Weakness of the Heart

Chapter 7

Drastic Changes

There is one common rule among shinobi that remains unchanged as the years pass; one conjoint trait that links them together. Regardless, all shinobi are different in their own ways—physically and mentally—but this one concordant decree gathers them in a pool of homology:

All shinobi, one time or another, are drawn to live by the seat of their pants.

A silly criterion really, and most wouldn't fess up and admit that they indeed make reckless decisions for sheer pleasure or amusement. Some indulge more often than others, and others have yet to claim their tactless acts. But it is a likeliness that cannot be helped; the verge of death and expiration binds them all together with the common thought:

This may be my last moment.

And, oh, does that thought show in the actions of many shinobi. Why do you think there are pubs ironically situated at every corner of a village bearing the shinobi ways? Another common, voiceless rule goes along with that: what happens in the pub, stays in the pub.

Most shinobi complete their reckless acts at least by the age of fifteen. For some its explicit sex with a brooding stranger; others, it is a full night of drinking that inevitably decimates a piece of their liver.

Well, the key point is most shinbobi.

There are a few innocent, prude souls that shy away from such actions for one reason or another—a lack of confidence, a towering pride, or, even for some, a silent fear for such reckless actions.

And sadly enough, Sakura was one of those shinobi.

She would never admit to that, of course. She always joined her friends during drunken nights at the pub. But she never, ever had crossed the line. She normally would sit there, force a smile, and humor herself with Ino or Naruto's insensible actions. One drink—maybe two—that was it. She never really cared to find herself so drunk that the night before was a vague memory.

Well, things were about to change. She didn't realize this, of course. She didn't even care to think about it. But she was being pushed to the edge with her emotions, and it was about to make a few things in her life change drastically…

"Forget it Ino. I am not going."

The pink-haired girl stared back at her friend with an agitated glare that screamed 'don't fucking push me.' The blonde-haired beauty disregarded it completely, and reached forward to grasp her friend's shoulder.

"Come on! It will be so fuunnnn!"

Her cerulean eyes sparkled for a moment as if she was trying to cast her charm over the irritated kunoichi, but it passed quickly as her intense glare continued to bore into her, completely un-phased by the blonde's charm.

"Normally, I would consent just to watch you make a fool of yourself. But today, I am really not in the mood for anything besides sleep."

Tenten appeared next to the blonde, a vanilla ice-cream cone resting in her hand. She gave Sakura a dumb-founded look as she devoured the sweet substance. "Same old Sakura, as usual. That's too bad."

Sakura's death glare shifted over to the brunette. Her lips seemed to curl in a snarl as she continued to throw daggers with her livid eyes. Ino noted her action to Tenten's simple comment, and drew her pink lips into a cruel smile.

"Yeah, prude, innocent Sakura; she'll never get anywhere with an outlook like that."

Sakura drew her hands into trembling fists, attempting to quell her rising anger and rivalry against the blonde kunoichi. She let out a shallow growl as she dug her toe into the innocent ground to hold back a fiery outburst. She wasn't going to let them win over her.

"Whatever, Ino. At least I can hold my pride knowing that I haven't slept with every shinobi that steps into Konoha."

Her blonde eyebrow quirked. "Oh, but at least I can say I have at least experienced adulthood."

Sakura bit her tongue as the skin on her knuckles tightened. She knew she was going to say something like that—it was always like that. She was the virgin, the prude, the haughty bitch. On many accounts, Ino had reclaimed to her that men didn't approach her because they thought she was too snooty, too picky. Sakura fought back of course, but the only men she could claim as a comeback was Lee and Naruto—they were the only ones that had ever really hit on her. That thought almost gave her shuddering chills; was she destined to be the lonely, old woman with twenty cats?

But today… today would be different. She wasn't going to let anyone think she was a snobby bitch anymore. What had struck this strange thought in her mind? She wasn't completely sure—but she was pretty confident it had to deal with two men by the names of Sasuke and Kakashi.

She loosened the tight fist in her hand and let a soft sigh escape her throat. "Fine. I will go to the pub with you tonight. But don't think I am doing this for your sake. This is for my own issues solely…"

Ino squealed happily and Tenten just stared at the pink-haired kunoichi disbelievingly. The entire teahouse turned their attention momentarily to the group of girls in the back of the room, attempting to make sense of the strange, loud outburst. But once they laid eyes on Ino, they rolled their eyes and turned their attention back to their lives. Konoha had gotten used to the blonde bombshell and all of her crazy antics.

Tenten leaned over the table, sending a few cold droplets of the creamy ice-cream onto the table top. "Issues? What's bothering you now, Sakura-chan?

Sakura narrowed her eyes suddenly at nothing in particular. She felt a strong feeling of regret wash over her as she realized the hole she dug herself. If her friends knew she was going to the pub for emotional issues, she knew she would be taken down, captured, and hogtied until the answers were out of her. It was just so unlike Sakura to turn to alcohol substances for consolation from her problems.

She waved a hand, trying her best to seem unperturbed by her slip up. "Nothing, really."

"Oh, come on Forehead! Just admit it! It's about Sasuke being back, isn't it?"

"Pig, it is not."

Well it was partly true, but another silver-haired man appeared in her mind as well. Of course, she would never admit to that.

"Oh, please. You are still completely smitten with him aren't you? Your dreams have been telling you that."

Tenten tilted her head. "Dreams?"

Sakura shook her head. This was not a conversation she wanted to get caught in. She had to consent to the annoying kunoichi now, or there would be no turning back. "Alright, you caught me. So, it is about Sasuke..." She paused, totally aware that she wasn't going to let her pride slither away that quickly. "But it isn't bothering me that much."

Ino raised a brow. "Right. Well, whatever. All I am going to say to you is…" She pointed a thin finger at the pink-haired beauty. "You are not wearing that."

Sakura glanced down at her wardrobe. Plain…as usual. It was her familiar black training shirt with the mesh undershirt peeking out innocently from underneath. Her shorts fell to the tops of her knees loosely, concealing most of her legs from the outside world. Her figure was completely hidden, but at the moment, Sakura didn't care. It was comfortable; that gave her a few points, didn't it?

She shot Ino a dumb-founded look. "What's wrong with it?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "What happened to the Sakura I used to know? Jeez… I thought you cared about your image."

That stung Sakura's girly side partially. But she had somehow lost her need to look beautiful the day in the forest when she cut her hair off like a maniac trying to protect Sasuke and Naruto. She looked cool doing it, she decided, and it was better than any color-coordinated outfit any day.

Tenten devoured the last bit of her waffle ice-cream cone. "Sakura's still pretty. She just needs a few kinks worked out in her outfit."

Sakura's jaw dropped slightly, suddenly starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by all of their hidden insults. God, they acted as if she walked around dressed in a paper bag. Just because she didn't wear revealing outfits that barely covered her naughty bits didn't mean she couldn't still be attractive to men.

"Well, what did you have in mind, Ino?"

Ino's lips immediately curved into a ferocious grin. She didn't say anything… but she didn't need to. Sakura immediately knew what was running through that hollow head of hers—she suddenly wished she hadn't said anything.

Without a word, Ino giggled under her breath and grabbed her friends' arms tightly, pulling them out of the booth they were sitting in. Tenten didn't ask. Sakura didn't ask. They already knew where they were going:

Shopping.

Naruto leaned forward precariously as the steam pressed against his face. He let his eyes drift to the crack in the bamboo fence as a large, naughty grin spread across his face. Jiraiya had taught him well…

"Dobe, what the hell are you doing peeking in the woman's bathhouse?"

Sasuke stood dominantly above the blonde, his arms crossed ruthlessly. Naruto stumbled at the sound of his voice, and quickly scampered away from the bamboo fence.

"What are you talking about, Sasuke? I was just… I was… um… just…" He stammered helplessly, unable to skewer a reasonable answer from his brain.

"Whatever…" He paused letting his eyes drift away from the stammering blonde. "Have you seen Sakura?"

Naruto's eyes grew wide as a large, toothy grin smeared across his face. "Sasuke… don't tell me…"

He narrowed his eyes darkly. "What?"

Naruto shot up quickly and danced around like he suddenly had a hot potato placed in his pants. "You are soo bad…almost as bad as me."

Sasuke apparently didn't enjoy that remark very much, because, before he knew it, his fingers were laced around Naruto's neck tightly. "What in the hell are you talking about?"

The profuse grin continued to spread across his face as a distinct Naruto chuckle erupted from his lungs. "Looking for a naked Sakura in the bathhouse; that is almost as bad as Jiraiya."

Sasuke jaw dropped as he released the kyuubi-bearer. "What the fuck? Where did you get that idea, moron?"

"Why else would you look for her here, eh?"

Sasuke had to restrain everything inside of him to hold back from punching the idiot right then and there. "No, dumbass. I wasn't looking for her here. I just happened to see you here when I passed by so I stopped to ask you where she was."

Sasuke mumbled something else inaudible under his breath as he stepped away from the fumbling peeping tom. He wasn't about to put up with Naruto's idiocy any longer.

"Well, if you really want to see her. She is going to be at the pub tonight with Ino and the others. We are all having a get-together."

Sasuke stopped in his tracks. "For what?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. No reason, I assume. Just the same old, same old crazy shit."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Like Sakura, he had been one of the few shinobi who didn't indulge in such reckless behavior. But his reasoning was utter pride and indifference for anything besides revenge.

He waved a hand at the blonde, continuing his pace away from the bathhouse and his idiotic teammate.

Sakura stood in front of her mirror timidly—eyes wide, mouth completely agape. She couldn't believe her eyes. This was not the Sakura she knew; this was some… dirty whore.

"Ino! You are absolutely crazy! I am not going to wear this… this… piece of tissue paper."

Her analogy hadn't been that far off, sadly. It was indeed a very revealing pink dress with a v-neck that dipped below the curvature of her breasts. The straps were extremely thin; so much so that if she pulled down on her dress with mere slight pressure, the straps would snap in half. However, it did a wonderful thing for her legs—showing off her lean, toned thighs and calves as if the world were seeing them for the first time.

Ino stepped forward, crossing her arms defensively as a bitter pout formed on her lips. "It is not a piece of tissue paper. It is the most amazing dress ever. Don't you ever notice women's fashions? All of us own a dress like this. I think I have even seen Anko wearing one before…" The way Ino said it made it sound like it was the most obvious thing in the world; like she was some outrageous outcast for not owning a translucent piece of clothing.

"This doesn't count as a dress. I don't think there is enough fabric here to fit a doll properly…"

Tenten giggled slightly, but cowered away quickly after as Ino shot her a heated glare. She may be a qualified shinobi, but Tenten never challenged Ino's dominance on such matters.

"You are going to wear it, Sakura."

"No."

"Yes… you are."

"Sorry, not a chance."

Ino threw her hands up in exasperation, letting out a grumbling growl. Sakura was a difficult woman to deal with it. Everyone who knew her knew that… it was a fact that should never be challenged.

Sakura crossed her arms, mainly to cover her breasts peeking out from the dress, but also as a domineering gesture. "What's it matter anyways? I always go to the pub with you guys in my training outfit. Why does it have to change tonight?"

"Because we are on a mission tonight and drastic measures need to be taken." Ino exclaimed, as if it was something Sakura should already be aware of.

She furrowed her brows. "Mission? I was not informed of anything of the sort…"

Tenten stepped forward. "Well, it was sort of something Ino and I decided for you."

Tenten smiled. Ino nodded. Sakura screamed. What was their problem? First they treat her like a child with their virgin comment; now, they were making decisions for her? What next? Will a bib be plastered around her neck while they force feed her food with the airplane spoon?

"I don't think I ever gave you the authority to make decisions for me."

Sakura turned away from them, snatching her plain training outfit from its disheveled position on the floor. She wasn't going to put up with them anymore. They were her friends and all, but she would never stoop low enough to become their walking Barbie doll.

"Stop right there Forehead. This mission has good reasoning, and I am sure you will agree as well."

A pale pink eyebrow immediately quirked up. Ino was declaring a mission with good reasoning? Something about it was too fishy.

Flinging her black training outfit onto her shoulder casually, Sakura tilted her head up at the blonde, ready to challenge her. "Humor me."

A smirk curled on her lips as she shot a quick glance at Tenten. "Well, you said yourself that you were trying to get over Sasuke, right?"

She nodded apprehensively. That's right. She had forgotten that she was indeed trying to get over him. His familiar intoxicating spell was already cast on her and fogging her memory.

Another glance at Tenten. "Well, I was able to get over Sasuke immediately…" She paused. "Do you want to know how?"

No, she thought, not really. But she knew she didn't have any other choice. The persistent blonde was bent on telling her, and even a sudden hurricane thrashing through her apartment wouldn't stop her.

Ino was quiet for a while as a small smirk continued to spread across her lips. She was testing the pink-haired kunoichi and her patience. But Sakura wasn't going to give in, because, frankly, she knew that her answer would be something she didn't want to know.

"Sex."

Sakura faltered forward slightly, inhaling a bit of her saliva in the process. She coughed furiously as Ino peered down at her, the smirk on her face growing wider and wider. Sakura was expecting something blunt… but not something that blunt.

She peered up at the blonde through watery eyes. "E-excuse me!"

She tilted her head up with, what seemed like, arrogant pride. "That's right. The night I lost my virginity I realized there were so many better things out there than an unwilling man."

Sakura had never felt so bewildered in her life. "So what is that implying to me?"

Tenten giggled, but Sakura wasn't sure why. She didn't care to ponder that thought at the moment; she was too shocked at Ino's so-called-reasonable proposal.

Ino pointed a finger at the shocked kunoichi. "Well you…" She paused, leaning closer as if she was going to tell her a filthy joke. "Are going to get your cherry popped tonight."

More coughing erupted from Sakura's throat as she tried her best to swallow away Ino's casual reference to her virginity. She absolutely could not believe her. That was fine to say to herself… or Tenten… but this was her—Haruno Sakura… the prude one… the innocent one. She wasn't going to give away her womanhood to some random guy in a bar. But at this point, she was too disoriented to think straight.

"Well," Tenten began apprehensively. "You are at least going to make out with someone."

"No." It was the only word that would formulate in her mind—at least it was extremely appropriate at the moment.

Ino got on her knees and shot Sakura her best pout ever. "Come on Sakura. You need to pass up this lack of self-esteem. Guys would jump at any moment to be with you. If you give it a try, I am sure you will find it satisfying to flirt with a man."

"No…" There was that word again. The only word in her mind; the only thing she could repeat over and over.

This was ridiculous. There she was, incredulous—Ino at her feet, begging her to get with a man… It was downright strange. It was her personal life, and if she had vowed to save herself for someone who actually mattered, then so be it. What right did Ino have to force her to, as she put it, pop her cherry? But for a split second, possibly the shortest second ever, a thought entered Sakura's mind—maybe it would work?

She was oddly becoming attracted to her teacher and, on top of that, becoming obsessed with a former teammate. Maybe she just had some kind of tension that needed to be released through one carefree night without any emotions besides satisfaction. Maybe all she needed was this night at the pub, showing of her assets and flirting with every man possible. Maybe all she needed was her attention drawn to something besides medical techniques, Sasuke, and Kakashi.

Thankfully, that second passed so quick that Sakura didn't linger on the believability of Ino's offer. She did, however, gain the courage to just give into her friends partially.

"Fine. I will go. I will wear the dress… but I am only going to flirt, okay?"

Ino squealed with delight, and this time, Tenten joined in. They began dancing around the room as if they had just won the lottery, and Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes at them. This is ridiculous, she thought for the fifth time that day.

But she wasn't going to give in that easily, though. "Oh, and I am only going if I can wear this, too."

She held up a sheer white jacket to their view, and Ino and Tenten eyed it as if it was a piece of dirt. They sighed in unison, shaking their heads as if she was hopeless. At times, especially now, she was hopeless… but she didn't care. It was her way to be stubborn.

"Fine. I guess you can wear that, too. At least it matches."

Sakura narrowed her eyes slightly as she plucked her arms into the sleeves of her jacket. Ino needed to stop referencing her lack of so-called-fashionable style.

Tenten pointed to the clock on Sakura's nightstand. "We have to get going, though. Everyone should be there already."

Sakura stopped for a moment, finally realizing she had no idea who she would be spending her carefree night with. "Wait—who all is going to be there?"

Ino smiled widely. "Everyone."

At the thought of everyone, two main heads popped into her mind—one had silver hair and an apathetic gaze; the other had dark hair and a cold smile.

Both made her blush…

But would they really be there?

Her heart was racing, and she couldn't deny the fact that she was literally having trouble breathing. She wasn't sure why she was so damn nervous, though. She was going to the pub for a few drinks of sake with her friends. It wasn't any different than normal.

Except for that damn dress.

She concluded that it was indeed the dress that made her so nervous, because every time the girls passed someone on the way to the pub, she ducked behind Ino in attempt to hide her exposed body. Ino would scold her the way an older sister would, and push her forwards out in the open, making sure to let everyone know she existed.

By the time they reached the pub, Sakura's confidence was completely shot. She was fighting back the urge to lean over and ask Ino or Tenten if they could share some of their confidence with her. A silly thought, really, but it didn't stop her from debating it.

Ino turned to Sakura, sending her a secure, toothy grin. "Are you ready for this Forehead?"

She narrowed her eyes, using her body language to send her a pleading no disguised as a yes. It didn't stop Ino, of course. Ino pushed the doors of the pub open with utter confidence, walking her bombshell walk, and bearing that sexy smile on her face. She had done it a million times; it was something she didn't even have to think about while she did it. And for a moment, Sakura admired her utter confidence, thinking that sexy smile and walk were even more difficult than coming up with your own jutsu.

That admiration slowly dissipated as fear surged through her veins… fear of embarrassment… fear of regret… fear that… oh, god…

People were actually looking at her!

Forehead girl! Plain old Haruno Sakura! Men were looking at her with that coy glint in their eyes. She felt mentally violated as her eyes scanned over the men. She found it very hard to believe that Ino actually enjoyed this kind of violation. It was if they were undressing her with their thoughts… with their eyes…

Probably because they really were.

She made a mental note to feel utterly disgusted when her nervousness passed.

But the sheer embarrassment she was feeling only escalated to frightening trepidation as she approached the table Ino was waving at. Despite how loud Ino's greeting was to the table…

All eight pairs of eyes were on her.

Most looked shocked… others looked completely dazed (all men of course.) Her heart began thumping furiously in her throat as she tore her eyes towards the ground, focusing them on her nicely painted pink toes.

"Sakura! Don't just stand there! Take a seat and we will get you some sake right away!"

Ino pulled her friend into the chair next to her, causing her breasts to be exposed more than they already were. She blushed every red hue existent as she quickly covered them with her free hand.

Sakura didn't look up. She didn't want to… she didn't need to. She knew it was too late. Everyone had already seen her in a different light… a light not Sakura-like. Most would be disappointed; others would be excited beyond belief. She fixed her gaze on the grainy wood table in front of her, thinking and knowing this was the biggest mistake in her life.

A cup of swirling sake was placed in front of her, causing her to break her intense stare at the table in front of her. And the first thing she met eyes with was the last thing she wanted to see at the moment…

Kakashi.

He was staring at her with that usual emotionless eye, but this time, even from across the table, she could tell there was something else entirely in his eye. Something she had never seen before…

He was disappointed.

He narrowed his eyes at her slightly, and it felt like the most deathly excruciating gaze she had ever experienced. She wanted to break free from his eye, but she couldn't. She continued to stare back—mouth agape, face flushed.

It was definitely the biggest mistake in her life.

In all of her years knowing Kakashi, she had never seen him look that way at anyone… not even Naruto. It was the way a father looks at his daughter when he caught her in the act with her boyfriend; or the way a mother looks at her child for cheating on a test. He was looking down on her, and his gaze alone was enough to crush her very existence.

It was too much to bear; she just couldn't possibly stand that gaze any longer. "E-excuse me…"

She stood shakily to escape the dungeon she had led herself to, but a hand reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her back into a sitting position.

"Sakura… where are you going?"

It was then she finally realized that she was sitting next to Sasuke. His voice startled her and soothed her all at the same time. Unable to fight that familiar spell he cast on her, she sat back down willingly.

Her eyes scanned the faces at the round table she was sitting at. Sasuke looked at her with a similar gaze as Kakashi. Naruto's jaw was practically brushing the table, his eyes the size of saucepans. Shikamaru wasn't even looking at her… lessening the burden by an eighth. Anko's brow was raised at her. Genma had a bit of drool on his jaw….

Her eyes skipped over Kakashi.

…Lee's eyes were full of stars. And last but not least, Hinata's eyes were so wide with shock that they seemed to blend in with the whites of her eyes.

"Oi! Sakura-chan! You look so hot!" Naruto's voice rang shrilly in her ears, and she dropped her head farther at his words.

"I must agree with Naruto, Sakura… you look as beautiful as a cherry blossom." Lee waggled his brows at her, but she didn't notice; her eyes were glued to the cup of sake in front of her.

She heard the scrape of a chair as a body stepped towards her. Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled into a standing position, and she quickly threw her hands up to cover the most needed areas.

"Jesus, Sakura. What are you trying to do? You're a hazard for all men… including me." Genma's voice caused her to peel her eyes away from her feet. She gazed back at him, the red hue spreading across her entire body.

His senbon clicked back in forth in his teeth as he sent her a smug smirk. He inched closer, making her heart beat faster and faster with embarrassment.

Really… how DOES Ino enjoy this?

A soft scoff resonated behind her, and all eight (now eleven, actually) pairs of eyes were suddenly glued on Sasuke.

"Really? I think it is a bit repulsive…"

Genma stepped back, and Sakura was getting ready to let out a sigh of relief for Sasuke saving her… but then she realized what he said. Repulsive?

"Damn, Sasuke. I wholly think it possible that no woman could turn you on." Genma shot back, obviously offended that anybody would think Sakura was repulsive in that dress.

Her eyes slowly trailed over to Kakashi, as if she was pleading for some help. But when she locked eyes with him, she realized he was still staring at her with that gaze. It was penetrating even deeper now, as if he was getting more and more angry as the minutes passed. She wanted to scream; she wanted to cry; she wanted to die. She felt like the most embarrassed person in the world. This was supposed to help her, not crush her spirits more.

But then, she realized…

It was only because she was letting it bother her. It was a battle going on only in her head…

And suddenly, it slipped away—all the trepidation, all the embarrassment, all the nervousness. She placed a hand on her hip confidently and pointed a thin finger at the dark-haired boy next to her.

"Oh, please Sasuke. You are just mad because you know you will never get a piece of this cherry."

Snorts, coughs, and grunts erupted from all over the table as everyone registered what Sakura had just said. Yes, that's right… prude, innocent Sakura had just referred to her womanhood as a cherry. And to Sasuke, no less.

Sasuke sent her the darkest glare she had ever experienced. But she didn't give a damn. She was here to have a good time; to experience a carefree night of… oh, how do they put it?—living by the seat of her pants.

Picking up her cup of sake, she sat down, not even daring to cover her exposed parts. Sasuke had triggered the attitude inside her, and it wasn't going to subside. She wasn't going to be weak, prude, innocent Sakura anymore. That is…

If she could avoid that condescending gaze of Kakashi's…

"Well, then Sakura. You tell him!" Ino patted her friend on the back, sending Sasuke a dominant look.

Tenten giggled again, suddenly beginning to see how amusing Sakura really could be at times.

"Sakura, you can switch seats with Sasuke, if you want…" Naruto peered at her over her cup of sake. Hinata's head drooped slightly.

She smirked the best sexy smirk she could unveil. "No thanks, Naruto. I'm fine."

"Actually," Genma spoke up. "Would it be alright if I switch seats with Sasuke?"

Sasuke seemed to be on fire, and it was surprising that anything he looked at didn't spontaneously combust before his eyes. He stood abruptly, letting his chair scrape loudly underneath him. Without a word, he stalked over to Genma's seat next to Kakashi and sat down, crossing his arms tightly across his chest.

Genma smirked widely, taking the seat next to Sakura. Scooting his chair closer to the pink-haired beauty, he let his thigh rest against her bare thigh, and for a moment, she fought the urge to punch him square in the face. But then she remembered what Ino had said, and the urge quickly subsided. She was there to flirt, and that's exactly what she was going to do. Genma was the perfect target—attractive, easy to swoon, and willing to do anything.

She raised the cup to her lips and let the cool liquid burn down her throat. She was going to stop there… but she didn't. She continued to chug her drink like a famished man in the desert. Letting her cup slam on the table, all eleven pairs of eyes were on her again, brows raised with disbelief.

She didn't look up at Kakashi… though she felt the urge to.

"Jeez, Sakura. It's not a race. Slow down…" Anko spoke up as if she was scolding the pink-haired girl. But it didn't phase Sakura, she motioned for the waitress to get her another drink.

She could feel both their eyes burning into her, but she didn't look at either of them. They were the reason she was acting this way anyways. She was trying to get them out of her head.

And for a moment, regret began to tug at her conscience. What if this was a bad idea? What if Kakashi or Sasuke never spoke to her again for her reckless actions? What if she was throwing it all away?

Those questions quickly dissipated as the waitress set another swirling cup of sake in front of her. She quickly picked it up and raised it to her lips again, ready to repeat her performance. But a hand reached over and touched her gently on the wrist, causing her eyes to avert over. Naruto was staring at her with those worried eyes; he used those eyes on her a lot when she was doing something crazy in battle. But she wasn't going to let it stop her now. She was on a roll….

There was no turning back.