Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and Proposal Daisakusen
Operation: Proposal- Chapter 2
Sasuke took in a deep breath and said,
"Hallejulah. Chance."
Blinding white lights flashed in front of Sasuke. Then, Sasuke fell into darkness.
"GO!!!"
A pair of firm hands gripped tightly at Sasuke's shirt.
"Come on!! My grandma can hit better than you! Geez… Teme, they are pathetic aren't they,"
'What is going on?'
'Where am I?'
'What is that ruckus all about?'
Sasuke opened his eyes and saw Naruto being hyperactive and screaming at those baseball players … Wait a minute…
BASEBALL PLAYERS?!
Weren't he supposed to be at Sakura's wedding?
"Hey! Hey! Teme!! I bet I'm the star player of the game. The audience will be swept away by my powerful batting ……."
"I get it. Dobe. Stop joking around."
"…the opponents will be terrified of me… No, I'm not joking around. I'm just that good,"
'This is what you get from talking to a dobe'
Sasuke sighed and saw Shikamaru leaning against a wall, watching the game.
"Oi, Shikamaru. Weren't we at the wedding just a minute ago?"
"What are you talking about? Who's wedding?"
"I'm drunk. Am I?"
"What's wrong with you Sasuke? You can't afford a can of beer, how on earth did you get drunk?"
'No not Shikamaru too…'
He noticed the white cotton shirt and pants on Shikamaru, with a Konoha symbol on the shirt's right breast pocket. He noticed that he was wearing the same too.
'!!!'
'That means … Sakura!!!'
He scanned the massive stadium for the pink-haired girl. Bingo! He saw her beside an enthusiastic blonde in their high school uniforms.
STRIKE
Konoha High batter was sent out of the game.
"Ne, Forehead, Look!! Isn't our opponent pitcher a looker?"
"Ino-pig! You are not supposed to support our opponent!!! I can't believe you."
Sakura sighed in defeat. It seems that her blonde friend can't resist the charms of dashing males, even when they are her enemies.
"NARA! YOU'RE UP!"
Coach Ibiki hollered.
"This is so troublesome. Let's get this over as soon as possible."
"Shikamaru. Be like Ina Bauer." Sasuke advised Shikamaru.
"Inabana? What's that?"
"You know Arakawa Shizuka's signature move?? Use it!!"
"Who is Arakawa Shizuka?"
"You should know Arakawa Shizuka. She won the ice-skating at the winter Olympics in 2006…"
'Of course… Shikamaru didn't know who Arakawa Shizuka is. Because right now is the year 2001'
"Shikamaru. You'll know her in 5 years time. Just relax and bat."
"NARA! GET YOUR BUTT MOVIN' AND STOP YAPPIN!"
"Troublesome."
Shikamaru went onto the field, preparing to strike the incoming ball.
"Hey! It's Shikamaru's turn now. GO SHIKAMARU!! SHOW THEM WHAT YOU ARE MADE OF!"
Sakura cheered for Shikamaru while Ino was still ogling at the opponent pitcher.
Sakura nudged Ino.
"Ouch!"
"Come on. Support Shikamaru. He is our friend."
"Fine. GO SHIKAMARU! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!"
STRIKE ONE
STRIKE TWO
STRIKE THREE
"YOU'RE OUT!"
"Thank god. This is over. I can go back to cloud-gazing again."
Shikamaru nonchalantly walked back to the bench where Naruto and the other players are.
"THIS IS HOPELESS! UCHIHA! YOU'RE UP NEXT!"
Coach Ibiki glared at Sasuke while he walked to the field.
'That's right. This is what happens exactly 5 years ago. I'm the second last batter of the game before we lost to Iwase High.'
Sasuke glanced around the stadium again and eyed at Sakura. Sakura was also staring at him. Both of them locked their eyes at each other.
"Teme! Let me be the next batter. Give me a chance to show my true powers!"
Naruto broke the eye contact between the two.
"SASUKE-KUN RELAX!" Sakura cheered.
"UCHIHA! STOP WASTIN TIME & GO!"
BLONK.
As Coach Ibiki threw a baseball at Sasuke's head for dazing at a spot for a long time. Apparently, he seemed frustrated.
'That bald headed guy… is still pain in the ass as ever.'
Sasuke drew a deep breathe as he prepare to strike.
STRIKE ONE
STRIKE TWO
'If I remember correctly, I managed to hit the ball on the third strike. The opponent will pitch a slow ball just like 5 years ago.'
Everything happens in slow motion. As Sasuke's bat hit the baseball forcefully, sending the ball flying through a distance.
'I'm a genius.'
As Sasuke ran to the first base and later the second base.
'5 years ago, we lost because dobe was unable to strike any of the balls. I'm not taking any chances this time.'
Instead of stopping at the third base, just like 5 years ago, Sasuke continuing running towards the home plate.
"No way. He is not stopping at the third base?! He might not be able to make it."
Shikamaru said.
"Teme!! What are you doing? Are you crazy?" Naruto screamed.
"Sasuke-kun. Please make it." Sakura gripped an amulet in her hand tightly and prayed.
Sasuke ran as fast as he can towards the home plate.
'I have never run that much in my life before. First, it was Sakura's wedding. Now, it was this baseball game. I have to score a homerun.'
Everything happens so fast then. The opponent pitcher managed to catch the baseball before Sasuke touches the home base.
OUT!
"Today's match, Iwase High School wins the game with a score 1 to 0 against Konoha High School."
'Shit. I lost…… again.'
At the lockers room…
"Teme! Why didn't you stop at the third base?" Naruto pounced onto Sasuke.
"Because we would still lose even if you are the batter." Sasuke gritted those words back at the loud blonde.
"What's this? Some kind of a joke. Because this is not funny at all!"
Naruto was clenching his fist, preparing to strike Sasuke any minute now.
"Calm down, Naruto. The game has ended. No point crying over spilled milk."
Shikamaru intervened between the two guys and stopped Naruto's fist from hitting Sasuke's face.
"What's wrong with you, Sasuke? You're acting weird today."
Sasuke was so troubled and vexed over the events that had happened today.
'This is too much for a normal human being to handle. The time travel and all'
"Teme was just being a sore loser for trying to push the blame to me. Imagine such friend I have." Naruto spitted it out angrily.
"No, it's the fucking truth. It happened 5 years ago in another time space… argh…I AM FROM THE FUTURE! Damn it!!"
The whole locker room was filled with silence as everyone had just witness the calm and collected Uchiha Sasuke's outrageous outburst saying that he is from the future.
"Woah. Sorry teme! I shouldn't have shouted at you. You must be stressed and all. How about the gang and I treat you tonight to a sumptuous ramen delight? And maybe we can arrange you to see the school councilor tomorrow as fast as possible." Naruto hugged Sasuke.
"Get away from me. Dobe. I'm perfectly sane." Sasuke pushed away Naruto while Naruto insisted on giving him a hug to comfort him.
"Sasuke-kun Baka. Why didn't he stop at the third base?" Sakura was pretty upset with the outcome of the game.
"Forehead! Look at this!" Ino held up a baseball scribbled with someone's mobile number and signature.
"Look! I got the pitcher's contacts!"
"Ino-pig! Aren't you upset that we lost the game?"
"Sure, I do. But I don't intent to mourn this petty lost. Come on Forehead, the game has already ended. There's nothing much we can do about it now."
"……"
"Don't you think you should comfort Sasuke? I saw him sulking in the lockers room. Don't be too hard on him ne, Forehead,"
A glint flashed through Sakura's eyes as she heard that Sasuke didn't take the lost too well.
"Don't lie. I know that you care for him. You guys have known each other since young. It wouldn't be weird if you care about him more than just a friend," Ino winked at Sakura.
"No way. Sasuke-kun and I are just platonic friends. That's all. There is nothing going on between the both of us." Sakura defended herself.
"Oh… is that so? You know Forehead. You would be happier if you admit it." Ino teased Sakura.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Sakura walked away, trying to change subject away from the onyx-eyed male.
'Is this what I go back to the past for? No matter how many times I return, I still can't change anything.' Sasuke lied on the bench staring at the evening hue sky.
"Ah! Isn't that the last batter of Konoha High that was sent out just because he thinks he is superior and all that?" Sakura went beside Sasuke and teased him of his lost.
"……"
"How do you feel while lying on the bench, reflecting your actions? Are you tired or humiliated?" Sakura continued to probe further.
"…none of the above…" Sasuke answered.
"That's what you get from the stuck up, conceited Uchiha Sasuke." Sakura stopped probing Sasuke and went to untie the banner which says: GO KONOHA! TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP!
Sasuke saw Sakura had some difficulty in untying the banner and went to help her.
"You know… Today will be my last day of being Konoha's baseball team manager and I was hoping so much that I could leave with better memories. I went to Kobe Shrine to buy an amulet that supposed to grant us victory today and spent a total of my 3 weeks allowance just for that. I just feel so sad for myself… Why didn't you stop at the third base? You scared me then,"
"…"
"When we were young, I bet you wouldn't take this risk. So why did you?"
"It is a promise. I promise you that we will get into the preliminary round and I did it."
Sasuke replied.
One month ago…
"Train harder for the preliminary rounds guys!" Sakura cheered at the Konoha players.
"Ne, Sasuke-kun. No slacking around. We gotta get into the finals!"
"I can't promise you that. But I can assure you that we will get into the preliminary rounds. An 'Uchiha' promise." Sasuke answered.
"Sasuke-kun baka. We still lost in the first preliminary round." Sakura pouted.
"You never bother about your birthday. I am surprised that you remember such petty promise." Sakura retorted.
"That's not the only thing I remember. I remember how you used to spill milk from your nose during elementary. How you board the wrong bus during a field trip…" Sasuke smirked.
"Hey! Stop saying that! It happened many years ago. Besides, I am smarter and more graceful now." Sakura argued.
"But when you did the homerun just now, I was so sure that you can make it…Ever since young, although you disappoint me sometimes but I still believe in you…Till today I, Haruno Sakura, Konoha Baseball manager did not regret a single moment that has happened. Thank you for your effort, Sasuke-kun." Sakura gave Sasuke a bow and smiled at him.
"Forehead! Photo-taking time!"
Ino walked onto the blossom-haired girl and onyx-eyed male.
"Oops! Am I interrupting anything here? Well, I'll be off then. Erm… Please hurry for the photo-taking. The guys are getting restless." Ino winked at Sakura and ran off.
Sasuke felt something threw against his face. He noticed Sakura sticking her tongue in a childish manner.
"Come on. I'll race you to the field!"
"Hn."
At the field…
"Hurry! Forehead." Ino shouted.
"Gomen." Sakura replied.
"So… What did you guys talk about?" Ino prompted.
"Nothing much." Sakura abruptly replied.
"Hmm… Is that so?" Ino gave a suggestive smile.
"UCHIHA! YOU"RE LATE!"
Coach Ibiki hollered and smacked Sasuke's head repeatedly.
"Ne!!! Coach! Stop smaking teme's head. He's already gone cuckoo. Don't aggravate it ."
Naruto and Shikamaru stopped Coach Ibiki from smacking Sasuke's head.
"People! Get into your position."
Sakura and Ino were standing next to each other in front of Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru and other baseball players.
"3! 2! 1! Say cheese!"
click
SMAP
Sasuke was blinded by the eye-piercing flash and fell into darkness.
"Now is a slide show of pictures made by the bride's close friends, Yamanaka Ino and Nara Shikamaru. Please enjoy!" announced the emcee.
Sasuke opened his eyes and found himself back at the wedding reception once again. He glanced around and saw Sakura was still sitting beside Neji in her wedding gown.
'Nothing has changed at all'
"Dobe. Did you saw a strange weird old man with white long mane?" Sasuke asked Naruto who was snacking away his finger food.
"Nope. Shut up and watch the slide." Naruto answered.
Sasuke turned and saw the photo that he had just taken minutes ago.
"!!!"
On the photo, Sakura and Ino were smiling cheerily in the foreground.
'The picture… It did change'
"Teme… You screwed up the game by attempting a pathetic homerun." Naruto remarked.
"It doesn't make any difference even if he did stop. You will still cause the whole team to lose with your terrible batting skills." Shikamaru retorted.
"Yup. I agree." Ino added.
"Guys! You are breaking my fragile heart." Naruto pretended to cry.
The lights in the reception were dimmed again and there is an utter silence. The guests stopped moving.
"My boy. I praise your effort for making that lass of yours smile. However, in order to win her heart, making her smile is not enough. You have to do something drastic to impress her and stop the wedding. Is that your best shot?"
Jiraiya appeared from no where and stood beside Sasuke.
'He appeared.'
"I didn't realize that this was real."
"Stop finding excuses. Geez… you humans are always fond of finding excuses."
Jiraiya walked away from Sasuke and was leaving the reception.
"Please. Give me another chance." Sasuke pleaded.
"I'm sorry, kiddo. I can only allow you to alter the same picture once. That's all."
"Please."
'Wait a minute. Did he say I could only change one picture… That means the other photos…'
Everything went back to normal again. The lights went on. People are moving, chatting and drinking again.
"Hey! Look at that picture." Naruto pointed.
Sasuke stared at the new photo slide and saw Shikamaru, Ino, Naruto, himself and Sakura.
Sakura was frowning.
'What is it this time that has gotten her so mad?'
A/N: Sorry for taking that long to update this fic. I was busy with my exams and all. Thank you people for reviewing this humble fic for mine. )
Neji will be appearing in the next chapter.
Please continue to support me. Happy reading!
PS: The high school uniforms that they are wearing was taken from the Naruto Shippuuden ending 2. (Michi to you all by Aluto) Love the ending much!
PSS: Ina Bauer is a figure skater. When Sasuke advised Shikamaru to be like Ina Bauer means that he wanted Shikamaru to relax and ease his posture.