note: This was originally supposed to be a drabble for a prompt, but then it escalated to this. I don't know where I was going with it, so I apologize in advance for it sucking. All I know is that this was way longer than I intended, and I don't really like the turn out. But I didn't want it to go to waste, so here ya go.
prompt: Fireworks.
disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

"Word on the street is that you've kissed someone and it wasn't with the Uchiha."

As Sakura heard this remark, she almost choked on the dango she was munching on. After a few seconds of gasping for air, she resumed to a normal state and then gave Ino a look of disdain.

"Where'd you get that crazy notion from? And what does Sasuke have to do with anything?"

Ino shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and took a sip from her tea. "Told you. Heard it from the streets." At Sakura's gesturing, she added, "And I dunno, don't ask me."

"That's a load of bull! How would anyone even know this, unless they were spying on me on my date?" With this, Sakura gave Ino a pointed stare.

"Hey! Don't look at me like that. I didn't do such a thing."

"Alright, then who did?"

Ino averted her eyes and looked out to the walking passersby. "I.. have no clue."

Sakura knew she was lying by the way Ino kept sipping at her tea and avoiding her stare. She could only deduct who the culprit could've been.

"It was Naruto, wasn't it?"

"No!" Ino could only duck as Sakura chucked a flying dango at her head. "Okay! Maybe he did. I don't really know the details."

"Ino, you have 3 seconds to explain before I tell everyone about-"

"Alright, fine! I'll tell you." Ino shouted, moving her hands in front of Sakura's face. She harshly whispered out the next part, "but don't mention anything about that to anyone."

With a satisfied smirk, Sakura crossed her arms and listened to Ino as she relayed what she had heard from Naruto.

"I mean, he didn't tell me much. The most I got from him was 'Sakura-chan went on a date with that Kenji guy, and he stole a kiss from her at the end of the night. That bastard!' And then he went on and on about how he corrupted you and your innocence, or something like that."

Sakura could only grimace at the thought of Naruto spying on her date. She should've known that her pleas for her teammates to not worry and leave her be would go unheard.

"How could he even think that? He doesn't even know the guy!" With a pout, she took another bite of her dango. "Plus, he didn't corru- wait a second! Was Naruto alone in this, or were there more persons involved?"

Ino chuckled and raised an eyebrow in response. "What do you think, billboard brow?" She could only contain her laughter as the comment sunk in.

Sakura almost made a move to bang her head on the table. "Argh! So not only did Naruto see me kiss Kenji, but most likely, the rest of my team? Including Sasuke? God, what did I do to deserve this?"

"It can't be that bad. I mean, clearly you're over Sasuke anyhow. Right?"

Sakura shifted her eyes and replied with a quick, "Mhmm."

"Right.. anyway. Let's get to the juicy part. How was the kiss?"

"Uhm, it was.. good?" Sakura ignored Ino's incredulous stare and played with the food left forgotten on her plate. "I mean, it wasn't bad! I, uh.. yah. It was good. I think."

"It was good, you think? Kami, Sakura, he must've been a terrible kisser if you're saying that with a question at the end."

"No, no! That's now how it was." To Ino's doubtful stare, she added, "Look, he didn't suck. There just weren't any sparks when we kissed. That's all."

Ino snorted in response. "Sparks? This isn't a cliche romance novel, Sakura, you aren't going to get any sparks when you kiss someone."

"I know, I know. It's silly to believe that, but I just feel like I'll know he's the one when there's some kind of spark when we kiss."

"Well, if you find anyone that gives you that. Let me know." As she got up from her seat, she laid some bills on the table. "But my break is over. I'll talk to you later." With that, Ino sauntered off back to the flower shop.

Sakura sat there, one hand cupped on her face, and thought back to her date the night before. Did she still like Kenji? Or was it doomed from the moment they kissed? Maybe I could give him another chance.. As the thought crossed her mind, so did a figure in her peripheral vision. She didn't even have to look up to know who it was.

"Sasuke."

"Sakura."

"And what do I owe the pleasure?"

He looked casually around the place before settling into the chair unoccupied before her. "I need to converse with you about something."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Don't tell me. This is about Kenji." From Sasuke's scowl at the name, she could tell this was going to be a pain to talk about. "I don't understand what he has to do with anything. It's really none of your business."

"It is when it's my teammate we're talking about."

"Well your teammate doesn't want to talk about it." Sakura turned her head sharply the other way and crossed her arms in defiance. "So, you can just leave."

When Sasuke didn't make a move, she turned back and narrowed her eyes. "Why are you still here?"

"Because this is an important matter."

"Important how? Just because Kenji and I kissed, doesn't mean anything. And who's bright idea was it to spy on me anyhow? Hmm?" Sakura pointed an accusatory finger towards Sasuke's face, "Was it you? Or was it that knuckle-headed blonde idiot?"

When Sasuke didn't respond, she just continued on her rant, "Either way, it was uncalled for. I am a grown woman and I can take care of myself. I don't need any of you guys to look after me. I especially don't need you or your chauvinistic male-"

"Sakura. Shut up."

Seeing Sakura's wide eyed expression and sensing her anger flaring, he mumbled out a response. "I mean, stop with what you're saying and listen to me for a second."

"Why should I do that? Why should I listen to you, when clearly you don't listen to me when I tell you to leave me alone!"

"Because Kenji was an idiot anyway."

Sakura sneered. "Yah, please, go on."

"He's hardly a qualified Chuunin, and his skill sets are lacking in many areas. His IQ is lower than Naruto's and he doesn't have anything going for him."

"Wow. Just.. wow." With a sarcastic tone she added, "Such suitable reasons coming from someone who hasn't made Chuunin status and JUST got reinstated as a ninja."

"That's beside the point."

"Che. I don't see what you're getting at, so either tie this up or I'm leaving."

Sasuke sighed and grabbed Sakura's wrist before she could get up and walk off.

"He was wrong for you."

"How would you know?"

He let go of her wrist and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "There weren't any sparks."

The recognition settled in when she realized he had been eavesdropping the whole time. "What is it with you and spying on me all the time?" She couldn't believe his arrogant self. "You have no right to judge any part of my life!"

"But isn't that what you said?" He gave her a blank look as she spluttered.

"Well, yah.. but, I mean, that doesn't mean-oh hush. What is it to you?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing. I'm just simply stating a fact."

"What, the fact that you're an asshole?"

"No." Sasuke scoffed, "the fact that you have no chemistry with him."

"Whatever. Like you would know what chemistry was if it slapped you in the face."

Sasuke closed his eyes in annoyance. "Tch. I think I know better than you do."

"Yah, right. I bet you've never even kissed a girl."

"Hn."

"That's what I thought. You probably suck anyway."

Sasuke growled in response. "I'm quite adequate in that department."

Sakura sent him a challenging glare. "Oh really? Then prove it." Sakura moved to stand up and pulled Sasuke's arm to stand up with her. With a stern look, she took him by surpise when she replied, "Kiss me."

"..what?"

"Kiss me." Sakura repeated, except with a little less confidence. She tried not to show the butterflies that were settling in, and continued staring at him.

With a narrow of his eyes, Sasuke responded back. "No."

"Alright then. But this just proves that you suck and you have no experience with this, therefore, you have no right to say anything about me and ki-" Before she could even finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Sasuke's lips. Her body froze in shock and Sakura didn't know what do with herself.

She stood there, frozen, unsure of how to react, until she felt Sasuke's mouth moving gently on her own. That's when she realized – this was it. This was the moment she had been waiting for. It was like she had an epiphany and all the world's questions had been solved with this one kiss. Like the earth had shifted, and they were the only two that felt it. She was sure this was it, so she grabbed the fabric on his chest and kissed him back with as much fervor as she could.

The kiss lasted only for a few seconds, if not longer, and then there was nothing. Sasuke broke their lips apart and turned around in haste.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. "I.. uh."

"Hn." And with that, Sasuke walked away – a blush creeping on his neck towards his face.

Sakura watched him walk away whilst she put a finger to her lips, missing the warmth that was there. She blushed a crimson red and felt like the giddy fan girl of that of her twelve year old self. Gathering her things, she went to go back to her place and ignored the odd sensation gathering in the pit of her stomach, and the funny feelings taking place inside her heart.

"Word on the street is that you've kissed someone and it was with the Uchiha."

This time around, Sakura choked on air while they were both walking around the markets. "Where do you even getthis information?"

"I have my sources." Ino shrugged casually. Sakura gave her a look of disbelief before returning to the task of inspecting the fruits laid out in the cart before them. "So, tell me the juicy details?"

"These strawberries do look pretty juicy and they seem really ripe. I think I may get them." To this, Ino rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean, forehead. The kiss, how was it?"

Sakura ignored the question and grabbed some fruits before she walked to the next cart. "How much trouble do you think I'd be in if I beat Naruto into a bloody pulp?"

"Probably a lot, but that's beside the point! Come on, just tell me. Were there any sparks?"

Finally, Sakura gave in and responded with a curt, "No."

Ino stared at Sakura with a raised eyebrow. "So.. no sparks? No sparks at all?" Ino started gesturing wildly, "Are you telling me, that you, Haruno Sakura, girl who's been in love with Uchiha Sasuke for years, had no sparks when you both kissed? Did he suck?"

Sakura giggled at Ino's theatrics, "No, that's not it either."

"..now I'm confused."

"He didn't suck, and there weren't any sparks." Ino waited for Sakura to continue, and she did, but not before getting this look in her eyes, "It was even better than sparks. It was like I was on some kind of high, and I didn't want to stop – like a million things were happening at once. There weren't any sparks, pig, because it was more like fireworks."

Ino waved a hand in front of Sakura's face and laughed when there wasn't any reaction. "Fireworks, eh? That must've been one hell of a kiss."

Sakura blushed in response and murmured, "Yah. It was."

Somewhere in the nearby vicinity, a certain onyx-haired ninja was thinking the same thing.

Ack! I told you this failed. I had this one line "It was more like fireworks" stuck in my head, and after 1800+ words later, I came up with this. Goes to show how long it's been since I've written anything decent.