Dating

Summary: "Besides I really think Rei waited for so long. I know how that feels." Sakura said without even realizing the implications of her own words not until kakashi, Naruto and Sai looked at Sasuke at the same time.

Disclaimer: The usual disclaimer applies.

Chapter 1: So much for my first date …

"Sakura-chan why are you doing this again?" Naruto asked for the second time not satisfied to the answer she gave the first time he asked the question.

"Naruto I told you already. And it's not as if I'm still twelve or something. I'm nineteen already. And my mom is actually bugging me to do this." Sakura explained while brushing her hair one more time before her date arrives.

"But Sakura-chan aren't you still in love with the teme?" Naruto pointed while still standing at her bedroom's doorframe.

"As much as how fun that is, I simply cannot waste anymore time waiting for something to happen. I mean, I'm happy he's back and all but I don't think we'll be more than friends and really I'm fine with that now."

"Who is he anyway? Is he a ninja too?"

"Tenten set us up. And he's a businessman. Their family owns a couple of restaurants I think."

"What he's not even a shinobi!?"

"Come on Naruto, it's alright actually. What if we got married and have children then I got killed in some stupid mission. I don't want to leave my kids alone. You know how dangerous are lives are as a shinobi." She answered almost laughing.

Naruto gave a shocked expression. He can't still see the reason why she is doing this when she is still in love with another man.

"Naruto I need you to leave now. I don't want you to scare my date away." she said jokingly.

"If your date scares easily, he's not worth your time." Naruto said moving from his current position to let Sakura pass through her door.

"Naruto I'm just kidding. It's just that I'm not sure this the time to introduce him to any of my friends, this is our first date."

Naruto nodded and went outside her house, still feeling unsettled with the thought of Sakura dating. He went straight to the bar they usually hang out to after a long mission to unwind. He was surprised to see Kakashi, sasuke and even Sai in one of the corners of the bar. Kakashi waved at him when he saw him at the entrance.

"Hey Naruto, what's with your face?" Sai asked seeing his weird expression.

"It's Sakura-chan. She's going on a date tonight with some guy Tenten introduced."

"So Ugly are dating now." Sai said looking at Naruto.

"So what if she's dating now, she's already nineteen, an Anbu, not to mention head of our medical department. And also very beautiful. Don't you agree?" Kakashi said eyeing Naruto for his response.

"I agree with you it's just that I don't think her reasons for dating is right and besides that, she's already thinking about marrying him and having children."Naruto explained after finishing his first bottle of beer.

At this Sasuke looked at Naruto, quite surprised but not showing it that sakura is already thinking about that.

"Teme aren't you worried? She found someone to replace you." Naruto said making fun at Sasuke.

Sasuke glared at him. "Why would I be worried?" He said carelessly then his eye got fixed to the figure entering the bar. There was Sakura, looking very attractive as she walked with a guy next to her. His eye twitched when he noticed the guy's hand placed on the small of her back.

Naruto noticed this and followed his gaze. "They're here!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Pipe down Naruto. She'll notice us; at least we can supervise them." Kakashi said while studying Sakura's date.

Sakura's date led her to a table far from the dance floor. She actually missed this place. She hasn't been here for a while because of her workload at the hospital. I'm going to enjoy the night, she thought.

"What would you have?" Rei asked as they sat on a table near the dance floor. "I recommend the pasta here." He said smiling.

"Oh you come here often?" Sakura asked.

"Well... yeah. My brother actually managed this bar." He answered a bit embarrassed.

"I thought your family owns restaurants."

"We do, this is the only one bar/restaurant we have." He said still looking at her.

After their orders arrived they eat silently while watching the people at the dance floor, this is when Sakura noticed her friends at the corner of the bar watching her and her date. She made a mental note of asking them later on why they don that before giving Rei her full attention.

"So you and Tenten are childhood friends?" Sakura asked breaking the silence.

"We used to hang out with each other when we were young. We even used to play ninja games."

As Rei continues to narrate his story Sakura learned that Rei wanted to become a shinobi as a kid but their family is not a ninja clan so they won't allow him to enter the Ninja Academy. When Tenten entered the Academy, eventually, they stopped seeing other. It was just a month ago that they started talking to each other again after bumping to each other at a coffee shop.

After talking with Rei for a several minutes more, Sakura noticed Tenten at the entrance walking towards the bar to get a drink. "Isn't that Tenten?", I asked as I followed Tenten's movement. Rei followed my gaze and I see his smile become brighter. "Ok, I have to ask, you like Tenten don't you?" She asked smiling at him.

This caught Rei off guard. Looking a bit embarrassed, he did not answer my question but instead followed Tenten's movements. "It's alright Rei, I'm not offended. I actually noticed it by the way you talk about her," she assured him.

"You're right but I can't do anything now. She's with that Hyuuga guy now." Rei finally answered.

'What's with the guys using only others' surnames', Sakura thought remembering how Sasuke and Neji call each other. "I don't think Neji is a guy for romance. I mean, they're really close but I think it's because they're on the same team since they were twelve. And if Neji really like her trust me, he won't act on it any time soon. But you can, so if I were you, do your move." she said seriously looking Rei into his eyes.

"I think this is your chance, she's alone. You can approach her." Rei looked at her with worry in his eyes. "Don't worry I'll be with my friends." She said standing up. "Good luck!" She said while waving at him as she approach table her team is occupying. 'This is just great. The first date I had after so long I turn out as a love counselor.' She thought to herself as she passes through the crowd of the bar. 'Maybe dating is not for me, I'll be like the Hokage, and she doesn't have any problems with it. We both lose our love, only in a different way. Hers died a long time ago, mine... never mind.' she said to herself as she neared the table eyeing Sasuke.

"Hey guys, got another room for me?"

"Sakura-chan what are you doing here? Where's your date?" Naruto asked as everybody else in the table looked at her questioningly.

"He's with Tenten. It turns out that he's interested in her and not me and that he's assuming that she is with Neji. When I said that Neji is not for romance I encouraged him to do his move and now is the perfect time. So much for my first date."

"But I think Neji really likes Tenten." Kakashi said.

"I know, a little competition won't hurt them. Besides I really think Rei waited for so long. I know how that feels." Sakura said without even realizing the implications of her own words not until kakashi, Naruto and Sai looked at Sasuke at the same time.

Sakura felt her face turning red. She doesn't want to deal with that now. She moved on, right? She shook her head and emptied her glass of beer. "I'm going dancing." She announced as she stood up. She opted not to explain herself further to save herself from more embarrassments.

Everybody looked at her as she made her way to the dance floor as she move to the beat of the music not minding that she's dancing without a partner.

Sasuke knew why others looked at him after Sakura finished her statement earlier. He made her wait although it was not intentional. 'I didn't ask her to wait.' He said to himself.

After he came back, he's still as stoic, as unsociable and private person that he is when he is twelve. He just went out once in a while with his team to drink just like this time. After he completed his 'goal' he doesn't dwell much on anything else except for missions. His status and his reputation as a ninja are still important to him.

"Sasuke don't you think its time for you to start dating too?" Kakashi started. "I'm sure Sakura knew a lot of females that would be perfect for you. You know since she knew you well and very aware of what you want."

"Yeah that's true, I'm sure Ugly can recommend someone from her friends at the hospital." Sai added.

"Come on guys, the teme here doesn't have any hormone in his body. I'm sure that Snake corrupted his mind already." Naruto said already laughing at his joke.

Sasuke lifted his gaze from Sakura to Naruto, not noticing that he's watching her the whole time.

"Guys seriously, I think Sasuke should try it now." Kakashi insisted truly worried that his student is really asexual.

Sakura came back to her friends feeling a bit dizzy with all the dancing and drinking she had that night. "What are you talking about?" She asked as she grabs another bottle of beer from the table.

"Sakura you're bleeding!" Sasuke said as he pulled her by the arm applying pressure to the wound on her arm using tissue papers.

Sakura wasn't feeling anything from her wound because of her semi-drunken state. But she is aware how she gets that. "This guy I was dancing with has this really weird, spiky metal bracelet, and I scratched myself with that." She explained feeling a like a fool as they examined her wound.

"Come on guys, it wasn't that deep. I can even heal it." She said as Sasuke wiped the back of her arm to clean the blood that dripped from her wound.

Sai, Naruto and Kakashi watched the scene with interest. They knew Sasuke was always indifferent. Doesn't care to anything that concern his interest. But when Sakura is involved, he seems to be 'interested'.

Sakura however, is already used to this kind of Sasuke's behavior. It's like he's angry that she does some stupid thing like this one. 'He always think I can't do anything right'. Sakura thought annoyed at herself for not noticing the wound at the first place.

"Why are you so careless?" Sasuke said as he let go of her arm.

"It wasn't that big deal. Why do you care anyway?" She blurted out as she drinks more beer.

Nodding to himself, Kakashi made a plan.

A/n: I don't know how to finish this story for now so I'm posting it already. Maybe you can give me ideas... Thanks for reading.