Chapter 3

Sasuke had always found ways to convey his true feelings to Sakura without actually saying the normal words. What Sasuke said the day before stuck with Sakura all night and into the morning. She kept glancing out her window hoping Sasuke would come knocking. But he never did, and Sakura's overthinking caused her to wonder if she heard Sasuke wrong. If maybe his love confession wasn't one at all, but just a simple "are you still obsessed with me?" that sounded more like Sasuke.

Naruto pounded Sakura with questions that afternoon at Ichiraku while Sasuke was nowhere to be found. After discovering Sakura was frantically searching instead of listening, Naruto knew what would get her attention.

"He's with Kakashi sensei."

"what? Who?"

"don't play dumb Sakura I know who you're lookin around for. Actually, come to think of it I was supposed to tell you something.."

"Lord Hokage is looking for Sakura as well, Naruto" Hinata's small voice popped up behind him.

"ah that's right!"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT AN HOUR AGO?!" Sakura boomed while racing off towards the hokage's mansion, not without giving Naruto a huge bulging lump on the head first.

…..

"ah, Sakura. Nice of you to finally join us. I sent Naruto after you quite a while ago."

Kakashi sensei and Sasuke were inside of the Hokage's office, Kakashi made an excellent Hokage. But was of course still up to his old antics and often showed up extremely late to almost every meeting.

"You have no room to talk sensei." Sakura huffed after running so far. "What's up?"

"I have found a very special D-rank mission that I find perfect for Sasuke, I need to send him with a proper teammate and you would be the perfect candidate."

"Oh, yes of course. What is the mission?" Sakura kept glancing at Sasuke hoping for a reaction, but he just stood as calm and as cool as ever.

"In The Land of Waves there is a certain gentlemen by the name of Koga Kurosaki. He is a psychiatrist by day and a large mob head by night. He has an artifact called the Chucabra scroll. This scroll is extremely important and needs to be obtained. Go, retrieve it, and come home."

"That doesn't sound like a simple D-rank." Sasuke retorted

"Well..the man is a quack and the scroll is a simple yet extremely delicate recipe passed down from generations for the absolute best cuisine you could imagine. He is extremely..for lack of a better word: pervy."

"…so you're saying we're stealing a cook book from a perverted mobster." Sakura and Sasuke shared shocked and annoyed faces as Kakashi simply smiled and shooed the two away.

"also.." The Hokage started "there is one more thing. As of this moment you two are a happy, loving, and unbreakable team. Like a marriage, so to speak."

Sakura turned to see the sly Kakashi smiling and waving in complete content. He planned this, he knows exactly what he's doing.

"Kakashi sensei I-" Sakura started to object

"I am truly sorry Sakura, I'm doing this to make sure my ship does not sink." Kakashi winked with a smile

….

Sakura waited out front of the village entrance for Sasuke to show.

I hope Sasuke didn't opt out..maybe it was too much for him. I figured after what all he said yesterday..maybe he'd be okay with a mission like this. A mission with us..alone

Sakura's face turned a bright red at the word. She couldn't breathe.

"You're wearing the necklace."

Sakura bolted around to find Sasuke. Sasuke, in all his incredible glory if her face was red before, it was a dark maroon now.

"Ye-yes..I love it, Sasuke"

"That's good, are you ready?"

"Yes!"

The journey was long, and consisted of camping out a few nights. The thought of staying in the woods did not bother Sakura in the slightest. the thought of having Sasuke Uchiha sleep so close to her, alone, excited and terrified her.

As it grew dark, Sasuke found a tunnel perfect for shelter and to host a fire.

"This is good enough"

"yes"

As Sasuke began to unpack and prepare their area for the night, Sakura couldn't move.

"So..Sasuke..about yesterday."

"I'll grab a hog or two for us to eat." Sasuke called as he walked further into the thick trees.

Sakura sighed, whatever got a hold of Sasuke the past few days was long gone. He got his answer, and that was all. He wasn't confessing to her at all, he just wanted to know if he still had a fangirl, and he did.

When Sasuke returned, they ate and laid two separate palates on opposite sides of the fire. Sakura was exhausted, so it was easy to fight the urge to ask Sasuke more questions about the day before.

After a while, Sakura began to shiver. The fire was dying and she had forgot to pack a blanket, she cursed herself for being so stupid infront of Sasuke.

The whipping sound of a blanket being pulled over her startled Sakura and made her eyes pop open. Sasuke pulled his flat bed beside her and shared his blanket.

Sakura turned, but his back faced her. "Sasuke?.."

No answer

"Thank you"

Sasuke still lay still, Sakura fought back tears. She couldn't believe she was so stupid. Sasuke took pity on her. He didn't love her, he just wanted to know if she had grown up and after discovering she didn't, he didn't want much to do with her.

The next morning, Sakura woke to a great warmth. She couldn't even open her eyes, she was so warm and comfortable she didn't want to move. She felt her pillow move around and slowly fall up and down, like someone breathing. She slowly opened her eyes

"Sakura"

Sakura jolted up, noticing her pillow was Sasuke's chest. Sasuke, hadn't moved. He seemed as if he hadn't even noticed.

"I'm..sorry Sasuke..I didn't know I was just so cold you know-"

"We should keep moving"

Sakura felt a tug at her heart with his interruption. His mixed emotions were killing her, and there was nothing she could do about it.

As they continued on, Sakura decided to be strong. She decided she wasn't going to be that girl anymore. Instead, she acted indifferent and cold towards Sasuke for the rest of the trip. After two more nights of this, it became east for Sakura to pretend to be cold to Sasuke, he didn't love her afterall.

"You're angry with me"

"nope"

"You didn't bother me."

"what?"

"when you laid with me, I..it did not bother me."

"oh.."

"hm"

"I just don't know what you want from me Sasuke. You made me so happy when you came back, when you visited me, when you took me to your family's home. But now you're indifferent. Like none of that happened, it's like as soon as you found out I still love you so much that it hurts, you wanted nothing to do with me anymore."

"Sakura.."

"we're here." They approached the village entrance and Sakura was fuming. She stomped infront of Sasuke towards the gates. Sakura felt a sudden gust of wind and a sting of surprise as Sasuke transported infront of her.

Hiding his eyes, Sasuke spoke "Is that..how you really think I feel?" his voice seemed strained, like he was angry yet trying to hide the fact.

"Well Sasuke..you make me feel that way. You always make me feel that way." Sakura answered, unable to look at him.

With one gasp Sakura found herself in the trees, arms pinned to the giant trunk and feet barely touching the branch.

"Sasuke what are you-"

Sakura wasn't sure what was happening. This had to be a genjustsu. Or maybe she was still asleep in the cave. But she could've sworn she could feel Sasuke's lips on hers, she could smell his scent all around her. Sasuke Uchiha had never been this close to her, and she lost every feeling in her body, and fainted.