Day 26: Following you

Sasuke frowned as he watched Naruto.

"And then you have to spin the chakra really fast" he demonstrated as the ball of blue pure chakra in his hand started spinning, causing the wind to pick up and a whistling sound to emanate from it. "And then you throw it! Rasengan!"

He ran towards a target on the outskirts of the training grounds, the impact of the ball of chakra splintering the wooden dummy to smithereens. Sakura gasped, clasping her hands, green eyes shining in amazement.

"That's so cool! As expected of a technique created by the Fourth Hokage himself!"

"Right? My dad's pretty awesome" Naruto grinned, a finger rubbing under his nose. "It's not an easy jutsu either. It takes a loooooooot of practice."

Sasuke scoffed, turning away. He could feel Naruto and Sakura's eyes on his back.

"Hey, bastard! What was that for?!"

"Sasuke-kun, is everything alright?"

He ignored their questions and just continued to get away. So what if it was a cool jutsu? It's not like Naruto invented it. Besides, with the Hokage as his teacher even someone as useless as him was bound to get it right sooner or later. So who the hell cared?

"The hell curled up his ass and died this time."

"Naruto! Language!"

"Ouch! Sakura-chan, that hurts!"

"If you don't want it to hurt, then you should learn how to behave!"

"What's wrong with my behavior?!"

He tuned them out, reaching the other end of the training ground and sitting under a tree. Winter was slowly giving way to spring, with the vegetation gradually recovering its greenery. The air was still chilly although, as he circulated chakra through his body, he could barely feel it. The technique required some measure of good chakra control, one he had been getting better at since graduating the academy.

It was a technique he had learned from Hinata.

He had learned how to better control his chakra from her as well, come to think of it.

'The gentle fist requires precision in order to be effective. We learn how to control our chakra before we ever learn to walk.'

That had been her answer when he asked her how she was so good at it. It had been a little after that episode at the waterfall. Walking on trees was difficult enough as it was, he couldn't imagine doing it on water. On top of that, they had learned soon after returning to the village that her elemental affinity was actually fire, so the fact she could control water to such a degree, even if it wasn't perfect, just made everything she did much more amazing.

Sasuke frowned, allowing his head to hit the trunk of the tree. There he went, thinking about her again.

It had been a few days since the truth came to light.

Honestly speaking, Sasuke was still at a loss about what to do. The logical course of action was what he had already done, which was basically break up with her. She said that she had grown to like him back in the time they've been together, but how could he truly trust her?

"Hey" he glanced up, finding his female teammate looking down at him, a small frown of worry on her face. "Is everything alright, Sasuke-kun? You look a bit out of sorts."

Sasuke resisted the urge to sigh. There went his peace. Not that he had hoped to get any with his two noisy teammates here, but it wasn't like he could simply get up and leave. They were still waiting for Kakashi after all.

Who was running late.

Again.

"Nothing serious" he answered shortly.

This caused Sakura's frown to deepen, and, after a small look behind her shoulder to make sure Naruto was still distracted with his new jutsu, she sat down next to him, knees gathered close to her body.

"Is it about Hinata?" she asked, leaning her head on her knees.

He narrowed his eyes. "Why would it be?" and then, an epiphany. "You're Hinata's friend… did you know about…?"

Sakura looked surprised for a moment, raising her head slightly off her knees, but then she sighed, allowing it to rest on them once more as she closed her eyes. "Ah, Hinata finally told you about the love letter."

"So you knew!" he accused, feeling slighted like when he found out Itachi also knew. How many people were aware of this, really? Instinctively, his eyes turned towards Naruto.

Sakura chuckled when she noticed where his attention had gotten to and the possible thoughts that were making the rounds in his head. "As if he could know" she said jokingly, easing his worries.

He still didn't relax. "If you knew, then why didn't you say anything?" he asked, picking at the dirt under him. She shrugged.

"Not really for me to say, don't you think?"

"Of course" he rolled his eyes, remembering that's what Itachi had said. She was right though. They both were. It didn't make him feel any better though.

"How did you find out anyway? Hinata finally told you?"

"She did. She…" he closed his eyes. How exactly could he put his thoughts and feelings into words? He wasn't even sure if he wanted to do so with Sakura of all people, one of Hinata's friends, as well as one of his fangirls.

"Hey" she spoke when he didn't. He grunted in response. "Sasuke-kun, do you like Hinata?"

"…what's the purpose of this question?"

"I'm just curious. After all, even though you always rejected everyone who ever confessed to you, you readily accepted Hinata's letter. Hinata wasn't sure herself why you wanted her to be his girlfriend. She was convinced it couldn't be because you liked her, even if Ino and I told her there wasn't another explanation."

"I don't know. I don't feel like telling you anything" he said dismissively. He heard her huff.

"Well, you don't need to answer, as it's pretty obvious you do like Hinata" Sakura placed her hands on her hips, stretching her legs as she leaned forward until she was on his face. Sasuke recoiled with a grimace. "But you should count yourself lucky, because as it is, you managed to get her to like you back, so you don't need to look so depressed only because the letter wasn't originally for you."

"Stop getting on my face. I swear you can be as bad as Naruto" he finally raised his hand and pushed her away, making Sakura squeal as she stumbled back. However, she wasn't deterred, and although she didn't get too close again, she quickly lifted herself up and pointed a finger at him.

"Am I not telling the truth? You better be honest, Sasuke-kun!"

"What does it matter?" he leaned away, hands supporting his weight from behind him. "And why are you even so interested? Last I knew, didn't you like me?"

"How obnoxious" she actually scoffed. Sasuke was astounded. "Don't confuse a childhood infatuation with the real deal. I might have thought you were kinda cool…"

"…Kinda…?"

"But those days are long past! I'm not so immature I would keep pining after someone with a girlfriend, more so if that girlfriend is also my friend. Besides…" at this point she glanced away, eyes finding Naruto as he destroyed yet another wooden dummy. Sasuke was surprised at how much softer her eyes became. He didn't remember her ever looking at him that way. "Feelings can change."

He frowned at her, more so in thought than anything else. Sakura liked Naruto now? Well, wouldn't the idiot be in over his head if he learned… but more than that…

"Hinata told you she likes me?" he asked, recalling what she said, only now paying attention after the revelation of her changed affections. Sakura looked at him as if he was stupid. He honestly didn't know anymore if he liked her better like this or preferred the Sakura that actually respected him.

"What, you're doubting her feelings?"

The way she said it made him feel defensive. "How could I not? She wrote that letter for the loser, not me, and then, even though she told me she liked me now, she couldn't say why, despite naming quite a few reasons for her feelings for the idiot in the letter."

"And that's why you don't believe she likes you?" Sakura asked, tilting her head in confusion.

He groaned. "Does it look like nothing to you?"

"I don't know, but if she told you she liked you then it's because that's the truth" she said, matter-of-factly. When he didn't look convinced, she offered hesitantly; "maybe give her a little time to think up the reasons she likes you?"

Sasuke sighed.

"Hey, why are the two of you looking so chummy?" Naruto ran towards them, pulling Sasuke away from Sakura and sitting between them. Although the dark-haired boy was visibly annoyed at being manhandled like that, he was also relieved because Naruto's presence meant he could finally put a stop to the awkward conversation with Sakura. "Don't you go having any weird ideas bastard, or I'll tell Hinata!"

Hinata's name coming from Naruto's mouth had an incredible effect on him. Without thinking, he stood up and kicked the other boy on the leg. Naruto yelped. "As if! Who even cares about that girl anyway! Someone so annoying would better fit with you!"

"Hey, what's this about?!"

"Tell Kakashi I'm not feeling well" he said towards Sakura, ignoring Naruto as he massaged his leg and continued to complain. The two of them looked at him with surprise at his words, and tried to call him back when he turned around and started to walk away, but he ignored them, having enough of human interaction for that day.

He wanted to hide away in his room and be alone for the rest of the day.

He made it halfway to his district when he felt the undeniable presence of someone following him.

At first, he dismissed it. It wasn't a particularly busy day in Konoha, with not many people walking around. Spring might be around the corner, but it was still cold, and most civilians preferred to stay home to avoid it if they could. However, as he continued walking, he felt it more and more, to the point he grew convinced there had to be someone following him.

As he looked back, there was no one there, but that didn't make the feeling diminish in the slightest.

"Alright" he said, turning around, eyes darting everywhere. "Who's there?"

There was no answer.

"Don't make me repeat myself" he grunted with annoyance. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. "If it's you Kakashi, then fuck off. I have the right to stay home if I'm not feeling well after you left us waiting for two hours in the cold again" he hissed, fists clenching by his sides.

Still no answer.

"Was I just imagining it?" he muttered to himself. He was pretty sure he wasn't, but…

"This… Sasuke-kun…"

His whole body jerked at that voice. When he looked up, he found Hinata, head poking shyly from behind a lamppost, that undeniable ugly blush present once again on her face.

He involuntarily took a step back.

"Ah, please wait!" she stepped completely away from the lamppost, extending her hand towards him as if to stop him, before wincing and then pulling that same hand back to her chest, to join the other as she clenched them against herself. "I… I didn't mean to…"

"What are you doing here?" he interrupted her, recovering a bit of his wits. He frowned when she winced instead of answering. "Where you the one following me just now?" he pressed.

He saw her gulp, and then, slowly, nod.

"Why?" he asked, truly confused. "I mean… why not just…?"

He stopped, realizing then he was… he was talking to her.

When he was supposed to be avoiding her.

Sasuke bit his lips, and then straightened, narrowing his eyes at her. "Never mind that. I'm not really interested in your reasons. In fact, I better get going because…"

"Please wait!"

Her voice, which until that point had been low enough that it was difficult to hear, suddenly rose in volume, causing him to do exactly as she asked. Hinata closed her eyes, her torso leaning just the slightest bit forward, and in that position, she opened her mouth again to yell; "I couldn't find the courage to talk to you, so I followed you hoping I could catch your attention somehow! And I…! I really need to…!"

She breathed heavily, her body shaking a little, and then, opened her eyes and stared directly at him.

"I really need to talk to you, so please don't turn me away. Allow me to explain everything, and tell you all the reasons I fell in love with you."

Sasuke's eyes widened, his heart stopping momentarily. Hinata, she… was she…?

Don't trust her.

A poisonous voice whispered in his ears, the same one he had been hearing since the moment of Hinata's confession. And with it, the doubts returned. Why should he trust her? After she deceived him so thoroughly for all these months? How could he truly believe she liked…?

'If she told you she liked you then it's because that's the truth.'

Sakura's words echoed in his mind, drowning that other voice if only for a moment. She had looked so convinced… and she was Hinata's friend, so maybe…

…maybe it was worth it, just hearing her out.

Closing his eyes for a second, he opened them more determinedly and looked at her. Hinata was still shaking, her body appearing as if it was shrinking in itself. The sight… wasn't pleasant at all, and the fact he was the cause of it was even more unpleasant…

He sighed, putting his hands in the pockets of his shorts. "I guess I could listen to you" he conceded, trying to look and sound reluctant, although he didn't know why he was putting in the effort.

Despite his attitude, Hinata's answering smile was like a flower, petals extending under the sun.

It made his heart hurt.