note.

Going to Japan on the 3rd, if there's wifi in the hotel - I'll definitely update!

track 4.

"The hell. What the actual hell. Sasuke... You brought a girl to band practice!"

Naruto and Sakura greeted each other excitedly as Kiba continued to make some not-so-subtle noises at Sasuke's direction.

"Why are you so surprised that he brought Sakura-chan over?"

"He's Uchiha Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke! Are we even talking about the same guy here? He doesn't do girls! He's never accepted a single confession from any girl. I thought he was definitely gay for you!" Kiba punched Naruto's arm. "Anyway, hey Sakura! Naruto's told me more about you than Sasuke ever has, welcome to Shinobi's band prac."

Sakura burst out laughing, as the air around Sasuke significantly darkened. Clenching his fist, he raised it to Kiba's eye level, grabbing his collar with the other hand.

"You're asking for it."

"Bring it," Kiba replied, readying his own fist. "Sas-gay."

"Break it up. We're wasting time." Neji called out from behind his keyboard. Tilting his head in the direction of the temporarily forgotten instruments.

While he tuned his guitar, Sasuke glanced quickly at Sakura. She seemed okay with the guys, just as the others accepted that she wouldn't be what they deemed too much. That was reassuring.

It was the first time they had really performed in front of any audience, and he could tell the other members were nervous too (hence, Kiba's over the top teasing), but he felt particularly pressured to put on a good performance for her.

Even though he normally didn't care for what others thought, for some reason, seeking Sakura's approval had become a common sentiment these days.

She had first asked to visit their sessions after what happened at the library, but even now, he still can't wrap his mind around how she managed to convince him to bring her to meet the guys. Strumming the first chord in response to the synth of Neji's keyboard, and beat of Kiba's drums and Shikamaru's bass, he decided that playing something now was probably more important than the reason anyway.

"I don't mind you listening, but you can't say a word. I don't really care whether you like it or not. No matter what, we're not changing it." Sasuke had warned Sakura beforehand.

They didn't mess around with music.

While they all seemed easygoing, none of them weren't serious about what they were doing, which was the initial reason they had bonded so well despite their difference in personalities. Having nodded her head in reply, he couldn't push down the momentary panic that threatened to crawl up his throat when she opened her mouth to say something as soon as the music ended.

"Why is Naruto sitting out with me?" She gestured at the blonde sitting in line with her. Tapping away on his phone, headphones on.

Shikamaru raised his brow at Sasuke, as if they had expected him to tell Sakura everything. And the nagging feeling in him grew again.

"He's our vocal. We haven't completed the lyrics for it yet. Only have the melody. It's the dead last's turn with the lyrics now," Sasuke pointed at the phone. "we can't get the feel right."

"Ah."

"What's the song about?"

Casually leaning over in comfortable familiarity to peer at the screen and letting her chin drop onto Naruto's shoulder to read what was written; Sasuke felt his fingers clench and knuckles turn white, gripping the fretboard while the steel strings imprinted their mark over his hands.

"Friends. Friends who feel more for each other than friends should."