This fic is almost finish since classes will return soon so probably, i will not have much time to make fics. (though i wanted to make more) i only got few reviews but thanks!! please review!!

A small bell rang when sasuke opened the door of a small jewelry shop on their village. "Good morning uchiha-san, what brings you here?" The sales lady greeted. He was already known on the shop since he always buys stuff there. "I lost the pendant of my necklace which I also bought here, do you still have the same stock?" He asked the lady. "hmm.. Let's see.." The lady leaned down and scanned their merchandises. But before she can continue, the lady stood straight again and eyed sasuke's neck. "uchiha-san?" The girl spoke.

Sasuke was also looking for the pendant so when he was called, he stood up straight too and answered the lady. "why?" He asked back. "Yesterday morning, sakura-san went here. She bought two necklaces which have the same style and she said she will give the other one to you when she sees you later on that afternoon. I noticed that you're not wearing it so maybe you two haven't seen each other yet?" The lady explained. Sasuke silenced for a while and frowned afterwards. "sasuke-san?" the girl called out and it was enough for sasuke so he could snap out of his thoughts. "oh yeah, we were supposed to meet yesterday but due to some happenings, I wasn't able to go. Tomorrow is Monday so probably, we will see each other."

"Oh my! I am so sorry for telling it to you! I'm really sorry! I really thought that she already gave it to you, I am sorry uchiha-san!" The girl bowed while sasuke just smiled a little. "It's ok, it's not really a big deal." The girl smiled and muttered a thank you to him and continued to look for the pendant he came for. "here it is uchiha-san, this is the last one so better not lose it anymore!" The girl wrapped the pendant and gave it to sasuke. He paid and went out of the store. "Thank you for coming uchiha-san!" The girl bowed again.

"damn it!"

BETTER THIS WAY

Chapter seven- the truth about us II

Sakura sat down on her chair and it seems like she's in a really deep thought. "what am I going to do? I can't face him yet." She asked herself looked at the empty chair beside her. Just awhile ago, she really didn't want to come to school but thinking about everything, she thought that her reason is so shallow and that hiding will not be a good answer. "Sakura!" She heard someone call. It was Hinata and neji. Sakura stood up and eyed hinata who was running towards her place. The moment Hinata reached her, she immediately hugged Sakura. "I'm sorry sakura!" She parted with sakura and held her in the shoulders. "Are you alright?" She asked in her usual sweet but worried tone.

Sakura forced a smile on her loving and kind friend. "Everything is ok." Sakura made sure she won't make her friend worry. "I know it's not, sakura." Hinata knew her expressions very well and from what she saw, she can tell that sakura is not ok. "I just didn't expect things like this to happen Hinata. I've already thought of this last night and I need to apologize to sasuke for getting mad and running away just like that. I know that I don't have the right to do that because I was wrong too. I need to tell him the truth and he deserves to know it." Tears slowly went down from her green eyes as Hinata gave her another comforting hug. Later on, some of her friends arrived and went to consult her. "When are you telling him, sakura?" Tenten asked her. "I don't know yet. Maybe when I'm ready to face the truth about us."

"Now please go back to your chairs, I know sasuke won't like it if he sees me cry again. I feel really guilty." She wiped her tears and gave her friends a reassuring smile. She sat back down as well and stared outside the window. "when will be the time that I will be ready?"

Three minutes before classes start, sasuke arrived. The moment he opened the door of their classroom, he glanced at where sakura was. Their eyes met, only it wasn't the same as before. Their eyes were filled with sadness and regret. Sakura looked away while Sasuke continued walking to his chair. Their friends took note of this and they began to really worry.

"I need to do something about this! I cannot let this happen!" Naruto whispered, only to receive a sigh from shikamaru and neji. "Naruto, you'll just make things worse. You're a troublesome man and I doubt that you will be able to do something about it." Shikamaru said followed by a yawn. "Let them fix this on their own. Let us not interfere but instead, we should just show them our support and that we're always here for them because we are their friends." Neji said and looked at the two. "But I cannot stand this!!" Naruto insisted.

"Naruto, I already told you, don't let me repeat it. We are not involved in this, you cannot do anything." Neji really sounded like an older brother. "Hah! I know but do you want me to just stand here and do nothing?" Naruto still insisted and doesn't want to take no for an answer. Sakura and sasuke has always been his first and greatest real friends and knowing his character, he will refuse to just stand and watch them doing nothing. "I'll treat you to ramen if you are able to do something about this. Not just that, eat all you can!" Shikamaru smirked. Somehow, he's on naruto's side. Naruto was enlightened because of this and he cannot let this very big opportunity pass so he smirked back. "count me on!" He raised a thumb at shikamaru who only sighed and muttered a troublesome.

Sasuke put his bag down and sat on his chair without even muttering a word. He took a glimpse of Sakura and it seemed to him that her tears are gonna come out any time now. He frowned and looked down. He never wanted anything like this to happen. He doesn't want the time to come that they're not going to be able to look at it each other straight in the eye. He doesn't want to lose the lovely and warm smile on her face nor he wants to stop from talking to her. Her glow in her face seemed to fade and felt guilty about it thinking that everything's his fault.

She glared at sasuke who was looking down. She closed her eyes and stopped the urge to cry. Like him, she blamed herself for everything. She wanted to say a word but something's stopping her. The whole night, she wasn't able to sleep because of her nonstop thinking. She told ino that she doesn't want to regret anything she has done but somehow, she felt like taking her words back.

Everything was like a huge misunderstanding. They both love each other but they also both got afraid to face the truth, not wanting to risk their friendship. They both hid their feelings, assuming that they don't share the same affection. They're both blaming their own selves but the truth is, it's both their fault. They just let love pass by like that and looking at their situation, the love that was once with her and is now with him seem to be impossible. If only, they had told each other earlier, the situation will not be like this.

The bell had rung and they're supposed to be starting their class by now but since first period is kakashi, come on! When did the day ever come that he didn't help an old lady cross the street or wait a snail to cross the street?

The silence was deafening between sasuke and sakura but when sakura heared a familiar voice, she immediately looked up and looked at sasuke. Upon hearing it, her brows twitched at what she saw. "slut and bitch Karin!" She was burning inside her.

If sai is sasuke's most hated person, same to Karin who was sakura's most unwanted person. She always acts so bitchy and flirty in front of sasuke and without herself noticing, she's already becoming stupid in front of everyone's eyes.

"Good morning sasuke-kun! Do you have something to do later?" Karin said in a very flirty tone with matching batting of eye lashes and pouting. Sasuke's serious and sad face turned into a disgusted one. Though he remained calm and cool, deep inside he wanted to remove the girl's face in front of his. He may be a little bit disrespectful but he did not answer Karin's question but it just lure Karin more. Karin looked at Sakura who was giving her a death glare and turned back to sasuke. "sasuke-kun, I noticed." Karin started and continued right away. "Why haven't you talked to sakura since you came?" She raised a brow at the two but sasuke didn't answer again and she just looked away. "Whatever the reason is, I don't care anymore. With the situation, I can have you as mine now!" She flirted some more.

That's it, she got into sakura's nerves. She stood up all of sudden and it caught Karin and sasuke's attention. She passed by sasuke then Karin and hit her as if it was accidental. "what's your problem bitch?" Karin yelled but sakura kept walking without looking back. She went straight to the door and went out. Sasuke nearly laughed at this while Karin was burning. She was about to follow Sakura but Sasuke grabbed her wrist and held on it tightly. "Hurt her and you'll see hell." He threatened and it scared her so she said her sorry and bowed at sasuke then she went back to her seat.

Sakura went back to her class before Kakashi finally arrived. Second, minutes and hours had passed but sakura and sasuke haven't talked to each other yet. Once in a while, they would glance at each other, seemingly bothered and annoyed by the silence between them.

When dismissal time came, Sakura went off first before sasuke. She passed by her best friend without even looking at him. Even though sasuke knows and understands the situation, in a way, it still hurt him. "I cannot stand this anymore. I have to do something." He, again, started to blame his own self for whatever is happening. Naruto looked at Sakura who passed by Sasuke then to sasuke who had a very disturbing sad look on his face.

Sasuke sighed and stood up afterwards. He stayed like that for a while before he grabbed his bag and went out of the classroom.

"Can this get any worse? I am not used to this, damn!" He heard Ino yell from inside the classroom but decided to ignore it. He searched the hall way wishing to see the only pink haired girl he wants ever since. Seeing no sign of Sakura, He went straight to the school gates to go home.

He was looking down all the way, ignoring squeals or whispers. Finally, he saw the school gates and he can get out of his troublesome life in school. He looked up and noticed something very familiar on the gates. Even from afar, he can definitely tell that sakura was standing there, head lowed. Later on, he found himself walking faster to her.

Sakura noticed sasuke footsteps so she looked up and gave him a weak smile, her eyes a little watery. She noticed the expression sasuke's face was giving so she went near him and grabbed left hand using her right one. She looked down again and forced the tears to come back from her eyes.

"Sakura." That was all sasuke can say on that moment. Almost a day without speaking to her seems forever to him. This is just what he wanted, to see her smile, even if it wasn't her usual one. He tightened the grip on her hand and like her, he fought the urge of crying. There are many students there and even though it's not a sin for a boy like him to cry, sasuke, having an unbelievably high pride would not embarrass his self.

"I guess I can't really stand a day without even talking to you." She looked up at him and smiled but this time, she did not force it. "I'm sorry." Sasuke spoke. "I want to tell you something important and I want to tell you everything. Sasuke, can we meet at the park later at 7 pm? That is if it's ok with you." She said, not letting go of his hand. "I'll go." He replied plainly. "thank you, sasuke." She let go of his hand and started to walk away from him. He stood there for a while as he watch her figure slowly disappearing from his sight. He smiled a little and went home after.

She searched the whole park, part by part scanning it, looking for someone she knows. She frowned at the scene, not seeing kids though she should know why because it's already evening and it just started snowing. She continued to walk until she found sasuke. "sasuke." She called weakly and immediately sat beside him on a bench under a sakura tree. Silent air filled them once again, both looking for words to say. "umm" she started. Sasuke looked at her with an expressionless face which scared her for some unexplainable reason. "sasuke, about what you said… that you love me.."

"Ino! What can we do?" Naruto kept on asking her the same question ever since the met that night. She sighed. "First of all, why did I agree to come with you anyway?" She sighed again and eyed naruto in disbelief. "I know you want to do something about this! I do not believe what the others are saying that we should just let them fix this on their own. Come on!" Naruto was persistent.

"Before anything else, I want to clear things with you first." Ino said and told naruto everything she knew about sasuke and sakura. Though she hesitated at first because it's also the same as betraying her promise to sakura, she has no choice because she wanted to help. She wanted to do something to make their relationship, even not as lover but just as friends to come back to what it was like since then.

"For the first time naruto, I will trust you in this!" She said. "I have an idea." Naruto smirked at her and went closer to her ear then whispered.

"That is crazy! You can't do something like that!" She almost yelled but only received a sheepish grin from the other blonde.

"I will listen." Though a little surprised, even if it will just hurt him, this is what he wanted ever since. He knows she has loads to say. She nodded and began to talk. "It's like this.."

Flashback: around 9-10 years ago

"Hey little girl!" Young sasuke called out with his brother itachi. Sakura looked for the caller and when she saw sasuke, she blushed a bit. "Did you dye your hair pink?" Sasuke asked in a little arrogant tone. "Huh?" Sakura asked back, seemed to be a bit puzzled. "I asked if you dyed your hair pink!" Sasuke repeated.

"Uhhm.. no." She shyly replied with a blush.

End of Flashback

"That was when we first met. When we were kids, we always fight. A day didn't come that we didn't argue about a very childish thing but because of it, we became good friends and this may really sound childish but you were my first crush." Sakura blushed and smiled shyly. "When we were 13, you went to Konoha to live with your parents and after some years, my parents and I moved there too."

"When I saw you at Leaf University, I was so happy to see you again. For once I really believed that it was what you call destiny. And that time, when we were freshmen…" She paused and looked at the dark sky as snow started to fall again. "I learned to love you." She curled fists and twitched her brow for again, trying to stop herself from crying again. He grabbed her hand to comfort it and when it calmed down, he intertwined it with his.

"But sasuke.." she closed her eyes because of guilt. Sasuke just kept silent and listened to her as she continues. "I got afraid that you only think of me as a friend and I don't want our friendship to be ruined just because of it so I decided to be contented for what I have and not ask for more. I didn't know what is the right or wrong thing to do." Her voice was slightly shaking so he bit her lip and closed her eyes.

Same reason that he has, she felt really guilty about everything. Yes he was hurt very deeply but he chose not to speak and instead, continued to listen. "..But I guess I should have told you earlier. If I did, maybe we're already together by now. I was wrong and I'm sorry. I know I don't have the right to get mad at you for what you said.. I'm sorry sasuke." She opened her eyes as she let tears slowly flow down from her eyes. He just eyed her and it was like a signal for her to go on.

"Sasuke, itachi.." She looked up at him, eyes filled with regret and sadness. He wiped her tears and gave her a reassuring smile. "what about itachi?" He asked and she nodded. "Sasuke, I think you already know that I didn't say yes to him."

Sasuke nodded. "I'm sorry because I got really mad when you got out of the restaurant because I thought you said yes. But why didn't you, sakura?"

"Sasuke, I did say I like him. I alwas say that. But I never said I love him."

"Oh great! Why didn't I notice it?" Sasuke thought recalling what sakura told her few months ago that like and love are way too different.

Sakura let go of sasuke's hand and reached for something on her pocket. There was a small black box which she opened, revealing a silver necklace. She grabbed her hand and placed the necklace on his palm. "But sasuke.." She spoke again. "I'm really sorry. I don't want to hurt you nor myself but.. I cannot answer your feelings for now. I hope you understand. I'm sorry." She kept her gaze on the ground as tears pour down again and she was sobbing softly.

"I should.."

Sasuke stood up and tightened his grip on the necklace she gave him. "It's ok. I wasn't really expecting a good answer. But sakura.." He faced her and forced a smile despite seeing her crying. "I'm still the sasuke you know. I'm always here and I will always be. Thank you for telling everything to me. I need to go. Mom and dad's at home and I cannot miss dinner. I just want to tell you one thing, please don't blame yourself anymore nor regret everything you have done. I'm alright so don't worry about me." He turned around and looked down, already feeling the tears that are already at the corner of his eyes to go down.

"Be satisfied with just like this. Friends."

"I'm sorry." he heard her mutter once again but he didn't bother to look back nor reply.

Even though his back was turned, she can clearly tell that he was crying. "I'm sorry."

"Hey bro, what happened?" Itachi cheerfully asked at the frowning sasuke. "Oi idiot, do you think I should just go away?" Sasuke asked but only to receive a laugh from his older brother. "What are you talking about? Don't be so mellow dramatic sasuke!" He laughed again and received a death glare in return.

"Running away or hiding is not a solution my little brother. You are over reacting." Sasuke did not answer to this. Instead, he was put into deep thoughts. "Don't put into waste what I did for you." His older brother said to him. Sasuke, after knowing the truth that itachi just planned the whole 'asking her to be my girlfriend' for him, he punched his brother. "Fine. Thank you for that! but this is not about you onii-san!" Sasuke raised a brow at him.

"How regretful, I should have asked her to be my girlfriend for real. She's hot and pretty and smart and.." Sasuke punched him. "you are not helping!" Itachi groaned in pain.

"Let me tell you one thing sasuke. If you are not ready to get hurt, you're not ready to love."

To be continued..