Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A/N: (after looking at the previous last update time) Oh, guys, do you deserve an explanation (and a round of drinks on me). But before I say anything, I would just like to make it clear that I am NOT DISCONTINUING THIS STORY. I WILL finish it, even if it takes five years (which I really hope it won't). You see, I've been thinking a lot about this story, and wether I liked how I wrote it or not, among many other things, so I didn't feel like anything was worth writing for this. But now, I am out of the slump (mostly by the shock of when I saw when Chapter 4 went up. 2007. That's scary) and we all have a new chapter now. (And on a side note, to keep the other idea I had and like happy, I will put up a "different" kind of version to the story on DeviantArt after I finish this whole thing.) And thank you for all your reviews, because they really brought me to write this up again.

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"You did WHAT?!" Naruto shouted.

He, Lee, Neji, and Shikamaru were all at Naruto's apartment that day after school. Shikamaru was stretched out on the slightly worn couch, Neji was leaning against a doorframe, and Lee had just taken no more than three steps into the house, Naruto not that far behind him, frustrated as he held the camcorder in front of him.

"I . . . turned her down," Lee said quietly, the whole situation making him miserable. "Please, I do not want to talk about it."

"But she was right there! You could have had her!" Naruto continued, following Lee into the kitchen. "It could have been the greatest night of your life!"

Lee couldn't take it anymore. He slammed his fist down on the nearest table, making a nearby bowl jump in the air before it made a suicide dive off of the edge, clattering to the floor. He turned around to face him, eyes blazing. "Do you think I do not know that?! I've been telling myself that since she came up to me! But she does not want me, she wants Takuto! Do you know what it is like, being so close, but also being so far away?! It is like being surrounded by glass! And it is killing me inside! But do you know what?! I would rather never go out with her than have her tricked to get what I want! She deserves so much better than that! And I promised to protect her, not hurt her, which she undoubtedly will be if she found out that it was I!"

There was an unsettling silence in the room after that, as Neji and Shikamaru looked over, and Naruto looked sheepishly away.

Lee unclenched his fist and relaxed. "I am sorry for yelling. I am just tired of it all."

"It's only been one - "

"Naruto," Neji said in a warning tone.

Lee sighed, and picked the bowl off of the floor before dropping it in the sink. "Excuse me, I have laps to do," he said, walking out the door. "And do not worry. I am wearing the sunglasses."

The resounding slam of the door as Lee walked out was the only noise in the house for a moment.

"This is all getting to be really troublesome," Shikamaru declared in a lazy drawl. "And Naruto . . . I thought you also liked Sakura."

"Well . . . I kind of found somebody else," Naruto said carefully, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, who is it?" Neji asked.

Naruto froze in place, trying not to make eye contact. "You know, heh, heh. Just a girl. Nothing for you to beat me up over."

"And pray tell, why would I beat you up?"

"Oh, no reason," he said, trying to stay cool, but failing miserably. Then in a much quieter voice he added, "Just that I like your cousin."

Neji narrowed his eyes. "Hinata?"

Naruto gulped, which only confirmed Neji's suspicions. Neji took a step forward.

"Now, now, you don't really want to beat me up," Naruto said, backing away slowly, an innocent smile plastered on his face. "After all, it would make Hinata upset, and then your future second, or maybe third cousins, I don't know it's all way too confusing, will all hate you, and - Hokay, you have a chair. I can see you're really upset now, but that's no reason to - "

"Knock it off, you're giving me a migraine," Shikamaru said before a shadow stretched out and grabbed Neji by the heels, paralyzing him.

"Let me go, Shikamaru," Neji said, trying to move.

"No."

"Your chakura's going to run out sometime."

"I am aware of that."

"Thanks, buddy!" Naruto said. "I knew you'd come through for me."

"Actually, this is all because if you get thrown into intensive care, there's no way I'm doing your share of the work."

"Good point. I'll kill him after."

"Gee, aren't you guys the greatest."

XXX

Lee ran down the street, counting off the number of laps he had accomplished. Actually, he didn't care at this point, he just wanted to clear his head. He knew that he had already finished the four hundred that he promised, but everything was still troubling him. He was so lost in his thoughts however (and with the dark sunglasses obstructing his view), he didn't notice the person coming toward him, their view blocked by a tower of bags in their arms. They collided into eachother, falling to the ground.

"I am sorry!" Lee said as he picked himself off the pavement, reaching for the bags that had dropped, and picking up the items that fell out of them. It wasn't until he handed them back over that he noticed that the person that he had bumped into was Sakura. His heart skipped a few beats before he blurted out, "Are you all right?!"

Sakura blushed. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"I will help carry your bags home if you like," he said. "To show how sorry I am that I have rammed you to the ground."

"Y-you don't have to do that," Sakura said, face red. "After all, it was an accident."

"Please, it is the least I can do!" he insisted.

"Well," Sakura said, "if you want to, I guess."

"It is an honour," he said as he lifted the bags out of her arms and started down the street.

"Wait for me!" Sakura called from behind him. "You don't know where I live!"

Oh, right, Lee thought as he stopped and waited for Sakura to catch up with him. I am Takuto.

I am Takuto.

"It's just a few blocks down this way," she said as they walked along.

"Thanks," Lee said.

"You can come in for a bit if you want," she said when they got to the house, as she pulled out her keys and unlocked the door.

"I don't want to be any trouble," he said as he followed her in and placed the bags on a nearby table.

"It's no trouble," she said, turning her head and pulling a lock of pink hair behind her ear. "Do you want a soda or something?"

Realizing that the pink-haired girl wasn't going to let him leave anytime soon, Lee decided to humour her and replied, "Yes, please. But I'm buying you one in the future."

Sakura opened the fridge as Lee fidgeted in place, drumming his fingers against his thigh. "So," she asked, "how long have you been in Konoha for?"

"A while," Lee replied, preparing to add on more laps. He took the soda from Sakura's outstretched hand. "I just started going to school here today."

"So where are you staying?"

"With Naruto," he said, considering that his actual house was right out for obvious reasons, and it was the first thing to pop into his head. "You see, I'm not staying here permanently. Only for a couple of weeks."

Sakura's face fell. "Oh."

"Please don't be sad, Sakura," Lee said. "I really can't help it."

Sakura nodded, still somewhat depressed. "So what brings you here?"

"Well, I'm actually going to move to Sunagakure, but I got held up here for a bit," Lee lied. "It's very nice here though."

Sakura nodded, looking hesitant. "Um, Takuto?" she said.

"Yes?"

"Well, I was wondering . . . . If I turned off all the lights so it was really dark, could I see your eyes?"

Lee's body jolted with sudden panic, and took a step backwards, shutting his eyes. "I am sorry, but no. They're just too sensitive."

"How sensitive? Are you blind at all?!" Sakura asked, bringing her hands to her face in shock.

"Oh, no! I am not blind!" Lee replied. "They're just really sensitive! Please, do not worry!"

At hearing this, Sakura calmed down and turned to the soda that she held in her hand. She smiled a little. "What do they put in this stuff?"

Lee looked at the side of the can and started to read the label. "Carbonated water, sugar, caramel colour, phosphoric acid, natural flavour, and caffeine," he replied seriously.

Sakura looked at him for a while before she broke out into laughter. "I'm sorry, it's just the way you said it!" she said through her giggles. "It was just so . . . so . . . . Oh, please don't be mad! I really can't help it!"

"I could never be mad at you," Lee said. "And you have a beautiful smile."

Sakura blushed again as the last of her giggles died off. "Thanks."

"I really think I should be going now," Lee said with a smile and a bow. "Thank you for your kind hospitality."

Sakura smiled and stepped forward. "You're welcome."

Lee turned away to leave, but Sakura grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him towards her, and before Lee could say anything, she quickly kissed his cheek.

He was frozen in place for a few seconds, completely paralyzed with shock and surprise, before he ran out Sakura's front door, yelling something along the lines of, "I'll see you in class tomorrow!" and continued running through the village (the resulting wind blowing things that were ten feet away over) until he finally reached Naruto's apartment, where he slammed the door and slid down it until he was sitting on the floor, dazed.

"I believe we have a problem," he declared, eyes wide.

Naruto smiled deviously, shoving the camcorder into the other boy's face. "She kissed you, didn't she?"

XXX

"That little punk!"

"You already said that, but I still think you're right!"

The voices belonged to none other than the two boys from earlier that day, now in the house of their football team's captain. It was a fine house, with said team captain being the owner after receiving it through inheritance, along with an impressive small fortune.

"Seriously, it's just one new kid," he said as he sat on the couch and spread his arms out over the back like he owned it (which he obviously did). "Get over yourselves."

"But...but he's - "

"Kohaku? Just be quiet, I've had enough. You too, Haro."

"There aren't any girls interested in us anymore," another player, Gohachiro, said.

"Sure, there are," the captain said, raven hair obstructing a side of his face as he turned it to the side. "You can't tell me that they're all after this Takuto person."

"Well, maybe some girls are still into us, but even our old die-hards are after him! You remember that Sakura chick?"

This piqued his interest. "Haruno Sakura?" he asked cooly as the inside of his chest twisted slightly.

"Pink hair? Big Forehead? Yep, her too. It's a good think you don't like her, eh, boss?"

"Nevertheless, I now understand your predicaments." He stood up and walked a few paces off before saying, "If die-hards go, the rest of them go too. And we just can't be having that, can we?"

"Exactly! So what are we going to about it?"

The raven-haired boy turned to them, cool, black eyes going right through them. "You'll see," he said. "Just leave it to me."

"R-Really?"

"Yep. Your good friend," The edge of his mouth curved up in a devious smile, "Uchiha Sasuke."

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A/N: Again, sorry it took so long to do! Really! At least I think I know for sure where I'm going with this, so it shouldn't take so long next time! I just really didn't want this to be a pointless filler chapter. Please review! (Even though I almost feel like I don't deserve it. XP)