Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Tsukiko: New chapter! -dances- And... happy birthday, Sasuke-kun!

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♥ Chapter V: Versailles, here we come! ♥
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"Class, settle down!" Kakashi shouted over the usual noise, before everybody finally silenced. "I've some very important news to tell you. And if you're not quiet, you'll not get to hear it… or even worse, I might withdraw them. They're good news, by the way", he added as he saw their terrified faces. "We're going to spend a night in Versailles." (A/N: I know that this is impossible in real life, but… XD)

Immediately, the talking began.

" Versailles?"

"No, you gotta be kidding!"

"Oh my god! Versailles! I can't believe we're going there!"

"The royal castle?"

"Duh, what do you think? Oh my god, we're going to be like… kings and queens!"

"I want to be Sasuke-kun's queen!"

"Forget that, baka! I'm the one who's supposed to be that!"

Sasuke sighed as he heard his fanclub argue again. Could they never leave him alone? Did they actually think for a minute that they annoyed him more than they actually made him like them at all? He glanced at Sakura beside him. She didn't seem as much of a maniac as the others. Maybe he'd meet the first normal girl in his entire life, except Tenten and Hinata, if you'd call them normal. But then again, he had only known her for a month, so maybe she'd change after a while…

"Sasuke-kun? What's Versailles?" Sakura asked with a cute face of innocent confusion (and not pretended innocence, but true innocence). "Isn't it a… city? Or state? In the US?"

Sasuke just opened his mouth to tell her to ask Naruto instead, when he remembered the dobe was ill and was staying at home. "Ah. It's a royal castle, outside Paris."

"A royal castle?" Sakura looked excited. Sasuke groaned inwards. Oh no, don't tell me she's going to go insane too and ask if she can't become my queen or something… "It's true? But… hey, wait, a royal castle! How did our school manage to make us stay there?"

"Rich", Sasuke grunted, in fear that she'd become freaky too.

"Wow, it's so cool! We're staying overnight at a castle!" Sakura's eyed sparkled with happiness. "Think of it, Sasuke-kun! I mean… a castle! I… I have not ever even seen a castle… it's huge, isn't it?"

"Bigger than huge. Been there once, it's like…" Sasuke thought a while for the correct description. "… it's like an entire city. At least if you include the gardens. Got everything in there, except stores. Medieval, see – not used anymore."

As you can guess, Sasuke never used more words than he needed – the exact opposite to Sakura, who could've stood up and danced in front of everyone out of gladness. "Oh my god! An entire castle!"

Sasuke couldn't help but hide a smile. She looked pretty cute, being all enthusiastic and stuff. Besides, her innocence and the fact that she wasn't obsessed with him as everyone else, made him feel quite comfortable.

"Hey, hey, hey – what do I see, Sasuke-kun hiding a smile?" he heard Neji tease him from behind. Sasuke shot him a death glare quite similar to Tenten's. "Uh… Sasuke… don't pick up on Tenten's bad habits now…" (A/N: I know it's kinda weird that they're in the same class, and that Neji, Tenten & Rock Lee really are a year older, but I thought it was better to have them in the same class 3)

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY, TEME!" Tenten exploded and started to hit Neji in the head with her notebook again.

"Ow! Ow! OW! Sorry, Tenten! I didn't mean it! Just… JUST STOP HITTING ME, FOR GOD'S SAKE!"

"… Hi, Sasuke-kun", Rock Lee greeted him with a smile beside Neji, as though everything was as usual. Both Sasuke and Sakura sweatdropped as they watched this scene, before Kakashi tapped on the teacher's desk with a pencil so loudly the pencil almost was crushed.

"Okay, quiet, class! We'll be going the day after tomorrow, so make sure you've got stuff to eat and drink, we won't provide ya with anything except soft beds! And don't even think of making the place dirty, 'cause if you do, you'll have to clean it up yourself!" Kakashi announced. "And you'll be in different groups, not in your normal crews. You will sleep in different parts of the castle… lucky ones will sleep in the king's chamber or the queen's", he winked. "We'll tell you what bedroom you will use once we get there. But most rooms only have one bed, so either you've got to share or one must sleep on the floor."

"I want to be with Sasuke-kun!" a dozen girls squealed.

"I want to be with Sakura-chan!" James shouted.

"Okay…", Kakashi sweatdropped. "I'll… announce the groups this afternoon, so calm it, 'k? Now, to geography…"

"We've got to tell Naruto this!" Sakura whispered to Sasuke. "Can't we go and see him after school? Then we can do the homework together at his place… if he doesn't mind."

"He won't", Sasuke shrugged in a low voice. Sakura couldn't help but twitch. His voice sounds so damn sexy when he talks like that, she thought, and concentrated hard to hide her blush. "But ok, I'm not in a hurry either, so…"

"Sasuke! Sakura!" Kakashi said loudly. "Would you mind having your lovetalk after class?"

At this both of their faces turned bright red, and while the fanclub stared daggers at Sakura and James did the same to Sasuke, the rest of the class just snickered.

---

"Oh my god, Sakura-chan, how could you do this to me?" Kari whined. "I thought you said you wouldn't take Sasuke-kun!"

"Don't be silly, Kari!" Sakura responded, slightly annoyed. "I was just talking about telling this to Naruto."

"So you'll spend time with him after school? Again?" she wailed.

"Can we stop bringing this subject up?" Sakura snapped. "I'm just going to see Naruto. I'm not going to steal your precious Sasuke-kun, if that's what you're afraid of. Don't you believe in me more than that?"

"Whoa, Sakura. Seems like you're in a bad mood today", Tenten commented, looking astounded. "Normally, it's me saying stuff like that."

"I know", Sakura sighed. "Sorry, Kari-chan, didn't mean to, but you've talked about this thousands of times already! I've already promised!"

"Really?" Kari widened her eyes.

"Yes." Sakura heaved another deep sigh. "If you don't believe me, ask Sasuke-kun yourself if we're more than just friends."

"Good. I believe in you", Kari replied in satisfaction. "I hope I get in the same group as Sasuke!"

Tenten scowled. "What's with you, Tenten? Jealous?" Sakura teased.

"No, I'm just thinking of what a torment it'd be if I happened to be in the same group as Neji", she moaned. "I can just see it in front of me. He wakes me up by throwing a bucket of ice-cold water on my head, making me chase around him through the entire building, and then I pin him down and he teases with me just because he knows flirting makes me even angrier, and then I try to kill him but can't because –"

Tenten clapped a hand to her mouth.

"Ooooh… so there is a reason why you haven't killed him just yet?" Sakura taunted her. "And I thought that it was because you were tired, as you say every time?"

"Y-y-yes!" Tenten stuttered back, her face a deep shade of magenta. "I'm tired! Very tired! That's why I can't kill him! Because I always get tired in the end!"

"And that's why you look like a tomato, eh?" Sakura giggled.

"If you don't want to die…", Tenten hissed.

"OK, OK, I get the point. How about you, Hinata-chan? Who do you want to be placed with?"

"Ah? Oh, gomen, Sakura-san. I wasn't listening."

"I wondered who you'd like to be paired with in the group?"

"Oh… with you guys, of course", she smiled shyly. "And…"

"… Naruto?" Sakura added teasingly.

Kari sighed. "Seems like you've become the new gang's little Cupid, eh, Sakura? Taken my job, you little…" She stuck her tongue out at Sakura, who stuck out her tongue back.

"And oh, Sakura, who do you want to be placed with?" Tenten asked evilly, deciding to have some revenge after all. "Sasuke-kun, perhaps?"

"Eh… ah… no!" Sakura blushed. "I want to be with you guys, of course!"

"Sure about that?" Tenten smiled wickedly. "You're sure you don't want to be with Sasuke-ku – OUCH! WHAT WAS THAT FOR, KARI NO BAKA!"

Kari, who stood behind Tenten holding a very thick notebook (even thicker than Tenten's own), grinned at her. "She has promised. And Sakura holds her promises. If you make her break her promise, then you shall be dead."

"You sound like someone from a movie", Tenten mumbled. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I was just kidding anyway."

---

"Now, listen carefully, class, while I call your names. Group 1: Naruto, Sakura, Neji, Hinata, Tenten –" A groan could be heard from the table behind Sakura – " – and Sasuke."

"Whaaat?" the SUFC and James howled in unison.

"He's with them? I mean, Naruto and Neji do fine, but –"

"At least he's not with her", Ino retorted to the fanclub she was president of, and looked in disgust in the disappointed Kari's direction. "I wouldn't stand it if they ended up in the same group. At least, Sasuke-kun is in safe hands. It's not like he needs to share a bedroom with any girl."

"Did I forget to mention it?" Kakashi grinned. "All people must share a bedroom of the opposite gender."

"WHAAAT!" the entire class screeched.

"Whoa, calm it", Kakashi blinked. I knew it'd be trouble, he sighed inwards. I shouldn't have promised Kurenai that…

Flashback.

"Kurenai! Give that to me!" Kakashi pleaded as he chased her through the store. "Pleeeease!"

"Mwahahaha! Now that I've finally gotten hold of your evil, sinful, perverted book, I'll not give it back!" Kurenai shouted back in glee.

"I helped you!" Kakashi tried, putting on a sulky face.

"Yeah, you did, so?" Kurenai shrugged. "I still won't forgive you for showing it to my younger brother! He's only fifteen, don't give him any ideas!"

"What's wrong with this book? It's just containing some info that might scare off kids, but your brother is no kid, y'know?" Kakashi replied as he tried to snatch the book away from her without success. Normally he'd have pinned the person down and totally kicked that person's ass, but this happened to be Kurenai, and out of some reason, he just couldn't do that to her.

"Perveeeert!" Kurenai teased him and tried to throw it in the fire.

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Kakashi screamed as though he was about to die out of torture. Which he, literally, was doing.

Kurenai eyed the helpless Kakashi before her eyes and found the sight very amusing. Unfortunately for her soft heart, she pitied him. "Okay, if you want it back, let's make a deal", she told him at last after some arguing with Inner Kurenai who just wanted to throw it in the fire and get it over with, while Outer Kurenai couldn't help but find the wildly sobbing Kakashi damn sexy when he was begging on his knees not to throw the book in the fire.

"A deal?" Kakashi's ears perked up eagerly.

"Yup."

"And what's that? That I'll have to kiss you?" Kakashi stuck out her tongue at her, at which Kurenai went bright red. During Valentine's the previous year, a couple of students had tried to play matchmakers and written 'secret letters' to Kurenai on which they had signed 'Kakashi'. Kurenai had sensed something was up, so she had called on Kakashi and asked him whether or not he recognized this handwriting of any student's. Kakashi had read the letter and laughed his head off, seeing how the letter had been a 'pleading' of Kakashi's that she'd permit him kissing her. Kurenai had not blushed very little back then, and her temper had arose in a way very similar to Tenten's when Neji embarrassed her.

"Pervert!" Kurenai hissed and hit him hard on the head with the book, namely 'Icha Icha Paradise' – or 'Come Come Paradise' as it had recently been translated to. "No, I want some revenge."

"Revenge?" Kakashi repeated in puzzlement. He had known Kurenai for quite some time, and he couldn't remember her holding grudge against anyone.

"Yes", she smirked evilly. "Your students. I think I recognize that handwriting now. Seems pretty much like a remix of Tenten's and Kari's, don't you think?"

"Hmm, I've never thought about it. What kind of revenge would you like, then?"

"Okay, let's see. Because Tsunade-sama wanted to celebrate this school's anniversary she planned to have a class go to Versailles, and she made a little private lottery among us teachers which you missed. Your class won, they're going to spend a night at Versailles. Super expensive, I can tell you, but Tsunade-sama is damn rich."

"Uh-huh. What about that?"

"I want boys to sleep with girls."

"EH!" Kakashi stared in disbelief at her. Not that he'd mind, but since when had Kurenai turned into a pervert? A female one, too…

"I DON'T MEAN THAT KIND OF SLEEP!" Kurenai yelled, going even redder in the face as she whacked him again. "I mean, like, share a bedroom or something. They don't even need to sleep on the same bed, one can sleep at the floor and stuff. If they ask why, just say there are several rooms under restoration so there aren't bedrooms enough."

"Hmm. Playing matchmaker, ne?"

"Ah, yes. I was thinking of matching some certain people." Her 'I'm-evil-so-let's-not-pretend-that-I'm-kind-anymore' smirk returned. "Like Tenten and Neji, Hinata and Naruto, and that Uchiha with someone. Just try any girl who isn't a fangirl."

"A girl who isn't a fangirl?... That'd be difficult."

"Is that new Sakura a fangirl?"

"Hmm… not of what I know."

"Then set her and Uchiha up. Deal?"

"Okay, deal. Give me that book now!"

Kurenai stuck her tongue out at him before throwing Icha Icha Paradise in his face.

End Flashback.

"And now to group two. Hikari, Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Stella and Lee."

"Why?" Shikamaru demanded to know. "Why do we've to share a bedroom?"

"Ah… because there aren't bedrooms enough in the castle. Most bedrooms are under restoration, which means that you've got to share."

"But why of opposite gender?"

Kakashi smirked. "Because we want to improve your… say, social life."

Shikamaru went deep red in the face. "What the hell? Whether or not we want a girlfriend should be up to us, not you!"

"Why, why, why. I haven't said you must become a couple during just a night. I mean that you can get more friends of the opposite gender. Of what I can see, most people in this class hang out with people of their own gender", Kakashi sneered. "And besides, I decide who you're going to spend the night with."

"NANI!" the entire class exploded.

"Ah, I forgot to say that. Group 1 – Hinata and Naruto, Neji and Tenten –"

At this, Tenten wailed: "WHY! WHY ME? WHY HIM? CAN'T IT BE ANYBODY ELSE!"

"We'll be have a nice night, huh?" Neji teased in a seductive way. Though Tenten knew he was just joking, she almost choked him, her face a blood-red color. Kakashi coughed, making her stop.

"And Sakura and Sasuke", he finished his sentence.

Dead silence.

Then…

"WHAT THE HELL!" Sasuke's fanclub and James burst out, standing up from their chairs and glaring at both Kakashi and Sakura (James glared at Sasuke, of course). Sakura sweatdropped, and shrunk in her seat.

Oh no – I'm dead. Oh no – I'm dead. Oh no – I'm so, so, so dead…, Sakura thought nervously.

"SAKURA HARUNO! YOU'RE NOT JUST A LITTLE RUDE, ARE YOU!" Ino exploded in her face as she stomped down to Sakura's seat. "HOW DARE YOU SLEEP WITH MY SASUKE-KUN!"

Sakura blushed furiously as she glared back, now a bit irritated. "He's not your boyfriend, Ino, and besides, don't make it sound like we're… we're going to… we're JUST GOING TO SHARE A BEDROOM ANYWAY!" she screeched back in Ino's face, whom unsurely backed away. "SO SHUT UP BEFORE I'M GETTING MAD!"

Everybody sweatdropped before Kakashi smiled and continued with the list.

---

Sasuke was chuckling when Sakura, silent as hell, followed him to his limousine, where his driver was waiting for them. Sakura looked up, flushing slightly.

"What's so funny?" he heard her ask with an embarrassed voice.

"You", Sasuke responded, giving her his Uchiha trademark smirk. Normally, a girl would've fainted out of joy if he had done that. Sakura didn't. Her flush just got deeper.

"What about me? What's so funny?" she demanded to know.

"The way you exploded back there in Ino's face. I've never seen you mad before, normally you stand there like an idiot, forgiving everyone and everything."

"Ah… that", she replied unsurely, looking away, blushing even more. "Um… gomen."

"Gomen?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "For what?"

"Eh… uh… I said some embarrassing things, didn't I?" she laughed nervously. "I… I kind of get like that when I'm mad. Eh… I just… babble on about things I shouldn't talk about. I mean –"

"You babble even when you're not mad", Sasuke interrupted her, still wearing his infamous smirk. "But it's not like I care, it's pretty cute, actually."

"Eh? You think so?" Sakura's face lit up slightly. "A-Arigatou. Uhm… usually, people say I'm annoying when I babble."

"You are. That's what so cute about it", Sasuke chuckled, leaving Sakura in confusion. Sasuke thought for himself that he had said more than enough, and coughed. "Well, anyway, we'll be going to Naruto's", he told the driver. "He lives just ten blocks away, and still he's always late." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Have you got the homework, by the way?"

"Uh… yeah!" Sakura beamed, still wearing a faint pink tint on her cheeks. "The… history essay, right?"

"Aa."

Silence. Normally Sasuke wouldn't mind, but he couldn't think of anything else except how… embarrassing this silence was? Embarrassing? No, impossible. Sasuke Uchiha is never embarrassed. He hadn't even blushed a single time in his entire life. OK, maybe once. Or twice. Or thrice. Or… whatever, anyway! It wasn't like he'd be embarrassed being with this little pink-haired, babbling nerd. Right?...

"Sasuke-sama", the driver said. "We're here."

Relieved to leave this uncomfortable silence, Sasuke opened the car door at the same time as Sakura and stepped out of the black, slim car.

---

"Ah…!" Sakura looked up at the huge villa. "Is… is this really Naruto's?"

"You wouldn't believe it, but he's a rich dobe", Sasuke merely answered.

"Wow…" Sakura thought of her own little apartment at home and flushed again. She felt Sasuke's curious glance, and decided to ignore it, or else she'd blush even more. "Eh… sh-shall we enter?" she asked him anxiously in a very Hinata-like manner.

What the hell is wrong with me? Sakura thought angrily. Why am I behaving like this? Was it because of Ino?

No, it's because he's just so damn sexy and you know you can't resist him, a voice replied in the back of her mind.

You? she groaned inwardly. Again? I thought you had gone since I came to Paris.

No, here I am – Inner Sakura! C'mon, Outer Sakura. I know you can't resist him.

And how the hell do you know that?

Because I am you. Duh, baka.

If you don't want me to kick your ass right now, you better shut up.

Hahaha. Veeeery funny, forehead girl.

You do realize that if you tease me for my forehead you're teasing yourself too, right?

"Sakura?" a voice asked. Sakura looked up, her cheeks bright red.

"E-e-eh?" she stuttered. "Hai! S-S-Sasuke-kun?"

DAMMIT! CAN I STOP STAMMERING! she shrieked in her mind.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What's up with you? You totally spaced out and now you're acting like you did in the car again."

"Eh? Ah, gomen!" she laughed nervously. She then realized Sasuke stood by the door. "Uh... have you rung the doorbell yet?"

"Yeah." He shrugged. Then the door opened, and a girl stood there, blinking at them, before smiling brightly at Sasuke.

"Aaaah! Saaaasuke-nee-san!" she exclaimed, attempting to hug Sasuke who quickly withdrew.

"Hey, Helene, I'm not your aniki, Naruto is", Sasuke commented. "Where is that dobe, anyway?"

Naruto? Aniki? Sakura repeated in disbelief in her thoughts. She couldn't picture him as an older brother.

"Yeah, yeah." The girl named Helene pouted. "Why can't you just be kind to me, Sasuke-kun?"

"Because I'm not your aniki", Sasuke responded in irritation. "Where's the dobe?"

"Naruto? He's in his room. Coughing like mad, I don't wanna go near him. If you wanna see him, find his room yourself, I won't even get close to that door", Helene shivered. Sakura sweatdropped. What a kind sister, she thought in sarcasm.

"Okay, then. Let me in", Sasuke grunted, and as Helene stepped aside, he went over the threshold. Then, when Sakura tried to step over it, Helene stopped her abruptly and glared at her suspiciously.

"Who're you?" she demanded to know. "Sasuke-kun's girlfriend? Because if you are, I want to kill you here and now!"

"No", Sakura answered embarrassedly. "I'm Naruto's friend. I arrived here with Sasuke-kun because we're all in the same crew at school."

"I won't believe you! You just want to be alone with Sasuke-kun so you can make out", Helene sneered.

Goddammit, can she stop sounding like Kari? Sakura thought in frustration.

"Let. Me. In", Sakura hissed, giving her a death glare.

"Never. In. My. Life", Helene glared back.

"Hey, Helene, let her in now or else we'll never get that homework done", Sasuke shouted from the hall. Helene made an ugly face at Sakura before stepping aside again. Sakura shot her a triumphant grin without knowing why before quickly catching up with Sasuke.

---

"Sasuke-teme! Sakura-chan!" Naruto smiled weakly from his bed.

"Wow, you look really ill", Sakura commented with a worried frown, now having regained the ability to talk commonly again after the little glaring contest with Helene.

"I am", Naruto coughed. "So what're you guys doing here?"

"Homework", Sasuke muttered.

"And news!" Sakura beamed. "You know, the day after tomorrow we'll spend a night at Versailles."

"Wow! That's true!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly, and then coughing much again.

"Here", Sakura said helpfully, handing him a glass of water by his bed.

"Arigatou", Naruto croaked hoarsely before gulping down the entire liquid the large glass contained. No wonder he could do that, he had practiced eating ramen as quick as possible since he learned how to eat.

"Now, don't talk too much", Sakura scolded him. Naruto glanced at Sasuke, who seemed a bit envious of all the attention he got. Naruto hid a grin. So he did care for this girl, ne? "See, we've been divided into groups and, well, people must share a bedroom with a person of the opposite gender."

"Reaaaally? I hope we get to share a room, Sakura-chan!" Naruto beamed, and then glanced at Sasuke again from the corner of the eye. Even though it was hardly noticeable, a vein was popping on Sasuke's head. Thankfully for Sasuke, Sakura didn't pay attention.

"Ah... no, you're going to share a room with Hinata-chan", Sakura blushed. "We've already been told who we're going to share rooms with."

"And who're you going to share room with, then?" he asked curiously.

"Uh... um... Sasuke-kun", she stuttered, and looked at him with a nervous smile.

"Hn", Sasuke merely answered.

Sasuke-teme, ne? Naruto thought evilly. Interesting...

Tsukiko: And just to be nice on Sasuke-kun's birthday (and on mine, which is tomorrow XD) I'll publish the next chapter... -drumroll- tomorrow:D
Inner Tsukiko: Hooray for Sasuke-kun!
Tsukiko: And me.
Inner Tsukiko: Who cares about you? Happy birthday, Sasuke-kuun!
Tsukiko: -sniff- I feel so unloved... T.T Anyhow... I hope you liked the chapter, and ja ne :D

Reviews Corner

cherryblossom-gal: Thanks :) Yeah, Ino is a bit obsessive... XD
white-rosekiss: Thanks :D
frienz4ever: Thanks :)
iM a AweOmE gUrL: Thanks :D
HeartAngel: Nah, she's not really a bitch, like I said, just being downright weird. XD Heheheh... I like confusing people... -smirks evilly- Omg, a Gaara pencil holder? Mewants too! -drools- A Sasuke-kun pencil holder too... or a Sakura... or... or.. -daydreams-
Green Animelover: Thanks, I'm glad that you like it :)
Crazy Gal42: Thanks :)
LoveStories: I'm glad that you like it so much. Thanks:D
sasuke uchiha 6: Thanks, I'm glad that you like it. :D

Sneak Preview of Next Chapter: Maybe I

Maybe she was the first girl to crack the ice around Sasuke's heart. Maybe she'd be his first close friend who wasn't a guy since... well, a particular someone he knew.

Just maybe.

(A/N: If you find weird mistakes, such as sentences in bold or italics that are not supposed to be, or sentences thatare repeated when they're not supposed to be, or words pasted together likethis, please tell me. x.x I don't know if it's just like that or if it's just my dad's computer, but I'm having problems with the mentioned things.)