Pearl: Alright! We have another new chapter fresh from the mail!

Pearl: Oh yeah, thanks for the reviews everyone!

Sasuke: Just get on with it.

Pearl: …You know, you're not in this chapter.

Sasuke: What?

Pearl: (laughs maniacally) …Enjoy!

Chapter Five: A Misunderstanding

Naruto stood in the training field enjoying the fresh breezy air. His heart was all a flutter mainly filled with happiness and excitement. Naomi watched nearby in the bushes; her own heart full of the same feelings. She could not wait any longer for Sakura's arrival. The night before, Naomi asked Sakura to come to the training field for a meeting, and slyly, she did not mention any notice of Naruto.

"I hope she won't be angry." Naomi thought remembering some of Sakura's harsh words thrust at Naruto.

Pumped with energy from his joy, Naruto couldn't stop moving all over the field, but suddenly doubt clouded his mind that began to damp his parade.

"What if she doesn't like it? No! She'll love it! What if she really doesn't like it? No, no…she'll love it!" Naruto argued in his head.

The butterflies in his stomach began to flap their wings uncontrollably and his agitation replaced his joy. As he stopped in the middle of the clearing, he began to sweat like an idiot.

The bushes behind Naruto rustled, then out emerged Sakura. As soon as she saw Naruto, anger and confusion spread across her face as she glanced around for the others.

"Alright, what's going on, Naruto?" she asked in annoyance.

"Eh, well…Sakura." Naruto began. "I wanted to-to…"

"Come on, Naruto. Don't mess this up! I believe in you!" Naomi thought cheeringly as she peered on them quietly.

"I-I wanted to meet you here, Sakura!" Naruto declared showing what little preparation he had.

Heaving a great sigh within her, Sakura asked, "And what do you need to see me for, Naruto?"

"Eh, uh…um…for-for…this!" Naruto stuttered nervously. He thrust out his hand, which held a small gift-wrapped box.

"Wow, he even had the time to wrap it?" Naomi thought with amusement.

A small gasp escaped Sakura's mouth. She loved to receive gifts and could not resist the beautiful colors the wrapping displayed. Quickly, she grasped the small box in her hands, but her senses came to her when her fingers touched the red silk ribbon.

"Wait a minute." Sakura said darting her eyes at Naruto suspiciously. "What's the catch?"

"What?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"Oh, come on." Sakura said rolling her eyes. "I know you want something from me, Naruto! Tell me what it is, now!"

His heart saddened a bit, but hope kept him going. "No, no, Sakura. There's no catch. Really! I'm telling you the truth. Believe it!"

Sakura hesitated and thought for a moment before she gave her reply. "Well, okay, Naruto, but you better remember what you said!"

"Okay, okay! Just open it…please?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Sakura gladly undid the bow and wrappings.

Once again a gasp escaped from Sakura as she held up the surprise that the now unwrapped box contained. In her hands she held Naomi's pass, but of course, it had the slight adjustments of Sakura's name.

A big grin stretched across her face, and it beamed with joy as she rocked the wooden board back and forth in her hands. Sakura's eyes were practically glued to the glistening crystal in the board's center, and seeing so much happiness flow from Sakura, the insides of Naruto warmed with delight. Sakura was giggling and laughing in her bliss. She even jumped in the air and twirled about. All Naruto and Naomi could do was watch.

"Oh, Naruto! This is…this is incredible! I mean it's a crystal from Naomi's hometown! I feel so happy!" With that said, she wrapped her arms around Naruto embracing him. "Thank you so much, Naruto!"

"No-no problem, Sakura." Naruto stuttered his face flushing a bright red.

"Hee, hee, Naruto, you're blushing." Naomi teased under the bushes.

Taken by Sakura's hug, Naruto didn't hear Naomi's words and just remained standing until Sakura released her warmth from him.

"Well, is this all you wanted me here for?" Sakura asked curiously hoping to leave quickly before there was an after-date with Naruto.

"Uh…yeah, Sakura."

"Alright, then I'll be off on my way. Bye, Naruto!" As Sakura bid farewell to Naruto, she began to think just as she walked off. "Wait a minute…how did…he get this?" Quickly, she stopped and turned around.

"What's up, Sakura?" Naruto asked in confusion. "I thought you were leaving." Then he thought with delight, "Maybe she wants to go on an after-date with me."

"Hmm…maybe that's just what you want me to do right now, isn't it, Naruto?" Sakura asked harshly.

Surprised by the change in her tone, Naruto blurted out, "What? I don't understand!"

"Well, first you have to tell me how you got this from Naomi." Sakura demanded.

"She…gave it to me, Sakura. Really. Believe me." Naruto said slowly saddening.

Naomi ducked deeper into the bushes and murmured, "Oh no. Sakura's going to have the wrong thoughts about Naruto…and I can't jump out of here or else she'll think even worse!" Helplessly watching the two, Naomi's eyes stung with urgency. "Oh…Naruto, I'm sorry." she thought.

"Admit it, Naruto! You stole this from Naomi! You stole her pass and took the crystal out then replaced it on another board with my name on it!" Sakura accused shouting each word like blades that cut deep into Naruto's heart. A dark, cold, and cruelness overcame the turquoise eyes of the pink-haired girl that Naruto suddenly did not know anymore. It frightened Naruto down in his heart. In fact, the coldness seemed to have pierced his blade-cut heart like an arrow paralyzing his body. He had never seen so much…hatred.

"You should know that I'm much smarter than that, Naruto! Humph!" Sakura said these words as she turned to leave, but stopped midway before walking again to say, "I'm really disappointed in you, Naruto." Oddly enough, Sakura took Naruto's gift with her.

Naomi quickly wrestled out of the bushes and ran up to Naruto. "Naruto…I'm sorry. What she said…you know that it's not true." Naomi softly said trying to console him, but it proved useless.

Sakura's last words echoed inside the blonde boy's mind. He knelt down on the grass with his faded blue eyes that soon filled with tears. The two knelt in the field for some time, but the sun still sat high overhead.

"She doesn't believe me." Naruto whispered.

Finally hearing a slip of sound from Naruto, Naomi, who was worried to bits, lifted her head and asked, "What?"

"She doesn't believe me." Naruto repeated.

"Oh, it's okay, Naruto. We can tell her the truth and everything would be-" Naomi was interrupted by an angry glare from Naruto's eyes, and a chill jumped down her spine.

"It's your fault! You're-you're just like the rest of them! You tricked me, Naomi!" Naruto shouted as he struggled to stand from blocking the flow of blood to his legs. He now glowered over Naomi and continued his yelling. "It was all a trap! You wanted this to happen to me! Now-now Sakura will never recognize me!" By this time, Naruto snapped at Naomi through his tears.

His anger boiled deep inside him and reached the surface. He couldn't hold much of it in any longer, and he desperately wanted Naomi to shut up whenever she spoke words to try and calm him down, but they just added to his fury.

Finally, he snatched a pebble and threw it at Naomi, but luckily in his blurred anger he missed and only chipped Naomi's right cheek. Before realizing it, Naomi felt a small sting of pain on her cheek as a small stream of blood dribbled down to her chin. She was shocked and stared wide-eyed at Naruto.

"From now on just…leave me alone!!" Naruto cried as he turned and ran back toward the village.

There, Naomi was left alone in the field. She heaved a heavy sigh within herself and got onto her feet. Then she turned her face to the sky. Tears from her sapphire eyes swelled up and rolled down her cheeks dripping off her chin. The tears from her right eye stung her cheek when they glided across the cut caused from the pebble. It brought more distress, but compared to the hurt that Naomi felt inside her, it was only the pain of a bee sting. Sadly, Naomi placed a hand over her wound and walked home.

Pearl: Ah, so what do you think? Sad chapter?

Kakashi: (crying)

Pearl: Uh….