This chapter is a lot shorter than the previous, though I do believe that quality is better than quantity. Again, I hope that people enjoy this fic as much as the last.
"Naruto?" A head in the crowd of passing students turned around in response. Jiraiya waved the latest copy of Make-out Tactics in the air. Naruto turned around again and prepared to scram.
"Hey, hey!" Jiraiya yanked at his collar and playfully dangled him in the air.
"Let me go, you stupid pervert!" Naruto clumsily swung his fists at Jiraiya.
"Now, Naruto, is that any way to talk to an elder?" Jiraiya smiled teasingly at him.
"Ha!" he spat. "Elder, my ass! What are you going to do, spank me?"
"I should keep that in mind." Jiraiya's fatherly smile annoyed the hell out of Naruto. "I want you to give this to Kakashi. Oh, and do be careful. This is a special edition (!!) of my growing series." Jiraiya beamed proudly. "And you must imagine how much you would have to pay up if you were to 'lose' it on the way."
Naruto mentally hurtled a mouthful of foul language at his superior. And he thought he would get away with tearing up the glossy cover and pasting the remains on Kakashi's door.
He snatched the book from Jiraiya's hands. "Fine. I'll do it."
"Haruno won't know about this either," Jiraiya called. "You'd like that, no?" He chuckled and readied himself for another barrage of futile punches.
Naruto's sensei had never known his pupil to pass an opportunity to pick a fight (verbally and physically) with anyone - anyone. But Naruto looked at him, his face suddenly pallid, expressionless, his lips forming words, sentences, phrases –
But nothing came out.
He whirled around and rushed out of the building. His erratic breathing did nothing to help him calm the beating of his heart.
"Man." Naruto wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "I gotta stop this." He closed his eyes for a moment and pressed his fingers to his temples. "Ok." He exhaled. "Now I have to send this book to the other perverted teacher."
He turned his pockets inside out. Two coins rolled onto the sidewalk. "Aww..."
"You need money for the bus fare?"
Naruto hastily bent down and grabbed what was left of his pitiable salary. "I'm fine, thanks."
"Really, Naruto. I'm willing to pay."
Naruto spun around. "Sa…Sakura…"
"Hi, Naruto-kun," Sakura said softly. She patted the bench next to her. Naruto obediently sat down.
"I like your sweater," she commented. "Is it new?"
Naruto grunted and fiddled with the thick blue material. "Sasuke bought it for me."
"Oh."
Awkward silence.
"So are you going to the library?"
"What?"
"The library. You're holding a book."
"T-t-the book…" Naruto stiffened. The book. Both hands descended on the cursed front cover and he prayed that, god almighty, would you please make her drop the damn topic…
"Is it a good book?" Crap.
"…It was Kakashi-sensei's…recommendation."
"Oh." She peered at it. Naruto immediately shot up. "Well, I should get going now."
"Wait!" Sakura cried. Naruto looked back quickly, surprised. "Let's ride the bus together. Come on, I'll pay."
Naruto opened his mouth and then clamped it shut. "No. Sorry." His tone was rigid and suddenly forceful.
Sakura was taken aback for a moment. Then she composed herself and smiled weakly. "W-well…I do suppose you want to go somewhe-"
"No, Sakura. I said I don't need your money."
This completely unraveled Sakura. "Oh, Naruto…" Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she grabbed his wrist. "Don't you want to go somewhere? Anywhere? How about that restaurant with the nice view? Or-"
"I said I don't need your services, bitch!" Naruto angrily shoved her into the mob of bus-waiters. He began to stomp away.
"Oh, Naruto, Naruto…" Her pathetic, tiny voice pulled him back. Sakura knelt on the ground and covered her face with her hands, tears streaming through her fingers, her shoulders trembling violently. And as she lifted her tearstained face, and Naruto could see that little girl he so carelessly fell in love with.
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan." Naruto wrapped his arms around her and cradled her, soothed her, wiped away her tears.
Then Sakura felt a sensation overwhelm her. The rising tide mounted into the sky and then, with tremendous force, crashed down upon her. It washed away the perfume that she bought last week, the scented facial creams she used everyday. Sakura's purse, her daddy's thick wad of cash, and her silk blouse plummeted to the depths of the ocean.
And then the waves yielded.
"Sakura?!? SAKURA!!" Naruto seized her arm before her fist collided with the glass window of a nearby car.
"I'm a bitch, aren't I? I'm such a bitch, I'm so sick of myself!" She tore her arm from his grip.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Naruto wrestled her down as she prepared to sabotage the next car down the line.
"Get off of me! Damn it!"
"Nope," Naruto replied and slung Sakura over his shoulder as easily as if she were made out of cloth.
"Let me go! I said let me go!" Sakura pounded his back with her fists.
Naruto paid no attention to her. "You say you're sick of yourself," he said coolly. "You should be. Right now, you sound like daddy's little spoiled brat."
Sakura's flailing arms died down. She lay limply on his shoulder. Finally, he gently set her down on a familiar smooth surface. Sakura's face lighted up.
"The slide fixes all problems, doesn't it?" Sakura laughed a little as she lovingly stroked the sloping edges.
"Don't move. I'll be right back." Naruto dashed away with a hand up in the air - his fingers were crossed. It was a promise.
Sakura patiently waited, and he did come back. Two fresh bowls of ramen were carefully placed at the end of the slide, and Naruto beckoned for her to come down. Grinning, Sakura lay flat on her stomach and set sail, gliding smoothly down the undisturbed waters. She docked down below, a skilled sailor, and kissed her fellow crewmate on the cheek.
"Hey, hey, enough of that." Naruto handed her the bowl of ramen. "Eat the food. You're going mental, I tell you."
Sakura rapidly stuffed noodles into her mouth. She hadn't eaten such good food in years, since Ino had haughtily pointed out that her waist was smaller than Sakura's.
"Breathe, Sakura." Naruto looked at her, somewhat amusedly, and dabbed at her dripping chin with a napkin. He chuckled. "Want me to feed you this time?" He pulled out the dangling noodles from the bowl.
The sun was setting right in front of the slide, just like it had during Naruto's beloved Sakura Days. Two empty bowls were carelessly tossed onto the ground.
Sakura's head rested on Naruto's shoulder, bare feet dangling from the slide. She smiled at the remembrance of the blood-orange sky. But then her smile faded.
"Naruto, where did you get the money to buy the ramen?"
"Oh, don't worry about that. I found 1,000 yen on the ground."
"Na-ru-to!!"
"Ok, ok…I ran home and got some money and then bought the ramen."
"Oh, you baka!" Sakura angrily swiped at his head. "Why do you waste so much money for me? For me?!?"
"You were having a nervous breakdown, what else could I do?!?" Naruto said defensively.
"I wasn't having a nervous breakdown!"
"Yes, you were! Didn't you see yourself? You nearly trashed two cars!"
"I…I was sick of myself."
"What does that mean?"
"I mean that I'm sick of being that spoiled girl who needs to be pitied! I'm sick of having to hurt my best friend." Sakura stroked his chin. "I'm weak, Naruto."
Naruto quavered at her soft touch. He gently pushed away her hand. "Be strong, then."
"I will! Yes, I'm never going to be weak anymore!"
"Are you going to commit to that?" Naruto firmly looked at her. "Are you going to become truly strong?"
"I'll do it! Just you watch, Naruto! I'll be stronger than anything!" She held out her pinky finger. Naruto looked at it, confused, and then realization spread across his face. He broke into a wide smile and hooked his own finger with hers. It was a promise. A childish promise, but still a promise nonetheless.
-Was I falling in love with her all over again? And is she falling in love with me?-
But then the sleepy summer heat was replaced with a cold, cold feeling in Naruto's stomach.
"Where did Jiraiya's book go?"