Sakura's slim body was icy cold to touch. Naruto's fingers stiffened and his breath hitched. She really wasn't human. Shivering slightly, he released her as she composed herself.
"Thank you Naruto. I had forgotten how warm people could be…" Sakura sighed. "Well, I suppose I should answer your question. I'll start at the very beginning…"
xxx
A young woman is sleeping on the front steps of a large brick building. The iron railings are old and flaking with rust, and the paint on the door is chipped and peeling. The sunshine glints of her pink hair and highlights her pale skin. She breathes evenly, unaware of her surroundings.
A car stops in front of her, and a young man jumps out. He stops himself just short of crashing into the sleeping person on the doorstep. Mumbling a soft apology, he walks around her through the old door.
xxx
"I think that was the first time we met. His name was Neji Hyuuga. He'd just moved out from his ancestral home into my apartment building. I'd been waiting for my friend Ino to pick me up…and I'd fallen asleep. I didn't know it at the time, but he would become my most important person…"
xxx
Sakura playfully hits her friend as she wrestles with him for the blanket. It is movie night in his apartment, and they are fighting over his fluffy comforter. Sakura would never admit it, but the only reason she fights with him for the old blanket was because it smells like him. Every night, she would find herself cocooned in its warmth, and more often that not, in the arms of the man she loved. But she would never tell him that.
xxx
"We were good friends almost immediately. Almost like best friends, but there were some things that we could never tell each other. Like, even the fact that we loved each other…" Sakura murmured softly as her eyes grew distant.
Naruto didn't dare to speak, afraid that he would spoil the moment.
xxx
"Oh my GOD!" Ino's screech can be heard all through out the party. "Sakura. You have to tell Neji. I'm soooo happy that you finally found someone. This is going to turn out well…not like the last time. GAHHHHH! You have to tell himmmm…"
Ino is distracted soon after by Shikamaru, leaving Sakura alone with her thoughts. Luckily, Neji is working late as an intern at a prestigious law firm. A blush staining her cheeks, Sakura contemplates her secret love. It was fine when she was the only who had known…but Ino had somehow managed to drag the secret out. By now, the whole party would have heard. This only left her with one choice.
xxx
"He had a girlfriend, you know. Tenten. I didn't know back then, and I didn't find out until after I had confessed. It's really too bad. She was really pretty and smart and amazing. Perfect, really. They might have been happy together."
xxx
"Sakura..." Neji's eyes soften as the woman in front of him sobs. He has known her for three years, and considers her his best friend. And now, everything has changed. One sudden decision and three short words had turned his world around.
"I love you. I really do. I'm sorry." She looks away from him and is prepared to drown her sorrows somewhere private. Preferably somewhere he couldn't find her again. She was so stupid. When she had arrived to speak with him, she hadn't seen the other woman in his office.
He stands there silently, until Tenten had appears. "Who's that, Neji?" she asks. Neji sees Sakura's eyes widen and tears begin to form. Without another word, she disappears as quickly as she had come.
xxx
"We didn't see each other for a few years. By the time I was ready to come outside a week later, his stuff was gone from next door. I think I cried some more…and by the time Ino managed to cheer me up, a few months had passed. In the end, I decided to move on." Sakura looked wearily at Naruto.
"Then what happened?" Naruto's voice was small and tense. He really needed to know what had happened.
"Then…nothing. Life went on as usual. I graduated from medical school. I started to work at Konoha General. I had boyfriends, but they were nothing serious. And…I never forgot him." Sakura passed delicately. "It was 5 long years later that I finally saw him again."
xxx
She is at another charity event, making sure that the children's department was getting some much needed attention from the donors. Her long pink hair is twisted back, and her flowing red dress compliments her lovely face and figure. Her smiling demeanour puts even the most experienced politicians to shame; everyone wants to help the lovely young doctor and her hospital.
Sakura steps out for a breath of fresh air. The senior doctor of the hospital, Tsunade, joins her on the balcony. The thick red curtain hides the two women from the rest of the merriment as they silently take in the view. Tsunade puffs lazily on her cigarette, watching as the smoke drifts lazily into the starry night.
"Something on your mind?" As always, Tsunade was right to the point.
"Just something from before; it's not that important, really…" Sakura's voice trails off as she begins to twist her fingers together. She pretended that the other woman wasn't there, so that she could be lost in her own thoughts. Taking the hint, Tsunade left with a final drag on her cigarette.
xxx
"The thing is, I never really forgot about him. Almost like the way you never forget an old scar. Sure, you don't see it some days, and then you don't think about it. But when you do see, all the memories come back as strong as ever. It's like that." Sakura played with the stem of one of the roses. Naruto unconsciously traced a spiral scar on his stomach, one of the last reminders of his mother.
"Yeah," he breathed, and was silent again.
xxx
Sakura is at Ino's engagement, and can't help but feel a little jealous. Her best friend is getting married to the love of her life. Her own love had disappeared without a trace. It just didn't seem fair. Making up her mind to be happy for her friend, Sakura adjusts her silk dress. She definitely didn't want to ruin it before the ceremony. Trying not to begrudge her friend any happiness, she goes to congratulate the newlyweds.
As she gets in line, she notices many familiar people. Kakashi, Anko, Yamato, Iruka, Tsunade, Shikamaru's parents, Ino's parents, Tenten, Rock Lee…TENTEN?! The smiling young woman is holding onto the hand of her high school friend, laughing at his antics. But…there was no Neji in sight.
Remembering her loss, Sakura turns away in pain…and walked right into the newlyweds. Ino looks like the happiest woman in the world, and even Shikamaru's frown is more of a pout today. Either way, Sakura knows that this was one of the best days of her friends' lives.
"Sakura, get in position! I'm going to throw the bouquet!" Sakura hurries to comply as she joins the other single women jostling each other. Ino's pretty bunch of flowers sail gracefully through the air…to land right in Tenten's outstretched arms. She blushes prettily, and looks askance at Ino. Ino just smiles placidly as Lee steps forward.
"Tenten, ever since the day we met, there has never been a more beautiful flower in my eyes. I would be honoured if you would spend the rest of your youthful life with me. I shall cherish you forever." Lee kneels on the floor and produces a small black box from the confines of his tight green suit. Tenten gasps happily as she hugs and kisses him.
Sakura can feel her stomach twist as she looks away from the happy sight. If Tenten was with Lee, where was Neji? Had something happened to him?
xxx
Naruto matched Sakura's frown with his own. It was too sad, how she had lost her first love, only to lose him again. He really wanted to know what had happened. So, without saying anything, he waited for Sakura to continue.
xxx
Sakura flips frantically through the phonebook. There were at least a hundred Hyuugas listed, but only one Hyuuga whose address was not that of the main compounds'. Copying the address into her cell phone, she hurries out the door, nearly forgetting to lock it. Neji was waiting for her.
A/N: Hey, I'm back from my little break. I hope everyone forgives me…but September is always a busy time for me. So…here's the new chapter of 21 Questions. I hope no one is annoyed at the Neji/Saku pairing. I'm disappointed that nobody voted between Sasuke and Neji, so I just went with whatever I felt like, (meaning…I just picked one XD. Anyway…keep reading, and please review! The next chapter is probably going to be a lot more exciting.