40 Kinds of Sadness - a NejiSaku fic.
This is the continuation of my first fanfic! Uhh.. Please consider typographical and grammar errors.. I'm not that good in English.
I'd like to credit Doctor Meowzie for this.. I got the main idea of this fic from her fanfic "Chick Magnet".
To continue with the story, please read the prologue "Always Have Waited" before you proceed on this one! That way you'll be able to understand each and every line of this story!
Disclaimer: NARUTO © Masashi Kishimoto. Studio Pierrot. All characters belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 2
Preoccupation
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Neji pulled his bag. He's going home early.
"Hey, Neji!" Kiba called him.
"Hn? What?" Neji replied.
"I know you wanna ask Sakura out. Uhm.. well, do you..?"
Neji paused for a while. Kiba had been his friend for ages. Aside from Shikamaru, Chouji, Lee and Naruto, Kiba had been his closest male friend.
"Well?" Kiba waited for him to answer.
Neji nodded.
"I knew it! For crying out loud, Neji! You should've asked her! Now look at what you did. She thinks that she's not fit to be your partner." Kiba patted his shoulder.
Fuck. "Nani..! S-she.." Neji stared at him. "Hell yea, dude. You better talk to her."
"I thought Gaara and Sakura--"
"Blah-blah your way dude. Gaara told her that he will not make it to the dance. He was worried that Sakura might end up having no partner for the prom."
"What? Gaara left her?" Neji's heart danced.
"Are you listening, dude? Yea. Gaara left her. After that, I asked her to be my date. We agreed, but suddenly, that cursed shit-faced woman..Haruka, blackmailed me. She said that she would tie me on a tree branch if I'd reject her. Damn it, Neji! You know how poisonous Sakamonnojos are." Kiba complained, clenching his fists. "Anyway, you better tell her soon, Neji."
"But how? I know..she hates me.." Neji's smile turned into a frown.
"Hmm.." Kiba tried to think of a solution. "Dude, you gotta tell her..and fast."
"Kiba.. You know my situation, right? I really don't understand why she hates me.." Neji bowed his head.
"Neji, if you really wanna make up things with her, you better do the first approach. Who knows? Maybe this time she'll talk to you." Kiba answered with a grin.
"Arigato, Kiba. I gotta go see Sakura now." Neji hurried off.
XXXXX
Sakura went shopping. She wanted to bring her mom a new book to read. She went to one of the green shelves near the cashier, and unmindful of her steps, she accidentally bumped into a person. A pocketbook slipped from the person's hand.
"I-Itai.." Sakura rubbed her forehead, then she noticed a yellow-orange-covered book with a man and woman chasing each other. She looked at the book title. Damn. Icha Icha Paradise.
"Next time, watch where you're going," A silver-haired jounin reached out his hand to help her get up. "Okay?"
"Ah! Kakashi-sensei! Sorry for bumping on you! Err.. What brought you here?" Sakura asked.
"I bought Icha Icha Paradise Vol. 254," Sakura's eyes widened. He's worshipping such a stupid novel! And he's already on vol. 254!
Sakura's eyes twitched. She's facing a perv.. "Hey, I'm already in my mid-20's. I can LEGALLY read novels like these." Kakashi said defensively, as if he can read her mind.
"I know.. Uhm, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura faced her sensei.
"Hn? What?" Kakashi looked at her with his dark eyes.
"Are you a regular customer here?"
"You bet I am." Kakashi raised his right thumb, looking more like Gai-sensei.
"For how long?"
Kakashi stopped to think, then he patted Sakura's head. "As far as I can remember, I've been a regular customer for 2 years." He closed his eyes, which Sakura knew was a smile. I wonder what lies behind that mask..
"Oi, Sakura-chan?"
"H-huh! Ahahah! Yea. Nothing.. I just wanted to know.." Sakura tried to smile. "Aheheheh.."
"Oh well, I suppose you're here for something, right?"
"Of course! What else am I gonna do inside a bookstore?" She gave Kakashi an uneven look. "I wanna buy a new book for mom.."
"Oh, I see.. Can I be of any help?" Kakashi held his hitai-ate up, revealing his implanted Sharingan.
Sakura gasped. Sharingan.
"Sakura, you've been absent-minded since this morning, noh?" Kakashi patted her head again.
"I just remembered someone..gomen, Kakashi-sensei.." She bowed her head.
"Iiaa! I'm the one who should apologize." He suddenly threw a kunai at a hooded man. The man shouted in pain. "See? It seems that some petty lowlife sneaked inside to steal my precious Icha Icha Paradise.."
Sakura didn't notice the man.. Whaaa.. So that's why Kakashi-sensei revealed his Sharingan! Hell no. His senses are very sensitive. He can sense movements even without the Sharingan.
"Sorry for reminding you of Sasuke, Sakura-chan. I'm sure he'll be back.."
"I wish he won't.." Sakura replied. Kakashi's eyebrows raised. "I'm over with him, sensei.. So there's no reason for us to meet again.."
"I see. Hmm.. Well, I think I gotta go now. I have an appointment with Godaime at 4. Ja." Kakashi brought his hitai-ate back to its original position.
"Aa. Take care, sensei!" Sakura waved her hand goodbye as she watched him leave the bookstore.
XXXXX
Where can Sakura be..? Neji walked across the sidewalk. He had to talk to Sakura.
He stopped by a bookstore to see if Sakura's there, then he saw her through the shop window.
"I finally found you." Neji went in.
Sakura was in the novel section. She was looking at the shelves.
Neji walked closer to her. He looked at Sakura.
"Hey," Neji stood next to Sakura.
Sakura felt her heart jump. It was Neji.
"Hey," Sakura replied.
Here we go again.. Neji took a deep breath. He remembered their last conversation. He started it, and ended it.
He didn't know what to say. He stopped to think.
"Lookin' for something?" Neji asked.
Sakura sighed. Finally, he said something. "Yeah. I have to get a new book for mom."
"I see.." Neji wanted to hold her, but he can't. He thinks that Sakura hates him now.
"You..why are you here?"
"I came to buy something, too. I found you and thought you were looking for something, so here I am."
"Aah.." Sakura faced him. "I found what I've been looking for. I gotta go now." She sighed.
There she goes again.. She'll leave me again.. Neji wanted to stop her, but he just can't. His body felt numb as he watched her leave.
"Bye.." Was all he could say.
It was, again, a very brief conversation.
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Sakura walked through the streets of Konoha, when she saw Aburame Shino sitting up a pole.
"Hey! What are you doing up there!" Sakura held her head up, looking at Shino.
"Sakura?" Shino stared down.
"What are you doing!" Sakura asked again.
"Nothing.. Just observing the environs." Shino replied.
"Can I go up too!" Sakura yelled.
"No. There's no more room for you here. Wait. I'll go down." Shino jumped down and brushed the dust off of his clothing.
"It's already 5. Why are you still here?" Sakura asked.
"Trying to escape from boredom." Shino replied. "Sakura,"
"Hn?"
"Are you still available for the prom?" Shino asked shyly.
Sakura felt her heart stop. Aburame..Aburame Shino! Asking her!
"Uhh.. Yeah? Why do you ask?"
"Then..will you give this person the honor to.." Shino felt something cold in his hand.
Sakura knew where this was going. This is..so unlike Shino.. "Come again?" She asked.
"Will you give this person the honor to.." Shino gulped. "..be your prom date..?"
Sakura was at loss for words. She didn't expect to have Shino asking her to be his date. She gasped.
Shino waited for her response, but she stood silent, eyes wide open. "Well..if you don't wanna.. I'll be going now.." Shino turned back with a disappointed look.
"W-wait!" Sakura pulled his arm. "Umm.. Sure, Shino.. I'd be very glad to have you as my prom date."
Shino's heart danced. Finally, he got the chance to date Sakura. "Arigato, Sakura-chan.."
Sakura let go of his arm. "Know what? This is so unlike you.." She faced him. "I never knew you're like this.. Well, I got used to the old Shino who was very silent."
Shino looked at her eyes. How beautiful.. "Ahahahah! Well, this is the real me.." Shino took off his sweatshirt, revealing the lower part of his face to Sakura.
Inner Sakura was stunned. Gee.. I didn't know he is this handsome.. I hope he'll take his glasses off, too..
"Sakura-chan, may I ask you out tonight..?" Shino asked hesitantly.
Sakura grinned. "Sure. Where are we going?"
"Ichiraku Ramen Stand."
"Okay. Meet you at 7 here." Sakura said.
"Okay."
Sakura walked off, waving goodbye to Shino.
XXXXX
"Oi, Neji! I have something to tell you!" That was Naruto, walking past the front gate of the Ninja Academy.
"What is it, Uzumaki?" Neji turned his head back.
"Did you already ask Sakura to be your date?" Naruto asked.
How did Naruto know that I wanna.. "No. Not yet. And I don't think I ever will." Neji answered sadly.
"Well, bad news for you, dude." Naruto stated seriously.
"Why?" Neji could sense something like..failure..?
"I was walking down from Ichiraku when I found Sakura looking up on a pole. She was talking with Aburame Shino. I heard everything. I don't wanna say this but..it seems like Shino made her agree.." The blonde boy's face became dim. He wanted Neji to be Sakura's date, but unfortunately, Shino had taken her already.
"Sou ka.." Neji's voice became low. Again, he felt something aching somewhere in his chest.
"I'm sorry, Neji." Naruto turned away.
"Thank you for telling me, Uzumaki. At least, now I know." He patted the blonde boy's shoulder.
"I hope she realizes soon, Neji." Naruto said with a wide grin.
Neji's eyes widened. Masaka.. Does Naruto know..!
"I know all about it, dude." The blonde stated.
"How did you know..?" Neji asked curiously. Did dog-boy tell him..!
"It's obvious. The way you stare at her everyday, all the stalking that you do, the way you glare at boys you don't know getting close to her, the way you hide your feelings when you try to talk to her, and.."
"..and..?" Neji wanted to know. He never knew that someone actually sees the real him. If Naruto knows, then so does Shikamaru, Lee, and the rest of his friends.
"..do you even know that you often talk to yourself concerning Sakura?"
"N-nani! Do I really do that!"
"Why, hell yeah you do!" Naruto raised his two thumbs up.
OO;
Neji became dumbfounded. I DO THAT!
"What's wrong? Shocked, no?" Naruto smiled. "It seems that you're so preoccupied. You don't even notice yourself doing that during lunch break. I thought you knew."
Me? Preoccupied..? Yes. I AM preoccupied. Preoccupied with Sakura in my thoughts.
"D-does everyone know..?" Neji was nervous. He had been saying his thoughts in front of his classmates.
"Luckily, only I do." Naruto answered.
Haaahhh.. Neji felt relieved. "Well, do you remember everything I said?" Neji was curious.
"Hmm.. As far as my genius brain remembers, you said something like waiting for her..and.."
"..aaannndd..?" Naruto left him hanging again.
"Yeah! You've been waiting for her all these years.. 6 years, to be exact. Dude, you've been waiting for her all along? And you just don't have the guts to tell her, do you?"
"Sadly, I don't. If I'm gonna tell her, I want the whole village to know how much I love her..but..I just can't.." Neji felt weak inside. "Damn this body! I'm physically strong, but emotionally weak.."
"I remembered something Sandaime told me.." Naruto held his chin. "He said, 'If your physical strength is lacking, train your body. If your emotional strength is lacking, train your heart and mind. If your spiritual strength is lacking, train your soul.' I don't know if that was what he told me. I just remembered."
"I see.. So I have to train my heart more.." He tightened his grip on his bag.
"I don't see why you're weak. You're very popular with girls, you know. Many men envy you, and of course I'm not one of them! Ahahahah!" Naruto laughed.
"Popularity does not count. I hate those girls, but I can't stand to hurt them. My uncle once told me that I should respect women, but those..those girls, they always sneak up everytime I try to tell Sakura how I feel."
"You know, I think you should lighten up. How about a bowl of ramen before going home?" Naruto showed him two coupons. Ichiraku Ramen Stand.
"Do you have ramen anti-drugs? You're addicted." Neji said.
"I can't help it. Blame it on Iruka-sensei." Naruto grinned.
And they walked off.
XXXXX
6:46 PM. Sakura was preparing for her dinner with Shino.
If only Neji asked me first..
She left.
XXXXX
"Ready to go?" That was Shino, dressed in his usual clothes. "You look tired. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me.. Aheheh.." Sakura smiled.
"Are you sure..?" Shino asked again.
"Hn? Yeah. I'm fine.." Sakura stretched her arms. "See?"
Shino smiled back. "Okay. Let's go, shall we?"
"Sure."
XXXXX
Naruto and Neji were busy chatting while eating ramen, when the door slid open. Neji was surprised to see what he wanted to see.
But when he looked at the man beside her, he clenched his fists. Sakura..and Shino..
"Ah! Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled.
Sakura looked at where she heard someone call her. She was surprised to see her childhood friend, Neji.
N-Neji! What is he doing here!
Their eyes met, both telling their emotions. Sakura stared lovingly at him, so did Neji. But they didn't know what those stares actually meant.
"Good evening..Sakura.." Neji greeted her.
"Good evening too, Neji.." Sakura replied.
"Guess what, guys!" Shino exclaimed. "Sakura agreed to be my prom date! Ne, Sakura-chan?" He faced Sakura.
"Yeah..right.." Sakura answered.
"Hey, why don't you two join us?" Naruto said.
"Sure! Come, Sakura-chan." Shino assisted Sakura to her seat.
Sakura sat between Shino and Neji. She didn't know what to do. She remained silent, and listened to the boys' chattering. Later did she notice that Neji was silent, too.
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A/N: New chapter! Yay! I had my OC, Sakamonnojo Haruka, play in this chapter! Thanks to all who reviewed! I love you all! To all who have read and are reading this, please review! Your comments mean a lot to me! Tell me what you think will happen next! I posted this chapter because I'll be kinda busy next month. I don't wanna keep you hanging, you know!