Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto Shippuuden.

And one more thing, I am not sure if Kurenai Sensei's child will be a boy or a girl, but for the sake of this fanfic, I've decided it to be a boy, and I named him Asuma, after his father. If in the series it turns out to be a girl, then I'm sorry. XD

On another note, I have never seen Sakura's parents before. I believe they were never shown in the manga or anime. And that sucks because I don't even know their names. So in this chapter, let's just say Sakura is living alone. In the later chapters, MAYBE, I would create parents for her, because it would benefit Sai so much if she did.

Sai had always stood out in ROOT as the strongest in his generation. Because of his lack of emotions, he was able to finish missions – however unethical and unpleasant that mission was – with swift efficiency. With his special jutsu, he was practically a one-man reconnaissance team, and without having to say it, he was one hell of an assassin.

In short, he got the job done, and he did it fast and clean.

Sai was also very observant. After all, he was an artist. Paying attention to minute details was important to him. After having joined Team Seven, he had discovered he liked using his observation skills mostly on Naruto Uzumaki. One, because he was interesting, and two, he was so very easy to read. As Sai was used to working alone, and teams weren't really his thing, having to work with other people had been a burden.

Until he started to understand that Naruto Uzumaki was an idiot.

The blonde was loud and had spent his first days of getting to know Sai acting spiteful and cold and outright rude to him, and had he been a normal person, he was sure he would have gotten hurt by his rejection.

But one of the many redeeming qualities Naruto Uzumaki had was his sheer determination to never give up. That, and his sincere belief that people are good. He had wondered how this loudmouth, cocky idiot could draw girls and guys alike to him in droves.

But he knew the reason the moment when he, too, was sucked into his world. Two years on the same team with him, and Sai finally concluded that no one could hate this boy, because there was absolutely nothing to hate. His childlike honesty with the people around him and his honesty to himself made him grow on you.

That said, Sai still thought, in his heart of hearts, that Naruto Uzumaki was still just that, an idiot. But a heroic idiot nonetheless. Or would it be better to call him an idiotic hero?

And he was showing his idiocy right now as they watched Team Eight, a sleeping Hinata riding on Akamaru's back, walk away from them as they reached the village gates after saying their short goodbyes, where Naruto's only parting words were, "Nmphfgh."

The mission had been a success. Kiba and Akamaru had located the passages in no time, destroyed them and came back to their camp where Sai's group had arrived first. They rested a bit, and decided to travel at night, having short breaks along the way. Hinata had been out like a light, and if Sai didn't know any better, he would have assumed she was just pretending to sleep to avoid awkward conversations.

"Didn't you realize she liked you?" Sakura asked Naruto as Team Eight disappeared around an alley leading to the Hyuuga Manor.

Naruto, looking stoned, shook his head. "I just thought she was shy around people…"

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "Only when around you. Which is ironic, because she's changed a lot because of you."

Sai listened to what Sakura was saying with interest. Though he had interacted with a few of Naruto's friends, Hinata was always the one who didn't talk much.

"The moment you entered the academy, the only thing she looked at was you. As a model, an inspiration. She had wanted to be like you." Sakura smiled a half-smile. "And she is what she is now because of you. Didn't you even notice, just a bit, that she had feelings for you?"

It was just a question, Sai knew, and somehow he knew where the conversation was going, but lost it when Naruto whirled around and faced Sakura, his hands curled into fists.

"Did you think when I was little, I had time noticing someone who liked me when everyone else hated my guts? Did you think I'd know someone was looking at me like a role-model when everyone else looked down on me like trash?" It was no sooner out of his mouth when he realized he had said too much. Naruto shook his head, his fists relaxing. "I'm sorry, Sakura. I shouldn't have said that."

Sai watched how Naruto's usually smiling face broke out into a frown. Sakura, also surprised at probably Naruto's first and only complaint about his youth, looked at the blonde sadly.

"She was like me, in so many different ways. Trying to prove herself worthy of respect." Naruto's gaze traveled to where Team Eight had disappeared to. "And there was something about her… that's always wanted me to cheer her on."

"It must be because you like her," Sakura said gently. "And she's loved you from the very start, even before you gained the respect you have now. Even before you've been considered this Village's hero. Even before you got strong. She's loved you at your weakest, Naruto. Isn't that what love is?"

Sai suddenly felt himself inhale sharply at what Sakura said. There it goes again, that word. Love. It was probably the hardest emotion he was going to have to master in a month's time.

Naruto turned to Sakura again, a sudden light appearing behind his baby-blue eyes. "I, I have to go… somewhere… I'll see you guys at Granny's tower." And with that, without even bothering to hear Sakura or Sai's response, he ran to the direction for the Hyuuga Manor.

Sakura watched him go, and sighed as she turned back to Sai. "I guess that leaves the reporting to us."

Sai looked down at her. "Is Naruto going to be all right?"

This made Sakura laugh. "Naruto? Oh, you don't have to worry about him. He catches on slow, but when he does, he pulls through one way or another. In fact, as you probably know, Naruto thinks better than anyone else under great amounts of pressure. We, on the other hand, have business to take care of. And I can't wait to get out of this rain." And, reaching up to Sai's shoulder to adjust the cloak that was covering the boy riding on his back, then tucking the teddy bear in Sai's arm, she began to walk towards the Hokage tower, Sai trailing behind her.

After having the full report of the mission to Lady Tsunade, Sai was ordered to take the boy to the hospital for treatment before sending an escort for him to the shelters, leaving Sakura and the Hokage alone in her office.

"Looks like everything went well," Tsunade said, stamping the thin folder on her desk with satisfaction. "I shouldn't have taken it too lightly. Who would have thought there would still be someone down there."

"It was all thanks to Sai," Sakura said, remembering how the artist had wanted to make sure everyone was evacuated before they started the operation.

Tsunade's brown eyes gazed at her curiously. "And how goes your mission?"

The reminder of it made Sakura's insides swell. She was not going to lie to her master, but it still took time before she could reply. "I don't think I can do this in a month, My Lady. It's like making him understand nineteen years of emotions in just thirty days."

Tsunade raised one perfectly arched golden eyebrow. "It's not like you to give up when you've hardly even started, Sakura. Did anything happen?"

Sakura shrank from her gaze, turned away. "Nothing. I'm sorry for complaining."

"Something did happen, right?"

Grudgingly, Sakura nodded. "He asks uncomfortable questions."

"That's hardly any reason for you to back out on a mission. You know Sai always asks uncomfortable questions and makes uncomfortable statements and you can't blame him for that. We should be grateful he's eager to learn."

"Yes… but…"

"But what?"

"He… talks about Sasuke…" Sakura said, almost in a whisper. "And what makes it even worse is that all that he said was almost true. But I didn't want to believe it." She wrapped her arms around herself as flashbacks of that time in the cave with Sai paraded in her head.

"I can't understand… what you ever saw in him…"

"You can never understand what Sasuke and I had, what Sasuke, Naruto and I had. Never."

"Then make me understand. Make me understand what makes you think about a person who has abandoned his village, abandoned his friends, for a shot at revenge he's already fulfilled, and still keeps going with his twisted thinking. What makes him so special, so different from any other rouge ninja, that you think you can bring him back and think that everything is going to be all right after?"

"I thought you understood that he's a friend of ours. We've had this conversation two years ago, and you were content with that back then."

"Two years ago, I hadn't really given it much thought, that bonds came in different varieties. It wasn't until today that I've decided… that I hate anything one-sided."

Probably one of the most painful conversations Sakura has ever had with Sai to date. And what made it worse was that she knew that Sai meant well.

Tsunade, who was not used to having Sakura unstable like this, could only sigh as she leaned back on her chair, watching her in silence. The Hokage, Sakura knew, had already done her best in stretching things for Sasuke's sake, but a woman could only do so much, and even the Hokage was not God. "Sometimes," Tsunade started, "we just have to accept what life throws at us. And we have to… let go."

Sakura lowered her head sadly.

"Even if we manage to bring him back, there is no future for him here. Not in the Leaf. Not anywhere. He has already tampered with affairs of other nations, and has proven to be a threat to peace between the Lands," Tsunade said to her, though Sakura had heard it many times before.

Sakura nodded. "I know, Lady Tsunade. I had just hoped… that maybe… things could be different…"

"So you want me to give Sasuke special treatment because he is your friend?" Tsunade asked skeptically.

"No, my Lady! I mean – "

"I know what you feel, Sakura. All too well, it hurts me just looking at you." Tsunade swiveled her chair to face the window, her back to Sakura. "I know the pain of losing a teammate, especially when it was in their own accord that they left. But you have to remember, Sakura, aside from Sasuke, there are people right here and right now that matter to you as you to them. Naruto, Sai, Yamato, Kakashi, your batch." She whirled around again to face her. "Have you even thought about… moving on?"

Sakura looked at her master reproachfully. "I am not a child anymore. I had moved on. But sometimes I can't help but hope – "

"Hoping Sasuke would come back is like me hoping for Orochimaru to come home with him," Tsunade cut her off, somewhat sadly. "You're a good girl, Sakura. One of these days you can actually be one of the best medic nins in this village, better than me, most probably. You have a future ahead of you. But Sasuke is not a part of it. I'm sorry."

Sakura felt a stinging sensation at the back of her nose, making her eyes water, but she nodded anyway and looked at Tsunade straight in the face. "Understood, ma'am."

"Good. You are dismissed."

Sakura bowed her head briskly, then hurriedly exited the office, closing the door behind her and leaning on it tiredly. She knew the Hokage was right. Everything she said to her was nothing new. She had heard it many times before, but somehow, this time made it so hard to accept, simply because of her pride; she did not want to admit that Sai had been right. Sakura did not believe it two years ago, and she did not want to believe it now. Pushing back her wet hair over her forehead, she pushed herself off the door. Right now, a long, warm bath seemed so very appealing. And after that, maybe a cup of tea and sympathy.

After depositing the child in the hospital, Sai felt mildly uncomfortable at the thought of going home alone. Inside his head were questions he wanted – needed – answers to, and had it not been for his promise to Sakura that he would not open his books for a month, he would have been in the library right now. But since the library was out of the question, he found out he was completely lost with no idea what to do.

"You look like a homeless cat waiting to be adopted."

Sai looked up and smelled Shikamaru's smoke before he saw him. As usual, he had a cigarette between his lips, a bored expression on his face. He was sitting under the shade of a tree by the hospital garden. Sai, not knowing how to react to this guy, whose wedding he had just ruined, put on the only thing he could think of at the moment; a smile.

"Hello," he greeted. "Do you mind if I join you under that tree?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at him. "It's a free tree."

Sai made his way to him and decided not to sit down. He had been hit by Naruto many times before after claiming that he just got 'too close', and with the back of his head still a bit hurting, he did not feel like getting beat up at the moment. "What are you doing here?"

Shikamaru shrugged and extinguished his cigarette on an empty can sitting beside him. "It's Asuma's check-up today, and I escorted Kurenai Sensei because I had nothing better to do."

Sai looked at the boy sitting on the grass flatly. He had underestimated this Chuunin in the past several times before, but was proven wrong more times than that. Although Shikamaru seldom took initiative, and majority of the time loved to do absolutely nothing, he always came out exceeding expectations when the situation called for it. "How old is little Asuma again?"

"A year and a half. He's starting to look a lot like his old man. I hope to God he doesn't get any weird habits, like smoking." Shikamaru emphasized this by lighting another cigarette, then gestured the pack to Sai. "Want one?"

Sai stared at him expressionlessly. "Did you know cigarettes contain Formaldehyde that's used to embalm dead people and that one of two smokers end up dying from a smoking –related disease by their forties or fifties?"

Shikamaru winced at him and stuffed the cigarette pack in his pocket. "Meh, with my luck, I'd probably die by thirty-seven, choking on my pillow." Saying this, he dragged on his cigarette once. "Where are you off to?"

Sai paused. "I… home, I suppose."

"You and your team just got back from the mission, right? Where are Sakura and Naruto?"

"They're… around." Sai cocked his head to the right. "How is Temari?"

Shikamaru's almost always bored face broke into an amused smile. "She's still in the Sand. Thanks to you, she's been shying away from sweets. Saved me a lot of money because she always stops by the ice cream shop three to five times a day when she visits the village."

"Is that a bad thing? I really don't think she's fat."

"To her, it doesn't matter."

"Why? It was just a joke."

Shikamaru looked around, as if making sure no one was around to hear what he had to say. He gestured for Sai to come closer and whispered in his ear. "All girls think that all jokes are half-meant."

Sai straightened back up, bewildered. "Naruto said the same thing to me before. I didn't really quite get it."

"It's like joking about Sakura's large forehead, Sai. You just don't say it out loud."

"I like Sakura's forehead. It's smooth and blemish-free that it would make me want to touch her face." Sai had said it without batting an eyelash, and he was a bit surprised to see Shikamaru shrinking away from him.

"Man, don't tell me you're down on a crush or something."

"A crush? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Shikamaru looked like he wanted to take back what he said, because he knew that explaining things was going to be too troublesome. He shook his head. "It's nothing." And just about that time did a tall, willowy Kurenai exited the hospital with a bundle of something in her arms. Shikamaru was on his feet, and an umbrella that was leaning on the tree trunk was in his hands a moment later. He looked like he was about to leave until he looked over his shoulder.

"Are you busy this week?" Shikamaru asked him.

Sai scratched his head. "I don't have pending missions, if that's what you mean."

Shikamaru nodded and procured an envelope from his back pocket. "Here. Maybe you can use this more than I can, since Temari doesn't like outings like these anyway." And having handed the envelope to Sai, Shikamaru ran over to the waiting Kurenai, who waved at Sai when she saw he was not coming over to say hello.

Sai waved back, but was instantly distracted by what was inside the envelope. Careful not to get it wet in the rain, he opened the envelope with careful fingers and his eyes narrowed at the thin, semi-hard cards that came out of it. They were gift cards for a three-day stay in a Hot Spring Hotel in the nearby Onsen Village.

For two.

"Whatcha have there, tiger?"

Sai twisted around to see Ino Yamanaka looking over his shoulder slyly, an umbrella resting on her right shoulder. He swallowed hard. No wonder Shikamaru thought women were a pain. He had always thought that Ino was one of the most difficult to understand, especially when it came to Sakura. The people around them claimed they were friends, but majority of the time they were in each others' throats.

Of course, Ino in herself, was enough of a mystery to him. While Sakura dressed quite modestly, as do Hinata and Tenten, Ino had a certain taste in clothes that Sai could not quite understand. According to what he, as well as Master Jiraiya, had observed with the opposite sex, women do not enjoy being seen naked. But if so, then why was Ino wearing something so skimpy everyday? She was deviating from what Sai had thought girls ought to be. And it confused the heck out of him so much that being around Ino made him nervous.

Sai quickly tried to hide the gift cards into the envelope, but Ino was too quick for him. She had swiped the things from his hands in a second and was reading them shamelessly. Sai plastered a dead look on his face and extended his hand to the girl. "Give it here."

Ino snickered as she waved the envelope in front of Sai's face. "A three-day stay in a hot spring bath house. For two, I see. Where did you get these?"

Sai tried to snatch the envelope back, and Ino let him. "Shikamaru gave them to me. He said he doesn't need them."

"That's Shikamaru for you. So," Ino tilted her head to the right, her long blond hair waving behind her like a tail. "Who are you planning to take with you?"

Sai could only stare at her. "I haven't thought of that yet."

Ino giggled. "Take me!" And she grabbed at his arm, making Sai almost lose his balance. "I won't mind washing your back, even if you're as exciting at a corpse."

This made Sai look down at her curiously. "Would you like to go together?"

Ino stared back at him, the sly look in her eyes melting into frustration. She let go of his arm. "Can't anyone in Team Seven take a joke? I was kidding, Sai."

Sai continued to examine her. "Aren't all jokes half-meant?"

Ino blushed, but she shook her head. "It was a poor attempt at making conversation, Sai. I just wanted to ask how you were."

Sai scratched his head. This was why he hated being around Ino. She never gave a straight answer. "I'm fine."

Ino smiled and started to back away. "Well, I'll see you around then. I'm just here to pick up some ointment for my bruises." When Ino raised her arm to wave at him, he noticed her hands were bandaged.

"What happened to you?"

And as usual, Ino wouldn't say. She smiled at him, eyes closing pleasantly. "Sakura loves hot springs. She'll be glad to go with you if you ask her persistently enough. But I'm sure you already knew that, yes?" And she left running inside the hospital, not even bothering to use her umbrella.

Sai did not know what to say, but he felt his face growing warm for a reason he did not know. He needed to ask Sakura what it was.

Getting into warm clothes after two days in the rain made Sakura smile contentedly. After unpacking her wet supplies on the floor, leaving them uncaringly under the dining table, she proceeded to the stove and began to boil water to make tea. Tying her hair back in a lose bun, she looked out the window of her sink that overlooked her backyard as she scooped up crushed tea leaves into her small teapot. It was still raining outside, and Sakura sighed. She wondered how Naruto was doing with Hinata, and how Sai was doing with the boy. She cursed herself for not asking Tsunade about him when she had the chance. Instead, she had wasted the Hokage's precious time with her immature ranting of past-loves that mattered little to her Master.

She gasped when she saw a blur of orange zoom past her window, and a few seconds later, Naruto was barging into her house without permission. She was used to this, however, and she turned around to see Naruto taking his shoes off by the entrance and hanging his cloak by the peg behind the door.

Sakura leaned on the sink, crossing her arms over her chest. "How's Hinata?"

At the mention of the name, Naruto's face turned as red as a tomato, and he decided to avoid the subject. "I was looking for you and Sai in Granny's tower but both of you had left."

"She dismissed us right after the report," Sakura explained. She gestured for Naruto to have a seat on the table, and the blonde complied. "I was just about to make some tea. Join me?"

Naruto grinned toothily. "Thanks." With this he took his place on one of the chairs and looked like he was going to explode from shaking too much.

"Excuse me for asking, but are you… giddy?"

Naruto winced at her for noticing something so obvious, but he slammed his hands on her table and blurted out. "I don't know how to be a boyfriend, Sakura!"

The confession made Sakura nearly drop to the floor. "You came all the way here to tell me that?" The water started boiling and she killed the fire. "What happened to Hinata?"

Naruto uncomfortably started to pull at his hair. "I went to the Hyuuga Manor, right? And Kiba and Shino were already taking her to her room, and I had wanted to talk to her, but then her dad asks me what I wanted and what business did I have with Hinata. How was I supposed to tell her parents that… that…"

Sakura poured the hot water into the teapot. "Were you able to talk to Hinata?"

"Had Tenten not come along, I wouldn't have been able to see Hinata and – "

"Wait a minute… Tenten was in the Hyuuga Manor? Why was Tenten in the Hyuuga Manor?"

Naruto shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? Probably sparring with Neji?" he asked irritably. "She was just there, and she told Hinata's dad that I was a part of the team mission Hinata's been working on and so he let me in." He paused to accept the teacup Sakura offered him. "Thanks. But anyway, I finally made it to her room, but when I did, I didn't know what to say to her. And she was just there, sitting on her bed. And this time she looked like she was really expecting me to say something. But I didn't know what to do."

Sakura sat down on the table across him. "What did you do in the end?"

"I ran away."

"You what?"

"It was making me uncomfortable, what with everyone there! I wish they'd just left us alone."

Sakura sniffed. "As if they'd leave a boy in the Hyuuga Heiress' room alone with her." Naruto visibly had the wind knocked out of him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. Why didn't you ask them to leave you two alone then?"

"I… don't know."

Sakura sighed after sipping her tea. "Naruto, the mission is over, and if my memory serves me right, your training starts after the mission is done. You're going back to Master Fukasaka anytime soon. You can't leave without talking to Hinata."

"I know, I know. Sheesh!" Naruto drained his tea in one gulp, fixed the collar of his jacket self-consciously. "I'm going back to the Manor then."

Sakura smiled as she watched Naruto put on his shoes in a hurry. "Go get her."

Naruto gave her a small salute. "I'm off then!" and he was gone out the door in a flash, his coat completely forgotten on the peg.

Sakura could only giggle as she picked up Naruto's teacup and deposited it in the sink. With Sai finally opening up to emotions, however bad he was still doing at it, and Naruto exploring new territory with his first-ever girlfriend, she could not help but feel like her boys were growing up.

She looked up when she heard her door open once again. Thinking it was Naruto back to pick up his forgotten cloak, she was surprised to see Sai, still in his wet ANBU uniform. His things from the mission still strapped on his back, as if he did not even go home to rest since they got back to the village.

"Hello," was his greeting. "Can I come in?"

Sakura, surprised at his arrival, gestured to the table. "Is tea fine?"

Sai nodded, removing his shoes by the entrance, just as Naruto had, but he did not even bother to hang his coat, nor did he even deposit his things on the floor, as if he had completely forgotten he was carrying them. He sat down stiffly on the chair Naruto had sat in earlier.

"You're soaking wet. You should have at least changed before you dropped by or you'll catch cold." She gently placed a teacup in front of Sai, which he looked at curiously, as if teacups were rare. Planting her arms behind the chair in front of her, she looked down at Sai's flat expression as he took out an envelope from his pocket, tea ignored.

"I came here to ask you." He slipped the small piece of paper he had plucked from the envelope. "If you'd like to go out with me."

Sakura blinked at him. "What?"

"I received gift cards for a three-day stay in a Hot Spring Hotel at the Onsen Village near here. And I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me." His face betrayed nothing, nothing at all.

Sakura retreated from the table as if burned. "You and me? Like, as a date?"

Sai, whose eyes were half closed as he waited for a reply from her, slightly opened as he looked at her shocked face. "Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"

Biting her lip, guilty for having overreacted at Sai's invitation, she stepped forward and fingered the gift card, a little embarrassed. She should know better than to think Sai was up to things a normal boy would. After all, they had spent time naked and slept together like so, and Sai had been a perfect gentleman then.

"If you have other things to do, you don't have to force yourself into it," Sai said, smiling his fake smile.

Sakura could not help but sigh in resignation. "If the Hokage doesn't have anything to ask of me, I might."

Sai's bland smile got wider. "I already asked her. She said yes."

Sakura felt a vein pop on her forehead. "Wait a minute. You asked my Master if you could take me away for three days. And she said yes?"

Sai nodded. "Actually, her exact words were; 'Oh, by all means! I give you my blessing!' "

Sakura felt her head ache suddenly. She pressed a finger to her temple. "What about the boy in the hospital? Who's going to escort him home?"

"Ino Yamanaka volunteered to do it. Along with Shikamaru Nara."

"Ino volunteered?" it sounded too suspicious for all that it's worth. She still looked at him doubtfully, until Sai's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist roughly with his left hand, and in one swift move, pulled her to him.

"What the – ! What are you doing, Sai!" Sakura demanded.

Sai raised his free hand in front of his face. "Let's go." And with a quick hand sign, a whirl of white smoke, and a short scream from Sakura, they were gone.

Okay, so this was a bit long. XD Sorry about that. But anyway, now that I've gotten Naruto and Hinata to go out, I'm completely happy. And there was a little hint on Tenten being in the Hyuuga Manor. Gasp!

I for one, love Naruto, and his constant slow thinking is one of the things I love about him. (Like when Kakashi was trying to teach him how to incorporate wind element to his Rasengan, and he said "Explain as simple as you can, please!" or how Gamakichi explained to Naruto how Natural Energy works by making an example of a choco-vanilla ice cream swirl tasting better with a swirl of mint in it. XD) I may have overdone it, but he looks so adorable being slow like that. Heehee! Weird pet peeve!

Anyway, thank you again for the reviews! You all get Hinata plushies!

Oh! Btw, are you guys having problems with your story traffic menu? Coz mine's just completely broke…. =( What's up with that, eh?

Re...view...? Yes? XD