A quick new story! The chapters are shorter than my normal stories, but the story is all written. I'm just putting the chapters up as I edit them (probably once every 1-2 days).

And make no mistake - this is in fact a NaruSaku story!

And on we go.

Please do enjoy The Bet: Sunday - the Wager Placed

It was a beautiful sunny day in Konoha, and Sakura Haruno was currently standing in the shade safely under a large, looming tree. On many summer days she could be found under this tree. It was in a peaceful area, it was somewhat close to where she used to train when Team 7 was an active squad, and it just so happened to be one of her favorite reading spots. But today was different. Today, instead of sitting peacefully under the tree reading up on some new medical technique, she was doing her very best to keep her jaw from hanging open.

The scroll in her hand that she had planned on reading long forgotten, she stared down in confusion, trying to decipher the odd sight that was presented to her. Today, someone was sitting in her usual spot, which, tended to happen from time to time. It was a great spot after all. But this wasn't one of the people who sometimes sat reading in her spot. As a matter of fact, this wasn't a person who read… at all.

She stared down at him for a full minute without him noticing. He was completely engrossed in the book he was reading. She squinted down at the title – Moving Forward and Finding Happiness – he was actually reading a self-help book! This was officially the weirdest thing she had ever seen in her life. She tried waiting patiently for him to notice she was standing there… it wasn't often he read, so she didn't want to be the reason he lost his train of thought and never read a book again. But… she wasn't always the most patient person with him.

"Naruto…why are you reading a book?" She finally asked.

Naruto suddenly glanced up at her with a surprised look on his face. Based on his reaction, she wagered he truly didn't realize she had been standing there! He was one of the most powerful men in the world, and few ninjas could match his sensory capabilities… yet he had been reading so intently that he hadn't even noticed her standing above him.

"Umm… well… Tsunade said I should start reading some. She said all great leaders read."

"I won't argue with that advice, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised to see you following it."

"Ehehe…" Naruto nervously laughed. "Well I guess that old lady is rubbing off on me some. But I suppose that's bound to happen when you spend four years getting tutored by someone, eh?"

"It is bound to happen." Sakura hummed. "Although I wish you wouldn't have picked up some of her more…negative habits."

"Negative habits? Like what?"

"When the war ended four years ago, you thought gambling was stupid and you thought sake was gross. But now you share her love of gambling and sake." Sakura sighed. "She's slowly corrupting my sweet, innocent teammate."

"Speaking of bets!" Naruto looked up at her with an odd smile. "I'd like to make one with you."

"Ugh. Go figure. I see you reading a book and start thinking that maybe, just maybe, you're turning a leaf. Then you go and try to rope me into a bet." Sakura replied, rolling her eyes playfully.

"Gambling is fun! Besides, it was something I read in this book that inspired my bet!"

"And that bet is…"

"I bet that I can get you and Sasuke together in one week!"

It seemed Naruto wasn't out of surprises today. Usually when Naruto made a bet with her it was over something stupid, and the stakes were usually along the lines of lunch at Ichiraku's. This… this wasn't a bet she would have ever expected him to try to make in a million years.

"Are you joking?" She asked suspiciously.

"Not at all!"

"And what are the stakes… What do you get if you win?"

"Umm… well, I uh… hadn't thought of that."

"Naruto… the point of a bet is the winner gets something."

"I know! If I win, you have to set me up on a date!"

"Ok… Fine. If I win, you have to do anything I say for a full week."

"WHAT?! A week?! You do realize I'm trying to help you here?"

"I gotta keep things interesting." Sakura replied, flashing Naruto a smile. "Besides, you sounded pretty confident when you suggested this bet. You seem to believe that all you need is one week to get Sasuke and me together."

"I am! I'm going to win this bet." Naruto confidently replied.

"Then why do you care what I get if I win?"

"Well…uh…"

"Because the fact that you care tells me you're not so confident."

"I'm confident! I'm extremely confident! You know what, I'll do you one better. If you win, I'll do whatever you want for a month!"

"Hmm… One week, eh?"

"One week!"

"And you came up with this bet while reading a self-help book?"

"That's right!" Naruto grinned.

"Well you certainly have earned your title of number one most surprising ninja today…" Sakura hummed. She flashed him an amused smile. "Ok, Naruto. You're on."

"YES! You better start thinking of the perfect woman to set me up with, Sakura! Because this time next week, you're going to be together with Sasuke!"

"We'll see…" Sakura replied. "Well, I'll leave you to it. See you around, Naruto."

Scroll in hand long forgotten, Sakura walked away while pondering just what Naruto was up to.

Naruto watched Sakura walk away with a strange feeling. He glanced down at the book he had been reading and steeled his heart. The book talked about the importance of keeping your eyes in front of you and not obsessing over your past. It talked about thinking out what you need to be satisfied with your life, and setting achievable goals to get there.

For Naruto to be completely satisfied with his life, he needed to eventually find a woman to date and eventually marry. He wanted that woman to be Sakura… more than anything he wanted It to be Sakura… But she wasn't an achievable goal. Her heart had been set on Sasuke just about as long as his had been set on her. But it had been four years now since the war ended and Sasuke came home. Four years, and they still weren't a couple… and until today, Naruto never saw a problem with that. As a matter of fact, he had been grateful for it. As long as they weren't together, he could hold onto a small smidgeon of hope that one day Sakura would choose him instead.

However, after starting to read through Moving Forward and Finding Happiness, he realized that what he was doing right now wasn't healthy for his long-term happiness. Pining after Sakura wasn't helping him move forward, it was keeping him rooted in the past. But how could he not pine after her when she was technically single?

The conflicted feeling in his gut was nothing new, but it was certainly amplified presently. He made the bet. He was going to do it. He was going to make sure that the girl he loved ended up with the guy she loved. Then… then he could finally move on. Once she was officially off the market, he could move forward and find the women he was meant to be with.

"Ah what am I doing thinking like this?" Naruto asked no one in particular. "I have some work to do! Summoning jutsu!"

Two small toads appeared in a poof of smoke.

"Wow, it's a beautiful day here in Konoha." The first toad said, glancing around and taking in the scenery.

"It's no Mount Myoboku… but it's alright." The second toad added.

"No time to sit around and take in the scenery you two! It's almost lunch time! I need you to deliver some messages for me…"

Approximately 20 minutes later, Naruto was hiding in a tree near a newly opened noodle restaurant. From what he overheard from his friends who were actually in the dating game, this place was the best first-date spot in Konoha. It was moderately priced, the food was fantastic, it offered a great view of the city and apparently the décor inside was intimate without being too intimate… whatever that meant.

Right on time, Sakura came walking down the path to the restaurant. He masked his chakra so she wouldn't notice him. He watched as she looked around, and upon seeing neither of the people she was supposed to be meeting for lunch, took a seat at a nearby bench. But she didn't have to wait long. Sasuke came down the path a few moments later, waved to her and walked over to sit with her. They both looked around, waiting for the third person they were supposed to be meeting for lunch. Naruto grinned. They had no idea they had just walked into his trap.

"Summoning jutsu." He whispered. Another poof of smoke went off to reveal one of the small toads from before.

"What now?"

"Tell Sakura and Sasuke that I'm unfortunately not going to be able to make it to lunch. Tsunade called me in for some surprise diplomatic training."

"But you're not training with Tsunade… You're sitting in a tree, staring at Sakura and Sasuke. Which to be honest boss, is a little creepy." The small toad pointed out.

"It's a white lie! Just go say it!"

The toad shot Naruto a confused look before starting to hop towards the bench where Sakura and Sasuke were seated.

"No no!" Naruto hastily whispered. "Not like that! Summons show up in a puff of smoke when they come to deliver a message! If they saw you just hop up, they would be suspicious."

The small toad sighed, but disappeared only to reappear directly before Sakura and Sasuke in a poof of smoke.

"You're the little guy who delivered Naruto's lunch invite to me… Where is he?" Sakura asked. "If he's picking up Kakashi's habit of tardiness…"

"Actually, the boss sent me to tell you two that he won't be able to make lunch. Tsunade called him in for some surprise diplomatic training."

"Did she now…" Sakura said. The look on her face made it clear she was entirely unconvinced. But Naruto wasn't worried about that. She knew about the bet. She was probably expecting something like this. Sasuke was the one he needed to fool. Sasuke just needed to spend some time one on one with Sakura to realize how great she is. But he wouldn't do that if he thought they were on a date.

"Considering it's Naruto, that's probably a good thing." Sasuke said. "His main method of diplomacy is to challenge someone to a fight. That's probably not going to work when he's hokage…"

"Oh my god… I could just see him now. Challenging the fire daimyo to a fight over some stupid tax issue!" Sakura started laughing.

"He would probably do that on his first day on the job too. I bet he wouldn't last a day before the daimyo threw him in jail for trying to fight!" Sasuke added, causing Sakura to laugh harder.

Safely hidden from view, Naruto watched the scene indignantly. As if he would be stupid enough to challenge the fire daimyo to a fight... He would only do it if they guy really deserved it. He had diplomatic skills… But other than that, he was happy with what he was watching. Sakura and Sasuke's sneaky surprise date was already off to a great start. The two of them were smiling, bantering back and forth about all the different ways he'd get arrested as the hokage and laughing their asses off. Naruto had honestly never seen Sasuke laugh so hard.

Finally their laughter calmed down when the small toad cleared his throat.

"Oh, sorry. You probably want to go back now, right?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, please! Your village is fine, but it's got nothing on mine!"

"Sure. Thanks for delivering the message. I'll scold Naruto for inviting us to lunch and then not showing up later!"

"Well... we're here, and I'm hungry. So I'm going to go in there and eat without him." Sasuke said. "Coming?"

"Of course! What kind of teammate would I be if I turned down Naruto's lunch invite?" Sakura retorted.

Naruto crinkled his nose. She had turned down his lunch invites plenty of times. His two teammates walked into the restaurant, and Naruto flickered to a bush near a window. He activated a henge so he could watch. Some may say that henging into a bush leaf to watch two people's date through a window is kind of creepy… but Naruto had a lot riding on this. He needed to see what occurred between Sakura and Sasuke. He also activated a jutsu to enhance his hearing so he could hear what was going on. Their conversation could help him choose their second date somehow…

He pushed down the feeling of jealousy when the hostess sat them at a table for two, and he ignored the hurt feeling when he noticed how widely Sakura was smiling when their conversation started. He reminded himself that this was the obtainable goal. Sakura and Sasuke were intertwined. He just needed to connect them, and then he could finally move forward with his life.

Sakura and Sasuke ended up spending an entire hour in the restaurant, and more of that hour was spent talking than eating. Naruto knew that they were destined for each other, but he was caught off guard how easily they conversed. Sasuke was always so quiet, and Sakura was always so… well, she was Sakura. Loud, abrasive, angry, caring… Yet, there they were. Chatting with each other without so much as a second of awkward silence. It was a strange thing to witness. But finally, it came time to go. As they got up from their table, Naruto dropped his henge and leaped back into the tree where he had originally hid.

Sakura and Sasuke exited the restaurant, smiled and then gave each other a hug. They both went in opposite directions after that. Sakura headed towards what Naruto guessed was either the hospital or Ino's place, and Sasuke back to his apartment probably. All in all, that plan was a rousing success.

Naruto took out a scroll that he had written out his goal on.

Goal – Get Sakura and Sasuke together within 1 week.

Daily Goals
Sunday: Invite both to lunch at that new first-date spot, then don't show up, forcing them into a surprise date.

Naruto smiled and put a check by Monday's daily goal. It was only a matter of time now, he had officially set things in motion. By the end of the week, Sakura would be completely out of his reach, and he could finally move on.

That's that! There are 6 total chapters for this story - stay tuned!

Please do review! -ND