note.

Picture of Sakura in the phone-booth scene is posted on my instagram: bubblegumshavedice

track 18.

"Sakura-chan, I'll walk you home when you finish." Pleasantly surprised by how enthusiastic Naruto was about working on the cultural festival, she was about to say 'sure' until she realised that he would find out that she was heading over to Sasuke's for tea by Mikoto's invitation.

As much as she trusted Naruto, she also knew that he was unlikely to be able to keep a secret - and she really would much rather keep it in between Sasuke and her in comparison to announcing it to all his fangirls.

He was wearing his black jacket and picking his backpack out of the lockers while she continued to sort through the budgeting information. Sasuke had gone to pick up drinks for the three of them.

"It's okay. You go back first. I'm a big girl, I'll be fine by myself. There's just some stuff I have to take care of before I leave. You live the other way! I shouldn't bother you."

Walking back to her to move the desks apart, separating them back into their assigned space, Naruto sat facing the back of the chair while peeking over to see what she was writing.

"You sure you don't want me to walk you back? The bastard told me that you have to walk by the park to go back and the lights are a bit faulty there."

"Really, I've been doing this since the start of the year - no worries. Thank-you though." Standing to push him towards the door, they were blocked by the tallest of the trio heading in.

"You leaving?" Sasuke handed Naruto his drink.

"Yeah. I was going to walk Sakura-chan back, but she rejected my offer, so I'm heading back first." Taking a sip from his juice whilst swinging his bag over one shoulder, he waved goodbye. "I'll see you two bookworms tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow!"

"Bye."

Sitting on the seat Naruto left out, Sasuke waited for Sakura to finish numbering and sorting out the papers. Then sun had just about set and their figures were the only things that still managed to set a long shadow at this late hour. Maybe Naruto was right in saying Sakura should head home.

"If I knew Naruto offered to walk you home I wouldn't have waited." Sakura glanced up and shot him a glare before continuing on her work.

"If I knew you'd be such an ass and forget that Mikoto-san invited me over for tea, I would've accepted."

"You're still coming over? It's not exactly tea time anymore. You'd be coming over for dinner."

"Is the invitation no longer open then?"

"It is still open." And Mikoto had repeatedly drilled it into his head just how much she wanted Sakura over - enough for him to know that she was always welcome. If his mother had her way, Sakura would be eating all three meals with them everyday.

Stretching her hands out in a 'banzai' motion and muttering to herself how glad she was to be able to freeload of him, Sakura finished up the work, slipping the papers into her schoolbag that sat neatly at the leg of her chair.

Walking out of the building, Sakura sniffed the air, aware of its petrichor scent and holding back a Mean Girls reference. "I think it's gonna rain."

"Don't jinx it now. I haven't brought an umbrella."

"It's okay." She laughed and Sasuke half expected her to take out a folding umbrella. "I haven't either. We can just run through the rain like in those melodramas Mikoto-san likes to watch."

Dripping wet clothes, frizzy hair and water logged makeup didn't sound to attractive on paper. But for some reason, the dramas make it so romantic and picturesque, running through the storming rain under a single coat.

"Just so you know, my blazer isn't coming off if it does rain."

And true enough, as the rain poured down over them, soaking through their white shirts, Sasuke never took it off, only holding her close inside his coat as they huddled together under the schoolbags. It wasn't the beautiful slow motion, orchestral music moment it would be on television; but Sakura still felt his heart's beat behind her, the warmth of his arms around her, and the soft breaths that panted out by the nape of her neck - opposite her ponytail.

Trapping themselves inside a telephone booth to temporarily dry off, Sakura stared at the club across the street. Well lit and booming strong under the torrential rain. People were still heading in, ready to momentarily lose themselves, but here the two of them were locking themselves in, stripping out of their coats and wringing out the evidence of weather.

Sasuke must've noticed her staring, because he asks her whether she's ever been at the club.

"No. I'm not interested."

"Not even a bit? Neji could easily get us in."

He was looking anywhere but her and she knew that her uniform shirt must be see-through. Her red ribbon was doing a good job of covering the slight dip in between her breasts, but the soft lace of her bra was definitely peeking through the front and she could only be thankful that he hasn't mentioned it.

Taking Sakura's blazer out of her hands and draping his own over her body, satisfied as he noted that it indeed covered her wholly - Sasuke finally looked at her when he spoke.

"Let's go together the night we graduate. We can shout until our voices go raw and each buy one another a single drink. One night of craziness before we have to focus again."

"One night?"

"One night."