Chapter 5: Flood

Pat Pat Pat

It was raining lightly as Sakura found herself gazing out the window absentmindedly. Her usual hot temper died down whenever Sasuke's presence was near, and this gloomy weather only added to her miserable questions.

Why did I have to go out of my way the other day?

Do I still have feelings for Sasuke? Why won't they disappear? Will they disappear?

Do I look like an idiot right now? Did I ever not look like an idiot?

What is he thinking?

Why can't he forget about his pride for once? Couldn't he just have said "Sorry"? Not saying those words hurts my pride.

That's it. I'll forget everything if he apologizes.

. . .

The classes passed by so quickly and Sakura found herself standing by the door. It was raining heavier than before.

Just then, Sasuke almost stumbled out of the shadows from the school hallway.

"Tch."

A slightly annoyed snort escaped him as Sasuke's eyes looked into a group of shadows huddled together in the back – the same who had just pushed him out to Sakura a second ago.

He turned to face Sakura, then at the rain as he realized neither of them had an umbrella. Sasuke debated in his head for a moment before an order passed from his mouth.

"Wait."

He quickly looked for any classmates he could borrow an umbrella from. Borrow. Sasuke didn't want to ask anyone for anything, but he couldn't just watch Sakura get soaked in the rain.

Meanwhile, Sakura let out an exhausted sigh as she felt herself mentally relieved from the heavy pressure Sasuke's presence brought between them.

Her gentle green eyes were concentrating on the falling of the rain, when a voice crept out from the side.

"Hey, Sakura-chan. Do you want to share my umbrella?"

A boy Sakura vaguely remembered from her classes last year casually asked her.

"I'm… waiting for Sasuke."

"You know yourself that no matter how much you wait for Sasuke, he will always, always, be out of your grasp."

The words stung. They were so true. They boy continued on.

"You know the game was just a cover up for him to play around with you. I take it he didn't even apologize to you about how he humiliated you years ago? Many still remember it."

"He- He did!"

Sakura stuttered, wondering why she was defending Sasuke in the first place.

"What? Uchiha Sasuke actually said the words "I'm sorry" to you?"

The pink-haired girl remained silent, her eyes averting his gaze and moving back to watch the rain.

"Ne, Sakura-chan. Forget about him. Let's share my umbrella, and we can go get something to eat."

Sakura remained unmoved, but the boy's words were… alluring.

"No one's expecting you guys to actually play through the game till the end, anyway."

The words seemed true, tempting Sakura even further. Her intent gaze on the rain was becoming rather unsteady. The boy reached out for Sakura's hand when a flash of raven swiftly appeared in front of her.

Sasuke's glare seemed threatening enough, for the boy hurried away.

The dark figure in front of her slowly turned to face her. Again, Sakura forced her eyes on the rain.

Pat Pat Pat

"Can't you tell apart an idiot when he was right in front of you?"

Pat Pat Pat

"Why didn't you push him away? Give him a punch or something –"

He paused suddenly, and followed her eyes to the rain.

'So, Sasuke knows of my temper. And the amazing strength I had grown over the past few years. He wasn't so ignorant of me, then.' Sakura thought bitterly.

"That boy… I don't think you should get close to him. He'll probably hurt you."

There was a longer pause this time.

Pat Pat Pat

"Don't… suffer."

Sakura felt herself rage as the last two words hit her.

'How could he say that? If I'm suffering right now, it's all thanks to him!'

Sasuke's gaze landed on Sakura's. She willed herself to keep on looking at the rain, but the intensity forced her to turn to his.

"Sakura. I'm sorry."

The green eyes reflecting a sad darkness widened. His words said it all. The apology she could only dream of before had said it all.

Sasuke had not meant to say hurtful words to her years ago.

Sasuke had been worried for years since then.

And Sasuke had just given a silent dismissal to the date that was supposed to follow that day.

Sakura had just realized his right hand had been holding a small umbrella. It moved up slowly without hesitation, as Sasuke handed the umbrella to her.

The pink-haired remained unmoving, dragging the silence so long, it was even painful for Sasuke who was so used to it. Unwillingly, the raven-haired opened his mouth.

"I hope you… fall in love again."

His words were decorated with awkward pauses and hesitation and uncertainty.

"…With someone, far… caring… and gentle… Someone who'd be there for you and keep you away from pain."

'Someone who's not me.'

Sasuke winced at the thought and his spoken words only left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth.

"What the… This feels like I'm getting rejected all over again."

Sakura couldn't bring herself to catch Sasuke's eyes as the words left with a pained smile.

Sasuke opened his mouth to protest he didn't mean to sound that way, but Sakura caught first.

"Sasuke… I'm sorry too."

Her voice was firm.

Yes. She was sorry for shouting the words she had not meant years ago.

She was also sorry for catching a glimpse of Sasuke's loneliness and feelings he had been trying so hard to hide.

'He wants me to be free from any pain he's caused. He thinks… he'll only give me pain and sorrow – and nothing else.'

Her thoughts poured down like the rain, as the realization struck.

'I'm sorry, Sasuke. Although I've said I'll forget once you apologize, I think I'll have to endure just a little longer to hear about your feelings… for me.'

Sakura's hands made way for the hand that held the umbrella.

'Yes, Sasuke. I can tell an idiot when he's standing right in front of me.'

The warm hand skipped the umbrella and felt for the cold, pale hands instead. It touched lightly, and with a smile, Sakura stepped into the pouring rain.

Her smile was a mixture of sadness, bitterness, warmth, pain, and happiness…

"The rain…"

Sasuke started, and finished clumsily.

"You'll get soaked. Sakura –"

"Yeah, I'm soaked."

Sasuke felt himself take a step forward to the rain too.

Tears welled in the dark eyes, but the rain camouflaged it well.

"Sakura."

"…Sasuke. The rain isn't hurting me."

As Sakura let the words flutter away, she realized what she had been trying to let Sasuke know about.

'Sasuke, you're not hurting me. Despite all the humiliation and misery I thought I've faced, you weren't really hurting me at all.'

Sakura let out a girlish giggle as she felt her whole soak and free in the rain. How can she show him he shouldn't be scared to open up to her?

Sakura continued to smile.

'Please, open up to me.'

As if her silent wish passed onto Sasuke, his dark eyes looked up at her as it continued to reflect the rain. His mouth opened for the first time.

"Can I… Love you?"

Why was it a question?

If Sasuke was afraid to love Sakura – afraid he'd cause her pain, afraid he'd be rejected, afraid she'll look down on him – what made Sakura then? The Sakura whose heart had loved Sasuke all these years whether she wanted to or not.

Love was not by choice.

If Sasuke's only defence to his blocked feelings was oblivion, it was a lame excuse. Nevertheless, the oblivion to his own feelings he had set up unconsciously broke down and feelings flooded vastly into the pool of his heart. After all, it was only paper-thin. It only took a small trigger by his conscious to recognize the feelings of love.

A/N: What a lame ending... Well, school's starting, and I didn't think I'd be continuing this any further, so I thought I'd give an ending by the very least. Overall, this story lacked consistency... among many others. I think I get too affected by the things I read before I write. (I recently read Akaku Saku Koe and I loved it :D)