CHAPTER III ~ Flashback

July 7th
Two years ago before the present time.

"Rrrrriiiiinnnngggg"

Her alarm clock rang in full blast. She rolled on to the other side of the bed and pounded it to stop. She opened one eye and saw it was 6:30 am. She struggled to get up as if their was a massive energy pulling her down on to her bed. She tossed herself on to the other side and grabbed her cellphone and read the date "July 7... Wait! July 7?" she gasped. "Shit! It's Tanabata!"She hurriedly prepared herself and her things for she just remembered that her shifts were earlier than the usual during holidays.

As soon as she got outside her apartment, she met Ino.

"Ohayou Sakura!" Ino greeted.

"Hey Ino!" she replied while she was busy locking her apartment door.

"Don't forget about later okay? Drop by my house first before we head to the riverside tonight, okay?"
Ino was undeniably excited about this.

"Sure, sure, I'll catch up with you guys later. I have to go now." she smiled and rushed to work.

Later that evening, the guys were already setting up for their gathering near the riverside. They had a bonfire and were preparing their meal for the night. Choji and Neji took care of the cooking while the others were busy putting up lanterns on nearby trees. Kiba and Shino were in-charge of the fireworks while Sai was busy cutting out scraps of paper that are intended to be used later. Captain Yamato found a sturdy and young bamboo for them to hang their paper-wishes.

"Ahhh... Where are the girls! They sure know how to arrive late like Kakashi-sensei, Dattebayo!"
Naruto grumbled.

"Naruto, I'm not late today okay? Or any other gatherings but just on missions."
He cheerfuly said as he was playing a game of shogi with Shikamaru.

A few minutes later the girls arrived, Ino, Hinata, Tenten and Sakura. They all wore a yukata-a kimono like garment with different designs from the other. Hinata had a purple yukata with pink floral prints on the side and a pink ribbon at the back. Ino wore a blue one covered with whit floral prints while Tenten had a red yukata with gold and black prints. On the other hand, Sakura wore a silver-colored yukata covered with black floral print patterns, and her pink hair was styled in a bun.

The guys jaws dropped seeing them in lovely dresses were just stunned in their beauties. Neji saw how beautiful Sakura was with what she wore, and from a distance he smiled at her.

The night was filled with fun and laughter as they enjoyed their food and booze. They also managed to write their wishes on the papers that Sai prepared in earlier, and hang up on the bamboo plant. Sakura and Neji hung their papers together but in separate areas.

"You have two wishes?"
She asked as she watched Neji trying to hang both of his papers on to the bamboo.

"Yeah." He smiled.

"Is that even allowed?" Sakura said sounding like she was about to laugh.

"Why not? One is for good luck, and the other one is for something that I can't tell you."
He winked at her and went back to his spot near the bonfire.

"Ugh! Whatever!" she rolled her eyes and was amused with his hidden ability to humor someone.

The group waited til midnight and played a game of truth or dare. They had so much fun that there were a number of secrets that were revealed and some dares that are just too hilarious to handle. Now the bottle turned to Neji's direction and it was now his turn to choose between the two. To be safe, he chose dare. Ino was the one gave the dare to her feeling a bit drunk she said,

"Alright Neji, I dare you to kiss someone you love among the group."

Then she laughed so hard and lost her balance and almost fell to the ground. Good thing Shikamaru was quick enough to catch her.

Neji was taken a back. "Shit! Why does it have to be me?!"He groaned.

Everybody was anticipating her next move for it will foretell whom she really loves. Neji on the other hand was right across her and was watching her intensely. She suddenly felt tensed, yet she has to think of something fast.

"I refuse!" He said sternlt.

"Oh, no...no... Refusal is not an option here! It would be unfair for the others who accepted their dares." Ino said.

Neji was annoyed at this. He looked at everyone and saw their faces waiting in anticipation as to who he might approach to.

Then he looked to his farther left and walked towards Tenten. He was now standing in front of her as Tenten blushed as everyone cheered for them. His eyes made quick glances at Sakura who was a few steps away from him. Then he stooped down, and whispered to Tenten's ears, "I'm sorry..." and kissed her cheek.

With this, everyone gasped and then there was a loud cheer teasing them both. His eyebrows were narrowed down as he went back to his spot. As soon as he sat down his eyes were caught by Sakura's gleaming green eyes. Neither of them laughed. And then she wore a faint smile at him, and looked away pretending it didn't bother her. And then they continued playing until everybody had their turn.

Midnight came and it was time to set their bamboo afloat in the river, hoping their wishes would come true. Then the fireworks were now set and they marveled at the pretty colors that lit up the sky. They watched as the bamboo drifted into the water while they were holding sticks of sparkly fireworks.
Some of them chased one another while some sat by the riverside watching the fireworks display in the sky. Both Neji and Sakura kept their distance but continually made stolen glances of each other.

It was early dawn when their outdoor party was over that the others decided to go home while some of them were too tired and too drunk that they'd rather sleep in the tents. Sakura decided to stay whith the others, Naruto, Sai, Choji, Shikamaru and Kakashi while the rest of them including Neji, left. Moments later the guys were dead tired and slept in the tent while Sakura sat outside staring blankly at the river. The river was calm and peaceful and she wished her heart would keep still as well.

"What was I thinking?

The times we spent together didn't amount to the times he spent with Tenten...

And more so, that kiss... That kiss was just a kiss... I didn't mean anything...

I should have known!"

She thought to herself trying as much as she can to hold back the tears from her eyes.

"I'm just so stupid to be expecting too much!

Too stupid to be expecting that he'd lift my burden of loving Sasuke!"

She continued to argue with her self as she regret allowing herself to be close to him and fall for him.

Later on, she noticed another person's presence beside her. She looked up and it was him. His face was lit by the bright moonlight, and he sat on the ground beside her. There was a moment of silence between the two of them, until she spoke

"I thought you already went home."

"I did, but I only escorted Hinata to the compound." He answered.

"So why did you came back?" She asked facing him.

"I wanted to be with you." He said in deep calm voice while he turned to face her.

Sakura blushed at this, but was confused as she remembered what happened earlier.

"But it is Tenten that you want to be with, right?"
she asked again, as if waiting for a confirmation that she was right.

Neji raised his head to the sky, and said

"Tenten is someone dear to me, and yes I love her..."

She shuddered at his words and looked away from him.

"...But it's a kind of love that you feel for a comrade. The same bond that you share with Naruto and Sai." Neji explained.

"... I look up to her as friend, and that is all." He ended.

Her eyes widened and she understood now what he meant. She didn't know how to respond as they both became silent. A few minutes later, Neji spoke.

"Do you remember I placed two wishes on the bamboo?"

"Yeah... What about it?" Sakura became curious.

"Well, the first wish was for me to advance my rank as a ninja or in the clan. While my second wish was..." Neji paused as his blood streamed to his cheeks making it blush.

"What was it about?" Sakura asked.

It took him a minute to reply and felt very anxious. Then he turned his head and faced her,

"I...I... I wished for you to be mine."

Sakura felt her body couldn't move. She felt chilly all of a sudden while her body was warm as her blood streamed up to her cheeks making her blush in bright red. She didn't say anything but just stared at his bright eyes.

"I don't know how to say it but ever since that incident happened at the village,
I couldn't stop thinking about you. "

Neji said recalling their stay at the southern village, and that stolen kiss which caused him sleepless nights and un-called for daydreaming.

"Ne..ji..." his name was all she could whisper.

Then he held her hands, he stared at it for a minute and then he looked up to her. His eyes were now vivid like never before that it mirrored his true feelings.

"All I want is you, Sakura..."

The wind blew against them, enough to make Neji's hair sway to its direction. Sakura's eyes widened in shock. She didn't expect Neji would profess his love for her at this very moment. It was all too fast for her but she knew, she wanted this to happen. The woman in her wanted him for she was deeply in love with him.

Without a single word, Sakura leaned her head forward. Her slightly parted lips went ahead and pressed unto his. Neji was surprised yet he was delighted, feeling that same feeling he had when they had their first kiss. So he slightly cupped her chin with his fingers and kissed her back. It was soft and stready and they both devoured every sensation they felt.

And then Neji withdrew draw back and asked,

"Is that a yes?" He sounded a bit excited.

Sakura smiled at him still with her cheeks tainted with red, and she nodded.

With this, Neji embraced her tight for he couldn't contain his joy. Sakura returned that embrace as he wrapped her arms around him. And then he whispered to her ear,

"Arigato Sakura! I swear you will not regret this!"
He made a vow with all sincerity and he kissed her.

As soon as he released her from his arms, Sakura's sleeve on her right dropped down from her shoulders exposing her flawless porcelain skin. Neji's eyes were caught at this sight and he gulped as his manly urges strated to surge in. Sakura blushed, and fixed her yukata. Then Neji whispered again to her ear,

"I know a place where we can spend the night." He said teasingly in a very low and seductive voice.

Sakura nodded and answered, "Take me, I am all yours..."

So Neji stood up and carried her cradling her in his strong fine arms,

"Hold on tight my cherry blossom..." He smiled and was gone in a blink.

~ end ~

NOTE: I do not own the characters to this story. They are from Masashi Kishimoto's 'Naruto' series

SIDE NOTE: I'm not really familiar with Tanabata but I only based it with what I saw with other series, and I also did some research on it.