Following the return of Sakura's memory, the next couple of weeks were rather uneventful considering all that they had gone through. The occasional love rival would butt in their lives, but it never got as serious as having to fight one of them again. Life was sweet.

As for Sakura and Lee's relationship... It was moving at a glacial place.

And according to Guy Sensei this was not good at all. "This is all wrong, Lee," he had said one day. They were in their room that the Hatake's lent out to them. "The passions of youth are supposed to be burning! Not freezing!"

Lee sobbed as he was bowing on the floor, showing repentance. "I am sorry Sensei! I am trying my best!"

"Are you?" Guy asked. "Because it seems to me that you're not trying at all. Utilize your youthfulness!" He curled his fingers into a fist and shook it in the air. "Have you even told Sakura that you love her?"

"I—" Lee's sobbing ceased. Now that he thought about it, he hasn't done so at all. He's wanted to plenty of times, but he lacked the courage to do so which was strange for him. He wasn't too shy to try and hit on her and dote on her. He recalled that the very first thing he called her was an angel.

Pink tinged his cheeks. "Oh Sakura... My angel."

"Remember mop top, you're supposed to get married to her. The only way that's going to work out is if it's mutual," Guy continued.

Lee lifted his head up to look at his teacher. The imprint of the floorboards was plastered to his face. "But Guy Sensei, how should I go about it?"

"That is for you to figure out, I did my time." Guy turned to leave.

"Sensei... If that is the case, where is your wife?"

Guy paused, keeping his back towards Lee. "What happened to doubting me, Lee?"

Lee face planted onto the floor. "You are absolutely right! Never again, Guy Sensei!"

Chuckling, Guy left Lee to ponder over his predicament alone. "Just tell Sakura you love her..." Lee said aloud to himself. "That should be easy enough."

That morning when they were walking to school, Lee decided to shoot his shot. As Sakura walked along the sidewalk, Lee walked along the fencing as usual. He peered down at her, watching as her hair bobbed each time she took a step.

He liked her short hair. It was hard to say if he liked it better than her long hair. He just loved everything about her. It was that simple. Just tell her.

"Sakura," he said suddenly, "I need you."

Sakura looked up at him. The way the light shined off her eyes was enough to make his heart stop. "You want me to what?" She asked him. Figures she'd take it the wrong way.

"I uh... Nevermind."

The second time Lee tried to confess was at lunchtime. He tried to get a word in but Sakura was much more popular than him at school. All her friends had something to say something to her and crowded around her desk. Come to think of it, Lee didn't have any friends at school besides the Hatake girls.

The third time he tried was after school on their walk home. It before Lee could even open his mouth, someone who was watering their garden with their hose had accidentally sprayed water onto him. He squealed sadly as a squirrel, buried within his clothes. Sakura had to carry him the rest of the way home, drawing him a bath.

Sighing, Lee sunk into the hot water. She didn't have to draw him a bath. Despite her I'll will towards him in the beginning, Sakura truly was kind to him. It only made him love her all the more. If only he had the courage to do so.

Courage...

That's it! Lee needed a bit of liquid courage! It was so obvious. Lee was an extreme lightweight, more so considering the fact that wasn't even a legal adult. But he's had alcohol before and he knows exactly where Kakashi kept it. All he had to do was take a tiny sip so that no one would notice.

Lee had waited until everyone was in their own rooms to go down into the kitchen. He has nearly gotten caught by Ino who had went to fetch herself a snack. Lee stood frozen in place, as if she wouldn't see him if he wasn't moving.

Ino narrowed his eyes at him as she walked past. "Weirdo..." Whatever he was doing, Ino wanted no part of it as she went back up to her room. Sighing with relief, Lee continued on with his task. Kakashi kept the sake in the back of the upmost cabinet. Lee had known this due to having to sit with Kakashi and Guy during one of their late nights drinking. It was actually the first night they had arrived from China. The old friends were celebrating and discussing the terms of Lee's engagement to Sakura. He got to sit with them because "he was a man now."

Whatever that meant.

Once Lee had procured the same, he poured himself the tiniest amount he could muster. He drank it. Maybe a tiny bit more just to make sure. He drank that too.

Now all he had to do was go up to Sakura's room.

Lee wobbled up the stairs, his face flushed. Was there always this many stairs? By the time he got to the top, the downstairs felt very far away. Now all he had to do was walk a few measly steps to her door and go up to her tell her that he loved her!

This was easy compared to the drunken fist technique!

At least it should be. Lee's feet felt like cement blocks. He didn't know how he made it but he did. It didn't take long for Sakura to answer after he knocked on the door. She was pleasantly surprised to see him.

"Oh! Lee, what are you doing here? Is something wrong?" She cupper her cheek with her hand. "You actually don't look so good."

Lee shook his head one too many times. "Nope! There is nothing the matter. In fact I have never felt better!"

"Hm." Sakura opened her door wider. "Better come inside, maybe there's something I can do to heal you." She stepped aside to let Lee into her room. The last time he was in here, well— he was caught in the middle of the night in Sakura's bed. Then he had to sleep all night in Kakashi's room. The thought sent shivers down his spine. Never again.

Sakura pressed the back of her hand to Lee's forehead. "Poor thing, you must be sick. You're shivering."

Lee grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips instead.

Now it was Sakura's turn to shiver. "W-what are you doing?"

Lee pulled her in close. "Sa... Ku... Ra... I have... To tell you something." He looked at her with half-lidded eyes.

Sakura sniffed the air. "Is that... Sake I smell? Lee have you been drinking?!" Bewildered, she snatched her hand and scooted away from him.

Lee squished his fingers together. "Maybe just a liiiiitle bit," he admitted. He crawled on his knees to get closer to her.

Sakura scooted as far as she could until she hit her dresser. "Lee, you're scaring me."

Scaring her? Lee stopped. "That is... That is not what I wanted." He pressed his forehead into the floor. "I am... Ssssorry." Lifting his head up once more, Lee gazed at her with watery eyes.

Sighing, Sakura grabbed her nose bridge. "What did you hope to accomplish you knucklehead?"

"IjustwantedtotellyouthatIloveyou!" Lee blurted out. It sounded more like a bark than anything.

Sakura was stunned. "What?"

"I... I love you Sakura!"

Smack!

A red handprint was quickly forming on the side of his cheek. The swelling had already begun. With a trembling hand, Lee touched his aching cheek.

Sakura sniffed. "You dummy... What made you think that was a good idea?"

"Huh?"

Sakura grabbed Lee's face in her hands and began to heal his cheek. "Getting drunk just to tell me that you loved me... That doesn't count."

Lee frowned. "Sakura..."

Sakura stood up and had Lee lean on her as she led him out of her room. "You better get out of here before Dad catches you. You better try and sleep that off."

Why was she still being so nice to him?

"I'll try to help you with your inevitable hangover in the morning, just try not to get caught." With that, Sakura closed the door on him.

It didn't count?

Lee mulled over her words.

Does that mean he gets to try again? Only time will tell.