Unexpected Hearts / SasuSaku

Undeniable Connections

As the memory of Sakura hugging him continued to occupy his mind, Sasuke found himself unable to fall asleep. He lay on his bed, gazing up at the ceiling, replaying the moment over and over again. On one hand, he couldn't deny the warmth and comfort he felt in Sakura's embrace. Yet, on the other hand, he couldn't shake off the lingering guilt for allowing himself to enjoy it.

But it shouldn't matter, right? She was drunk, and people often say things they don't mean when they're intoxicated. Perhaps he should dismiss the significance of the moment altogether.

But deep down, he wondered if he truly didn't mean it. A part of him was curious to know Sakura more intimately. After all, their mothers were best friends, and it was highly likely that they would spend more time together now that their families had moved back to Konoha.

Sasuke had always been somewhat awkward around girls. Apart from school projects, he hadn't interacted with them much. If anyone didn't know him well, they might assume he was either gay or asexual. But that wasn't the case. He had found women attractive in the past, but he never pursued anything because he knew it would distract him from his studies.

However, Sasuke realized he didn't have to immediately jump into a romantic pursuit with Sakura. He could simply take the opportunity to get to know her, while still maintaining his focus on his studies.

Lost in these thoughts, Sasuke gradually managed to calm himself down and drifted to sleep.

...

Sakura woke up with a pounding headache, regretting the excessive drinking from the previous night. How much had she consumed? She couldn't recall, her memory clouded by the constant flow of shots that Ino had passed her way.

Confusion filled her as she realized she was in Sasuke's bed. Guilt washed over her, knowing it was his turn for the room. She hastily got up, glancing at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was already 7 a.m. on this lazy Sunday morning. Sakura walked out into the living room, spotting Sasuke studying, his concentration fixed on his textbook.

"Good morning," Sakura yawned, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.

"Good morning," Sasuke responded, his reply lacking emotion.

Sakura felt the need to apologize for inconveniencing him by taking his room. "Thanks for bringing me home. You can have the bedroom for tonight. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, thanks," Sasuke replied, his eyes still focused on his textbook.

Sakura sighed, disappointed by his lack of engagement. She understood that her apology was not as significant to him compared to his studying.

Curiosity filled Sasuke as he glanced up at Sakura, contemplating whether or not he should ask her what he had been contemplating. He debated whether it was worth sacrificing his study time for this, but the words slipped out before he could stop himself.

"What are your plans for today?" he asked, inwardly berating himself for going through with it.

"Probably not much. I overdid it last night," Sakura replied, holding a glass of water in her hands.

"What if we go to the café near the library?" Sasuke suggested, surprising himself with the invitation.

Sakura's eyes widened at the unexpected proposal. It was uncharacteristic of Sasuke to make such a suggestion, but she decided to embrace the opportunity nonetheless.

"Yeah, sure. What time?" Sakura inquired.

"Probably within the next hour. Is that enough time for you to get ready?" Sasuke asked, his tone more anxious this time.