On The Same Path [SasuxSaku]

Chapter 5: The Karaoke Night

~ Sakura's POV

He came. He came. And I hugged him. No, more like jumped on him. A more rational part of my brain says that it is not a big deal. I have hugged him before during our genin days. Back then, it did not even feel wrong or anything. Well, we were children back then, I guess. Now that I think of it, it was a childish infatuation back then. It was after everything... everything we went through that I started admiring him as a person. Of course, it was actually the idea of him leaving me when for the first time I realized that I loved him. Funny how I realized it while I was confessing it. It was hard afterward. 

But the truth was... I had started loving him because he was the only person who truly acknowledged my strength before anyone else. I mean, if he would have been rude and all to me, I might have grown out of his infatuation after knowing him. But he was not. Of course, he was rude in general. And if I was not a stupid fangirl, I would not have tried so hard to look beyond his stoic exterior. But I was head over heels like every other girl and I always tried to look good in his every action. And the thing was, there was good in his every action. He always protected me at the start. He never sneered or look down at me. He never ignored me either. He just accepted me for who I was. And that was the reason I started... loving him. And then, there were times when I would get a chance to look beyond his real self. Muted hints really, but still the traces of his care were always there. For instance, it was only a few months back when Pakkun (Kakashi's ninken) followed us during a mission and he told me about how Sasuke's top priority was my safety while fighting Gaara during the chunnin exams. Such little things from Sasuke had started to show and that's why... that's why I had the balls to confess my love to him. Because deep inside I knew he cared.

'Sakura... Thank you...'

Those words. Like a whispered dream, haunted my nights every day. A mere thank you kept me going on and on. Now that I think about it. Maybe there is an inner Sasuke that never wanted us to give up on him. That's why he said those words to me. And maybe that's why he did not kill Naruto back then when we were twelve years old. Now that I think about it, Sasuke is one hell of a mysterious person.

But what now? I don't think I will have the courage to even look at him in the eye after jumping on him like that in the Hokage's office. I mean we are grown-ups now. And it's not like we are little kids. And, whatever the situation is... I should be responsible for my own feelings. It is good enough for me that Sasuke is a changed man now. And he never promised me anything. He always considered me as a teammate. And... it's been more than two years since he left the village—

A loud knock on the door distracted Sakura from her chain of thoughts. In spite of herself, she couldn't help skipping a heartbeat at the thought of Sasuke being at her doorstep. She knew she was being stupid. 

The knock grew louder and impatient. 

Definitely not Sasuke... Sakura sighed realizing Sasuke is neither so loud nor impatient and started walking towards the door.

"Hello, forehead! What took you so long?" Ino barged in as soon as Sakura opened the door, ignoring her disappointed face. 

Somehow over the years, Ino and Sakura's friendship had developed so strong that now they had become each other confidants. Ino would visit Sakura often after work usually to gossip about everything going in the town and if either of them were out of town for a mission or for some medical project, she would come to get updates on the mission. Sakura knew that Ino really came in to talk about Sasuke's arrival in the village, but she knew neither of them would directly start the conversation. Over time, everyone in their friend circle had come to realize the sensitivity of Sakura and Sasuke's relationship - if you can call it that.