title: 7:31
prompt: SASUSAKU MONTH ON LJ! 2012
rating: T-M
summary: o23: It all started with karaoke night which let Sakura know that she was more than just family.
REVISED 6.30.14
.o23.
Journey
"JUST A SMALL TOWN GIRL—LIVING IN A LONELY WORLD!" Naruto shouted, taking the microphone and singing badly into the karaoke machine.
"Stop it, Naruto!" Sakura shouted, covering her ears. "You're going to make us all deaf!"
"Then you try singing Journey, Sakura-chan. Show us that you can do better."
Sakura looked at Sasuke and Sai, who shrugged. "You brought this on yourself," they said.
"Fine." She stepped up and took the microphone from him. "So how does this work. Do I just follow the words and stuff?"
"Yeah. Just sing when the words are singing."
The music started to play, and Sakura immediately felt nervous knowing that her teammates—and the rest of Ichiraku—were watching.
"Just a small town girl…" she sang, her voice soft and almost inaudible.
"Speak up!" one of the guys in the back of the restaurant said. "Come on, sweetie, we need to hear you!"
She rolled her eyes, raising her voice and not caring at all about how she sounded (although truthfully, she did want to sound better than Naruto).
Suddenly, everyone was quiet. All eyes were on her. She didn't know if it was because she was bad or if she was just surprising everyone. Sakura assumed it was the first.
"Smell of wine and cheap perfume…"
She groaned, putting the microphone down. "I'm done," she said. "Thanks."
"No!" the back of the restaurant said. "Honey, you were amazing! Keep singing!"
"No." She sat back down, waiting for someone else to come up and sing. Her teammates were looking at her with shock.
"Sakura-chan," Naruto began. "You—I—I don't—"
"Speak, Naruto."
"You were phenomenal," Kakashi said. "Your voice. It's so different from your speaking voice. It was almost angelic. I felt like I was flying."
"Ugly, you have a beautiful voice that doesn't match your face at all."
"Stop sugarcoating it," Sakura said. "I know you guys are just trying to make me feel better."
"…You were great," Sasuke said quietly. She turned to look at him, knowing that he rarely—if ever—gave compliments to anyone.
"See? Even teme thinks so!" Naruto said. "Now get back up there!"
"No thanks," she said. "I'm done for tonight." She took her belongings and got up. "See you tomorrow, guys. I have to go sleep. I'm exhausted."
She left the restaurant, everyone watching her leave.
.
.
.
"Let me walk you home," Sasuke said, catching up with her.
She turned around. "Sasuke-kun! Why aren't you staying with them?"
"You think I want to?" he said.
She laughed. "Funny." He walked alongside her, and they made small talk about the weather (even though it was nighttime) and other miscellaneous things.
"We all meant what we said back there. You truly are a great singer," he added out of the blue. Her eyes widened and she stopped walking.
"You really think so?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"I mean, coming from you…" she laughed nervously. "It must be true."
"Hn."
"But thank you. That really means a lot."
"Did you ever want to become a singer?" he asked. "I mean, you probably knew you were good at singing."
Sakura paused. "I mean, I liked to sing. But I wasn't serious about it. It's been a long time since I've actually sung, though, so that was nice."
He stopped. "Your journey from an Academy ninja to a chuunin. That's great work."
"Thank you."
"You've come a long way."
"It means a lot from you. I know that I wasn't exactly the most fun person to be with—you told me yourself," she said, referring indirectly to the time where he called her annoying. "And that I was pretty useless back then. But I'm getting better."
"Hn."
"Hey. While we're being honest here," she said. "Did you ever, uh, think of me other than a teammate? I mean, not romantically, of course, but like, as a family member?"
"…Yes. I thought of all of you as my family," he said.
"Oh."
"But why can't I think of you romantically?" he asked. "When you were younger, wasn't that all that you wanted me to think of you?"
"Well, I mean," she stuttered. "I just thought…"
"You thought what?"
"I don't know."
"I think that you've taken the journey of growing from—let me be blunt—an annoying fangirl to this charming, beautiful singer."
Sakura paused. "You think I'm beautiful?"
"Sakura blossoms are always beautiful."
Her heart raced as they finally reached her apartment door. "Well, thank you for everything, Sasuke-kun. I'll see you tomorrow."
Feeling bold, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. His eyes widened at her behavior, and she blushed.
"Good night, Sasuke-kun," she said.
"Good night, Sakura."
She closed the door and sighed, sliding down onto the floor.
Sakura blossoms are always beautiful.
She smiled, knowing what he meant. And then she giggled like the girl she used to be five years ago. Sakura understood his message.
Then, she went to her bedroom, and began to sing.
Slight changes!