Sorry for the late post, I hope everyone is having a Happy Thanksgiving! Please review after reading, now I gotta go brainstorm some ideas! Thanks guys take care.

Chapter Title: The Loving Kind

In love….with Mayuko?", Sasuke repeated a mix of confusion and anger strung in his voice. He knew much better and wasn't going to believe Naruto for a moment.

Sakura glanced speechless from Naruto and Sasuke; she could immediately tell by Sasuke's fluttered reaction that he did not know that Naruto had being harboring a secret love. She assumed he was rather upset because Naruto had not told his best friend about his feelings.

"Boys will be boys...", she sighed shaking her head as the thought left her mind. Sakura however had a completely different reaction to Naruto news. She walked over and threw her delicate arms around Naruto's neck excitingly, she was nearly off the ground as her arms wrapped around.

"Oh Naruto I am so happy for you", Sakura stated quite happily. Her warm cheek pressed against his chin, as she almost tripped into his body because of her binding kimono

"I am so happy you get to be with the one you love", she said almost in a slight whisper, just barely loud enough for Naruto to hear.

Naruto moved his eyes down to look at Sakura's glistening pink hair, it smelled like cherries and wild flowers like it always had from the academy years, he closed his eyes only for a brief moment to ingest the wonderful smell and opened them just as hastily. He turned his gaze to Sasuke's who locked eyes till Naruto averted them. Sakura pulled away and looked back at Naruto who put on a big smile.

She grabbed his hand and tugged him off back toward the festival, "Well Naruto aren't you going to introduce me properly?"

Naruto just limply followed her, as they came around the corner he could see Mayuko come into view.

"Sakura…", he started

"I haven't told her how I fell yet…", he managed to get out.

She stopped and turned around and gave him a light jab to his rib, " I wont say a word, I promise.", she smiled innocently at him as they stopped in front of Mayuko.

Naruto had seemed to lose his voice as he let out a coarse cough, "Mayuko…this is, uh this is Sakura."

Mayuko seemed a bit taken back by the introduction, but none the less bowed as a sign of respect. This was after all the girl that risked her life to save others, who were her people, even if she couldn't remember Mayuko held respect for people who cared more for a human life than selfishness, "I am honored to meet you Sakura."

Sakura nodded her head as she took in Mayuko's features; she was a very beautiful woman. Her body was curved and she had a few things that Sakura wouldn't mind having. Naruto obviously had good taste in woman.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mayuko.", Sakura stated as Mayuko and Sakura meet eyes.

Naruto really needed an escape plan, as he eyed both woman from the corner of his eyes, not to mention he could see a not so pleased Sharighan user heading his way.

And than Naruto heard it. The soft music could be heard echoing within his ears. He could feel his stomach do flips; he hated dancing, almost as much as he hated not having ramen in the house. He always messed up the steps somehow, and made it look like he was fighting a battle on the dance floor. Sure when it came to winning battles on the field he was fearless, but when it came to dancing he was utterly hopeless. Mayuko and he stood off to the side as the other couples gathered together.

Next to him stood daydreaming Sakura and on the other side of her a very silent tranquil Sasuke.

"I'm gonna get to know Mayuko a little better", Sasuke whispered swiftly to Sakura. Who merely bobbed her head in acceptance, she understood the urge for Sasuke to recognize what drew Naruto to this girl.

"Dance with me.", Sasuke announced as he grasped Mayuko's slender hand and headed toward the large arena where others were joyfully dancing.

Mayuko couldn't get a word in as she was hauled off by Sasuke. Sakura couldn't help but let out a small giggle escape her luminous pink lips, Sasuke was never good at asking for things.

"She perfect for you Naruto", Sakura stated as she turned to gaze at Naruto, who to much surprise had a devilish grin spread across his innocent face. Sasuke may have attracted all the girls because of his astounding looks, but when it came to dancing he literally had to left feet.

"Baka..", he let roll across his tongue.

"Hey, you think you could do any better?", she gave him a playful long glance

Naruto knew where this was going and he wanted to get out of it really quick.

"No No, I don't believe I can do better, Sasuke is doing a great job."

He moved his eyes away from Sakura's and back to his hopeless clueless friend who had a noted look of confusion and frustration spread across his face. Naruto couldn't help but to laugh again.

Sakura reached down and clutched his hand, "Prove it." She took one step frontward and Naruto seemed to be drawn to her like a magnet. She found a open spot on the floor and moved over to it.

The song was fast beat, so she began to move her body back and forth, yes it was hard in a kimono but she wasn't going to let that prevent her from having fun. Naruto sort of stood for a moment until he realized he almost certainly looked like an idiot in the center of the dance floor not dancing. He began to move his body, when the song pace abruptly slowed down.

Naruto's heart did a back flip as Sakura stood there waiting.

"Uh Naruto, typically when a slow song comes on you have to be a little closer."

He stood his ground, not daring to move. She looked at him humorously, as she inched closer to his body. The slow song had already started to play and other couples were by now swaying to the peaceful melody as Naruto stood motionless, uncertain of what he would do next.

"Okay, Naruto perhaps I should help you."

Sakura reached down and grabbed his hand, "This hand goes here", she positioned it gently on her waist, after doing so she flashed him a immense smile.

She then took his other limp arm and enclosed her own hand into it. She ran her fingers in-between his, and applied slight pressure as to assure him everything would be alright. They stood still for a moment as the song played on. Something in Naruto's oceanic blue eyes made Sakura freeze up and look intensely into them. If she didn't know any better it looked like anticipation and pain mixed together. Her eyes searched for something in his eyes, she couldn't tell what, but it felt like everything had stopped and the only thing she could actually see at all was Naruto.

Before they even took one step Mayuko's voice could be heard. Sakura shook her head faintly and took a step back.

"Is that all right Sakura?", Mayuko repeated.

"Huh...um I'm sorry Mayuko I blanked out a moment."

"I was just wondering if I could dance with Naruto now."

"Oh, yes of course hahaha, I was just teaching him how to slow dance..."

Mayuko smiled, "Well I'll take it from here", and she turned her back to Sakura gently placed Naruto's hands on her waist and grabbed his other hand and began to dance away.

Sakura stood a moment as she watched them dance. Sasuke came and stood next to her. "Is everything alright Sakura, you do feel well don't you?"

Sakura shook her head vaguely, "Yes, I'm fine Sasuke I was just...thinking, thats all."

The festival carried into the late night hours, most everyone had gone by the time Sakura and Sasuke headed out, it was a little past midnight as Sakura stood with Sasuke outside her apartment door.

"I had a wonderful time Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke stood silent he wasn't relatively sure what he should say. He ran his hand through his hair, much like Naruto did.

"Yeah- Yes me too Sakura-chan."

They stood a moment longer, Sakura than leaned a little closer to Sasuke implying that she wanted something from him. Sasuke fully understanding what she wanted backed up alongside the railing.

With the slightest of ease he flipped onto the hood of the railing roof. Hanging upside down like a bat would, "I'll see you later Sakura.", he whispered before disappearing into the night.

'That was a close one.', thought Sasuke as he made his way home.

Sakura was left standing in front of her door with a bewildered look, "Men" she exclaimed out loud.

Sakura wanted nothing more than to get out of her binding kimono, it had been an exhausting night and she could feel a minor headache coming on. She had so hoped for some type of indicator to her memory, but much to her dismay nothing really helped her remember anything more.

She promptly changed, and huddled up into her bed, she had finished reading her diary which mainly spoke about Sasuke. At times she believed she was nothing more than a little obsessed fan girl trying to hide her true feelings.

Even though her eyes were heavy and her head pounded slightly she opened up the diary again to re-read a passage.

Dearest diary,

Ino-pig tried to steal Sasuke-kun away today, even though I know she wants to be with Shikamaru. I swear that girl just does it to make me mad. After Sasuke's return, Naruto has been spending less and less time with me, I swear he is just caught up in training. Still you can't hide from your feelings…I mean the feelings toward Naruto, I mean the feelings Naruto has toward…"

After that passage, there was a great deal of scribbles across the page, and an angry cartoon of Sakura. Sakura slowly closed the book and laid it down on her desk. She lay back down on her bed, and a grave sigh escaped her lips. She brought her hands to her head and ran her slender fingers through her pink hair. She flipped on her side quickly and found her eyes closely. It wasn't long until she drifted into a deep sleep.

Several faces flashed before Sakura's eyes, she was unsure of what was going on. She looked around to find a little girl with pink hair standing behind a swing set crying. The corner of her eyes matched the color of her hair as she rubbed vigorously at them. She was wiping her tears away but they just kept falling like a leaky faucet.

'is… that me?…', Sakura questioned out loud already recognizing that it was. Before she could even take a step forward, she could see the large crowd of boys and girls laughing at her.

"Who has pink hair anyway?", she could hear being whispered

"Do you think she will always have that huge forehead?", someone laughed as they pointed at her

They were teasing and taunting her as a figure stood next to her. It was a very small blond boy, who puffed up his chest and walked out to the crowd. A few soft whispers could be heard before the children ran away.

"My mother told me he was evil…" whispered another girl before she was out of sight most likely in fear.

A pain stricken look appeared on the boy's face, before a soft smile set in. He turned around placing both of his hands into the pockets of his shorts.

"Are you alright Sakura-chan?", he asked

Sakura wouldn't bring her eyes to meet his so he walked over to where she was standing, "They are just being jerks don't pay any attention to them."

She spoke in between her sobs, "They..sniff…told..sniff…me…I have a big…sniff forward."

"You do Sakura-chan", he responded not knowing this wasn't the smartest answer to say. It only made the tears in her eyes clump together and fall faster.

He looked around as he pulled his hands out of his pockets to calm her, "Even if you do I think it is the most beautiful forehead I have ever seen, I swear Sakura-chan I wouldn't lie. The rest of the kids just can't see where your really beauty comes from.

He took his finger and pointed it at Sakura's heart, "From in here, that is what really matters."

Sakura looked up from the ground, ceasing her tears from falling, as a few sniffs escaped and looked curiously at the boy who had a warm smile across his face. His eyes were looking into hers youthful green ones, with nothing but love and care.

She unexpectingly hugged him tight, locking her fingers together behind his back. The boy stood a moment his arms sticking out and his face full of shock that she was hugging him like this.

"Thank you Naruto."

She pulled away, and placed a soft, warm kiss on his clod cheek. Naruto felt like his skin was on fire when Sakura's innocent lips touched his now red cheek. She lingered a moment before she pulled back, the tiny pink ribbon that held her hair together slipped off as she raised her hand to wipe a stray tear allowing her vibrant pink hair to brush her shoulders.

Naruto looked at her in awe as if she was a angel instead of a little girl, her orbs or greens glistened as the tears began to fade, and Naruto found for the first time in his young but harsh life his heart was beating a hundreds time per minute because of love instead of out of fear.

"Get away from her…Sakura come here NOW", both Naruto and Sakura turned to face Sakura's ill tempered aunt.

Sakura ran over and Naruto could see she was being scolding for being near him. Sakura however did not let one stray tear slip from her eyes for being punished. Sakura's aunt turned back to Naruto and gave him a malicious glare before taking Sakura's hand and walking away.

Naruto watched as they were almost out of sight as Sakura turned her head around and gave Naruto the warmest smile he had ever seen, before she was out of sight.

Sakura stirred a moment as she opened her eyes wide and quickly sat up in her bed; she reached to turn her lamp on. She was in a stunned state; she didn't know what was going on.

'Was that a dream, or a memory?', Sakura thought. She was utterly confused as she sunk back into her bed.

'Did I dream about Naruto?'