Naruto 1. Chapter 1: Proposals and Colleges

****Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto and I don't own them.****

**Hey guys! I'M BACK! Sorry I made you wait so long for the sequel, hehe, but here it is! HEHE. ENJOY! AND REVIEW PLEASE! **

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**Chapter 1:**

"N-Naruto-kun." was all Hinata could say as she stared, or more like oogled, at the simple but beautiful ring being held by the person she loved the most, Naruto. It was a simple silver band with a lavender small pendant in the shape of a heart atop of it. It made her speechless. It made her heart pound. It made her feel like this wasn't real, as cliche as it sounded. They were at the end of their senior year at high school, finally done with school, at the same park that Itachi and Sasuke had rejoiced 2 years ago. The wind blew slightly, making Hinata's long hair sway and Naruto's bangs cloud his vision. It was nice out, even though it was early July, it wasn't too hot, it was perfect. "I-I…" Then she fainted.

Naruto had expected this reaction and caught her before she hit the ground, smiling at her serene face.

Waking up a few moments later, Hinata stared into her boyfriend's eyes. "A-Are you serious?"

Naruto nodded. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Hinata-chan," he smiled lovingly at her.

"N-Naruto-kun," she whispered.

He put her on her own two feet, then kneeled once more, hoping that Hinata wouldn't faint again. "Can I have the honor and privilege of marrying the most beautiful woman in the world?" he blushed. "Will you marry me, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata's eyes collected tears and she gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. This wasn't real. After what felt like forever for Naruto, she stuttered out. "Y-Yes."

Naruto smiled, instantly forgetting about the growing ache in his right knee and slipped the ring onto Hinata's small hand, on her left ring finger. It contrasted with her pale skin, but it looked like it belonged there.

"It's beautiful," she said, admiring the ring.

"Not more than you," he said, standing up. "I love you, Hinata-chan," Naruto stated and without warning, he leaned in for a kiss, claiming her lips for himself.

"I love you too, Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered against his lips between kisses.

They broke apart, panting and Hinata said. "W-What about college?"

"Let's hope we both get into the same one so that after we both graduate, together, we can get married," Naruto said.

Hinata blushed and nodded. "Okay."

She kissed him sweetly again and joined their hands together. Looking at both of their hands, she noticed how much bigger his hand was, and how warm it was.

Hinata stared into Naruto's impossibly blue eyes and smiled, it felt like it wasn't real. Every time that she touched Naruto, she felt a feeling of electricity rush through her and she loved it. It was brilliant, as was Naruto.

They sat down on a bench under the sakura tree together. Hinata leaned her head on her fiance's shoulder and Naruto did the same, resting his atop hers. Their hands still intertwined, they sat there for what seemed like a long time.

Naruto closed his eyes, loving the moment he was in, never wanting it to end.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata suddenly said.

Naruto opened his eyes. "Yeah?"

"I... It's nothing. I'm sorry, I…" she blushed. "I-I wanted to make sure this was real a-and that you were still there."

Naruto smiled, lifting his head and putting his free hand on Hinata's chin, making her look at him. "I'll always be there for you, Hinata-chan, because I love you."

It made her so happy, hearing those three simple words. They were commonly used among other people, but when Naruto said it, it was like they were overflowing with meaning. Like only three words wasn't enough to contain the sincerity behind them. It made her feel...content, knowing that someone loved as her as much as she loved them. Just thinking about Naruto made her blush, stutter and smile and she loved every second of it. And being with him, there, under the sakura tree, so close to him, was something she couldn't explain how grateful she was for. She smiled, thinking how lucky she was and not believing it.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," she whispered. She didn't give him a chance to respond by saying. "For everything. J-Just being here with me is more than you know. S-So thank you."

She heard Naruto's low chuckle. He had grown since 10th grade, but he was still the doofus everyone loved. "Hinata-chan, I could never thank you enough."

Hinata smiled. "I love you too."

Naruto grinned, letting go of her hand, he pulled her into a big hug, squeezing her as close as to him as possible. He never wanted to let go. This girl...she made him so happy. Just her existence, just her presence was so meaningful. He had lost count how many times he had thanked God for the girl in his arms.

Hinata or Naruto didn't understand the definition of love before they met each other. What was it? Wasn't love different for everyone? How did someone know that they were in love?

Hinata and Naruto both knew, definitely, that they were in love. They now know that love is different for everyone. But maybe love is what happens when two people have the same definition of it. That's what they thought, at least.

They both had the same meaning, and now, they finally knew it.

* * *

"Awww!" Sakura and Ino cooed. "That's so adorable!"

They had just interrogated Hinata for every second of what happened when Naruto proposed to her.

Tenten nodded in agreement.

"Wow," Temari said. "Guess our moron has grown up, huh?"

"About time too," Tenten murmured.

"H-He's not a moron, Temari-chan," Hinata defended. "Just a bit clumsy."

Sakura smiled at her friend. "You two are perfect for each other! Keep him in line for the rest of us, will ya?"

Hinata nodded. "I will!"

Then, Hinata showed them the ring and they all squealed once again.

They were all at Sasuke's house. The boys in the living room while the girls were in the kitchen making pizza for everyone. Everyone hadn't gotten together like this for the longest time, even couples. With final exams and college applications, they all agreed to go their separate ways for a while, without breaking up.

"But that's just too cute!" Ino squealed, then she scowled. "I wish something like that could happen for me, Kiba-kun's _still_ a moron."

Sakura laughed. "Oh, calm down, Ino-pig. We all know he's head over heels for you," her voice dropped to a whisper. "Even though I have no idea how that happened," she teased.

"Oh, shut it, forehead!"

Before anyone could say anything else, the timer rang for the pizza in the oven.

"PIZZA'S READY!" Ino, Tenten and Temari screamed.

Hinata and Sakura winced at their friend's loud voices.

They heard a "YES!" and then Naruto dashed into the kitchen. "PIIIIIZZZZAAAA! DID YOU PUT RAMEN ON IT?!"

"Naruto...WHY WOULD YOU PUT RAMEN ON PIZZA?!" Sakura yelled.

"PSH. You can put ramen on anything!" Naruto declared.

Sakura, Ino, Temari and Tenten all smacked their foreheads while Hinata giggled.

The rest of the boys walked in at a normal pace - Shikamaru trudging in - but still eager to eat.

After pizza, everyone went into the living room. The girls talked more and the guys mulled around.

The door opened while they were all watching a movie together and Itachi came walking through the door, looking dead tired.

He looked surprised at the large amount of people in "his house." "Yo." He simply said, but even one word sounded like it was too much to say.

"Itachi-kun!" Sakura said, worry in her voice. She leaped up, making Sasuke's head drop to the floor. His head was originally on her lap, but now it was on the cold floor. He didn't like it. "What happened to you?"

"Work happened," he stated.

Sakura smiled, taking his briefcase for him. "You should go to sleep."

Itachi nodded and trudged to his room sleepily.

Sakura laughed at him, putting his briefcase on a nearby chair. "Running a company must be hard, huh?" she said to Sasuke while sitting down again.

Sasuke shrugged. "I guess," he mumbled, making himself comfortable on her lap once more.

They finished watching the rest of the movie and when it was over, almost everyone was sleeping. Sasuke had fallen asleep on Sakura's lap, while Neji fell asleep too, using Tenten as a cushion. Shikamaru - obviously - had drifted off too.

"Guys, guys. Look!" Ino whisper-shouted, pointing to the sleeping couple of Naruto and Hinata. "They're just too cute!"

Naruto and Hinata were snuggled up next to one another on the small beanbag that could barely accommodate Naruto's size alone. They both looked so happy, being in the other's arms.

"Aww!" Sakura cooed. She looked down at the sleeping Sasuke in her lap. He looked like a child when he was asleep, so innocent. Weaving her fingers through his soft hair, she turned to the rest of her friends. "You guys can all stay the night. Sasuke and I will lend you our clothes."

Tenten woke Neji up and Sakura woke up Sasuke. Shikamaru got rudely woken up by Temari who kicked him. Everyone decided to let Naruto and Hinata sleep in peace.

Once everyone changed, Sakura said. "Sasuke and I will sleep in the living room with Naruto and Hinata."

"What?" Sasuke said. "What about my bed?"

"Let our friends sleep there, you doofus!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Temari and Tenten decided to take over the bed, letting, more like forcing, their boyfriends to sleep on the ground of Sasuke's bedroom.

Kiba and Ino slept in the other guest room.

"Can you grab a blanket and a pillow?" Sakura asked Sasuke.

"Yeah, yeah," he answered.

Sasuke did and they both creeped into the living room, not wanting to wake up Naruto and Hinata.

They laid down near the couch, sharing the blanket and pillow, falling asleep in a position similar to Naruto and Hinata's.

* * *

The days went by and soon enough, everyone get their college letters back.

Naruto and Hinata decided to open their letters together, so Hinata went over Naruto's apartment.

"YES!" Naruto yelled, dropping the letter to the ground, his eyes filling with actual tears. He lifted Hinata into his arms and twirled her around. "It's like a dream come true!"

Hinata laughed, her eyes filling with tears too. "It is, Naruto-kun."

They had both gotten into the same college, just like they had wanted, so they could be together.

"Guess all that studying finally paid off," Naruto commented, setting Hinata down.

Hinata nodded. "You did great, Naruto-kun."

Naruto hugged her. "It's all because of your awesome teaching skills, Hinata-chan," he smiled sheepishly. "And your never-ending tolerance for me."

Hinata kissed his nose gently. "I always have had tolerance for you, Naruto-kun. You're too cute to resist."

Naruto blushed and kissed her in response.

* * *

Tenten called Neji as soon as she got her letters. "Neji-kun?"

"Hey, Tenten," he paused. "D-Did you get into Konohagakure Academy?" he asked.

Tenten shook her head, even though he couldn't see it. "No," she said. "But I got into Sunagakure Academy." Those were her two top schools.

"Oh."

"D-Did you get into Konohagakure Academy?" she already knew the answer.

Tenten heard Neji sigh. "Yeah. I did," he answered.

"Oh," Tenten's eyes filled with tears. "I-I…" her voice started to break. "I guess we won't be going to the same college then, N-Neji-kun."

"Tenten," he sounded hurt. "Please don't cry."

"I-I…"

"Do you want me to come over?" Neji asked.

Tenten nodded. "Yes...p-please," she pleaded.

"I'll be over in about 10 minutes," he answered.

"O-Okay."

They hung up and Tenten flopped back on her bed._ What's going to happen to our relationship now?_ The two colleges are so far apart. More tears fell when Tenten thought of the possibility of them breaking up because long-distance relationships during college would be hard to handle. They had been together for almost 3 years now and they were so happy, it couldn't just end like that.

She clicked her phone on, seeing a picture of them two. They had recently taken it on the last day of school. Neji was giving Tenten a piggy-back ride because she had won a bet they had. On both of their faces were humongous smiles, like they were finally content with life.

Tenten closed her eyes, holding her phone close to her. "Come quickly, Neji-kun." she whispered.

* * *

Ino and Temari, who lived close to each other, were at Temari's house, since Ino came running over as soon as she got her letters. Shikamaru was already there with his letters and Kiba came as soon as possible.

"On three! One, two, three!" Ino said.

Everyone tore open their letters.

"I got into the Amegakure Academy!" Kiba shouted.

"Me too!" Temari yelled. She leaned over to see what Shikamaru's letter said. "YAY! You did too!" she hugged him tightly, while he smirked, holding her close too.

Kiba smiled and looked over at Ino, who was wearing a glum expression. "Ino? What happened?"

She looked up at him and shook her head, handing him her letters. She had two. One was rejected from Amegakure Academy, but the other was acceptance into Sunagakure Academy.

After Kiba scanned over them, he looked up at Ino who was silently crying. He hugged her close to him while she clung to his shirt, sobbing. "Ino…" he soothed. "It's okay. Sunagakure is one of the best colleges, just like Amegakure."

Ino shook her head again. "N-No, Kiba-kun. That's not what I'm sad about. I-I won't be with you in the same college, like I wanted."

Kiba froze, he didn't think about that. He pulled away from Ino once he got over the shock and shook her. "Hey!" he said. "Don't think like that! What do you mean you won't be with me? We'll still see each other, we can still be together. I won't let you go…not now," he pulled her flush against him. "I would lose too much," he whispered against her hair.

Ino's eyes widened, before closing and hugging Kiba. "T-Thank you, Kiba-kun."

* * *

"Sasuke!" Sakura called, running back into Sasuke's house. "Our letters came!" she exclaimed, holding a stack of letters addressed to the both of them.

Since Sakura had been basically living with Sasuke, Sasuke had told her to write on the "Return Address" his house address. Sakura had recently sold her parent's house, but she still had possession of the company. It was being run by other family members, but she was in control of it. Sasuke helped her along the way. **(A/N: Thank you**_ sakuraseeker2792 _**for reminding me about this.)**

"Really?" Sasuke said, walking into the living room.

Sakura nodded excitedly and sat down on the couch. Sasuke came beside her and they started to open their letters.

Sakura gasped. "I got into Konohagakure Academy!" she yelled.

"I did too," Sasuke said, smirking.

Sakura smiled widely. "Yes!" she hugged him tightly.

"Wait, you've got another letter too," Sasuke said, handing her her other letter.

Sakura opened her other letter too. "I ALSO GOT INTO KIRIGAKURE ACADEMY!" That was her dream college and she had always wanted to go there. They had one of the best medical programs in the world and she could easily become a successful doctor if she was selected into the school. But not many people get picked, so she was nervous about submitting her application there, but Sasuke made her.

"It's like a dream!" she stated, but then, reality came to her. "Wait," she turned to Sasuke. She didn't like the look on his face, it was like he knew what she was afraid was going to happen. "B-But then…which one should I choose?"

Sasuke looked up at her slowly. "What do you mean? Of course you'll choose Kirigakure, it's one of the best schools. And it's your dream college, isn't it?" Even though his words sounded indifferent, Sakura knew him all too well to know that he was hurting inside. His eyes showed what his words didn't.

"I…But I can't just leave you like that," Sakura said. "We could both go to the same college and be together, b-but Kirigakure and Konohagakure are really f-far apart."

Sasuke's eyes drifted to the carpet underneath them. "I know. But," he looked up at Sakura. "you should do what you want. Kirigakure is an amazing school and I know that'll you'll be a successful doctor there."

Sakura looked away as well. "Well, I can't just leave you like that."

Sasuke sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Sakura leaned against Sasuke. "What should I do?"

"I think you should do what you think is best for you," Sasuke replied, intertwining their fingers.

"Yeah, but, what _is_ the best for me? I…I know I'll be able to be successful at Kirigakure, but what about you? About us?" her grip tightened on his hand. She didn't want to lose him.

Sasuke didn't answer for a while. He suddenly hugged Sakura to him. "Don't worry about us," he whispered against her hair. "We'll be fine. I want you to think about your future. I know that we'll be able to find a way," he pulled away and brushed Sakura's bangs out of her eyes. Sasuke kissed her forehead gently, making Sakura's eyes close. "I'm not going to lose you that easily." he said.

Sakura nodded slightly. "Okay," she said, still unsure of her decision. She snuggled her head in his neck, feeling his warmth. SIghing, she wondered. _What am I going to do? _

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**Author's Note:**

Heyyyyy! I'm back! Hehe. How was it? Bad? Cheesy? Meh? Please tell me. Also tell me some ideas if you have any, they are greatly appreciated. Thanks to all the people who reviewed for "Melting the Human Ice Cube," it meant so much! I love you all! Stay tuned and _please_ review!

~ booklover333


	2. Chapter 2: I Love You

******Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto and I don't own them.******

Hey! I'm baaaaaaaaaaack. Sorry I haven't updated in a while - I've been _really_ busy. Sorry! Read &amp; Review! Thanks! :)

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**Chapter 2:**

Everyone met each other at Sasuke and Sakura's house the day after the college applications were sent back to them.

"I-I won't be with Kiba-kun anymore," Ino sniffled.

Sakura put an arm around her lovingly. "Of course you will Ino. You both love each other so much, do you think he would just give you up like that?" she reasoned.

"I-I know, but the colleges are so far apart. A-And I've always had him there by my side for like 3 years! How will we be able to s-stay together when we won't see each other?" another sob racked her body as she thought of the possibilities.

Temari, Tenten and Hinata looked at her with sympathy. Sakura and Tenten knew what she was going through, as they were going through the same, but Ino was more emotional than them.

"If you're worried about breaking up with him, Ino," Tenten said firmly, "that's notgoing to happen. He's not going to lose you that easily."

Ino smiled a bit. "That's what he said."

Sakura nudged her a bit. "Then what do you have to worry about? Kiba's not one to break a promise!"

Ino nodded. "Yeah," she took the tissue Hinata gave her, smiling at her through glassy eyes gratefully. "Thanks, guys," she wiped her eyes and blew her nose. "I know that I'm being selfish, crying like that. You guys have to deal with this too, right?" She looked at Tenten and Sakura who looked down at the ground.

They stayed quiet until Tenten said, "Yeah. But Neji-kun really helped me. Yesterday, he came over and we talked…a lot. And I know that we're going to be together, even through college. I don't think that Neji-kun has ever been so serious. He told me straight out when he got to my apartment that he loved me and that he wouldn't let me go," Tenten blushed happily. "He also said that he would stay in touch everyday through college. I felt happy, knowing that he wanted to be with me as much as I wanted to be with him," she paused, looking away. Her blush intensified. "A-And then we…um…" she trailed off.

Temari tilted her head. "You did what?" she asked innocently.

"We u-um…" Tenten was blushing a dark red at this point.

"Tell us!" Sakura said, impatient.

Tenten avoided their gazes. "Y-You know…did _that_."

After about 3 seconds, all the girls squealed.

"OH MY GOD, TENTEN!" Sakura screamed. "He's your first, right?!"

Tenten nodded. _God, this is so embarrassing._

"That's great!"

Ino smiled slyly. "So…how was it?"

"I-Ino!" Tenten yelled.

"What?" Ino said innocently. "Oh, come on. All of you were thinking it!" she pointed her finger accusingly at the rest of the girls.

Temari shrugged. "I mean, it crossed my mind," a disgusted look appeared on her face. "But I don't need to know."

"I-It was…" Tenten blushed again. "Perfect," she stated, ignoring Temari. "He was gentle and sweet and-"

"OKAY. HOLD IT UP, SWEETHEART. WE DON'T NEED TO HEAR THE REST," Temari yelled, covering Tenten's mouth.

A silence occurred until Ino said, "Did you guys use protection?"

Tenten gaped at her. "OF COURSE, YOU IDIOT!"

Sakura and Ino laughed. Then, everyone looked at Hinata who hadn't spoken a word since the beginning of this conversation.

"Hinata-chan?" Ino asked.

Hinata was bright red and held a look of confusion, shock and happiness upon her face. "I-I'm sorry, i-it's just that it's weird to think that N-Neji-kun would…I mean him being my cousin and all…it's just h-hard for me to grasp."

Sakura laughed. "Yeah, I guess that would be kind of gross."

Hinata smiled nervously. "But I'm happy for you, Tenten-chan."

Tenten smiled.

"Huh," Ino said. "I did notice you were kind of _glowing_ today."

Tenten raised an eyebrow. "_Glowing_?"

Temari nodded, agreeing with Ino. "Yeah, Ino, I noticed that too."

"See?" Ino said to Tenten.

Tenten rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Okay, can we _please_ get off of the topic of Neji-kun and I-"

"What about me?" Neji asked, suddenly appearing in the living room behind Tenten.

"AHHH!" she screamed. "Neji-kun!" she said, holding her chest. "You scared the life out of me!"

Neji smirked. "What were you guys talking about?"

"Oh, u-um, nothing!" Tenten said quickly.

Neji looked at her weirdly and then looked at Hinata who shrugged innocently. Shaking his head, he asked Sakura, "Where's the Uchiha?"

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked. "Isn't he with you guys?"

Neji shook his head. "No. I just got here since I picked up a movie before I came and the rest of the guys are competing with each other in video games. Except for Shikamaru, of course."

"Really?" Sakura said, hopping up from the couch. "I'll go look for him, he's probably still in his room."

"Don't you mean his _and_ your room, Forehead-chan?" Ino said.

Sakura rolled her eyes, slightly blushing. "Shut up, Ino-pig!"

Sakura left her friends and Neji and jogged upstairs.

"Sasuke?" she called. She knocked on the door of "their" room before entering, just in case.

Sasuke was out on the balcony outside of their room. He didn't seem to hear Sakura as he was standing perfectly still with his eyes closed and face turned towards the sun. His hair blew slightly in the wind, his hands in his pockets.

Sakura smiled at him, he looked so peaceful and she didn't want to disturb that. As she was turning to leave him alone, he spoke. "I know you're there," he opened his eyes and turned to look at her. "Come here," he motioned to the balcony.

Hesitating a bit, Sakura walked forward and stepped out onto the balcony. Instantly, she felt calmer. The warm day was just the right temperature to be outside and the wind blew perfectly.

Sasuke interlocked their fingers together and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, swaying gently to imaginary music.

Sakura closed her eyes, now knowing why Sasuke hadn't come downstairs to see everyone. Leaning back into him, she sighed contently. It was so quiet, so peaceful and Sakura realized that after this summer, everything would change. They would become adults now and hold more responsibility. Nothing would be as it used to. It felt as if they only had this moment.

Sakura held onto his hand tighter and made herself comfortable in his arms, they were warm.

"Sakura," Sasuke's voice sounded nervous.

Sakura opened her eyes. "Yeah?"

He was quiet for a while before resting his head on her left shoulder, kissing the space below her left ear and whispering, "I love you."

Sakura froze. The world seemed to stop. The leaves looked as they were stuck in mid-air. The wind had suddenly died down. Everything was still. Silent.

Had she heard that correctly? He had never said those 3 words before, only showing them through his actions.

After a moment, Sakura gasped slightly, realizing what he had just said and letting it sink into her. She gently squirmed out of his grasp and turned around.

Looking into his eyes, seeing the sincerity and honesty behind them let her know he wasn't kidding. Her eyes filled with tears and she tackled him, burying her face into his shoulder. Stumbling back a bit, Sasuke wrapped his arms around her waist again, catching his balance before he fell down.

The leaves fell again and the wind blew. Sakura could hear birds chirping. The world started up again.

Sakura lifted her head and kissed him, harder than ever before, pouring all of her feelings into the kiss, as it would be the last real one they would have. Maybe it would.

_Should I say it too? Do I mean it? _She opened her eyes and looked at him. His smirk. His beautiful eyes that she used to never get tired looking at. His perfect facial features. _Him._ Smiling, she made her decision and breathlessly panted, "I love you too, Sasuke."

Sasuke smiled one of his rare smiles and hugged her tighter to him. It knocked the breath out of her, but neither of them cared as of the moment. It was perfect. The perfect setting. The perfect timing. The perfect love.

Sakura looked into his eyes and he looked into hers. They stayed that way for a while, hoping it wouldn't be the last, peaceful, quiet moment they had with one another.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Ino pleaded. "Forehead-chan! Oh, come on!"

"Hmph!" Sakura turned her head away and refused to look at Ino.

"Please? How would I have known that you and Sasuke would be having a cute moment? I was worried as to why you were talking so damn long," then she whispered in a lower voice that she thought Sakura wouldn't be able to hear, "Now I know that you were sucking each other's face off." Ino had walked in on Sasuke and Sakura making out in the balcony.

"INO-PIG!" Sakura yelled.

Ino laughed nervously. "Kidding!" she defended.

Sakura rolled her eyes at Ino and turned away again.

"I'm really sorry, Sakura," Ino said sincerely.

Sakura couldn't believe that she said "Sakura" and sounded so serious, but when Sakura turned around, she was met with that same goofy grin she had known so well.

"Whatever," Sakura huffed, some of her anger vanishing.

"YAY!" Ino cheered, knowing that Sakura had forgiven her. She looped her arms around Sakura's neck, giving her a friendly squeeze. "Thanks!" Then, Ino pranced out of the kitchen where they were alone.

Sakura sighed and uncrossed her arms.

She leaned on the kitchen counter, her elbows touching the cool surface. Sighing, she closed her eyes. In this kitchen, these past summers Sasuke and her had made so many memories.

They cooked together and danced around in this very kitchen. It was perfect. They did everything together. _Together._ And now… they would have to be separated because of college. She ran her hands on the granite countertop. _We cooked right here… with each other._ _It was so perfect and now… when will that opportunity come again?_

Of course, not going to college wasn't an option. She knew that was the least she could do for her parents.

But, now, she wouldn't be with Sasuke. Or any of her friends, in fact. She would be by herself in her new college, for the next _4 years_.

_What am I going to do? _she thought.

Because of her thoughts she didn't notice someone come into the kitchen.

But when she felt the familiar arms wrap around her waist, she smiled.

"Naruto, put me down!" she yelled as he threw her over his shoulder. **(A/N: HAHA, you thought it was going to be Sasuke, didn't you? :P)**

"So this is where you were hiding, Sakura-chan!" he grinned.

"What?"

"We've been waiting for you in the living room for a while, you know."

Sakura sighed. "Sorry...I was just thinking."

"Well, think later! Right now, spend time with your friends!"

She laughed. "Fine. Fine," she growled as she noticed as he hadn't put her down yet and was carrying her to the living room. "WOULD YOU PUT ME DOWN, YOU DOOFUS?!"

"NOPE!" he yelled back.

When they got to the living room, he plopped her ungracefully on the couch next to where Sasuke was and practically jumped onto the same couch Hinata was sitting.

"Where were you?" Sasuke said.

"In the kitchen." _How long was I thinking for? _

Sasuke nodded.

They watched the movie Neji had brought, which was appealing to everyone as it had action, romance, mystery and death. A lot of it.

But Sakura couldn't quite focus on the movie. All she could think about was about her future...which, as of now, didn't include Sasuke.

Sasuke noticed something was wrong, so he nudged her a bit. She turned to him and he gave a her look that said "You okay?"

She nodded as a reassurance. Even though he didn't believe her, he let it go. He had something to say to her after everyone left anyway.

* * *

Once the movie had finished, everyone started to leave slowly. Saying goodbyes, they all piled into their cars and drove off to their houses. They were planning to meet many times before the summer ended.

Waving to Naruto and Hinata, the last people to leave, Sakura and Sasuke stood outside of their house.

He took her hand and went to the front steps once Naruto's silver car had gone out of sight. They sat down beside each other, still silent. Sakura leaned her head on Sasuke's shoulder and he put an arm around her waist.

All of a sudden, Sasuke felt moisture on his shoulder. Sakura started to shake.

Looking down at her, Sasuke saw that she was crying. His eyes softened and he hugged her.

Sakura mumbled into his shoulder, still crying, "I'm sorry." repeatedly. She fisted his shirt into her hands.

Sasuke didn't say anything, opting to rub her back soothingly and let her cry. His mother, when he was younger, had told him that sometimes crying was the best option to let it all out sometimes.

The sun was still out, even though it was setting. The wind was a slight breeze. The air was fresh.

After a while, when Sakura's cries had died down, she lifted her head, wiping her tears. "I'm sorry," she said again.

Sasuke smiled a bit, wiping away the remnants of her tears. "Don't be."

"I-I just don't know what's going to happen to us. A-And I-I know that you said that we'll figure out a way. I just don't know how we're ever going to be able to see each other in the next couple of years," she continued on. "We'll both be so busy," she looked down and tightened her previously loose grip on his shirt. "I'm scared," she stated. "That something will happen to us."

"Sakura," he said seriously.

She turned to him with eyes filled with new tears that formed while she was talking.

"Don't think like that," he blushed slightly. "Earlier today, when I told you that…I-I love you, did you think I was joking? I wasn't. I really _do_ love you. And so, because of that, I'm not going to let our relationship go so easily. I…" he avoided her gaze, embarrassed. _Here goes my man pride._ "I honestly don't know what I would do without you, Sak. You mean so much to me. More than you could imagine. And… you have changed me in so _many_ ways. Your...your existence alone just makes me so happy that sometimes I can't even believe it. It makes me numb to see or hear you cry. It makes me sad. I feel something inside of me just… break. You make me feel emotions that I never felt before. My heart beats faster every time I see you and I feel happy and nervous and so much more that I just can't describe. But despite all that, I still want to be near you because I _need_ you in my life. And… I know you might think that this is all cliche or whatever, but just know that these feelings are real. And so, my words are real too. I'll never let you go. Screw the saying that nothing lasts forever. Our love will. So please, just don't cry. And please believe that everything will be okay in our future."

"O-Okay, Sasuke. I won't cry," but tears started to roll down of her face. She was so happy. "Dammit," she cursed, wiping her tears furiously away. "I swear, I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm just so happy. I-I never knew that this was how you felt about me… about _us. _And I'm really happy to hear you say all this."

Sasuke smiled. He hugged and she hugged him back. The sun had set and the stars were visible in the sky now.

"I love you," Sasuke said once again, giving her a quick peck on her lips.

She smiled against his lips. "I love you too."

* * *

Sakura stumbled backwards as Sasuke moved forwards. Their lips were still together. It was night time by now. Everything silent except for the chirping of crickets.

Sakura's shirt came off first and was tossed carelessly to the side. Then came Sasuke's in a slow, teasing manner. Irritated by the lack of speed coming from Sakura, he ripped it off of his body, growling.

Sakura giggled at his eagerness.

Their lips met again and their tongues fought with each other for dominance. Sasuke led her to their room and pushed her down onto the bed, but still gently.

He climbed over her, putting his hands on either side of her head. Leaning close, he kissed her cheek. "Are you sure?"

Sakura closed her eyes and nodded. "Yes," she opened them when he spoke.

"Okay."

Their remaining clothes soon came off and their breathing became more erratic as time went on.

His touch burned. In the best way possible. It was addicting and Sakura loved the feeling of his hands on her skin. The way that they ran over her smooth skin left her wanting more. _More. _She never wanted it to end.

Sweat formed on their bodies from the sudden heat.

"Are you ready?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura nodded. "Y-Yeah," she was terrified, but Sasuke's light kisses of reassurance helped her.

He kissed the crook of her neck, her chin, her nose, her forehead. And then, finally, her lips.

The rest of the night was filled with moans, grunts and words of condolence shared with one another.

* * *

The next morning, Sasuke woke up first. He looked at Sakura's face which was lying near his chest. He smiled at her serene countenance.

Her mouth was slightly parted open, her hair was everywhere but she still looked beautiful - at least to Sasuke.

He covered her more with the blanket, noticing how she was shivering, after all they were both naked.

Sasuke blushed thinking about last night, but he didn't regret it. He was happy they did, it was another way for him to show his love for her. He kissed her forehead gently.

Sakura's face scrunched up and she curled into herself more, before opening her eyes.

She smiled at Sasuke. "Good morning."

"Good morning," he replied.

She yawned. "Do we have to get up?" she moved closer to Sasuke. "I'm cold and tired." Even though her eyes were closed and her voice sounded the same, Sasuke saw that she was blushing and probably thinking of yesterday too.

He laughed a bit, looping his arms around her when she came closer. "No. We don't have to. Besides, it's only 6:03," he said after glancing at the clock on the wall across from them.

Sakura suddenly laughed.

"What?"

She looked up at him. "Do you remember in like 10th grade when we had fallen asleep in your room? And when we woke up at this _exact _time?"

Sasuke took a moment to recollect but when he did, he laughed. "That's ironic."

"Yeah," she smiled sheepishly. "I remember that I really did want to stay with you then and sleep a little longer, but it was just...really weird and awkward so I tried to make you let go of me. But I guess I got my wish, because you," she poked his chest, "didn't want to get up."

"I didn't want to let go of you. You were warm and I was tired," Sasuke defended.

Sakura smiled, hugging him. "Thank you, Sasuke," she paused. "Am I still warm now?" she asked childishly.

Sasuke smirked and whispered against her hair, "More than ever. And this time, I'm never letting go."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I'm really not good at writing _those_ types of scenes, especially since this was my first time and hopefully my last. My best friend and I stayed up until 2:00 A.M. (she helped me write since I didn't do what to do) writing it and we were both so uncomfortable and just like "mehh." Like you have no idea how awkward we felt, but what are friends for? hehe. ummm...yeah.

I rated it T because it wasn't _intense_ so please don't say anything concerning that. If you think it's "intense" you can skip it. Pleasee review and tell me what you think - BECAUSE ONLY TWO PEOPLE REVIEWED (WHOM I LOVE GREATLY).

So please, please, please review and follow and favorite. Feel free to Private Message me too about any comments, concerns or questions! Thanks! And thank you for reading this realllly long note.

~ booklover333


	3. Chapter 3: Goodbye?

********Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto and I don't own them.********

Hiii! Sorry that I haven't updated in a while, I got caught up in writing like 2 new stories and then editing other stories that I haven't uploaded...hehe. Sorry! But, I'll be good in updating _at least_ twice/thrice a month, so sorry about that. Thanks for reading my stories! Read &amp; Review! PLEASE!

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

Sasuke did eventually have to let go of Sakura, as much to his displeasure.

And when he did, they both got dressed and went on with their daily lives.

"Hey, Sasuke?" Sakura said.

He looked at Sakura from where he was washing the dishes from their lunch. "Yeah?"

Sakura stared at him for a while, not saying anything, but after a while, she put down her cloth that she was cleaning the table with and walked over to him. Hugging him from behind, closing her eyes, she whispered, "Thank you."

Sasuke dried his hands, then put them over Sakura's. "For what?" he asked gently.

He felt Sakura shake her head a bit against his back. "For everything."

Sasuke smirked, turning around. "You say the weirdest things, Sak," he patted her head lovingly.

Sakura stuck out her tongue at him and skipped away, resuming her task of cleaning the dining table.

Sasuke shook his head at her and went back to cleaning the dishes.

* * *

"Three weeks," Sakura suddenly stated. They were watching TV in the living room together, her head on Sasuke's lap. The sun was setting, the day was finishing. The back door they had open let in a breeze that was comforting to them both.

Sasuke momentarily stopped playing with her hair and looked down at her. "What?"

She turned her head to look at him. "Three weeks," she repeated. "That's how much time we have until we have to go to college."

"Oh," Sasuke said. "Yeah, that's right," he realized, looking at the ceiling. _Three weeks left with you, Sak. That's not nearly enough time. I want this to never end. I want to be with you...forever. And ever. Because I love you. You're everything to me, how can I live so far away from you?_

"At least you have Neji to go to college with," Sakura pouted, interrupting Sasuke's thoughts. "I have no one," she said as Sasuke looked back down at her.

Sasuke smirked, ruffling her hair. "You'll make new friends, I'm sure you will."

"Meh," she said childishly, looking at the ceiling now. "You don't know that."

"Yeah," he poked her nose. "No one would want to talk to you with the amount of insanity in here," he tapped her forehead.

Sakura scrunched her nose. "Meanie."

Sasuke smiled, leaning back onto the couch. "I'm sorry that I won't be there to protect you from the fanboys I already know that you're going to have."

She laughed. "You're such a moron," she said, snuggling closer. "I don't need protection from them," she smirked. "More importantly, what about your fangirls?"

"Eh. I'll deal with them."

Sakura smiled. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was almost five in the afternoon. "We should start making dinner, Sasuke."

He looked at the clock, groaning. "I don't wanna get up," he mumbled.

"Come on, you big baby," she sat up, shoving the blanket previously covering her off.

_Together_, they made dinner, like all the other times they did before. _Together_, they laughed in the kitchen. _Together_, they slow-danced to music while the food was cooking. Each time they did something _together_, they relished it, knowing that it wouldn't happen again for a long time.

"Sak," Sasuke breathed. They were dancing to soft music, leaning against each other's foreheads.

"Yeah?" she muttered back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He put his arms around her waist. "You're so beautiful," he tightened his grasp on her waist and pulled her closer.

Sakura smiled. "You haven't changed since then, Sasuke," she said, referring back to the 10th grade Christmas Ball when he said the same thing about her.

He shrugged. "What do I do if it's still true?"

Sakura kissed his nose. "Nothing, just keep reminding me." _I feel so happy when I'm with him like this. I'm so glad that I can see this side of him that no one else has. That no one else has had the pleasure of seeing, that only I know him like this. I'm so glad that I've had such a great relationship with him. But...it's not going to end here. I know it. Because_...

"Okay," he leaned in to close the unneeded gap between their lips.

…._we love each other._

* * *

The three weeks soon passed by and Sakura regretfully counted the days remaining.

Throughout the three weeks, Sakura, Sasuke and the rest of their "gang" got together many times and had fun, going swimming, shopping, roller skating, everything. It was perfect - at least to them.

The last day before summer ended, Sasuke and Sakura sat on the front porch, Sakura playing with Sasuke's long fingers. Sasuke sat with his arm around her and face turned towards the ever-present sun.

It was coming to noon, but they didn't want to get up. They wanted to stay like that. They wanted time to stand to still while their lives went on. They wanted a _forever_.

"We should pack," Sasuke said.

Sakura nodded, but then buried her face in his shirt. Sasuke felt her smile against him. "You smell nice."

Sasuke smiled and shook his head. He kissed the top of her head and breathed in her pink locks. "You smell even nicer."

Sakura laughed and lifted her head. "Come on," she stood up and offered a hand to him to which he took, but instead of getting up, he pulled her into his lap.

"I love you, Sak," he whispered against her ear, kissing it.

Sakura blushed. "I-I love you, too," she was nervous for some reason, like they had just started their relationship. She was embarrassed at his actions but at the same time loved him so much for doing them.

"We really should pack, Sasuke," Sakura said after a while.

"Ugh," Sasuke groaned. "Fine." He let Sakura stand up and then followed her inside.

For the next couple of hours, they both packed for college as they had to leave the next day, stopping for a quick lunch break. College didn't actually start until a week after tomorrow, but their schools recommended the students coming in earlier so they could have a better look at the campus.

After they were done, they both called all their friends over for the last time they could for a while.

They all came over as soon as they could and when everyone was there, they all talked, watched movies and stayed up late. Itachi joined them after he came home from work too.

Everyone started to get tired around 1:00 A.M. in the next day, so they just slept over.

Leaving early in the morning - Itachi included, Sasuke and Sakura were left alone.

Sasuke's college was a 2 hour flight from home, but to get to Sakura's college, you had to fly for about 7 hours.

Sasuke decided, since his flight was later in the day, that he would come with Sakura to the airport with her.

They stayed silent the whole way to the airport, but Sakura could feel the tears coming. She didn't want to leave. She didn't want to leave home. She didn't want to leave her friends. She didn't want to leave _Sasuke_.

When they got there, they wordlessly took all of Sakura's luggage inside and Sasuke helped her check in her bags. She was left with her laptop and small suitcase that she was allowed to take on the plane.

She had about an hour left until her flight left, but she still had to get through security. But...how could she just leave like that?

"Sakura-"

"Sasuke-"

They both spoke at the same time, stopped and laughed.

"You go first," Sakura said.

Sasuke shook his head. "No, you."

"No, you go first," Sakura insisted.

"Fine," Sasuke smirked. "I know there's no point in fighting with you."

"Hehe," she giggled childishly.

Sasuke's expression became serious and he took her hands in his own, looking at her. "Sakura, I-I… I know that these next years will be tough, now that we won't be living with each other or seeing each other as often as we used to. But...I think- No. I _know_ that we can work this out, because that's just how strongly we feel about each other," he blushed. "T-That day, when we...you know… I'm really glad that we did. I-It was both of our first times and I'm really happy that we were able to before college," he shrugged. "It let you know how much I love you."

Sakura blushed, thinking back to what they did.

He kissed her cheek. "I love you, Sak."

Sakura's eyes became teary and a lump formed in her throat. She found it hard to talk. Her voice broke whenever she was about to cry. Would that be the last time she would hear him say her name so perfectly? What if he found someone else, better than her? _No._ Sasuke wouldn't do that. He loved her and she loved him too. Tears forming in her eyes, she looked up at him and tried as hard as she could to speak. "I-I love you too, Sasuke. I'm really happy that we did too. It meant so much to me. B-But, p-please, don't forget about me-" she stopped speaking when he hugged her against him.

He smirked. "I could never forget about you, Sak. I love you and you don't just forget people you love that easily."

She nodded, closing her eyes and stuffing her face in to his neck. "Thank you," she mumbled against his skin. Then, she lifted her head to look at him. "Promise me no one else will fall in love with you."

He smiled a bit. "How can I control that? I _am_ irresistible, you know," he teased.

Sakura punched his shoulder. "I'm serious!" she whined.

"Okay, okay."

She smiled. "Just be the jerk you were when I first met you. That way no one will ever fall in love with you."

Sasuke laughed a little. "You ended up falling in love with me, didn't you? So I guess that tactic didn't work."

"Yeah," Sakura grinned. "I guess it didn't."

They hugged again and Sakura felt the tears well up in her eyes once more.

When they pulled away, Sasuke kissed her, right in front of everyone in the airport. "I love you," he whispered against her lips.

She smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek. "I love you, too."

"Don't cry, please. I told you...when I see you cry, it breaks me, so don't. Please," he begged.

She licked her suddenly dry lips. "Okay," but tears rolled down her face anyway. "S-Sorry."

Sasuke wiped them away and kissed her on the forehead.

Sakura looked at her watch. "I should...get going. My flight's in half an hour and I have yet to get through security."

Sasuke nodded understandingly. "Okay."

But neither of them moved. In fact, all of a sudden, they moved closer and wrapped their arms around each other, meeting lips with one another.

"I love you," Sakura panted between kisses.

"I love you, too," Sasuke said once they broke apart.

Both blushing, Sakura held his hand for one last time with a forced smile on her face and tears in her eyes. Then, she let go of his warm hand, instantly feeling the coldness and emptiness, and lifted her laptop bag and small suitcase.

Sasuke watched her walk away from him and each step she took seemed to kill him inside.

_She can't be actually leaving. It feels like a nightmare. Make it stop. Stop. _Sasuke thought.

Then, a voice seemed to say something inside of him. _Go get her, Sasuke. Go grab her and pull her back to you. Make it so that she can never escape again and you can be with her until the end. _Sasuke thought.

Every inch of Sakura's body was telling her to go back to Sasuke, to kiss him, to hug him, to hold him, but she _had_ to leave. She _had _to go.

"Sakura!" she heard before she got to the security line.

She froze, _Am I hearing things?_ and turned around.

Either way, she let go of her things and ran back to Sasuke who had indeed called her, it just came out.

She tackled him and held him tight while he held her as close as he could. _Don't go, _Sasuke thought.

People were staring, but both of them didn't care or notice.

"Y-You better call me or text me or email me every day, you understand, you idiot?!" Sakura said, her voice breaking.

Sasuke nodded, tears in his eyes too. He laughed a bit. "Of course. You too, baka."

They both smiled and gently touched their lips together one last time. It was a sweet, innocent and lovely kiss that they both hoped they would never forget.

* * *

When Sakura got through security, after somehow managing to leave Sasuke, she could still see him standing there, through all the machines and people.

Weakly and with a heavy heart, she somehow managed to lift her hand and wave, noticing how heavy her body felt.

Sasuke did the same.

She tried to smile so that Sasuke would remember her like that. And then, for the last time, she turned away from him and walked to her flight gate and she did, both of them felt part of them break down.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

ZOMG! This was so sad. I would never want to do this! MAOU. Okay, please review otherwise I really don't get the determination of updating my stories. So please, one or two reviews can make my day A WHOLE LOT BETTER! SO PLEASE READ &amp; REVIEW! Thanks!

Also, hehe, sorry, but also, for chapter 2, a Guest reviewed this:

_This happened to a lot of my friends and people I knew, it takes a lot of dedication and perseverance to make things like this work (if they decide to go to different colleges). I think Sasuke and Sakura could do it, but I think they would miss each other a lot and I imagine Sakura would be really busy, so it would probably be Sasuke visiting her. It could get very tough for them. I think it would be hard for Kiba and Ino, since they are both extroverts and probably want a lot of stimulation from eachother. I think Tenten and Neji could do it, they both seem independent and respectful of each others space, they also seem to have a good understanding._

_**WHOEVER WROTE THIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS HELPED IN SO MANY WAYS AND JUST ZOMG, KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. IḾ SO GLAD THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE THIS PERSON WHO ARE REALLY READING MY STORY AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET ACROSS, LIKE THE REAL "DEEP" STUFF OR WHATEVER AND LIKE UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE CHARACTERS ARE REALLY GOING THROUGH. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH! **_

That's all, hehe. BYE! REVIEW!

~ booklover333


	4. Chapter 4: Heartbroken x 3

**Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, and I don't own them. But I do own the plot, so DON'T TRY AND STEAL IT! IZZZ MY IMAGINATION! :P**

_Hii! ZOMFG IM SO FRIKING SORRY THAT I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN LIKE 4 FRIKING MONTHS. I JUST HAD SO MANY THINGS GOING ON IN MY LIFE THAT DECIDED TO START ALL AT ONCE. AND RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN SO SO SO STRESSED SO IM REALLY SORRY. BUT NOW, MOST OF THOSE THINGS ARE OVER (THE LAST ONE JUST FINISHED YESTERDAY) AND IM **SO MUCH HAPPIER AND RELAXED NOW!**__So I'll be sure to update **at least**twice a month, but writing good and long chapters are really hard. Sorrrryyyy. _

_I, once again, am really sorry that I haven't updated. I really hate when authors do that and then leave the story for a while or just leave it unfinished. And I hate to be one of them too. But now I'm not going to be because I'm going to finish all my stories and publish them. (other than the ones I have out already, i have a couple of realllly good ones so please wait?) THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND LOVE. _

_Now...on with the story!_

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

**~ Sakura ~ **

I sigh for what seemed like the millionth time that day, and run a hand through my hair - a habit that, over time, I have learned from Sasuke. What else was there to do? All I could think about was..._Sasuke_.

I want to be with him again, kiss him, hug him, touch him again. I want him near me. I want to feel his never ending warmth. I want to feel his strong, protective arms around me. I felt so safe in them, so protected, like I didn't have to worry about anything. But now, because of college, we won't even be seeing each other anymore.

Yeah, I know that we'll be able to visit each other throughout the years - holidays and stuff, but it won't be the same.

Visiting each other once in a while won't be the same as waking up next to him or seeing him in the breakfast hall every day. It won't be same as being in the same class as him and doing homework together and going out on dates or staying up late talking together.

I look down at my shoes once again and close my eyes, leaning back in the uncomfortable chair I'm sitting in.

Then a beep rings throughout the airport and a person on the loudspeaker starts to speak. "Attention, all flight attendants who are taking flight 386, the plane is now boarding passengers."

I sigh again, grab my things together and walk towards the boarding gate, trying to ignore the aching feeling in my chest. It won't go away, no matter what I do and I just hope it does - I hate it.

I give the person standing by the gate my boarding ticket and even though she smiles at me, I don't have the enthusiasm to smile back and her smile falters a bit.

_Sorry_, I mentally apologize to her.

With my bags, I walk towards my seat - 42A. Luckily it's by the window, hopefully that'll take my mind off things.

Immediately when I get to my seat and put my things in the overhead thing, leaving my laptop bag with me, I sit in my seat and get comfortable. Then, I rip the headphones the plane gives us out of the plastic bag and put them on. Connecting them to the TV on the back of the seat in front of me, I go to the "movies" section.

As I scroll through the list of movies they have, I realize I have seen most of them...with Sasuke, and before I know a tear rolls down my cheek thinking of how Sasuke and I used to snuggle up in a blanket and watch movies almost every day. _Together._ And I find myself wishing that I could do that again, I want it so much.

I bit my lip to muffle the sob that I know is going to come out and take off my headphones, when I feel a hand on my shoulder. Jerking to the right, I look at a boy around my age, his hand - which is _really_ pale - is on my shoulder.

"Y-Yes?" I say.

His eyebrows furrow. "Are you crying?"

_Why the hell would you care?_ "U-Um, no." He takes his hand off my shoulder and I turn to the window, swiping at my eyes, hearing him sit down beside me. _Why is he sitting here?_ "Is this your seat?" I ask, still not looking at him.

He looks at me and nods. "I think," he checks his ticket. "42B, right?"

"Um, yeah," I look out the window again.

"So, why were you crying?" he asks.

I turn to him and he has genuine, curious eyes, looking straight into mine. They're black and they remind me of Sasuke. I turn away again; it hurts more now. "I wasn't," I lie.

"I think you were," he says persistently.

I grit my teeth. _Can you leave me alone already?! I don't want to talk about it. _"Well, you thought wrong," I say, and I'm sure he can hear the rudeness of my voice. _Why am I being so rude today?_

"Are you okay?" he questions softly.

"Why do you care?!" I scream, making the small chatter of the airplane end. I gulp, embarrassed. "S-Sorry," I say lamely. _Control your emotions, Sakura!_

He smiles, his eyes closing. "It's okay."

He doesn't seem to be affected of my screaming, so I sigh - which I've really got to quit doing. "Sorry, I'm just a little...yeah." _Why would I tell him? I don't even know him, but I would rather speak to this stranger than keep it all bottled inside. _

"What?" he asks innocently, tilting his head to the side.

I blush a bit, Sasuke used to do that and right after I used to ruffle his hair and kiss him. _Oh, I want to do that right now. Sasuke…I miss you so much already._

A beep rings throughout the airplane and the emergency video thing starts. I turn to my screen which shows us where the exits of the plane are and out of the corner of my eye, I see the boy still staring at me.

I ignore him and try to pay attention at the screen. After the instructions are over, the plane starts moving and before I know it, we're in the sky.

"So...you were telling me something?" the boy asks again.

I purse my lips and then turn to him. "Why are you so interested in my life?"

He shrugs, leaning back in his chair. "I've got nothing better to do. Besides, I want to learn more about emotions."

_Learn more about emotions? You can't just learn about them like that, you have to experience them to truly understand them. _I decide to relay this message to him. "_Learn _about emotions? You can't just learn about them like that, you know. To truly understand them, you have to experience them for yourself."

His eyebrows furrow again, like he's thinking or concentrating on something. And then realization appears on his face. "Ah, thank you."

I look at him and shake my head. "You're welcome," it comes out like a question.

"What's your name?" the boy says.

I bite my lip. _Should I? He doesn't seem like a creeper, but then_ again... I sigh again. _Telling my first name wouldn't hurt_, I figure. "Sakura. Yours?"

"Now I understand the hair," he smiles and says, "My name is Sai."

"Cool," I say awkwardly. _What else do I say?_

"I'm not cold," he says. He looks confused.

I smile a bit. "No, it's an expression. Like...never mind," I say when he looks even more confused. Maybe he really doesn't know about emotions. _Eh, whatever._

He - Sai - takes out a sketchbook and flips through it to a new page. As he flips through it, I catch glimpses of artwork that seem professional - like a photograph.

"You draw?" I ask him.

He looks up at me. "Yeah, it's one of my ways to try and learn about emotions - through art."

_That's beautiful_. "Can I...see them?" I hope he doesn't find it awkward that I'm asking even though I barely know him.

Apparently, he doesn't. "Sure," he holds it out to me and I take it gingerly, holding it with care.

Going back to the first page, I marvel at the drawing. It's a sketch of a person, but it looks like he took a picture of them in black and white - it's..._amazing_. "Y-You _made _this?"

"Yes," he says indifferently, he doesn't seem to think it's that big of an accomplishment.

"I-It's brilliant!" I exclaim, going to the next page where I see a landscape pictures of mountains, the sun peeking behind it.

"Oh, thank you," he says, smiling again.

I flip through the rest of his sketchbook, seeing drawings of more people, landscapes, random things, but he makes them seem so beautiful. He puts a different light to them.

I stop at the last drawing in his book, a cherry blossom tree. Sakura petals are falling down, frozen in mid-air and just under the tree, there's a wooden bench, with a single rose on it. There's three words on a note next to the rose: _I love you_.

It's..._as__tonishing_.

"You like that one?" he asks me.

I shake my head at the beauty, and look up at him. "I _love _it." I don't know why it means so much to me, maybe because of my namesake, or because of that single rose on the wooden bench, but something about the picture makes me love it.

He smiles at me, and takes the sketchbook out of my hands. Then he takes the page, and rips it out of the sketchbook, careful not to damage the drawing.

Sai hands it to me. "Here," he says.

I shake my head. "N-No, I can't take that, it's your own work."

He shrugs. "I'll make another one," he says nonchalantly.

I bite my lip and he nods his head encouragingly, pushing the picture towards me.

I sigh and take it from him. "Thanks," I say.

Sai smiles. "No problem."

I smile at him and put the picture carefully into the pocket of my laptop bag where I know it will be safe.

Thanks to him, I was able to get my mind off of the aching in my chest.

* * *

**~ Sasuke ~ **

I flop down on my couch and close my eyes, putting my hand over my eyes.

I don't think I have ever felt so lonely, excluding the time when my parents died. I love her so much and letting her go like this...the pain is unbearable.

There's this ache in my heart area that doesn't seem to go away. And I wish it would, but at the same time, I hope it doesn't; I don't want to forget her.

_When is the next time I'm going to see her? _ I think. _Christmas break? _

I sigh and check my watch. It's only 12:30, my flight's at 6:30.

Closing my eyes again, I try to get as comfortable as I can and try to go to sleep.

* * *

Waking up, I let out a small groan, turning onto my side. I force my eyes open and click my phone on to see that it's already 4:13.

_Crap!_ I jump up from the couch and hurriedly throw my last minute things that I needed to pack in my backpack and grab the rest of my luggage, while calling a taxi, multi-tasking by holding the phone between my right ear and shoulder.

Luckily, the taxi quickly arrives at 5:00 and by 5:30, I'm at the airport.

I stand in the line for check in of luggage, impatiently tapping my foot. _Goddamn it! It's already 5:50 and I still need to get through security. _

Somehow, by 6:15, I'm through security and at the gate. Right when I reach, the announcer says that the flight is boarding.

I sigh in relief once I'm seated in my seat, 42 C. It's an aisle seat and I hope no one else is in my row so that I can scooch over to the window one.

Ever since I was young, I used to love looking out windows and seeing the scenery pass by in a flash. It felt like I was in a time machine. I scoff a bit. _How much I would like to go back in time now. _

"Yo, Sasuke," I hear.

Turning around, I see Neji, who's going to the same college as me. Luckily, I'll know someone there.

"Hey," I say. "Where's your seat?"

"The window one in your row," he replies, sitting on the left of me.

"Oh." _God damn it. _

He smirks. "You want the window one don't you, Uchiha?"

"Shut up," I say.

"Go," he sighs. "I know what you're going through. The window seat will help you get your mind off of things."

"What about you? With Tenten, I mean," I say, as I move to the window seat.

He takes my seat and I can visibly see his face fall when I say Tenten's name. I never thought that anyone could get through to the Hyuuga. Well, then again, Sakura did get through to me. I feel that pain in my chest again all of a sudden. "Yeah, well, I've done many things to try to get my mind off of it. It's fine, though. Seriously."

I shrug and turn to look out the window.

Soon enough, after the emergency video has been shown, the plane starts moving

and takes off. Fortunately, no one else is in the aisle Neji and I are in.

I plug my headphones into the screen in front of me and scroll towards the movie section.

I bite my lip a bit once I realize that Sak and I have watched so many of these. My fingers twitch to feel her hair once more, to go over her soft skin, to tickle her, to caress her cheek.

I click a random movie that I haven't seen and put the headphones on, raising the volume high, so I can try - futilely - to forget about the world for a while.

* * *

**~ Sakura ~ **

The next hours of the plane ride are filled with Sai and I talking and I find out that he's going to Kirigakure too. Luckily, I'll know one person there instead of being all alone. Kirigakure is also one of the top school in art and music, and he's majoring in Art and Photography.

I fall asleep the last 2 hours of the flight and when the plane lands, he shakes me awake.

He gets both of our things out of the overhead luggage thing and then we file out of the plane with the rest of the people.

* * *

**~ Sasuke ~ **

I look over to the flight attendant who repeats her question once I take off my headphones, apologizing. "Would you like anything to drink?"

"Um, just water," I say.

She nods, giving me a flirtatious smile while handing me a glass and a cold water

bottle.

I take it from her, not making any eye contact with her. It sickens me that girls just try

to do whatever it takes to get my attention. Out of the corner of eye, I see her finally leave and I sigh gratefully.

Sakura...was the only girl who never tried to get my attention, besides Hinata, Tenten and Temari - yes, Ino was a fangirl at one point too, but she wasn't nearly as bad. Sakura however, actually even back talked to me.

I smirk slightly at how we first met. Her being a klutz as always, and me...being an

ass. I was so cold and heartless. Sakura...she really changed me. She changes everything around her because she's just so amazing.

I sigh again and look out the window once more.

Then, I hear a groan next to me. I turn to Neji who has his eyes closed.

_He's in a dream_, I figure, turning back to the window.

As soon as I do, I hear a small laugh and I see him adorn a smile on his face.

I smirk. _Must be a dream about Tenten._

A while later, I hear shifting and I turn back to him again. "Neji?" I ask. His eyes are sad and he's sitting up straight.

"Neji?" I ask again.

His bottom lip shakes a bit and he turns to me slowly.

"Dude, are you okay?" I turn fully to him.

He doesn't answer, and then all of a sudden his eyes start to collect water and a tear drifts down his face.

"N-Neji?" I put a hand on his shoulder, shaking him a little.

"I-" he stops talking, shaking a bit.

I haven't seen Neji cry since forever. He never has, at least I don't think so, except maybe when he was a child.

"I...miss her," Neji says, still sobbing.

My eyes sadden too. _He really loves Tenten._ "Neji," I say. I don't know what else to say. I've never really been good at comforting people. With Sakura, I would just hold her whenever she would cry. But...I don't think I'm going to do that for Neji. That would be...awkward... **(A/N: No homo. :P)**

"I really do. This...it's not fair," he continues. "I want to be with her...all the time. I _need_ her."

I sigh, giving him a one-armed hug. "Neji, you'll be fine. Trust me, I'm...going through the same thing. We'll both be fine. We'll work it out."

Even though I say this, I honestly don't know how I'm going to carry on without Sakura being by my side, too.

Neji sniffles, straightens up again and swipes at his eyes harshly. "S-Sorry," he says. "I...don't know what came over me."

I shake my head. "No...it's fine. Don't apologize for that. Everyone needs a moment to break down once in a while," I sigh. "After all, I did too."

"Really?"

I nod, thinking back to the time. Sakura was in a coma, and it was basically my fault. My _damned _fangirls. I had cried in the hospital, holding her hand, waiting for her to wake up, praying.

"When I saw Sakura open her eyes after the coma incident...I...I don't think I've ever been so happy," I say, knowing that Neji would understand what I'm talking about.

Neji smiles slightly. "Girls really do have a lot of power, don't they, Uchiha?"

I smirk at him. "Yeah, they do."

He smirks at me too and all of a sudden, even after all the years that we've known each other, I feel something tighten. I feel a bond becoming even closer and I'm relieved to know that I can count on him when I need something.

* * *

**~ Sakura ~**

When we are out of the plane and in the airport, Sai and I walk to find our luggage. Once we have our things, our passports checked and are out of the stuffy airport, we both call a taxi, loading our things in the trunk.

We still have about a week until college really starts, but even then, the first week of college is just a preview of what we're going into, a preview of our classes, to see if we are comfortable with them or not.

Once we reach the college, I gape at the size and all of a sudden, I feel like I'm back in 10th grade. The same day that everything changed, when I was looking at this huge building standing in front of me.

I straighten up, knowing that surviving through high school was hard enough, but this would be even harder. The college is about 5 times as large as Konoha Boarding Academy's whole area of land, and this isn't even the beginning of it!

I smile uncertainly, not sure if the feeling of my heart pounding is excitement or nervousness. I hope it's neither and just confidence, which I need all that I can get.

Sai and I go the main administration building, checking in with our names. The dorm master welcomes us and gives us the keys to our rooms. He's one of those few lucky freshman who get a single dorm room. I have a double room, but I don't know who my roommate is.

Sai and I walk to our dorms. His is on the 3rd floor of Building A and mine's in the same building, only on the 4th.

As I get to my room, I fumble with my key a bit and then open the door slowly once I do.

The room is big and spacious, with 2 beds on the opposite sides of the room. There's 2 closets, 2 dressers, 2 desks and 2 arm chairs as well. There's a balcony outside and I drop my things on one of the beds, seeing as the other bed already has things on it, and run to it.

I open the sliding door, feeling a soft breeze come on my face right away. As I touch the cold railing, I remember Sasuke and I look at the sky and the leaves falling everywhere.

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and smile. _I'll be fine_, I remind myself.

Then I hear the room's door close and turning around, I see someone who I guess is my roommate.

She has dark, long hair and beautiful green eyes. She's tall, well taller than me and has a slim, but tough figure that reminds me of Tenten.

"Uh, hello," I say, as I step in the room again, closing the balcony door behind me. I only close the netted door, leaving the glass door open, so that the slight breeze can come in the room.

She smiles at me. "Hello."

"Are you my roommate?"

The girl nods and sticks out her hand. "I'm Kaori. Nice to meet you."

I smile back. "Sakura," I say taking her hand. "Nice to meet you too." Her grip is strong, but still gentle.

"When did you get here?" I say, looking at her things that are almost all set up.

"About an hour ago," Kaori replies, walking over to her bed and sitting on it.

"Really? It looks like you've been here longer than that." I gesture to how her desk has books in it and the pictures on the dresser. Other various things are around her side of the room.

She laughs slightly. "Yeah, I like to make myself feel at home wherever I go as soon as possible."

I smile at her and turn to my luggage that has been brought up for me. "Well, I guess I should do the same then."

Kaori nods. "Hey, while you unpack, can I ask you a few questions? So we can get to know each other? We'll take turns."

_Sasuke and I played that game_. "Sure," I concur.

"Okay, umm...I know you probably get this one a lot, but is that your natural hair color?"

I smile. "I do get that a lot, and yes, it is."

"That's so cool! I've always wanted to dye my hair, but my mom forbids me to," she grumbles, crossing her arms like a child.

_She reminds of Naruto too. _"Do you play any sports?" I ask, continuing the game, while opening my suitcase and taking out some clothes.

"Uh-huh. Tennis, swimming and I run too."

"Wow, cool. I play tennis and volleyball. We should play tennis together sometime," I suggest, packing the clothes in my dresser and hanging some of my shirts in the closet.

"We should. I saw the tennis courts on my way in and they're awesome," and as I'm putting one of my pictures of Sasuke and I on my dresser, Kaori walks over to me and says, "Oooo! Is that your boyfriend?"

I blush involuntarily. "Y-Yeah."

"He's cute!"

"He's also mine," I remind her.

Kaori puts her hands up in defense. "No need to get so possessive, I was just saying he's cute!" she defends.

I sigh. "I know. Sorry. It's just that...I don't know...we're going to be so far apart from each other from now on. I used to go to boarding school with him. For 3 years. And we were roommates too, so all of a sudden, being this far away from him for this long, is weird."

Her eyes sadden sympathetically and she puts her hand on my shoulder. "Aww...I had a boyfriend too, but we broke up before college applications. I got so many rejections and it was really hard having to deal with them alone. But luckily, I got accepted here."

I smile.

Then she smirks. "Wait, you said you and your boyfriend were roommates?"

I nod uncertainly.

Kaori wiggles her eyebrows suggestively. "And did you sleep in the same bed?" she winks. "If you know what I mean."

I blush again and shove her playfully. "Oh my, God! No! We also had another roommate, you know! And it was 3 different rooms!"

She puts sadly. "Awww...I was hoping for something sexier."

I roll my eyes and she flops down on my bed as I continue to unpack.

"So what's his name?"

"Sasuke," saying his name feels weird. I miss him so much.

"Pretty," she states.

I laugh. _If you said that to him, he'd probably "Tch" at you and roll his eyes - while blushing. _

"So how did you guys meet?" Kaori asks.

"And you are so interested in my love life because...?" I wonder.

She shrugs. "I just am!" she says, turning around so that she's laying on her stomach, her legs waving in the air. "Now, tell me."

I bite my lip. "Umm...well it wasn't the most..._romantic _meeting."

Kaori looks confused.

I sit down next to her on my bed, folding my legs. "So...I was new to the boarding academy, going in at tenth grade, and once I got my key to the dorm room, I went there. Once I finally got the door to open, I started to walk in, but...I tripped over my bag."

She starts laughing.

"I know! I'm a klutz!"

She abruptly stops laughing. "Wait! Was he there?! DID HE CATCH YOU IN HIS ARMS?!" she clasps her hands together, her eyes getting wide and teary.

I shake my head. "As I said, it wasn't romantic, at like, all."

Kaori pouts, but I continue anyway.

"So then, I start to get up and he's just standing in front of me. He didn't even help me up!"

She looks appalled, but I speak before she can say anything. "And then, I put my hand out, introducing myself, and he just looks at me and my hand and then turns and walks away."

"And you like him because…?"

I laugh. "Well, at first, I thought he was a jerk. And he was. He was really coldhearted, but that was because of his rough childhood. Slowly, he opened up to me more. And then, we kissed and became a couple." I can feel my cheeks heat up as I say this.

Kaori gushes. "That's so cute! Do you have any more pictures of you guys?"

I nod. "Of all my friends, back home," I sigh. "No one out of the 10 of us came here, to this college. Everyone has someone at their college, but I don't."

She stays quiet, and then I say, "But luckily, I have you now."

She smiles. "Can we go on a campus tour? Just the two of us."

I sigh. "I would love to, but I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to go to sleep soon. Jet lag."

Kaori nods understandingly. "I only live 2 hours from here, so I drove."

"Ahh. Wanna grab something to eat?" I ask. "I'm starved."

"Sure."

We both get up, locking our dorm room before we leave and we race down to the cafeteria where we eat some snacks, before heading back up.

I learn more about Kaori while we eat. She has two older brothers and a younger sister, who's still in tenth grade. She loves to read, play the violin and she's an awesome dancer as she tells me.

I'm grateful that I have a roommate that is so friendly; I would hate to have a roommate who wouldn't even talk to me. _But then again...wasn't that Sasuke to me?_

The whole time, I don't even think about Sasuke being so far away, but when we're back in our dorm room, I open my diary and write how I'm feeling about him.

_Dear Diary, _

_I really miss Sasuke…_

**~ Sasuke ~ **

As soon as the plane lands, Neji and I get our things and follow the other people out of the plane. Getting our luggage too, we catch a cab as soon as we can, as it's already 9:30 P.M.

We're roommates too, luckily, because the college has some thing that if you know someone who is going there too, you can request to be their roommate and that's what Neji and I did.

I'm so glad that I don't have to through the torture of a whole year with some annoying classmate.

The cab takes half an hour to reach our college and we both gape a bit at the size. I've seen pictures and all, but it's way bigger in real life.

Going into the main building, the check in guy give us both individual keys and then we are off to try and find our room.

It's on the third floor of Building D, we figure out, so trudging there with our smaller luggage (luckily, there are people to carry our humongous suitcases, who have probably already reached there), we open the door to a nice-sized room, with two beds, dressers, nightstands, desks and closets, one of each on two walls opposite from each other.

Neji throws his things on the bed nearest to the door, so I take my stuff, putting it on the one closest to the window. There's a window seat too, which I have always wanted.

"You want anything to eat?" Neji asks. "I'm gonna go down to the cafe to catch a light dinner."

"Umm..no. I'm really tired, so I'm gonna call it a night."

He nods, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Left alone, I change into the first pair of pajamas I find, shoving all my things against one of the walls, so that I can unpack tomorrow.

I sit down on the window seat and I see that it's already 11:00. I remember that where she is, the time is 1 hour ahead of ours - meaning it's already 12:00 A.M. there.

I take out my phone. _It's worth a try to text Sakura, but I don't know if she'll be awake. _

I send her: _Hey, Sak. I just reached my college with Neji. I really miss you already. I know it's late, but if you see this, please text back. I love you, Sakura. _

I sigh, raking a hand through my hair.

Moments later, my phone beeps and a smile automatically comes to my face when I see her name.

_Hi! I reached my college a couple of hours before and met my roommate- who is awesome (luckily) by the way. Her name is Kaori and she's so sweet. I miss you too. So much, Sasuke. I love you, too. 3 _

I smile. I'm glad that she has someone there to keep her company.

_:) That's great. It's pretty late, so you should go to sleep. Goodnight. Sweet dreams, my love, _is what I text her next.

And when a few seconds pass, she texts back. _You should too. __Goodnight. Have sweet dreams too, my love. _

I smile at the phone again, but the pain in my chest gets more intense. I miss her so much that I don't even know how to describe it.

Cliche, I know, but still. I do. I love her so much that I just can't imagine life without her, and now I am.

I climb into my bed as Neji gets back from the cafe.

He's panting hard and I ask what happened.

He smirks slightly. "I guess we'll have fangirl problems here too."

I roll my eyes. "Great. Hey, I'm gonna call it a night."

Neji nods. "'Night."

"'Night."

**~ Naruto &amp; Hinata ~**

"Hinata-chan? Do you need any help?" Naruto asked his girlfriend, well now fiance from the hallway.

"U-Um, no," she called back. "I'm fine."

They were unpacking and Hinata was having some difficulty lugging her luggage into her dorm room. She had a single this year and so did Naruto, but they weren't living in the same room as boys and girls were not allowed to stay together.

"Okay…" Naruto said, but his niceness took over and he went in her room anyway to help her with her things.

Hinata smiled. "Thank you, Naruto-kun," she said once all of her luggage was inside her spacious room.

"No problem, Hinata-chan!"

Then Hinata hugged him. "I'm so sad that we're not going to be able to stay across the hall from one another."

Naruto looked down at her and his eyes softened. "Me too," he said, wrapping his arms around her small frame.

Naruto's room was two floors above Hinata's. At least they were in the same building, though.

Then, the door to Hinata's room opened and a person, who resembled Hinata in many ways, stood at the doorstep, along with someone who looked like a miniature version of Hinata.

"O-Otou-sama?" Hinata said, her arms dropping to her sides, leaving Naruto. She bowed deeply. "W-What brings you here?"

Hinata's father was eyeing Naruto, wondering why he was hugging his oldest daughter. "I sent you a message, didn't you get it?"

Hinata shook her head. "I-I'm sorry, I accidently left my phone in one of my suitcases, so I didn't get a chance to see it all day today or yesterday."

"Well, I said that I would be visiting your college today," he then turned to Naruto and spoke. "And you are?"

Naruto stuttered a bit. The aura that came from the man who was standing a few feet away from him was so powerful and had authority in it. It made him feel small. "I-I'm Uzumaki Naruto, sir." He bowed too, imitating what Hinata did before.

Hinata could feel that Naruto was tense and nervous, so she spoke up. "H-Hello, Hanabi. It's been a while since we saw each other."

Hanabi, the girl who was standing next to their father smiled slightly at her sister. "Yeah, onee-chan, but camp was really fun."

Hinata smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Why are you in my daughter's room?" Hinata's father, Hiashi, asked. His eyes never left Naruto's.

Naruto felt the weight pushed onto him again. "U-Um, I…" he didn't know what to say.

Hinata spoke up once again, deciding that she would make up for all the times that he helped her now. "H-He is my boyfriend, father. W-Well, now my fiance." She held up her hand that adorned the ring.

Hiashi's eyes widened. "What?" he growled out. He was fuming and Hinata's eyes showed worry. "Your _fiance_?!"

"Y-Yes."

"And you think I'll just go and let you get married without telling me?"

Hinata shook her head. "O-Oh, no. I was going to tell you, b-but then, recently, only college has been on my mind."

"But eventually, you're going to marry him? Later on?" Hiashi asked.

Hinata nodded.

Hiashi scoffed. "No, you're not. I've heard about the Uzumaki's and what happened. I'm not going to let you waste your life on this..._thing_. You're marrying one of the people who I have picked so that we can ensure the progress of our companies."

Naruto felt hurt just by his words. Sure, he didn't have a lot of money or whatever, but that didn't matter when it came to love...right?

"W-What? No! I-I'm going to marry Naruto-kun!" Hinata said, grabbing Naruto's hand, but he didn't have the strength to hold her hand back.

Hiashi chuckled like he was amused. "I will make sure that that won't happen, even if it's the last thing I do."

Naruto always wondered what it meant to have a "broken heart." What would that mean? It seemed stupid to him, to think of a heart as broken. If bones can be healed, why not the heart? So he thought of it as a joke. But now, as he heard the words of Hiashi, he could feel an intense pain in chest. And he finally knew, that _this_, this _horrible_ feeling, was classified as a "broken heart."

* * *

**Author's Note**:

_NOOOOOO! THE MARRIAGE THOOOUUGHH! Meh. Sorry? Hehe. I felt as if Hinata and Naruto had no problem in their relationship, ever. Sakura/Sasuke, Neji/Tenten, Ino/Kiba all have had either "fights" or the college thing. I think I'm gonna make something for Shikamaru and Termari too. Relationships are tough and sometimes you get hurt. I didn't want to make Naruto and Hinata fight, rather I wanted something to be an obstacle for them to overcome - AND HERE IT IS. This scene will continue in the next chapter because Naruto has some words to say and right now, he's too shocked and disheartened too. So yeah. _

_I want to thank you so much for reading, reviewing and taking time out of your day today. _

_Thanks again!_

**~ booklover333**


	5. Chapter 5: Now What?

**Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, and I don't own them. But I do own the plot, so DON'T TRY AND STEAL IT! IZZZ MY IMAGINATION! :P**

_Heeeyyy! ZOMG, I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. I've been pretty busy. Forgive me? Please?_

_By the way, I just wanted to clear something up of the last chapter's title. It was called "Heartbroken x 3" because of Neji/Tenten, Sasuke/Sakura and Naruto/Hinata and how they are all "heartbroken" or just really sad because of their current situations. So yeah...Hehe._

_Oh, and I have been re-updating chapters of MTHIC because as I go back and read them, I cringe at the lack of vocabulary and how simple the storyline is - as well as the childish writing. I'm adding more details, fixing typos and overall, just making it better. I know I didn't write it all that long ago, but I swear, if I write a chapter a week before, I will find so many mistakes and better ways to describe things the week after, so yeah. So in abouuuuut a month, please go read that again - I'm sure it'll be better! :P I'm currently updating Chapter 7, and I will re-upload that soon (later this week). _

_Also, I'm so sorry about my other fanfictions - I know I haven't been updating them that well lately. I'm really sorry. I just keep waiting for times that I'm free but I know that's never going to happen - especially with finals and other really big tests coming up soon. So I'm just going to keep updating as time goes on. Bare with me please. It might be a while, but I promise I will never leave a story unfinished. I hate when people do that - especially if it was just getting to the climax or whatever._

_Thanks for reading this really long note, but now...ONTO THE STORY!_

* * *

**Chapter 5**:

Naruto looked down at the carpet beneath him. _Was this actually happening? _He scoffed in his brain. _Of course it was. _Life wasn't all happiness and fairytales - he knew that, too well, in fact. It wasn't fair, but…life was exactly like that; otherwise, what would be the fun, right?

The soft hand that was gripping harshly onto his only grew tighter, as if the girl beside him was trying to give him strength, trying to tell him to say something. But he couldn't. He didn't know what to do, what to think, what to feel.

_What should I say?_ he questioned himself. _Think!_

When he looked back up at Hinata's father, only his back was in vision.

_He's leaving!_

"No!" Naruto said, halting Hiashi's further movements. "Wait!" he pleaded. "Please."

Hiashi turned around and even though he didn't speak, something about his movements made Naruto feel intimidated.

"I…" Naruto started. Looking back down, he bit his lip. _What should I say?! Think, Naruto! Think!_

Naruto looked back up when he heard a displeased scoff. "Great pick, Hinata. A boy that cannot even stand up for himself; let alone, say anything," Hiashi sneered.

Naruto felt something inside of him strengthen. But this time, it wasn't the empty void he sensed before in his stomach. Rather, it was… determination? Taking a quick glimpse at Hinata, he could see how she kept a calm and poised face, even though her eyes differed. They gleamed with something new, something he hadn't really seen before in her generally soft lavender colored eyes. _Anger_.

Finally intertwining their fingers together, Naruto cleared his throat a bit before he spoke. "Sir…" he paused a moment, thinking of what he was going to say and making sure it wouldn't come out too rudely. "I don't think that you have a right to _force_ Hinata-chan to marry someone." Naruto didn't fail to notice how his the line between his eyebrows increased when he spoke her name with the term of endearment attached.

"Excuse me?" Hiashi questioned.

Swallowing before he spoke, Naruto stated, "With all due respect, Sir, it's not really up to you, but to Hinata-chan. After all, _she's_ the one getting married - not you."

"How dare you speak to me in such a defiant manner, boy?"

Hinata's fingers tightened around Naruto's once again. Was that a signal to stop? Or a signal to keep going and to be strong?

Naruto decided to go with the latter. He had to be brave after all, for both him and Hinata. They were going to get married - he would make sure of it.

"N-Naruto-kun's right, Otou-sama," Hinata interjected before anyone else had a turn to speak. Even though her voice was soft, it was sure and steady - something Naruto wondered how she could do in this situation. "I want to marry Naruto-kun, a-and if you can't accept that, then…I'm sorry."

"Enough of this nonsense!" Hiashi bellowed. "You are my _daughter_, for God's sake, and you will do as I say!" How dare she defy him? He was her father and what he said, would be done, without questioning.

"No!" Hinata - surprisingly - shouted, making everyone's attention turn to her.

Naruto could see tears in her eyes and his fingers twitched to wipe them away. She was too pretty to cry, as he had told her many times. Instead, he held her hand harder and more reassuringly - letting her know that he was there for her.

"I-I'm sick of you telling me what to do, all the time. I have never defied you before, Otou-sama, but n-now I am! This is the one thing I will not let you ruin!" The tears rolling down her face only proved how much she believed and meant every word she said.

Naruto bit the inner part of his cheek to refrain from pulling the girl to him and stroking her long soft hair, as he always did if she was crying. He refrained from comforting her because he knew that she had to say this, to let her feelings out, so that her father could - maybe - _finally_ understand what she felt, what she _truly_ felt - not the fake "I'm fine, Otou-sama," she always said to him.

"Hinata!" But Hiashi could not say anything else as she hiccupped due to her crying and then continued nonetheless.

"I _love_ Naruto-kun, Otou-sama! And I will _not_ marry another person that I barely even know! Naruto-kun cares for me, in so many ways that I cannot count. He loves me as much I love him and I know that I will be so happy if I stay with him!" she paused to wipe her tears away, as they were blocking her vision. _He cares for me more than you ever have, Father. _"Please, Otou-sama."

"Even if these things _are_ true, it doesn't change the fact that he isn't good enough for you."

"W-What do you mean?"

Hiashi scoffed crudely again, the disgust in voice so evident that it was almost palpable. "You know as well as I do that he does not have a sufficient amount of money that will support you in your later life."

Naruto looked at Hiashi. Well, he always knew that he didn't have much money, but what did that matter when they loved each other? All you needed in life was love…right?

Naruto saw this as his turn to speak. "S-Sir, I know that I won't be able to give your daughter everything she wants. I…don't have the best grades and I'm not gonna be a millionaire in my life," Naruto confessed. He sighed, but with sincerity in his voice continued. "But I love her and she loves me and really, that's all we need to happy."

"This is not some type of movie, Naruto! _Love _won't do anything! Money will! You can't live off of love, you can't buy food with love. You _need_ money in your life!"

Naruto shook his head. "I'm not denying that you don't, Sir, but I rather have Hinata-chan than a million - no, a billion dollars. Her and her love for me is more than I need to keep waking up everyday and to keep trying to get her everything she wants and deserves. In the end, it's love that matters."

Naruto could feel his own tears stinging his eyes, but he pushed them back because he had to be strong for Hinata. He would fight for her, for her love because she was worth it.

"Keep thinking those childish thoughts, boy, but they're not realistic. They won't actually _work_. And when you'll have no more money, try taking care of Hinata then, just like you supposedly have been," he mocked with a sick smirk on his face.

"He cares more for me than you ever have!" Hinata snapped at Hiashi_. Why is he ridiculing Naruto like this? It's not fair! _Her breathing was erratic and she knew was going to burst out crying even more so than what she was doing now if this continued.

"Tch," Hiashi jeered. "You kids and your fantasies. Get to reality!" he shouted. "The real world is harsh and cruel. It doesn't wait or help foolish kids like you both who know nothing."

Hinata didn't have anything to say, knowing that this argument would go on for hours if she didn't stop it now. She settled for glaring at the man.

"One thing is for sure, however, you two are _not_ getting married." Without waiting waiting for a response or even a reaction, he turned around, said "Let's go, Hanabi," to which she replied a meek "Yes, Otou-sama," and swiftly walked out of the room. The door closed harshly behind them, making the both of them flinch.

Hinata, with her father and sister gone now, let out a small whimper, her tears intensifying. She wobbled a bit before she fell to the ground.

Naruto crouched down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder, making her look at him.

Hinata cried harder and launched herself into his awaiting arms. "W-What are we going to do, Naruto-kun?" she said between sobs.

Smoothing her hair down in an attempt to console her, he whispered softly, "Well, Hinata-chan, there's really not much we can do right now," he told her honestly. "We just have to wait and see what happens."

Feeling her nod against him, he smiled a bit and hugged her tighter, as if it were the last. Closing his eyes and breathing her scent in, he promised himself he would make sure that it wouldn't be.

* * *

**~Sakura~**

Opening my eyes, the first thing I see is bright light. I groan and slam my eyes shut, sitting up while doing so. Slowly opening my eyes again, my vision adjusts and I look around the room, seeing Kaori sprawled all over her bed, her legs flung in different directions.

I tilt my head at her. _She looks as if she's trying to do gymnastics in bed_.

I shake my head at the sight and pulling the covers off of my body, I slowly move my legs to the edge of my bed and push myself off of it.

Walking over to the curtains in our dorm room, I open them up the rest of the way, as they're already opened a bit and instantly, the room brightens up.

A groan in the exact opposite mood of bright comes from Kaori and I hear her shift. "Shut the damn lights off," she grumbles.

I smile. _Guess she's not much of a morning person. _"Well…I can't exactly _turn_ the sun off, so, too bad," I tease.

She groans again and without opening her eyes, she feels around her bed for something. Grabbing it - a small pillow - she takes in her hand and chucks it at me. Or at least, tries to.

"Nice throw," I say, looking at the pillow which landed only a foot away from hitting me. Not bad for a blind shot.

"Shut up," she mumbles, stuffing her face in her own pillow.

I laugh at the scene. Just yesterday, she was jumping around all jollily.

_Mood swings, much?_

Raking a hand through my hair, I decide to open the balcony door, leaving the net one closed, so that some air can come in the room. Looking back at my roommate, I see that she's still not awake. Fully, at least.

I sigh, walking over to her. "Kaori. Come on, wake up."

Groaning yet again, she asks, "What time is it?"

Giving a glance to the clock, I answer her question. "8 A.M."

Opening one eye, she squints at me. "Exactly! Now leave me aloneeee!" she whines.

I roll my eyes. _Why is that all my roommates are so hard to get up?_ Then I remind myself that Sasuke wasn't. "Kaori. Come on. I'm hungry!" I say in a slightly whiny voice. What? I am! Sue me for being cranky when I'm hungry.

She opens both eyes this time. "Food?" she asks hopefully.

I nod. "Yes. Now, let's goooo."

"Yay!" she says. She sits up and screams, "FOOOD!" and dashes out of our room.

I tilt my head yet again. _She reminds me of an anime character_. _I guess her and Naruto would get along_.

I laugh and run out the door too, down to the cafe, where I see her ordering a bagel and more.

Doing the same, we grab a table to sit down when I hear my name. "Sakura?"

"Sai!" I yell once I see him. Waving him over, I say to Kaori, "That's Sai. He's a freshman too."

But she doesn't notice as she's too busy devouring our food.

"How have you been?" I ask. "Like your room?"

He sits down next to me, nodding. "Yeah. I'm glad I have a single room." Then he whispers to me, "That's the right way to describe it, right? Glad?"

I smile. "Yes, Sai." I kick Kaori under the table slightly and when she looks up, I introduce Sai to her. "Sai, this is Kaori, my roommate. Koari, Sai."

Sai nods. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," Kaori says with a smile.

We all eat, making small talk between ourselves. I'm glad that I have

people I know here instead of being all alone. Sighing and sipping my orange juice, I smile. _Maybe this isn't going to be as bad as I thought it would._

* * *

**~Sasuke~**

"Sasuke," I hear. "Sasuke."

In the depths of my wonderful sleep, who the hell is trying to pull me out of it? "What?" I grumble, my eyes refusing to open.

I hear a sigh. "It's eleven already. Get up."

"Tch." I roll over so that I'm on my stomach and groan again. _Why am I sleeping in so late?_ _I didn't get much sleep on the plane, but still about 12 hours of sleep? Damn. _I force my eyes to open, instantly blinded by the sunshine coming through the window.

Finally rolling off the bed, I swipe at my still sleep-induced eyes.

"You wanna go get breakfast?" Neji asks me.

I look at him. "Didn't you already? You look like you've been up for a while."

"Nah," he says, sitting down in the chair at his desk. "I took a shower and then I was talking with Tenten."

The light blush on his cheeks makes me smirk. "Okay, then. Let's go eat."

Making a quick stop to brush my teeth, we head down to the cafeteria where there are many other students, also getting breakfast, or an early lunch.

Each grabbing different things, we sit down at table, silently eating. But it's not awkward - at least, I don't think it is. Neither of us have been much talkers, even if our girlfriends managed to loosen us a bit.

I smile slightly. I love that I can call Sakura _my _girlfriend. It makes me feel…happy? That I know that someone is there for me. Someone that cares and will be there for me.

It really does suck that I won't be able to see her as much as I used to, but I'm sure we'll be fine. She has her new roommate - Keiko, was it? Or was it Kaori? - as I have Neji. It'll be hard, but I'm positive that we'll be able to go through it.

Looking around, I see that the cafeteria is pretty big, similar to the rest of the school. I can see basketball courts right outside of the windows and as I'm about to ask Neji if he wants to play with me afterwards, I feel something on my arm. A hand. The nails done up in fancy designs and a single silver ring adorning the middle finger.

Peering up at the owner of the hand, I see a girl around the age of me carrying a bright, but _suggestive_ smile.

"Can I…help you?" I ask. _God damn it._

Then I hear some shifting on the left side of me and out of the corner of my eye, I see another girl sitting down next to Neji.

As "mine" sits down next to me, Neji and I exchange quick glances with one another, both knowing the other is thinking the same thought.

_Freaking fangirls._

* * *

**Author's Note**:

_Hehe. So how'd you like it? Was it good? I know it was kinda short, but yeah. Please tell me what you think by reviewing. It only takes a few seconds! PLEASE. It helps me make the story better, so if you like this story and want me to keep updating and make it better - REVIEW!_

_I want to sincerely thank you so much for reading, reviewing and taking time out of your today._

_Thanks again!_

**~ booklover333**


	6. Chapter 6: An Invitation?

**Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, and I don't own them. But I do own the plot, so DON'T TRY AND STEAL IT! IT'S MY IMAGINATION! :P**

_Heyyyyy! It's been a while. Hehe. But this is my first summer update, and I'm sure there will be waaaaaaaay more in the future._

_Thank you for putting up with my sporadic updates and annoying author notes - it means more than you will know. (egh, clicheeee, but whatever) _

_ON WITH THE STORY!_

* * *

**Chapter 6**:

_~ Sasuke ~ _

_Freaking fangirls._

I know we're both thinking it by the quick glance Neji tosses me. "Can I help you?" I repeat, since she didn't give me an answer the first time.

She bats her eyes in what's supposed to be seducing, but I've never felt more turned _off_ in my life. She starts to say no, but then nods her head. "Actually, yes. Have a name?" Her fingers drum on my bicep and a couple of years ago, I would have brushed it off right away, but something inside me stops me from telling her to stop. _Sakura used to do that. _It's not the same, but I still miss Sakura's soft fingers on my skin.

"Well, duh," Neji answers for me. I smirk into my glass of orange juice as I take a sip.

"So what is it?" the girl next to me asks.

With an obvious sigh of exasperation, I mutter, "Sasuke." _Go away already. I have food waiting to be eaten! _

"Ah. I'm Vanessa." The drumming continues and suddenly I can't take it anymore. Her "soft touches" don't even hold a candle to Sakura's. I don't feel a ripple of something I can't describe go through me as her fingers touch me. All I feel now is annoyance, but also longing for Sakura.

"Could you quit doing that?" I say, a little more nastily than I had hoped, shoving her fingers off of me. I see Neji give me a look, silently asking why I'm so angry all of a sudden. But he wouldn't understand; at least "his" is not touching him, otherwise I'm sure he would have a harsher reaction than mine.

Vanessa looks startled, but then quickly recomposes herself, with a hint of irritation. "Why? Aren't you a guy? Don't you have hormones?"

I almost gape at her openness. Is it just me or is that something you really shouldn't ask someone the first time you meet them? _Of course I have hormones, you idiot - they're just not raging around you._ Instead of answering her question, I state: "I have a girlfriend."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Vanessa's eyes widen and then look down. But once again, with her never-ending confidence, her eyes flick back up with renewed strength. "So where is she?"

"Not here."

"So then what's the problem?" Her hand's back on my arm and her gaze seems back to how it was when she first came.

I look at her. "I'm not the type to cheat, so if you would kindly," I take her hand off me once again while standing up, "_not_ flirt with me, it would be greatly appreciated."

Neji follows me without a word and after throwing out our trash, we're out the cafeteria door.

"You know, I have a feeling that they're gonna try again," Neji says, breaking the silence between us.

Raking a frustrated hand through my hair, I nod. "I bet they are."

Gosh, Sak was right. Maybe I do need her to protect me. I smirk slightly at the thought of her telling them off. We reach our dorm room and Neji starts to unpack, as we were too exhausted to do it last night, me doing the same after taking a quick shower.

About an hour in, my phone vibrates in the back pocket of my jeans. Checking the caller ID, an automatic smile spreads on my face when I see a picture of Sakura and I on the screen with the caller name: _Sak, _a red heart next to it.

"Hello?" I say, picking it up.

"_Hiiiii!"_ she answers cheerily.

I'm still smiling as I walk over to the window seat. It's funny how only her voice makes my heart racing, and sends an exciting ripple of feelings through me, making my mind all fuzzy. What has she done to me?

"Hey, Sak. How are you?" I say, sitting down on the window seat.

"_Umm...great actually!_" She giggles. "_My roommate and I just finished playing tennis. I won!" _

I hear a groan in the background of "Oh, shut up!" and then "I let you win."

"_Yeah, okay," _Sakura says sarcastically to the voice and then back to me, "_That's Kaori by the way." _

"I figured."

"_How are you?"_

"Uh, good. For the most part."

"_The most part? Is something bothering you?" _

I sigh, looking out at the trees that are swaying in the wind. "Same as usual."

I hear a small laugh. "_Fangirls?"_

Instead of answering, I groan and another laugh comes from her. Even though I'm annoyed again at the thought of the girls that tried to flirt with Neji and I, Sakura's laugh eradicates my frustration. It makes me calm, yet the same, panging feeling comes back in my heart - emptiness. "I miss you," I suddenly say.

She stays silent and then says, "Yeah, me too."

Neji, who had gone out of the room a while later comes back and before he sees me on the phone, he asks, "Wanna go play basketball?"

I turn to him and point to the phone in my hand.

"Sorry," he mouths and goes to flop on his bed.

"_Was that Neji?" _

"Yeah. Wanna say hi?"

"_Sure!"_

I put Sak on speaker and her voice rings louder, filling the room. "_Hi, Neji!"_

"Hey, Sakura," he calls back.

Once they're done talking for a bit, I take off the speaker and bring the phone to my ear again.

"_One minute."_

I say "okay" and the phone goes silent for a while until a rattling comes back on and her voice returns.

"_I'm back, but Kaori and I have to go for lunch now. Talk to you later?" _

"Sure, Sak."

"_Okay. Bye, Sasuke. I love you." _

I smile. "I love you, too. Bye."

Once we hang up, I stare at the picture of me and her that I put as my background until the screen dims automatically and I toss the phone on my bed. I let out a sigh and rake a hand through my hair. "Basketball?" I ask turning to Neji.

Neji looks up and nods, jumping up from where he was texting someone - probably Tenten - and puts on his shoes, me following him out the door after locking it.

* * *

**~ Sakura ~ **

"Ugh, I totally let you win, you know," Kaori says as we reach our dorm room from playing tennis together.

I roll my eyes. "_Sure_," I say, sarcasm lacing through my voice. I take a big gulp of water and feel the cold water go through my body. _It's so hot! God damn it. _"I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Make it fast, will ya? I wanna take one too. It's freaking hot."

I laugh. "Sure." Grabbing a towel and some clothes that consist of a pair of black shorts and a blue shirt, I take a quick cold shower. In ten minutes, I'm drying my hair with a towel as I come out of the bathroom. Kaori almost runs me over as I'm opening the door with a cry of "I GOTTA PEE!" and a slam of a door as an answer to my unspoken question.

I lay down on my bed, swinging my legs in the air when my eyes flicker to the picture on the nightstand - of Sasuke and I. I decide that I should call him. I miss him so much already and I want to hear his voice. It seems too long already.

Getting up from my bed and unplugging my phone that was on charging, I put in Sasuke's number and press call, sitting on the window seat. After three rings, he picks up and answers with the deep, low, smooth voice I've been yearning to hear, the voice that makes me fall in love with him all over again.

I let out a sigh of...relief? Hearing him makes me so much more calmer.

"_Hello?" _

"Hiiiii!" I answer. What? I'm happy. Leave me alone.

"_Hey, Sak. How are you?" _Sasuke asks.

"Umm...great actually!" I say. "My roommate and I just finished playing tennis. I won!"

Right then, Kaori comes out of the bathroom, letting steam come into our room. Drying her hair, she groans. "Oh, shut up! I let you win."

"Yeah, okay," I sarcastically murmur to her. "That's Kaori by the way," I say to Sasuke.

"_I figured." _

We talk for a little longer and I even converse with Neji a bit until Kaori says that she's starving. "Yeah, I am too," I state. "Let's go to lunch?"

"Yes!"

"Okay, lemme just say bye to Sasuke." She gets up and starts putting on her shoes while I turn back to my phone. "I'm back, but Kaori and I have to go for lunch now. Talk to you later?"

"_Sure, Sak."_

"Okay. Bye, Sasuke. I love you."

I hear in the smile in his voice as he says he loves me too.

"Come on, Sakura!" Kaori whines. I realize that I've been staring off into space for a minute or two now.

"Oh, right. S-Sorry," I say, as I fumble to put my phone into my back pocket of the shorts I'm wearing. I'm still adjusting not being with Sasuke often and it feels so empty. Lonely. And every time I think about how alone I really am in the world, now with my parents gone, Sasuke no longer with me, and all of my friends at different colleges across the world, a strange feeling goes through me and I feel like curling into a ball and crying. But instead, I slip on some flip-flops and close the door to my dorm room and go to eat, with Sasuke still at the back of my mind.

* * *

**~ Naruto &amp; Hinata ~**

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto calls as Hinata comes out of her dorm room. "I was just coming to see you!"

Hinata smiles. "Oh, really? I-I was too."

They both laugh and Naruto holds out his hand to Hinata. "Do you wanna go for a walk?"

Hinata nods and puts her hand in his larger one.

They walk outside of their college and into the park near it, a soft wind blowing. There is only one day until classes start and it's been about a week since Hiashi had come to Hinata's dorm room, stating that they were not allowed to get married.

Hinata glanced solemnly at the ring still on her finger which she refused to take off. "Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah?" he glanced at her.

"What...D-Do you think my father will come back?" Since he had come that day, they both hadn't heard a word and it was making them anxious. Didn't he say that he forbade them to get married? So why hadn't he done anything about it yet?

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I...don't know, Hinata-chan. Honestly, I hope not. But, I think it might be better, so that we can all work this out."

Hinata scoffed softly, making Naruto look at her because it was out of character. "Otou-sama would never care for our opinions anyway. He always thinks that his way is right."

"Hinata-chan," he sighed, "he is your father, you shouldn't talk about him like that."

HInata looked down, guilt immediately showing on her face. "I-I know, Naruto-kun, but he has never done anything for me that a real father would."

Naruto sighed again, closing his eyes briefly and looking up ahead of him, trying to find answers in the soft sway of trees. "Still, Hinata-chan."

"Sorry," Hinata mumbled.

Naruto smiled at her saddened face and put a hand on her cheek. "Hey. Keep a smile on your face. Remember what I told you? Your face is too pretty to be sad."

Hinata looked up at him and instead of saying anything, she hugged him. More like jumped on him, but still. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she did the opposite of what he said and started crying, hot tears trickling down her face and dropping off at her chin. "T-Thank you, Naruto-kun."

"F-For what?" he said, as he looped his arms around her waist.

"For everything! For just being there. For being strong. For being supportive. For being so kind and understanding...For being Naruto-kun!" her voice hiccupped as she spoke and she struggled to keep her tears from falling.

Naruto smiled again and put his face in her shoulder, smelling the soft lavender scent she always seemed to carry. "You're welcome, Hinata-chan. But, I think you're stronger out of the two of us."

Hinata laughed. "Yeah, right. I can barely lift a gallon of milk."

Naruto chuckled. "I meant mentally stronger, Hinata-chan."

Hinata smiled as she let go of him. "I think we're equal."

"Is that why we're perfect for each other? The balance?"

She ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek softly. "Yes."

Naruto grinned and lifted her up, spinning around and only putting her back on the ground to kiss her.

Hinata closed her eyes as she felt his lips on hers and the same, but electrifying feeling rip through her as the kiss got deeper. _Thank you, Naruto-kun. Thank you so much._

* * *

A few days later, Hinata flopped down on her bed, putting a pale arm across her eyes as she sighed. _College is so hard_, she thought.

It had only been a week since college had started and she was already looking forward for the semester to end. All the homework and confusing high-level education that was college was stressful and made Hinata more tired than ever before.

She heard voices outside her door and groaned, knowing that someone might come in. _But what if it's Naruto-kun?_ Just as she sat up with hope, there was a knock on the door and she said, "Come in!" Hinata's face brightened when she saw her boyfriend and fiance come in and she jumped into his awaiting arms. When he set her down, after giving her a quick kiss, Naruto handed her an envelope.

"A girl was outside and she saw me going into your room, so she asked me to give you it. I think she's the delivery mail person," he said.

"Oh." Hinata hadn't got mail in a while and curiously fingered the flap open. There was nothing on the outside of it other than her name written in neat, steady writing that she hadn't recognized. Sitting down on her bed, she took out a card that was in the inside. It was thicker than regular paper and had a blue, fancy border with a beige background. Written in cursive, typed writing was:

**_We cordially invite you to join the Hyuuga family in the celebration of the marriage of Yutaka Kazuhiro and Hyuuga Hinata on the 8th of January. _**

**_Please arrive at the Yukimura Palace on the 8th of January at 4:00 P.M. _**

**_RSVP by the 12th of October. _**

**_Thank you. _**

**_ \- the Hyuuga family _**

And it was only a second after reading it did Hinata faint.

* * *

**Author's Note**:

_DON'T KILL ME. This isn't the end of NaruHina, just some complications with her ass of a father. SO DON'T WORRY!_

_But other than the surprises, did you like it? Was the writing good? I've been taking a lot of time for each chapter because I wanna make them really good and non-crappy, just ask my best friend - she knows. _

_Hehe. _

_I want to sincerely thank you for taking time out of your day to read and review my stories. _

_Thanks again! _

**~ booklover333**

_P.S. Do you think I should change my name? I don't really like it anymore..._


	7. Chapter 7: Helping You From a Distance

**Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, and I don't own them. But I do own the plot, so DON'T TRY AND STEAL IT! IT'S MY IMAGINATION! :P**

_Hey! It's been a while, I know. Sorry? I'm so sorry that I haven't really updated my other stories, but it's just so hard to get motivation to actually like them. And I don't even have that many reviews saying that people like the story. And just...AHHHHH. It's hard, you know? To write good chapters after you haven't written in a while. But I'll try. Seriously. I'll try.  
_

_Thanks for supporting me! And now...**CHAPTER 7! **_

* * *

**Chapter 7**:

**~ Sasuke ~**

My head shoots up from where it was looking at my textbook, lost in a trance, as my professor calls out my name again, more frustrated than before. "Y-Yes?" I stutter.

"Pay attention, Uchiha-san! I have been calling your name for quite a while now!"

"Y-Yes, sir. Sorry."

My professor lets out an exasperated sigh and I can see him trying not to roll his eyes. "Now answer the question written on the board."

Once I did with only a moment of hesitation and thinking, the professor nodded with pursed lips (obviously annoyed that I had spoken the right answer). I breath out a sigh of relief and try to rub the tiredness out of my eyes. _I'm so tired._ College was already impossibly difficult and what week was it? The third one? Of course, I expected it to be more challenging than high school, but I didn't know that it felt like my body was being drained of energy even just sitting in a classroom, just trudging to my next class, listening to a dull professor.

I look around at the other students that are sitting in the wide room, many types of people: ones who paid attention, ones who knew everything already, ones who didn't care, etc. I don't know where I stand. The topic was interesting enough (I mean, who didn't want to learn about the history of the world and how it came to be today), but the other factors of the class - that never-ending, low hum of the radiator, the monotonous tone of his teacher (except when he was yelling, of course), the small talk that could be heard - made it unbearable.

I tilt my head back again and glance at the wristwatch on my right arm (a present from Sak a year ago) and then at the classroom clock, and then back at my wristwatch, as if it would make time double in speed or something. I silently groaned when it didn't. When I look again, it's only 3 minutes after than when I had first checked. My fingers twitch and fidget with each other in my lap. I want to go play guitar, or go outside and play tennis or something. I want to do something or talk with someone. Just do something that would help me get over my seemingly never-ending tiredness.

Every day it was the same routine: wake up, eat, go to class, have a break, another bunch of classes, come home, do homework, eat and then sleep. It was _so boring_. So..._regular_. Even though I had made some friends, it was never as interesting as coming to a dorm room where Sakura and Naruto were fighting, or Sakura was yelling at Naruto to "shut up and go make ramen," or being around any of my friends back in Konoha Boarding Academy. Though the name suggested otherwise, the time I spent at Konoha Boarding Academy was the best years of my life. Although, I wouldn't probably admit it.

And I missed it.

So much.

Well...I missed the people in it, more specifically.

_Sakura._

I sigh again in frustration and rake a hand through my spiky hair and decide that I would try to focus on the lecture to get my mind off of Sak, so I wouldn't go into a moping mood all day. I look up, actually trying paying attention when my professor announces to the class our homework for the next two weeks: an 10-page essay.

_Fricking great._

* * *

**~ Sakura ~**

I pursed my lips, tapped my fingers, played with my hair, looked around the room and did possibly every other thing than pay attention in class. Which was a first for me. I had always been one to pay attention, taking notes and everything. But somehow, this time, I didn't want to.

When I glanced back at the clock, it was only 5 minutes after than the time I had checked last and I groaned slightly.

I licked my dry lips and turned back to the screen being projected by the projector onto the board. The teacher was explaining the human parts of the body. I was in medical class (which only surprised me further as to why I wasn't paying attention) and the teacher, on the first day, had announced: "At the end of this semester, you're gonna have to be digging through a real body, so if you can't handle it, get out."

She was kinda strict. And disgusting. Like, seriously, did you have to say "digging?" What are we? Miners or something? Geez.

I had already studied the human parts enough and even though the thought of "digging" through a body that was once alive sends a shiver through my body, I actually think it's kinda cool. It's only one step closer to my dream of becoming a doctor. One that I hope I'll achieve soon.

But...every time I think of being a doctor, I can't help but think of my parents. And their (well, mainly my dad) reluctance to me being one. Are they happy with my choices? Every time I think of them, this dreaded feeling washes over me and I feel hot and cold and everything at the same time. Even though it was years ago since their death, I can't help but still thinking: _it was my fault._

They would have never gotten on that plane if I hadn't yelled at them. They would have never thought to come visit me if I hadn't been a brat and a spoiled teenager. They wouldn't have tried to visit me if I had just called them and apologized like Sasuke said I should. Why did I do that? Why didn't I just call them back and say sorry? I felt terrible about it as soon as I threw my phone on the bed, even if I was still angry. Why didn't I call them back?

As these thoughts start to fester my mind, that same demeaning voice comes back. That same _mocking_ voice that I thought I had finally gotten rid of.

_It's all your fault. If it wasn't for you, they wouldn't be dead right now. They would be happy. They would have been laughing. They would have been _breathing_. But because of you and your selfishness, they're not. Because of you, they're–. _

"Sakura!"

My head whips up and I feel something wet on my face. Dismissing it as sweat, I say "Y-Yes?"

"Are you okay?" My teacher is right in front of me, and instead of an expression of annoyance, I see an expression of worry.

_Why is she worried? What did I–?_ And then it hits me. I was crying. There are tears on my face. I reach up quickly to swipe them away, wishing everyone would stop staring at me.

"Do you want to go to the bathroom? Or the nurse?"

"Um…"

"You should go take a walk or something."

"Um...okay," I say. I guess I do need a breath of fresh air or something. I don't wonder

why she's so persistent in telling me to leave because the school's probably told her how I lost my parents already.

I get up, my legs wobbling ever-so-slightly and I leave the room, hoping no one can see them shaking. I walk down the empty corridor and go to the garden that's just outside the window of this building.

I sit down on one of the benches hidden from the classrooms because it's behind a tree and take out my phone. I want to call Sasuke. It's 10:27. I look up as I think. T_hat means it's around 11:27 where he is. But his lunch time is at 12:30. _

I sigh in frustration. _Should I? He might get in trouble? But I really wanna talk to him._ Finally, my greediness, my _selfishness_, takes over but instead of calling him, I text him.

_Hey. Umm...I'm sorry if you're in class and get in trouble because of me, but please call me as soon as you can. Like...now, maybe? If you can't, I understand. But try, okay? Thanks. _

I put a heart at the end of it so it doesn't sound too serious and press send.

While I wait, I look at the trees swaying in the wind, only then do I notice it's gotten quite cold for just the end of September. I don't mind though. Fall's my favorite season.

Moments later, my phone vibrates and my heart jumps as I see Sasuke's name written above the "New Message" notification.

_One minute,_ is all the text says.

I look at the clock on my phone. _10:31. _And I stare at the numbers until they become blurry. The time refuses to change to 10:32 and just as I'm getting annoyed why the clock won't change, I see a picture of Sasuke pop up and "Incoming Call" is written across my screen. I smile and automatically, I can feel myself getting warmer from seeing his face. I take the phone and bring it up to my ear as he says "_Hello?" _

It's in a whispery tone which makes me ask "Where are you?" instead of greeting him back.

"_I'm currently in a closet."_

This makes me smile. "What? You're not turning gay on me are you?"

I hear him chuckle. "_Haha, very funny," _he says sarcastically. Then his voice changes. "_But what happened?"_

My temporary airy mood goes away and the corners of my mouth come down from a smile. "I started crying in class today."

"_What?!"_ I hear his voice get noticeably louder, but then soften so that no one hears him. "_W-Why? What happened?" _

Instead of answering, I say, "The teacher told me to go on a walk so I went outside."

"_Okay, but what happened, Sak? Are you okay?" _

I nod, forgetting for the moment that he can't see it. "Yeah. I don't know. All of a sudden, I started thinking of my parents. A-And–" I pause, because my voice begins to crack from trying to hold in my newly-formed tears and I hear him make a compressed noise. "that same voice. From before. I...It's my fault. That's what it told me. And I know it is. I just–" Soon my words start to slur together and tears fall heavier once again. There's a throbbing in my head and I know it's from crying too much. It hurts, so I rub my fingers on the right side of my temple, trying to soothe it.

"_Sak…"_ His voice cracks a little too and I can't help but feel even guiltier for making him start to cry as well. I feel my heart drop when I hear that crack, though. It's probably the worst sound anyone can ever hear. The crack of a voice of a person who is about to cry. It's absolutely terrible, but then, luckily, he clears his throat, and Sasuke's voice is steady once more."_It's not. It's no one's fault. It's just how life is. And you couldn't have gotten in the way of that. Nothing can get in the way of life and its decisions. Not even the amazing, beautiful Sakura." _

I let out a laugh and a sob at the same time and it sounds like I'm being strangled, but I don't care at the moment.

"_I'm serious, Sakura."_ His soft calm voice is the perfect kind to make my heart calm down from a panicked thudding, to a more excited beat that's still enough so that I can breathe properly. I absolutely love Sasuke's voice. It's soothing in all the right ways and all I want now is the arms and legs and the wonderful person that go so perfectly with the voice. I want Sasuke. To be wrapped up in his arms while he protects me. From that _dreaded_ voice that reminds me of things I want to forget.

"Thank you." Two simple words that I know Sasuke understands the meaning of. It's more than just two words. And I know that he can feel the sincerity behind it.

"_I miss you, Sak." _

"I miss you too, Sasuke."

"_It's been too long since I last got to hug or kiss you. No one's been hitting on you, right?" _

The first sentence makes my chest and heart swell with happiness and the second makes me laugh. "No. No one has. I'm not even going to bother to ask about you. I'm sure there have been fangirl encounters. How many?"

He groans. "_More than I count on my hands."_

I laugh even though I can feel some jealousy.

"_I need my Sakura to help me." _

I scoff slightly. "Since when did I become _yours_?"

I hear the smile in his voice. "_When I got the pleasure of kissing you that night of the dance." _

I giggle. "Weirdo." I bring my hand up to my eyes and swipe away the tears. I feel immensely better already. Hearing his voice really does wonders.

"_Hey! You love this weirdo." _

Laughing, I say, "I do."

He laughs and I ask him why. "_I was just thinking to myself that I hope the next time you'll be saying those two words will be on our wedding day." _

And suddenly, I'm really glad I decided to call him after all.

* * *

**~ Naruto ~**

I don't even register the words written on the paper until Hinata-chan lets go of it and falls on the bed.

I get over my shock and go to her, kneeling down next to her on the bed. "H-Hinata-chan!" I fan her with her my hands as well as I can until I hear a gasp.

Instead of an immeasurable feeling of worry going over me like I had imagined, I feel nothing. It's not like it is in the movies or books (Yes, believe it or not, I _have _read books before). I feel...numb? I don't know how to describe it because its everything and nothing at the same time. But all I do know it's one of the worst feelings, experiences, I've ever had.

Hinata-chan getting _married_? To someone she doesn't even know? To someone who is not me? Is that actually going to happen? Are those actually the words on the paper? It's all a blur and I feel like I'm going to faint too when a hand lands on my shoulder. And then slowly, the world becomes clearer and so does the feel of the hand. The same familiar hand. The hand that's soft and small and delicate and lovely and makes an exciting feeling go through me. The hand of the person I love.

I turn to her to see her in the same state I'm in.

"N-Naruto-kun…" That's all she says, but I don't expect her to say much else because I mean, what else _is_ there to say.

Then, I notice a small colored piece of paper that's a shade of blue that reminds me of the sky right before it turns into sunset. "Hinata-chan, I...think there's something else, too."

She turns her head and once she finds the piece of paper, she picks it up cautiously and slides the rest of it out of the envelope. With her hand shaking in a way that's almost unnoticeable, she holds the note between us. I grab the hand that's holding the note, but I find myself question who's steadying who.

We both scan over the note written in cursive, steady handwriting, not typed this time.

_Hinata, _

_Come meet your future husband at the Hana Cafe this Saturday at 3:00 P.M. Bring your friend Naruto, if you please. _

\- _Hiashi _

The word "friend" stands out and I know almost instantly that Hinata-chan's father put it there purposefully to mock me. "Are you...going to go?" I ask.

"I don't really think it was a request, Naruto-kun."

I sigh, sitting back down on my butt instead of kneeling on my knees, putting my face in my hands. "I knew that something was going to happen sooner or later, but I didn't it expect it to be this sudden," I mumble into my hands. "And I _definitely_ didn't expect it to be _this_." I feel Hinata-chan's hand on my back, rubbing comfortable circles into as the other arm wraps around me.

I lift my hands and encircle her small body, pressing it against mine.

Of course I couldn't say it out loud, but I had come to despise Hinata-chan's father. To _loathe _him. She was happy with me and really, isn't that the only thing that matters? Yeah, okay, money and all, but it's not like I am going to some crappy college. I've worked hard to get into this college and for Hinata-chan's happiness, I will work even _harder_ to get a job to support us both. So I don't see what the problem is. What other obstacles are there? Her father says that I'm too naive, but I know how the world works. When you've been alone in it as much as I have, you kinda have to.

All of a sudden, I feel like I'm already counting the days down until Saturday. It's already Tuesday, so we don't have a lot of time to prepare. But...to prepare for what? What am I supposed to do? Say that I'm her fiance in front of _other_ fiance? I can't do much other than that.

The same helpless feeling wash over me and I hold onto Hinata-chan tighter because I don't want to feel like that. I try to remember where I am to remind myself what I had to do to get in this college.

I start to calm down, but the feeling is still there and all I want is for it to go away. And now, it's worse because I just feel empty. Like there's nothing in my body except for my heart which feels like it's being crushed. I pull Hinata-chan closer until I'm on my back and she's hovering over me.

"N-Naruto-kun!" she says, embarrassed. Red streaks make their way on her pale features.

A smile breaks out onto my face after seeing the color on hers. She rolls onto my side and glances at the clock on her bedside table.

She groans. "You know, curfew is in less than fifteen minutes."

I groan too. "Really? Already?"

She nods and then yawns. Snuggling into my side, she whispers, "I wish you could just stay here."

I wrap my arms around so that she's fitted underneath my chin, one arm around my waist, too. "I do too," I whisper back.

But both of us know that the hall monitor comes to check all the rooms every night which is as annoying as it sounds. We sit, more like lay, in silence for a while.

"Naruto-kun?"

I grunt, signaling her to go on.

"I'm scared."

I lift my head and look at her to see her eyes filled with tears. She quickly blinks them away, but a few make their way down her face. "Hinata-chan…" I wipe them away as soon as I see them and she buries her face in my chest. I feel her sigh against me and I close my eyes.

I _really_ want to stay here too. Maybe if I bribe the monitor or something…

"Hinata-chan, there's nothing to be scared of because I'm going to be there with you. And I promise you that you won't have to marry this random dude. Okay?" I feel her nod against my chest, so I continue. "Besides, it's not like we're going into war or something. There's really nothing to be afraid of."

That gets a small laugh out of her and she lifts her head to give me a kiss between my collarbones. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

I kiss her forehead and smooth her hair down and in less than a minute, I feel her breathing go even and I move away carefully to see her eyes closed in the most delicate way, her long eyelashes just wavering over her face and her mouth parted the slightest bit.

She looks so serene. I smile and kiss her cheek. I take off her socks before I cover her with the blankets, as she told me before how much she hates falling asleep with them on and put them on the side. I tuck her in, but not too tightly and kiss her smooth hair once again before shutting off the light and closing the door.

And as I do, I promise to myself that I will see that serene face every night for the rest of my life before I go to bed.

* * *

**Author's Note**:

_Heyyy! Thanks for reading this chapter! I hope you got the "closet" thing. I was going to put a star next to it and then explain it down here, but I'm pretty sure people know what it means. Yeah...If not, look it up! Hehe. I only found out like a year ago, so don't be ashamed. LOL. _

_Okay, well, please tell me how you like this chapter. I don't know how much longer this story is gonna be because honestly, I haven't really written any other chapters and/or found out what their resolves are going to be because I can't just like make Sakura or Sasuke quit college just so they can be with each other and I can't exactly just make Hinata say to her father "F**K YOU AND MY 'FIANCE' IM' NOT GONNA MARRY HIM" so yeah...There has to be some substance. Which I don't know how long will be.  
_

_But next chapter should have some juicy arguments. Ugh. Why did I use "juicy?" It's such a weird word to describe non-food things. I'm sorry that I did._

_Anywayyyyyyyyyyy..._

_I want to sincerely thank you for taking time out of your day to read and review my story. It means so much to me to know that other people, people I don't even know, are liking my writing. AHHH. I'm getting happy again just thinking about it. :P _

_Thanks again! _

**~ booklover333**

*******P.S. To the Guest who wrote this review*******

**"**I started reading Melting the Human Ice Cube yesterday afternoon/evening and finished around 4 a.m. and it was honestly one at the best stories I've ever read (INCLUDING ACTUAL BOOKS) and i started reading this sequel. I LITERALLY STARTED CRYING I WAS PRACTICALLY SOBBING! This is so sad! (The reason this hit me so hard is because I'm a huge Naruto fan and sasusaku shipper.) YOU HAVE TRUE TALENT! THANK YOU FOR WRITING THESE! THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!"

_Thank you. So much. I'm responding to you here because I can't write back to you since you were a guest. Thank you again. Seriously. I've done this before - staying up really late and crying because of fanfictions, but only because they were so good. Like indescribably good and deep and stuff. And knowing that someone else did this for **mine**? My crappy fanfictions that I have trouble updating because I'm just too lazy? My fanfictions that are not even that well-written? Knowing that, is amazing. I feel so happy knowing that I have people like you who really love my writing. It makes me so happy that I can't even describe. So thank you. Thank you so, so, so much. Please keep supporting me and thank you once again. Even though those two words don't seem like much, they're shown through a lifetime of actions (which unfortunately, I can't really show you, so please just take my thank you :P). **THANK YOU. **_


	8. Chapter 8: Perfect

**Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, and I don't own them. But I do own the plot, so DON'T TRY AND STEAL IT! IT'S MY IMAGINATION! :P**

_Hey! I'm back! After like a month...hehe. I was on vacation, which is why I couldn't update. Sorry! But now I'm back and I will steadily try to update my stories. _

_What else did I wanna talk about...Oh! Right! This story is now a **RATED M **fanfiction because of this chapter. There's a lemon at the very end, but not like totally towards the end because it's pretty long, but like the whole ending is the lemon, so if you have a problem with lemons, please don't read it. You can skip it, it's not like anything that's too important happens. _

_I know I said that there would be some conflict between Hiashi and Hinata/Naruto in this chapter in the Author's Note of last chapter, but I decided to make this chapter first. But the next chapter or the chapter after that (as I need to focus on SasuSaku too), will definitely have that conflict, **so don't you worry!** _

_The lemon is not smut. I hope you know that I'm not that type of person...well, maybe I am. I'll have to see if I can write it well. :P But, it's not smut but the reason the story's now M, is because I described everything. It's pretty graphic, but not **toooooo much**. So yeah. _

_This was my first time writing a lemon, other than the small lime I wrote back in Chapter 2 (which really wasn't even a lime, it was like...an orange. is that a thing? idk), so please don't be too harsh. Thanks! _

* * *

**Chapter 8**:

**~ Hinata ~**

It's Friday afternoon and I'm in my last class of the day, even though I only had three today (one of the few good things that come out of college). I'm already antsy, my fingers twitching in my lap where they are hidden from everyone else.

These past few days all that's been on my mind is my father. And the note. That _dreaded_ note. The note that scared me and made dread settle into my skin, but also angered me. My father (should I even call him that anymore?) had actually dared to call Naruto-kun my _friend_. Naruto-kun _was_ my friend, but he was also more than that. He was a friend who was always there for me, but not_ only_ in lending a shoulder, but in lending his arms, his warmth and his lips. He was my best friend _and_ boyfriend - the best kind of relationship you could have, at least for me.

I smile at the thought of him hugging me. His hugs are literally the _best_. Since he's about six or seven inches taller than I am (I'm pretty short, okay?), his body wraps around mine in the best away. His hands slip around my waist in the most comforting manner. His warmth and protectiveness encases me and makes me feel like the most loved and cared for person in the world.

I bite my lip. _That's so cheesy, Hinata,_ I berate myself. But...I don't care. Because honestly, Naruto-kun's probably the best thing that has happened to me. (Cheeesyyyyyy!) He has made me so much more confident with myself - after his non-stop cheesy lines and compliments, it's kinda hard _not_ to be. He has made me more outgoing - which is to be expected with his loud, but adorable and confident mouth of his. He has made me more...of the person I wanted to be - which he has done with that smile (oh, that gorgeous smile) of his and the words that he says.

I was always afraid that having new friends and maybe even a boyfriend would make me try to live up to someone's or everyone's expectations. I thought that I wouldn't be able to be myself or even try to improve myself. I thought that I would become more shy about being myself and instead do things to fit in. I thought that having a boyfriend would make me someone who I wasn't. Someone who was just a reflection of things that everyone else liked. Just like how I was when I was little with my father.

But that wasn't the case.

Because I had Naruto-kun.

He was always for originality and being yourself, and believing in _yourself_. Not in what _others_ tell you. And that's why I'm a better person today. Because of him. Before, when we first started dating, I felt that I was nothing compared to him. He was so confident and held himself with a "I-don't-care" manner and I was the exact opposite. I used to question why we were even together. Why he even_ liked_ me. But...I think he saw that potential inside me. I think he saw that burning desire to become better that no one ever really saw. And he brought it out. He tried and tried, and it worked.

A blush rises onto my cheeks. _He's so perfect._

I sigh and smile slightly. I'm not so antsy anymore or worried. _Naruto-kun makes everything better, doesn't he?_

As my professor, Ms. Anami, comes around to give everyone back their grades on a story that we had to write (I'm in writing class, one of my favorite classes), I'm pleased to see the big, giant A on mine, along with some comments that only have positive attributes. I glance up to see a smile on my teacher's face, who's (believe it or not), even shorter than me. Ms. Anami is a great writer. I know because she's shown me some of her work, as we're quite close. She also has those stereotypical glasses that almost every writer does and on almost always, she has a kind expression on and a certain air around her that makes you feel at home.

_Naruto-kun has that too._

As she moves away to hand out more grades, I glance back down at the A and feel happiness swell inside me. It was a story about Naruto-kun and I after all. I didn't directly write about me and him because that would be weird. I loosely based it on us, but almost all the feelings and emotions the girl in the story goes through are true - becoming confident with the help of her friends. And with the help of_ her_ Naruto-kun.

Once the professor goes back to her desk at the front, she says, "You all can leave now. The hour's up anyway."

I'm still in a daze about my A and Naruto-kun that when I finally stand up to cram my pencil case in my messenger bag, keeping the story out so that I can show it to Naruto-kun when I see him later, I realize that I'm the last one left in the class.

"Hinata?" Ms. Anami calls.

I turn around after putting everything else in my bag, lifting it over my head so that it slides across my body and rests on my right hip. "Yes, Ms. Anami?"

"Can you come down here for a second?"

I nod, stepping out of the 4th row and going down the large steps of the large room that's really a lecture room, but we use it for writing class, too. "Yes?"

She smiles at me, pushing up her glasses higher up on her face. "I really loved your story. You _definitely_ deserved that A."

I smile shyly as I do when anyone compliments me. But it's not as much as it would have been in tenth grade. Again, I think of Naruto-kun. "Thank you. Wasn't it too long though? You had said about ten pages." I think of him again when I don't stutter, something that has gone down and only arises in the toughest of situations.

Ms. Anami shrugs. "Even if it was about five times that length, it was still a pleasure to read. I didn't stop once throughout the whole thing," she pauses. "Where did you get the inspiration to write such a story?"

"Well...it's kinda about me."

She nods. "I figured. The way you wrote about those feelings were so perfect that it had me thinking that _I_ was the one going through them!"

I laugh. "Thank you so much," I answer earnestly.

"So who's the lucky boy?"

"W-What?"

She laughs. "There has to be someone, right?"

I blush, looking down at my shoes. Hey! They're interesting, okay?... "D-Do you know Naruto-kun?"

"Uzumaki?"

I nod. "Yes, that's him."

"_Him?_"

I giggle. She sounds so much like a teenager, but then again, she's not that old. Maybe 35, tops. I nod. "Yes."

"But you guys are so different!"

I shrug. "I thought that too, but opposites attract, I guess." I tuck a stray piece of hair behind my hair as I rock slightly back on the heels of my feet and my toes.

She shakes her head in disbelief when she gasps. "I-Is that a ring?!" she points to my right hand which has the ring that Naruto-kun gave to me. I haven't taken it off since the day he gave it to me.

I nod. "Y-Yeah…" I say.

"You're _engaged_?!"

I nod again. "Y-Yes. He proposed this last summer before college started."

"Oh, my God!" she grabs me in a hug. "That's great! I'm so happy for you!"

Her embrace is warm and she almost smells like books and pages, the scent that I love so much.

"Thank you!" _It might not even happen if my father's in the picture. Don't get your hopes up._ I bite the inside of my cheek. I stop that voice inside my head that has to think negatively about everything before it gets out of hand and I end up crying again.

"Well, I shouldn't keep you too long. But, seriously Hinata, congratulations!"

"Thank you!" I start to walk up the stairs.

"Oh, wait! I didn't even tell you what I wanted to."

I tilt my head as I turn back to her, silently telling her to continue.

"I think that you should submit that story into the Student Authot Writing Contest."

I gape. The Student Author Writing Contest is available to people all around Asia, and I think even the world. So it's a big deal. And to be told to submit _my_ story into that..._OH MY GOOOOOD!_ "S-Seriously?" I didn't even put that much effort into it, I mean, of course I did, but I just let my fingers type, not really know what I was writing until I went back to read it, rolling my eyes at how much of my own story was in there.

Ms. Anami nods. "Of course! It's brilliant." She hands me an entrance slip. "Here. Fill this out if you want to and print out another copy of your story. Keep that one; it's special."

"O-Okay," I take the paper from her, which is really a packet._ Ugh, it's probably paperwork. Nooooooo._ "Thank you, Ms. Anami. Thank you so much!"

"Don't thank me, you're the one who did everything. Now go, he's probably waiting."

"Y-Yes!" I all but run out of the room to go and tell Naruto-kun everything.

I find him near my classroom door, on the opposite side so that's he facing the door, waiting, his cell phone in hand as his thumb scrolls through something. He looks up when he hears my footsteps and shuts off his phone. Throwing it into his pocket, he opens his arms as I'm near him and I jump into them.

"Naru!" I say, my voice breathy from the short run. Naru has been his nickname for a while. I don't remember when or why it started. It just did.

"Hey, Hina!" he says cheerily (Hina's been mine for a while too), then his voice turns into concern. "Why are you running? Is everything okay?" he lets go of me and looks behind me.

I laugh. "No ones chasing me, baka! I wanted to tell you something!" I hold up my story with the giant A on it.

A giant grin spreads across his face and he hugs me again. "That's great, Hinata-chan!"

I nod. "But there's more! Ms. Anami wants me to submit in the Student Author Writing Contest!" I hold up the packet of admission that Ms. Anami gave me a few moments ago.

"Oh my, God!" he scoops me up and twirls me around. "You're so great, Hina!"

I blush happily as I bite my bottom lip nervously, a habit of mine in embarrassing situations. It's probably really red by now. "T-Thank you!" Even though I can take compliments from others, for some reason, no matter how much Naruto-kun compliments me, I can't help but feeling shy and all flushed.

He grabs my hand. "Come on, let's go get something to eat to celebrate."

I nod and we go down to one of the many little cafes that are all around campus.

"Oh!" he says, as we're standing in line. "I forgot to tell you. I got an A- on my social studies report!"

The smile that was situated on my face brightens. "Really?" He had been working so hard on that. "That's great!" I squeeze his hand happily.

He squeezes back and then we have a squeezing competition until it's our turn to order.

We both take lemonade and a cookie go back to our dorm room. We drop our things in my room, simply because it's closer to the door. (Yeah, we're lazy, I get it. But walking around campus is enough of a workout, so don't judge.)

We both sit on my bed, sipping our drinks and taking bites of our cookies, talking about random things. This is another thing I love about Naruto-kun. We can go for like _hours_ with having no central topic to talk about. Just talking about anything and everything. I love it. So much. It's so comfortable.

His phone buzzes. He looks at the screen and then lights up. "Hey! It's Sasuke!" He shows the phone to me. "Wow, I never thought that bastard would actually call me."

"Well, answer it," I say.

"Oh, right," he says, pressing the green button on his screen before bringing it up to his ear. "Hey, bastard!" "Shut up." "Yeah..." "Uh-huh." "Uh-What?!" "Really?" "OH MY GOD. BASTARD! THAT'S SO SWEET!" "Hehe." "Sure. Go for it, man." "She'll love it." "Seriously! No, you're not being too cheesy. Well, yes, you are. But whatever, man!" "Okaaay." "You're welcome, by the way." "Wha-Hey!" "Love you too, bastard." "Byeeeeeeeeeeeee."

"What happened?" I ask.

Naruto-kun grins cheekily. "Sasuke's gonna go surprise visit Sakura for their third anniversary."

"Awww!" I coo. "That's so sweet!"

"Yeah, I know, right? I was wondering if I was actually talking to that bastard or not. Oh, and he's gonna bring flowers, and play his guitar, and some other things that I didn't really care of, but yeah!"

"Really?!" I almost faint of shock. _Sasuke-kun's_ doing that? I mean, sure, he's gotten waaaay more relaxed and not so uptight ever since he and Sakura got together, but I still wouldn't expect _that much_ from him. That's actually kinda really sweet. "That's great!"

Naruto-kun nods. "Yeah! He called me to make sure it wasn't too cheesy, but of course, it was. But I still told him to go for it."

I nod. "Yeah, I heard."

Naruto-kun falls silent, rubbing the back of his neck as his facial expression turns sheepish. "I should do something like that, too, shouldn't I?"

I capture my bottom lip between my teeth. "No. You've done so much already. Really." I think back to all the ways he's helped me over the years and blush.

"No I haven't. Not as much as you deserve." A crestfallen expression appears on his face. He looks so hurt that it hurts me. My chest aches in pain. That sad expression doesn't match his personality at all.

I put my hand on his knee, swallowing so that I don't end up crying. He looks so sad, it's enough to make me do that. "Naru, I'm serious. You've helped in so many ways. You helped me gain so much confidence within myself. You helped me believe in_ me_."

He doesn't say anything, but his expression stays the same, so I continue.

"Really. Without you...I would have still been the same shy girl I was three years ago. I wouldn't have any confidence and I would have always been insecure. I would have only tried to fit in and I would have never tried to voice my opinion. You helped me do that. You helped me show the hidden voice inside me." Unwanted tears collect in my eyes as I realize how great of a person he really is. And it makes me awful because I _really_ haven't done much for him. "You helped me be who I wanted to be, not who everyone else wanted me to be. And I can't express how thankful I am for that, Naru." I sniffle as the first tear falls, the next and the third following it until I'm full-out crying. I guess I still have to work on my emotional control.

I feel arms wrap around me and Naruto-kun buries his head in the crook of my neck. "Hina." His voice is hoarse. "I haven't done anything. You did it yourself. You became who you are today by yourself. I was just there to give you some support while you found yourself."

I shake my head in response, but I don't say anything because I know that if I do, the conversation will never end and we'll keep on going like this. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

"Thank _you_, Hinata-chan." He hugs me tighter and gives me a light kiss on my shoulder.

I pull away once I feel some dampness on my neck. _I made him cry?!_ I wipe away his tears hurriedly with the back of my sleeve. "P-Please don't cry. I-It kills me. Please. Don't."

He nods, getting a tissue from the bedside table. "You too, cinnamon roll." Cinnamon roll's another nickname (because according to him, I'm apparently as sweet as one).

I smile at the nickname, feeling that same happiness soar up inside of me. Just a few words, a glance, a touch, can make me so excited, so happy, so_ content_. He dabs the tissue around my eyes carefully and my smile widens. He's so gentle when he's with me. Not like the usual klutz he is. And he's anything but loud, boisterous or annoying, like all our friends thought. The smile widens even more to the point where it hurts my cheeks. I'm glad that only I can see a side like this.

I loop my arms around his neck and pull him close to me, inhaling his safe scent (with a hint of ramen in it too, of course). "I love you, Naru."

I feel him smile. "I love you too, Hina."

He pulls back and kisses my nose. Then he kisses my lips.

And everything goes white.

It's wonderful. I don't think I'll ever get over the feeling of kissing him. It's been 3 years and it hasn't gone away. Every little touch sends a spark through my body, every time he kisses me, I feel like I'm not on stable ground. My eyes flutter close in the ecstasy.

I moan slightly as he presses his lips harder onto mine, his tongue finding it's way out of his mouth and somehow into mine. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders tighter, I pull him even closer. His hands find their way on my waist. And I can't form one coherent thought other than "I love you." Everything is so _perfect_ with him.

_Everything._

Even when we just look at each other, it feels so..._right._ So..._perfect_. I can't think of another word than perfect. Is there another word better?

All my thoughts vanish when his hand slides up my back, pressing my body to his, making mine arch to mold into his. I can taste the lemonade on his lips as they slide together in the most amazing way.

I blush. Three years ago, if I had done this, I wouldn't have been able to. I would have shied away and gotten all flustered, but now, here I am pulling him closer and closer, until there's not an inch, a _centimeter_ of space left between our two bodies.

Soon enough, he ends up hovering over me, his hands running down my sides and my hands clutching at the back of his shirt, fisting it to try and keep myself on earth. His mouth leaves mine for a breath of much-needed air, our heavy pants meeting each other in the middle of the small space between us (that, in my opinion, is better when it's not there). He travels down to kiss my jawline, down my neck.

I gasp and weave my fingers through his soft hair. "N-Naruto-kun."

He leans back and looks at me and smiles.

"W-What?"

"You're so beautiful."

My cheeks redden further and I slap his arm. "N-Naru!"

He chuckles and leans in to kiss me again, one hand rested on my hip bone and the other on the left of my head, on my bed, and my legs tighten around his waist, crossing over each other at the ankles. My eyes close automatically again in pleasure.

I let out another moan and tug at the bottom of his shirt. _I want it off._ My eyes snap open as that thought forms in my mind. I blush furiously. _Did I really just think that?!_

I bite my lip as Naruto-kun leans back and smiles. "Should I take it off, Hina?" he whispers.

_Oh. My. God._ He looks so freaking sexy right now, with his hair slightly mussed, his lips slightly red, a blush_ slightly_ crossing his cheeks. I nod shyly. "Y-Yes."

He smiles and takes the shirt off in one swift motion and once again, I feel myself get lost in the sight of him. He's so beautiful. I run my hands over his chest and onto his stomach. I see the slight lines of abs that are somehow there even with all the ramen he eats. He leans down to connect our lips once more, rubbing my hip with his left hand soothingly.

We've been here before, but we haven't gone further. It might sound weird, even after of dating someone for three years, but we were in high school back then and we lived at a _boarding school_ and roomed with _other people_, too, so it's not like we could do this regularly. Yeah, sure, there was summer and stuff, but most days, were spent (unwillingly) with my father, who demanded I come back home and the other days were spent with our large group of friends. Naru and I hardly got much time to be alone. And when we did, we weren't making out, instead enjoying the time to be cuddling while watching a movie or something.

I'm brought back to him when he nibbles on my collarbone, making me moan louder than before. He sucks on my neck and leaves little kisses everywhere. It feels so good. _So good._ I had always thought that it would be weird and disgusting, but every time his lips come in contact with my skin, I feel a wave of pleasure go through me, starting from where he puts his lips on my skin. It ripples throughout my entire body and makes me clutch him even tighter, makes me moan louder and makes me pant harder.

"Can I?" His mouth leaves my neck, so that he can ask permission. He's holding the bottom of shirt.

I redden. "Y-Yes," I whimper. I try to fold my arms over my chest once he does, cold air hitting me and making me shiver.

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan," he whispers in my ear. And for some reason,_ it's so freaking hot._ "I'll make you warm."

I groan just at his words and pull him up to kiss me once more, sliding my hands down his perfect chest. I arch my back once I feel his long fingers running over my shoulders, my neck, my waist, my stomach, leaving little tingling sensations behind that almost burn. _In the best possible way._

"Naruto-kun!" I whisper once I feel him kissing his way down my stomach, leaving some wetness behind. He smiles against my stomach.

"You're so beautiful, Hina."

"Y-You are too, Naru."

He stops and comes back up to my face. "But I'm a man."

I roll my eyes. "Fine, _handsome_."

He nods in approval and leans down to kiss me once more, leaving after only a few seconds to kiss my chin.

And then I notice, _Shouldn't I be doing something for him? He's doing, like, everything right now_...I flush and then put my hands on his shoulders to make him stop.

He does and once he has his guard down, I push harder so that I'm on top of him now.

"Hina?" he asks, holding my waist.

I'm on his stomach. I lean down to whisper in his ear, wondering where this is coming from and what the _hell_ I'm doing. "Let me take over now."

I see him blush at my words and some sort of pride goes up in me. I kiss his lips, putting my hands on his chest to steady myself as my hair falls around us in a makeshift curtain. I brush it aside as I move away from his lips and down to his neck, kissing and sucking like he did to me.

I'm sure he can hear my heart pounding as I can _hear_ it and_ feel_ it even without putting my hand to my chest. I'm so nervous. What if I do something wrong? What if he doesn't like it?

All my worries vanish when he lets out a strained groan, "H-Hina."

My hands go down on their own and for now, the still somewhat shy, but also somewhat confident Hinata is gone, replaced by a person who has more confidence than I could have ever imagined. I find myself unbuckling the belt of his pants while kissing and licking his chest. His chest rises and falls heavier and I smile. _I'm the one who's doing this to him._ I love that I can make even_ Naruto-kun_ like this. All flustered. It makes me feel...accomplished of some sort.

As I finish unbuckling the belt, my hand grazes against...there. And I retract my hand in shock._ I-I guess he's turned on..._I think as I glance down at the obvious tent in his pants.

My cheeks redden even further. _This is really happening. This is _finally_ happening._

I take a shaky breath as I continue to kiss his neck, but as I try to pull down his pants, I'm suddenly underneath him.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Fuck," I hear him whisper and he leans down to give me a hard kiss.

My heartbeat quickens as I realize. _Am I really making him that crazy?_ I let out a shaky moan into his mouth as he moves his hips into mine, the friction _unbearably_ hot and amazing. It sends shocks of a feeling that I've never felt before up my body and it's released in the moans that I'm making one after the other after the other.

I shut my eyes tighter as I feel something pool into my stomach and my..._area_...getting hotter and hotter. I blush harder than I've probably ever blushed before as I feel wetness on my underwear.

I let out a whimper as he stops, but then he takes off his pants and I fight desperately to keep my eyes _off_ of him in his underwear, because I _know_ that'll it be too much for me too handle. His lips meet mine in a desperate need to be against each other as he starts to slip off my pants too after a slight nod from me for reassurance.

I try to cross my legs so that I can cover myself, my shy side finally winning over. Naruto-kun smiles down at me, his lips momentarily leaving mine for a moment, and he gently spreads my legs with his hands and leans down to me closer, between my legs, so that he can kiss me even more.

I'm sure my lips will be swollen by tomorrow.

He suddenly bites and sucks on my lower lips as his right hand rubs circles into my thigh and his left one on my waist. His hips move into mine again, _grinding_, and, the seemingly impossible hot friction from before is even hotter now. I can_ feel_ his...you know. And suddenly, I want him.

I _need_ him.

All I want is to be closer than I've ever been with him, than I've ever been with_ anyone_. I tug on his underwear, but before I can take it off, he puts his hand on my hand, stopping my movements.

Naruto-kun leans back and looks at me. "Are you sure, Hinata-chan?"

"Yes," I say without a moment's hesitation. "I'm positive."

He looks at me uncertainly, like he's trying to figure out whether to continue or not.

I put my hand on his shoulder and lean up to give him a chaste kiss on the lips, unlike our other hurried, rushed, frenzied, _needy_ ones. "I'm really sure, Naruto-kun. I wanted my first to be with someone who I loved. So I'm ready."

He blushes happily. "Me too, Hina." As he leans down to kiss me again, it's uncertain and reluctant at first, but once I put my arms around his shoulder and press him against me, they become more certain and sure.

The hot skin against hot skin makes me go insane as I press myself flush against him so that I can feel that_ delicious_ friction once more. It's burns in all the right ways and I silently wonder if I'm a masochist.

I lean up as his hands find their way around my back, trying to figure out how to undo my bra clasp. And even though I'm nervous as hell, I smile and help him. But before it falls completely off, I cover myself.

"Hina...you're beautiful, don't worry."

With that, I let my arms timidly fall, and let him toss the bra and other clothes on the floor. I lean back onto my bed. Naruto-kun stares at me..._at them_…for a while, his eyes widening slightly. I don't mean to sound cocky or whatever, but it's not like _they're_ small, they're pretty big, but I still don't like to flaunt them, and the way he's still staring is making self-conscious. I nudge his arm. "N-Naru."

He looks up at me and then leans in to kiss my cheek before going down and kissing down my cleavage. I moan hotly. The pleasure that goes through me is almost too much and I wonder if I'm going to release right then and there, but I try not to. Because that would be _so embarrassing._

He licks at them a couple of times, making my breath shake and my cheeks an impossible shade of red. Then, he travels down to my underwear and he looks up at me before he takes them off. With a slight tentative nod I give him, he smiles reassuringly at me and then takes them off. I cross my legs, that once again, he has to knead gently open.

I close my eyes in pleasure as he kisses me right above _there_. And then…

_Oh, God._

_I-I-Is he _licking_ me there?!_

I open my eyes and look down to see his tongue flick out every once in a while, licking me in my…_area_. I groan.

There is probably _nothing_ more _erotic_ and _sexy_ than seeing Naruto-kun's head between my legs, as he uses his tongue to lick and tongue me. My fingers and toes curl up so much that I think they're going to break as I let out moans that are getting increasingly louder until I clasp my hands over my mouth. _Aren't I moaning too much? Shut up, Hinata!_

But once his tongue is inside, tonguing me harshly, I moan so loudly that even through both of my hands, although muffled, is still loud. I gasp and exhale at the same time and my bare chest rises and falls faster than I ever thought it could.

Before I know it, there's something that coils up inside me, something that makes my breath shake even harder and my heart race even quicker and my hips buck into Naruto-kun's mouth faster than before, until I climax. And as I release, letting out a broken moan of "N-Naruto-kun!", I feel something leak out of my...area. Everything is blurry and unclear, but so..._perfect_. Coming down from my momentary high, my heart's pounding faster than before, as I try to catch my breath.

I lift my head weakly to see Naruto licking his lips and my heartbeat races again. _He's such a turn on._ "You're sweet everywhere, cinnamon roll."

"N-Naruto-kun!" I slap his arm as he leans over me again. I look down, seeing the tent in his underwear only grow from before. _I...I should do something for him too, right?_ "T-Take off your underwear," I say, shakily.

I'm still in a haze from climaxing, but the world soon become clear and Naruto-kun's confused expression is visible. I push him so that's he under me again and I start to take off his underwear.

I blush hard (like _really hard_), when I see his...manhood. I'm too shy to call it anything else right now.

"Wh-What are you doing, Hina?" Naruto-kun asks.

I glance down at _him_ and then look back up to meet his eyes, "I-I-I'm going to you know…ummm…give you a blowjob." I hope he can't see the reluctance in my eyes, because I really _don't_ want to do this. But it's not fair to him. He's been making me feel pleasured and I haven't done _anything_ for him. I should at least gather some courage and try to do this for him.

As I'm about to, he puts a hand on my shoulder. "Don't." Once he sees my questioning gaze, he says, "I know you don't really want to."

"B-But...you...I haven't done anything for you."

He smiles, and once more, I'm underneath him in a matter of seconds, "You've done more than you can imagine." His voice is lower than before and it makes my cheeks burn and that same feeling collect in my lower stomach. _What is he doing to me?_

We kiss once more, our tongues dancing around each other, until we break apart and then Naruto-kun says, "A-Are you ready then?"

I nod shyly. "T-They're in the bottom drawer of my nightstand." I hope he'll know what

I'm talking about because I don't want to say the word out loud. He gives me a suggestive smirk and I answer, "Sakura-chan," knowing that he'll understand. Sakura-chan had given them (the...condoms) to me with a wink before we had last parted. _I'm sure she'll be glad that they came in handy._

He quickly finds them and...puts it on and then turns back to me. "S-So, you're sure, right?"

I nod. "Y-Yes." I almost moaning with need and I hope he'll just hurry up already.

"I-I'll be gentle."

I nod once more. "O-Okay."

He puts his hands on each side of my head and I gasp when I feel his manhood poking at my entrance. It...It feels too big. I know it's going to hurt. So much. But...all of a sudden I feel like I'm not ready. _H-How is it going to go in?_

Naruto-kun kisses me and as he does, he slowly inches it in.

I break away from the kiss to groan in pain. "A-AH!" I scream. It hurts. More than I could ever imagined. It feels like I'm being torn and having it done from my most sensitive place, isn't the best. H-How could anyone _like_ this?! I-It's **terrible!** I want him to take it out and I want to tell him to, but no words form at my mouth, my vocal chords uselessly letting out groans and only mumbles of words. The only one that is understandable is "N-Naru!"

I dig my fingernails into his back harshly and I hope that it doesn't draw blood as he flinches from my strength. And then...he's all the way in. We both gasp and exhale in unison. I feel my hip against his and I realize that we're _actually_ one.

O-Oh my, God.

He stays still for a few moments, caressing my cheek and my hair, trying to tell me that it'll be okay, that the pain will go enough soon away. And I almost want to slap him because he doesn't know the pain that I'm currently in. He doesn't–_Oh. Oh!_

I feel the same pleasure again as he moves slightly, shifting. I let out a groan and he immediately stops. "I-I'm sorry. Are you okay?" he asks.

I shake my head. "No, keep going. T-That felt good."

I physically_ feel_ his body relax a bit as he takes it out and pushes back in _only a little._ And even though it's only a little,_ it's fucking **amazing.**_

It's so,_ so_ much better than his tongue and better than anything I've _ever_ felt before. His member pokes at the deepest part of me, as it rubs against my walls which are clenching around him, trying to adjust. It's so erotic, it's so sexy, it's so pleasure, it's so..._perfect._

"M-More," I moan and he nods, pulling it out more than before and pushing it back in.

He does this again and once more, until he changes his angle and when he pushes back in, it's_ perfect._ I moan out in _extreme pleasure_. "T-There! _Right there_!" I realize he must have found my g-spot and I blush once more.

He hits that angle again that reduces me to a moaning mess, trying to keep my arms on his shoulder that proves to be hard because there's literally _no feeling_ in them. Only the waves of pleasure.

He pulls out completely and pushes in, and even though slowly, it's even better._ Can this get any better? T-This is amazing!_

Turns out, it can, as he gives me a particularly hard thrust that has me going "N-Naruto!" temporarily forgetting the term of endearment. "H-Harder! More! _More!_" The amount of pleasure I'm feeling now is way more than the pain I felt before, and I'm glad that I didn't tell him to stop.

Naruto-kun obeys my request and thrusts harder and he gets more confident until he's thrusting harder himself without my encouraging.

"Ah! Ah–Naruto! Naruto!" I moan, as he thrusts in and out of me, with a speed that only leaves me wanting more.

The waves of pleasure I felt before when we were simply _touching_ are _nothing_ to how I am now, with the pleasure literally encasing my body and cascading over me, making me feel wet and warm and dry and cool all at the same time. My breath hitches and I don't ever want my release to come so that I can keep feeling this. So that I can keep feeling _him_.

I've never been so _close_ to anyone. It makes me happy.

And then, somehow, I know that both of our releases are coming (unfortunately).

"H-Hina…I-I…" he stutters, his hands gripping my hips almost bruisingly.

I nod. "Y-Yeah!" my voice goes higher as he hits _that spot_ **dead-on** once more. "Me t-too!"

I release first, coating his member with my fluid and he releases right after I do.

And then, there's silence. The bed's not softly creaking anymore. There's no more moaning, or grunts. Only panting. Only heavy panting, the after-sex (oh, my god, did I really just say that word) euphoria washing over the both of us.

He collapses on top of me and I don't mind for the moment, even if he is heavy.

As we catch our breath, he finally pulls out of me, leaving me empty and cold, and rolls onto the side so that he's next to me. I immediately curl up next to him.

"T-That was _amazing,_ Naruto-kun," I say, my breath stable but my voice, still shaking slightly.

I feel him nod above me. "Yeah. It was, Hina."

He grabs his shirt to give to me and I quickly put it on, now more self-conscious than before. His shirt is big on me so it reaches my mid-thighs. It feels warm and smells like him. I love it. Naru only grabs his pair of underwear for himself and then after putting it on, he covers us both with the blankets.

I snuggle more into him; he's warmer than the blankets. _Way_ warmer.

Our fingers find each other and lace together. I hear him inhale and exhale, my breaths matching his, now at the right speed.

"Hina...it's tomorrow, right?"

I know he's talking about my dad and the "meeting." "Hm," I say, making the word sound like a yes. "But...I don't want to think about that right now. Let's just sleep. I'm tired."

"Okay. I'm tired, too." He kisses the top of my head and put his arm around my waist and I do the same. With my head just under his, I don't have to close my eyes as the eyelids fall down on their own. I really am tired. And there's a dull aching down _below_.

But it's okay.

It's just a wonderful reminder of something so..._perfect_.

* * *

**Author's Note**:

_Hence the reason this chapter is called "Perfect." Right now, everything is perfect for Hinata and Naruto, in this little moment that they have. Unforunately...tomorrow won't be...MWAHAHAHA. _

_That was a fail of an evil laugh, but whatever. _

_Next chapter will be up as soon as I write it. I literally started this chapter yesterday, wrote for about an hour, and then finished the rest of it today in about 1 and a half hours. Then I had my BFF proofread it and tell me her input and then I edited it a little more and now I'm writing this note. LOL. _

_Okay, well...I want to sincerely thank you for taking time out of your day to read and review my story. It's (seriously) greatly appreciated. _

_Thanks again!_

**~ booklover333**


	9. Chapter 9: The First Letter

**Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, and I don't own them. But I do own the plot, so DON'T TRY AND STEAL IT! IT'S MY IMAGINATION! :P**

* * *

**Chapter 9**:

**~ Hinata ~ **

When I open my eyes and rub the little annoying crusty things around them, the first thing I register is the heavy, limp arm around my waist and I freeze in shock. It feels foreign, but, at the same time, safe. Once the haziness drifts away and the final remnants of my dreams vanish, I smile.

My eyes focus on Naruto-kun's sleeping face. His lips slightly parted so that he can breathe. His eyes shut loosely with his long curly lashes (that I'm envious of) still, ghosting over his cheeks bones. His cute button nose and mouth. Everything about him is perfect.

_God_, I mentally think. _I really love you. _

When I glance at the table side clock, I see that it's over half past nine in the night. A wave of paranoia comes over me. _Did we sleep through the entire day?! Did the hall monitor catch us?! _

I sit up frantically, but then remember that we had..._that_ pretty early in the afternoon. It was right after our last classes of the day, so it must have been only two or three. So it's just later in the day.

My cheeks redden and my heart starts to pound faster as I look down at my bare thighs and remember the experience. I bite my lip. It was better than I imagined. I had always thought of how it would feel or be like, but nothing could have amounted to what it _actually _was like. You can only get the true emotions through the real experience.

I hear a soft moan beside me and recall that Naruto-kun is still in my room.

_Oh, crap, _I think. _It's already 9:43! Curfew's at 9:45! _

"Naruto-kun!" I whisper harshly, shaking him. "Naruto-kun!"

His eyes immediately open and he sits up, too fast, and he groans. "W-What? What? What happened?"

"It's almost curfew time! Get out!"

His eyes widen in realization.

The hall monitor seeing us both somewhat naked and in the same bed, with our clothes all around the room, isn't exactly the best impression.

We both jump out of bed and I get his pair of pants which are on the floor near me and I hear him picking up the rest of his things. He tries to put on his shoes, but then we hear some footsteps down the hallway and he says "Screw it" and gathers the rest of his clothes, quickly catching the pants I throw to him. He runs to the door and opens it carefully, shouldering his backpack.

When he thinks the time is right, he runs down the hall. And I have to purse my lips at the sight. Naruto, clad in his boxers, running down the hall carrying a bunch of things in a big pile in his arms. A giggle escapes my lips. I quickly put my own jeans on as the hall monitor comes in to check on me.

"Everything okay…?" she asks.

I probably do look weird with my hair messed up and pants on the wrong way. I hope she doesn't notice.

"Yup! Everything's fine!" I chirp back.

"Um…okay." She closes the door and I let out a sigh of relief, stripping my pants

down and putting on a pair of pajama shorts instead. I keep Naruto-kun's shirt on though because it's so comfy.

I fish my phone out of the pocket of my backpack and text Naruto-kun.

**Me**: _Made it back okay?_

**Naru**: _Yup! Just in time too. I was putting on my pants as she came in the room. It got pretty awkward since I wasn't wearing a shirt._

**Me**:_ Haha. :D Which by the way, I'm keeping._

**Naru**: _It looks better on you anyway. ;)_

**Me**:_ :)_

I send a tiny heart with it and once he sends me a heart back, my own real heart swells with happiness. God, I feel so girly right now. But whatever. This has been one of the best days here so far.

Then, my stomach groans slightly, proving that I haven't eaten dinner. Luckily, the refrigerator in my room has some leftover pasta that I put in there from last night, so I quickly eat that while going through my social media on my phone and laptop.

Then, once I'm done with my food, I go down to the bathroom on our floor and wash up quickly. And as I'm coming back to my room, I see that I have a message on my phone.

**Naru**: _Hey, beautiful. I'm missing you already. Call?_

I blush. Even though I don't quite believe it, I _love_ when he calls me beautiful. It

definitely makes me feel it. Especially because Naru doesn't lie. I squeal happily, covering my mouth and checking to make sure the door was shut right after. That was too high to be human.

**Me**: _Of course._

**Incoming Call**: **Naru**

"_Hey." _

"Hi," I say back, laying down on my bed.

And this is how I spend the rest of my amazing day.

* * *

**~ Sakura ~**

I close my diary with a huff, my hand slightly aching and my eyes straining from looking at the pages for so long. It's already past midnight and I have class early tomorrow morning, but I don't want to go to sleep.

I turn off the small lamp that I used as my light source for writing and place my diary on my nightstand, along with my phone. I drink some water for my parched throat and then climb into my bed.

I look over at Kaori who has her headphones in but is fast asleep. She always goes to sleep like that. I'm pretty sure she made it so that her music auto-stops after about an hour, but I don't know how she can go to sleep with music blasting in her ears. I would just end up concentrating on that and not being able to sleep.

I sigh, something I've been doing a lot lately and finger the loose strand on my shirt that I keep forgetting to cut.

Lately…I've been feeling lonely.

Before, I already was. With my parents and no other siblings of mine around. My grandparents had died when I was smaller and I don't have much other family around here. But I was content, more than content, with Sasuke and my other friends at the boarding school. They made me feel complete again and happy. _Sasuke_ did. But now he's not even here.

I always knew college life was going to be lonely, but it's also supposed to be the best years of my life. I have a couple of friends, other than Sai and Kaori, too, but how am I supposed to have fun when all that's on my mind is how much I miss my other friends? When I miss Sasuke?

I wish I could go see him. Or that he could come see me. I mean, it's already December. And it's going to be our anniversary soon. (Actually, isn't it in two weeks?) But…the flight's pretty far. And we can't just spend money like that. We're going to be together the entire summer anyway. But _that's so far away_.

I sigh in annoyance and squeeze my eyes shut as that same, but foreign feeling surges through me, leaving me empty. The same feeling that I get whenever I think about how lonely I am, even though there are so many other people here. There's a difference between being alone and being lonely, you know.

Grabbing my phone from the side table, I click it on so I can see my wallpaper. It's one of my favorite pictures, if not my _most_ favorite one of Sasuke and I.

We took it at our high school graduation. Well, more like Ino took it. She has a knack for photography. Which is kinda annoying, considering that she captures the most embarrassing moments as well. But it's also great because of the pictures like this one.

Sasuke's standing behind me, with his arms around my waist giving me a backhug. Both of my hands rest on top of his. His chin rests on my left shoulder and we're both wearing our caps and gowns. With huge toothy smiles on our faces, eyes in little crescents from smiling so much. No one else is behind us, it's just us too. In the distance is our school and you can see the cherry blossom trees around us too. Some of the petals are falling, making the scene look straight out from an anime.

My heart jumps at the sight of it and I sigh. In content, this time. I smile and close my eyes as the screen goes dark.

_BZZZZ! _

I almost drop my phone on my face as it vibrates, quite obnoxiously as well.

I open the lock screen and find that I have a new message. I almost squeal when I see it's from Sasuke.

_Hey. You're probably asleep, but I just wanted to tell you that I love you and I miss you. Just because. _

That's the message, with a big red heart at the end.

My heart flutters and I keep staring at it until the screen dims and then eventually turns dark, to which I click it on again and stare at it again. I do squeal this time, covering my face with the blankets.

I decide to text back.

_Hey back. I should be asleep, but I'm not. :P That's so sweet, Sasuke. Thanks. I love you and miss you, too. So much. So much that it almost physically hurts sometimes. _

He texts back only moments later.

**Sasuke**: _Why aren't you sleeping? Is something wrong?_ _Me too, babe. Me too. _

I squeal again and flop on my stomach as I type out a reply. I _love_ when he calls me babe. It's so girly, but I absolutely love it. Quickly, I look over at Kaori to make sure my squeals haven't awoken her. But they probably won't. I could be screaming at the top of my lungs and she still wouldn't wake up. She's just like Naruto when it comes to sleeping.

**Me**: _I just don't want to sleep. Idk._

**Sasuke**: _But you should. Don't you have class tomorrow morning?_

**Me**: _Yeah, I do. But Idk. I just don't wanna sleep. And don't you have class too?_

**Sasuke**: _Nope. My first class tomorrow is at 2 pm. SLEEPING IN! _

I giggle. And then another text comes from him.

**Sasuke**: _Should I sing to you?_

My heart does another one of those weird lurchy things as I squeal, _yet again_. I need to stop otherwise I really am gonna wake up Kaori. And a cranky, tired Kaori is not something you wanna deal with.

Sasuke has an amazing voice, as I have found out over the years. And pair that with his guitar and it's like heaven. I think he could totally be a singer, but he said he just likes it as a hobby, not as a career. He's sung for me a couple of times, but never to sleep. And his soft lullaby-ish voice makes me so calm and relaxed. I immediately answer with "Yes, please."

Then, there's a call coming from him and I answer it as fast as humanly possible.

"_Hey."_

"Hello," I say.

We're both whispering. Neji's probably sleeping already too.

"_I would play the guitar as well, but Neji might wake up and… well, let's just say that I don't want to deal with an annoyed Neji again."_

I laugh quietly. "It's fine. Your voice is perfect either way."

I hear him smile slightly and then he starts singing. And I'm in left in awe once again. I hold the phone close to my ear, as close as I can, as if I can somehow hear him better if he's directly against my ear.

My eyes flutter shut and all I want to do is hug him, so I end up hugging my pillow instead.

His voice, the words and the sweet, peaceful atmosphere is so relaxing and calming that I fall asleep almost at once.

* * *

When I wake up next, my phone is still lying near my ear, but my hand has gone limp. Luckily, Sasuke hung up after he realized I was asleep otherwise my phone bill would be through the roof.

I smile again as I sit up. I really have the best boyfriend in the world. I girlishly squeal once more and then a pillow slams against my head.

"Why are you so girly in the morning? It's making me sick," I hear.

I roll my eyes and grab the pillow Kaori chucked at me. That girl has gotten better at aiming while she's still half asleep. I walk over to her and smack her butt with the pillow. "Shut up. Why are you so cranky in the morning?"

She flaps her arms to shoo me away and I do once I hit her once more with the pillow. I open the curtains annoyingly and this time, it's even more blinding because there's snow everywhere.

"Kaori! It's snowing!" I yell.

"Great. Now shut up and let me sleep. It's Sunday, for Christ's sake."

I knee her in the back. "No, it's actually Friday. And we have class at seven. Come on!"

"Oh...Damn it. Noooooooooo."

I end up dragging her out of her bed and plopping her in front of the bathroom door. She grumbles and gets up soon enough to brush her teeth and tame her bedhead. I quickly follow her once she's done.

* * *

"YES! It's the weekend! AND MORE SO, _CHRISTMAS BREAK!_" Kaori yells, flailing her arms around. We just finished our classes, which conveniently end around the same time. "We don't have any boring lectures! AH! This is great!"

Sai and I look at her in amusement and then at each other.

"Let's go to that cafe. I am in desperate need of their hot chocolate," Kaori says, taking both of our hands and pulling us along out of the campus.

We reach the cafe we always go to soon enough. After all, it's only like a five minute walk from the college. We traipse inside, warming up instantly because of the heater that's constantly running in there.

Since we still have our backpacks, we concur to get our homework out of the way and finish it up while drinking hot chocolate. But since this is college and each homework assignment takes like 2 hours, we decide to stop after 4 hours of sitting there in silence (somehow, Kaori managed to silent and diligently do her homework the entire time). And when we're walking back to the campus, it's already dark.

My phone chimes and I dig it out of my comfy coat pocket to check who it's from. It's Hinata.

**Hinata**_: Hey, Sak! Whatcha doing? _

**Me: **_Nothing much. Just walking back to the campus from a cafe with Kaori and Sai. You?_

**Hinata**:_ Oh. Cool. Nothing much either. Hey, do you have any classes in the next week? _

**Me: **_Uh_, _no. The school gave us a week off for Christmas. Why? _

**Hinata**:_ Oh. Um, no reason! Bye!_

_Well_, _that was weird..._I think.

I pocket my phone and link arms with Kaori. It's freaking cold, okay? I lean into her, stealing some of her warmth and the three of us speedwalk, (probably looking like complete losers, but whatever) returning to the campus as the last rays of sunshine disappear behind the tall skyscrapers.

We all go up to the dorm rooms when a girl stops me. I recognize her from my math class.

"Sakura-san!"

"Yeah?" I answer back.

She holds out an envelope that doesn't look too thick; probably a letter. "This is for you! It came this morning, but I wasn't feeling that well, so I couldn't hand out the mail. Sorry!"

"It's okay. Thanks." Once she leaves, I turn the envelope over and see _Uchiha Sasuke_ on the bottom right corner.

A smile comes on my face, my heartbeat races and a happy feeling spirals throughout my body, once again leaving me in wonder how someone can have this effect on me.

"Isn't that your boyfriend?" Kaori asks me, looking over my shoulder.

I nod. I start to walk even quicker to our room, wanting to open in private. There are people in the common room.

Sai says goodbye as his room comes before ours and I fumble with the key a little before I push my door open.

I sit down on my bed, not even taking off my shoes or jacket, only flinging my backpack to the other side of the sheets. I don't hear Kaori; she probably went to pee or something.

Fingering it open, I try to be as careful as I can without ripping anything inside. With much failure, it finally opens (god, I freaking hate opening envelopes) and I take out two letters.

I read the longer one first. It's not typed, it's handwritten. And those little connecting swirls and the way he dots his i's lets me know that indeed, Sasuke wrote this.

_Sak, _

_Hey! It's been long since we actually met in person, right? *sighs* I miss you. God, with just Neji (and the freaking fangirls, of course. Oh, the joy) to keep me company, I think I might go insane. I even miss __Naruto__. _

_Lately_, _I've realized that I never really showed you any of my writing that I used to write back when we were at the Academy. We used to ask each other all the time if we could see each other's, but we never used to show it. So I want to show you some of my writing. A little at a time. _

_But just know that this was 3 years ago and it's like…crap. But whatever. And… um… it might not make sense, but that's just because I didn't know what I was feeling then. So… yeah. _

_Enjoy, I guess? _

_I love you. Never doubt that. _

_~ Sasuke_

I fold the letter with a smile and gently keep it to the side while I open the other one. The paper is a smaller size and its texture is like one of those old, parchment types of paper.

_Did he write this all again for me? _

I bite my lip in happiness, trying not to squeal. Gosh, he makes me feel like a schoolgirl who's in a crush with someone totally out of league and said "hi" to her, like, once.

Opening that, I see that this time, the handwriting is in script. But it's still Sasuke's. His beautiful script.

My eyes scan the words quickly, cheeks reddening as I realize it's obviously about me.

"He's a good writer," I hear above me, making me flinch and turn to Kaori who somehow crept up next to me and read Sasuke's writing.

I nod, and look back down at the words that are so steady and consistent. Ugh, he's just too perfect.

I text him with only saying: _I wonder who's that girl._

Biting my lip and falling on my bed, I hold the note close to my chest. _What should I get him for our anniversary?_

* * *

**~ Sasuke ~**

Right as I complete my homework, my phone lights up and vibrates. I watch as it slowly moves across the surface due to the vibrations. I see Naruto's name on the screen and contemplate whether I should pick up or not. It's almost midnight and I'm tired.

I pick on the last ring before it forwards to voicemail.

"What, dobe?" Any normal person would hear the fatigue laced in my voice, but Naruto, being the idiot he is, doesn't.

"_Guess who's not a virgin anymore!" _he says perkily.

That wakes me up. My eyes widen. "Y-You and _Hinata_?"

I can imagine him nodding. "_Yup!"_

"Damn, the _idiot_ got some?"

He sighs and I can literally _feel_ him rolling his eyes. "_Call me whatever you want, but I still got laid before you did."_

"Haha. Actually, no. You didn't."

"_HUH?! _YOU_?!" _

I nod even though he can't see it. "Yeah. During the summer."

"_Oh...damn it! I thought I finally beat you at something!" _

"That'll never happen. We'll be 90 and you'll be racing to see who dies first."

"_Hahaha. You've gotten funnier."_

"I try."

"_Shut up. I was being sarcastic." _

There's a pause until he speaks again. "_So...what position?"_

"DUDE! I'm not telling you that, you freak!"

"_OH WHAT? WE'RE BOTH BOY-MEN! At least tell me how many rounds." _

"Man, you have no shame, do you?"

"_Nope!" _

I smile, shutting off the table light I have and closing up my books as I hold the phone between my ear and shoulder. I plop down on the bed before I talk again. "So was it...good?"

"_Who's being the freak now?"_ he laughs. "_But hell yeah, it was...perfect. The only thing was that...she was gonna, you know..._blow _me."_

"Okay, ew. I think of Hina like a sister. Ew. But...so? Why do you sound all weird?"

"_I didn't make her." _

"_What?_ Why would you ever deny a _blowjob_?"

"_Because, I don't know. It's kinda gross for her. And she really didn't want to; I could see it in her facial expression. I don't know. I wanted her to be comfortable, even though I wanted it." _

"Aw. That's actually considerate. Wow, I never thought I would say that to you."

"_Oh shut it, bastard." _There's another pause before he speaks again. "_You know, I'm really worried about tomorrow. With Hinata-chan's father and all."_

He's mentioned this before to me, and I honestly feel for them. That must be horrible, because I had to hear him blab about all the courage he worked up to propose to Hinata...and now, to have it shot down... "Naruto…I'm sure it'll be fine. Just use that relentless confidence of yours and defend Hinata. Okay? But _you_ have to be strong. As strong as Hinata is, she needs you to rely on. So...be confident, okay?"

"_Thanks, idiot."_

"You're welcome, idiot."

"_Now enough sex and depressing talk. Tell me more about your cheesy, totally non-you plan __you have for Sak."_

I start smiling like a true _idiot_ when I hear her name and my truthfully really cheesy plan. "What more do you want to hear? I told you most of it."

"_When are you leaving?"_

"Three days from now. My college has a longer break than her's."

"_Oh. Where are you going to stay? You're not allowed on campus during break unless you're international, right?" _

"Yeah, I think I might just get us a little cabin or vacation home somewhere peaceful."

"_Ooooo. Somewhere peaceful? To do what?"_

"Shut up."

"_Damn. You're lucky you're rich, man,"_

"You do know that I will lend you money if you really need it right, Naruto?"

"_Yeah, I know. And thanks. I'm grateful. But I'm too stubborn and I have too much pride. Besides, I wanna support my Hina with my own money. But thanks, man."_

"No problem."

"_So how long are you gonna stay with her?" _

"3 weeks!" I sound like an excited girl who's squealing, and I can't stop it.

"_Heh. You sound like a schoolgirl. It's cute." _

"Hey. Don't turn gay on Hinata now."

"_Fine. It was manly. Happy?" _

"Very."

He sighs deeply. "_Okay, I'm gonna go, okay? I'm worn out. And not because of that! I know that's what you're thinking. But because it's half past midnight and I need my beauty rest."_

"Okay. Goodnight, dobe."

"_Goodnight, bastard." _

I close my phone after ending the call and place it on my nightstand, sighing deeply. Taking in a deep breath of air to clear my mind, I lean back, feeling the coolness of the sheets leak through my body. It's relaxing.

I'm too tired to keep my eyelids from falling down, but too awake to keep my mind from thinking. Mainly about Sakura. And our to-be trip. I fantasize about how it's going to be when I finally have her in my arms and when I can smell that strawberry scent of hers that always seems to be lingering on her.

A smile forms on my lips because of her and I click on my phone so I can see a picture of us two. After the screen darkens and the phone slips from my hand onto my pillow, I gradually drift off into the world where thoughts and fears and hope becomes real, just for the night.

* * *

_It was her hair that I noticed first; the unique color, the way it shined beneath the horrible florescent light, how effortlessly yet so beautifully it laid across her shoulders. Then her clumsiness. Her first step through the door ended with a fall. I couldn't help but stare at her as I inwardly laughed. When she finally got herself off of the floor, obviously irritated that I didn't help her up, she introduced herself and stuck out her hand for me to shake. _

_Her eyes, so bright and beautiful, looked as though they held all the happiness in the world; as though I could escape into them and be transported into my own personal utopia._

Don't get too close.

_I walked away._

* * *

**Author's Note**:

_Hey! I'm finally back! Sorry it took soooo long to update this. I wanted to write Sasuke's full story before I updated...Which I still haven't done. It's only about half done. BY THE WAY, **I'm not writing Sasuke's story.** My best friend (at the username of emsnems on this website), who is an amazing writer and waaaaay better than I could ever be, is writing it. That's why the style is different and that's why it's just **so much better**. So yeah. _

_This chapter was kind of a New Year's gift. Haha. It's still 2015 where I live, but if it's 2016 where you live - HAPPY NEW YEAR! _

_I will try to update as soon as I can! Oh, and just to let you know, this fanfiction will probably be around ISH the same length as the MTHIC, probably less. _

_Love you all! _

_I want to sincerely, sincerely thank you each and every one of you for taking time out of your day to read and (maybe) review my story. It means more than you can imagine to me. _

_Thanks again!_

_AND REVIEW! PLEASE! _

**~ booklover333**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer**: **The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, and I don't own them. But I do own the plot, so DON'T TRY AND STEAL IT! IT'S MY IMAGINATION!**

* * *

**Chapter 10**:

**~ Hinata ~**

The morning following The Best Day Ever, Hinata awoke to her annoying duck-sounding alarm going off on her phone. The only reason she kept that unfathomably bothersome duck as her ringtone was solely so that she would wake up to turn the damn, consistent thing off and then be too bothered to go back to sleep. (She was starting to regret that decision, though).

However, all the regret washed away as her mind became lost in a state of happiness. She bit her lip. _We really did it, _she thought as she reflected on the previous day's events.

It wasn't just "sex" to either her or Naruto. It was another _stage _in their relationship, to become even more close-knit than before. It was a _whole new level_, all by itself, that honestly Hinata didn't ever expect coming any time soon. Not to say that she was expecting to break up with Naruto. (Like that could ever happen). But simply, she never really thought or anticipated it as much as others might have. She simply _forgot_ about it because she (and Naruto) believed that sex wasn't what a quantifies or establishes a relationship.

Their relationship, you see, was about building trust and building _each othe_r, to the best person the other could possibly be. It was mutual. And it wasn't anything about satisfying their needs. (However, Hinata will _definitely _not resist if Naruto wants to do that again sometime soon).

It...as said before...was purely perfect. Everything. _Everything._ Because Naruto didn't rush. And neither did she. And they both went at their own pace. And they were _awkward_. Because it was their first times, who wouldn't be? But that awkwardness and that pace and that so-close-to-being tangible _love_ that was circling around them was _perfect_.

Hinata decided to rename it "The Most Perfect Day Ever."

She was jolted from her thoughts when she got a text. Sakura.

Although they hadn't gotten to meet each other in person since summer, only using technology as a means of communication, they were still as close as ever before. And that's what makes Hinata think that Sakura really _is_ her best friend. Because you don't need to constantly talk to someone who's your best friend, but whenever you do, it shouldn't be awkward.

_Hey. You busy? I wanted to call. I miss my Hina. _

Hinata smiles, a warmth filling her. She sits up in bed and taps out a quick reply and then brings the phone up to her ear after pressing "Call."

"_Hina!_" Sakura's voice is loud and clear on the other side and leaves Hinata to giggle.

"Hey, Sakura!" Hinata's voice is a little raspy since she just woke up so she clears her throat and restates what she said.

"_Sooo….how you doing? Anything new, interesting happen lately?_"

Hinata wavers before telling Sakura. Not that she doesn't trust her. Because I mean, she practically lived with her for three years at their boarding school, but because it's such an intimate thing and she kind of wants to keep it a secret. (But at the same time she wants to shout it out for everyone in the entire world to hear). "I….N-Naruto-kun and I…" And her stutter is back because she doesn't really know how to explain this. So she just goes for it. "We had..._it_," she says cautiously, putting emphasis on the "it," so Sakura doesn't have to ask and she doesn't have to explain herself. Because she knew she wouldn't be able to handle that and she'd just turn into a sputtering mess.

Sakura doesn't speak and then Hinata hears a drop and she has a fleeting thought of Sakura fainting. _No, Hinata, that's _you _who faints_, she reminds herself. "_WHAT?!_" comes Sakura's response after about an agonizing _30 seconds_ of waiting (It doesn't sound like a lot, but it is). And then Hinata gets bombarded with questions. "_Did he force you?! When did you do it? Where? Why? What the-? I can't believe this! Was he gentle?! Oh, he better have been gentle! Otherwise, I'm gonna kill the son of a–_"

"Sakura!" And once Hinata got her attention, she said, "Chill!"

"_How can I chill?!_" Hinata swore that she heard a crack in Sakura's voice. _Is she crying?!_

"You're acting like a mother."

"_I'm just worried!" _

Hinata giggles. "No. Naruto-kun did not force me. And it was...uh...around the afternoon time…? And yes, Sakura, he was very gentle. He asked me before, like, everything."

Sakura lets out a dramatic sigh of relief. "..._Okay. But I'm still gonna question the living ramen out of him."_

Hinata lets out a soft giggle once again and then lets a pause occur before asking a question, "Have..._you_...done it?"

Sakura scoffs. "_Psh, oh yeah_," Hinata can imagine her waving her hand around. "_We're not fetuses like you guys are. That's why I was so surprised._"

"Hey! I'm _older _than you are!"

"..._you're still a fetus._"

Rolling her eyes, Hinata laughs as well. And they go on to talk for another fifteen minutes or so about random happenings in both of their lives. They haven't gotten to _really_ talk much recently.

And then when a pause comes and Sakura says something, but Hinata doesn't hear it.

Because she notices it. There, lying on her desk, is the note. _That dreaded freaking note._ From her an ass of a guardian. (She refuses to call him "father" anymore, the term being way too intimate. Even guardian was too much, no?) And the reality of the situation at the moment comes crashing down on her, as ice washing over her skin.

She ignores - not really because she's not consciously doing it – the calls of "_Hinata? Hinata?!" _on her phone that become softer as the phone plunks down to the soft mattress of bed. Her eyes focus and then blur on those _damned_ pieces of paper and her heartbeat is starting to increase. And that's the _only thing she can hear._ Because the sound of her blood going through her body is everywhere. It's suffocating. Her breathing is labored. And a soft pant is heard along with the heart beating that sounds like a freaking drummer has gone crazy in her room.

And she decides to listen to the one command getting through gives in to the feeling of being small. And she curls into herself and lets out a sob that sounds like she's being strangled and Sakura is full out screaming for Hinata to respond at this point.

With a quivering hand, Hinata gathers up the strength, which isn't much, to flip over the phone and hold it to her ear. "It's today," is all she says. And Sakura quiets down. Because _she knows_ it's today. She wanted to add some laughter in Hinata's life before anything too bad happened. She wanted to make her forget.

Because ignorance is bliss, right?

Sakura feels her eyes begin to water. "_I'm sorry, Hina. But you'll be fine. I know you will. I _know _it. You're so freaking strong. And Naruto will be there. You can tell whoever this Yukata guy is to go shove a cactus up his ass. And tell that to your father too." _

Hearing Sakura speak snaps Hinata out of the panic attack that had controlled her a few seconds ago and smile a watery smile. At least it was something, huh? Hinata's glad Sakura didn't say anything like "Calm down," because when in the history of calming down has that ever helped anyone going through a panic attack? And she can't help but be grateful for such a compassionate friend as Sakura. Hinata taps her phone screen to light up.

_10:32 A.M. _

_I still have some time_, Hinata thought, trying to calm herself down. _I need to go see Naruto-kun. _

"Thanks, Sakura. I-I'll try to be strong. Thank you. For not...I don't know. Thank you for being my friend."

Sakura sniffles and that stabs Hinata in the heart because _you made your best friend cry_. "_I don't have to be thanked for being your _friend_, Hina. It was _my choice_. And it was one of the best damned choices I've ever made._"

"Me too, Sakura, me too."

"_I should probably leave now, right? Haha. Be strong. You can do this. And remember, even though you feel like he has a lot of power, he's just your father. He's a different person. He cannot control you, Hinata. No matter what he says. And...even though this might sound rebellious, it's your life. And you've spent your _entire _life doing whatever he wants. Now it's time for you, _and only you_, to do what you _truly _want to do. Okay? Please keep that in mind. This is your choice."_

Hinata nods because she doesn't want to say anything because tears are filling in her eyes and _damnit, _she was willing herself not to cry anymore. But this is over a phone that they're talking, so she has to say something. "Okay" is all she says, in fear of having an embarrassing voice crack. And she hopes Sakura can't hear her trembling voice. But she does. Because she's _Sakura._

"_Baby, please don't cry. He's not worth crying over. Only cry over things you're happy about." _

"I'm crying because I love you so much." That was _partially _a lie. After hearing what Sakura said, her want to cry became more intense than before and she knew it was because of her love for her pink-haired best friend.

Sakura laughs. "_Please call me if you wanna talk more. I'm free for the most of the day today. I love you!" _

"I love you, too, Sakura. Bye."

"_Bye."_

And that's the last coherent thing Hinata says for a while before she turns into a blubbering mess with sobs racking her body.

An hour later and a knock on the door is the only thing that makes Hinata move from her bed. She glances at herself in the mirror while walking by and grimaces at her swollen eyes and sunken cheeks. Her messed up hair isn't doing her any good either.

She opens the door without checking who it is through the little hole on her door (it's a bit too high for her to reach anyway).

It's Naruto, whose bright smiles drops _immediately_ after seeing his girlfriend's appearance. And Hinata feels horrible once again because now _you made your boyfriend sad, too. What the hell is wrong with you? They're just trying to help. _

"Hina!" he exclaims, putting his hands on her waist to guide her inside and then shutting the door shut quietly with his foot. "W-What happened? Are you okay?" Without waiting for a response, because he knows that she probably won't give him one right away, he wraps her into a bone-crushing hug that has all types of effects on Hinata.

_This is just one of the million of reasons why I love you, Naruto. _

Hinata raises her hands and clutches onto the back of his shirt almost desperately, getting closer, burying her face in his shoulder and neck area. "I love you."

Without a moment's hesitation, Naruto responds, "I love you, too."

And Hinata can't be more grateful for having this amazing person, _man_, at her side now. It's really all she could ever ask for. Naruto is _literally_ the boy of her dreams. (Of course she had to make some adjustments to the figurative "boy of dreams" but Naruto was nonetheless _perfect_). And just for that thought, she gave him a tight squeeze before letting go.

Naruto took her hand and led her to her bed which was still messy and she hadn't really started her day until now, although it was nearing noon. Once they were seated, he played with her fingers while asking once more, "What happened, cinnamon roll?"

A slight blush on her cheeks, she shook her head and then shrugged.

Naruto squeezed her hand letting her know that that wasn't what we wanted. He wanted an answer. He wanted to hear her _voice_.

"I'm just…scared. I don't know."

Naruto's eyes softened and he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Hinata," he said, making her look up at him, because he didn't really say her real name that often, always showing his love for her through nicknames and pet names. It made her tingle inside and she chewed on the inside of her cheek. "I will be there," he said slowly, so that it could sink in.

And it did. It did. _Naruto will be there. It'll be alright._

"You are not in this alone. You don't have to worry so much. And you definitely should

not be scared. A-And…don't even think about what's going to happen if you have to get married to that guy because _you're not. You can't. _You. Are. Mine."

Hinata's breath faltered and her heart sped up again and those three words sent a shock of _something_ down Hinata's spine. She didn't show it, but she _loved_ his possessiveness. It made her feel even more loved. And cared for. Now, she didn't like being treated like an object, but that isn't what Naruto did. He just made sure that everyone on campus knew that they were dating and that if someone was to ask her out, there would be consequences. (Quite literally. Hinata was so embarrassed, she refused to look him – or really anyone – in the eye the entire day after that). Naruto just made her feel protected, not like an object.

And this moment…it was so…_intimate_. It was just too much. Here, in Hinata's small college dorm room with the light filtering in through the half open blinds, making Naruto's hair look even more sun-kissed than it already was and Hinata's eyes a different shade of lavender. Here, with the two of holding hands, sitting crossed legs, facing each other. Here, where Hinata thought she would explode because she was sure she looked like a tomato.

It was _unexplainable _how they both felt at this moment.

So when they both leaned in at the same time, eye-lids fluttering shut and mouths closing the space between them, when their fingers intertwined more closely and tightened, when their lips slanted to fit with each other's in what would be known as the most chaste of kisses shared between them, was when they both knew this was definitely a love worth fighting for.

"You're mine, too."

* * *

**~ Sasuke ~**

Spreading out all of things he needed to pack, Sasuke sighed in frustration, closing his eyes. He ran his hands over his face and hair in anger at just how much he had to do. And the flight was _tomorrow_.

Snapping his eyes open, he bit his lip with a determination. _The sooner I start this, the sooner I get this over and done with. _

He had always _dreaded_ packing. _Sakura_ always used to help him with that when they went from the boarding school to his house and back for the summers. And not to mention, before college.

He started with his shirts and other clothes, and toiletries. And other various things that weren't really necessary, but he didn't know whether he would need them or not. Stuffing one of his huge jackets into the suitcase, he triumphantly smiled when he finally zipped the damn thing.

It was close to midnight when he was done and he didn't have the strength to do anything else but flop onto his bed in exhaustion.

As soon as he did however, he got a call, making a child-like groan push past his lips. He fumbled around without opening his eyes to get the phone and when he finally found it, he brought it up to his ear after tapping on the "Accept" button.

"Hello?" he said.

"_Mr. Uchiha? Hello. Sorry, it's so late, but I had forgotten when your flight was __tomorrow and I wanted to make sure I didn't miss the chance to speak with you."_

This got Sasuke's attention. A rush of fear went through Sasuke and he brought the phone away to check who exactly was calling him. _Oh. _He sighed in realization. _It's just the vacation house agency _

"No. It's okay. What is it exactly?"

"_Nothing bad. Please don't worry. Only that the vacation home has been set up for your stay and everything you requested for is in place as well. Approximately when will you check in?" _

"Uh…late evening? It might be around midnight. It depends on something I have to do before, so I'm not sure. I'm sorry."

"_It's okay. I just wanted to know, so that we have someone there for sure. Thank you. I hope you have a safe flight. See you tomorrow." _

"Thank you. Goodbye."

"_Goodbye."_

Sasuke plugged his phone to charge and rested back on his bed, hands folding over each other on his stomach that churned with anticipation. He hoped that everything would be alright. That everything would work out as little problems as possible. (He wanted to say 'perfectly", but that's never the case).

The next morning, Sasuke woke with a jolt, slightly panicking, wondering what time it was and if he had missed his flight. He looked towards his nightstand, where a digital alarm clock lays.

_6:53 A.M. _

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief. His flight was at 11:15 a.m. The airport was not _that_ far away.

Quickly getting dressed and brushing his teeth, Sasuke double-checked if he had everything while he simultaneously called his taxi. Neji was still out. He had gone to visit his family. With the complications of Hinata and her father, I guess he wanted to help. But with the things that Hinata used to tell us, I doubt that he would be able to do much change.

Once Sasuke's taxi came and he had reached the airport, Sasuke went to check in and after an extensive and lengthy security check up, he finally boarded the plane.

And it was only when the plane took off that Sasuke realized _this was actually real._ He was going to see Sakura after almost _four months. _The thought nearly made him want to scream.

He was so close to telling Sakura when they were talking a while ago. Apparently, she was getting his anniversary present soon. He hoped that she hadn't already mailed it because obviously, he wouldn't be there to get it

A feeling of airiness filled Sasuke, and he tried to blame on it on the fact that they were some 30,000 feet in the air so he wouldn't seem like a schoolgirl going to meet their crush. But that's just the effect that clumsy, pink-haired girl he was proud to call _his _had on him. (And although he wouldn't ever admit it to anyone but maybe said girl, he kinda loved it).

He leaned back, a permanent smile plastered on his face, probably making him look creepy as hell, with the way the woman next to him was glancing over every few seconds.

But he didn't care.

Because he was going to meet _the love of his life_ in less than a few hours.

He turned to the window to hide his even wider smile now.

And as he watched the clouds, and looked down at the world below him, the happiness went away, replaced with a pit in stomach of nervousness.

What if she had other plans? What if he's just barging in on her life? What if she wanted to do something else this break? What if she didn't want to see him?

_No, _Sasuke told himself. The other questions were somewhat understandable but the last one was unimaginable. Sakura missed him as much as he missed her. And she always sent him texts and called him saying how she wanted to be with him. So there was no way that that could _ever_ be a possibility. _No_, Sasuke repeated, trying to work up courage.

He rolled his eyes at how many moods he was experiencing all at once. _Look at what you've made me, Sak._

* * *

**~ Sakura ~ **

"I still don't understand why _I_ have to be here, Sakura," Kaori complained.

Sakura rolled her eyes, looking around the mall. "Oh shut it, Kaori, otherwise, I'll return your present."

Sakura was out to buy Sasuke an anniversary/Christmas present, since their anniversary was the same day as the holiday. There was only less than a week left before Christmas and she still hadn't decided what to get her boyfriend. She was lucky shipping only took a day, so she had extra time than usual.

After an hour or two of wandering around the mall, trying to figure out the _perfect_ present for Sasuke, Sakura was still stumped. Kaori wasn't complaining too much as Sakura bought her ice cream to shut her up, but was starting to get antsy again and Sakura noticed.

Sakura let out a deep sigh. "This is going nowhere. I guess that I'll–" she paused, seeing an art supply store in front of her. She could make something. "Hey! I know! Come on!" she took Kaori's wrist and dragged her to the colorful art store.

"You're making a scrapbook? Ugh, so cheesy," Kaori commented.

Sakura glared at her as she printed out all their photos over the years at the school library. "Shut up, would you? I think it's cute...Or is it not…?"

"No, no. It's a nice idea. Cheesy, but whatever. It's cute."

Sakura spent the rest of that day and a part of the next day to make the scrapbook as perfect, cute and artsy as she could. Hopefully, Sasuke would appreciate this even though he doesn't usually like gushy, cheesy stuff.

_Cheesy stuff is not really like him, _Sakura worried. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip, anxious about the possibility that Sasuke wouldn't like it. _No. I'm sure he will. He's never not liked anything you've given anything before, it's okay._

Sakura rolled her eyes. Even though they've been together for more than 3 years now, she couldn't help feel like it was her first time doing anything with him each time they did something because of the feelings flowing through her body. They were always just as powerful as the first time and she kinda loved that.

She never wanted their love to die. Even through fights and difficulties, she wanted them to push through and be together forever.

_That's so lame. _

The blush on her cheeks said otherwise, however.

* * *

_She's like me. She finds solace, an escape, in writing. The world and the pressure, she said, is too much for her. _

_I want to protect her, shield her from all the dark in this world that dims her light. Her glow is too bright to fade. She is more than beautiful: special, luminous._

_I see colors when I hear her voice, her words mixing and fabricate their own vibrant pigments in the air. I feel the warmth radiating from her, from her soul. I haven't felt like this. _

_I have been __cold_ _for too long._

* * *

**Author's Note**:

_Hiiii! OMG, it's been like 7 MONTHS. I'm so sorry. But I've just had a lot going on and I know that that isn't really a reason, since everyone does, but I promise you, I'm going to finish these stories somehow. Even if it's over a couple of years. _

_Hehe. _

_Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. It sincerely means a lot that you take time out of your day to read and possibly (hopefully) review. _

_I love you all so much and thanks once again! _

_REVIEW PLEASE. _

**~ booklover333**


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Naruto, Friendship, Romance