Finals came and went for Sakura with New Years passing by uneventfully. She had not even bothered to go out, deciding instead to go to a temple to pray verses drinking and partying among friends. The temples shrine was busy with people praying and gathering for The New Years charms that would be passed out by the monks. Sakura had her mother help with tying her dark cherry red obi for her dark navy kimono. On the kimono were large simple cherry blossom flowers. Sakura has her hair tied up into a loose bun with her bangs out to frame her face.

Sakura waited in the cold for her turn to ring the bell and pray. Though she wasn't sure what to pray for this year. She was at top of her class with her grades, an internship to start in just a couple weeks and possibly a. Using romance with Naruto. Since running into him at the library the two had several run ins on campus. He always had the same goofy grin and cheery demeanor. When she had recited a poem to him he laughed and said he had appreciated her effort. Now she had books on poetry and found curiously enough Naruto tended to quote ancient Chinese poems. Strange considering they were in Japan but philosophy wasn't home to just one nation she supposed. Sakura pulled the the black cloak her mother had given her, it was trimmed with faux fur on the hood and she flipped the hood up to cover her head. Bringing her hands up she breathed heavily on them to warm them before tucking them into the folds of the cloak. Slowly the line moved and she was then standing before an old monk who gave her a smile.

"Come, make your pray to the gods," he said in a shakey voice. His head was bald and he gave her a reassuring smile.

Unsure Sakura stood just a few more moments before someone wrapped an arm around her shoulders and ushered her forward, when she looked she was shocked to see it appeared to be the man from her dream many weeks ago. She stared at him, he was handsome with his raven colored hair and sharp features. He bowed his head and shut his eyes as of in prayer, Sakura snapped out of her reverence and quickly prayed for happiness for her parents and prosperity for the nation. The bell jingling surprised her, upon opened her green eyes she found the mystery man had rung it for them allowing this prays to be sent up to the heavens to be heard.

The two of them moved in sync to collect their talismans from another monk who took payment, the dream man payed. Before she knew it they were walking down the steps together in silence. She felt a girlish awkwardness as Sakura was aware of all the women around them looking at the man next to her. When they reached the bottom she turned to him and bowed.

"Thank you for paying. I have to return the favor sometime," she said with a confidence she forced on the outside. Inside her heart was pounding and question swirled in her mind. Why did this man look like the man from her dreams? What if he didn't want to see her again? Did she look like a idiot by being so forward? Sakura felt the heat rise in her cheeks and her eyes shut to block out any pain of the rejection to come.

However to her surprise the man chuckled, the sound was music to her ears and she looked up at him with sparkling emerald eyes. The man grabbed her waist and pulled her close to him causing her to gasp at his forwardness. I'm a deep honeyed voice he said, "how will you pay me back?"

Sakura blinked and then sputtered out, "h-how about a coffee m-maybe?"

"No," was his response and her heart sank temporarily. Then his lips were on hers and Sakura's eyes widened by the surprise kiss. Sure she'd been kissed but not by a stranger and most certainly not on New Year's Eve by a stranger.

However instead of fighting against him, her eyes closed slowly and she leaned I to his body. It felt right, natural to be in this mans arms. Snow began to fall around the couple and in the lantern lit path Sakura found her broken heart beating harder for this man. When their lips separate their foreheads pressed together and they stared into each other's eyes. Emeralds hues gazing into blackens ones, she tried to figure out what he was thinking. However those eyes were unreadable.

"I've seen you before, in my dreams," she confessed in a whisper.

"Hm," he hummed and made movement to put space between them. He lifted his forehead from hers and when the cold air rushed into the open space, Sakura shivered.

Why has she even opened her big dumb mouth? 'I've seen to in my dreams...Urgh way to look pathetic,' Sakura chided herself harshly.

Sakura but down on her bottom lip softly as embarrassment colored her cheeks red.

"If love is to desolate,

I will dream with you to redeem all your tears.

How far is this road?

How long are these three lives?

Holding hands till the end of this life.

The desolate wind, infinite fog, rain is falling and snow is dwindling.

Step by step accompanying you, do not be afraid.

Who is afraid of the wandering destiny?"

Sakura looked up in shock, she knew this poem. It was about a god who fell in love with a mortal woman when the god was visiting the mortal realm. A chance meeting in the forrest where the mortal maiden was collecting herbs in the winter. For a year the god secretly watched the mortal, hiding in the fog of spring, the rain of summer, the blowing leaves of fall and the falling snow of winter. Enamored not by the maidens beauty but by her gentle heart as she collected injured animals and nursed them back to perfect health. The god had then disguised himself as an injured snake to which the mortal couldn't resist to have as a pet and nurture it back to good health. For another year the god continued to fall in love with this mortal. He finally revealed himself to the mortal, confessed his feelings and brought her to heaven. However, the mortal eventually jumped of Tamashī no Funsai Terrace after meeting several misfortunes that were the doing of gods jealous side concubine. The god jumped in after his mortal lover and recovered her body. He hid it away in a cave and encased her body in ice to preserve not only her body but also the sliver of her soul that survived the terrace. He placed a curse on the small fragment of the soul that the two would live three more lives together. The rest of the story had been lost to time and the poem was revered as a great piece of Classical Japanese poems.

"Three lives, I'm impressed," Sakura admitted to the man.

"Would you like to know the ending of the story," the handsome stranger inquired.

"But no one knows the ending of the story. The pages of the book were lost to time," Sakura scoffed some.

"Hm," was all the stranger replied. He had a look of slight annoyance about him and his brown creased slightly, Sakura found the look to be cute and chuckled.

"You'll get wrinkles with that scowl," she joked softly as she brought her sleeve up to dab away at a rouge snowflake that had melted on her cheek. "My name is Sakura Haruno. Yours?"

"Sasuke Uchiha."

A smile came to Sakura's lips hearing his name. It fit him perfectly, Sasuke seemed to have an old soul about him, similar to that of Naruto but filled with more melancholy. Sakura offered a bow as a indication of respect for the introduction and Sasuke only nodded his head. His arrogance made her chuckle, he was indeed intriguing just like the man from her dream.

The. To her surprise Sasuke held his hand out to her, "it's cold, let's get some coffee. You owe me,"he finished with a smirk.

"You said I already repaid you," Sakura playfully fought back.

"I never said that," Sasuke fires back and grabbed her hand before she could say anything else and tugged her by his side. Sakura could only gaze up in surprise but melted into his side and intertwined her fingers with his, a small smile pulled her lips upward until she was smiling fully. For the first time in a long time, her heart felt light.