My second SasuSaku story. Only a one-shot this time. Enjoy!
And yes, it actually takes 12 facial muscles to smile but only 11 to frown. So, please, don't say 'it takes more muscles to frown than to smile.' It's an old myth, people.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Titles translated from Japanese into English means 'Genius of Smiles'.
Word Count: 2,292 words. I gather.

...

EGAO NO TENSAI

(i)

-

In which Sakura realizes that it actually takes more muscles to smile than to frown.
Especially for Sasuke.

-


"What? That Uchiha Sasuke? No way."

Oh.

"You know what? I don't think I have!"

Really?

"Uh... no, Sakura, to be honest!"

Dammit.

"Eh, Sasuke? That teme? Oh, Sakura-chan, you're so naive."

Shut up, Naruto.

"Who cares, he's still hot."

Well, that's true Ino, but...

"Sakura, get back to work."

Oh, right, Tsunade-shisou.

To nearly everyone in the village of Konohagakure, it was practically unheard of.

Uchiha Sasuke? Smiling? Chyeah, right. To most people, the day he would smile is the day pigs would fly.

Naturally, the rumour of her boyfriend being unable to smile disturbed Haruno Sakura.

To be honest, she herself had rarely seen him smile; in fact, the last time she remembered him smile was before he even left Konoha. The days when they were Team 7.

The days when Sasuke had something to smile about.

Sigh. ... Ah, how nostalgic.

If only she could it.

If only she could make Uchiha Sasuke smile.

Just once more.

For her.

And so, one day, she decided to try.

Haruno Sakura resolved to make Uchiha Sasuke before the clock struck 7:00 PM.

SHANNARO!

i.

It was a late Friday and Sakura had planned everything to the last detail.

She knew Sasuke and Naruto would be returning on Friday morning after an S-class mission and no doubt, she knew that they would've succeeded. Not only this, but Sasuke had a week off to relax after continuous missions. Which meant that he would be relieved and hopefully, happy.

It was the perfect time to carry out the plan.

-

6:06 PM

The former Team 7 including Sai were having ramen at Ichiraku, courtesy of Kakashi and Yamato.

Of course, they only agreed to pay because she told them her plan of
Operation Get-Sasuke-To-Smile. There was no way in hell they were gonna miss this.

No doubt, Naruto would also be there. Where else would the blond be?

... However, this was also a problem.

Naruto had no idea of the plan. And Sakura was hoping to keep it that way for the time being.

As long as he didn't damage her chances.

6:16 PM

As Naruto happily chattered on to Sai about how Sasuke and himself had kicked butt on the mission, Kakashi nudged Sakura.
"Hey, Sakura. When are you gonna try?" he whispered, as quiet as possible.

Thankfully, Naruto's loud voice was masking Sasuke's hearing.

"As soon as he finishes his ramen and starts on the omusubi. That way, Sasuke-kun is full up and will be more in the mood to-"

"I'll be more in the mood to do what?" a deep voice interrupted her.

Dammit. She turned slowly to Sasuke's eyes and placed an all-too-sweet smile on her face.

6:17 PM

"Oh, um, nothing! Eh-heh, just… um, just in the mood for… dessert!" She stammered, trying to mask her nervousness.

Sasuke raised one eyebrow slowly. Sakura lightly nudged Yamato in the ribs, signaling she needed help.

Yamato immediately responded. "Oh, uh, yeah. Do you want any?" he asked, smiling.

"Hn, no thanks."

By now, Naruto had stopped chattering to Sai and turned towards the others. "What are you all talking about?" Sai questioned, finishing the last of his ramen.

"Nothing, Sai." Sakura replied, a shade too quickly.

"Aw, c'mon, Sakura-chan, you can tell us." Naruto said, grinning widely. Sakura rolled her eyes in response. Naruto, you idiot.

"Ah, actually, we want to ask you something, Sasuke." Kakashi announced.

6:21 PM

"Eh, what is it?" Naruto asked, slurping his noodles. Sasuke's expression mirrored Naruto's question.

Kakashi looked at Sakura's incredulous expression and lightly gestured towards Sasuke. She looked over.
Sasuke had finished his ramen; and was somewhat happily digging into his omusubi.

His favourite food. Perfect.

Realizing this as a signal to ask The Question and put the plan into action, Sakura let out a deep sigh.

It was time.

Let's do this.

-

6:24 PM

"Ne, Sasuke-kun...?" she asked sweetly, turning to Sasuke, letting her elbows rest on the counter and her arms were propped up so that her face rested on the palms of her hands.

She parted his lips slightly, tucked a strand of her hair behind an ear, and smiled an all-too-familiar smile.

You see, in Sakura's mind, this was flirting. In Sasuke's mind, this was the sign of trouble.

Is she trying to flirt with him? Kakashi and Yamato thought, shaking their heads.

What's with Ugly today? Sai thought to himself. Then again, he didn't really understand women anyway.

"Sakura-chan's acting… weird." Naruto whispered to him. And Sasuke couldn't help but agree with the blond. Swallowing his omusubi, he looked at Sakura in the corner of his eyes.

"… What?" he inquired, with the slightest hint of hesitation.

6:25 PM

Finally after looking into Sasuke's charcoal eyes long enough to know that she needed to finished her question, she asked: "Mou, Sasuke-kun? Could you please... smile?"

6:26 PM

Sasuke's eyebrows shot up so far, they nearly went off his forehead.

"... Huh?"

Even Teuchi and Ayame were surprised by Sakura forthrightness.

This was soon followed by Naruto's raucous laugh with Sai shaking his head. A crow flew over. Ahou! Ahou!As you can tell, Operation Get-Sasuke-To-Smile, so far, was not going well.

-

ii.

6:30 PM

"Ha ha, Sasuke smiling? Yeah, right!" Naruto said, stretching his arms.

Sakura let her impatience get the best of her.

"Oh, please, Sasuke-kun? Pleeeease?" Sakura pouted. Before Sasuke had a chance to reply, Naruto interrupted once again.

"Sakura-chan, trust me, there is no way he'd ever- GAH! What'd you do that for, teme?"

"To shut you up."

Sasuke turned away from an injured Naruto and looked at Sakura. "Why are you asking all of a sudden?"

Sakura blushed softly. "Oh, um, because. I just want to see you smile, Sasuke-kun!" she replied, cheerily. You could just hear Kakashi and Yamato going "Aww…"

Ignoring them, Sakura decided to play her trump card. She decided to ask one more time. "So, please? ...For me?" Sakura cooed. Her cooing voice is irresistible and she knew it.

After a few seconds of contemplating, Sasuke let out a small sigh.

"...Fine. I'll try."

"EH? Seriously, Sasuke?" Naruto exclaimed. Sakura beamed. It worked! She was going to see her Sasuke-kun smile!

-

iii.

6:34 PM

... And, uh, what a smile it was.

Oh. My. God.

The corners of Sasuke's lips lifted upwards, as he tried to smile.

Yeah, emphasis on 'tried'.

Everyone couldn't exactly put a word to it.

Needless to say, Sasuke wasn't exactly succeeding in portraying a facial expression which meant 'pleasure'. It looked more like he had-

"... Constipation! Ha ha ha!" Naruto snorted, pointing at Sasuke's... lack of a better word, smile.

Sai was somewhat amused at Sasuke's inability to smile. After all, he'd been there, done that.

As for Kakashi and Yamato, they couldn't help but feel sympathy. Poor guy... he probably hasn't even smiled in, like, 6 years.

Even Sakura bit her lip unconsciously. Oh, dear, Sasuke-kun.

Sasuke glared at Naruto but oddly, was still trying to smile.

"Shut it, dobe." He retorted.

Sakura giggled lightly and decided to remedy the situation.
"Ah, no, Sasuke-kun. Um, make it a bit warmer, you know."

"..."

"Uh, warmer."

"..."

"Um, no. See, Sasuke-kun, you're just showing more teeth instead of making it natural."

"...Hn."

"...No, no, Sasuke-kun. Um, you're not really smiling. That's more of a threatening look actually."

Naruto was trying desperately to hold in his laughs, but was finding it increasingly difficult. Even Kakashi couldn't believe Sasuke's incapability to smile naturally.
Thank God, I have a mask, the silver-haired jounin thought to himself.

6:41 PM

Heck, it didn't take a genius to find out that Sasuke wasn't doing well.
Sakura finally sighed and rubbed her temples.

"Okay, look, um, how about...? Uh, why don't you..? ... Oh, God, Sasuke-kun, seriously just stop now, you're scaring me!"

Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, Kakashi and Naruto started laughing hysterically, clutching their stomachs and gasping for breath. Even Yamato covered his mouth to stop his chuckles escaping. As for Sai... well, one could even say he was in the same predicament as Yamato.

"Aw, man, you are so smile-retarded!" Naruto declared, still wiping tears from his eyes.

Sasuke immediately dropped his look, his Sharingan activating as he clenched his teeth. He proceeded to give a swift whack to Naruto's head.

"That's not even a word. Shut your traps, morons or I'll Chidori your asses," the Uchiha said, the wheels of his Sharingan eyes spinning menacingly.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun, don't!" Sakura said, trying to calm her boyfriend down. Said boyfriend was none too pleased.

"...Hn, whatever, I'm leaving, Sakura." With that, Sasuke began to get up.

"No, no! Please, they won't laugh anymore!" Sakura pleaded, dragging him back down, almost desperate for her beloved to not get put off by his so-called friends and former sensei's behaviour.

"What? I never said-!" Naruto began but was interrupted when his face was met by Sakura's fierce punch.

"Baka Naruto! You laugh again and I swear I'll grind your face into the ground." Sakura growled, before turning to the others.
"And that goes for you too, Sai! Yamato-taichou and Kakashi-sensei, I expected better of you!"

Her warnings immediately made them all shut up; none of them wanted to feel the full wrath of Haruno Sakura. To be honest, they would rather be tortured by Ibiki.

6:46 PM

"It doesn't matter. Sakura, I'm leaving. Are you coming or not?" Sasuke said matter-of-factly, lightly tossing money onto the counter and getting up once again.

"Yeah, I also have to go, Sakura-chan, I have to see Hinata-chan before it gets too dark! I'll see you tomorrow! Ja ne! Oh, and Sasuke-"

"Just go before I punch you, dobe."

Naruto grinned and did a mock-salute. With that, the blond sped off.

"Same here, Sakura," Kakashi said. "Yamato and I have a late-night meeting with the Hokage. See you tomorrow."

Yamato disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakashi winked at Sakura before also disappearing. "Bye, Sasuke-kun, Sakura-san." Sai acknowledged, before bidding them adieu and walking away.

"But-but...!" Sakura began, but then stopped. She sighed and blew a strand of her hair away from her eyes.

Oh, man, my plan is falling to bits! Sakura thought miserably.

"-kura. Sakura. Let's go." Sasuke alerted, walking in the direction of her apartment with his hands firmly in his pockets.

Sakura shoulders slumped and she hung her head low, before following the brooding Sasuke.

-

iv.

6:54 PM

They had been walking for a while, wordlessly, as Sakura didn't dare to bring the incident up.

However, she couldn't deny that it was bugging her.

Why couldn't her Sasuke-kun smile properly? It wasn't that he couldn't smile. No-one couldn't smile. It's the most natural facial expression ever.

6:56 PM

So, when they were just steps away from reaching her apartment, she pursed her lips together and sneaked a glance at Sasuke's face. He still wore the same unreadable look as he always did.

After a moment of contemplation, she finally decided to bring it up.

She stopped walking, expecting Sasuke to notice. And sure enough, realizing there was no-one walking along side of him, he turned his head back.

"What is it?" he asked, his low and smooth voice sending butterflies into Sakura's stomach.

"Sasuke-kun." She said, in a whisper.

"...What?"

Sakura unconsciously licked her lips. This was it. Dammit, she's going to find out the truth.

"Um, why-"

"Why can't I smile?" He cut her off with a smirk.

Sakura opened her mouth to reply but couldn't. Her jade eyes widened.

6:58 PM

Cue fangirl screams.

Because right then and right there, Sasuke's face showed the most devilishly handsome smile she had ever seen in her entire life.

His strong jaw, his perfectly chiselled features, his gorgeous cheekbones were accentuated more than ever.

If any admirer walked past, they would certainly be reduced into a puddle.

Needless to say, Sakura was... speechless.

Although, didn't matter much because her face said it all. With cheeks fully scarlet, her lips parted with just a hint of drool escaping.

...

I think I just died and went to heaven.

"But, but, but, but-" Sakura stuttered, pointing a shaking finger at Sasuke.

"Why didn't I smile back then?" He finished. Sakura nodded slowly, still vaguely mesmerized by the smile.

Sasuke's smile changed into his classic smirk. "Like I would smile in front of those guys. My reputation would be ruined forever." He said, nonchalantly.

Sakura's jaw hit the floor. He really is a human ice-cube. "I-I.. but, so, you... you can sm-"

Sasuke chuckled deeply. "Yeah, I can smile." Sakura pinched herself to make sure it wasn't a dream.

"I also laugh, Sakura."

Feeling the pain of the pinch, she grinned widely. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.

Satisfied with herself, she lightly kissed her beloved on the cheek and turned to open the door.

However, a hand covered hers on the doorknob.

... You see, there was just one more thing that Sasuke had to do.

"Oh, and Sakura," Sasuke said, before turning on his heel.

"Yes?"

He slowly moved closer to Sakura and they touched foreheads.
Sakura blushed prettily.

"W-What is it, Sasuke-kun?"

-

v.

His eyes softened.

"I'll smile anytime for you."

The clock struck 7:00 PM.

Mission accomplished.

END.

And there you have it, folks. My first SasuSaku one-shot finished! I had lots of fun writing this! Tell me what you think!
I utilised a popular style of writing in this so it's kinda different to the layout of my other SasuSaku two-shot.
Although, FF has a tendency to change the layout a lot anyway, so I apologise if it seems rather odd.

Reviews will be appreciated, constructive criticism taken into account, and flames will be ignored.

Thank you.