This is definitely my favorite chapter so far and you'll soon find out :) Aw I just want to thanks so much to all who reviewed (again :) I mean, for me to get nine reviews for once chapter is amazing! So really, really thanks! Also to those 'silent readers' and those who put me and this story on alerts and favorites. So I guess this chapter is dedicated to all of you then? Well here's hoping you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it :)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters/places mentioned in this story... sadly.
Chapter 5 – Dattebayo
"Welcome Naruto-kun!" the owner of Ichiruki Ramen greeted as the blonde haired boy came into view. Yet he was not alone, at his side was a pink haired and emerald eyed woman, her gaze downward.
"Evening," Naruto called in response, usual trademark grin plastered upon his lips. 'Well it is past midnight, so won't it be morning?' he questioned, motioning Sakura to join him by settling on the seat next to him. She did so, albeit hesitantly.
Sakura nodded at the owner of Ichiruki, who in return politely waved. "Who's this Naruto-kun?" he queried. He then frowned, "You and Hinata-chan didn't-, but his concerned statement was interrupted by Naruto's reply.
"No, Hinata-chan and I are fine, this is Sakura-chan. She's new in Konoha," Naruto hastily replied, waving his hands, as if to emphasize this point.
"Is that so?" the owner mused, "She's pretty, you're going to have to watch out for those fan boys."
Sakura's cheeks reddened, "I… wi…ll," she stammered in reply. 'Why did I have to have a late night ramen craving? Why did this have to be the only place that serves ramen at midnight and why did Naruto come with? Oh wait, he's the one that lead me here…' she sighed, fixing her gaze on the menu.
"So what will you have?" the owner asked.
"The usual, and you Sakura-chan," Naruto replied before men turned to Sakura, waiting.
"Just the miso ramen please," she sheepishly stated, blush deepening. 'Could they stop staring?' she begged, pleaded feeling an involuntary shiver cascade down her back from her unease.
"Coming right up," and much to Sakura's relief, the owner vanished, albeit only further into the store.
"Thanks for bringing me here, Naruto," Sakura said after a brief moment of silence between them.
"It's a pleasure, Sakura-chan," he replied, "I felt like some ramen anyway." He quickly shrugged it off. "Ramen has become my staple diet."
"Really?" Sakura questioned, furrowing her brows. "I'm never really a fan of ramen; I just have a weird craving all of a sudden." 'Oh right, don't you get food cravings in pregnancy?'
"How could you not be?" he seemed shocked, "My parents are also huge ramen lovers so I guess it kinda runs in the family," he then sheepishly remarked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"Family eh?" Sakura mused softly, a forlorn expression clearly evident in her features. 'Will my baby and I ever be part of a real family?' she asked herself, her expression dropping into bitterness. 'Which man would want a woman without her virginity and a baby that isn't theirs?'
'Maybe I'll be one of those mothers who will do anything for their baby and who will isolate themselves from everything and everyone,' her expression fell further. 'Well aren't I already becoming one? I mean, I barely feel comfortable around Naruto. How will I feel in large groups, like tomorrow in school?'
'What happens if someone finds out? Naruto doesn't even know. I know that my bump won't be showing until the second 'trimester' but after that? I know that summer break is in three months but then? After that, I'll be showing by the time school starts again,' she groaned in despair. 'Then what will everyone think of me? I can't tell them I got extremely fat over the holidays could I? Would they even believe that? What about Naruto? Will he even believe that?'
"Sakura-chan?" Naruto queried, noting her facial expression. 'She seems to be deep in thought. Should I even try and break her from her thoughts? Is she worrying about school tomorrow? Well today, but still, she shouldn't. Maybe this is why she was awake, worrying about school…'
"Hmm, Naruto?" Sakura replied, wistfully breaking her thoughts. 'I'll have to worry about that later, I can't let him get suspicious.'
"No I was just wondering what you were thinking about…" he said, waiting for her reply.
"Just school tomorrow," she unwillingly stated, "I don't know what to expect."
"You don't have to worry," Naruto reassured her, confidently. "How about tomorrow morning we leave early and I'll show you around?"
Sakura nodded, "Thanks Naruto, I'd appreciate that."
"Then I guess we should get back after eating otherwise neither of us is going to be willing to get up," Naruto said, grin spread across his face.
"I suppose so," she replied, returning the grin as the Ichiruki owner placed the bowls of steaming ramen before them.
----
"It was very sweet Naruto, to take me to go and get ramen," Sakura somewhat bashfully stated as the pair walked through the silent streets of Konoha. 'It must be at least one… Surely he's tired.'
"It's nothing, besides, I'm always up for some ramen," he replied, reassuring her somewhat.
"I was wondering," Sakura mused, "Why were you up so late?"
"Me? Well I dunno, I guess I just couldn't sleep. It happens…" he said, sighing quietly at the end of his sentence. "Then I saw you sitting on the balcony and I decided to come and join you."
"And that's how we got to Ichiruki, after talking for some time," Sakura continued, recalling the memory. 'I wonder why Tsunade's house was built so close to his, he could basically walk onto my balcony from his room. Well he did have to go through a tree but still.'
"Hmm, it was worth it wasn't it dattebayo," immediately Naruto's cheeks flushed red. "I… um… was supposed to have grown out of that… eh… he… he…" he stammered, not daring to meet Sakura's amused gaze.
"I think it's cute," she merely said, giggling after her statement. "Dattebayo…" she repeated, "It really is cute. Besides, it sounds like something you would say."
"I guess… Dattebayo," he sheepishly grinned. "It was hard to stop saying it after each sentence."
"Why did you?" Sakura questioned, tilting her head to the side as they leisurely strolled along the street, enjoying the soothing silence.
"I went to high school and I didn't want to be a child anymore. Then I got a girlfriend and I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of her, or her cousin," he admitted. "Although it's good to say it again without feeling too embarrassed."
"Too embarrassed eh?" Sakura teased, playfully slapping his shoulder. "Oh and you mentioned you had a girlfriend, whats she like?"
"Her name is Hinata Hyuuga. Her dad is a big business man in Konoha so you could call her and her cousin rich. But she's very sweet, and pretty. I think you and her would get along," he said softly. 'Wow, Sakura-chan is really beautiful, the way the light is reflecting off her skin. It makes her glow; seem like an angel of some sort. If I didn't have Hinata-chan I would have definitely wanted to ask her out, become more than just friends.'
"I… I don't know about that," Sakura whispered, almost whimpering. 'I don't want to get close to so many people, its bad enough that I'm friends with Naruto.' "I don't really want to get involved with too many people at the moment," she admitted softly.
"Why?"
"I had a bad experience back home so I don't want to get close to too many people right now," she told him, moving her gaze downward.
"Am I one of the people you do want to get close to though, dattebayo?" he asked in a somewhat playful manner as he grinned at her, causing her to smile in response.
"Maybe," she teased, "Just depends on how you play your cards."
'Hmm, then I'll try my best to play them right Sakura-chan,' Naruto thought with a sly grin as she stole a glance at Sakura, finding that she was still bathed in a moonlit glow. 'Stop it, think Hinata. Channel Hinata…' he repeated, using all his willpower to keep him from stealing yet another glance.
"Naruto, can I ask you something?"
'Okay now I have a reason to look.' "Anything," he nodded, taking full in the full opportunity and imprinting the image within his mind.
"How'd you get this… um…'markings' on your face?" she asked, somewhat ashamed. 'I hope it isn't personal.'
"Oh these?" Naruto remarked, "Bad experience with a fox when I was smaller," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"A fox? How did it do that?" the pinkette asked in awe.
"Long story short, you should never hold a fox in such a position that its claws are close to your face when it is feeding time."
Sakura's eyes widened, "It must have been quite painful."
"Eh… I was screaming the entire way to the hospital. My mom actually thought the thing had scratched an eye out. Oh and my dad was freaking out so much that he almost killed the fox but luckily one of the attendants stopped him before he caused too much damage. Although he did successfully manage to punch the thing once before the attendant pulled him away," he paused, "Needless to say we haven't been back there again."
"Your parents really care for you, don't they?" Sakura whispered, sadness evident in her barely audible tone.
"They do, I couldn't ask for better. Especially since it seems they always act like a newly married couple. People sometimes mistake me as my dad's brother, dattebayo!"
This caused a short euphoria of laughter that was stopped when an elderly couple demanded them to stop from the confines of their bedroom.
"You know, you shouldn't stop saying 'dattebayo', it really lightens the mood," Sakura said in between soft giggle fits.
"But, everybody will start thinking I'm a kid! I mean I'm eighteen…" he mumbled before beginning to ramble in such a manner that Sakura could literally not understand a word he uttered.
"Then how about you only say it when you and I are alone?" she asked, interrupting his series of mindless rambling.
"Really?" he queried in awe, "You won't mind?"
"Why would I have suggested it if I minded?" she rolled her eyes.
"Deal, dattebayo."
----
"Thanks for everything tonight Naruto," Sakura said appreciatively and thankfully once they had ended up back at Tsunade's house.
"It's really nothing Sakura-chan, dattebayo," he replied, causing another quick round of laughter. "But we'd better get to bed, we do have school tomorrow…"
"I know," she sighed before walking up to the front door and leaning against the doorframe, watching Naruto intently. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight to you too, Sakura-chan," he replied, cheeks gaining some colour from her emerald gaze.
"Oi Naruto," Sakura called as he began to leave. "You forgot something."
"Huh? What Sakura-chan?" he asked, clearly and utterly confused.
"Dattebayo."
Aw! I feel like crying from sweetness! As I said, this is def my favorite chapter at the moment :)
IMPORTANT: I want to know what you guys would like for their future first kiss... Yes they will kiss but do you want it:
A.) Soft and sweet
OR
B.) Passionate
OR
C.) A mixture
Just place a A or a B or a C in your review so that I'll know :)
Lorelock :)