Last Chapter recap~
"I guess your plan worked out in the end. I commend you for your hard work." Sasuke praised, as they walked down the sidewalk. "I was happy to help... it might be too early to say such things but I think they look good together. Plus I got a treat at the end." Lifting the bag of left overs, she let out a small snicker. "So she was in it for the treats. I should've known." he sarcastically commented. "H-hey! That was just a joke. You know I was joking right?"
The chance to further convince him went out the door, as a couple dozen flyers came spiraling through the air. Most of them whizzed past her, but a couple loose pages managed to smack right into her face. "What the-?!" Pulling the papers from her face, she looked down at them to see what they were. Right then, the voices of a couple students could be heard from a distance. They were arguing about their own clumsiness, and how wasteful they were being because of the lost flyers they were supposed to hand out.
"Relay day at Konoha University...they're hosting a relay day?! Sasuke check this out!"
Chapter 5 Part I
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One moment he was denying he wanted any part in this so-called 'relay race'; the next he was getting dressed in athletic wear to begin his day. Just how was she able to pull off coaxing him into such an event? She was good. Too good. She had told him that he'd enjoy himself, and that it'd be a 'once in a lifetime experience' for him. He supposed for her sake, it'd be wise to stick by her side for the duration of the event. He dreaded the day, but he was going to fulfill his duty as her Familiar.
Once they arrived on campus grounds, they could see the variety of vendors out and about. From food, decor and relay merch, the area was plentiful with things to look at and purchase. The designated areas for the participants and guests were clearly marked, but both areas offered lockers that could be rented for the day. It was a relieving factor since they brought their cameras, a change of clothes and any additional necessities they might need during the day.
Luckily since they were members of the photography club, they were granted access to free lockers. With the assignment to take various pictures throughout the day, they were instructed to capture something they thought would be 'interesting' or 'captivating'. Everyone in the club raved about this particular event, since the photos that were to be chosen would be going in the school's newspaper.
The attire the relay-goers adorned were a pair of shorts, and a t-shirt colored with their respective team colors. There were several teams formed to accommodate the high volume of participants this year. Sakura and Sasuke had signed up to be on the same team, so they both received blue shirts.
They had yet to see any other familiar faces in the crowd, but meeting up with others wasn't really all that important to him anyway. If they were to not see anyone they knew all throughout the day, he'd be just fine with it. All he really wanted to do was finish up as quickly as possible, and head back to the shrine.
While they were checking in with the registration booth, he spotted a streak of red navigating through the thick crowd. Before he could fully grasp who it was, he heard his name being called. "Sasuke!? Oh my, I didn't know you were going to be here. What a lovely surprise." a thrilled, yet seductive voice exclaimed. "Karin." he quietly acknowledged. The mention of his name caught Sakura's attention as well, so she looked back to see who had approached them. "Oh hey, Karin." she politely greeted.
A disgruntled mumble escaped the red-headed woman's lips, as she displayed a curt smile towards her. "Ahem...so anyway, I see you two are on the Blue team. Such a pity that I was put on the Red team. I'm sure we would've worked so well together, Sasuke. You know I've had my fair share of relay races during my high school years. Those were the days right? I have a drawer full of awards from when I competed." Disinterested in her obvious attempts at boasting, he simply gave her a single nod of acknowledgment before turning away to face back towards the front.
Being the lucky person that stood in line between the two, Sakura had no choice but to embrace the feeling of daggers Karin was glaring into the back of her skull. She knew Karin had a major thing for him; it was plain as a sunny day in summer. If the way she ogled at him didn't give any signs of her affections, the flirty body language she always exhibited when she was near him was sure to do the job.
She could handle the other women's poorly hidden glares, but Karin was a whole other situation. She made no attempt to hide her dislike for Sakura. She could not for the life of her, figure out why she was being treated as some sort of 'dangerous threat'? It wasn't as if she was clinging onto Sasuke like some mindless bimbo. But the fact that they were always seen together everywhere they went in public, didn't help her case so much either. But what was she to do about that? He was her Familiar after all. She knew the only reason he was accompanying her, was because he was carrying out his duties.
The line moved quickly, so the phantom pains she felt from Karin's hate-filled glares only lasted a few moments. As soon as they had finished checking in, they headed off to the locker area to put away their belongings. Once they had everything settled, they heard a loud voice call over to them. "Heeey Sakura!" She looked over to see a lively Naruto eagerly waving a hand at her. "Naruto? Hey, what are you doing here? Are you a spectator?" she questioned.
He quickly shook his head, and grinned widely as he lightly rested his forearm onto Sasuke's shoulder. If she didn't know any better, she would've thought them to be best friends. With Sasuke's scowling and Naruto's bright energy, they were definitely a sight to see. "Nah, I'm here as a student participate. I saw some flyers outside the ramen shop one night, and thought it'd be cool to join." Amazed at this news, she smiled and congratulated him on starting this new chapter in life. "Wow Naruto, that's great that you started school here!"
"Yep. I just started this semester, so now I work nights at the shop. I thought it was about time I 'further my education' and all that junk. Ha! Hinata's encouragement also kinda inclined me to apply for school...But anyhow, look! We're on the same team." Pointing down at his own shirt to prove his point, he then brought his hand back up to offer a high-five to Sasuke.
Shrugging Naruto's arm off his shoulder, he declined the high-five and moved away. "Awe, come on man. You're really going to leave me hangin'? Whatever, come on Sakura I know you won't do me like Sasuke right?" Shifting his focus onto the Goddess, she rolled her eyes and gave into his request. "Alright! We're going to win, I just know it!" he cheered out. "Are you any good at the sports they're assigning us to do?" Sasuke genuinely asked. "Well not particularly...but I am a fast learner so I'll be whooping ass in no time! You'll see."
"Sure, sure." Sasuke dryly remarked.
"Hey, why are you saying it like that?! I have the skills, you'll see when we're out on the field. Believe it, Sasuke!" The fire lit in Naruto's eyes only grew stronger, as Sasuke scoffed at his proclamations. Before the riled up young man could continue his ranting, she gently ushered the two away from the lockers and towards the large group of people gathered around a man holding a megaphone.
"Sup, my 'relay people'? My thanks goes out to all who are participating in our very first relay event here at the University. Typically we don't hold these kinds of events, but we pushed to make it happen because who doesn't love a good ol' relay day?! Am I right?" The crowd of young people whistled and cheered as the man kept on with his announcement.
"So most of you know, there will be a variety of sporting events that will take place today." The crowd cheered and hollered once more, hyping each other up in the process. "Some activities are more challenging than others, but still just as fun! I'm sure you've all read your brochures that explain and list out today's events, but just to give a little refresher for ya... some of the sports and games that will be featured but not limited to are: Tug-Of War, Dodge Ball, four-legged race, Baton pass, Long Jump, Men's and Women's racing and so on... you get the idea."
Some of the young men that were bunched together near the front of the group, began laughing and poking fun at each other as they began betting on whose team would win. "Anyway, don't let me hold you up. Let's go out there and have a great time! Good luck everyone!" With the man's final sign off complete, everyone cheered one last time before dispersing out to meet up with their own teams.
Looking out at the crowd of people preparing themselves for the events to come, Sakura skimmed over some faces in the crowd until her eyes set onto a pair of fiery amber eyes. The way those eyes screamed 'go die' made her instantly frown. Recognizing the person those eyes belonged to, she quickly took notice of the whole group of girls that accumulated around Karin. It did not bring her any comfort, seeing that they too were giving her the same dirty look.
"When will she give it a break?" she quietly muttered. "What was that?" Sasuke asked, coming to her side. "Oh, nothing. It's nothing. Hey, how 'bout we go join the others? I think our team is going to do the Dodge ball game first." With no reason to stay put, he followed along until they came to be with the rest of their team.
By the time they made it over to the group, players were being picked out for the game. "Hey, put me in! I'm pretty quick on my feet." Naruto proudly announced, as he raised a hand over his head. "Okay, cool. You're in dude." the team leader said, giving a thumbs up. "Okay, so we need two more people. Any volunteers?" Right as the team leader had finished his sentence, the opposing team walked by. The Orange team consisted of a variety of known athletes, bigger built men, agile women and a few athletically average students. Together as a team, they seemed pretty well put together.
Seeing who their competitors were, seemed to drain a lot of motivation out of the Blue team's members. All who had raised their hands to volunteer, lowered them back down. "Oh come on guys, don't be like this. Who cares who they got on their team! We've got something they don't. Determination!" the team leader boldly shouted. Though the Blue team also consisted of talented individuals, there weren't too many that were particularly athletically gifted. Maybe a handful, but the majority were not. The Blue team fell silent as the team leader continued his attempt to persuade someone to join. "Heeey, Sakura! Sasuke! Why don't you two join? It'll be fun." Naruto suggested aloud. The mention of their names, caused everyone's eyes to fall onto the couple as they stood silently in the middle of the group.
Damnit, Naruto. You idiot, why are you doing this to me?! I was never the greatest at Dodge ball...I wonder how Sasuke will do...What am I saying? I'm sure he'll be just fine. He's Sasuke, he's good at everything he does. He's amazing...
Hope filled their team leader's eyes as he raised a fist up to the sky and nodded. "Sounds wonderful! Would two mind joining this game? It'd really help us out a ton! Please? Even if we were to lose, we can least say we tried right?! Yeah!" With the team leader's positive influence over the group, everyone began riling each other up once more. Without room to decline their pleas to join, the duo agreed to play.
"Idiot. Volunteering others when he has no business in doing so." she heard Sasuke utter in annoyance. "Have you played anything like this before, Sasuke?" A simple shake of his head, fulfilled her curiosity. "But it seems self explanatory. The object of the game is to tag the opposing players out with the ball, while avoiding getting hit yourself. Is that correct?"
Walking after their team mates that were to take to the field, they kept to themselves at the back of the group. "Yeah, that's right. I think you'll actually do great. You're pretty quick on your feet and you're awareness skills are next level. You'll do good." As the group came to a stop, they all listened in as they were briefed on the rules and some tips.
Reading her expression, he knew she wasn't exactly thrilled to be playing either. "You sound as if you aren't going to last very long out there. Are you planning to get taken out that soon?" his voice dipped just slightly, giving her a teasing tone. "N-no! Of course not! I mean...I-..."
"Yeah Ms. Haruno! That's what I want to hear! That's what we all need to hear!" The team leader hollered out. Confused, she remained silent. If she were listening, she would've heard him asking the team if they were going to let the Orange team scare them off the field. With her unusually perfect timing her response to Sasuke, just so happened to fit perfectly with what the group was discussing. "Ms. Haruno has the spirit we all need in this game. I say we try and take out the strong ones first, and obliterate the weak ones later! If that doesn't work, then we'll switch it up."
I think he's getting too into this...
Taking their places on the field, she looked over at all the opposing players. From what she could see, there were indeed some intimidating looking people playing this round. Some were taller, some were shorter. A few were built like body-builders, while others seemed just average. Nevertheless, she had been training everyday to better herself physically, so hopefully her stamina was up to par. "Wait...is that Neji?" she questioned aloud. "Hm, he didn't seem like the type to participate in events such as these." Sasuke quietly observed. Surely enough, Neji walked out to his position on the field. Once he found a decent spot to settle in, he caught onto the feeling of being watched. Their eyes met for a brief moment, before he casually bowed his head towards her.
The rest of all who were going to play, took their spots on the field. There was no one else she could recognize, so she let herself relax a bit before the game would begin. Her thoughts of how the day would go, and what she and Sasuke would do later that evening were interrupted by someone calling out to her. The man looked crazy. He called out to her and waved his arms as if he knew her. But she couldn't even tell who he was yet, because he was still making his way to the front lines. "Sakura! Hey!" he called out again. As the man stepped around the others, she could clearly see it was none other than Tora.
A few seconds later, Hatsu appeared as well. Seeing her standing there, he raised a hand to greet her before turning his focus on the Orange team's group leader. Tora on the other hand, had his eyes set on only her.
"Hey, Tora." she greeted. The smile that was already set upon his face only seemed to grow a bit wider. "I'm rooting for you, Sakura!" His cheers of encouragement for the 'enemy', earned him dubious looks from his own team mates as well as Hatsu. She could tell the others were a bit disturbed by Tora's actions; even Sasuke looked disgruntled by the conspicuous signs of adoration.
She could feel the atmosphere shift, and it made her feel awkward since everyone else kept looking between herself and Tora. She swore she even heard someone ask another if he was her boyfriend. It wasn't as if she disliked him, but she didn't like him in that way either. They knew each other from high school, and he even confessed to her before. But unfortunately, she had to reject him because her feelings towards him were only platonic.
Flash back~
It was a rainy evening that day, and Sakura and Tora had just finished up a tutoring session together. Since they usually stayed behind at school for their sessions, they would each bring an after school snack to share. By this point in time, they had met up at least a dozen times throughout the year. Rumors had spread that they were seeing each other romantically, but both had denied this allegation to their friends.
"Did you bring an umbrella, Sakura?" he asked, peering over her shoulder as she put away some books into her locker. "No, I let Ino borrow it. I should've asked for it back, since her parents picked her up today but I forgot."
"Oh, I see. We can share mine if you want."
"Really? Thanks...But isn't your house the opposite way of mine?"
"Well...yeah but it's fine. Your house isn't too far from here."
On the way to her house, not a word was spoken. The sounds of the soft water droplets on their umbrella and the pavement filled their ears. No cars, nor people were anywhere in sight as they walked. Standing a solid six foot, he could easily see that her shoulder was getting wet from the rain that slid off the umbrella's edge.
"Sakura, come a little closer. Your shoulder..." Unaware that her shoulder was getting drenched, she laughed it off. She even tried convincing him she was fine, and that it was just a little water. "Stop being stubborn. Do you want to catch a cold again? I remember last time you got sick, you had to miss a few days of school and I had to take notes to make sure you didn't miss anything important. You know I hate writing notes and paying attention in class."
"Oh right...thanks again for that by the way. And you know you love Mr. Yoshida's lectures." she teased. "Yeah, right. That man could cause a whole bull to doze off and sleep if he were to lecture it...now scoot in. Your shoulder is soaked." Abiding this time, she moved closer to his side. Though they weren't touching, she could feel warmth emanating from his body. It was nice compared to the rolling breezes of cool air that kissed her cheeks and nose.
Though they mostly kept quiet, it was still comfortable being in his presence. It was times such as this, that she thought about how she pleased she was to get to know him as a person. As much as she wishes she didn't, she like most people judged him based on looks and rumors that spiraled around the campus. She recalled the time when a teacher requested her assistance with tutoring him. At first she wanted to decline, because she knew that he hung out with a group of delinquents. She didn't want to decline right away because she and this particular teacher had a good relationship, so she had told them she'd like to think it over before accepting the task. But just a few days later, her mind had changed completely when she witnessed Tora do something fearless and valiant to protect someone from getting jumped.
.~.
The day the male student fell into trouble, was the same day she decided to stay after school to finish a project. She had told her parents she would come home later, and even sent Ino home though she insisted she'd stay just to keep her company. By the time she left, there was scarcely anyone walking around campus.
She was walking past the gates, when at that time she heard someone yelling for help. She heard other voices telling the person to 'shut up' and that 'no one was going to help' them. Being one to not ignore a clear cry for help, she sneaked over and peaked her head around the building to see a boy on the ground. His face was bruised and his shirt was slightly bloodied. Around him was a notorious group of first-year delinquents. "Those bastards." she whispered to herself. She didn't know what she could do to help, but she had to do something. Preparing herself for the worst, she stepped out and filled her lungs with air to shout at them. "He-..."
"Oi, losers. What the hell do you think you're doing here? School's over. You ain't supposed to be here." Holding her breath still, her eyes widened as she watched Tora walk over to the group. His hands were in his pockets, and his uniform over-shirt was unbuttoned to reveal a tank top worn underneath. He had a cigarette hanging from his lips, and his hair was pushed back. He looked rugged yet clean at the same time. "Yeah? Who the hell are you?" the leader of the group called out. Everyone fell silent as they all waited for Tora to respond. "Tsk, who the fuck are you to ask me that?" Out of nowhere, Tora reached over and grabbed the group leader by the back of his head. "Don't you know it's not polite to ask someone their name, before introducing yourself first?" The towering build Tora had over the young boy he grasped, made it seem like he could break him in half with no effort.
"W-we were just messing with him...he's our friend! He knows we're playing!" Seeing right through the excuses that were being spewed out of this gangster want-to-be's mouth, his fingers tightened around the locks of hair he held. "Ahhoowww! I swear it on my life! We were just playing! Hey you! Tell him that I'm telling the truth!"
The bullied boy who was still laying on the ground looked up at Tora and shook his head. That notion was all he needed to confirm that it was all a complete lie. "Okay." Tora calmly stated. Releasing the group leader, he stood back and watched as the bully scurried to his feet. "Man fuck this shit, let's go guys. These losers ain't worth our time." Before anyone could take another step or say another word, Tora threw a wild punch into the bully's face. The sheer force of it, caused him to fly backwards and land onto his back. "Take his sorry ass and get the fuck out of here. I swear I better not catch you or anyone else back here again." Tora warned. The group did not have to be told twice. In an instant, they were gone.
Witnessing the whole thing from start to finish, she was frozen with astonishment. She couldn't believe her eyes. The same Tora she knew of that ran with the 'bad crowd' at school, was the same guy that stood before a bunch of bullies to defend someone in need.
.~.
"Here we are." he said as they stopped in front of her apartment building. "Looks to be that way. Thanks for walking me home, I really appreciate it." By now the rain had stopped, but the wind chill had gotten colder. "It's no problem at all." he warmly brushed off. With the conversation at its end, they both spoke up to say their parting words.
"Go ahead. You first." she offered. "Right...I have something I want to tell you. I...uh..." She sensed the hesitation in his voice. What did he need to tell her that made him sound so uncertain? Seeing that this conversation might be more than just a passing word, she suggested they go inside for some tea. He quickly agreed on the spot, and followed her inside. It was the first time he had ever been to a girl's house, so his eyes wandered all over the room. Her apartment was average sized just like his, but it seemed more cozy and homey.
Portraits of her parents, friends and herself hung decoratively upon the wall, alongside framed certificates of her accomplishments throughout the previous years. "Mom? Dad?" she called out, but there was no response. "Hm?" A note pinned on the fridge from her parents caught her attention. It had read that they were at the shop managing the shift. "It seems they're busy working at our tea shop. That's too bad...oh well. Tora, do you have a preference in tea?"
"Ah, no. Whatever you make, I'll drink. I'm not picky." Smiling in response, she nodded her head and prepared their drinks. "Music to my ears. It's refreshing to hear, since Ino never tries anything new when she comes over. I mean, we run a tea shop for crying out loud! We have almost every flavor under the sun, yet she chooses to stay committed to her ginseng tea. That stubborn girl.
"Must be why you two are best friends." he playfully remarked. "Hm, good observation. You may be right." Walking over to join him at the dining table, she turned her complete attention onto him. "So, I'm all ears. What was it that you wanted to say earlier?"
Now that it was time for him to bring up the matter that he wished to discuss with her, a slight tightness to his chest began to tug at him. "I...we've had such a great time these past few months, and I just want to let you know how much I appreciate everything you've done for me. I never would've thought I'd be passing all my classes." Hearing this brought a pleased smile to her face. "It was no problem at all. In fact, this was the most fun I'd had while tutoring someone. Not to mention, you were the only one to catch onto things this quickly." He felt butterflies to his stomach the longer he looked upon her face. She was such a beaut in his eyes, and it was now or never for him to address what was on his mind.
"Sakura..." He managed to speak her name, but the tea pot's high pitched whistle cut his speech short. "Oh sorry, hold that thought." she said while getting up to prepare their drinks. His hands clenched nervously with anticipation. He just wanted to spill, and tell her everything. He felt like he was hanging by a thread over a cliff with no harness or support. Once she came back with their cups filled with tea, she sat down and pegged him to continue.
"I like you! Will you go out with me?" The words he blurted out almost seemed unreal. They became quiet during the moments that followed after his confession. He sat there unsure of what he should say, since she hadn't reacted thus far. Her expressions were subtle, so he couldn't tell what she could've been thinking. "I..." she started. The hesitation in her voice made him all the more nervous, but he braced himself for whatever she had to say. "Tora...I really enjoyed hanging out, and getting to know you these past months as well. But I'm not looking to date anyone right now. I just feel we are more compatible as friends. I'm sorry..."
Flashback end~
She could remember the way he handled her rejection; he was saddened by her decision but understood and accepted it. After that day, she continued to tutor him until the end of their high school careers. They left school as friends, and only reconvened the day she had met Itachi in the park. She was glad he was doing better now in life. To see him working on himself, and trying to achieve something great was a wonderful thing to witness as a previous benefactor to his success. If anything, she was proud of him. She still wanted to be there for him as a friend, so all these wild speculations flying around would simply be ignored. She just wished people would mind their own business and spend more time worrying about themselves.
Everyone on the field broke into a frenzied sprint to grab a ball. Failing to pick up a ball quickly enough, she dodged incoming projectiles that were launched her way. Looking to her right, she could see Sasuke effortlessly dodging enemy attacks while returning fire.
The person he had targeted was hit in such a way, that the ball bounced off of his target's head and hit another person. It was a golden shot to say the least. "He's so awesome..." she whispered in complete awe. A soft thud of a ball that rolled over her foot brought her eyes down at the welcoming opportunity. Swiftly picking it up, she scanned the field for a target. An unsuspecting girl that clumsily ran around the place seemed like the perfect person to take out. Taking the shot, the ball hit the girl's leg and the game moderator called her out on it. The girl seemed shocked that she was tagged out already; begrudgingly she began walking to the sidelines.
From the corner of her eye, she could see the girl come to a halt. Turning her head to get a good look at her, Sakura realized that she was being glared at. Jeez...it's not that serious. Why get so upset over a game? She could just feel the animosity the girl was directing at her. She hadn't spoken a single word to her before, so where did all this hatred come from?
"Sakura, watch out!" Sasuke warned. But it was too late. Before she could react, a ball flew at her and hit her side. Smack! "Dude?!" Tora exclaimed, as he stared over in disbelief at Hatsu. "What? We're playing against them remember? That's the objective of the game. Sorry Sakura, no hard feelings." Gracefully accepting the loss, she quickly saw herself off the field.
"Damn." Tora quietly cursed to himself. He watched as the pinkette took a spot on the sidelines with the rest of her group. She looked a bit disheartened, but fine overall. Maybe after the game, he'd offer her a cold water bottle to lift her spirits back up and get her refreshed. "Phhhuaaa!" A sudden strike to the abdomen expelled any remaining air out of his lungs. Looking up in front of him, he saw Sasuke standing empty handed and looking quite smug.
"I'm out..." Clearing his throat and rubbing his belly, he jogged off the field and took a spot alongside the others. A few asked if he was alright because of how hard he got hit, but he brushed it off. If he didn't know any better he'd think it was a simple case of Sasuke getting too into the game, and accidentally throwing the ball a bit harder than necessary. But he knew better than to assume something like that in this situation. He had an inkling that Sasuke had caught on to his feelings towards Sakura. He wasn't sure what type of relationship they shared, but for all he knew Sasuke had some type of romantic feelings for her as well.
During their brief encounter back in the cafeteria, when she came up to buy food from the stand he was running, the look Sasuke gave him did not go unnoticed or forgotten. It was when the pair were leaving, that their eyes had met for the first time. He never socialized with the man before, but just from the cold and observing look in Sasuke's eyes he knew something was up. Since noticing this, he also became conscious of how close the two were and how they were always together.
He could admit that it made him jealous, that another man was keeping her company that frequently and how he wished it were him instead. For the time being, he'd just have to keep an eye on the dynamic between the two. He heard rumors that they were only friends, but this move of 'acknowledgment' was an unspoken message to him. The absence of words didn't matter, because he understood what this meant. He was being watched.
Soon after Tora was tagged out, Hatsu joined him on the sidelines. One by one, the Orange team was getting taken out left and right as the rounds went on. It was no surprise that the last three standing were Naruto, Sasuke and Neji. They were granted a few minutes of break time before the final round would begin, and so Naruto took this time to speak with Sasuke about making a game plan to beat Neji.
"Hey, Sasuke. How about we go in on him at once. Maybe Bum rush him? Whaddya think?"
"We could. But there is a high chance one of us, if not both will be taken out. Don't underestimate Hyuga. Let's create a diversion instead. You flank left and I will go right. Catch his attention for me, and I'll catch him while he is focused on you."
"Hmm. Won't he be onto that? He'll already be overly cautious."
"True. But if you can create a big enough diversion, just one second is all I need. Be as rowdy and annoying as you can. Since it's you, I'm confident that you'll be able to properly carry that task out with ease."
"Yeah...wait h-hey! What is that supposed to mean?!"
A quick announcement that the game was beginning, and the sound of a whistle blowing let them know it was 'go time'. Just as planned Naruto became rowdy and loud to attract Neji's attention, while Sasuke stayed back to play his part in the plan.
Neji didn't buy into Naurto's gimmick, but he did give in to listening to all his rambling. Sasuke took the thin opportunity window he had, and threw a fast ball at him while he was seemingly distracted. If it wasn't for Neji's quick reaction, he would've been tagged out like the rest of his team. His reflexes saved him, as he jumped out of the way just in time. From the sidelines the two teams quieted down and watched in awe, as the men proceeded to battle it out dodge ball style.
As the game went on, feminine cheers and hollers could be heard quite clearly from the Orange team. Peering over to see where all the cheering originated from, Sakura could see the girl from earlier waving her arms around and cheering. She, along with some of the other girls were gathered round' and cheering their heads off. "Go Sasuke! Go! Go Sasuke Go! Woooo!" Next to her was Karin, who was also cheering her little head off and chanting Sasuke's name. She couldn't see her completely, but the red hair gave it away.
I see what's going on now. That girl is Karin's friend. Wait, why is Karin even over here?
More girls began appearing and grouping together on the sidelines to cheer Neji on as well. It was now a competition of who could cheer the loudest between the two fan groups. Having been tagged out since the first round, Sakura spent the majority of her time taking pictures of the players during each game. Now that it was just the three men left on the field, she managed to capture epic photos of them in action. She just knew with the two most popular guys playing on the field together, her latest photos were 'front-page bound' for the newspaper.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to take a few more pictures. Just in case." Raising her camera up to take a shot, her finger pressed down on the button. But just as she did, a loud yell echoed out from in front of her. "Naruto! Uggh!" The shutter of the camera went off as Naruto and Sasuke collided into one another. With a perfect angle, Neji threw a ball to tag them out.
Sasuke managed to recover and jump away in time, but poor Naruto was only half-way up off the ground when he was hit right in the face. The mighty impact between his face and the ball was great enough, that it bounced off and redirected towards Sasuke. Luckily he was able to block the ball from hitting any vital part of him, but he was still tagged out for touching it.
"Wow...well that's a wrap folks! Now that's what I call an intense game! Congratulations to Neji for taking it home with a win for the Orange team!" the game moderator announced. Neji's team crowded around him to give him high praise for his performance, while Sasuke and Naruto trudged back to the Blue team.
"Damn it man! We were so close to winning. Ugh. By the way, what was up with all those damn girls cheering? All I could heard was 'go Sasuke, go Neji!'". Naruto complained, as he approached Sakura. "Well, they are pretty popular on campus. You should see what it's like to be in the same class as them. I take a class with both of them, so you can imagine how that period usually goes." The sarcasm in her voice was thick, as she described her experience encountering the flocks of women that would hang around Sasuke from time to time.
Even now while everyone was preparing for the next game, they could clearly see Karin and her group of friends surround Sasuke. She couldn't make out what was being said between the two, but she could see her attempts at offering him a beverage. Unsurprisingly, her efforts resulted in failure. They watched him swiftly decline her gesture, before walking away in the opposite direction.
"Hm. From the looks of it, you don't really have any serious competition, Sakura." Naruto remarked. "W-what are you implying here?" What did he just say?! "Nothing, nothing. Hey, let's go get ready for the next event. Wasn't the men's and women's race next?"
Together they followed after their group to the next area. 'Hurrays' and 'whoops' could be heard from all directions as the other various teams played their games. The overall feeling of the place, built up her enthusiasm for the day. She had hoped Sasuke would be enjoying himself too, but he didn't seem too delighted so far. All she could count on was wishful thinking, that things would change for the better within the hours to come.
"Alright folks, here we are at the men's and women's race. If I could ask my ladies to please step to my right side. Gentlemen, please make your way to my left and we'll begin." the game moderator requested. Once everyone was divided up, the team leaders began explaining the rules of the race.
Even if she wanted to listen, she couldn't because of all the excessive whispering that went on behind her. As much as she wished it were anyone else, she knew Karin was one of the people chatting it up behind her. If only she came with a bell... After everyone was updated on the rules over the event, Sakura went to stretch on her own while Karin and her friends grouped to do the same.
"Tch, look at her. Why is she even stretching if she knows damn well she is going to lose? Like really? Hahaha." one of Karin's friends mocked. "I know right?! It's already pathetic enough with how she lost so quickly during dodge ball. Like, just stop already." another girl remarked as they all snickered at Sakura's expense. "All I know is that I am going to beat her." Karin boasted. The other girls pitched in their encouraging words to her, all while continuing to bash and degrade Sakura.
When the first set of runners were called to the track, Sakura and Karin were among the first eight girls to race together. With luck obviously on her side, they were even placed in the lanes right next to each other. Just how am I sooo lucky today? I get to run next to the girl that hates my soul. Yay...ughh.
Without much thought, she glanced over at the 'she-devil'. Nothing seemed out of the norm about her, not even the sour faced expression she received when they met eyes. But wait, there was something different about her. Her shirt was a different color now. "Hey weren't you on the Red team when we checked in?" Sakura questioned, as she looked over Karin's shirt once more.
"Yeah, so what? Not that I need to explain anything to you, but this random girl came up to me and just begged for me to switch shirts with her. She just wanted to be on the same team as her friend. Is being nice a crime around here? Are you the 'shirt police or something?'"
"No, but..." Before Sakura could say any more, the sound of the whistle blew and everyone took off in a hurry. Hurling forward, Karin used all the strength in her legs to push herself ahead of everyone else. "Shit!" the Goddess cursed as she too, pushed herself to catch up with the others. The curve of the track was always the hardest part for her to overcome when racing, but as soon as they hit the straightaway it was a sure win. "What the fu-.." Was all Sakura could hear as she passed Karin by. The race ended with a burst of cheers and yips as Sakura crossed the finish line. The other girls crossed moments after, and then lastly Karin.
"You won!" Naruto hollered excitedly as he patted her on the shoulder. "You did well, Sakura." Sasuke proudly commended. She smiled and wiped the small beads of sweat from her brow. "Thank you. I really can't believe I just won. Whew..."
"Alright that wraps it up for the women's race. Congratz to Miss Sakura Haruno for that incredible win. Now if I could get my guys to line up, we'll begin your race here in just a few." the game moderator announced. With that que, all the men that were participating gathered round' to begin their stretching and preparations. Left alone once more, Sakura grabbed her camera to take more shots.
"Hey, Sakura?" a quiet voice called out from behind her. Turning around to see a shorter girl from the Orange team approach her, she greeted her and waited for the girl to speak. "Congratulations on winning. I was running with you in that first race, but I was a couple lanes away from you. You were really amazing." She had never seen this girl before, but it was nice to hear someone randomly compliment her.
"Thanks so much. Sorry, I didn't get your name?"
"Oh, right. How rude of me, I'm sorry. You don't know me. We don't take any classes together, but I've seen you in the halls. My name is Rin."
"Ah, okay. It's nice to meet you, Rin."
"Likewise. I couldn't help but overhear you and that other girl talking before the race. She was speaking loudly enough to where I could hear her from where I was. Anyway, I heard her mention why she exchanged shirts with someone else... but she's lying."
"Really? Well, I wouldn't put it past her."
"Yeah, what she said isn't true. After the dodge ball game, I saw her and her group walk up to a girl who was standing by herself. They forced her to switch shirts with her. Then when their posse walked by me, I heard the red-haired girl tell the others that she plans to beat you in every event today so she could impress your friend Sasuke."
"Sadly enough, it doesn't surprise me that she pulled something like that. Well thanks for giving me a heads up."
"No problem. That girl just seems a bit looney if you ask me. I just wanted to let you know, in case she does something crazy later. She is going out of her way to impress a guy. It's kinda lame, but that's just my opinion. Anyway, I've gotta go back to my team. See you later." Exchanging goodbyes, Rin left her to return back to the Orange team.
"Oh, the race is about to start." she muttered. Picking her camera up, she walked over to get a better shot of the track and racers. With Naruto on the outer lane, Sasuke, Tora and Hatsu were all placed beside one another on the inner lanes. The sounds of the game moderator's whistle carried throughout the area, and with that everyone was off. With eight men steaming through the track, it looked to be a close match. Sasuke knew he couldn't unleash his full potential in any of these sporting events, so he had to significantly restrain himself. Even putting in the least amount of effort, he was still ahead of the majority of his competitors. Everyone but Naruto was left behind, surprisingly the blonde-haired boy was keeping up with him.
It didn't take long for him to realize that Naruto was aiming to win. At this point they were running beside one another. He didn't even want to run this 'stupid' race, but for some reason he felt the urge to push ahead. He let himself speed up to at least get one step ahead of Naruto. Seconds later, Naruto pushed himself to match their speeds once more. Each time one would go a little faster, the other would push to match speed. The finish line was just ahead, so this little charade they had going on would be coming to its end.
I've gotta get this shot. She thought, as she squeezed past a few people to get in front. Bringing the camera up, she snapped the moment the two finished the race together.
"It's...It's a tie from the Blue team! Wow that was really... something! I've never seen two people run as fast as you guys. Man, are you on the track team? If not, you should be!" the moderator exclaimed through his megaphone. Click. Click. The camera shuttered again as Sakura captured perfect shots of Sasuke and Naruto's victorious moment. The ends of her lips turned up into a small smile, as she watched Naruto get riled up along with the others. Though polite with everyone else, Sasuke couldn't help but to roll his eyes at the rowdiness Naruto displayed.
"Move." someone coldly commanded, as they pushed their way past her. She felt a harsh shove to her shoulder as Karin made her way towards the winners circle. This caused her to let go of her camera, but fortunately the strap connected to it saved the pricey equipment's life. "Hey, watch it! Ugh...what a bitch." she angrily grumbled.
Halting in place to confront the Goddess, Karin twisted her neck to look back at her. "What did you call me? A bitch?" Making her way back to meet, her face was covered with unadulterated hate as she looked into the eyes of her 'love rival'. "Listen, are you trying to pick a fight with me here? Right now?" Sakura questioned. Karin was pushing her buttons in all the right ways, because she was quickly losing patience with each second they spoke. "If anyone's picking a fight it's you. Don't make obscene comments if you're not willing to pay for it." Karin spat.
Arguing with this crazed woman was a complete waste of time and she knew it. If this were to go on any longer, they'd be there all day bickering back and forth. She hadn't the time nor energy to spend on this any longer, so she did the most logical thing anyone would've done and began walking away from the situation. "Excuse me. I've got some pictures to take." She attempted to go around Karin, but was stopped short on her way. An audible scoff escaped the fiery- haired girl's throat as she crossed her arms over her chest and blocked her from leaving. "How dare you walk away after cursing me! Just who do you think-..."
"Sakura. I think it's time for us to move on to the next event." Sasuke announced, appearing next to her. "Yeah sure. Let's go." Leaving the spiteful woman behind, they walked over to the next event area. The next sport they were partaking in would be the four-legged race. With members given free reign in choosing their own team mates Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura ended up grouping together.
"Alright guys, let's name our team!"
"Naruto, that is unnecessary." Sasuke insisted.
"Awe, come on man. It'll strengthen our camaraderie if we have a group name. Don't you agree with me, Sakura?"
"Well... while it really isn't necessary, I suppose it'd be kinda fun to have a group name."
"You agree with him?"
"Heck yeah she does! I knew you were fun Sakura. How about...uhh..."
"No."
"Dude, I haven't even come up with anything yet! Why are you bashing everything I say?! Do you have any better suggestions then?"
"No."
"Pshh, fine. How about you Sakura? Any ideas? Anything at all? I won't judge. Sasuke might, but I swear I won't."
"Uh..hmm. What is your favorite number?"
"Mine? I'd say it's three."
"Oh? So is mine. Sasuke, what is your favorite number?"
"I don't have one."
"Oh. Well, if you had to have a favorite number, what would it be?"
He released a sigh and he thought to himself for a moment, before coming up with an answer for her. "Number One, I suppose." Taking those numbers and adding them up, she came up with the number seven. It seemed silly but it was the only thing she could think to do, besides coming up with a cringey team name. This method worked in grade school, so why not make use of it now? "Okay, so we're 'Team Seven.' Is everyone okay with that?" Naruto eagerly agreed, while Sasuke shrugged his shoulders.
Now that it was time to begin the race, everyone gathered behind the starting line. With Sakura in the middle and her two team mates on either side of her, they waited for the starting whistle to blow. With the few seconds they had left, she took this time to check out the competition. Naturally, she let her gaze wander ahead of her, everything seemed normal until she noticed someone straight ahead giving off the most hateful glare towards her. Karin was standing among her group of friends, looking as hateful as ever.
She could tell from the way Karin's mouth moved and the judgy glances she shot over, that she was speaking ill of her alongside her friends. "Alright folks, on your marks, get set, go!" the announcer yelled. The teams were off, and the trio began taking coordinated steps forward. Although Naruto's and Sasuke's legs were way longer than hers in comparison, she managed to keep her balance.
I'll be damned if I'm the reason we lost today. Especially with that witch watching my every move!
A surge of determination rushed through her, and the adrenaline kicked in. Gripping solid onto both men's waists, she looked at her team mates with a fire set in her eyes. "Come on guys, we can do this!" Hearing this much will-power come from her, Naruto immediately became inspired and chipped in. "Right! Hear that Sasuke? Ain't no way we're letting these other suckers beat us!" Offended by the insult, a player from another team shouted for Naruto to repeat what he said. "You heard me! I said we ain't letting you suckers win! Hear it that time?!"
By this time in the race, the only team that was left with a winning chance was Team Seven. The others had either wiped out from lack of coordination and team work, or they were simply too slow to begin with. Passing the finish line, the Blue team cheered and flocked around the trio to congratulate them on the win. "Woooo!" Naruto howled along with the other guys.
Receiving her fair share of pats on the back and 'way to go' remarks, Sakura slipped away from the thick of the crowd to stand by the tables and seating area. Everyone was granted a short break before the next event, so taking some time to herself sounded grand. Checking on her camera, she stole a few more shots of the happy group and smiled as she scrolled through the abundance of pictures she managed to take so far.
"What's got you so smiley, 'SUCK-ura'?" an accusing voice questioned. Looking up, her eyes fell onto Karin and her posse of air heads. Great. It's them. "What is your deal with me, Karin? Can't you just let me be? I've done nothing to you...in fact I've done nothing to any of you. You're the one that's been bothering and eyeing me all day. God. I honestly didn't want to have say this out loud, but for your sake I'll let you in on something...you're not my type. So can we just stop this whole 'mean girl' act or whatever else you want to call this?" she sardonically added.
A commotion of scoffs and sly comments filled her ears from the girl group before her. "If you'd only be so lucky to catch my eye. Tch. Who would even go for someone who allows themselves to be seen in public with that hair color? That IS hair dye, right? It's got to be. I mean with how God-awful that pink color tone is, I sure hope so." This comment earned a roll of laughter from the group. "Seriously though, you should sue your hair dresser or whoever did that to you. Actually...I even feel sympathetic for you. But not enough to let you get away with how you spoke to me earlier." With that being said, the other girls began picking apart Sakura's appearance as well.
"Opps, oh my!" One of the girls managed to 'fake' a trip and spill her cup of water all over the front of Sakura's shirt. With no time to think, her hands moved on their own to save her camera from getting soaked. A harsh quick gasp escaped her as a shiver racked through her body. "What the hell?! What is wrong with you people?!"
"What is going on here?" a stern voice questioned from behind the girls. Everyone stopped to stare at Sasuke as he approached them. No one said a thing as he cut through the middle of the group to get to the drenched Goddess. "Who did this to you?" he asked, as he looked over her current state. Somehow his voice seemed much scarier than it usually did when he was displeased with something. "It's nothing Sasuke, let's just go." She tried to avoid having to explain what happened, but he was resistant to letting this go. His eyes followed her every move and expression. Her arms crossed over her chest, and she was avoiding eye contact with him. Her voice and facial expression had softened, and her jaw was clenched. She became vulnerable because of these girls, and it drove him over the edge.
No one thought to answer him, until he turned to face Karin and her minions. "I said who did this?" he asked once more, only this time with a bitter sting to his tone. Standing a mere foot apart, Karin could see how immaculately handsome he was. Even anger did nothing to diminish how beautiful he was. But now was not the time to gawk over how gorgeous the man was. She almost couldn't believe how upset he became on Sakura's behalf. The only thing she wondered about now, was how Sakura managed to get this attractive man wrapped around her finger?
Karin tried to muster up an explanation, but all she could mutter out was "Sasuke this isn't what..." Not hearing the words he was anticipating, he snapped at her. "Are you really going to sit there and try and justify this assault?" Silence met him yet again. "Very well. Since not a single one of you wenches have the audacity to answer me properly..." Turning his sole focus now onto Karin, his dark glower cut through her like a knife. "Please enlighten me on the situation. You are the head of this 'gang', yes?" The girls all looked at each other with bewilderment in their eyes. Never had they seen a guy this defensive over their girl before.
"I wouldn't really consider myself the 'leader' per say..." Now she was just beating around the bush and wasting time he had no intention of giving. "Enough. I suppose I'll have to reiterate my question, since you don't seem to understand. Who did this to Sakura? Which one of you moronic imbeciles dare assault her? Was it you? Or you?" His eyes darted to the girl holding a clear empty cup. "No! I..I mean I didn't mean to! It was an accident! Right, Karin?! Tell him this is a misunderstanding. I didn't do it on purpose. I-I tripped!" As her friend begged for her innocence to be defended, Karin stayed silent and looked away as if no one was speaking to her. "Karin...Karin?!"
Having seen enough of this foolish display to conclude this girl was the perpetrator, his body acted upon instinct by reaching over for a full cup of water that was set on the table next to them. A sudden splash of ice cold water to her face, sent her staggering. Much like Sakura, all the air expelled from her lungs as the bitter coldness stung the skin of her face and neck. Thoroughly humiliated and ashamed, she ran as fast and as far away as she could from the group. The other girls quickly followed after her, while Karin stood there frozen with shock.
"Sakura, are you alright?" The gentleness and concern in his voice and expression, only sent her deeper into shock. Once the Goddess nodded, he then took some paper towers from the table and gently squeezed dry the wet ends of her hair. The drastic change in his tone and attitude almost had Karin fall out.
"Sasuke..." Karin quietly murmured. "I have nothing else to say to you. We're done here, so you can go. Oh, and a word of advice...don't ever come near Sakura again." His eyes were void of any feeling, as he stared into hers. Oh how badly she longed for him to look at her at least once, with a softer expression as he did with Sakura.
Her presence was unwanted and there was nothing else she could've said to alleviate the situation, so she quietly left them and walked away. She couldn't stand seeing him act this way with another woman. As she fled she tortured herself by entertaining more intrusive thoughts, such as if there would ever be a time when he'd call her name gently. Or even acknowledge her as a friend. Why was she like this? The logical answer could be split into many different answers, but the answer from her heart told her it was because her feelings for him were strong enough to make her act the way she does. For now she'd try to let him have space, since she didn't want to completely drive him away. It was the best she could do.
Although she hadn't planned on it even after what happened, they ultimately decided to sit out the next couple of games. With no luck finding a new dry shirt from the admins due to the lack of blue shirts they had, she ended up being stuck in her soaked clothes. Despite the fact that she told him she was fine, he knew better than to believe her half-hearted words. "Can you at least get changed into your regular clothes? I brought a spare change for you just in case something were to happen." She smiled and shook her head. "Thanks, but I don't want to be the only one wearing 'normal' clothes on the field. Plus it'd be hard to get the stains out if I got my actual clothes filthy with dirt or mud...or you know maybe juice or something."
The look he gave made her chuckle softly. "Well you never know when someone will decide to dump their juice or water on me again. I was lucky I got doused with water and not something sticky, or I'd be way more miserable than I am now." The silence that met her, ceased her joking. "I don't know how you can sit there and laugh about this. Those vile girls dared to attack you in broad daylight. If we were in the yokai realm, they would be sentenced to death or beheaded on the spot."
The sounds of cheering from the distance filled the new void in their conversation. Hearing him tell her that he would go as far as seriously injuring someone on her behalf, somehow did not bother as much as she thought it would have. Typically she was one to always try and give people multiple chances if they've done wrong to her, but Karin and those girls had crossed the line. Although Karin wasn't the one who threw water in her face, she did stand there and watch the whole thing go down with a big fat smirk plastered across her face. Even when her own friend begged her to take up for her, Karin did nothing to help. All she seemed to care about was Sasuke.
A breeze whirled through the air and brushed against her sensitive skin. The cold sensation she felt from her damp clothes gave her a chill. Goosebumps were already forming across her arms, indicating her body was in need of warmth. While he made no efforts to hide that he was checking over her, she kept her eyes up front and watched as people passed them by. Not a second later, he stood to his feet and urged her to follow him. "Okay that's it. Come on."
"Wait, where are we going? Sasuke?" Expecting no further explanation, she quietly followed after him to the changing area. Stopping in front of the changing rooms, he took his shirt off and handed it to her. "There. Now go in, take yours off and give it to me." Why did he have to startle her heart in this way? Why? Seeing him gardening that one time, was almost too much for her little heart to bear. But now seeing him literally take the clothes off his back for her, made her heart beat just as much if not more. Forcing herself to keep eye contact, she took the shirt with no complaints and marched right inside to change.
As he waited on her return, several girls passing by smiled and checked him out. Though he was unbothered by the multiple eyes set on him, he only wished she would be quicker so he could get out of everyone's sight. "Sakura, hurry up." he urged in a hushed tone. "Okay, alright I'm done. Here." Handing over her shirt, he quickly clothed himself and beckoned her to follow him back to the resting area. "Heeey guys, where have you been? Uh, what happened to your shirt Sasuke?" Naruto asked, as he came up to greet them. "It's none of your concern."
"Sheesh, whatever. Anyhow, the final race is up next. It's the baton race and we'll need you both to help with it. I think it'd be best to reunite as 'Team Seven' and knock this out of the park. The others are worn out anyway. Kang has a bad knee and Jun fell earlier so his ankle is all messed up. It was a disaster, you should've seen how he fell!" She figured now was as best a time as any to rejoin the remainder of their team to finish off the day, so she agreed to come back with Naruto. "Sure, I feel like I'm ready to get back into it now." Happy to hear this, Naruto smiled and looked over at Sasuke. "How about you?"
"Sure." Happily taking his less than enthusiastic answer, Naruto led them back to the track where the baton race was to take place. "Alright people, Sakura and Sasuke are back in the game!" Their team mates looked over at Team Seven and cheered with gratitude.
With a plan now set, it was agreed upon that Sakura would be the first runner who would then pass the baton to Naruto. Then it would be Sasuke running last across the finish line. All who were to participate did their stretches, and discussed their running techniques until it was time to start the race. Readying herself at the starting point, she was up against four other people.
With the universe totally in her favor, Karin was one of the four other people that she was to race against. This time however, there was no communication or acknowledgment between the two. Not having to worry or think about what Karin would do or say to her was pretty refreshing. She'd have to thank Sasuke later for being there for her, when she was being ganged up on by the other girls.
Boom. The track pistol went off, and the first set of runners launched forward. She could hear Naruto's loud cheering from up ahead, but it didn't bother her. The extra motivation was helping boost her confidence. "Go Sakura, you're doing awesome! You're beating the others!" Naruto yelled out to her. Briefly glancing over her shoulder, she could see the others were a good distance behind her already. But she knew better than to let that get to her head, so she kept pushing herself until she was only a few feet away from Naruto. She could see his hand was already stretched out and ready to grab the baton. Closing in on him, she reached out with the intention of passing it over to him. But as luck would have it, she misstepped and crumbled to the ground. It was as if she were moving in slow motion at that moment. .
Every part of her hit the ground, all except her hands. Instead, they grabbed onto the nearest thing they could reach which so happened to be the waist line of Naruto's shorts. Pulling his pants down to his knees, the baton bounced off the ground and rolled around until it settled by Tora's feet. He was one of the second league runners that was going up against Naruto. Karin was supposed to hand off her baton to him, but she was still quite a ways back from making it over to him. "Oh God, Sakura are you okay?!" Tora worriedly exclaimed as he picked up their fallen baton. "Hey you! Put the enemy's baton down! How dare you try and help them you idiot! Huuahhh." An angry, but beat Karin roared.
From afar at the last check point line on the track, Sasuke and Neji watched as the whole situation unfolded. It was like a mini catastrophe that everyone saw, but could do nothing about. It was so ridiculous that it was comical.
"Do you have any idea what is wrong with those two? Your Goddess is quite the clumsy one I must say."
"Watch it...and I don't know."
"Well, they put on quite the show. I bet some would even pay to watch them. I'd say they could even get casted for a whole TV series if they wanted. I'll have to consult with my manager and see what he would think."
"Only you would say such things during moments like these. Typical Hollywood type."
"What is that supposed to mean? Are you taking a jab at my career right now?"
"Oh no, not at all."
The commotion that was across the field, was making its way towards them at a steady but quick pace. With Naruto in the lead and Tora not too far behind, the second runners were closing in. Naruto was able to pass his baton over first, and so with it Sasuke took off. Tora passed his baton only seconds after, allowing Neji to make his break for it as well.
Of course since they were not of the human race, they could've finished this whole ordeal faster than the average person could. But with so many watchful eyes all around them, they both knew to run at an 'acceptable speed' so as to not look oddly suspicious or extraordinary in any way. The two already managed to obtain an excess amount of attention from their fellow classmates by just being unbelievably handsome. So adding 'track stars' to the list of things people liked about them, wouldn't be of any help with being more discreet.
Seeing how easily Sasuke breezed around the track, Neji decided to test the boundaries and push ahead just by a little so he could be in first place. It was like dejà vu , only this time he was running up against an actual being from the other realm instead of a knuckle-headed human. "So this is how you wish to play this out? Very well." Sasuke remarked, as he too pushed even further to get one step ahead of Neji.
"Damn, I think it's gonna be a tie. Those two are probably the fastest runners I've ever seen!" someone yelled out in excitement. The crowd along with Sakura and Naruto gathered around the finish line, and waited in anticipation for them to finish. With Neji in the lead, the Orange team cheered as loudly as they could. He was bound to win at this rate. Sakura knew Sasuke was retraining himself by a lot, but she didn't want him to lose on purpose.
With no thought in mind of who was listening or how loud she would be, she cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled as loudly as she could. "Go Sasuke! You can do it! You can win this!" Her clear voice cut through the hollers of the others, as it carried through the air and into his ears. His eyes soon found her among the crowd of people standing around. She was smiling and proudly cheering for him. Seeing her cheer him on, awakened a desire within him to win. Since she was encouraging him to, why let her down now?
Hustling down the track, he hastened his steps and advanced beyond Neji's speed at nearly the last second. "Aaaannnd there we have it folks! Winning in first place is Team Seven! Congratulations to Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke! I hope you all had a bunch of fun during the day, so how bout' we relax and wind down for the evening. Have yourselves some water and treats, and please reconvene in about fifteen minutes. We'll be meeting by the pillars up front, so don't forget to come back for our end-of-day pictures. Thanks everyone." the team leader announced.
As the crowds dispersed, Sakura found herself by Sasuke's side. "You did so great! Although I knew all along that you'd win...no offense Neji." she added in as Neji passed by them. "None taken. Congratulations, Uchiha." he swiftly replied as he kept walking on his way. "Thanks." Accepting the dry towel she offered for his brow, they walked over to their lockers to gather their belongings.
Summing the day up, she found it to be quite interesting. She could now check 'have a bully' off the list of college experiences she predicted she'd have. It was all thanks to Karin and her mean friends of course. Next off the list was 'seeing Sasuke interact with other students, and participate with her in school activities'. Check. Also checking off 'seeing Sasuke shirtless again'. Check.
Wait! Wait...what am I thinking? Why is that on my list?! But his chest though...gaah stop it brain!
With everything packed and ready for departure, they grouped up one last time to take pictures. Naruto was seen up front and center with the other rowdy boys, while Sakura and Sasuke took a spot near the edge of the group. She loved group pictures but at the same time, it had been a long day and she was just ready to go back home. How and where Naruto acquired all the energy he was displaying now, she would never know. She only wished she had half as much for herself.
"How many more pictures is this guy gonna take?" he asked; his breath gently tickling the tip of her ear. "I'm not really sure, but I think I blinked in some of the shots." She could hear a low chuckle come from him, which was somewhat surprising. It would be the first time today that he would crack a genuine smile or laugh.
"Alright now, everybody get in real close and hug the person next to you!" the photographer announced. The larger gentlemen standing on her other side suddenly turned to face her. Raising her eyes to meet his, she awkwardly smiled as an immediate response. He saw this as an invitation to hug her, so he opened his arms to welcome her in. It wasn't until another person's hand gripped onto her shoulder to pull her away, that the man stopped coming towards her.
Startled by the sudden grasp, she looked over to see Sasuke holding her within a one-armed embrace. His arm wrapped around her shoulder, while he fended off the other man with a look that she could only describe as the 'Sasuke look'. Not much could be said or explained about the 'Sasuke look'. One would just know when they witnessed it, and would simply understand. "My my, Sasuke how forward." She playfully teased. "Would you rather me have you hug that giant instead? Because I'd gladly set you free, if you so wish to rekindle your connection with him." Stifling her giggles, she shook her head. "No, no. I'm good."
"Okay ladies and gentlemen, last picture of the day! Pose however you want!" the photographer called out. She knew when a photographer gave free reign during the last photo, that everyone would do something unique or super silly. She was out of poses and expressions ideas because of how many photos they had already taken. At the peak of her indecisive thoughts, the photographer began his three-second countdown.
Feeling the pressure of the moment, she turned and gently placed her fingers on the side of his face to guide him closer to her. Before he could comprehend what was happening, she brought her lips to meet his cheek. She knew it was a risky move and totally unexpected of her to do, so she didn't know how he would take it. Would be mad at her for invading his space like that? Hopefully not. She only meant to be playful and spontaneous, so she hoped he wasn't too bothered by it.
"Thank you all for participating in this event. It was one helluva' day, so I hope you all had a wonderful experience here! Have a good night, and don't forget that there will also be a carnival later tonight. See you guys there!" the event planner announced.
Playing it cool, she gestured for him to come along with her to gather their belongings. Neither said a word as they made their way back home. They were about half way there, when he finally spoke up. "Are you alright, Sakura? You're awfully quiet." Nodding her head, she looked over at him to see that he was already looking at her very closely. "I'm fine, just a little tired. But I'll be okay once we get back home. I just need to freshen up, and I'll be good to go to the carnival."
"Are you sure you don't want to just stay home for the evening? You've had quite the day." There was no way she'd let herself miss out on her very first University-hosted carnival. Even if her limbs were fatigued, she'd take a pain reliever and get all dressed up to go. "Yes, I still want to go. It'd be my first time attending one of these things, plus I think it would be fun. Do you want to come too? If it ends up being lame, then we'll come back home." He seemed to ponder on this for a few moments, before agreeing to accompany her. "Perfect! I'll get ready as soon as we get home...which is apparently now." They stopped momentarily and stood at the base of the stairway leading up to the shrine, then headed up to begin getting ready for the 'second part' of their day.
If you made it to the end, thanks so much for reading! I truly appreciate the kind words and comments I get for this story. Part II of Chapter 5 is is now in the works!