There was a quiet hush, he blurred out of her sight and reappeared behind her. "Sakura," he whispered softly in her ear. "Thank you…" She shot up from her sleep. Why did I dream of that, she thought, it has nearly been four years since he left Konoha.

Elsewhere under the same warm morning sun, a young man about her age shot up also from his sleep, whipping sweat from his handsome, mature face. What…no, who was that, he pondered as a small tug came from his heart. That girl with pink hair…who was she…where was I? Tch, I can't remember anything since I stumbled into that snake dobe's lair, it must've been the food. As his feet carried him in no particular direction towards no particular destination, his head, barely supported by his neck, still thinking of that girl he saw in his dreams that have haunted him for almost four years. The warm spring air blew at his raven hair as he slowly drifted through a grassy opening. He hasn't eaten in two days already. Smirking at his 'achievement', he drifted on. He saw big red gates at a distance and started walking faster, but his body was reluctant and those big red gates are the last things he saw before darkness took over as he fell unconscious.

--

"I'm not going to give up yet, even if it has been three years and he might've become a container for that snake with the tongue problems," babbled the energetic blond boy throwing his fists in the air, "I will go beat sense back to his head and beat that snake out of him…"

His pink haired teammate stood next to him stared at him wondering is she should be glad that he is still trying or to tell him to be quiet and accept a different D-rank mission instead from the Tsunade.

"Naruto…" she started, unsure what to say next.

"Ne Sakura, I know you still want him back! After all, he is our teammate and friend! Don't tell me you've given up already! We haven't even really started yet, haven't we?"

That just earned total silence in the room while everyone sweat dropped to his last comment. He turned after 'sensing' dangerous murderous intent from beside him and slowly backed away, eventually hiding from Kakashi who was standing behind him (who also sweat dropped).

"Naruto! Its over now! Let's just accept-" But before she can finish, the door flew open and a chunnin came running in instantly reporting.

"We found the missing-nin Uchiha Sasuke outside the gates. He is now in the hospital in desperate need of some medical attention."

"Sakura, you go an tend him in the hospital now." Tsunade calmly commanded to her apprentice.

"Hai!" came a firm reply.

--

Sakura walked into a small room and looked at the handsome boy on the bed, resting away peacefully. She examined his light wounds and conditions and started healing them. She noticed that his wounds were mostly scratches and there was really nothing that critical about his situation other than that he is starving. A nurse walked past the door and she quickly beckoned the nurse over and asked the nurse to buy a few apples for her and quickly returned to healing the boy she once loved.

Sasuke slowly opened his eyes as he felt the warm chakra pressing down gently on his skin. The first thing he saw was pink hair. Am I in that dream again? This pink hair girl…she's…she's…his head was spinning…he let out a cry of pain as his head crammed itself squeezing out any clue of her name. Sakura notice the small cry and immediately moved her hands to his head and gently focused some chakra on his forehead. He calmed down immediately and went back to his slumber while the comforting chakra edged its way around his body leaving his body feeling very comfortable indeed. By the time Sakura was finished, he was fast asleep.

Sakura went to check if the nurse has bought the apples yet and as she walked out the room, he quietly muttered in his sleep "Sakura…"

--

"We don't' know what to do with him yet. We have received news that he has indeed killed Orochimaru, the S-ranked missing-nin."

"He is to be monitored closely until who knows when."

Tsunade and an Anbu captain discussed quietly. There was a knock on the door and Sakura stepped in giving a brief report on her patient, Uchiha Sasuke.

"Ah, just good. Sakura can watch over the Uchiha for the time being whilst taking care of him." Tsunade decided.

"H…Hai." Sakura responded and was gone in a puff of smoke, returning to the hospital to watch over the Uchiha.

--

She pulled a chair close to the bed and started cutting the apples into small pieces, not knowing that she was being watched by those onyx eyes from the bed. He sat up, looking at her curiously. Memories were rushing back to his head, yet he still can't recall her name. It's like a big puzzle with missing pieces here and there. He let out a small groan as his attempt to remember failed again. Sakura looked up, shocked at first, then she calmly handed him a small piece of apple. His hand slowly reached out and dropped halfway as if his body was so tired and worn that he could not even lift a finger. Surprisingly the pink haired girl moved her hand closer to his face and stopped right before his face with a piece of apple in her hand.

"Don't…" he began, and realised he could not continue because his mouth was stuffed with a piece of apple. He chewed on it, savouring its juiciness and flavour and then swallowed. Before Sakura's hand can reach to the plate to feed him another one, his hand shot there and grabbed a few more pieces and ate like he never ate before. Sakura sweat dropped. This is so not the way Uchihas eat…especially when it comes to Sasuke-kun. Sasuke noticed the blank anime face (a/n: you know, the blank eye with the blank face that goes with the sweat dropping look) and raised a brow. This girl…she must be her…but what is her name!

"Um…what is your name?" he started coolly.

"I knew you'd probably forgotten about me already, Sasuke-kun" she sighed as she fumbled around and pulled up a photograph.

"That's you there, that's Naruto, that's Kakashi-sensei, and that's me, Sakura." She explained as she pointed.

His heart nearly stopped a beat when he heard that name. It felt like a hammer hitting on a crack in the ice, cracking it, sending pieces flying all over the place. He remembered. So she is Sakura. Feh, I wish I never asked. She is still annoying. Why did I even wander back? He nearly choked as Sakura lunged forward and hugged him tightly.

"Sa…Sa…Saku…Sakura…" he stammered trying to say her name. It was indeed a beautiful name, not to mention it suited her. The pink hair, the delicate, elegant and beautiful features she has. How could he have forgotten her name! Then he felt something wet on his shoulder. He turned slightly and saw her crying. Then he remembered something painful.

Flashback

"If you leave, I'll…I'll scream." Cried Sakura

Fwoosh…

"Sakura…thank you…"

"Sasuke…-kun…"

End of flashback

He hung his head, letting his hair block his view. He remembered that night, that very night when he was leaving with every determination to gain power from Orochimaru to kill his brother Itachi. But what is this new feeling that tugged on his heart like a small regret. If he hasn't remembered wrongly, this little tug has always been there when he saw her cry. What am I regretting…maybe I didn't bring back good news for her? No way, she wasn't expecting-…No…she was waiting for me all along…I…I…He couldn't help to bring himself to even say this in his mind. Over the years of being in the team together, he has repeatedly thrown her aside as an annoying fan girl, but that night he felt something different. He realised that she has always been there for him like a caring friend, always taking care of how he feels, how he is basically. She was not a fan girl, but a friend he has always yearned to have.

"Sakura…" he looked up and met her gaze when she finally released him from the tight embrace, "I'm sorry…"

Though he didn't know why he apologised, but it felt much better after he did so, knowing that she cared for him a lot.

"Sasuke-kun…" came a slow response as she sobbed in his arms.

-- A few months later --

"Ohayo Sasuke-kun!"

"Hn."

It was just like before, the famous cold and emotionless response from the Uchiha, but Sakura didn't mind at all, at least he wasn't ignoring her.

"OHAYO SAKURA-CHAN!!! OHAYO SASUKE-TEME!" a loud call came from far away, belonging to Konoha's number one ninja of surprises. That was no surprise to the two at all, who just stood there sweat dropping as the blond boy approached.

"Ne Naruto, you are still as loud as before." Sakura commented playfully with a slight blush.

Sasuke was a bit 'shocked'. Nonsense! Since when do I, Uchiha Sasuke, get shocked?! (a/n: sweat drop…) like I really care if she blushes at that dobe anyway! I only got so nice to her during the hospital period because…well…because she was treating me! Tch.

"Mou, Sasuke-kun, you look a bit red today…" commented Sakura as she moved onto another topic. "Ai, Kakashi-sensei is late again…" sulked Sakura.

"Talking about me?" a white haired man with a mask and forehead protector covered face leaving only one visible eye appeared within nowhere, maybe with a quiet poof. His visible eye curved up happily (a/n: you know…when Kakashi does that face when he smiles…), smiling under his mask.

"You're late!" Naruto and Sakura pointed at him, chanting in unison.

"Gomen gomen…I was coming and I saw a black cat…" Kakashi started calmly.

"LIAR!" chanted Naruto and Sakura even louder than before.

"Tch." A little amused syllable of word leaked out Sasuke's mouth.

"Anyway, we're going to settle a few bandit issues in the Wave Country. So go pack and meet at the gate in half an hour. Ja." He quickly finished off before disappearing in the same manner as he appeared.

-- Half an hour later –

The three met up at the gates and was surprised to see Kakashi at the same spot as he disappeared, early this time and just standing there with his nose stuck in his little orange book.

"Hey hey Kakashi-sensei…" whispered Naruto slyly beside his former sensei, though he hasn't gotten into the habit of just calling him Kakashi. "what is actually in that book, lend me to see for a moment…maybe it has tips on how to get Sakura to fall in love with me…" Kakashi barely paid attention as he finished the last page of the book and closed the book with a 'romantic' sigh and muttering how perfect it was, leaving Sakura and Sasuke sweat dropping behind him. "Ok, lets go." He said all of a sudden and everyone leaped.

Night has nearly arrived and they have set up a small campfire and two tents, while some food was slowly cooking over the fire, Naruto was having a hard time arguing with everyone who should share a tent with who since there were only two tents and four of them.

"I will share with Sakura of course!"

"No way! I'd rather share it with Kakashi-sensei. Even though he reads all those perverted books, at least he is guaranteed not to do anything perverted!" exclaimed Sakura and landing one of her powerful punches on Naruto's head.

"Tch. Dobe." Sasuke commented on the two.

I am really losing some serious face here, thought Kakashi as he listen half heartedly to Naruto and Sakura. "Alright, why don't Naruto share a tent with me and Sasuke you go with Sakura." Kakashi quickly decided "since he is supposedly least 'perverted' here…" he added under his breath.

"What did you say sensei?"

"O, nothing nothing…" he quickly waved off his last comment. Phew, that was close…she must've inherited some of Tsunade's temper.

Later on that night Kakashi excused himself and disappeared into his tent as the three noticed him taking out his orange book from his pouch. Naruto quickly followed remembering what he was after the whole afternoon – contents of the orange book – leaving Sakura and Sasuke alone by the fire. Naruto's head popped out the tent ten minutes later. "Hey Sakura-chan…do you want to go eat ramen with me when we go back? I hear there's a new ramen on the menu when we go back, lets go try it when we go back." Followed by a few quiet and evil "hehehe". She won't say no to this one! Sasuke glared at him. Dobe, using ramen as an excuse to ask her out! This is degrading for me if she says yes and hasn't even asked me out!

"Um…Su-" before Sakura can even finish her sentence, Sasuke snapped in.

"Hey Sakura, will you go with me to the hospital check-up when we get back? Tsunade says I need to go to the check-ups." Ha, beat that dobe. She will definitely say yes to this!

"Hey hey, Sasuke-teme. Are you trying to ask her out? I'm just asking her to check out new ramen with me, not on a date!" Sakura, hearing this, blushed deeply.

"Shut up dobe, I'm just asking Sakura to go to a check-up with me since she is the one who has been treating me." Sasuke retorted, holding back the urge to even blush, not noticing Sakura heading towards the tent and settling in to sleep.

"Kukuku…" Naruto let out a small evil snicker and mouthed out "Gotcha", before pointing behind Sasuke, who instantly turned around and saw Sakura heading towards the tent redder than a tomato. She turned around and smiled awkwardly "Um…Sasuke-kun, I can do a quick check-up with you here if you want…"

A quick check-up here? Is she mocking me? No way, she would never side with that dobe and when did she even pay no attention to even have me asking her accompany me somewhere…she's acting strange…

Sasuke nodded and headed towards their tent, where Sakura has set out all her equipment already. "Um…Sasuke-kun…do you mind taking off…your…shirt…while I do a check-up…" Sakura said with a deep blush. He followed her instructions and slid his shirt off, revealing the smooth and muscular body of his. Sakura blushed again and turned around quickly.

"Sakura, are you afraid?" whispered Sasuke huskily, making her blush even more.

"No…I…just…"

"You just…"

"I…just…never mind…"

"You just never saw a boy without his shirt." Sasuke whispered with a tint of playful mocked, which earned him a quick slap across his chest from Sakura.

"Mou, you're even more perverted than Jiraiya…" sulked Sakura
"Wow! He is so hot without his shirt! More!!!" screamed Inner Sakura.

To this, Sasuke looked at her innocently. Her emerald jade eyes met his onyx eyes and they both blushed. I feel weird today, especially towards her. Don't tell me I'm actually falling for her! Too late. His hands pulled her close to his body. He felt her body against his. He felt his heart beating faster than normal.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, your heart rate is very fast isn't it." She teasted.

"Hn." He retorted defiantly, waiting for a response that never came. He looked down and realised she fell asleep. He watched her sleeping for a while and eventually sleep took over.

A few hours later, he woke up with burning pain on his back. He bit back the urge to scream out loud but his sudden tightening in grip has woken up Sakura who spent that few hours napping in his arms. She looked out and instantly her medic instincts took over.

"Sasuke-kun, hold on. I will try to remove the seal, it's bothering you is it?"

"Mn." As he try to suppress the pain.

Sakura reached into her back and pulled out a pair of gloves made of heavy thick material. She placed him into a sitting position and knelt behind him gathering chakra in her hands. The chakra was soothing and it swirled and licked at the seal. Sakura bit her lip; it was not easy removing a seal. It was her first time and it was also very chakra consuming. It wasn't comfortable for Sasuke either. It felt like something peeling off his skin and digging around on his flesh. After an hour of battling with the seal's persistence, the seal was finally withdrew and transferred onto a scroll. Sasuke felt much more at ease and leaned back. Sakura on the other hand, reached her limit and collapsed. Sasuke quickly grabbed hold of her, just as Kakashi and Naruto decide to open up the tent.

"WHAT! That teme's even more perverted than ero-sannin!"

"Heh. I'll share a tent with Sakura next time then…" Kakashi snickered.

"Wait wait. This isn't what you think it was." Sasuke stated.

"Of course it isn't. We heard strange moaning noises. Beating me to a date? That's a bit too fast don't you think so, Sasuke-teme?" Naruto chanted in front of him, while Sakura slept unusually peacefully still in Sasuke's strong arms.

-- Later on during the day –

Sakura is still sleeping and Sasuke has no choice but carry her on his back. Hopping from branch to branch he began to think back what happened. Sakura put her life on the line just to remove the seal from him. She really has improved with that skill. He quietly thanked her. Note to self, really ask her out and thank her when we get back. Kakashi creeped up by his side and whispered "so what did you guys really do?" followed by a chuckle. "Nothing. She removed the seal from me with all the chakra she has…and…" Sasuke snapped while Kakashi, surprised with how much his student has improved, nodded.

The reached the place where bandits prove to be an issue. Sasuke was left to watch over Sakura while the two go and sort the issue out. Afterall, who knows what can happen to an innocent girl sleeping under a tree. Sasuke scowled when he was ordered to stay, but deep down, he was glad. He could sit and watch Sakura sleep in his arm, studying every feature on her. She has grown much more beautiful far as he noticed. Sakura was slowly waking up. When she finally did, she saw a pair of caring onyx eyes studying her. She blushed. "Sasuke-kun?" she said softly. Sasuke shook himself back to reality. He saw those beautiful green eyes looking up at him and slowly lowered himself, aligning himself closely in front of her. She blushed even harder than before. "Oh yeah! He's less than an inch away from me!" shouted Inner Sakura. "Kiss her kiss her!" urged Inner Sasuke.

"Hey hey…what…are….you guys…doing?" an usually quiet Naruto flatly pointed out with his matching blank face with sweat dropping.

"Nothing nothing…" they both chanted in unison, waving their hands in front of them in a girlish manner.

"Why are you here Naruto?" Sasuke questioned.

"Oh me? Making sure you don't do anything perverted to Sakura-chan." said Naruto proudly.

"Hn. You left Kakashi-sensei fighting with a bunch of bandits on his own while you came just to see if Sakura is awake so you can ask her out again."

"No no. We finished that a long time ago. Kakashi's sitting there reading his book again." Naruto pointed in a vague direction where a bit of white hair is visible. The three got on their feet.

"Sakura, let me carry you. You are still tired from last night." Sasuke offered in a soft manner, while Naruto eyed at him mouthing at him "don't you dare."

Sakura was more than happy to be carried by Sasuke so she accepted the offer, to Naruto's disappointment. That Sasuke-teme! I will get him for sure when we get back!

-- A day later –

The four entered the gats of Konoha and reported to the Hokage about their mission. Tsunade eyed Sakura and Sasuke suspiciously when she saw Sakura on Sasuke's back, but shrugged it off when Kakashi told her what really happened. She was proud of her talented apprentice.

"Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan. Lets go have ramen!"

"Mou, Naruto, I'm really tired…"

"Sakura-san! My beautiful flower of youth! How are you!" Lee exclaimed when he spotted the trio outside Ichiraku Ramen. "Sasuke-san, please remove your hands and body away from my beautiful flower of youth at once!" Lee added as soon as he saw Sakura on Sasuke.

"Sorry dobe, we have to go." He said in a monotone voice and hopped out of the scene quickly carrying Sakura with him. They passed a park with a few cherry blossom trees. Sasuke stopped and landed on a branch firmly placing Sakura on a branch and sitting next to her. He must've been blushing as Sakura leaned over and place her head on his shoulder and rested peacefully.

"Sasuke-kun…"

"Hm?"

"Nothing…"

Minutes of silence passed.

"Sakura…"

"Yes Sasuke-kun?"

"Hm…nothing…"

Little bursts of conversations like this broke the silence every now and then.

"Just say it already Sakura!" Inner Sakura punched the 'air'.

"Uchiha Sasuke is never shy! Just ask her about her!" Inner Sasuke bellowed.

"Sakura…" Sasuke broke the silence again, "I…well…you see…I…I'm wondering…how…you feel towards me, and thank you for removing the seal."

"Hm? Oh Sasuke-kun, it was nothing. I…I…I…" Sakura failed to answer his question, but that didn't bother Sasuke. He turns around and whispered to her "Do you still love me like you said a few years back?"

"I…"

"I love you too." With that, he planted a passionate kiss on her, keeping her in his strong embrace.

"Sasuke-kun…" she kissed him back, as the wind gently blew at the cherry blossom trees, they were surrounded peacefully by pink petals dancing around them.

"Sakura…"

Meanwhile (a/n: HA! You thought it was all over and happily after eh?) at some distance, Naruto and Lee were somewhat spying on the two.

"So romantic!" exclaimed Lee, letting a two rivers of anime tears run down his cheeks with a sunset with big wave from sea crashing into massive rock setting as background, "but I will not lose! Sakura-san is MINE!"

"Ha, you wish Fuzzybrows, I asked if she will go out with me during a mission and she was going to say yes…"

"Going to." Lee pointed out with closed eyes and finger in air like an old teacher.

"Yes, if that Sasuke-teme didn't ask her to do a 'check-up' on him…"

Lee screamed, blowing their cover. Sakura and Sasuke turned towards their direction. Sakura was blushing and Sasuke, well knowing that it's Sasuke, he was blushing too, with a smirk on his face.

"See? If you were a second slower, you'd lose to that dead last!" Inner Sasuke mocked, as Sasuke picked up Sakura bridal style and carried her home.

Both Naruto and Lee stood on the branch, both crying anime tears, crying out "Why couldn't it be me!"