Sakura yearned for love, relentlessly pursuing it only to find it slipping further away. Meanwhile, Kakashi, immersed in the demands of life, had never carved out the time or emotional space for such sentiments. Fate, however, wove a twist, entangli...
Everyone was seated around a long, rectangular low-seated table on the ground, with their legs folded. In sequence, Rock-lee, tenten, Sakura, Ino, Sai, Shikamaru, Temari, Choji, Kiba, and Shino. They were all having Sake and a few munchies with it.
"Where the hell is Naruto?!", Sakura yelled. The whole gang has been waiting for Naruto for the last one hour.
"Ahh, don't worry, Hinata's out looking for him with her Byakugan."
At that same moment, Hinata walks in, "Hey, everyone! He's here."
Naruto walks in smiling, "Hey guys"
"Narutooo... Happpy Birthday!!!" they all cheered in unison, blowing horns and blasting confetti!!
"Thank you, Minnaaa!!!", Naruto said with joy. He seemed to have left something behind and went running outside. Everyone wondered for a moment what went wrong. Naruto returned pulling a discomfited Sasuke inside the bar by holding his hand.
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"Minnaa, look who's here!", Naruto exclaimed.
Sasuke... Is it really Sasuke?! Sakura's eyes widened in shock! Her heart skipped a beat as her brain acknowledged his presence after about 2 years..
"Sasuke!!", Everyone reacted in surprise. While most of them were happy or indifferent to see him, nobody carried the despising look that they once had for him. Sakura on the other hand was utterly emotional. She just stared at Sasuke with amazement, to see him after so long, all grown and handsome, She was hardly able to contain her tears.. "Sasuke?? It's been so long! How are you?", she managed to ask.
Sasuke looked at her, "I'm alright", it sounded unconvincing. Sasuke's face looked awkward and his eyes saddened. Everyone noticed him being bit off. Ino broke the silence, "Welcome back Sasuke!! So happy to see you!"
Ino watched Sakura yearning for Sasuke, so she quickly slid toward Sai, making space between her and Sakura, "Come, Sasuke, join us!" she exclaimed, gesturing to the vacant seat next to Sakura. Sasuke hesitated for a moment, and after a brief pause he started walking towards Sakura, but Naruto suddenly pulled him and made him sit next to himself.
Sakura felt a bit mad at Naruto but didn't mind much, she was still frozen with his presence. She heard Ino whisper, "Damn Naruto!"
The rest of the evening went by chit-chatting and cracking jokes on each other and later getting Naruto drunk af. Although the whole time Sakura couldn't take her eyes off Sasuke. She wished for one eye contact, one smile, or any kind of acknowledgment from Sasuke, but she got none.
Sasuke seemed lost in his world, only speaking with Naruto that too in whispers. He seemed to be sitting quite close to Naruto almost hiding himself from everyone else, it was understandable as he was meeting like this with everyone after about 6 years at least. He looked uncomfortable.
