A/N: Sakura's POV all the way!

SUSH combo: High on Fluff

Secret behind the Pranks

When I was young, I was always bullied by many about my abnormally large forehead. Then they tease about my pink hair, of how it is so freaky. I couldn't understand it all. Most of which by the way, are boys. My mom said that it was because they found me cute or they just like me, but I countered, saying that why can't they just tell it to me straight? Mom only gave a smile and said that boys have a funny or weird way of showing their affection or infatuation with girls. She said that when they grow up, they'll be stopping their pranks and would show their love by using words of affection.

I used to believe that, you know, when boys grow mature, they'll tell it to you straight that they like you, but when I am now in third year high school, I thought otherwise. Especially since the boy that I had a crush on when I was still a child, was also the teen I'll be falling for and who will be the one to play the pranks on me. Yep, I, Haruno Sakura, am the official target of school prankster, Uchiha Sasuke.

I don't get it though, he was my best friend, my savior, my knight, though not in shining armor, he was still my hero, and I was too shy to let him know my feelings. But because of some stupid guy who threw chocolate pudding on him, he got mad at me, thinking it was I who did it…

Hearing girls squealing made me roll my eyes yet deep inside, that noise makes me weak in the knees. Why? As I've mentioned, the prankster is the same person I fell in love with. I must be really stupid for liking the one who hurts me, still, I can't help it. Love hurts right?

"Sakura, head's up!"

And a soccer ball hit me at the back of the head and I found myself falling. Yeah, love hurts.

"Haruno-sempai, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah…" I groaned and took the hand that a first year girl offered. "Who kicked the ball..?"

She blushed and I already knew who it was. Of course, the voice that said "head's up" belonged to him. I groggily rubbed the back of my head and glared at Sasuke who was walking towards me with a smirk on his face.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." He said and stopped in front of me. Everyone knew of our "little" spat. My used to be savior and hero as a child, now turned to be my personal bully in High School, all because of that stupid accident in the cafeteria. Honestly, just because someone threw chocolate pudding at his hair, which happens to be the same food I had, doesn't mean I was the one who did it. I can't believe him for being childish by accusing me!

"Shut up; and I know you did it on purpose." I muttered and turned around walking away, an image of him being beaten up by me played in my head.

"Sakura," he said. "Don't be such a sore-loser, you forehead freak."

I felt a pang in my heart when he called me that. "Don't you call me by my first name, I don't know you!" I yelled at him, stopping and turning around with a death glare which he returned with a "blinking innocently" look. "And you know what else stubborn-headed, egoistical and useless jerk, I-HATE-YOU!" I screamed and turned my back behind him, then ran away, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

How can you blame me? He hurt my feelings with all of his pranks, and he, the one who vowed to not call me names, called me a big-forehead freak! What do you expect me to do? Walk away? I'm sick and tired of doing that, and I don't care whether I hurt him or not! He never really did notice my feelings! Not once!

My feet took me to the park, where I first met him, and where I was last bullied and called names. I sat on a swing and reminisced the past; I can still remember that day, I was crying under a tree while those other kids kept teasing me and pulling my short hair. He came and told them to stop, he nearly beat up all of those boys, and I can remember him smiling at me and asking if I was okay. I sniffled as a small smile tugged on my lips, he told me not to cry, that he'll be there to protect me… he… even said that… he found my forehead and hair cute… and even said that… I… I…

"You look beautiful with long hair, did you know that?"

I stopped for a while and looked up to see onyx eyes staring back into mine. I glared and looked away, ignoring him. He only gave a slight chuckle before proceeding to sit on the swing next to me.

"I meant what I said back then, you really do…"

"Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Because…" he said and I glanced at him as he gave a sheepish smile. "I don't want to!"

"I hate you…" I muttered and caught the look of hurt in his eyes as his grin turned to a small smile and his eyes half-closed; the look of hurt or of thinking. "I really do…" I added.

"Yeah, that's why… I'll never have a chance with you, huh?"

"..?" I gave him a questioning look.

"I… when I first met you, I found a friend in you, then when we spent a lot of fun times together, I started crushing on you. I believe that playing pranks on a girl you like isn't right at all, that's why I stuck by you, as a friend, as your… knight as you'd like to call it…" I listened intently to what he was going to say next. "I was waiting for the right time and day to confess to you, and I thought that when we reach high school, I could finally say it, but a lot of events kept happening, like you having student council meetings and me needing to go on a game in basketball or just plain practice. Still, I didn't loose hope, and after that cafeteria incident, I thought you… didn't like me… and that perhaps, you won't notice me at all…"

"Sa-"

"So I thought of playing pranks on you, the one thing I haven't tried yet to let you see or notice that I really do care for you, that I like you." He said, not letting me speak. "But…" his eyes were probably getting watery since I noticed him blink the tears away and finally look at me directly in the eyes. "You… said you hate me… so… I realized… that… whatever I do… you won't return my feelings…" he finally couldn't hold back when a single tear drop rolled down his cheek. He blinked and wiped it away, the same smile not leaving his face. "Geez, I must be really pathetic talking to you and crying in front of you… sorry about that… I guess I'm only bothering you, but still, I just want you to know that even if you do hate me, I'll still-"

I couldn't help it, I tackled him to a hug and started to cry and called him an idiot. He was startled, I can tell, Sasuke may be used to me crying and embracing him, but not this sudden. Mom was right, slightly, not all boys are like Sasuke-kun, and that's why I like him, no, love him. "You idiot…" I murmured and felt his arms shakily wrap around me. "I hate you, but I love you more! I don't know why, nor do I need to explain, I just really do…"

"Sakura…" he whispered and squeezed me. I did the same. "I didn't mean to call you… names a while ago… I just thought that…"

"It's okay, I'm sorry for hurting you Sasuke, I'm… sorry."

It took us a long time before breaking away. It was already late and he offered to walk me home. The two of us made peace, we were back to being the way we were before, and he was sorry for judging or accusing me all of a sudden. He confessed to me that he was playing pranks on me to get me to notice him; I guess mom was right about that and I giggled at how childish he can get.

I hummed a little tune and looked up at the sky, smiling to myself as I closed my eyes to reminisce the sweet moments we shared when we were young, from sharing the same ice cream cone when the ice cream man ran out of it to pushing me gently when seated on a swing. I was interrupted in my thoughts when a warm and gentle hand held mine and intertwined with my fingers. I looked down and saw Sasuke holding my hand, I smiled and held onto his as well as we both walked home in silence, although I swear I heard him whisper an "I love you Sakura." and that was enough to make me smile, even on April Fool's day, the day two fools, Sasuke and me, confessed our love to each other.

A/N: Not that good… gah! Sorry…

Next: Sasuke's POV: Why he keeps staring at Cherry Blossoms when he passes them.