The Pinwheel

It was the biggest festival of the year in Japan, the New Year's Celebration. Weeks of planning and setting up went into this one night ceremony, where everyone would gather atop the fields behind the Great Stone Faces and watch the grand fireworks unleashed into the heavens.

Day broke into the final 24 hours of the year. The village was high in anticipation of everything that the New Year stood for, a new start, a new beginning. Or rekindling old legends. Either way you looked at it, it was a night meant for love. Couples would stand holding hands with their beloved until the final moment, where one would lock lips with their one and only, with the only thought in their mind that everything would go as perfect as ever for one more year.

This was the day Naruto received a note. It wasn't just ANY note, it was 'the note'. The one that practically screamed 'I want you so bad.' Naruto had stumbled upon the note as he made his rounds to the Ichiraku Ramen, well not really stumbled. Someone had brushed up against him near the stall, placing the note in his pocket while he dined on the ramen, completely unbeknownst to him that it was there in the first place. He had finished his ramen, and searched in his pockets for his yen when he felt the unfamiliar paper sting his finger. He pulled it out and noticed the fine printing on the front, written with ease with a fine tip pen. He felt his fingers over the printing. 'Naruto' it said…'Open as soon as you can'. He had opened the letter fairly slowly, almost killing himself inside to take so long. But he didn't want to rip the carefully folded note. The vanilla colored paper opened and revealed a amateurly drawn heart with the text 'I've waited 3 years to tell you, and now I'm ready. I'll see you at the festival tonight.'. Naruto looked at the note with interest and carefully folded and placed it back into his black jacket's pocket. Adjusting his jacket, he left the pay for the ramen and continued his way down the streets, running errands for his apartment or for others who needed help. The note plagued his thoughts the entire day.

Running that package down to the supermarket…the note.

Delivering the medical books to Tsunade….the note.

Helping the old man find his dog…the note.

Naruto lay on his bed later that afternoon, his mind racing. His black headband lie next to his head, untied from him to keep from marking his forehead from constant wear. His feet dangled over his bed and he stared up at the ceiling, and then to the clock.

'3 hours until the festival…' He sighed. He was nervous, but eager to meet this person. He hoped dearly it wasn't Hinata, after all, wasn't she with Shino or something? Sakura?...Hmm…it seemed possible, no wait. She was still infatuated with Sasuke he thought. He sat up with a jump. SASUKE!

"That Sasuke, he's probably playing a trick on me. The jerk…" Naruto grit his teeth lay back on his bed, dozing off with his thoughts for the next 3 hours.

The alarm clock screamed and Naruto jumped up, tripping out of the bed and onto his face.

"Craaaappp! The festival's starting!" He leapt up and tied his headband back around his forehead. Grabbing the door behind him he raced down the steps and towards the stairs leading up to the Great Stone Faces.

"11:00." He glanced at a clock near the staircase. He yawned and ran up the stairs and into a clearing.

The field was spacious sure, but there were also thousands of people. He looked around for ninja signatures. Chakra, of any kind. He sensed something and ran towards the direction. A taller ninja with a leather jacket and giant dog sniffed the air and turned towards him.

"Ho-ho! Naruto you came! Thought you were gonna just sleep in like last year! Hahahaha!" Kiba smirked and gently punched Naruto's shoulder. "So hey, I think most of the other rookie 9 are here. Think Neji, Lee and Tenten are somewhere too. Lee and Tenten are probably alone with eachother. Again. Neji's probably stalking someone. So yeah, nice seein ya here. My advice, don't drink more than you need to. Heh, I was so hungover last year it's not even funny!" Kiba turned away and Akamaru went back to sniffing random people.

"Uh, okay. Thanks Kiba." Naruto nodded and walked around a bit longer. Talking with Ino (who was with Shikamaru at the time, so Naruto didn't stay long enough to give the impression he was hitting on Ino), Hinata, even Sakura and not getting a peep about the letter.

At one point, Naruto went to stand under a Cherry Blossom tree and kind of nod off standing up against it. What seemed like hours was only about 30 minutes, Naruto awoke to someone prodding him.

"Naruto…I'm glad you came…" The raven stood before Naruto, his head down.

"S-sasuke? But I thought it was just a prank? YOU wrote the letter?" Naruto stood facing him in bewilderment.

"Yeah, it was me. But it wasn't a prank. I really need to tell you something." Sasuke reached out. The countdown to New Years began.

5!

4!

3!

"I.."

2!

"I LOVE YOU!"

1!

With that final number, Sasuke locked lips with his beloved all at once. Naruto seemed surprised at first, but quickly regave the favor, closing his eyes and holding Sasuke close to him as his eyes filled with tears.

"I love you too, Sasuke…"