The faint light from a window filtered in, casting long shadows that seemed to dance on the walls. The air was thick, warm — almost too warm.

There, standing in front of him, was Sakura. She was dressed in something simple, her hair falling in waves around her face, but her eyes — those damn eyes — they locked onto his, filled with an intensity he had never seen before.

"Sasuke," she whispered, her voice low and inviting, sending a shiver down his spine.

Before he could react, she took a step toward him, closing the distance between them in one fluid motion. The air around them seemed to crackle as her hand gently cupped his face, her touch so light, so careful, yet with an underlying strength that made his heart skip a beat.

Sasuke's breath hitched as she leaned in, her lips brushing softly against his. The kiss was tentative at first, like she was testing the waters, and his body responded without hesitation. His hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer. The feeling of her skin against his fingertips was intoxicating, like fire and silk all at once.

Her lips were warm and soft against his, and as they deepened the kiss, it was no longer tentative — it was urgent, powerful, as though something inside of them had finally snapped. His fingers slid along the smooth curve of her back, and he could feel her body melting into his, pressing closer, as if trying to become a part of him.

Her hands moved up to his chest, feeling the contours of his muscles through the fabric of his shirt, before she pushed him back slightly, breaking the kiss for only a second. Sasuke's breath was shallow, his heart pounding, but before he could say anything, she was kissing him again, this time with more force, more heat. Her hands roamed over his chest, his shoulders, her fingers tracing the lines of his body as if memorizing it, as if she was claiming him.

Sasuke's head spun as he kissed her back with equal intensity, his hands moving to her back, feeling the heat of her skin under the fabric of her shirt. Her body was soft but firm, pressed up against him in a way that made his pulse race. He could feel the heat radiating off of her, and it was almost too much — too much to handle, but he didn't want it to stop.

Her skin, so smooth, so warm, pressed against his as she moved closer, the faintest touch of her fingertips skimming along his jawline. Her breath was shaky, as if she, too, couldn't control the pull between them.

He felt her fingers at the back of his neck, gently pulling him closer, urging him to kiss her more deeply. And he did. He kissed her harder, more desperately, the sensation of her lips on his like a drug he couldn't stop craving.

The world around them blurred as the kiss grew more feverish, more consuming. There was nothing but her, nothing but the heat of their bodies pressed together. His hands roamed to her back, sliding under her shirt, feeling the smoothness of her skin — she shivered beneath his touch, the sensation of her body against his driving him wild.

But just as the kiss reached its peak, the world shattered. His eyes snapped open, his heart hammering in his chest, his breath ragged. He was alone in his room. The quiet hum of the night air filled the space around him, and the harsh reality hit him like a wave. His skin tingled with the memory of her touch, and his mind was still reeling from the intensity of the dream.

It had been a dream.

But god, it felt so real.

The usual buzz of the campus coffee shop filled the air as Sasuke sat at the counter, silently waiting for his coffee. His mind was still clouded from the strange dreams of the night before, but he was trying to shake it off, focusing instead on the start of another hectic day.

A familiar sound of boots clicking against the floor caught his attention, and he turned to see Sakura walking in, her energy as bright as always. She approached the counter with a soft smile, and as soon as the barista noticed her, he immediately greeted her with his usual warmth.

"Good morning, Sakura! The usual?"

Sakura gave a small smile. "Yeah, thanks."

Sasuke, who was watching her from the corner of his eye, saw the barista scribble something on her cup. It was something he had seen many times before—little messages, compliments written on her cups, nothing out of the ordinary... except it always seemed to make her smile in that quiet, pleased way.

As the barista handed the cup to her, Sasuke noticed the message: "You're beautiful today, just like everyday."

Sasuke couldn't help the irritated twitch in his eye. He rolled his eyes, his lips pressing into a thin line, watching as the barista made the final touch on her cup.

Sakura glanced at him just then, catching the movement in his expression. She raised an eyebrow.

"Really, Sasuke?" she teased, her lips curving into that playful smile. "Rolling your eyes again over this?"

Sasuke didn't respond right away, staring at her as she took the coffee with an appreciative smile toward the barista. But the irritation inside him grew a little as he watched the barista smile back at her in that way, with a little too much warmth. A little too much familiarity.

Sakura took a sip of her coffee, still noticing his annoyance. With a small chuckle, she set the mug down and leaned closer to the counter.

"Maybe one day, you'll stop writing those messages, and just say it out loud," she said to the barista, with a teasing tone that made Sasuke's chest tighten in an unexpected way. "You know, it's easier that way."

"Alright then, how about tomorrow?" the barista asked shyly and smiled.

"Sounds perfect." Sakura added as Ino came behind her.

"A DATE? Fuck yes! Finally, it was about time to ask her out dude!" Ino said ordering after that is the usual.

Sasuke's mind raced for a second, his stomach tightening uncomfortably. His eyes flicked from Sakura to the barista, who just gave her a smile in return.

If I could, I would break his legs.

But he didn't. Instead, he ground his teeth, his jaw tightening as he tried to suppress the sudden surge of jealousy that surged up in him. He had no reason to care, right? It wasn't like he had any claim over her. It wasn't like they were anything more than just... whatever this was. So why the hell did it bother him so much?

Sakura was already turning to Ino, laughing and rolling her eyes at her friend's enthusiasm. But Sasuke's gaze lingered on her, his thoughts in turmoil. The idea of Sakura—of all people—going out with the barista unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

"You really don't know when to quit, do you?" he muttered under his breath, his voice low and clipped.

Sakura didn't hear him, already lost in conversation with Ino about the potential date.

Sasuke's hand clenched into a fist, frustration pooling in his chest. He wasn't sure what bothered him more: the fact that the barista had the nerve to think he could ask Sakura out, or that it made him feel something... something that made no sense.

He sat down at their usual table, his coffee in front of him, and tried to focus on the conversation. Naruto, as usual, was already halfway through his breakfast, oblivious to everything going on. Shikamaru was leaning back in his chair, his usual bored expression on his face, as if this whole thing was just another irritating interruption to his nap time.

Just then, the door to the cafe swung open with a sharp chime. The group looked up as Karin stepped inside, strutting in with her usual self-assured swagger, a bag slung over her shoulder.

Sasuke couldn't help but stiffen as Karin approached their table, her bright eyes immediately seeking him out. There was an odd kind of smile on her lips, and her presence seemed to suck the air out of the room.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun," Karin called, leaning over the back of his chair, her voice smooth and teasing.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, but he didn't respond right away. Karin had a way of showing up at the most inconvenient times. She was nothing like Sakura—her energy was more like a storm, unpredictable and always a little too much.

Sasuke felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as she slid into the seat next to him without asking. He shot her a quick glance, trying to mask his irritation. "Karin."

Karin, oblivious to his cool reception, leaned in a little closer, her voice low and teasing. "You didn't think I'd miss the chance to see you, did you?" She let her fingers trace the edge of his cup, her eyes never leaving his. "I was hoping we could catch up."

Sasuke's gaze flickered briefly toward the counter, where Sakura was talking to the barista. He couldn't help but notice how natural she seemed with him, how she laughed, how the barista seemed to have her attention.

A flicker of jealousy passed through him, but he quickly pushed it aside, trying to focus on Karin instead.

Naruto, Shikamaru, and Ino were chatting amongst themselves, and Sasuke wished he could just ignore Karin, but she was making it impossible.

"So," Karin said, leaning in just a little closer, "you and Sakura have been pretty close lately, huh?"

Sasuke tensed, not liking where this was going. But Karin wasn't done yet. "You know, she's really different from you. Much more... approachable. Maybe she could teach you a thing or two about being open with people."

Sasuke's jaw tightened. He wasn't used to Karin being this forward, and her words dug under his skin more than he wanted to admit. "I'm not interested in talking about Sakura."

Karin didn't seem deterred. Instead, she smiled coyly, tilting her head. "Really? Because, you know, she's not the only one who's interested in you." She let her hand rest on his arm, her fingers lightly tracing the fabric of his sleeve.

Sasuke froze for a moment, the touch more electrifying than he cared to admit. But then, for some reason, he didn't pull away. Maybe it was because he was thinking too much about how Sakura had smiled at the barista and how she'd joked about him not saying his feelings out loud. The knot in his stomach twisted at the thought.

Before he could respond, Sakura turned to join them at the table, her presence cutting through the tension like a knife.

She caught the last bit of Karin's actions—the way her hand rested on Sasuke's arm—and her brow furrowed. It wasn't jealousy, not exactly, but it was something close to irritation.

"I see you've already made yourself comfortable, Karin," Sakura said coolly, her eyes flicking from Karin's hand to Sasuke's face. "What a surprise."

Karin smirked. "Why shouldn't I? Sasuke-kun and I were just talking about how nice it would be to... catch up."

Sasuke could feel Sakura's eyes on him, but he didn't look at her. Instead, he reached for his coffee, his thoughts scattered. He'd never felt so uncomfortable in a situation that should've been easy to handle.

Then, Neji walked in. He spotted Karin immediately and headed toward their table, a knowing grin spreading across his face. He wasn't oblivious to the awkwardness in the air and, as usual, he enjoyed stirring the pot. Neji leaned against the back of Karin's chair, his voice low but teasing. "Well, if it isn't the queen of drama herself," he said, his words sharp as he flashed a smile that only made Karin bristle.

Karin shot him a glare, clearly not in the mood for his antics. "What do you want, Hyuga?" she snapped, trying to brush him off.

Neji didn't budge, his gaze not leaving her. "Oh, just trying to liven up the place. You know, watching you squirm has always been entertaining."

The others at the table exchanged glances, but Sasuke, particularly, couldn't hide the slight relief washing over him. Neji's usual brand of teasing wasn't the kind of thing Karin could easily brush off. Sasuke knew Karin's temper all too well, and seeing her get flustered meant one thing: she'd leave sooner.

Karin shifted in her seat, clearly uncomfortable. "I don't need your attention, Neji," she said, her voice sharp. "So, why don't you take your little jokes and leave me alone?"

Neji chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. "Come on, Karin. Don't be shy. I'm sure it's hard for someone like you to resist when I'm so close."

Karin's face turned red, her patience clearly running thin. "You think you're funny?" she snapped. "Well, you're not. Just leave me alone."

Neji's smirk only widened. "I'm just here to make your day a little more interesting," he teased, his voice smooth as silk. He leaned a little closer to her, his face just inches from hers, "And maybe a little less boring."

Sasuke could tell Karin had reached her limit. She pushed herself out of her chair, clearly frustrated. "This conversation is over," she muttered, grabbing her bag and storming out of the café.

Sasuke didn't even flinch as Karin left. If anything, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He watched her go, inwardly relieved that the tension had left the table. Neji's actions had done exactly what Sasuke couldn't bring himself to do: he got her to leave.

Neji straightened up, a playful grin still on his face as he turned back to the table. "Well, that was fun. You're welcome," he said, acting as though nothing had happened.

Sasuke remained silent for a moment, then glanced at Sakura. She was watching Neji, her expression unreadable. He couldn't quite place what was going on in her head, but he was too caught up in his own thoughts.

Sakura let out a quiet sigh before speaking, her voice low. "You know, sometimes I wonder how you manage to get under her skin so easily."

Neji just shrugged. "It's a gift," he said, clearly satisfied with the results. "Can't help it if she's got a little temper."

The hospital corridors were quieter now, the bustling of the day fading into the hum of the night shift. Sakura was wiping down the counter in the emergency room, her thoughts scattered. The chaotic pace of the day had worn her thin, but she didn't have the luxury of stopping now.

She reached up to pull a metal container from the top shelf, her hand grazing the edge. The shelf wobbled slightly, and before she could pull back, the container came crashing down. With a sharp gasp, she barely managed to step aside as the heavy object hit her forehead. She stumbled back, blinking as she felt a sharp sting from the impact, blood beginning to trickle down her face.

"Dammit," Sakura muttered, pressing a hand to her forehead to stop the bleeding, her pulse quickening. She wasn't usually prone to accidents, but the exhaustion from the night shift had made her slower than usual.

"Are you sure you're okay, mother?" Sasuke asked, glancing at Mikoto as they made their way down the hallway.

Sasuke walked alongside his older brother Itachi, both of them trailing behind their mother Mikoto. She had been feeling unwell earlier in the evening, and though she insisted it was nothing serious, both sons had insisted on bringing her in for a checkup.

"I'm fine, Sasuke," she replied with a faint smile. "Just a little dizziness. Nothing to worry about."

Itachi, walking ahead, looked over his shoulder at Mikoto. "Still, it's better to be cautious. Let's get this checked out, and then we can go home."

Sasuke nodded, though his eyes were still full of concern. Mikoto was a formidable woman, always looking after them, but it unsettled him to see her in such a state.

As they reached the nurse's station, Mikoto excused herself to speak to the staff, and Sasuke and Itachi stepped off to the side. Sasuke's gaze wandered aimlessly until it landed on a familiar face at the doctor's desk.

Sakura.

Her face was more tired than usual, but she still wore that familiar, comforting expression, even if it was hidden behind a professional mask.

Sasuke stood there for a moment, watching her. Something stirred in him, but he quickly pushed it down. He didn't want to think too much about Sakura tonight. His focus should be on his mother.

"Sasuke, Itachi," Mikoto called, her voice snapping Sasuke back to reality. "The nurse will see me shortly."

Itachi glanced over at Sakura, then back at his brother. "We'll wait outside," he said, his voice calm and steady as always.

Mikoto gave a small nod, heading off with the nurse toward an exam room. Sasuke, however, stayed back for a moment longer, his eyes locking with Sakura's across the room. Her arm was resting on the counter, and Sasuke's gaze flicked to her hand—then to the small but distinct mark near her forehead. There, just barely noticeable in the dim light, was a cut, a thin gash along her forehead, just below her hairline. A twinge of concern stirred in him.

It was obvious she hadn't been treating it properly. Her face was still slightly pale, and the way her fingers touched the cut indicated she was trying to ignore the pain. Without thinking, he found himself walking toward her.