Thanks to those who reviewed! I just realized that this chapter is a long one. But I had tried my best in writing it. To FormerAurora: Hope this one is better.

Pls review!

Five: From Jealousy To Sake

Placing a hand on her grumbling stomach, Sakura sighed and stopped walking as she looked back at her companion with impatience. "Could you please get a move on, Neji-sama? My stomach's making a revolution." She called out with sarcasm, tapping her foot on the ground while village people come and go by her side.

Neji gave her a short look then walked past her without saying anything. They've survived for six days now and not a day ends without Sakura bickering at him or him telling her off.

Yeah, they're in good terms. But their differences make it a whole lot harder. "Can't you control your food consumption?" he said as she reached his side.

Her face contorted in reaction. "You say that as if I consume twice what Chouji eats." She muttered, not noticing a few children were walking by their side now.

"Hey miss, are you a ninja?"

Stopping in her tracks, Sakura looked down and smiled at the two youngsters surrounding her. "Are you? Are you?" they asked excitedly.

She nodded her head in reply then looked ahead, seeing that Neji didn't even stop. She shrugged, getting used to his attitude. "Cool!" she heard the boy with fuzzy red hair say. His companion giggled eagerly. "Can you show us a few of your techniques?" she squealed as she got hold of Sakura's hand.

Neji soon stopped walking and sighed, his brows met in deep thought. So now she entertains kids while earlier she complains about her hunger. He waited for them to reach his place while he watched her mouth move and elicit laughter. She soon bid them goodbye and ran towards him. "They want to see us train." She said, answering his inquiring look.

They soon reached the small restaurant they've been dining in ever since they got to the island. He was about to come in when he felt Sakura's hand on her arm. He looked back, an annoyed look in his face. "What now?"

She looked at him with disbelief. "Don't you want to try something else?" she asked, pulling him out of the place. Neji shrugged his shoulders and just followed her not really wanting to start another small fight, while she roved her eyes for a new place to eat.

"I mean…" he heard Sakura say as she fell in step beside him, her eyes looking at him sideways. "I know you're the kind of guy who's content with what he has… but still, there are places out there you might want to try out."

He didn't dare to look at her. He knew she wasn't talking about food. "Why go somewhere else when there's already a place to go?" he asked, curios of what she'll answer. He had to hand it to her; this girl makes witty comebacks when they fight.

Without looking at him, Sakura answered. "Why wouldn't you if the world has a million better places to offer you?" She then reached out and placed a finger on his headgear protector; her movement surprised him.

"You see Neji-kun, your practicality may work on your fights but not in your everyday life." She said, giving his forehead a little push then walked on, leaving Neji standing there, dazed and his cheeks a bit flushed after hearing her call him Neji-kun.

He got his composure once again and caught up with her. Assuming her point, he didn't say anything until she grabs hold of his arm and pointed across the street. "Now we can try that!" she exclaimed, letting her pull his hand.

They sat on the table near the counter and waited for their order in silence. He noticed Sakura looking around the place. "What is it?" Neji asked.

"Chopsticks…" she murmured, her eyes looking around for it. "Aha! Wait here, I'll get you one too." She said, walking at the far end of the dining area. He followed her with his eyes.

He soon straightened up when he noticed a guy walked up to her. He frowned. She attracts a lot of attention lately.

Not that he cared anyway.

But it was annoying.

Not that he wanted the attention for himself.

From his seat, he could see Sakura nodding her head at what that guy was saying as she fished out chopsticks.

"Your orders." He heard the waiter say as he put down their orders on their table, completely blocking Neji's view from watching Sakura.

When the waiter left, Neji saw Sakura walking towards the table, the guy hanging by her tail. "I'm with someone; but thanks anyway." He heard Sakura say as she neared their table; her eyes lit up upon seeing food.

"Finally!" she said excitedly as she sat down across from him, not noticing the cross look on Neji's face. She smiled in satisfaction upon tasting the food. "Better than where we used to eat and a lot cheaper!"

She handed the chopsticks to Neji but blinked her eyes when she realized he was looking somewhere else. Waving the chopsticks in front of his face, Sakura gave him a puzzled look when she got his attention.

"What did he want from you?" he suddenly asked, returning his attention to her.

She didn't expect him to ask her that question. "Him? Don't mind him… he's just –"

Her words were cut ff when the waiter came back with a note, handing it to Sakura. "For you from the table near the entrance."

Neji grab hold of it before Sakura and read it with annoyance. "Idiot." Neji muttered, throwing the piece of paper on the floor. Curious of the message for her, Sakura asked him what it says.

"Why would you want to know?" he snapped, getting his chopsticks.

"From what I heard, it was supposed to be for me." Sakura answered back. Neji gave her a cold look. "You look cute. Can we talk later tonight?"

"What?" Sakura asked, confused.

"Idiot. That's what the letter said." Neji retorted, looking irritably on his food. He suddenly lost appetite.

Sakura threw him an intrigued look. "Don't let it get to you. It's not like you're the one being asked out." She said, giggling.

He looked back at her with a slight look of exasperation. "Fine. Date him for all I care. Don't come running to me if he does something – "

Sakura hushed him. "You're getting frustrated because someone asked me out? Can you explain why?"

Neji averted his gaze and placed food inside his mouth and stared at the table, not noticing the guy and a few of his friends were approaching their table.

"You."

Both Neji and Sakura looked up and saw the guy standing there, his face with annoyance. His eyes were looking directly at Neji, who just looked at him.

"You weren't supposed to read that." He jeered, his friends sneering behind him.

Neji smirked. "Why can't I? I'm with her."

"She says you don't have a relationship."

Neji stared back at the guy, his smirk still placed on his face. "I'm with her." He said again slower.

The guy muttered something under his breath and turned around; grabbing a senbon from his pocket and with fast hands threw it at Neji when Sakura turned her attention back at the food.

"Stupid." The guy said, instantly turning back when something flew past his head. The senbon he just threw at Neji is now on the opposite far wall of the room.

"Don't even try me." Neji said as he stood beside him, waiting for Sakura who has just finished eating. Placing the payment on the table, Neji turned his white eyes to the guy and looked at him coldly as he followed Sakura outside.

"You should have just left them alone." He heard Sakura say.

Neji gave her a disapproving look. "Why? Because you like the attention?"

Sakura's face flushed. "No! It would have been more appropriate to just leave them alone." She retorted, disappearing instantly and leaving him by himself.

"Idiot." He muttered, hiding his hands in his pockets.

On the afternoon of the eight day, Sakura was left in the cabin. "Not today…" she whispered as she felt a small amount of pain surged inside her abdominal area. "Of all the stupid days to experience it, why now?" she asked angrily, knowing that the pain will increase soon.

The door opened and Neji entered in. When noticing she was sitting down in a weird way, he called her attention. "What's up with you?"

Sakura glanced up with an irritated expression on her face. "Don't make me angry today Neji…" she answered back, trying to stand up.

"Why?"

Sakura sighed exasperatingly. "Just because."

"Why can't you just say it?" Neji asked, now annoyed as he sat down on his bunk. "Stomach problem? I told you to watch your food intake-"

Sakura felt the cramp pain again as she reached out for any solid thing. "Idiot! I'm having my PMS!" she yelled angrily as she threw him whatever it was she was holding.

"What PMS?"

Sakura gave up and ran outside while saying, "Idiot." over and over again.

Neji shook his head, getting used to Sakura's temper and attitude when she doesn't want to be messed with. He looked at the thing she threw at him; her mother's picture again.

"She's so careless." He said to himself, lying down n his bed and dozed off.

He woke up after an hour, looking around the cabin. Still no sign of Sakura. HE got up and sighed. "Bet she's in Obaa-san's place again." He murmured. He needed to get her for it's time to do a round up of the island.

Neji reached the small house and greeted the old lady. "Obaa-san, where's Sakura?"

The old lady pointed inside her house. "Poor girl. Complaining of her cycle I say to her 'It's normal. Drink sake to rid off the pain.'"

Neji immediately went inside and saw Sakura's head on the table, her hand holding a huge jug of sake. "The idiot!" he muttered as he shook Sakura. "Hey!"

He grabbed the jug, surprised that it was empty, and shook her again. "Sakura!"

She slowly glanced up and removed his hand from her shoulder. "Go away!"

Neji grabbed her hand and pulled her. "What were you thinking? What's wrong with you?" he asked in irritation as Sakura tried to walk.

Neji gave up talking to her; she won't understand what he's trying to say since she's too drunk. He hoisted her on his back and proceeded back to their cabin all the while hearing Sakura's murmurs.

"I'm weak…aren't I?"

When Neji didn't answer, Sakura pulled on his hair. "Stop that! No, you're not. Happy?" he retorted.

"Why can't anyone appreciate me?" he heard her say, accompanied by her soft sobbing. He felt her tears stain his back as he pursued on walking. "You liar. I'm weak! Weak! Weak!" she exclaimed, fidgeting out of Neji's hold and jumping away from him.

He cast his irritated look on her while she grabbed a kunai from her pouch. "I'll show you Sasuke. I'm strong." She said, dazed. Neji sighed and grabbed the hand holding a kunai. "Stop this Sakura. You're drunk. We won't do a round-up tonight."

Sakura tilted her face to him. The setting sun still made her flushed cheeks visible to his eyes. "Sasuke…" she whispered, eyes slowly falling down from her face.

"I'm not that bastard. Why are you crying?" he said annoyingly, as he got her kunai from her. "Stop acting like this. It's annoying."

Sakura held his hand and nodded her head. "Annoying? Yes, I won't be annoying anymore, Sasuke-kun."

The expression on her face and the way she was talking to him now made him unable to speak. He could feel the trembling of her hands and the heaving of her shoulders. "Stop crying." He ordered his voice mellow so he could calm the drunken girl down.

Her eyes won't stop shedding tears. She held onto his hand and tightened it. "Sasuke-kun, I will… No, I am strong." She whispered, reaching a trembling hand to his face.

Neji could only stare back at that tear stained face and could only let her words flow into his ears. What is there left to do?

Her hands soon came in contact with the skin on his face. The warmth of it and probably of the sake sipped into his skin. "I will wait…" she whispered yet again, as Neji could only held back his own instinct as Sakura's face neared his own face. "I will wait…" she said quietly before her lips came in contact with his, not realizing that the fourth tree from where they were standing someone was watching.

Hope you like this chapter! Pls review! Thanks again!