it."

"Lee…"

"Sometimes, I wish I can close my eyes…close my eyes really, really tight so I won't have to see you with him. Or clamp my hands over my ears so I can't hear the happiness in your voice that only he is capable of giving. Dakedo…" His voice broke. "How does one stop a heart from beating? " His hand found his way to his chest. "Because I can feel right here the pounding of my heart that is synchronized to your rhythm…your melody. And it's enough to make me remember again and again that you can never be mine."

Her eyes widened, upset. "Don't do this, Lee. We are friends, and I thought…I thought you would understand…"

"I do. But you can never stop me from hoping." His mellow eyes turned to balls of fire. "Sakura, the only thing that will stop me from hoping is if I see for myself that he has already appreciated how wonderful a person you really are. Until then, I will wait." He smiled sadly. "Even if it takes forever." He got up and rubbed his eyes bravely. "Lady Sakura, I am just overjoyed that you are safe and sound."

"Lee…" She got up too, shoulders shaking. "Why didn't I meet you first? Then I could have spared myself the pain of hurting someone as kind-hearted as you."

"Ssh," he hushed gently. "Like you, I am in love with this pain too. This pain is my happiness."

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.

.

The first time his eyes fell on the shy pink-haired lady clutching the sleeves of the loudmouth Yamanaka Ino, he knew it was God's answer to his prayer…that he would be sent an angel.

Angels in heaven were blond, and in earth, pink-haired.

"O-Ohayou," the girl said bashfully, face as endearingly crimson as her hair. "M-My name is Sakura."

Sakura. Haruno Sakura, daughter of the newly ordained earl of the Hidden Leaf kingdom. That was what Ino informed them.

Her eyes turned to him, and for a moment, she looked confused by his eyebrows. A second later, she smiled at him.

And then he felt his heart erupt into a Dance Dance Revolution combo hit.

When it was his turn to introduce himself, it took him several minutes to choke his name out—who could concentrate when he was the focus of those gorgeous emerald eyes? His monosyllabic surname was uttered another three minutes later, and by then, everyone around them had already arrived in a conclusion.

He had a crush on little Sakura.

But the girl before him didn't look impatient at all. He even remembered how she found his name cute.

Ah, but then, the great next-in-line ruler of the Leaf kingdom had to arrive in the scene. Uchiha Sasuke took the hearts of the XX-chromosome population by storm, Signal Number 4 even. That included his most cherished pink-haired angel.

Since then, he had only looked at her from afar. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that he had no fighting chance against the Uchiha lad. He was perfect. He was divine. He was Uchiha Sasuke, for pete's sake!

All his years, he was inspired to strive to be the best because he wanted even a speck of the attention Sakura had for the Ice prince, but to no avail.

He could never be good enough.

.

.

.

He pulled himself away from his thoughts and bowed to kiss her hand good night. He grinned and raised his thumb up, teeth gleaming.

Sakura looked at him, eyes shaking. And then she grinned back, returning his OK gesture.

As he walked back to his training room, he found a strange happy sadness settle within him, calming him.

I would rather be like this, needed; depended on to give the love I can get.

When you're gone. I just don't wanna be lonely.

"Break it down," he finished, and then chuckled. The door in front of him opened, revealing an exasperated Tenten rolling her eyes at him.

"Lee, go to sleep! You still have to train early tomorrow!"

"Right, Tenten' nee-san!"

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.

.

Tenten combed her hair down, yawning. The whole castle was sent to panic awhile ago, no thanks to Rock Lee running around the hallways of the palace like a headless chicken, demanding to see the court lady Haruno Sakura. She wanted to hit his head with her vanity dresser but decided it wasn't worth the quality wood paneling of her dresser so she opted to stay in her room and wait for Lee to bang his head on a wall and get amnesia so he would forget about the Sasuke-obsessed court lady.

She couldn't understand why a great fighter like Rock Lee would fall for someone as ridiculously obnoxious and vain and Sasuke-fixated as Haruno Sakura. To add salt to the injury, his feelings run too deeply for him to understand that she could never love him back the way he wanted her to!

Groaning, she rubbed her temples. Why was she wasting her time pondering on the miserable love life of Lee anyway? She was better off hoping for Sir Kakashi having his hair cut like their Sir Gai's than wishing that Lee would find an ounce of brain and interest himself in training some more rather than blindly chasing a mirage.

The knocks on her door snapped herself out of her contemplative silence. She got up and sleepily opened the door, expecting a hyper Lee asking her to massage his back until he falls asleep. However, it wasn't Lee who was standing tall in front of her.

Hyuuga Neji let himself into her room as if he was a welcomed visitor there. He headed for her bed and sat down there.

Her eyebrow cocked. "I don't remember telling you to come in and make yourself comfortable."

His eyes idly traced the blue cotton pajamas she was wearing. She felt her cheeks redden slightly. The fabric wasn't thin, but it was silk and clingy, emphasizing her contours. "I was hoping I could catch you in your nightgown…oh well." He shrugged, as if saying that he was entertained by her outfit anyway.

She rolled her eyes, as if asking the celestial territory why this scene was unfolding at this moment.

"Get dressed. I need a sparring partner."

"Right now?" She looked at her clock with Gai's face drawn on it by the most skilled artist in the kingdom. This was the gift the Starlet gave them two Christmases ago as something to serve as a souvenir for them. Understandably, only Lee proved to be enthusiastic with the gift, but that didn't mean she loved the Starlet mentor less.

"Right now," he affirmed. It was only then she realized that he looked pretty tense.

Tense? Hyuuga Neji?

"You look like you're getting ready for a battle," she remarked carefully, pushing her annoyance at him for a moment.

"I'm going to teach her a lesson," he hissed, eyes crinkling in anger.

"Her?" she echoed. The timid maid immediately crossed her mind.

"She wouldn't listen to me when I told her to just go back to her family. I'm sure that she would pay attention if I show her that I mean my words."

Her family. Now she was sure. It was the maid of Lady Haruno he was tensed about.

But still…

"Why are you so affected by her?" she wanted to know.

He turned grim.

"She's not doing anything against you," she said, feeling a surge of sympathy for the maid who was injured greatly by the Mist ambush attack.

"You don't understand anything, witch. Just do what I say," he snapped.

"Look, you're the one asking the favor here, if it still hasn't dawn on you yet, Mr. High and Mighty!" she snapped back. It was getting late, and arguing with this asshole here was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Hmp. Thank God women were made with only one larynx." He smirked. "You're too noisy."

"You're too kind, Neji-kun," she said, commencing her rolling eyes mode once again.

He paused, gazing at her quietly. It was enough to stop her cold again. What is it that he would notice this time?

"You look…different…" His eyes were on her long auburn hair let down, his forehead creased.

"W-What?" she choked.

"You can actually look like a woman if you try." He got up and headed for the door. "I will wait for you in the training ground."

"Asshole! I AM a woman!" she yelled, face red.

He turned to her, smiling faintly. "I know." I kissed a woman. Twice.

He was long gone before she snapped out of her daze. However, she still was deliberating whether the small smile she saw on his face was real or just a figment of her overacting romantic imagination.

.

.

.

Sakura was heading for her own quarters when she passed by the Yamanaka Wing. Her eyes fell on the closed door of her former best friend's room. How could she not erase that from her memory? She had spent some of her happiest childhood days in there, playing dolls, molding clay, trying on the elder Lady Yamanaka's fashionable clothes, and baking sweets. Ino taught her to like delicate games for girls, and she in turn, taught her boys' games like cartwheels and hide-and-seek and even soccer.

She missed her best friend so much.

If I give Sasuke-kun up, I will have Ino-chan back…and I can pay Lee back for all the love he invested in me.

But before she could ponder any more on that, the door opened, revealing Shikamaru. He smiled at her, and she smiled back at him.

"Hey Ino, I don't think we have to go to her room," he said.

Ino got out of the room, holding a pair of scissors and some combs. "How many times do I have to tell you not to address me so casually—" Her words were cut by the sight of the pink-haired girl looking at her, dazed.

Silence.

"Come in," said Ino at last, recovering her composure.

"N-No, I-I have to…"

"Get in," said Shika gently. "She was thinking of going to your room to help you with your hair."

Sakura touched the frayed edges of her hair. "A-Ah…t-this?"

"Come in, I said," she said, refusing to meet her inquisitive gaze. "Let's do this so I can sleep in peace already."

"H-Hai…" She entered the all-too-familiar room of her former best friend. The walls were still painted in pastel colors, and the stuffed toys were placed in the same cabinets. The dollhouse stood by the window where it had always existed.

Nostalgia filled her heart. I missed you, Ino-chan. Her eyes shook.

.

.

.

As she combed Sakura's hair, she couldn't stop her hand from trembling. It seemed like only yesterday when she last combed her best friend's hair like this, trying on the various ribbons and hairclips that would emphasize the cuteness of her friend.

Ever since they parted ways, she rediscovered the loneliness of being a court lady. No friend to play with, to laugh with, to share secrets and treasures with…

She had always looked at the door, secretly hoping that it would open and reveal her favorite playmate, inviting her to play tag outside or bike in the garden. Even until now.

She fought the urge to glance at the face of her friend in the mirror, although it was the one thing she wanted to do most right now.

I missed you, Sakura-chan.

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.

.

Sakura slowly smiled when she saw that her hair was improved and cut to look more stylish. She felt like she was looking at her reflection when she was still a child, only this time, she was older.

"I think it doesn't look too bad, ne?" said Ino, mostly to herself.

Sakura nodded happily. "Thank you so much, Ino-chan…"

Ino blinked, and then cleared her throat. She raised her hair and to everyone's surprise, she shred the significant part of her ponytailed hair.

She smiled at everyone. "Hmp! The race for the Prince Sasuke's heart should be fair. I don't want to be accused of taking advantage of the fact that Lord Sasuke likes long hair better!"

"Ino…chan…" the cherry blossom whispered. Ino was telling her not to give Sasuke up, not for anything.

Because she understood that she loved him.

And now, she understood Ino too. Ino loved Sasuke too.

"May the best lady win," said the Yamanaka court lady before releasing her hair from the rubber band. She combed her hair down and clipped a portion of it back.

Sakura looked at their reflection, and she wanted to cry. It was like looking at her happy past.

"Girls, smile!" said Choji, bringing in a camera. "Shikamaru, not you! Are you a girl? Get out of the picture!"

She beamed at the camera. Someday, the whole Queen business would be over. Even if she wouldn't win the race, she would not be depressed.

Because she knew that when that time comes, she had already swallowed the bitter capsule of pride, enough for her to look at Ino's eyes again smilingly.

Just like the old days.

………………………

to be continued