Chapter Title: His Realization
Theme: Girl forgets boy, boy had to prove himself to girl etc etc etc.
Genre: Angst/Romance/Comedy
Word Count: 2,831
Pairing: Sasuke and Sakura
Ch. Summary: Ino and Naruto devised the "perfect plan" to help Sakura regaining her lost memory.
The next morning…
At Naruto's Apartment
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The former kyuubi container woke up to the sound of consecutive loud knocks on his front door. He immediately opened his sleepy eyes and turned to the other side of his bed to check what time is it. It's almost quarter to eight in the morning, a little early for his normal morning wake up routine.
He then forced himself to get up from his comfortable bed and lazily dragged his feet towards the front door.
When he slowly opened the door, there was the cerulean-eyed Yamanaka kunoichi greeting him. Ino playfully said while grinning at the former kyuubi host, "Good morning, Naruto! Wakey, wakey!"
She welcomed herself into his apartment and without turning back, she settled on his dinner table. But the village hero thought inwardly and sarcastically, 'Uhh? You're welcome?!'
Uzumaki Naruto is startled when one of his teammate's best friends went over to his apartment. He creased his forehead and puzzlingly wondered if they have a scheduled mission for today and he was about sure that today was his day off.
He then hastily closed the front door and walked towards the Yamanaka kunoichi and grumbled, "Uh-uh w-what brings you here, Ino?"
Ino then divulged, "Naruto, I know this is sudden, but we need to help forehead to remember Sasuke-kun."
The former kyuubi host then settled in front of her and confusingly wondering if that's a good idea. After all the Hokage said that it's up to Sakura if she wanted to remember the things that she had once forgotten. But he realized that his brooding teammate, Uchiha Sasuke wouldn't put any effort to do something to let Sakura remember him once again.
And Naruto knows that his teammates need his help. After all, he knows how much Sakura cares for his stoic dark-haired teammate and friend. And even though Sasuke showed that his unaffected by yesterday's incident, Naruto knows the Uchiha survivor was upset as he is, judging by leaving the hospital suddenly without saying any word.
He sighed and turned to the Yamanaka girl and retorted, "You're right. So what's the plan?"
The cerulean-eyed kunoichi nodded and grinned at the former kyuubi host.
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It was almost seven in the morning when the emerald-eyed kunoichi woke up from her hospital bed; Haruno Sakura grabbed some magazines and books under her side table and took one to read while waiting for her morning medicine from the nurse.
She then quickly turned the pages of the book and suddenly she felt a buzzing from her head. It almost feels like a severe headache she was experiencing. It was too painful that she had to close her eyes for a moment.
Then a sudden flashback came inside her head, it's blurry but she can almost hear the voices:
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BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!
"You've always hated _ _ don't _ _ _?"
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!
"Don't _ _ or else I will _ _ !"
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!
BAM!
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!
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When she can't take the severe pain any longer, the pink-haired kunoichi finally opened her eyes and she is startled by the sudden click of the door. It was her nurse who brought her breakfast and morning medicine.
The hospital nurse announced, "Haruno-san, good morning!" The nurse continued to walk to her side and placed the breakfast tray and a cup of her medicine on the side table.
Sakura then looked towards her direction and silently murmured, "Good morning."
The nurse continued, "You can drink this after finishing your breakfast." Sakura let a weak smile while uttering a simple thank you.
After the nurse placed the tray to her table, she exited the green-eyed kunoichi's room leaving once again the troubled patient.
Haruno Sakura wondered if that is just a dream she just saw. But she knew she was wide awake at the moment and she deliberately thought it was scary and odd.
She exhaled her breath and pressed her hands towards her head motioning like she was slowly massaging her side temples. She then narrowed her eyes and looked towards the scenery outside from her open window and murmured silently,
"That's weird. I wonder what in the world that was."
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After lunch, The Yamanaka kunoichi and the former kyuubi host went to the Uchiha compound. It seems like the dark-haired ninja continued to stay at his family compound after all the bloodshed and tragedy that happened in the area.
Naruto knocked twice towards the Uchiha survivor's door, but no one's answering. He then said, "I think he's not at home."
But when they are about to walk away from the door, they were shocked by the sight that the dark-haired ninja was staring at them from the house.
He was stoic and his expression was ambiguous.
Sasuke then inquired Naruto sulking, "What's going on?"
"Uhm. Sasuke, we would like to talk to you about Sakura-chan's condition."
"Hn. What for? She was already awake and conscious."
Then the Yamanaka kunoichi intervened and hissed, "Ugh, Sasuke-kun, aren't you concern that Sakura seemed forgotten about you?"
"It's not my concern."
When the Uchiha survivor was about to close his door in front of their faces, Uzumaki Naruto moved his right foot on the edge of the door and intervened.
Naruto's expression hardened while his tone of voice gradually changes into a serious one. Uchiha Sasuke knows he's dead serious and troubled and his concern was real towards their teammate.
"Sasuke, are you alright with this? She will completely forget you if we didn't do anything. I know you're worried as us. Listen, we came up an idea to visit her today and explain some things to her and I know you'll help and won't disappoint us. See you there."
After that, he saw the two closest friends of the pinkette retreating away from his door steps and the dark-haired brooding ninja was left alone again inside the Uchiha compound.
He slammed the door and went back to his kitchen to grab some water to drink. He already had trouble sleeping the night before and he knew in his heart that Naruto's words went through him like a sharp dagger like it always has.
Naruto was right, he was as upset as they are and if he didn't do anything, he will be totally forgotten by their medic teammate.
The dark-haired Uchiha exhaled and turned his heel towards the door and went outside and decided to follow the two.
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The two ninjas walked hastily towards the hospital hallway and the hospital staffs that knew them both are giving them a crazy and shocking look.
Naruto then elbowed the Yamanaka kunoichi and whispered, "They're looking at us. Are you sure this is a good plan?"
She turned towards his direction and answered him, "Yes, do you suggest anything else better?"
But the former kyuubi host interjected, "No, b-but I look stupid!"
"Don't worry, she already know that."
"What?!"
"Let's just enter her room, okay?"
Finally the two concerned ninjas had arrived at her room and carefully entered. They hastily went inside and saw that the pink-haired kunoichi was peacefully reading a book while admiring the window scenery.
Haruno Sakura then slowly turned her head towards the door upon hearing the sudden click and was utterly perplexed when she saw what Naruto and Ino were wearing.
The Yamanaka kunoichi was wearing her former genin clothes matched with a red plated head-gear and her eyes travelled towards the former kyuubi host and confusingly saw Naruto wearing a dark blue shirt and white shorts matched with a blue head ninja plate.
Sakura then narrowed her eyes and were bewildered by the outfit change of her two friends.
"Uhh. What's with the sudden changes in…appearance?"
The pink-haired kunoichi eyed the both of them from head to toe.
Meanwhile Naruto turned to her and showed her his signature thumbs up pose and while grinning he shouted, "Just watch us, Sakura-chan!"
Then the Yamanaka kunoichi proceeded to the center of the room and grabbed one of the chairs from the dining table and settled herself quietly while Naruto dressed up as someone she doesn't know walked up to her and announced, "Sakura, you have a nice forehead and I wanna kiss it so bad!"
Sakura then eyed the Yamanaka kunoichi and saw Ino playfully looking at Naruto's character while smiling heavenly. Ino then replied,
"Ohh—Ohhhhh... I know you want my forehead so bad…Why don't you try kissing it?"
"C-Can I really kiss it?"
"Yes you can,"
"I—It's a dream come true…I waited this for uhh—my…uhh...whole….uhh...li—uhh..."
It's Naruto's turn to announce his line, but it's too sudden and they just planned it this morning. So he wrongly swapped what he's supposed to say and jumbled some words. Upon hearing Naruto's mistake, the Yamanaka kunoichi's facial expression turned from the "Innocent Sakura" to a sour one.
Out of nowhere, Ino smacked Naruto's head and shouted, "I told you to memorize the script! What the hell was that?!"
But Naruto argued, "Ow, that hurts, Ino! That smack wasn't included in the script."
"Ugh, you're hopeless. Let's just go from the top. Again."
When the Pinkette saw their skit and Sakura's mouth is gaping the whole time while watching both of her friends doing the act. She was puzzled by this sudden 'play' and she was wondering if they're just fooling around to make her laugh. But it seems like they're too serious doing this game.
Sakura then intervened, "Uhm….Guys, what exactly are you doing? Am I supposed to guess what are you acting, just like charades or…?"
The pink-haired kunoichi followed up her statement and asked them, "Don't be mad at me asking this, but are you both drunk?"
Both of the 'actors' turned to her direction and upon hearing the pinkette's protests, the Yamanaka kunoichi creased her forehead and suddenly grabbed Naruto's shirt and hastily dragged him outside her room.
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Outside Sakura's room
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Ino shook her head terribly and murmured, "This is not working." Pointing at their supposedly costumes.
The former kyuubi host heard the blue-eyed kunoichi and insensitively whined, "I know it won't work! Why would we re-enact that scene anyway?
She then pouted and roared back at the former kyuubi host, "Alright, I know it's a stupid plan, but at least I tried thinking a way to help her regain that important part she had forgotten."
Naruto croaked, "Maybe we're doing it wrong?"
When they finished resting, the former kyuubi host saw that his best friend changed his mind and decided to help them.
"Sasuke!"
The Uchiha survivor ambiguously walks towards the both ninja and when he arrived at the scene, He is perturbed by their clothing and quickly realized this is their "perfect plan" to regain Sakura's lost memories. By dressing up like them.
He then probed them both while raising his other eyebrow, "What are you both doing?"
The dark-haired boy was clearly irritated by Naruto's supposed 'Sasuke costume'. It was perfectly shown on his bewildered face. He then continued to ask Naruto where did he got his genin clothes. The former kyuubi host explained to him that he borrowed Sasuke's former outfit this morning when he was still on his probation duty. He promised he will return it to him once they were finish.
"No, don't return it to me. Burn it."
"What?! But it's still perfectly fine!"
"J-just whose idea is this?"
"Ino's."
Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke both turned their head towards the Yamanaka kunoichi who was still wearing her 'Sakura costume' while seating idly at the waiting room and replied, "What? Why are you both looking at me like that? I thought it was a good idea. I'm sorry, alright."
Then the former kyuubi host revealed, "Listen, Sasuke…I don't think our act triggered anything from her memories. I guess it's up to you now."
The dark-haired brooding Uchiha looked towards the pinkette's room and wondered if he could really help her to remember him, once again.
He is clouded by negativity and guilt.
After all he missed her annoying laugh and her high-pitched voice resonating his head with,
'Sasuke-kun, do you want to eat lunch together?'
'Sasuke-kun, do you have plans later? Do you want to join the rest of team at Ichiraku?'
Sasuke-kun this and that.
The Uchiha survivor sighed heavily and proceeded to enter her room and saw her reading some book.
Uchiha Sasuke doesn't want to talk too much and judging from his teammate's condition, Sasuke knew he would do all the talking. This is different from the old Sakura he used to know who was always the one who's initiating the conversation between the two of them. But this time, it's the other way around. His expression darkened.
The dark-haired Uchiha survivor cleared his throat to make his presence known inside her room. The Haruno kunoichi quickly turned her head towards his direction and confusion was obviously seen on her face.
His deep voice resonated the room, "Sakura."
The pink-haired kunoichi turned her direction towards the voice and smiled towards him, "You're the guy from the other day. Aren't you Ino's boyfriend? If you're looking for Ino, she already went out."
Upon hearing the word, 'boyfriend' his expression darkened deeply, He then quickly denied, "I'm not her boyfriend. So stop mentioning that. It's annoying."
Haruno Sakura quickly narrowed her eyes upon hearing his voice and she is baffled by this brooding individual's blunt response.
She then slowly nodded her head, "I see. I'm sorry."
"So…what can I do for you?"
"My name's Uchiha Sasuke."
She breathed, "Alright, Uchiha-san. What brings you here?"
When Sasuke heard her voice saying his surname, he suddenly felt a different kind of isolation and pain. Deep in his heart, he knows she'll be calling him formally and not the usual, 'Sasuke-kun' she used to say to him. He cringed by the thought, but he was still disappointed that she didn't even remembered his first name.
He just murmured, "I—I…"
For the first time of his life, the Great Uchiha Sasuke was stammering in front of a girl. What is wrong with him? He thought he was prepared for it but he wasn't.
He doesn't know what to say to her.
What should he say? That he was her childhood crush or that she's still in love with him. He doesn't even know if she still loves him before her accident. He sounded desperate, but he just wants her to acknowledge his existence even if it's already in the past.
He then mused if this his punishment for leaving her in Konoha that night? He remembered all the details that night, that starless night where the moon was the only light shining upon them.
He wanted to leave the pathetic village that once precious to him, the village that he used to protect and serve. Not only that he was leaving the village but also he has no choice to leave his friends and comrades.
To succumb to Orochimaru's power, he needed to sacrifice some things and that's his team. If he has any regrets that night, it would be leaving her to that cold hard bench.
But before leaving her, he made sure to knocked out Sakura without harming her and whispering into her ears that he was thankful for her. But they both know that he can't stay, that's why he hastily left the village without saying any word, but Sakura still sensed he was about to leave and he is annoyed by it.
'Sakura, you're still annoying, after all these years.'
The dark-haired Uchiha survivor directly looked towards her eyes and murmured silently,"I just want to make sure you're fine."
He then hastily went outside and slammed the door of her room.
Leaving the puzzled emerald-eyed kunoichi and was wondering what was that about?
She sighed and uttered, "That's weird."
Sakura then creased her forehead and decided to continue her afternoon reading after shaking her head from the oddity of this Uchiha-san person.
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tbc
A/N: So, how was it?