Thank you for the advices, I will take all into consideration! some ideas I might add a little change to it to make it fit into the story

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR:D

Here is a long chapter for you

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Chapter 22

"Naruto…" Sakura sat on the edge of the infirmary bed as she played with the edge of his jacket that was covering her cold body. The nurse manger was certainly not here; it was only them which will be a good time to tell him what had been stuck in her mind for awhile. Sakura was currently sitting there while Naruto searched the shelf for a towel.

"Yeah?" He answered briefly still looking for something to get Sakura dry.

"Have you guys been doing this…. beating people when you want to….." She wasn't looking at him but Naruto knew her expression would be sad if she did.

He sighed and walked over before bending down in front of her. He held onto her freezing hand in his large ones.

"Yes, we have." He wouldn't deny it because it was true they had been playing with people for a long time.

"But-" Sakura looked into his crystal blue eyes trying to tell him it is wrong but he beats her to it.

"But, if you don't like me doing it, I won't." He gave her a warm smile, just as warm as his hands. "I am sure Sasuke wouldn't do it if it will make you sad. He doesn't like to see you in this expression." His hands removed from hers and placed them on her face that looked as if she's going to cry.

His hands felt soft and comforting on her cold cheeks, her hands unconsciously went up to cover over his. They stayed like that for a long moment, her eyes closed taking in all the warm and comfort she felt over his protective palms.

"Thank you."

There was a sudden urge he wanted to kiss her as he take in the sight in front of him. He wanted to place his lips on her soft ones so bad, her feature alone in front of him, so beautiful, is going to make him insane.

His face moved closer, Even if it is just once, I-

The door slide opened making a loud noise.

Tsk. "Wrong timing , bastard." The blonde rolled his eyes at the Uchiha before standing up.

"Sasuke-" She couldn't finished her sentence when 2 pieces of neat clothing were thrown in her way.

"Put them on." He sat himself down in a chair without looking at her. He just wasn't sure how to face her, at least not right now.

"Told you he care." Naruto winked at her and as if suddenly remembered something, he walked over the desk where he put a bag down earlier.

"Sakura-chan, you didn't eat yet right? Here, I got you lunch." He hand her a bag with about 10 of the number 1 brand 'yakisoba bread' from the cafeteria. It was the hardest lunch students could ever get. The average of students getting one is about 1 out of 100 people. It's the most competitive meal and the most delicious one the dining hall offers.

The lunch manger only allows limited audition of 50 per day, though to him, it was a piece of cake to just ask them and they gladly offer all they have.

"Thank you, but this is too much, we could share." It is the first time she actually sees what the number one brand school lunch looks like. After all it was too expensive for her to afford. She always bring her own lunch which is always simple plain bread.

"We already ate, finished them cus you are too skinny." He and Sasuke ate long ago since they ditched class so early.

"Umm… Ok, let me change first … and Sasuke, thank you for the uniform, I will wash it and return it to you tomorrow." She started unbuttoning her wet top which Naruto took a second to noticed he was staring and quickly made his leave.

" I-I am going back to class first, see ya." The blonde quickly waved and left the room; before Sasuke could said not to return it, it's hers to keep, he found himself outside the infirmary already.

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The rest of the classes went by fast, at least to the certain blonde. It was rare that both Naruto and Sasuke actually sat through the rest of the classes. Even if they haven't paid attention not even a bit, they at least sat quietly though it.

The blonde had his head down for the rest of the time, probably sleeping. While the Uchiha stared out the window, spacing out or staring at the thick clouds. Either way, they were awfully quietly. The teacher nearly break out in tears because of all people, they, were sitting through his lesson.

Sakura paid closed attention catching every little stuff she doesn't know and took all her opportunities to ask what she doesn't understand in order to catch up with the material she missed.

When the class bell rang calling for the end of the day, students proceeded their way home to their warm house instead of staying in this freezing weather.

In front of the school gates were the butler and driver waiting for their masters' arrival. Some people on the sides murmured something, probably questioning why the pinkette was with them, and some others screamed for the two kings' attention, fan girls of course.

Sakura's head lowered trailing behind the two, her mind was on something else other than all the attention they were receiving.

"Uchiha-sama, Uzumaki-sama. Please allow me to hold your bags." The butler bowed and held out his hands to catch the bags the two threw at him.

"Haruno-sama. Please." It was the butler's voice that snapped her out of her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she politely rejected.

"No, thank you, I got it." She give the man a small smile and turned her eyes towards the two. "Naruto, Sasuke, I will walk, you guys can head back first." Giving a nervous smile, she made her way across the street.

To Sakura, cars were one of her greatest fear. Whenever she sits in one, the memories of the day when her parent's car crashed flashes back like a small clip. She clearly remembered the sensation, the fear she felt when her little body hit against the sit back and forth before flew out the crashed window. She was about to lose conscious from the over bleeding on her head, but she saw it through the rain how the car skidded and turned a few times before it came into a complete stop.

The car was on fire, the debris of the vehicle was everywhere as far as she could see. She held out her little hands calling for her parents, but the last thing she remembered was the car exploded before she black out.

"Sakura-chan hold up. We are walking with you." Turning around, she found Naruto making his way towards her with a none too pleasant Sasuke getting dragged behind.

They did not want to ask the reason why she didn't want a ride, from the reports they received, they knew her parents had died in a car crash and it was all they need to know.

"It's been a long time and it wouldn't be polite to allow a girl walk alone right?" Sakura laughed a little at the comment. Though they knew there is nothing to be worry about since she could clearly defend herself. It's just the walk they want to enjoy with her.

Sasuke yanked his hand away from his loud mouthed friend and it was then he felt her eyes on him. He avoided her piercing stare and sighed in defeat, he knew there is nothing to concern with when talking about her, she could probably beat a cow running in her way, but his body tell him otherwise. It told him to stay next to her.

"Let's go." He grunted out and walked ahead.

"Alright," She give a soft smile.

"but I need to go somewhere first."

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Naruto's eyes sadden as they walked into the hospital. He remembered the report of her health and it hurts him so much to think about it. To think she will disappear one day, like those 2 even if he hate them for abandoning him, they were still his parents, but they are gone now.

Walking behind her, Sasuke felt the same as his blonde friend, it was estimated she has only about 3 more years of life. He won't accept that, he couldn't, he will find any possible way to maintain her health, even if is just a little longer.

Though she had told them it was better for them to wait outside, they refused of course. As they walked deeper into the hospital, a heavy feeling seemed like hitting them from the inside.

"Are you guys ok? you don't look very well." She turned around eyeing them. They seemed a bit down the minute they got to the hospital.

"We are fine Sakura-chan… " He paused.

"it's just ….." Naruto looked at her but quickly averted his eyes again, it has been so long since he felt it. It was what other call sorrow; the last time he had this feeling was a long long time ago.

"…..Never mind."

"Huh…ok." She resumed walking, doubting his words. Did they know?

"Do you know why I come here?" She asked almost softly. She waited but no one said anything.

"I came here because-"

"We know." The Uchiha answered before she could finished. He knows, both of them knew about her lung cancer. They know how she got it. It was all because of the car crash that took away her parents. It was all that incident's fault that she was forced to inhale so much smoke into her little body that has now destroyed her normal lung function.

Hands in his pocket, his onyx eyes casted down deep in thought. Why does it have to be her? Out of everyone, why….. She doesn't deserve this, she deserve much more, much more than anyone in this world. Why did life have to be so unfair.

"Yeah, we know." Naruto said quietly barely for them to hear.

"Oh, you guys knew!?" She was surprised. How did they find out? "Then it will be much easier."

Easier? They both thought as Sakura slide opened one of the hospital room.

"Jirou! I missed you!" Sakura ran over to where the boy sat on the bed and gave him reunion hug.

Who? Their eyes twitched the moment the pinkette ran over and give the damn guy a big bear hug.

"I missed you too Sakura-san, where have you been these 2 weeks?" Jirou asked with a fainted blush on his cheek, which the two standing by the door give him a glare.

Who the fuck is him. Sasuke snorted internally, still pissed to see her get so close to him. She didn't even get that close to him…..

"I just had some trouble, but is all fine now." She held onto his hand and gave him an assuring smile.

He's going down. The juice can in Naruto's palm snapped, the left overs dripped down onto the floor.

As if both noticed the noises, Jirou turned passed Sakura to see them there. His eyes widened when he saw them standing at the door with a killing galre, his hands tighten from the overwhelm nervousness that he is suddenly feeling.

It's them, the ones who put him in this hospital bed for 3 months. It was them who nearly left him cripple for the rest of his life. And now the looks in their eyes sent chill through his body, are they here to kill me? He felt a drop of sweat rolled down his head.

Feeling his posture tensed and his shaking shoulder, Sakura put her hands on his shoulder and turned him so he could look at her instead of them.

"It's alright, they won't hurt you. They are just here to apologize." Her eyes soften at his reattached finger, though there is a deep scar across his pinky, it seem it had healed better than expected. He can now fully used it, but his legs will probably take up some more time.

"Apologize?" Naruto blurted out without a second thought, no , no he's not going to apologize to this punk. How could Sakura-chan just hugged him like that?!

He remembered who he was now. He was the guy they had…. a bit fun…. but the result was that Sakura was clearly, one hundred percent mad at them.

"Didn't you guys say you know why I came here?" She had told them it was better to wait outside because they probably don't want to see each other, they refused and she thought they say they knew.

"…." Sasuke stayed quiet not willing to say anything.

"Y-yeah, we knew. We….we are here to apologize." Naruto slapped himself internally for overthinking, no, he's not going to bring up her health either, it would only made the situation worse.

"No-no, Uchiha-sama, Uzumaki-sama, you don't have to-"

"No, I will." He paused.

Naruto looked down, struggling to get that word out. It was not often he uses that word, heck, he hasn't used that word to anyone other than Sakura.

Seconds turned to minutes, but he finally got it out."S-sorry….for what happened."

"It…it's fine.. I'm totally ok." He waved his hand around showing him he's perfectly fine. This is too much of a 'dream' to have the king apologize to him. That thought had never crossed anyones' mind, not even once. Jirou had already bursted out in tears with this unexpected outcome.

Naruto give a small smile at his over reaction for such small things, though to others, it isn't small at all. It could be say as once in a life time.

It was hard but he got it out, this he felt a bit prideful when he turned to the Uchiha with a smirk. He knew well his stubborn friend will have a much harder time getting this nearly none existed word in his dictionary.

Sasuke's eye twitched when he felt Naruto smirking at him. Fine, what if he had a hard time… He has to admit he has no idea how to start. With his pride holding him back, there is no way he could force that word out. And after seeing her hugging that asshole, he just couldn't.

Sasuke's lips pressed into a thin line, words stuck in his throat.

"Sasuke-kun, you can do it." Naruto whispered next to his ear using a voice gross enough to make him throw up. "You can do it, you can do-" Naruto cringed when his stomach received a elbow hit.

That's it. The Uchiha turned around and left the room without a word. It was the only escaped route he has and he's not taking risk staying in there any longer. He might have gone crazy even staying in there one more second.

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The three left after a little chatting between Sakura and Jirou, as well as Naruto who joined when it was getting bored. Though Jirou was a bit nervous at first, things went by smoothly and he noticed the blonde wasn't as bad as everyone said to be.

Sasuke did not come back after he was out, though Sakura found him drinking coffee on the first floor. Giving Jirou a final get well, she left with a pleased mood with the two.

On his bed, Jirou wondered what happened between the three that made them so close all of sudden. Though no matter what, he couldn't help but feel happy for her. She is the nicest person he had ever meet and he wished for her happiness. He had considered when he get well, he would proposed to her but seeing how Naruto and Sasuke acted; he knew he had no chance. But he could tell they will give her happiness and that's all he needs, as long as she's well.

A few hours after they are gone, Jirou's mother came in half in tears and half in joy. She said she bumped into the doctor earlier and he told her all his surgery fees are paid off. It was such a large amount to reattach his finger back and he knew it will become a huge debt by the time they actually pay back. Even selling his own house wouldn't be enough to pay that medical fee.

His mother was still crying and thanked god and whoever paid the fee she assumed to be life debt.

Giving his mom a small smile, "I think I know who did it."

He will make sure to thank him when he sees him next time.

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:) hope you guys liked it (:

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