a/n: I got this prompt from Tumblr when someone asked what if Sakura had actually thought Sasuke's proposal was just a genjutsu. I also got inspired by that scene in Boruto 17 when Sakura was watching the sunset and wondering about the wandering Sasuke (yayy for puns).

Just genjutsu

"What? Did you just say you're canceling our date?"

Sakura didn't know how else to break it to her, but she just wished her best friend knew how to not overreact sometimes. But well, Ino would never be Ino without her theatrics.

She took a deep breath before starting what would surely be a lengthy explanation on her part.

"Ino, I did not – "

"I barely see you these days! Morning, evening, it doesn't matter. You're always at the hospital or – "

"I promise I'll – "

"with your Sasuke-kun!"

"Hey!"

Sakura gaped for a moment, not knowing where that remark came from. She didn't want to elaborate on this, but she needed to inject some normal amount of logic into her best friend sometimes.

"Ok. I've only seen him once ever since his return!"

"See?! You didn't even tell me about that!"

"Mou, I just did!"

"Tell me more then!"

Sakura could only sigh, knowing there was no way Ino would ever gonna live this story down and would even probably read something else into it.

"We just ate somewhere a few weeks ago, okay? But that's it."

"A date?"

"It's not really as big as what you make it out to be, Pig. I just asked him out of the blue after we had ramen with Naru – "

"And he said yes! So, it's a date then, Forehead!"

Sakura could practically see freshly unearthed and glittering sapphires in place of her best friend's eyes, and she didn't have the heart to take their luster away.

"He did not, actually. He just looked at me and . . . walked away."

"But you still went to the place anyway and he still showed up, right? Right?"

Sakura decided she was fighting a losing battle, so she settled with a vague nod.

"Hmm."

"Great!" Ino exclaimed, clasping her hands before peering into Sakura's eyes again, suspicious. "So why are you trying to cancel now? I thought you got a day off?"

Sakura bit her lip, not knowing how to issue the reason without Ino exploding into another fit of unnecessary daydreaming.

"Well, actually I'm going to meet Sasuke."

It took seconds before Ino reacted.

"Wow, Sak!" she said in astonishment, her eyes dilating as ever. "You sure have the guts! Twice in a row!"

"No, no. He . . . asked me," she clarified as she felt her face getting hot. She wasn't sure why she was furiously blushing when she knew it couldn't mean something. But maybe it was because she was sharing this piece of news as if it were really something when it wasn't.

Ino squealed before grabbing her hands and pulling her into a tight hug.

"This is it, Sak! After 12 long years, your love's finally blossoming."

The blonde patted her back for effect, but Sakura had to pull away because she'd like to be more realistic about this.

"No. Maybe it's not that . . ."

She would've left it at that, but Ino's brows were demanding her to continue.

"He might be leaving again. Maybe he just wants to say goodbye."

And she couldn't help the trace of despair in her tone.

"Hey! Cheer up, will you? He always comes back anyway, right?"

And as she received a stronger pat on the back, she raised her hand to touch her forehead, smiling at the memory of a warmth she'd always treasure.

Ino then pulled her up before shoving her forward. "Go on now. I forgive you. You wouldn't want him waiting, would you?"

"Hai!"

She then sprinted towards the same place where they had their so-called 'date' few weeks ago. As expected, he wasn't there yet when she arrived. She sat on the bench and watched the same sunset they had watched before.

She looked to her side, imagining his profile as the roseate rays warmed his features. She remembered how he wouldn't look at her that time, just staring stubbornly ahead and not even commenting whether he liked the food she had prepared. But it was actually a great chance for her to look at him from such a close distance until he did decide to turn his head and like a deer caught in the headlights, she had to snap her head the other way.

He then continued to eat the rice balls and tomato soup in silence until she herself happily decided they had shared the time enough and they should be heading back. She thanked him for agreeing to her rather ridiculous idea, to which he said nothing, so they spent the rest of the time walking side by side – but not without her giving him sideway glances – until they parted ways. They hadn't seen each other since then because of their busy schedules until he showed up at her office just this morning, asking her to meet him at the same place, and he was already gone before she could take her next breath.

Then with a sad but accepting smile, she admitted to herself that this had yet to be another goodbye.

When she heard the rustling of leaves, she faced the cause with a glowing smile.

"Sasuke-kun!"

To her surprise, he was panting.

"Have you been waiting for long?"

Confused at the question, she just shook her head slowly, humming her response.

He finally settled beside her, and when he didn't look at her to explain like what she expected, she also faced forward, pondering.

"So . . ." she began hesitantly, "What did you want to talk about?"

When he didn't respond, she heaved out a sigh and stretched her arms up before expelling another breath of resigned acceptance.

"So, when do you leave, Sasuke-kun?"

She mustered every ounce of strength she could to conjure up a cheery smile.

When she looked at him though, he looked positively baffled.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" she encouraged with a smile. "That's why you called me out here."

"You're . . ." he started before letting out a sigh, "annoying. Don't assume things on your own."

The severity of his tone appalled her, so she was quick to give her apologies.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't me– "

"It's not your fault. I didn't tell you anything," he said with a softened expression this time which calmed her.

She tried to laugh casually.

"Yup. I thought of the reason why you'd ask me because this can't be like a . . . date so I thought – "

"It is."

She had to look away immediately because Sasuke looking at her and saying something so unreal was too much to bear.

When she hesitantly began to face him again, he just stared back before continuing.

"I'm not leaving. Not yet. I want to stay. . .with you."

She opened her mouth then closed it again and tilted her head to one side, unsure of what to make of his statement.

"I – we'd also like you to stay with us," she affirmed warmly.

"No. That's different."

It was a mere whisper, but she was able to catch it despite not getting it. She then decided to distract the both of them.

"Oh, look! The sun's already gone down! Ahh . . . but even so, it's beautiful . . ."

"Sakura, are you . . . are you still waiting?"

She was met again by his intense gaze, and her addled brain wasn't just registering anything. They must've stared at each other for a while before it slowly dawned on her, what he was trying to say.

"If you – "

She smiled then laughed.

"Sometimes, you're more of an idiot than Naruto," she pointed out amicably and laughed some more at the suddenly cross expression on his face.

Then she continued. "How could I not, Sasuke-kun, when there has been no one else?" she smiled fondly. "I've always . . ."

"Then, marry me, Sakura."

Her eyes grew wide as she took in his words and at the same time wondered how he, on the other hand, could maintain such an unperturbed expression after saying such an unimaginable thing!

Then with realization, she hastily shut her eyes tightly, clenching her fists as she waited for that moment of paralysis to sting her. This can't be real. But after a mere few seconds, she heard him speak.

"What are you doing?"

She slapped her cheeks repeatedly. "No, no, no, you're not real. This is not real. This is just genjutsu! Yes, I must – "

She then felt a tap on her forehead which made her open her eyes only to see him so close, closing the distance between them until she felt that light brush against her lips.

"None of this is genjutsu, Sakura. I won't ever put you through that again," he said, turning away.

But she saw him clenching his fists and thought that maybe he was still beating himself up over that after all these years.

So despite her face reddening by the minute, she reached for his hand, giving it a tentative touch.

"Please don't worry about that anymore, Sasuke-kun. You had to do that for me, didn't you?"

Sasuke then put a hand on his face and sighed. "I was late because I was asking the Dobe how to do it properly, but he ended up telling Kakashi and others, and I just had to do it my way. But seeing your reaction now . . . I should've just waited for their suggestions."

Sakura gulped, taking her hand back. She still couldn't understand why Sasuke would make such a proposition to her when up until a while ago, they were just friends, teammates. The most possible reason then would have something to do with rebuilding the clan, and while she was ready to help him as his friend, she was also worried about her qualifications.

"Are you sure though? Maybe there are other women fit to bear the Uchiha crest and – "

"If you're thinking that I want to marry you for my clan, then you're right. But don't think that it's the only reason. This crest has been tainted with blood and years of shameful memories, and if I could, I wouldn't want you to have to bear it. But I want you as my wife, Sakura. There's no one else I'd like to start a new life with. So please, marry me."

By the end of his speech, she was already crying, helplessly wiping at her tears with her hands and arms.

"You . . . idiot. Of course, I will. I've always . . . wanted, have always . . . dreamt of this."

She laughed in tears when she finished her response despite the hiccups in between. Sasuke just smirked at her as he took her hand, placing it against his cheek. She started caressing it, reveling in the reality of this moment at twilit.

"Thank you," he said softly, giving her his rarest smile as he moved closer and brushed a kiss against her forehead.

And she felt a different kind of warmth, that everlasting warmth of a promise.

…

Fin.

(Okay so, I've also written a fic about their honeymoon ("To hold you more than hold") and now this proposal; I wonder whether I can write something about their 'baby talk' as well. But I need prompts. Please drop me a review and make me believe that your presence isn't just a genjutsu? :) I'd also like to hear how you think Sasuke proposed to her or whether there was even a proposal lol.)