Hey :) Sorry I'm so late (Omg I haven't updated for more than a month) but we had muscial and MUN (Model United Nations) and stuff. Well, the musical went really well (we did Grease) and I've been made captain for next year. AND I went to Panic! At the disco. They were a-w-e-s-o-m-e. Anyway, on with the fic (I hope somebody is actually reading this..) It's un beta-ed, sorry for that.

The Konoha square the festival was held, was almost unrecognisable. It was decorated beautifully with lights, flowers, and lanterns. At least half of the square was occupied with several stalls, with all-different foods, games like karaoke or souvenirs. There were a few people walking around, passing out free sake, and two or three hand-made dragons were wandering around. Naruto bet that at least 95 of Konoha's population had to be there, all walking around in different-coloured kimonos. It was an amazing sight to see, Naruto stated, after he had looked around admiringly. He was waiting next to the Takoyaki stand, where he had promised to meet Sasuke and Sakura. He was wearing the light blue kimono he'd had from Tsunade, promising him a very slow and painful death if he'd ruin it. Stupid old hag.

Suddenly Sasuke appeared next to him. He stepped out of the faint cloud of smoke that had appeared, and returned Naruto's puzzled look.

"What?" the brunette asked, questioningly raising one eyebrow.

"You can do the.. poof-thing?" Naruto asked, making weird hand-gestures to make clear what he meant.

"No."

"But you just did i-"

"That's a stupid question, dobe. I just appeared with a poof and you ask me if I'm able to do it," Sasuke replied, and rolled his eyes visibly. He was wearing a dark bluish-purple kimono, decorated with white and blue designs, a dark red, very thick rope circling his waist to keep it from opening. In the 'belt' a katana was tied. The Uchiha's hair was combed down, failing to get the usual rooster-tail look.

Naruto rolled his eyes too. "Who dressed you up like this?" he snickered, knowing the onyx-eyed man would never do that himself. When said man was looking at him sarcastically, he continued. "Sakura, right?"

"Hn."

"And what's the sword for? This is a festival, not a battlefield.." he snickered again, while taking a sip of his cup of sake he'd just taken from a girl who passed it out.

"Shut up, you're annoying," Sasuke retorted, while being saved from Naruto's snickers by Sakura who came walking to them. It was getting dark already, and even though none of them had a watch or clock, Naruto guessed it was around 10:30 PM.

"Sakura!" Naruto yelled, meeting her on her way. "You look beautiful," he said, smiling charmingly. Sasuke nodded agreeingly, causing Sakura to blush. "Thank you," she smiled, and looked appreciative.

"You look good too, Naruto.. Where did you get that kimono? Ino has been looking for that colour for ages," she said and nodded indicatingly to the light blue colour. When Naruto explained Tsunade had given it to him, and to whom it had belonged to, her mouth fell open.

"Really? That's so awesome.." she said, while turning her head to Sasuke. "and you.. well, of course you look good," she smugly grinned, knowing Sasuke wasn't very fond of the outfit she had chosen for him. She herself was wearing a self-designed kimono, the overall colour dark red, with many different designs on it. Strings with beads on them attached the different parts of the dress. And her pink hair was in a ponytail, held up by long hairpins, also with strings with beads on them.

"Eh.." she started. "shall we go sit with the rest of the group, or do you guys want to hang around here first?" she asked, with 'group' motioning to the rest of their year sitting around a small fire in one of the corners of the square.

The blond looked at Sasuke. "You choose," he said.

"Is Hyuuga there?" the onyx-eyes man asked, turning to Sakura.

"Yes.. why?"

Not answering her question, he turned to Naruto. "Hang around here first?" he asked, and when Naruto nodded, Sakura apologised. "Do you guys mind? I promised TenTen I would help her hook up with Neji.." she sheepishly said.

"Nah, go ahead.." Naruto said. "We'll enjoy ourselves.."

---

The 2 wandered around the square, playing a few games at different stalls, and buying some firework to donate to the group later. They had promised everyone would buy some firework so they could light it together with the people of their year.

"So.. what's with you and Neji?" the blond asked curiously, wondering why Sasuke had wanted to avoid him earlier.

"Well. The main reason is because he's a damn prick, but he's also my surveillant this week, so I'd rather not have him around right now.." Sasuke said, pulling a face at the thought of his pale-eyed cousin.

"Aw, come on, Sasuke," Naruto whined. "Neji isn't that bad once you get to know him.. He's just like you."

Sasuke jerked his head to the side. "What? Don't ever compare me to Hyuuga again!" he sneered.

"Jeez, I didn't mean it like that, you bastard.." Naruto sighed, lifting his hands up in defeat, before yelping as someone collided with him, spilling sake all over the front of his kimono.

"Damn!" he swore, looking up to see who had walked up against him. An unknown woman in her mid-thirties looked down on him. "Damn brat," she sneered, her face full of loathing and hate. "serves you right, demon!" she spit out, before walking away. Naruto's brows creased at her words, before he started worrying about the kimono again. "Damnit," he cursed again before looking to Sasuke. "How the hell should I get this off?" he asked desperately, but the Uchiha didn't answer. "Didn't youi hear that?" he asked, his eyebrows creased together as he was pondering.

"What?"

"She called you demon,"

"Yeah, so? I'm used to it, and besides, that's not the important thing right now," he said calmly, watching as Sasuke's expression changed.

"I wouldn't take that if I were you," he said defensively.

"I already said, I'm used to it. And who am I to not take it? If I were to yell at her, or hit her, wouldn't people have all the more the reason to call me a monster as they do now?"

"But you're not the monster, I mean - Not literally," Sasuke retorted.

"Let them believe what they want to believe," he said, shrugging while thinking of a way to get the rice wine off his kimono.

Sasuke believed he had just seen a whole other side of Naruto.

--

After Naruto had cleaned up his clothes, they went back to the square, seating themselves on the ground next to the few classmates around the bonfire. Sasuke's eyes immediately met his cousin's, and smirked. The white-eyed jounin smiled smugly, and said: "Nice hair, Uchiha." At which Sasuke retorted: "Nice yukata, Hyuuga," before menacingly smiling and mentioning to the lilac kimono Neji was wearing.

"Guys, guys.. come on.." Naruto interrupted, trying to keep the two men from fighting each other the and there. "This is supposed to be a fun event.. Plese don't spoil it by being childish, okay?"

The group chattered for a while, waiting for a few people to complete the group. Meanwhile, their senseis came walking by, greeting them and starting a conversation. Their former teacher, Iruka, was wearing a plain golden, yellowish yukata without decorations, complementing his brown skin. Their other sensei was wearing a grey kimono, with red decorations and of course, still his mask on. The two men decided they'd rather stay with the group of friends than go back to the crowd of senior jounin, so they took a seat and waited for the people yet to arrive.

--

"Ne, Naruto, can I talk to you for a moment?" Sakura asked kindly, curving her eyes upward in a gentle smile.

"Of course, Sakura-chan! I'll be right back, k?" the kimono-clad boy replied, partially to Sakura, partially to Sasuke and the rest.

They walked off to a less crowded part of the huge square all the festivities were being held on. They came to a halt, the noise coming from everyone just a faint murmur.

A silence fell. Just when Naruto was about to ask what Sakura had called him for, her facial expression turned into slightly sad, and she lowered her head before asking:

"You love him, don't you?"

"Sakura-chan, how did you- what-?" the blond boy was startled, to say the least. He was at a loss of words, too.

"Naruto.. I can see it. I'm not being called smart for nothing, you know."

"..I'm sorry."

Slap.

"Don't you dare!"

"Sakura, I-"

"Don't you dare feel sorry. You can't- you just can't feel sorry for loving someone, right?" she asked, voice sounding angry at first, then taking a more gentle tone.

"..Thank you. But.. don't you.. like him anymore, then?" Naruto asked tentatively.

"I-.. No." 'I love him.'

When she saw the bright eyes of her friend lit up, she was beginning to feel even sadder. 'I still love him.. Yet I know Sasuke will never return that to me..' she thought, before she decided she wouldn't tell Naruto Sasuke probably felt the same, and she would let Naruto figure it out himself.

----

With Shikamaru and Ino arriving, the group became complete, and they decided they should fire the fireworks now. It was already past midnight, and the atmosphere was at its best.

"Where have you been, Shikamaru?" Naruto asked, suggestively winking before continuing.

"Or should I ask, 'Where has the dream team been?'"

Shikamaru raised his eyebrow and took a seat. "I'd rather be a dream team than a dream couple," he said in a monotone voice, and it took Naruto several minutes to register. "Shikamaruuuuu!"

--

A few hours, and several cups of sake later, most of the 'ooohs' and 'aaahs' regarding the fireworks had passed and a few people were starting to leave.

"Sakura-san!" Lee asked, and bowed down on one knee. "May I ask you if you would want to take a walk with me?" he asked, totally being Lord Clueless and exaggerating everything without noticing. "I know I'm just a humble man, and-"

Sakura smiled and blushed, before telling him he shouldn't honour her like that. They went off for a walk into the woods, and Naruto smiled to himself. 'so she really is over Sasuke..' he thought, not noticing how wrong he might be.

He took another cup of sake, causing Sasuke to wonder how many the blond had had already. And how many he himself had had already..

After hearing Naruto state he wanted to do karaoke, he concluded the blond was drunk, and exactly told him that.

"Naruto. You're drunk." He said, his voice slightly slurring at the edges.

"Who cares? So are you.."

"Well, at least I can still think properly, you idiot."

"Oi! I can still think properly, too.. Alcohol doesn't change anything in your mind, it only.. only.. brings out the thing you want the most.." Naruto said, his voice losing volume.

"And all I want right now.." Naruto leaned in, his voice reduced to a husky whisper.

"is.."

But before he could finish his sentence, their lips were pressed together softly, Naruto tingling inside from the warmth and softness of the other's mouth. He leaned in closer and grabbed the collar of Sasuke's yukata, pulling him in closer. The blond breathed out softly and began to move their lips together, but before he had the chance to deepen the kiss properly, they were interrupted by a subtle cough.

"Hyuuga..." Sasuke swore, looking ready to kill the smug brunette this instant. He raised himself and gave Neji a glare that could rival Mr. Heero Yuy's and stalked away before someone had the chance to say anything, leaving them speechless to what they had just seen. Because yes, they had seen.

A/N: I hope you liked. If you've come this far, thanks for bearing with me, and please review. Ja ne!