EPILOGUE

Hey … before I go on a bitch rant.

Can you guys go back to the previous page and read the author's note at the very end of the story.

Okay here goes the ever hated bitch rant:

WTF PEOPLE!?

To those complaining on how short it is and how I could've made it longer and how the ending sucks because it's a major cliff hanger or shit…

DEAL WITH IT.

It. Is. A. FUCKING. ONE-SHOT.

And as the author, I'll end it with how I damn please. You got a problem with it? Write your own damn fanfiction.

And if you have read the author's note at the last chapter. I DID FUCKING SAY THAT I WILL WRITE A FUCKING EPILOGUE AND POST IT WHENEVER I DAMN WANT!

…. I apologize. -_-

"Ow! Can you be more gentle!?" Naruto whined as the damp cotton pressed onto his sensitive skin. His response was a bag of frozen peas slamming onto the side of his already injured face.

"SAKURA!"

His yelp of pain was cut off with the sound of her shutting the first aid kit with much unneeded force. Silently she picked up the small box and proceeded to return it to its rightful place.

Naruto pouted and rubbed his already abused cheek and stared at the girl who has yet to utter a single word the moment he showed up in front of her apartment. It was quite comical actually.

You see the hero of the story staggering in the streets as he made his way to his lady, barely making it up the stairs to his destination.

[The elevator was out]

His clothes were tattered and dirty as proof of his heroic act. He could barely stand but he braved the numerous flights of stairs, eager to show his beloved. He manage a smile as he finally reached his floor. He was so happy that he could ignore the stinging pain of his left eye as he made his way to the apartment next to his. Forcing his body to go on he was about to knock on the door when he heard a surprised gasp followed by the toppling of several items on the floor.

He looked over to the direction of the sound and saw a shell shocked pink haired girl surrounded by fallen fruits.

Naruto grinned and faced the girl, momentarily forgetting about his state of well-being. He scratched the back of his neck in a sheepish manner as he always did and greeted the girl.

"Hey Sakura-chan," He chuckled humorlessly. "I see Baa-chan gave you some fruits—"

He never got to finish his sentence when a petite hand grab him the front of his shirt and pulled him inside the apartment of a furious pink haired girl and pushed onto the sofa with great force. He barely heard the slamming of the door followed by the water running in the background as he tried to process what in the world was happening. He was about to voice his thoughts but a cold wet cloth that had been pressed gently on his cheek stopped him from doing so. His vision cleared and finally focused to the girl who was sitting in front of him cleaning the grime off his face. He tried to decipher what she was thinking but she kept a mask of indifference as she replaced the cloth on his face with a cotton ball that had been dipped with disinfectant.

And here we find our hero who had expected his damsel to welcome him home with a warm embrace and a tearful declaration of love…

Feeling sore in places that hadn't even been injured by the oh so talented healing hands of his dearly beloved blossom.

He stole a glance at the girl who had disappeared into the kitchen busying herself with chopping up what was presumably dinner. Looking over to the clock situated on the wall. It was half passed eight in the evening, a late dinner it should be, but he couldn't find himself complaining thankful enough to have something to eat before this day was done.

He stood up, albeit shakily and made his way to the kitchen.

"Sakura-chan!" He tried to make his voice the same as it normally was in hopes of easing up some tension. "What's for dinner?"

The girl remained silent as she picked up her chopping board and proceeded to dump it's finely cut contents into a boiling pot on the stove. She passed him without acknowledging his presence and proceeded to pull out some meat from the fridge and did the necessary actions for preparation of their dish this evening.

Naruto, unnerved by the silence, decided to make his self useful and headed over to the cup boards where she stored her favorite tea. Before he could even touch the handle of the cabinet, her chopping stopped and her voice cut in.

"Sit."

It was spoken in a detached manner but Naruto knew better and planted himself on the bar stool of one of the counter islands. He sat silently watching the girl as she moved about. His mind going hay-wire as she placed the dishes in front of him;

Nikujaga

Tonkatsu

Oyakodon

Miso

Croquettes

Tempura

"Ano… Isn't this a bit—"

She placed the rice cooker near him.

"—much?"

She sat down in front of him across the table and scooped a ton of rice into a small bowl and pushed it in his direction. "Eat."

He picked up a pair of chopsticks and thanked her for the food and did as told. He ate slowly and stole glances at the girl who just stared at him, hands on her lap, ignoring her own bowl of rice.

Naruto swallowed. "It's good…" He complimented with a wary smile.

She nodded and thanked him quietly and picked up her own bowl and finally joined him in eating. They ate in silence. The sound of their eating utensils could be the only thing heard. He held out his bowl and asked for seconds, she nodded and took it from his hands. As she filled up his bowl he stood from the chair to get some drinks for the two of them.

He barely opened the fridge when he heard soft sobs coming from the girl behind him.

"…Why?"

'Why what?' He wanted to ask but his voice wouldn't come out. He didn't want to see her cry so he remained with his back turned to her and his hand to fall limp at his sides.

"…I heard from Shikamaru-san…"

Damn him…

"Y-You…" He heard her place his bowl down. "H-He said that you came at Sasuke at the mall and yelled at him…"

'I wanted to tell him how much of a bastard he was'

"T-Then… Sasuke…" He heard the sound of her chair dragging on the floor. "H-He said something to you… about me."

'He called you a whore.' Naruto fisted his jeans in attempts to calm himself down as he remembered.

"You hit him."

He opened the fridge. "…A couple of times."

"He hit back."

He pulled out a pitcher of iced tea. "He got lucky."

"You two fought."

He closed the fridge. "We did."

"He had some friends with him."

He didn't even spare her a glance as he went to get a glass for his drink. "He was a coward."

"They…" She cried harder.

He poured himself a glass and sat the pitcher down by the sink. He felt her arms wrap around him from behind, her face buried in his shirt.

"They hurt you…" The girl whispered.

"Not much."

"You got bruises."

"They'll heal."

"…"

"…"

"You're an idiot."

He smirked at that. "I know."

Naruto moved away from the girl so that he was fully facing her. Big green tear stricken eyes looked up at him accompanied with a sad little frown. His smirk remained as his hand came up to caress her cheek and tuck a stray lock of pink hair to her ear.

"You're stupid."

"I know."

His forehead knocked onto hers. They stayed like that, staring into each other's eyes.

"You could've gotten seriously hurt…"

"I could have."

His arms snaked around her waist and brought her closer to him.

"You better get healed soon."

"I will."

Her arms found their way around his neck. "So that I can punch you myself for being such an idiot."

He chuckled. "Sakura-chan?"

"What?"

"Shut up."

His lips met hers.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He kissed her cheek.

"But you're still an idiot."

He grinned at that. "But I'm your idiot, Sakura."

The End