Ren: -suddenly pops out of nowhere- Ola! Sem. break, here I come!!! Phew, I'll have to post the seventh chappie soon; I have an article due next week to the school paper! Gah, so pressured...

Naruto: Time management, no duh.

Sakura: Baka! You don't even have a lot of words in your vocabulary, so why bother giving her lectures, idiot?

Naruto: You should tell that to Sasuke-teme, not me! He's the one with the limited words...

Sakura: -bonks Naruto on the head-

Ren: -sigh- Standard disclaimer applied...

Legends sometimes necessary in each chapter:

Talking

Author notes enclosed in parentheses and starts with this: Ren:/Events, place, time

Inners/Lyrics centered

Outers/Flashbacks

Kyuubi

Chapter 5: Welcome to the team (again)..!

Haruno Sakura hummed as she walked-- no, hopped her way to the market to buy some food for her apartment. When she walked inside, she grabbed a basket and began picking out things for her to buy. "Hmm... Apples, tomatoes -twitch-, one sack of rice, meat, vegetables..." She muttered to herself as she picked up her list. She got the apples, and then went to the tomato section.

She picked up a few, but was met with a hand who tried to grab one tomato from the basket. Sakura looked up to be met by a cold onyx gaze. "Hn." Uchiha Sasuke sighed, running his free hand on his spiky hair. He took a bite of the tomato and gazed at her blankly.

"Uh... Sasuke-kun? I haven't paid for that yet..." Sakura said, having a hard time acting. "Who cares? The customer is always right," Sasuke smirked. Something bugged him when she said his name, but he just shrugged it off. Tons of girls call him 'Sasuke-kun', so why single her out when you can join her with the others?

Sakura giggled and looked at her list as she continued on buying the things she needed. It was actually fun having Sasuke around; the instance she knew that Sasuke's memories were erased; she cried and thought that after a year, she'll wallow in guilt. This time, she was having fun.

Sasuke followed her wherever she went; grabbing and eating the tomatoes in her basket when he finished with one. "Sasuke-kun! Would. You. Stop. Eating. MY tomatoes?!" Sakura asked, pissed by his actions. "Aa." Sasuke grunted stubbornly. "Argh!" Sakura sighed in frustration and continued to what she was doing. She walked fast to the counter and paid for her things, Sasuke keeping up in ease with his long strides.

"Sasuke-kun, go and annoy someone else!!!" Sakura told him loudly, turning around and facing him, her half-heart necklace whirling with her.

Huh? So I'm the annoying one now?

Yeah,

Sasuke POV

Hold it. What did I just think of right now? 'So I'm the annoying one NOW?' What's with the now? Not like this happened before... I just met her, so how will I be able to tell her as an annoying girl in the past? Confusing, whatever.

End Sasuke POV

"Hn. I'm not annoying you, I just don't have something to do--" "Which is to annoy me--" "Not." Why do they keep finishing each other's sentences? They don't know, so don't ask them.

"Gah!" Sakura threw her hands up in the air which caused her paper bags to go up. Sasuke caught it expertly and cradled them in his arms. Sakura didn't care for the moment, so she just (read: angrily) walked back to her apartment, complete with the silent treatment, the childish pout, and the stomping of the feet.

She punched her door open, not caring if her apartment is exposed. She didn't even know that he followed.

Huh, she's damn strong.

And totally hot when feisty and angry.

Yeah, that too-- Hey!

Hey, she broke down her door! Looks familiar...

We just met her idiot, that's not possible.

There you go again, calling yourself an idiot.

Hn.

Sasuke thought as he set down the paper bags on the kitchen table. He heard hot water dripping down the floor in soft but loud drops. He followed the sound, and saw that he was in her room.

It's been two months now since I met her. Nothing's new.

No duh, genius.

I'll take that as a compliment.

Whatever,

Sasuke sat himself on the soft bed. It was covered in red sheets, with a few Cherry Blossom designs.


Huh, Sakura, eh?

He studied her room. There was a desk in the far corner of her room, near the open window. He walked to it and examined the things in it. Some medical documents, books on pressure points, advanced medical ninjutsu... Hmm, impressive. She's a medic, to him it seems. He saw a wooden picture frame, and just when he was about to grab it, the door to the bathroom flew open.

He whirled around, and he saw Haruno Sakura, dripping wet from head to toe, only in a very short (to him) towel. Her waist-long hair was wet, her long bangs on the sides of her face, and her eyes were closed. The towel clung to her like second skin, exposing her hourglass figure to him. Uchiha Sasuke will only admit to his subconscious that Haruno Sakura certainly caught his eye. She's got beauty and brains.

Sakura opened her eyes, and almost screamed; good thing Sasuke got there fast and put a hand to her mouth. "Ssh, Sakura, it's just me." Sasuke said smoothly, effectively calming her down; her shoulders now relaxed, and her wide, alert eyes now calm.

When her mouth was free, she yelled, "Why are you here?! Have you been following me?!" Sakura asked. "Annoying... I was right behind you, remember?" Sasuke explained, sweatdropping at her adorable unawareness. "Oh," Sakura said. He noticed that her porcelain skin looked radiant in the sunlight; the window was open, remember?

Suddenly, her cheeks were aflame. "Wh-Why are you st-still here?! I'm only in a friggin' towel, you pervert!!!"! Sakura yelled. Sasuke bowed his head so that his bangs covered his face; he was blushing! "Tch, don't get your hopes up. Why will I go for you? You've got pink hair. No one in the world has that. Did you dye it? And you've got flat breasts--" Before he finished his lie, Sakura's free hand (who wasn't clutching the towel to her body) clenched into a fist and punched the living hell out of the Uchiha.

The prodigy was thrown out of the window, landing (good thing) with his back to the ground. "Shit, that hurt. Ow," Sakura heard Sasuke mutter from outside. That was her strongest punch in years!

We punched him! Finally, the jerk deserved it!

And we've made him say "Ow," Hell yeah!

Shannaro!

Sakura's inner made a little party mentally while Sakura got dressed in dark blue shorts, her black knee-high ninja sandals, a pink top, and above it, her red zip-up shirt. She combed through her long pink locks, and styled it the way it was when they were still genin. She sighed. She got out and saw Sasuke caring for his jaw, good for him it wasn't broken, but damn, it hurt.

It has a blue bruise, she put force into it. And her hand was imprinted on his face. "Baka! That's what you get for insulting me!" Sakura yelled at him softly before approaching him, her hands glowing green with chakra. She put both her hands an inch above his face and started the healing process. Sasuke felt the warmth, not just any ordinary warmth, her warmth flowing inside of him. He blushed a light pink and lowered his head so that his bangs are covering his face once more.

After a few minutes, the bruise was completely gone. "There you go!" Sakura smiled. "Aa. Arigatou," Sasuke muttered. Sakura had her mouth agape; it was Sasuke's second time to tell her Thank you since the day he left.

She blushed. "Y-Your welcome..."

Hn, -smirk- I make her stutter.

Yes, Captain Obvious.

Am I really talkative inside? I'm so unlucky to be partnered with this guy.

Ouch, dude. That hurt,

Aa.

Sasuke's thoughts were suddenly interrupted when a blonde popped out of nowhere. No, not Ino. The two ninjas, who didn't notice that they were standing so close to each other, jumped out of shock.

"Sakura-chan! Sasuke-teme! What were you two doing just now before I arrived? Something interesting, ne?" Naruto teased as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Sakura blushed beet red and played with her pink locks. Sasuke put his hand at the back of his neck and bowed his head; his bangs covering his black eyes to hide his blush.

"Eh? What'd I miss? Whatever, anyway, let's go to the Hokage Monument! There's good news from Tsunade baa-chan!" Naruto shouted excitedly. "I HEARD THAT, UZUMAKI!!!" The Hokage yelled angrily. Naruto chuckled nervously and said, "She's gonna kill me when we get there..." And with that, the three jumped to the Hokage Monument.

***

"-snore- Phew... -snore- Phew..." Tsunade pounded her fist on the big, wide oak desk. "Uzumaki! Are you listening?! This isn't just boring for you, but for me too, understand?! It's quite a mouthful!" Tsunade angrily said. "-snaps head up- Huh? What?" Naruto said, wiping the drool that came off of his mouth. Tsunade sighed.

How does Hinata deal with this guy?!

She thought as she continued stating words that would make Sakura part of Team Seven once more; they're just acting.

"-- And now, I congratulate you for making the team. Yey. Shizune! Give me my beloved sake!!!" With that, Tsunade dismissed them from the Hokage Tower.

"Ne, Kakashi-sensei, where are we going next?" Naruto asked excitedly, punching the air in front of him. "Hm?" Kakashi was snapped out of his trance; he was reading his "bible" again. Ren: wink wink Woohoo, spread the good news, he says.

"Go to Training Ground number three, don't eat anything, I'll be there in a minute. Ja," Kakashi said and poofed, leaving only smoke around the three.

"It's that stupid book again..." Sakura said. The three sighed at the same time and went to Ichiraku Ramen Bar. They have a good feeling on what's going to happen.

Ren: Hahaha, I love it!!! REVIEW! ;)