To want and want and not have. One would think unselfish love became easier with all those years of practice.
His longing only grew like mould.
They were still best friends, but it felt sort of scripted now. A choreographed routine. He was really, truly happy that Teme was home again, but it didn't hurt any less that his days of unthinking companionship with Sakura-chan were over. For a while at least. Until he made some tentative peace with the hard facts.
He had sincerely believed that Sakura-chan's selective obliviousness was for his benefit till the day he caught a glimpse of her expression before it quickly settled into flippant cheerfulness.
His lips had then claimed hers with such dazzling swiftness that her volatile temper failed her for the first time.
He could want and want and not have. But not Sakura-chan. Never her.