AN: Hey everyone, I'm alive! Yay!

Yeah, I know I'm late, like, hella late. But there's just so much with this story that's been making me want to rip my own hair out. First, the plot progression. I hope y'all like it but, it's just sounding kinda… corny to me. Like twelve men, all head over heels for one girl, and while that's a common trope in many stories, I can't just seem to make their development seem organic enough without the story dragging too much, because I still want the story to progress quickly because it is a fast paced plot. But everything seems weirdly rushed to me.

Secondly, the characters themselves. Sakura's character is well enough, and I like some of the characters I've written in this. But some of the characters that start out as strangers to Sakura, like Deidara, Sasori, Madara, etc. are getting a bit hard to write because I didn't really have a plan for them.

But I'm gonna finish this story, because as much of a hard time I'm having with this, I still want to finish this story because it is an idea I really liked, kinda like a crackfic. But it might take a while for me to upload chapter-wise.

Now, let's get onto the chap-

Winter chill fogged up the large glass window where she kept her cheek pressed up against, watching the specks of snow slowly drifting down in the air, casting a soft mattress on her garden.

She released a long breath, staring longingly out in the horizon. She knew there were Christmas trees already lined up on shelves, she knew there were gingerbread men and sugar cookies packed in boxes in her favorite bakery down in the marketplace. She knew there was an ice rink in the town square and people were scrambling around store to store in search for their desired gifts.

But she hasn't seen any of these in what felt like an eternity. What she wouldn't give to have the holidays back the way they were.

Christmas used to be the holiday she looked forward to the most. She would eagerly decorate the humongous Christmas tree in the living room with Kimi. Her father has never liked colorful ornaments or flashy lights, so she mostly stuck with white and silver bells and balls.

Their chef offered to make homemade gingerbread slabs for them to build houses of, but her brother would always sneak in the ones that came in boxes. She wanted to make what she has seen other kids making on tv. She missed that.

She especially missed watching their designated Christmas movies with her mother and brother. Huddled under the blanket with a spread of cookies and hot chocolate and she would squeal in glee as Barbie would start retelling the story of Eden and her journey of self-discovery on the eve of Christmas to her sister Kelly.

She missed it so much. Everything. She missed her mother the most. It has been a couple years since her passing, but the memories of her mother are always present in the backburner of her mind. When she would look at the bare gardens that thrived with life under her mother's care, or the set of bangles in her drawer, the collection of porcelain dolls on the living room table, or family portraits hanging in the dark corner of the dead hallway where not a speck of light reached.

The whole year was hard, but the holidays always hurt.

Her father never cared, and he certainly doesn't care now. He has been worse since the day her mother fell sick, and he was actually terrifying now. Sakura still goes out to get gifts for her friends and her favorite people in the manor. Her brother, the guard, her butler, the maid that folds her clothes, the gardener that gets her bouquets.

She tried giving him gifts to cheer him up when she was younger. A baked cake, handmade cards, a painted picture of her and her father. Parents liked these things, right? But all she ever got from her father was a disapproving glare and dismissive wave of hand. The only comment she ever got was how the heads in the paintings were crooked and the color of his shirt was off.

The maids tried to console her that he was tired, he missed mama, don't take it so hard. But he never hid anything from her. If she ever dared ask why he hates her so much, he was all too eager to tell her his clear reasons.

Her fists curled in the blanket she has wrapped around herse/lf, eyes stinging in part anger as she remembered what she would see all around her, every year she would go out.

A small girl, much younger than her, skipping alongside who she assumed was her father. Hand in hand, arms full of gifts. Such joyous smile, cheeks flushed and eyes bright. Something she always craved for so bad, but never got. And she would never get.

They thought just because she was eight that she would get it, she wouldn't notice, she doesn't know anything. They thought that she would have a heart of gold and forgive her father, she would try every trick in the book to make her father love her again.

She was eight, not stupid.

Sakura was eight when she noticed the Christmas didn't feel right. She was nine when her father told her that she had ruined holidays for him. Sakura was ten when she stopped caring.

The sound of furious scribbling could be heard throughout the room but Sakura continued to stare blankly out the window. She should be taking notes, economics has never been her strong suit, but she just couldn't bring herself to put her mind to anything.

She tapped her pencil impatiently against the tabletop, whatever her professor was droning on about going in through one ear and out of the other. The weather outside was so nice, clear skies and white clouds, but her heart was not in the place to appreciate it. It had been two days since she read the first letter, and she could not focus on anything else since. Even Neji noticed her lack of attention in her workplace.

Four years, that is how long it had been since she left the white marbled walls behind to make a life for herself, away from the man she detested to call her father. She had been seventeen and flighty enough to avoid her father's men looking for her all over Konoha and the other nations. She had been able to hold them away long enough for her to turn eighteen and legally a bit safer. By that time, her father had also given up on her search.

It wasn't easy, at all, to live a life alone, something she has never done ever before. She was fortunate enough that her university was already paid for, but that was all the help she accepted. Any other cheque she got for other expenses would only be found ripped and crumpled up in a dustbin.

Getting a job, doing her chores, going to university, living on her own, was a lot in the beginning. But over time, she found a rhythm to it that made her life, though hectic, much more fulfilling than it ever was living in that godforsaken compound.

And now, it was over.

The sharp sound of the classroom door opening interrupted Sakura's musings, drawing her attention back toward the front of the class where another teacher just entered the room, and to Sakura's surprise, she saw the familiar mop of silver hair.

"Is Miss Sakura present in this room?" Kakashi called loudly, knowing full well that Sakura would be seated in her regular seat. "Is she here?"

Sakura waited a few moments, blinking in thought as to why would she be needed anywhere, before she got up from her seat, throwing her notebook and pencil in her bag. She could hear the muted whispers from her classmates who also wondered why she was being called away and felt a growing nervousness in her stomach.

Kakashi nodded at her to follow him before walking out of the class and Sakura followed behind him. The hallways were mostly empty since most students were in their classes, and those who weren't, were probably lounging around in grass.

"So…" Sakura started as she fell into steps beside Kakashi, "why am I being called up?"

Kakashi hummed low, not saying much for a few seconds. "Madam wants to have a chat with you."

"For what?"

"…Stuff."

"What stuff?" His cryptic answers were making her nerves even worse. As far as she could remember, she shouldn't be in trouble for anything. "You're scaring me."

Kakashi chuckled slightly under his breath, eyes creasing into crescents. "You're not in trouble, if that's what you're worried about. She just wants to talk with you regarding some things." He canted his head a little to the side, "Regardless, how have you been?"

Sakura wanted to sigh at his lack of answers to her questions but just shook her head. "I've been… fine." That's the best she could say for herself. She couldn't say she was doing great, but she wasn't doing the worst either. "I'm just existing I guess." She mused to herself, stuffing her fists in the pocket of her jacket.

Kakashi chuckled again, reaching inside the pocket of his boring flak jacket to fetch out the God-forsaken orange book. He buried his nose in the dog-eared pages, voice slightly muffled when he spoke. "That's a boring way to live."

"Yes, because living vicariously through the smut-comics is so much better." She rolled her eyes while muttering under her breath, wrinkling her nose at the cover.

"It's an adult erotica novel, not smut-comic."

"So basically porn. The pinnacle of true literature." She kept her voice to a minimum volume, not very keen on the prospect of some passerby or a student sitting by the door in a passing classroom to hear her less than appropriate remarks. The only reason she dared to talk to her pseudo-professor this way is because she knew he wouldn't chastise her for it. And Kakashi has always been quite a laidback fellow even while teaching, his lack of reprimands when to Naruto's jabs during teaching showed as much.

When Kakashi didn't reply, she pushed a little further for a reaction, "And I'm not living boring. I have enough on my mind as is."

Kakashi looked over the edge of his book, eyes glancing sideways at her. "Oh, is that so? What is there to weigh your mind?"

"Oh I don't know." She replied both in sarcasm and exasperation. "Maybe it's the customers that I have to deal with everyday at my job or maybe it's the heaps of assignments you make us do everyday. Who knows, maybe one of these days I'll just change my identity and run away and live in a cottage on a hill as a hermit witch."

They both knew what was frustrating her so much but Sakura wouldn't say it out loud. How tempting it looked to dye her hair black, change and name and go far away to live secluded from everyone. "Maybe I would even get a bunch of cats and grow my own veggies and sew my own clothes and happily live the rest of my life away from devious men."

"Oof, that's an elaborate plan you seem to have there." Kakashi cooed to her, tucking his book back in his jacket when they recognized the turn in the hallway that led to the dean's office. "And what devious men have been plaguing your thoughts, maybe I should get a broom to chase them away."

The image of a cartoon Kakashi chasing after faceless boys with a broom, cackling like an old crone was enough to draw a snort out of Sakura. She muffled her laugh in her jacketed shoulder, pretending to cough to mask the sound. "No, you don't need to chase after anyone."

Kakashi hummed as they came to a stop outside the dean's office, the receptionist on the phone paused in her conversation and cupped her hand to the receiver while giving them a short answer. "Madam will be free to talk shortly, please wait a bit."

Sakura nodded in understanding as the receptionist went back to her conversation, leaning back against the wall beside the heavy door. Kakashi stood a few feet away but she was well aware of the weight of his gaze on her. "What is it?" She asked after a moment, rolling her head to the side to look at him.

His dark eyes were unwavering, locked on her face sideways as if he was trying to decipher something from her expressions. Finally after a long moment, he spoke up. "You know you can talk to me."

Sakura blinked twice, eyebrows raised before looking down at her shoes as if the flecks of dirt on them were more interesting. "I know." She replied quietly and watched the receptionist walk out of the area with a phone pressed to her ear, leaving just the two of them in the empty room.

"Then maybe you should start talking now."

Sakura breathed, swaying back and forth on her heels but still kept her mouth shut. She didn't even know where to start, and where does it end.

When Kakashi saw her stubbornly quiet expression, he let out a sigh of his own. "You know, I got a call from your brother." His voice was low but Sakura's shock at his words was all the same.

"H-He called you?" Her voice was pitched funny with surprise and Kakashi felt his lips pull in a smile. "He did. He asked me how you've been, how you're doing at school. He really wants to see you."

Sakura turned her face down again when she felt the stuffiness in her nose that signaled the incoming burn behind her eyes. Kakashi was still looking straight at her, his face unreadable half because of the mask and the other half because of his blank expression. "That's funny." Sakura managed to reply through the nervous rhythm of her heart, "Never thought he'd reach out to you."

"He wouldn't reach out to you, because you don't want him to. But me, I'm always the first one he'll call up for you." He smiled again, eyes creasing in the familiar shape, "You know why, right?"

She knows. She knows why he reached out to Kakashi first. Because even though try as she might to feel independent, she has always felt the shadow of the silver haired Hatake like a mother dove. "You don't need to dote on me anymore, you know that, right?" She tugged her lips in a tired sort of smile, lulling her head to the side to look at him, "I'm a big girl now."

Kakashi wanted to say that he knows how much of a 'big girl' she is, but he doesn't think she would appreciate his blatant teasing. "I know I know." He sighed, "Just let this old man feel important looking after the little princess okay. I miss when I was your knight in shining armor." He talked like he was a hundred year old soul, guardian of some poor little girl lost in the woods.

"Gross Kakashi." She laughed out loud, slapping a hand over her mouth to muffle the laughter when Kakashi hunched slightly to mimic walking with a cane. "And you're hardly like thirty. Stop being so dramatic."

The next moment, the door to the dean's office swung open and Sakura straightened up. Kakashi peeked inside first before beckoning Sakura to follow after him and she kept close as he shut the door softly behind him.

The office was as neat and ornate as she thought it would be, except the mess of stacks of papers on the wide desk and the faint scent of alcohol in the air. The rotating chair was turned with its back to them but it started rotating when the door closed.

First she saw the green coat and then the blonde hair and then amber eyes were pinning her back. "Haruno Sakura." The blonde said, speech perfectly even with the cup of alcohol being nursed in her hand, eyes half lidded as she sized the pinkette up and down, "Have a seat. You too, Hatake."

Sakura nervously jittered while plopping down on one of the two chairs opposite to the woman. Just because she had history with her doesn't mean she would let it get to her head. She's just another student of Konoha central right now, just like everyone else. Her hidden status has never helped her stay out of trouble whenever she got into one.

"Ma'am." Sakura managed to greet her, sitting with her back straight and shoulders hiked and Kakashi slumped down in the next chair.

Tsunade lounged in her own seat, letting the silence in the room steep for a bit as she finished off her wine and poured herself another cup. "So…" She started off after a long while, "Sakura, how you been contacted recently?"

Sakura flinched a little in her seat before reluctantly nodding. "How long?" She asked again. "A few weeks."

Tsunade nodded, gently putting down the glass on her table. "Have you read any?"

Sakura's mind went back to the crumpled parchment she had thrown in the dustbin beside her table. "Yes. One."

"What did it say?"

Sakura cradled her chin in her palm, folding her other arm over her chest. "He wants me to go back. He wants me to hold my end of the bargain." Sakura muttered loud enough for her to hear but just didn't have it in herself to speak any louder. "He said the king is sick."

"Your father is sick." Tsunade corrected her, looking pointedly at the sullen pinkette.

"The king is sick." Sakura stayed on her word, returning the blonde's look challengingly, "My father is dead. He has been dead for years."

A tired sigh rose from the chair beside her but Sakura resolutely kept her gaze down. "Sakura-" Kakashi began but was stopped by Tsunade's raised hand. "Sakura, look at me."

Sakura looked up at the blonde, her folded hands clutching on each other as if no one would notice her turmoil. The blonde pushed away her wine cup, lacing her fingers under her nose and leaning forward on the table.

"I want you to go home, and read another letter today." Her voice was soft despite the firm look in her eyes, "I know it'll be hard for you, but I want you to do it. It's important for you to do it. Okay?"

Sakura refused to look up but still nodded her head. After another moment of silence from her, the dean let out a tired sigh. Kakashi too got up from his seat to move toward the window to look outside, a little away from the table but still close enough for her to know he's there.

"I know what you're feeling right now."

'Do you?' Sakura wanted to ask like an angry child but her lips remained pursed. "I'm just as angry at him as you. I know I haven't had to endure him like you, but he took her away from me too."

Sakura finally looked up through her lashes but saw the blonde looking away from her, eyes directed out of the window as if watching things that none else could see. She knows Tsunade misses Mama too, and she knows Tsunade cared about her too.

Her mother told her that the blonde Senju was a childhood friend, joined by the hips since their birth. When her mother's marriage was arranged with the crown prince of the Eastern Islands, the deal she made was for the whole cost of Tsunade's business to be paid as a dowry to the bride. The university and the hospital were all made by the Haruno family as a part of the deal.

Maybe that's the reason for Tsunade helping her conceal her identity while under hiding in Konohagakure. She cared, despite how much she would like to argue otherwise.

"I know." Sakura finally answered, quietly.

Tsunade looked away from the window, nodding at her and waving her away. Kakashi also walked side by side with her out of the office. The room the still, the receptionist hasn't seemed to be done with her chatting.

Sakura stuffed her hands back into her pocket, smile a little tired when she looked at the Hatake. "Well, I should probably get going now. It's going to be lunch soon." She was waving her hand, ready to take her leave when a gentle hand on her elbow stopped her.

Kakashi looked at her imploringly before digging into his pocket for something. "Here, have this." He held her palm in his hand, putting a slip of paper on it. "I don't generally give my contacts to my students, but I make an exception for you."

He has always made exception for her, even when they were just mere kids and she would paint his nails pretty colors. He has never even let anyone so much as touch a strand of his hair, but she was always the exception.

Sakura giggled a little, putting her closed fist back in her pocket. "Am I your special student then?" She dared tease him, canting her head slightly and batting her eyelashes.

'You have no idea.' He would've said would it not have threatened the ease between them. It was painful, to bottle up the simmering warmth in his chest everyday for years while she called him her older brother. He was still salty about that. But he would hide away his pain and hide away his heart until the time is right.

The time has to be right sometime, because if he has to hide away his whole life, he might just combust into flames one of these days.

Kakashi smiled again, eyes turning into crescents above his mask and settled the weight of his hand on her head. Sakura pouted a little when he ruffled her hair again, "My my, growing up so much that you've taken to tormenting your teachers now."

"You're just a sub." Sakura rolled her eyes a little, knowing that he would teach there only as long as she would study at the university.

"And as a sub, I'll once again remind you of the audition. Have you prepared anything?"

Sakura wanted to sigh again, hunching a little in dejection. "No. I just can't think of anything." Her mind has been just too much occupied with too many thoughts to let any creativity shine through the cracks. But she'll have to think of something fast, it's in less than a month.

"Well, I really hope you think of something. I'm really looking forward to your performance."

She hopes so too.

"Where did she go?"

Naruto waited impatiently with his arms in his pocket and foot tapping against the floor of the hallway. Sakura went behind the doors of the waiting area to dean's office for a while now, and she still hasn't come out. Is she in trouble? She didn't even do anything! Is she getting suspended? Don't tell him she's getting rusticated-

"Dobe, stop doing that."

Naruto blinked away from his panicked assumptions to look at the Uchiha standing beside him, slumped against the wall and scrolling on his phone. "Don't tell me what to do teme." Naruto glared at him before returning his attention back toward the heavy wooden doors. "Do you think Sakura-chan is in trouble?"

Sasuke looked up from his phone to glance at the door once before looking down again. "She has hardly ever done anything worth getting in trouble."

"Who knows what the old granny thinks is trouble." Naruto grumbled under his breath before his tapping foot turned into pacing the width of the hallway from where they were leaned up against. "That old hag is always in a cranky mood and if she has specifically asked for Sakura-chan then she's in deep trouble. But has never even done anything! What if she thinks that Sakura-chan is the one that put nitrogen in the band trumpet, it wasn't even her. Please don't tell me she's getting suspended-"

"Dobe can you just stop doing that." Sasuke glared up at the blonde in annoyance, tossing his phone back in his pocket. "She's going to be out in a minute. Just stop pacing and talking so much, I going to punch you in the face."

"Oh yeah! You want to try?!" He raised a fist threateningly but the sound of a door opening made him look back. The pinkette stepped out of waiting area and into the hallway but the other person that stepped out with her made him narrow his eyes.

Kakashi came out of the door just behind Sakura and she turned to talk to him. Naruto kept his eyes fixed on them, feet ceasing their tapping but his body drawn taut with attention. Kakashi seemed like his chirrupy self when chatting with Sakura for what Naruto would count as way too long of a time.

After what could've been an hour but probably not more than two minutes, Sakura nodded and Kakashi smiled his usual creasing smile and Naruto followed the silver haired man's hand as it lifted up and settled on her head. Kakashi just petted the pinkette on her head.

'What the fuck…' Naruto watched the man walk away and shook his head from the absurdity he just witnessed and waved his hand over his head. "Sakura-chan! Over here!"

Sakura whipped her head toward them and blinked in surprise before beginning to walk toward them. "What are you two doing here?" She stopped in front of them but still mainly kept her attention on the blonde.

"Waiting for you." Sasuke answered for him, forcing her to acknowledge his presence. He raised an eyebrow at her, "You were in there for a while."

Naruto watched Sakura sigh, muttering something like 'semantics' but even then to him, she looked troubled. "Hey Sakura-chan, did something happen?"

Sakura blinked at him before shaking her head, waving her hand dismissively. "Nothing. She just wanted to talk about my course payments and stuff." She leaned back on her heels, tilting her head to the side and eyes flitting between the two males. "Why aren't you two in the next class? It's supposed to accounts for you if I'm correct."

"Oh yeah, they cancelled it." Naruto replied, a grin stretching on his face. He walked to stand beside Sakura, throwing an arm over his shoulder. "Which means we have more free time."

"Which means we can go and get lunch." Sasuke suggested, eyes narrowed at the arm that was slung over her shoulder. Naruto took some satisfaction in his ire and drew Sakura closer to him.

"Nuh uh." Naruto wagged a finger at the Uchiha, a very satisfied grin on his face. "It means that we-" he gestured to himself and the pinkette standing beside him, "will be getting lunch. And you will go deliver your mother's bento to your brother."

Even though Naruto's suggestion was seemingly usual, the look he shared with the younger Uchiha spoke of a different history behind the plans. 'You remember what we talked about.' He didn't say it out loud but the message was easily conveyed with a stare.

"Are you two done?" Sakura asked while looking between the two boys, shrugging off Naruto's arm and beginning to walk down the hallway. "I'm starving. You two can continue your lover's quarrel somewhere else."

Naruto looked back at Sasuke, having a stare down for a long moment before the latter gave a frustrated sigh and fetched out his car keys from his pocket, turning around to walk away. Naruto could feel the unwillingness to depart from the pinkette rolling off of him in waves, but they had made an arrangement and he will have to respect that.

"Two hours." Sasuke threw a backward glance at the blonde, "I got no more than thirty minutes. Two hours is very generous."

"Yeah yeah. Whatever." Naruto threw a wave toward the Uchiha before running along to catch up with the pinkette already halfway down the hallway.

They walked out of the building and into the parking lot where Naruto kept his black and red flame car parked. "I don't know why but whenever I see your car it always reminds me of that one hotwheels toy." Sakura commented as Naruto opened her passenger door, shutting it behind her when she was seated.

"Oh yeah." He got behind the wheels, shutting his own door. "Achievement unlocked. I always wanted that car." He stuck his keys to rev up the engine but threw a glance toward the pinkette before that. "Sakura-chan, wear your seatbelt." He informed her, but before she can draw it herself, he leaned forward, reaching over Sakura to grab the belt and draw it across her form.

So close he was leaned in, he could feel her breath puffing across his face and he could feel when she caught her breath when he reached across her, taking his sweet time to adjust the strap over her. He looked up once when he was still drawn close and found himself caught in the wide green eyes and blush stained cheeks.

He would've loved to do nothing more than lean an inch more and capture her lips but instead, he leaned away. Giving her his sunshine grin, he teasingly tugged on the seatbelt he just fixed on her. "Wouldn't want you to get hurt now, would we."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him but he felt like smiling even more at the blush that refused to drain. "I could've done that myself you idiot." She mumbled under her breath. Naruto laughed out loud before turning away his eyes and pulling out of the parking.

He drove around for a bit while they were still going over where they wanted to go. Going to a full lunch restaurant felt too much but just burger and fries didn't feel like enough. In the end, they decided on a nice little diner that Sakura has heard Ino raving about, they apparently have amazing brunch options.

Sunshine diner was a cute place with warm interiors and jazz music playing in the background but the tables were already filled inside the room. Instead, they were led upstairs to the terrace garden and café. It was sunny and while Sakura normally would've like to stay inside, the garden café was too pretty to not enjoy.

Other than the pair, they were only two other tables filled and they were showed to one such table.

"What do you want to order Sakura-chan." Naruto asked while looking up to the sky. Sakura hummed to herself, eyes flitting across the menu before she pushed it away. "I'm feeling like some udon. And maybe some milkshake."

Naruto flagged down the waitress with a notepad. "I'd like to order one bowl of udon, one large bowl of your tonkatsu broth ramen and two milkshakes." He looked at Sakura with question, "Strawberry?" At Sakura's nod he looked back at the waitress. "Strawberry."

Naruto leaned back in his seat, folding his arms behind his head when the waitress went away. He watched her with his eyes half-lidded, texting someone in her phone probably Ino. When she looked busy on her phone, his mind went back to the night of the young Uchiha's birthday party and a sense of smugness as well as a sense of annoyance curled inside him.

Annoyance because the Uchiha got to her first, and smugness because of what came afterwards.

When Sakura was taking too much time to come back after Sasuke stormed out from his own party, Naruto went out to look for her, and he wasn't exactly happy with what he saw from his corner in the shadows. Teme, his face too close to the pinkette for his liking and arms too comfortable with her body.

When his mouth was too close to those plump lips, Naruto just had to slam the iron doors to the rose garden open. Sakura practically jumped away from him and scurried away in a hurry. Sasuke looked visibly frustrated after her departure, but Naruto was already making his way to annoy him even more.

Naruto saw Sasuke ruffling his hair in frustration even before he got near the Uchiha. Sasuke looked back over him shoulder when he probably heard footsteps on the grass and saw the blonde walking to him.

"What do you want dobe?" Sasuke grumbled out, "Leave me alone."

Naruto looked at him dead, trying to subdue the anger that was rising in him after witnessing what he just witnessed. "Yeah I bet you want to be left alone after Sakura-chan just curbed your ass for trying to kiss her." He folded his arms over his chest, setting his own face in a smug annoyance.

Sasuke glared at him, before turning his nose the other way. "You say that as if if your tried, she wouldn't do the same."

"But at least I haven't embarrassed myself yet by doing that."

"As in you didn't have enough balls to?"

"I didn't come here to discuss your total failure in being anything but an asshole." Naruto waved his hand dismissively, "Because clearly, none of us have had, or probably will have much success."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him in question. Naruto leaned against a nearby rose bush as if trying to look smart, but almost tripped over himself when it didn't support his weight. Sasuke glared at him more and Naruto cleared his throat. "Anyway, what I was saying is that I have a proposition for you."

"What?"

"Yeah." Naruto looked a bit uncomfortable even as he was saying that. "I say… we work together. For Sakura-chan."

Sasuke looked more confused than anything. "Work together? For what?"

"For, you know… Sakura-chan." Naruto tried to emphasize what he was trying to say without outright saying it. As he was explaining it to Sasuke, he almost regretted ever prepositioning Sasuke about the situation. "You know, and I know you know, that there is definitely someone else too trying to put their moves on Sakura-chan. I don't think you appreciate it either. All I'm saying is… let's work together, to steer those away."

Sasuke was silent for a moment and Naruto was almost considering saying to hell with it and get back inside, but then Sasuke started talking. "Wait… so you're saying that we should work as like, a three way?"

"I not telling you to get into a threesome you dumbfuck!" Naruto dragged his hand over his face, face scrunched up in annoyance. "I'm saying let's work together to scare away other dudes away from Sakura-chan."

Sasuke's eyebrows rose as understanding dawned on him. "And Sakura?"

"We'll do that on our own." Naruto replied. If this situation worked out, it could be beneficial to both of them. "What do you say?"

Sasuke was quiet for a while and Naruto could see the gears in his head turning. Even tipsy and lacking balance, Sasuke has always been able to make clear decisions even intoxicated. Finally after a long moment, he looked up at the blonde and the smirk on his face was all too confident.

"May the best man win."

Naruto was shaken out of his thought when the same waitress came by again with a bowl of udon, a bowl of ramen, and two milkshakes. "Here's your order." She put them down on the table, giving them a collective smile. "Enjoy!"

"Ugh finally." Sakura huffed out, dragging her udon bowl in front of her face. "I'm starving. I didn't even have the time to make myself a breakfast this morning, can you believe it."

Naruto grinned at her adorable grumbling before picking up his chopsticks. "Mom was screaming at me just this morning for having so much ramen. If she found out that I'm eating ramen with you, she's banning me from my house." He watched Sakura with his head still bowed as she picked up her udon with her chopsticks, spurling them up and then fanning her mouth because it was too hot.

"Ohh that's hot."

Naruto laughed while picking up a tissue paper from the holder at their table, reaching over the table to dab it on her lips and wipe the hot broth that stained her lips. Sakura pouted, leaning her head away from his hand that was still dabbing at her face.

Naruto still watched her through his lashes as she went back to her meal, cheeks puffing out when she would blow on her food and then stuff it in her mouth. She looked kind of like a chipmunk, a very adorable chipmunk. He looked at his wristwatch, noticing it has been close to an hour since they left their university.

"How has your basketball practices been going?" Sakura asked while taking a sip of her milkshake.

Naruto blinked out of his reverie. "Oh, it's been fine. Teme has been a dick during our drills, though that's nothing new for him." He stuffed another big bite of his ramen, trying to get his words across while still chewing on the noodles. "An-and, do y-you kn-"

"Don't talk with your mouth full you idiot." Sakura looked at him with disgust, hitting his head with her chopsticks. "Swallow first, then speak."

Naruto chewed on the bite that was too big for his mouth, before somehow swallowing it and then having to then sips of his milkshake when in got stuck in his chest. He coughed out while hitting his chest with his fist. "That's what you get for always trying to talk and eat at a same damn time." Sakura rolled her eyes, ignoring his coughing fit in favor of taking another slurp of her udon.

Naruto panted a bit when his esophagus finally cleared up and his chest didn't hurt anymore. "Sakura-chan, you didn't even help me." He whined to her, leaning forward and placing his chin on his propped hands. "I could've gotten hurt you know." He purposefully lowered his tone in a way he knew girls found attractive.

Sakura surely noticed his sudden change in tone judging by her raise in eyebrow before she went back to eating. "Then this would be a lesson for you, don't talk while eating." She blew onto her food again before chewing on it leisurely, "Or you're gonna die."

Naruto pouted before looking down at his bowl. There was only the broth left, and he quickly gulped on that too. Sakura was still leisurely eating her bowl, in no real hurry to finish off her food.

Naruto watched her eat as he was done with his own portion, and Sakura seemed to have noticed his stare when she looked up from her plate with raised eyebrows. "What?"

"Nothing." Naruto grinned ear to ear, leaning forward on his hands. "Can I ask you one thing?" at her questioning look, he canted his head while still looking at her, "What did the teme tell you after his party?"

The sudden choking on broth made Sakura reach for the milkshake, her eyes turning a bit watery and cheeks just as hot. "What?"

"What did the teme tell you after his party? When you two were in the garden."

"Nothing!" her answer was too quick and her tone was too pitched for it to be believable at all. Naruto gave her kind of a smirk and Sakura glared at him. "I'm telling the truth!"

Naruto chuckled under his breath, the grin on his face turning from sunny to self satisfied. "Yeah, I don't believe you. I know what he told you." At the reddening of the pinkette's cheeks, he leaned forward lowering his voice to a hush, "Did he tell you that he has liked you since two years ago? Did he tell you how good he would be to you?"

"Naruto!" Sakura almost yelled at him, embarrassment and something else she didn't want to name turning her face hot. She shook her head when the scenes of that night started their slideshow in her mind and she slid them away from the forefront of her brain. "Stop that. Stop talking about that."

Sakura almost bumped her knee in the table when she felt something tapping her ankle and realized it was Naruto's shoe. Naruto leaned further forward and when she looked at him, he suddenly looked so much different than he did regularly, than even a few minutes ago.

The sky blue of his eyes was darkened like oceans, his sunny grin nowhere in sight and the smirk on his lips was all too satisfied. Gods, even his voice was so much deeper.

"Why, Sakura-chan." The note in his addressal was teasing and she belatedly realized that was merely a few inches away from her. She could lean her head away, but she felt stuck looking into his pools of blue.

"I'm telling the truth, aren't I. What did you tell him? Did you say no? Did you say you didn't see him like that?" He leaned even more and their noses almost touched. "Would you tell me the same thing if I told you that? If I told you how long I've wanted you."

Sakura didn't even gasp but only blinked in shock. "N-Naruto- what?"

His resounding chuckle vibrated through her bones and she felt his hand, sliding over her own on the table with his finger splayed and large palm covering her own. He leaned forward even more and when Sakura anticipated his lips coming over her, she tilted her head, his lips sliding over her cheek instead of her lips. That seemed to be enough for him as he traced a path over her cheekbone to rest in front of her ear.

"If I told you I've only looked at you since our first class, what would you say? If I said I've never longed for someone like I did for you, what would you say?" He looked at her face again, eyes stormy and grin absolutely fiendish, "If I told you I've wanted you since the first time saw you, what would you say?"

Sakura's brain was short circuiting that longer he stared at her. Her skin tingled with warmth where his palm covered her and where his lips were just a few moments ago.

She's always seen Naruto as a very sunny person, always so giving and warm. No doubt, she thinks he is quite a looker, but right now, with his eyes burning on her and words filled with desires, he was blazing.

Sakura opened her mouth to give an answer, only for her words to come out a jumbled mess, and embarrassingly closed it at Naruto's low laugh.

"You don't have to answer me right now." His grin was back, stretching ear to ear, but when he looked at her with eyes half lidded, she saw the same storm in them. "You don't have to give me an answer right now, take your time." But then his mouth was next to her ear again, warm breath making her skin feel aflame.

"But know that I'm not very patient."

The door to his office opened this time without a knock, and that told Madara who the intruder was.

"Did you have something to tell me, Izuna?" Madara asked without taking his eyes off of the pages of the book he was reading, when he found the ink stained pages suddenly lowered from the front of his face.

Izuna looked at his elder brother with a blank expression before sticking a different paper in front of his face.

"What's this?"

"The intel, on Sakura's last name." Izuna said before taking a seat on the sofa in front of him. Madara looked at the three pages Izuna handed him, each one having a different surname at the top but each starting with H and ending with O and the rest of the page holding their history, their regions, and any notable family.

"Hashuto, Horuko, and Haruno." Madara muttered under his breath, skimming his eyes along the page. The Hashutos originated from the mountains of Konoha way over a hundred years ago. They were the category of fishers and farmers that were employed by the land owners. Some known people from the Hashuto clan are the popstar Arika Hashuto and the chef Shoma Hashuto.

The Horukos originated from the areas near the Hashuto, starting off with milkmen and cattle breeders that started off their business to the wealthier districts. Some of the well knows faces with the last name would be the volleyball brothers, Yorou and Shoto Horuko.

And lastly, the Harunos. That name made Madara raise an eyebrow. The Harunos originated from the eastern islands and started out as a clan of low merchants, but after the civil war that threatened the throne, they ceased the opportunity to put themselves on the throne and they have been ruling since.

The Harunos were the imperial family of the eastern islands, that's where he had heard the surname from.

Madara rubbed his chin with his fingers, looking over the last names over and over before putting them away. Well, it doesn't really narrow it down much, and none of his curiosity is sated. But there's not much he could do.

"You can go if you don't have anything else." Madara told his brother before going back to his book. He could see Izuna roll his eyes from his periphery and move to walk out of the room, but he was stopped just before the threshold.

"But before you go," Madara called him again, looking at him from the edge of his reading glasses, "Ring up Café Honeydew and make a reservation for tomorrow, I want to have our shipment meeting there."

AN: Sooo, it's done. Hooray, I guess.

I'm kind of drained because, I'm not the happiest with this chapter, but maybe that's because it has been so long since the last time I updated this story so the writing style I use for this story has gotten quite rusty.

So make sure to tell how y'all liked this chapter, I'll be waiting for your reviews.

Till the next time, bye 3