Disclaimer: The usual

Chapter 3: Words and Silence

'What have I gotten myself into…?' The thought passed between them both.

Because, for Sakura, as much as she wanted to be with Sasuke, opening closed wounds were not easy.

The first to speak up, of course, was Naruto.

"So, where are you guys going to go for your first date?"

Sakura wanted to speak, but she also wanted to be swept up by Sasuke's silence. Because that's what she was always received upon with. Silence, yet again.

Sasuke, meanwhile, was surprised to find Sakura not acting her usual self – she was way too quiet. He really did like the quietness, yet it felt more wrong when it was Sakura with the silence.

The class took on from that point, and their first date was decided to a walk in the village after school.

The rest of the classes were followed by endless thoughts, questions, confusion, as it swept the two people whole.

. . .

Sasuke felt the presence of the entire class behind him and Sakura several meters behind. He breathed a heavy sigh in his mind.

Sakura, in contrast, was too caught in her thoughts to mind the unwelcomed presence. Well, it was more like she couldn't think. She felt her whole freeze up before the tall, raven-haired boy. 'Except he's no longer just a boy.'

And Sakura was no longer just a girl. The years of gap between them had totally separated their child selves to the still-maturing selves. Sakura felt her heart tear up at the thought. Their distance, in one perspective, was also her fault for using words she had not intended – although she wasn't sure if it had as much effect on Sasuke as did on her.

But, they were here together, at this place and time, so Sakura tried to stop dwelling on her memories. She knew Sasuke had something to say – otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered to all… this.

The hands of a pink-haired reached for Sasuke's – just as she had years before, during a time even before her confession – only to catch herself in time.

Sasuke's eyes drifted down to her hesitated hand, not missing any of the action. He looked up just as quickly as Sakura gave a smile and pointed to her left.

"Why don't we try the takoyaki there? It's one of the specialties around this block, and my friend who's went –"

Sakura caught herself again, the sentence stopped in an awkward rush. She put up that wide, bright, sickly fake smile on again, and rushed over to order some so she didn't have to face Sasuke's cold, dull eyes.

Sasuke's eyes drifted to the back once more to confirm the class's presence before he walked up to Sakura. The class wouldn't be able to hear any of their conversations at that distance.

"Sakura, I –"

"Here, try it!"

Sakura plopped a takoyaki into Sasuke's open mouth, halted mid-sentence.

The class behind them began snickering, thinking they knew that those two were starting to get very friendly.

Sasuke tried to force down the takoyaki fast so he'd continue where he left off, but it was too hot. His hand immediately soared up to his mouth, as he attempted to keep his cool with a steaming hot takoyaki in his mouth.

"Hehehe!"

A childish laugh escaped from Sakura. She felt a hot flood of warmth fill her again as she tried to shake off the face that she had just fed him.

Sasuke's lips inched upwards slightly, hardly noticeable even to himself. 'It's been so long since I've heard her genuine laugh…'

However, his mouth arched to a frown almost as soon as it had come close to a smile.

'I don't want her to… seem like I'm playing around with her feelings. I should just get straight to the point.'

Sasuke looked up at Sakura to say the words that had been gripping on his mind ever since the day of the confession. But Sakura had already run off to another stand.

'Never will I… have her fall for me a second time.'

Sasuke winced at the thought.

'So this should be quick.'

Sakura was just about to buy some yakisoba this time, but found her whole freeze once again when Sasuke lightly stepped in a flash before her.

"Sakura."

His tone was so, so grave, Sakura shivered slightly, afraid to face what would come next.

'I'm over being the childish girl I was… Even though my heart imagines it still, I know it's never going to be words I'd want to hear.'

At the instance those thoughts passed in her mind, Sakura gently put up a finger to Sasuke's lips, untouching, but barely an inch away.

"I know."

'She doesn't know.' Sasuke thought, but he did know Sakura would face his words eventually, so the next two hours were swindled by Sakura as she led Sasuke from one stand to another.

The sky darkened in tone, threatening to become the colour of Sasuke's hair in the next half hour.

"It's late."

"Hn."

"I… I'll see you tomorrow then."

The entire class that had followed them was now reduced to a third by then. However, their excitement was higher than ever.

"Here comes the best part – a kiss!"

Words such as those were whispered with bright anticipation. Indeed, at that distance, the gap between the raven and the pink were close. If they were lovers, it did seem that a kiss would naturally follow.

"…"

Sasuke wasn't sure if this was the time to tell Sakura. When she looked up at him, her blushing face reflecting him, Sasuke knew he couldn't drag this any longer.

"I… didn't mean what I had said back then."

Sakura gave a silent reply, as if gently urging him to go on.

"Well, not how you took it…"

Silence. Of course, silence never failed to shadow the space between the two,

"… Goodbye."

At first, Sakura thought of his words as an Uchiha-way of apologizing. However, she looked up at him in panic.

'That… was it? That was the only thing you have to say to… to explain yourself? It took so long too –"

Her thoughts were interrupted by a softer, darker voice.

"It… was never meant to be."

'What was? Our love? A love that didn't even start! No one can imagine the long enduring years of my broken heart! Why – why did it have to take so long for you to finally say something? After, after all this, those words are the only thing I get? Deserve?'

These frustrated screams went unheard. Instead, as the pink hair glistened and darkened between the surrounding lights and sharp shadows, Sakura spoke.

"Three days. Game rules, remember? Like I said, I'll see you tomorrow."

Sakura quickly ran off then, blinking back the threatening tears.

Sasuke, on the other hand, already had his heart weeping in the moment. He hadn't meant to cause Sakura pain again.

'Did we change? Did I? My thoughts still throw a tantrum because of Sasuke, and my heart still swells up, and my face blushes, too. I'm selfish... But, isn't he as well?'

A/N: The more I read Naruto, the more complicated the two's relationships and feelings seem to get. This chapter is far from what I had thought previously - less lighter in tone for sure - but I think the two needs the graveness. Sigh.. I don't know, I'm so confused myself at those two!