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Happy Ending

Chapter 11

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20 September

Sasuke left for another mission two weeks ago, it was the day after he had found me at the training grounds and, well… Kissed me.

At that time, I wanted him to show me that he loved me and wanted him to kiss me, but I thought it over during the night. I don't want things to go too fast, and he had kissed me in public. What if someone had seen us? I wouldn't have wanted that, and I think all the females in Konoha would try and kill me.

Anyway.

I told Sasuke I didn't like things going so fast. All he did was roll his eyes and smile at me, and then he left for a mission. Again.

During the first week I was with the team I was about to train, to get to know them a little. They sure do have weird personalities, but it resembles my old team somehow.

The difference is that I come in time, Kakashi never did. Or, he did sometimes, but those were the days he felt like surprising everybody or when he had been to Tsunade earlier.

The two boys resemble Sasuke and me a bit, but the fights are not that heavy and they are somehow more like Neji and Lee. One is quiet and the other one has the spirit of fire that wouldn't even go out if you put ice on it.

The girl is more the type that wants harmony and wants to spread love, which I can't understand why she ended up like a Ninja. I hope she doesn't think that it's all about rescuing people or something… Poor girl. If that's the case; maybe I should have a little talk to her? I'm her teacher from now on, after all.

Oh, and Ino and Sakura are a little mad that their plan with Sasuke failed, but they said it would come new opportunities for them to find somebody for Sasuke.

Then the other week came.

Kakashi, Sakura and me celebrated his birthday and gave him some gifts and talked. We didn't do much because he said he was going on a mission. I think he is the only guy I know who would like to work on his own birthday, can you believe him?

And here comes the bad thing that happened the other week.

It started when Kakashi was about to leave…

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"Maybe it is best if you follow Sakura home, Naruto." Kakashi said while smiling at his former students.

Even if he didn't show it, he had been very happy to see that his two students had remembered his birthday and wanted to celebrate it, if he had known sooner, he would have cancelled the mission. But he was no seer, so how could he have known?

"I'm a gentleman; of course I will escort the lady home." Naruto smiled warmly at his teacher, knowing he would get some lazy answer or something else in return. But all he got was a cough and a waving hand, before Kakashi was gone in smoke.

Even if Naruto had expected it, he couldn't help but think that it was extremely rude of him to just leave like that, and Naruto really wanted to slap himself for thinking like that when he knew that he too, would have done the same thing, or just leave a stupid comment knowing a fist would collide whit his chin.

"Already forgotten about the lady?" Sakura placed a hand on the boys shoulder and smiled at her friend. Naruto smiled back and gave an apology before they started to walk away towards Sakura's empty apartment.

They didn't really say anything. They were trying to keep their body warm while walking and looked around at the falling leaves and the lovely moon in the sky.

Somehow, Naruto couldn't help but think about Sasuke.

The black sky reminded him of Sasuke hair and eyes. The cold reminded him of his cold attitude. But the falling leaves reminded him of the gentle and sweet side that Sasuke had within him too. He didn't know how falling leaves could have something to do with personalities, but he knew very well that he would never be able to understand himself.

"What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked. She must have seen Naruto's staring face while looking up at the moon, or maybe she just wanted to break the silences because it was getting to boring to just listen to footsteps.

The boy gave her a small smile before replaying.

"I just thought that it's beautiful, with the leaves and all, and with the moon lighting everything up." He could hear Sakura's soft giggles and her warm breath forming in the cold air. She had almost recovered from the loss of her mother, or so he thought. She really hadn't talked about her mother or showed any particular signs of missing her, but he knew that she missed her, very much.

"Sorry for laughing, but I just couldn't help it." She smiled at him and rubbed her hand a little against each other to get them warm. "I wasn't expecting that kind of answer." She looked at him and saw him grinning at her. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"What?" She asked.

He stuck out his tongue at her.

"I just love it when you smile, it is a sign that you are getting better and better." Sakura's jaw dropped a little, which Naruto didn't see because Sakura had stopped after hearing those words coming out from Naruto mouth.

When the blonde boy registered that the female wasn't walking beside him, he stopped and turned around to see why his friend had stopped.

"What is it?" He called out to his friend.

Sakura looked him into the eyes and shook her head; she gave him a gentle smile.

"Nothing." She said. The smile still resting on her lips. "Can we sit down for a moment? I just love the park when it is autumn." She pointed towards an empty bench a little away from her.

Naruto shrugged and walked to her side and gave her a small smirk.

"If you catch a cold, don't blame me Sakura-Sensei." She laughed a little and gave him a small punch on the back.

She had become a teacher at the old academy and an education wasn't really needed for her, she was a smart girl after all and was very knowing, and good with kids.

After they had seated themselves on the bench, silence overcame the two of them again.

They watched while leaves played before their eyes in the air, playing until they reached the ground. Maybe wasn't the best thing to see, but it sure was calming and that was something that the blonde ninja needed sometimes.

He could hear the girl shifting a little beside him, but he didn't look or react, he held his eyes forward at the little show nature were giving him.

But, he did react when Sakura's head suddenly ended up against his shoulder. At first, he thought that maybe she had fallen asleep, but when he raised his hand to shake her away, she opened her mouth.

"It's really beautiful, isn't it?" She asked quietly.

Naruto withdrew his hand and looked at her pink hair for a while before looking at the little show again.

"Yeah, it's pretty." He answered, just as quietly.

"Autumn isn't really the best season I know of." Sakura said while brining her hand towards her mouth to blow a little hot breath at them, to get them warm.

Naruto rolled his eyes; she was going to freeze if they didn't continue to walk home to her.

"Which one is your favorite season then?" He asked instead of saying that they should probably go home to her where there would be warmth greeting them instead of sitting out in the cold.

"Summer I guess." She whispered.

Naruto didn't say anything, he maybe should have asked why she liked summer, but most people loved it because of the heat and the beach.

"I think I like it because-" She straightened her up and looked into Naruto's eyes. She was met with questions coming from the sky-blue orbs.

"The sky always reminds me of your eyes and the sun reminds me of your hair." Naruto's eyes widened and he didn't hide the fact that he had become surprised.

What was he supposed to do? It wasn't everyday a female friend was hitting on you, well, he didn't really knew if she was hitting on him really... Maybe she just couldn't take the cold and her brain decided that it should take a few minutes off?

He smiled a little at her.

"Don't want to be rude or anything but… What are you talking about?" He didn't really know what was the best thing to say and playing stupid was the only thing he could think of right now, well; try and think of yourself in that position. Panic and surprise would surely hit you.

"That you remind me of summer." She said plainly back. She didn't smile or anything, her green emerald eyes were looking at him, taking in his every move, and he couldn't help but think that she could read his mind.

"It's-." He started to say, but he lost focus in her eyes.

Her eyes looked somehow lonely and somewhat, hopeful? He shook his head and stood up.

"It's getting late, maybe we should head home?" He said cheerfully, he was about to go but a hand reached out for his and stopped him. He looked behind him and saw Sakura look at him, now with hurtful eyes.

"I like you Naruto, I really do."

Somehow, he knew it was coming, but he couldn't help but feel shocked. He stood there, looking at her. Her looking at him, eyes now filled with tears.

And before he even could register it, she was gone.

All he was looking at was an empty bench, but somehow, he still couldn't believe it and her words were still on his mind, repeating itself.

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Naruto closed his diary, or whatever he called it, and rubbed his temples.

He couldn't help but think that everything had started to complicate and he couldn't help but to think that it was the year's fault. Maybe it was that kind of year that wanted to play around with someone? Oh wait, that sounds like something only God could do.

Naruto sighed again and placed his book in one of the drawers in the kitchen. He thought that if more things would happen, his brain would be overloaded and explode.

But soon Sasuke would be home, and then his worries might disappear. But he wouldn't tell him about Sakura, not yet, and he should give Sakura an answer. Even if she hadn't asked for one; she deserved one.

Naruto yawned and looked over at the clock.

Maybe it was time to go to bed.

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Two more days went and now it was time for another party, hurray.

It was Shikamaru's and Ino's yearly birthday party. Every year was something to remember, Ino always made sure of that. Why did she always want to be in the center of everything?

Sasuke had come back the other day, but all he did when he came to say hello to Naruto and fall asleep.

Naruto, at that time, had wanted to slap him, but he guessed that the sleeping beauty needed some rest, because of the hard work he had been doing and so on.

Both Naruto and Sasuke had gone to the party.

Sasuke was sitting and chatting a little with Shikamaru, because both of them had recognized that both of them really didn't like parties because it was too much trouble.

And Naruto did his thing, he was being a loudmouthed idiot and danced around with Kiba and challenging him to a drinking contest, but he didn't drink that much this time, he didn't want to pass out or anything, because it was always then Ino would come up and put make-up on them and take photos.

Through the entire night, Naruto couldn't help but glance at Sakura. It didn't really look like she was having a good time and all the blonde could do was blaming himself.

What the blonde didn't know was that black eyes were watching him and the girl.

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To be continued

Hope you all enjoyed it.

Maybe a little too short… And nothing really happened in it,

But I will make it up to you all, the next

One will be coming soon, and it

Will be longer.

Have a wonderful day/night etc.

Snaske loves reviews

Thanks to Daitai Otonashii Ookami for beta'd.