Happy Ending

Chapter 7


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"Shouldn't you go and pick Sakura-chan up?" Naruto glanced to his side, at his friend and teammate.

"Thought that maybe the two of us should pick her up together. It's more comfortable for me that way, too." The raven-haired boy said and kept his gaze forward, not looking at the shorter boy beside him.

Sasuke had gone to Naruto's apartment to pick him up before he went to the hot spring with Sakura to meet up with the others, but he really didn't like the idea of getting the girl there. Sakura didn't like Sasuke as more than a friend, but you could never be too sure, the feelings might come back and Sasuke wasn't one who would want to break hear heart twice.

"Well, whatever." The blonde said and turned his eyes to the road they were walking. "I just hope that she can leave her mom. Sakura-chan is really worried about her, you know." Images of Sakura crying came into his mind, she don't want to lose her mother just like she lost her father.

"I think she can, it's late and they both should have eaten dinner. I think her mother will probably stay at the couch and watch TV. When she's tired, she can just turn of the TV and sleep on the couch." Sasuke turned to look at the younger boy, to assure him everything is going to be fine. Naruto returned his look and nodded slowly; what could he say? It was probably something Mrs. Haruno would do.

"We're here." The raven-haired boy said and stopped. Naruto stopped too and looked at up at Sakura's apartment window. It was open.

"Do you think she would hear me if I screamed out her name?" The blond asked and grinned. He almost did it, but before he could, he heard a voice and looked up.

"You don't need to scream, you are loud at it is." They could see their pink-haired friend smiling down at them. "You two want to come in?" She asked, still smiling.

"Actually, we want you to go out with us." Sasuke said. He somehow smiled back at her with his eyes, he must have been happy to see her. It had been weeks since he'd last seen his female teammate.

Sakura stopped smiling, glancing behind her back before turning back to her male friends.

"I don't know… I have mom, you know."

"Don't worry princess! It's just a couple of hours; she is going to be fine! I promise!" Naruto smiled up at her, Sasuke doing the same with his eyes. How could she resist them? And she needed to get out for a while.

"Okay. I will be down in 5 minutes." She said and was about to turn around.

"Male minutes! If you mean 5 female minutes it will take hours!" Sakura giggled softly and winked down at him.

"Male minutes." She disappeared from the window and into the apartment.

It really took 5 minutes before the girl came down. She smiled and asked them where they were going and when they avoided the question she understood, almost understood, that something was going to happen.

It didn't take to long before they reached the hot spring. All of her friends were there, smiling at her, at them. They hugged her and talked about a few things before Neji and Tenten arrived. They walked inside and the boys and girls went separate ways; even if Naruto wanted to join the girls the other boys dragged him with them.

When they were ready to enter the hot spring, they noticed that a thin wall was in the middle.

"Hey, why is that wall-thingy there?" Naruto asked and looked over at the others.

"It's there so we can talk to the girls. We can't join them in the same bath but we can talk to them." Chouji said. How could the blonde not think of that? He was not that dumb…

Naruto nodded and started to heave himself down into the hot water. He winced a little at the warmth but didn't stop until his entire body was under the water. The other had done the same and all of the boys were now in the water. Soon they could her the girl's voices in the other side.

"This is just what I need! Thank you guys!" Sakura said and giggled a little bit.

"Yeah. Relaxation is what I need right now, thanks for doing this." Neji said and looked around, meeting everyone's eyes. They answered with it was the least they could do and that maybe everyone needed this and it wasn't so bad to meet everyone.

"So." Kiba said, turning to Naruto. "Did you have a little after party?" Kiba smirked at him. What was the dog-boy up to now?

"What do you mean?" Naruto tilted his head and looked, dumbfounded, at Kiba. Kiba's smirk grew wider; this was going to be fun.

"You all remember my party?" Everyone nodded, Kiba thought that the girls nodded to so he continued. "Naruto had a little fun at the end, and the day after he went to continue what I interrupted." The guys looked at Kiba in question; what did the dog-boy mean by that? Only Naruto knew and his face grew all red.

"What do you mean Kiba?" He could hear Ino's voice on the other side.

"He meant nothing Ino!" Naruto screamed, he didn't want Kiba to continue, even if it wasn't such a big thing… Or was it? He didn't know anymore.

"Oh come on, can't be that bad?" Now it was Sakura's voice. What would she say if she knew? Probably nothing but you could never know! Sasuke was her old crush after all…and Ino's old crush too! "C'mon, tell us, Kiba."

"And I will my ladies." Kiba started to grin. Oh no, he wouldn't! Bad dog-boy! Naruto thought. "He and Sasuke kind of made out in the hallway and I sort of interrupted and the day after Naruto went to Sasuke so they could continue what they had started." Everybody stared at Kiba, even Naruto did. That wasn't the truth, how could he say it like that? Now everybody looked at him. Naruto didn't know if he should look back at them or continue to give Kiba death glares. The girl's side was quiet too and what did Sasuke think?

"You like to twist around things, don't you?" Naruto knew the voice; it was Sasukes and was it just him or was Sasuke very close to him? Naruto looked to his side and saw Sasuke there, maybe he have been there all this time? He must have been because he hadn't heard anyone move.

"Oh? So I was wrong Uchiha? Didn't seem that way when I found you in the hallway." Was this some sort of challenge? Well, Naruto couldn't see the challenge at all, but Kiba made it sound like one.

"You all want to hear the truth?" Sasuke asked. The boys nodded and he could hear Sakura's voice on the other side, he didn't hear what she said but he took it as an 'yes'. "Naruto was drunk and he kissed me-" Naruto blushed. "Kiba then came into the hallway and saw us kissing. The day after Naruto came to my place and gave me my jacket that I had forgotten."

It was quiet; did everyone die because Sasuke had talked in whole sentence?

"Kiba, you should stop lying and twist things around." Ino said. Was there bit of anger in her voice? He couldn't tell.

"Lying is bad, but forget about that." It was Tenten this time that spoke up. He could hear Sakura giggle, what was she up to? Did he even want to know?

"So Sasuke-Kun how was the kiss?" She didn't just ask that, did she? Stupid girl!

"Oh wouldn't you all want to know?" Sasuke smirked and the girls were giggling even more! And the guys were smirking at Naruto and Sasuke, could the blonde boy be more embarrassed?

"Didn't know you swing that way Naruto." Even Shikamaru was smirking at him! What was wrong with everyone today!

"I do not! I was drunk, I couldn't help it!" Shikamaru is going to regret this; I will pull an evil prank on him one day!

"But, doesn't your true feelings come out when you are drunk?" Shino, I just added you to the list of people to be pranked! Naruto glared daggers at everyone; even Lee was smirking at him! And what scared Naruto the most was that Sasuke was smirking the most.

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"Oh come on Naruto! You can't be that mad." Sakura said and smiled at him for forgiveness.

"Why shouldn't I be? You all taunted me and didn't even stop when I told you too!" Okay, maybe he wasn't that angry but if he continued like this the girl would maybe say that she would treat him to some ramen one day!

"Okay, how about this? If I treat you for some ramen one day, will you forgive me then?" See? It worked.

"Sure, why not!" The blonde boy smiled and felt a smack in his head. He looked to his other side and saw the raven-haired boy.

"Idiot" He said and smiled at the blonde boy. Naruto just stuck out his tongue at him and kept walking. They talked a little on the way before they arrived at Sakura's apartment. They all bid each other goodnight and Naruto and Sasuke walked away from their female friend.They didn't get to far before they heard a scream, a female scream, Sakura's scream.

In just a few seconds they arrived at Sakura's apartment window. They could see that she was crying.

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I didn't look at Sakura-chan at first; I looked around her apartment just to see if someone else was there.

No one was.

And when I finally looked at her I could see her crying. I could also see that she had chakra in her hands, but for what I didn't know. When I looked what her hands were on I immediately froze. Her mother lay on the couch, dead. I wanted to comfort Sakura-chan, hug her and pet her hair, anything! But I just stood there and doing nothing, she kept on crying.

When I finally took control over myself and was about to go to her, I felt a strong hand stop me. Sasuke's hand. I looked at him in question, all he did was to shake his head and then he released me, he bowed his head, his bangs hiding his eyes. I took a look at Sakura-chan, and then I bowed my head too. I didn't really know what to do; all I could hear was Sakura-chan's sobbing and all I could think about was comforting her.

One week later, Mrs. Haruno's funeral took place.

Friends and family came, even our Hokage came, and I still didn't know what to do. I hadn't said a word to Sakura-chan since that day when I saw her there, crying over her mother. Somehow it felt that everything was my fault, because, if I hadn't suggested about the hot spring this maybe wouldn't had happened. That's what I keep telling myself, but Sasuke says that it isn't my fault and that I shouldn't blame myself.

I really want to talk to Sakura-chan, but Sasuke says that she should be alone. If she wants to talk to us, she'll come. If she wants to smile with us, she will smile.

One more week has passed. One week since the funeral and two weeks since she died. That means that I haven't talk to Sakura-chan in two weeks. I wonder if she is okay? They say that she won't go out from her apartment. She must be really depressed.

First it was her father and now it is her mother.

She didn't even come this week, even if she knows that it is the week when the old team meets up and does random missions. It felt really lonely when it was just Kaka-Sensei, Sasuke, and I. I think those two thought it was lonely without her too.

I have spent a few days at Sasuke's house too. The main reason I go there is because I need to talk, and Sasuke is always there to listen to what I have to say. Sometimes he even holds my hand 'til I fall asleep. He really knows how to comfort someone, but the one he should comfort isn't me and I shouldn't be going to Sasuke; I'm not the one who has lost someone. So maybe the main reason about going to Sasuke house isn't what I think it is? Maybe I just want to see him, be with him and touch him.

I have thought about Sasuke a lot lately. I have been thinking about "That Day" and other random stuff and I have come to this, Sasuke isn't so bad.

He is nice, kind and cute. When he smiles, which is kind of rare, he makes me forget about everything, just because of a tiny smile. And the kiss, I somehow want to kiss him again but I think that is just lust, I don't think I really like him that way or anything…or maybe I do? Somehow, I think it is to early for me to know.

Somehow I feel a little better now, didn't know that if I wrote down my feelings it would feel better.

But the Sasuke part is still confusing.

Naruto sighed heavily and leaned back against the chair. He put his pencil his mouth and started to chew at it. He wanted to see Sakura, he wanted to talk to her and he wanted to make her smile. Was it too much to ask? But like Sasuke said, he should wait until she came, wait with a smile just for her.

Naruto heard a knocking on the door. He raised himself from the chair, taking the pencil out of his mouth and walked towards the door, but before that, he put the paper he had been writing on in a book so the visitor couldn't see it.

"The door is open." He said, loud enough so the other person on the other side could hear him.

He could hear the door open, he turned around to see who it was and the person he saw made him smile. Sasuke stood there in the door opening with a bag of something in it. Naruto guessed food by the smell, and it was the kind of food he loved the most.

"You haven't eaten anything, have you?" Sasuke spoke while he was taking his shoes off.

Sasuke was right; he hadn't eaten since yesterday at Sasuke place. How could the other boy know him so well? Well, he is a genius after all and is the Uchiha Sasuke-Sama.

"You know me all too well." The blond looked at the raven-haired boy while he took the ramen bowls out of the bag. After that, Sasuke took the book that Naruto had tucked the paper in from his hands and looked at it for some time before turning to the blond.

"The Unspoken Flower?" Sasuke voice sounded almost surprised. Naruto looked at the book in Sasuke's hands, why had he taken that book? He had never read it and he didn't really remember how he got it in the first place.

"So?" The blond said. "Something wrong with me reading that?" Yeah, there is, you aren't the romantic type. The blonde said mentally to himself; Sasuke's view of Naruto must have changed now.

"Didn't know you were the romantic type." Sasuke put the book down at the table again and Naruto thanked Sasuke mentally for not opening the book. If he had done that, the paper might have fallen out.

"Everybody has a secret or two."

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To be continued

Yet again, special thanks to Azamiko who helps me with the grammar and spelling!

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