Act 6: Farewell to the Spring Blossoms
"AHHHHHHH!" Ino shrieked. "Oh my God Sakura! Remember when we were still gennins we used to dream about setting foot in this house! And now, you're living in it!" Ino spun around in circles in Sakura's bedroom laughing herself silly before flopping onto Sakura's soft queen sized bed.
"Ino be quiet, I think Sasuke-san is sleeping." Sakura said throwing a pillow at Ino.
"Ooops." Ino said sitting up now. "Hey why are you calling him 'Sasuke-san'? why not 'Sasuke-kun' like you used to? It's like you don't know him at all anymore."
Sakura was silent for a bit she eyed the white box by an open window in her room, it had not been there when she went to answer the front door and it was there when she came back with Ino.
"It's been a while Ino, I've been away from Konoha for 3 years and I didn't see Sasuke at all during my last year at here so I can't expect everything to be ok now can't I?" She walked over to the open window and looked outside. Whoever left that box could still be around. She turned to Ino after seeing no one and closing the window and thought about what she had just said. "If so, then what was that earlier today…"
-FLASHBACK-
"I've made you cry a lot haven't I?"
Sasuke had sprung forward and taken her into his arms. She felt him squeezing her tightly as if he never wanted to let go, but delicately as if she was something precious that should never be broken.
"Sa…su…ke…" Her voice was bouncy and unsure, but he just held her closer. Her arms had crept up his back unevenly. Her right fingertips caressed the back of his neck as she held him too. She could feel his warm breath against her skin right when he found the perfect spot and rested his check against the bare of her neck, smelling her hair.
He was breathing heavily and she could feel her heart race against his. Could this still be the cold Sasuke she had known long before? The same Sasuke who brushed her off last night?
"Sasuke-san… what's wrong?" She asked worried.
"San..." Sasuke thought. He could feel something shattering, his ideals of her, his memory of her… or was it his heart shattering at the cold reality. Reluctantly he let go and turned his back to her hiding his hurt and embarrassment for such an unlikely emotional breakout.
"Nothing's wrong…" He snapped. His Husky voice became cold and empty once again. "You caught me at a bad time… Excuse me." And he walked away.
-END FLASHBACK-
"Right…" Ino said, her voice trailing off. There was a moment of silence; Ino did not like this atmosphere one bit. She quickly realized the white box near the window and in desperation to change the subject asked "What's that?"
"Oh this?" Sakura looked down at the box at her feet. "I'm not sure."
"Was that here all this time?"
"No, actually I went down to answer the door, and when I came back up here with you it was here."
"That's rather strange. I wonder what it is." She got up and walked over picking the box up."
"Ino be careful it looks delicate." Sakura cried uncertain about it. Ino carried the box back over to the large down feathered bed and set it down gently. She pressed her ear lightly against the box. Over the years Ino had become an Explosives specialist and was on the top bomb squad in Konoha.
"Ino, I doubt it's a bomb." Sakura said crossing her arms and coming up towards her.
"You can never be too careful Sakura! You never know!"
"I know it's not."
"Yeah? How?" Ino lifter her head and looked over at her pink friend who was now standing on the other side of the bed. Sakura chucked a card at her. Ino picked it up and read it.
My Dearest Sakura,
Please accept this as my Spring-ling gift this year.
There is no one I'd rather give it to than my precious flower.
Love always,
Your Jin
"Wow he's really into you now isn't he?" Ino said picturing the rather attractive looking fellow in her head.
"Whatever…"
"Well?" Ino looked at Sakura anxiously, then at the box. Her head kept jumping back and forth between her friend and the pretty box on the bed.
"Fine, I'll open it."
Ino squealed with anticipation and excitement as Sakura undid the perfectly tied ribbon and lifted the lid off the box. The both of them peered inside and gasped at its contents.
-MEANWHILE-
Sasuke could hear the loudmouth blonde from Sakura's room. HE shoved his head under a pillow attempting to drown out the sound of her irritatingly high pitched voice.
"What the fuck is she so excited about!"
He squeezed another pillow on top he could hear her still.
Unable to take anymore of this he got up angrily, slid on a shirt and made his way out the room and down the hall.
-BACK IN SAKURA'S ROOM-
"OH my GOD!" Ino said beaming with pride. "You look so gorgeous!"
"It's too much…" Sakura said… She didn't like the idea of accepting such an expensive gift.
"What are you talking about! That has got to be the most amazing Kimono I've ever seen! You have to wear it to the festival!"
"What? NO!" Sakura cried as she turned from the mirror and stared at her friend.
"Why not!" Ino yelled back rather annoyed.
Sakura's bedroom door slid open and framed standing there was a rather annoyed and sleepy Sasuke. "Do you mind shutting up!" He scolded at Ino, entering the bedroom. "You are so—" He stopped himself. He gazed at her, Kimono and all. He blushed slightly hoping neither of the girls would notice. "Sakura… you… you…"
"Isn't she gorgeous!" Ino yelped once again totally ignoring Sasuke's request that she be quiet.
Sakura looked down at the floor. "This is awkward." She thought. Sasuke remained quiet not saying anything. "Of course she's gorgeous" He felt like singing it out to the world for all to hear. But of course he just turned his back and walked back towards the door.
"Try to keep it down ok?" He said coldly sliding the door shut behind him without even looking back.
"What's his problem?" Ino croaked cocking an eyebrow. "He gets more and more mysterious every time I see him." She shrugged and diverted her attention back to Sakura who was taking of the kimono and placing it back into the box.
"I can't accept this gift..."
"And why not? He gave it to you as a spring-ling! You just can't give it back… You have to wear it to the festival."
"I CAN'T INO!" Sakura yelled.
Ino stood there dumbfounded. Sakura's face was hidden in a sea of shadows and hair strands as she had left her hair free down her back.
"Why?" Ino said softly sensing that she had touched a nerve.
Silence
"Why?" She repeated.
"Because…" Sakura whispered.
"Because what?"
"Because I rejected him…"
Ino was still clueless. Sakura dove into detail about the history between her and Jin. By the end of the long tragic tale Ino was in total shock trying to take it all in.
"So… You're not in love with him then…" Ino asked. The two girls were sitting on the floor, backs against the foot of the bed. Sakura shook her head
"I'm not totally sure what I feel." She hugged her knees. A childish habit she was not able to break. "I'm so confused, I feel like I've been holding out for something that I'll never have."
"You mean Sasuke."
Silence.
"If I wear that Kimono… it will mean that I've accepted his proposal. I'd… well I'd…" She could not bring herself to say it… she didn't have to say it, Ino said it for her.
"You'd be his and his alone."
"Right…"
Ino fell silent. Sakura said nothing… the whole room was still…
Outside, Sasuke had heard every single word that was said. The entire history lesson. He didn't know what to think… he wasn't thinking. He was having a hard time admitting that he was in love with Sakura to himself, how could he admit it to her? Especially after hearing all of that. It was then that he realized that he could loose her. This time for good. He reached in his pocket and gripped the soft snowy colored kerchief.
He mumbled her name under his breath so that no one but he could hear it.
"Sakura…"
