Something Better Than A Kiss

Chapter 1

Sakura's POV
My nightmare started like this.

The cool autumn breeze blows against my skin. Dark skies compliment the light of the moon and stars. This kind of night should've been perfect to go star gazing, if only I wasn't in a dream. In the dream, I was in the woods. I looked around as my heart raced. Everything feels so real. I searched the area for enemies, but what I saw wasn't an enemy, though I'm not sure if he's still a friend. I watched him fade slowly, like ashes blown by the wind. Then I called,

"Sasuke!"

Then I sensed his pressence behind my back. The wind became angry. I shivered and tried to face him, but I couldn't move.

"Sakura..." he said.

It all came back to me like a boomerang, the night he left Konoha, the team, me. I know what he was going to say...

"...thank you"

At first, not a thing could distract me from trying to move. Then suddenly, I felt pain I've felt before. I looked at what stabbed me. It was a katana, his katana, stabbed right through my chest and covered with my blood.

The man I've always loved just killed me....again.

I wake up with fast and heavy breaths. It takes some time for my breathing to go back to normal so I try to go back to sleep. After that, I realize I am too preoccupied by the dream. Maybe because the dream was too much, or maybe I am just being paranoid. The war has ended, everything is slowly going back to normal except for the fact that Sasuke is back. He said he was sorry, I teared up, I told him he was a bastard. But looking back to all that's happened, I realized it's not so easy to forgive. Several times he tried to take our lives. I did try to take his once, but I just can't do it.

Before I drown in my own thoughts, I get out of bed and walk into the kitchen. Maybe some water can help me drift back to sleep. I pour some cool water from the fridge to my glass and drink. I catch a glimpse of the time on my wall clock. It's 3 am in the morning.

I go back to bed and try not to think of anything. After a while, I fall asleep.

The knocks on the door wake me up. Brightness from my window gives light to my room. The knocking continues and I'm getting annoyed. I walk to my front door. Whoever this is, I'm so going to give it a piece of my mind. "Don't you know it's bad to wake--" I am cut off by the figure I see.

"Tsunade wants you at the hospital" Sasuke says.

Just by seeing him, memories in my dream comes back. But I will not let it get to me. The awkward moment began. I really don't know what to say and I feel my cheeks getting flushed. He is not saying anything too, which makes it harder for me. And for some reason, I want to be nice. So I say, "Uh,okay I'll go there..." when he doesn't reply I say, "I guess I'll see you around then."

"Hn."

I close the door. He's still a cold-blooded asshole.

Sasuke's POV
She closes the door. Naruto gets behind me.

"So, how was the talk?" he asks.
I'm not even sure that was a talk. "It's not even really a talk, Naruto" I say. We are walking to Ichiraku's Ramen but it's more like the dobe is dragging me to have brunch with him.

It has been 6 months since the 4th great ninja war ended. Madara's been killed, Obito's gone, Kakashi's the Hokage now, and Tsunade continues her leadership at the hospital. As for my old batchmates, let's just say it's all been awkward lately. For example, one night they invited me to go dinner. I really didn't want to go, but Naruto tricked me. Before they saw me at the entrance, they were all laughing and chattering but when I came, they all went quiet and start asking what had happened to my life. Of course I didn't answer them.. hn

"I think you should be more polite to her eh? You always talk like you can boss people around" Naruto says.

"Whatever dobe" I say back.

Sakura's POV
It's 5 pm in the afternoon and I can't wait to go home. Lady Tsunade made us investigate a type of plant she found in Suna that can help make scars smaller.

I put my lab gown on my office chair and walk out. On the way home, I see Hinata by Naruto's front door, hesitating whether to knock or not. I feel worried so I decide to say hi.

"Hi there" I greet warmly. Hinata jumps, her face turns pink.

"Oh, uh... Hello. I... Uhm thought you we-were somebody else" she stutters.

She holds a cute lunchbox. It is probably for Naruto.

"Somebody being who exactly?" I tease and her face turns into a tomato. This girl really likes Naruto. I wonder how Naruto's so dumb not to see.

"Sakura-chan! Hinata-chan!" Naruto calls from a distant, waving his hand. And guess what, he's with Sasuke. They both look pretty dirty, probably they've been training all day. I turn to Hinata.

"That's for Naruto isn't it?" I ask even though I know I don't have to. Her face turns red even more. For a momnet there I get worried.

"Oh?? Ye-yeah" she stutters again.

As they get closer, Hinata's breathing gets faster. I tell her, "Calm down, just give it to him and be yourself. You'll be absolutely fine."

She looks at me quickly. "You think so? I can't even come near him without blushing and stuttering."
I look at Naruto again, he's grinning at us. Then my eyes fall on Sasuke. Then, I remember when we were still genins. I was a big fan girl of Sasuke. I really liked him very much because he was so cool and I always tried the chances to talk to him, to see him and to impress him especially when I was in the same team as him. But I always failed to impress him. I had a lot of confidence back then, what I didn't know was that I was no match to anyone. This girl beside me now can absolutely impress the guy she likes, unlike me, even now I feel that I can never impress Sasuke.

"Hinata, just be confident. You are an amazing girl and you deserve to express your feelings towards the guy you like. So just smile and do what your heart wants" I tell her.

And so, my teammates are infront of us. I look at Hinata and I wonder what she's going to do.

"Na-Naruto-kun," she stops to breathe. "I came here to give you this" she hands the lunchbox to him. I smile. Way to go Hinata! Naruto seems speechless at this and this time, both of them are blushing. It feels awkward for me to stay here though, with these two having a moment. This is the best time to exit. I smile at the two. Naruto should realize what Hinata feels about him soon.

I walk alone to my apartment, or not. I turn around and see Sasuke.

"Sakura, why did you leave?" Sasuke asks.

"Oh!! Uh I was just letting them have their moment" I reply. I look at his face, he isn't curious at all.

"Naruto thought you got mad" Sasuke says.

"I'm not" I tell him

"Hn."

I really don't know what that meant. But if someone knows, it'll only be Sasuke. Silence comes in and we are facing each other, 6 feet aways from each other.

"I... I should g-go" I stutter,I don't know why I am stuttering, I just start to walk away. Maybe because I'm still afraid of him. Afraid because I might see him leave again. I look back to where he was, he's not there anymore. He didn't follow me.