I began to sweat madly at his question. My blood went cold and my heart had stopped beating.

What do I do?! Maybe if I tell an other lie...

"Gaara...What're you doing here...?" I asked avoiding the question. That's right Naruko, keep stalling...

"Oh um," he continued to look at the ground as he held his hands in front of him like a school girl with a crush. "I came to the village to meet with Lady Tsunade, and since it's been a while since I've seen you, I thought I would go and find you..."

His face continued to darken and you could almost see steam surround him as his blush intensified. "I know you love ramen, so I came here...I didn't mean to eavesdrop..."

Of all the days he could come and visit, he chooses today...the day where I created the biggest lie...

I sighed loudly as I thought about what to do next. I just need to tell him the truth and keep the lie going between everyone else. That shouldn't be too hard, right?

"Listen Gaara--" I was about to tell him the truth when he looked at me with loving eyes while he held his breath in fear of my response.

"Naruko, please tell me if what you said was true...because if it was..." he placed his hands over the strap that carried his gourd. He tighten his grip on the strap and began to shake nervously. His face turned bright pink and the sand that was entrapped in his gourd began to spill out to form a heart.

"...I'm also in love with you."

My eyes widened as he said those words. He's in love with me?! When?! Why?! How?! Damn it, the universe hates me! Now how am I suppose to explain this situation to him?!

"Gaara...I-!"

"Hey Naruko, I forgot to tell you--Oh hey Gaara!" I heard Sakura yell while walking behind me.

She stood next to me and began to giggle as she watched Gaara's display of affection for me. She then elbowed my arm with a mischievous smile. "Woah, did he hear you?! Is he confessing?! Look at you Naruko! Getting the man of your dreams!" She whispered loudly towards me.

"Sakura-chan..." If only you knew how screwed I am...

"Don't worry, I'll go so you guys can talk~!" She turned around to skip away with a giggle.

I sighed again at my unfortunate fate. What have I done...?

"Naruko...you haven't said anything..." Gaara mumbled timidly.

"Um Gaara...to tell you the truth I-"

In that moment I realized that the truth had to be conveyed a certain way to work in my favor. So I stopped myself to choose my words carefully. I didn't want to hurt my friend and I didn't want the truth of my feelings to be spread across the five nations.

What should I do? Should I lie? Should I tell him the truth? But if I tell him the truth, he'll be heartbroken...and then everyone will know I lied about my feelings for Sasuke...and if Sasuke finds out I'm falling for him, he'll avoid me and that would be the end of our friendship.But if I lie, no one would get hurt, right?

"Naruko, are you okay...? I'm sorry for putting all this pressure on you...I shouldn't have said anything..."

I looked at Gaara to see him shaking in embarsssement.

Poor guy...What should I do?

Sasuke P.O.V

I walked out of the store that I was in with Kiba and Hinata, thinking about the advice they had given me, especially about what Kiba had told me.

Be cold...I need to be cold. I want Naruko to want me...to love me...and maybe this is the only way. Because it seems every other way hasn't actually been working, so I might as well give this a try.

I was making my way back to the apartment to see if Naruko was back yet. She never told me where she was headed so I could only guess when she would come back to me.

I need to start making dinner. Knowing her, she'll ask for some fancy ramen, so I have to check if we even have ingredients for that.

I was lost in thought as I went upstairs to open up the apartment door. As I went to open the door, I stopped.

What am I doing? I'm suppose to be cold. I shouldn't be caring about making her anything to eat. I need to be the Sasuke I was before falling for her.

I sighed as I turned away from the door.

This sucks...why is love so unfortunate?

I was walking through the shopping center to kill time. While walking past a few food stands, the urge to take care of my wife intensified, but I knew I shouldn't. I had to be cold.

I continued down the road until I stopped in front of the market. My eyes followed the sign displayed in the shop's window that pointed towards the newly released instant ramen flavor.

She would love that...

I quickly shook my head and clenched my fists in anger.

I can't think about her! I can't! I have to be cold!

I glared at the ramen in the window as if telling it to leave me alone and stop tempting me like the devil. Soon, my glare began to soften and my heart slowly dropped. I closed my eyes and loosened the fists I had made with my hands.

But...maybe just this last time...

I walked into the shop and went to grab the ramen.

Just this last time, I'll take care of her...

Naruko P.O.V

"Gaara..."

"Ye-yeah?" he asked timidly while looking at the ground.

"You said you loved me...why do you love me?"

He glanced at me and began to twiddle his thumbs nervously. "W-well...I love you because you were able to see the real me despite all the monstrous things I had done. You never stopped believing in me even when the world turned its back...You saved me from a life of darkness. You were my first friend and my first love..."

He gave a small smile as he looked at the ground. "I've loved you for so long...and hearing you say you love me too, makes me feel as if I could die happy."

"Gaara..."

What have I done...? There's no way out of this...

"N-Naruko...!"

I felt my heart stop at his sudden call. I looked at him, watching him take a deep breath to then look at me intensely. He then slowly began to walk up to me, closing the space between us as he reached for my hands.

"Naruko...will you be mine?"

Sasuke P.O.V

I was taking the long way back to the apartment so I could pass by Ichiraku's to see if Naruko was there. I knew I had to be cold, but no one said I couldn't at least care for her from a distance.

I felt my grip on the bag tighten.

I'm doing this for her...

I was about to turn the corner to end up at Ichiraku's when I saw Naruko with Gaara. He was holding her hands and staring at her with passionate eyes.

My hands quickly turned into fists, my cheeks warmed up in anger, and the blood within me boiled.

Why is he holding her?! And why is he looking at her like that!

I was about to go over to them and snatch her away, but the words Kiba told me played in my head.

I can't interfere...I need to keep my distance and be cold...

I sighed as I felt my heart sink.

I need to get out of here...I can't watch this.

I turned to walk away, but the words that came out of his mouth made my whole world stop.

Naruko P.O.V

"Gaara...the thing is I'm kinda in a sticky situation. The village is under populated, and Lady Tsunade has the majority of the village on some crazy mission to repopulate the village."

"And?"

"And...I'm on that mission with Sasuke. I'm kinda married to him right now..."

His eyes widened and the air between us thickened.

Perfect! A rejection without there being an actual rejection. Damn it, I'm freaking smart! That had to have given him a clue to just let me go, right?

"I'm sorry Gaara--"

"No!" he shouted angrily as his grip on my hands tightened.

"Gaara, what's-?!"

"You don't actually love him though, right? I just heard you say you're in love with me. So why don't you just leave him and we'll be together. I'll tell Lady Tsunade and--"

"Gaara stop!" I yelled angrily as I yanked my hands away from his. "Listen Gaara, I can't just leave the mission. I have to do it for the village." Liar. You fucking liar, Naruko.

"But Naruko...you can still be mine, right?"

"I..."

Maybe being with Gaara wouldn't be so bad. He loves me, and even though I don't love him, maybe being with him will make me forget my feelings for Sasuke. Then once I lose my feelings for that jerk, I can finally focus on loving myself and the village. Then I'll drop Gaara and devote myself to being Hokage.He would understand if I left to be hokage and care for my village rather than saying 'I lied about loving you because I didn't want to admit I'm in love with Sasuke.'

I felt my heart drop as I finally decided on what to do.

"Yes...I can still be yours."