The fluorescent lights of the hospital felt harsher than usual as Sakura rubbed her temples, exhaustion weighing her down. The endless cycle of college, night shifts, and the relentless research project was catching up to her. Her body ached, her mind felt foggy, and the only thing keeping her upright was sheer determination—and the thought of her friends waiting for her at the coffee shop.

As the sun began to rise, Sakura finally clocked out, her shoulders slumping in relief. She barely remembered the drive to the coffee shop, her mind preoccupied with deadlines and case studies. The familiar aroma of roasted beans hit her the moment she stepped inside, momentarily reviving her.

The barista, who had long since memorized her order, gave her a warm smile as she approached the counter. He didn't even need to ask. Within moments, he slid a tall cup of steaming coffee across to her.

"You look like you could use this," he said kindly.

Sakura managed a tired smile. "You have no idea."

As she reached for the cup, her eyes caught the message scrawled neatly on the side: "You're beautiful."

A faint blush rose to her cheeks, and she glanced at the barista, who offered her a casual shrug and a grin before moving on to the next customer.

Before she could dwell on it, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You should really watch where you're going, Haruno."

Sakura turned abruptly, coffee in hand, and walked straight into Sasuke's chest. The collision wasn't forceful, but her tired state made it feel like running into a brick wall.

"Ah—sorry," she muttered, stepping back quickly.

Sasuke's dark eyes flickered down to her cup, the message catching his attention. His lips twitched in what could have been a smirk, but his expression remained impassive as he handed her a napkin. "You're a walking hazard today."

Sakura glared at him, though the effect was somewhat diminished by her fatigue. "Thanks for the observation, Captain Obvious," she shot back, dabbing the coffee that had sloshed onto her hand.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than usual. "Rough night?"

"Something like that," she replied, her voice softer now.

As she moved toward the table where the rest of their friends were already seated, Sasuke followed, taking the seat directly across from her. Naruto, ever the ball of energy, waved enthusiastically.

"There she is! Man, Sakura-chan, you look like you fought a war last night!"

"More like three," she muttered, taking a long sip of her coffee.

Ino leaned over, her sharp eyes narrowing. "Are you sleeping at all? Because you look like hell."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Sakura replied dryly. "I'll sleep when this research paper doesn't haunt my every waking moment."

Neji, seated next to her, tapped on his laptop. "We'll get through it. You're not doing this alone, remember?"

Sakura gave him a tired smile, appreciating the reassurance.

As the conversation drifted to lighter topics, Sasuke's gaze briefly returned to her coffee cup, the words still visible. He didn't say anything, but his mind lingered on the small detail longer than he cared to admit.

When Sakura caught him looking, she raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Just wondering how you manage to function on no sleep."

She smirked faintly. "Witch."

"Or sheer stubbornness," Ino chimed in, earning a glare from Sakura.

The group's laughter filled the coffee shop, and despite her exhaustion, Sakura felt a small sense of relief.

—

The group stood in the parking lot, bags in hand, surrounded by the early morning chill. The excitement of the trip was quickly overshadowed by a heated argument about who would ride with whom.

"I'm not sitting in Shikamaru's car," Ino declared, crossing her arms. "I love you, babe, but you drive so slow it's like watching paint dry."

Shikamaru sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Troublesome. If you want to ride with Sakura, just say so."

Naruto jumped in, grinning. "Dibs on Sakura's car! She's got the cool ride."

Sasuke frowned. "You're loud. I'm not sitting in the same car as you."

Hinata shifted uncomfortably. "U-um, I don't mind either car..."

Neji, ever the composed one, interjected. "Does it really matter? We'll all arrive at the same place."

"It matters!" Ino shot back. "I'm not going to listen to Naruto and Sasuke bicker the whole way."

Sakura, who had been silent through the chaos, pinched the bridge of her nose. Finally, she heaved a dramatic sigh and started walking toward her Lexus. "I'll wait in the car. This is way too much for my brain right now. Figure it out."

Her words cut through the noise like a knife, and the group turned to watch her retreat.

After a few more rounds of back-and-forth, they finally settled on a plan:
Sakura's Car: Ino (front seat), Naruto, and Sasuke (back seat).
Shikamaru's Car: Shikamaru, Hinata, and Neji.

As they loaded into their respective vehicles, Naruto leaned over to Sasuke in the back seat. "Man, you should thank me. I'm way more fun than sitting with Neji."

Sasuke shot him a glare. "Just don't talk."

In the front seat, Ino fiddled with the radio, grinning at Sakura. "Ready to blast some tunes?"

Sakura rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "Just don't put anything that'll make me regret this trip."

Meanwhile, in Shikamaru's car, Neji smirked. "So, Hinata, think Naruto will survive the ride with Sasuke?"

Hinata blushed, peeking out the window. "I hope so..."

Naruto leaned forward from the back of Sakura's car, peering over Ino's shoulder. "Hey, Sakura-chan, are you sure you're okay to drive? You've been running on fumes lately."

Sakura glanced at him through the rearview mirror, her expression neutral. "I'm fine, Naruto."

Ino turned her head slightly to address him, her tone firm but reassuring. "She's better behind the wheel when she's tired than any of us are on our best days. Driving helps her focus and relax. Trust me, she's got this."

Naruto blinked, surprised by Ino's confidence. "Huh... I didn't know that."

Ino shrugged, smirking. "You don't spend enough time with her, obviously. When she's driving, it's like everything else fades. You're in good hands, Naruto. Now sit back and enjoy the ride."

Sakura cast Ino a sidelong glance, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks, Ino."

"Always," Ino replied casually, turning back to adjust the radio. "Now, let's find some music that won't put us all to sleep."

Naruto leaned back, finally relaxing, and Sasuke, seated beside him, closed his eyes as if retreating from the conversation entirely.

Why the fuck am I so uneased?Sakura thought.

—

Sakura's car pulled up first, skidding to a smooth halt in front of the cabins. The group emerged, stretching their legs and unloading their bags with ease. Sakura, ever composed, sipped her coffee as she leaned against the steps of the cabin, her oversized hoodie slightly slipping off one shoulder.

Ino immediately darted inside to claim the best room, dragging Naruto along to help her with her bags, while Sasuke walked up the porch steps silently, his bag slung over his shoulder.

Moments later, Shikamaru's car rolled into view, a bit slower and more deliberate in its movements. He parked next to Sakura's car and stepped out, his sharp eyes immediately landing on her. Sakura greeted him with a knowing grin, her coffee cup raised slightly in mock toast.

Shikamaru tilted his head, his expression both tired and annoyed as he approached her. "You drove way too fast, Sakura. Seriously, in your state, that wasn't just reckless—it was stupid."

Sakura took a slow sip of her coffee, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. "My state?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"You've been running yourself into the ground with work, college, and that damn research project," Shikamaru said, crossing his arms. "It's not safe to drive like that when you're obviously exhausted."

Sakura straightened up, a teasing smirk tugging at her lips. "Your woman's safe, isn't she?"

Shikamaru blinked, caught off guard.

"Ino's inside, alive and well," Sakura continued, stepping closer as she lowered her voice just enough to make her point. "So stop blabbering and get the hell out of my face."

For a moment, Shikamaru could only stare at her, clearly debating whether arguing was worth the effort. Finally, he sighed, muttering, "Troublesome," under his breath as he turned toward the cabin.

Sakura smirked to herself, taking another sip of her coffee before turning to Sasuke, who had been leaning silently against the porch railing, watching the exchange.

"You're enjoying this way too much," she said, her voice light but edged with humor.

"Maybe," Sasuke replied with a slight smirk of his own, the faintest flicker of amusement in his dark eyes.

As the group stood around, discussing sleeping arrangements, Sakura leaned against the doorframe, her tired eyes scanning the cabin. Her mind was still foggy from the long drive and her hectic schedule, but she didn't want to be a burden.

She glanced toward the stairs, the third bedroom at the top of the stairs seeming like the best option for some rest. But before she could say anything, Sasuke spoke up, his voice low and authoritative.

"You're taking the third bedroom," he said, his eyes flicking briefly to her, then back to the others.

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but she didn't get the chance to respond. Just as she started to protest, Neji, who had been standing nearby, spoke in perfect sync with Sasuke.

"You need to rest," they said.

Sakura froze for a moment, blinking in confusion at the simultaneous response from the two of them.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the interaction between Sakura and Neji. It wasn't lost on him that Neji seemed to have this particular, almost soft, care toward her. Sasuke's thoughts flitted back to the massage earlier, to the way Neji had gently coaxed her to relax. He didn't like the feeling that was creeping into his chest—something he couldn't name.

He turned away, hoping to shake the thought, but before he could, Ino's voice rang out, cutting through the tension.

"Look at you two, fighting over her health," Ino teased, walking toward the group with a smirk plastered across her face.

Sakura rolled her eyes, already feeling her patience wearing thin. "Health, my ass," she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms and glaring at Ino.

Ino only grinned wider. "You know, it's cute when the boys care," she added with a wink.

Sasuke and Neji exchanged a look, both of them clearly trying to ignore the light teasing from Ino. Neji's brow furrowed slightly, though, his expression a mix of concern and slight irritation.

What's with Uchiha lately?

Sasuke, on the other hand, remained stoic, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. Neither of them said anything more, though.

Sakura sighed, giving in. "Fine," she muttered, stepping toward the stairs. "I'll take the third bedroom. But don't expect me to sleep for long."

"I'll make sure you do," Neji said quietly, his voice soft but filled with genuine care. He turned away as if it were a casual remark, but Sakura noticed the glint in his eye.

Sakura's eyebrows raised in surprise but she didn't comment on it. She simply walked up the stairs, her tired body in need of rest, but her mind still racing with thoughts she couldn't quite place.

Behind her, Ino shot a quick glance at Sasuke and Neji, still smirking. "You guys really do care about her, huh?"

Sasuke ignored her, walking toward the armchair to settle in for the night. Neji followed, though, still watching Sakura's retreating figure as she disappeared into the bedroom.

"Of course", Neji blurted out. "She's my friend."

Once the door closed behind her, Neji glanced back at Sasuke. There was a brief moment of tension in the air, something that couldn't quite name. Sasuke met Neji's gaze, then turned away, sitting down on the armchair, a quiet silence settling over the room.

Sakura, meanwhile, leaned against the bed, eyes closing for a moment, allowing herself to finally rest.