#ssmonth15

Fortunately that prison has the prettiest of the views: A pink haired Princess.

Through the small cracks of her wardrobe, the Uchiha can see the entire room. All of her plush toys, her furniture, her picture frames and all of those medicine books that are systematically organized, creating a perfect atmosphere of order. Everything is placed in its own rightful spot, and for a moment, he feels like that organization will soon betray his position. One wrong move, and she will know that he is here. One involuntary reaction,and all of that perfection will be destroyed.

One look at those intoxicating emeralds of hers, and his own order will be turned into a chaos.

Her presence inside her room is strong enough to make his whole body tremble. With that pink hair tied up in a bun and a black, short dress that hugs her curves; the owner of the house is simply stunning. During the whole party his eyes followed her around, stealing glances and adoring every tender smile that played on her soft, pink lips. Sasuke has found himself fascinated by that delicate side of hers. It seems so pure and so serene. It’s feminine and gracious, but it’s a lot different from what he sees in her at the moment. It’s a lot different from what he has seen in the girl he once fell in love with. And perhaps that’s why he is hiding in her room right now. Perhaps, in the middle of his longing epiphany, the Uchiha wants to see that mask of hers falling one last time before he leaves the city. He wants to see the real her one last time before he walks away again. And seeing that Sakura is worth all of the risks of hiding inside a wardrobe.

Right now she seems exhausted and confused, and the way her hand caress the back of her neck just confirms his theory. The girl with pink hair is tired. Haruno Sakura is tired of that facade she had to wear during the whole party and that only a few people noticed. Only a few and really clever people that, during the past few hours, haven’t really taken their eyes away from her. And of course the Uchiha is one of these people.

His eyes are set on her and they observe her every movement through the small cracks of that improvised hideout. He watches as her chest goes up and down, releasing deep breaths and making her own frustration evident. She slowly stretches her neck, moving it like a pendulum.

To the left.

To the right.

And finally up, exposing the milky skin of her nape.

Oh, how he wants to trail kisses all over that nape, leaving small bites around her neck while making his own way towards her mouth.

Yes, if there is one thing that is crossing his mind at this exact moment, is the fact that his body is craving for her. It is his last night around her and god knows when he will return. And when this day comes, who knows if her heart will still be available for him. Who knows if she will still be here, waiting for him. He certainly doesn’t know and right now taking this kind of risk isn’t a part of his plans. He doesn’t want to leave with that regret, but right now he finds his body frozen to the spot. His hands don’t obey him, his legs refuse to move and his eyes refuse to blink. Sasuke doesn’t want to lose such a perfect vision:

The vision of the only fire that can melt all that he is.

After what felt like an eternity, the pinkette decides to stand up. Sakura arcs her back, releasing a lazy growl as she messily kicks her heels away, freeing her feet from that torture. There is a pout on her lips, and he can see it perfectly for she’s standing right in front of him. Her eyes close for an instance as her hand goes up to her head. Her fingers seem to enter that pink labyrinth, and when they finally exit it, they are holding a black hair-clip that has kept her hair tamed for the whole night. Once the accessory is finally out, his dark orbs widen at the soft and smooth movement of her pink tresses, as they fall like waves, settling over her chest. The last time he saw her, those pink locks were still hovering over her shoulders, but now they have surpassed that measure and they give her a more feminine touch, as the curls of her hair match perfectly with the curves of her body. Even if he really loved her short hair, it is impossible for him to say that a longer hair doesn’t do her justice as well. Sakura is a beautiful girl, no matter how he looks at her.  And right now, looking at her is driving him insane.

As her loosened locks are caressing her back, Sasuke feels his own body trembling in excitement. The nape of his neck is a lot more sensitive than before, and breathing with his mouth has become a necessity. He feels his body becoming hotter and harder with her every move and it’s getting harder to control his impulses.

He wants to exit that wardrobe.

He wants to reveal himself.

He wants to hold that girl close, as if his life depends on it.

But somehow, he manages to regain his self-control and instead of turning into an animal, the raven haired boy simply pays attention to what that girl is doing. So innocently and so defenselessly, Sakura is just doing what she normally does in her moments of peace. She is becoming her true self, not knowing that a pair of dark eyes is watching her. Not knowing that a dark and revengeful boy is desiring her; and all of those simple and normal moves are affecting him in ways that she could never imagine. The pinkette is simply being her. Oh, and how exciting this is…

Her next move catches him by surprise. That same delicate hand that released her hair before is now pulling it out of her back, and gathering it over her right shoulder, exposing the back of her black, shinning dress. That move alone had already left his throat dry, but when she started to pull down the zipper of her gown, his heart was set in a frenetic rhythm. That girl is driving him insane, and she isn’t even aware of it. Sasuke is literally stripping her with his own eyes, and if this isn’t exciting enough, then nothing else will ever be.

The dark vest is slowly sliding through her body, exposing even more skin. Soon, the fabric is lying lifeless at her feet, and the only thing left to cover her is her black lingerie. A set of black panties and a black bustiê that take her body to a whole new level. From her legs to her neck, to the curve of her breasts and even that scar on her belly, Haruno Sakura is simply stunning. Even if she’s just in her underwear, she doesn’t look vulgar at all. She is still pure, delicate and she thinks she’s alone in there. She doesn’t know he’s in there and that thought makes him feel dirty inside for violating her privacy. He feels dirty, and he knows this is wrong, but just knowing it won’t make him stop. It’s stronger than him. His desire, his passion and her eyes are stronger than him. And because of that, he stays. Because of her, he is trapped in that fascinating prison.

But if there is a thought that makes him feel less guilty, is knowing that there is still a chance of her never finding out. Sasuke knows that never in her life could she imagine that there is someone hiding in her wardrobe. It is impossible for her to know he’s in there and if he manages to control his impulses, the girl with pink hair will never find out. She can’t see him in there. He is safe behind those cracked doors.

Then why are her stunning emerald eyes locked with his owns?

At first, he thinks it’s just his imagination. Maybe it’s just his fear of being caught or even his mind getting paranoid. She can’t possibly know he’s in there, right? She can’t see through those doors, right? Those eyes of hers, even though they can hypnotize him, aren’t capable of seeing through wooden doors. They can’t see what’s hiding behind them, but they will always be connected to the owner of her favorite dark pearls.

A smug smirk plays on her lips for less than a second, and he feels the shivers running down his spine. She finally turns her back to the wardrobe, and once again her fingers reach for a spot on her back. They reach for the clasp of her bustiê, and in a quick and skillful move, the one piece that was covering her small breasts is now abandoned on the floor, along with her dress. Right now, the air inside this wardrobe becomes thinner and there is so much tension in there that can be easily cut with a knife. The Uchiha is suffering inside that thing, but it’s not that kind of suffering that he wants to stop, no. It’s a pleasurable suffering that makes his body pulse, his heart beat faster, and his cheeks burn in a crimson red. The pinkette is taking all of the air away from the room as she seductively takes off her clothes and prepares herself to sleep. He is suffocating in there, but if not breathing is the price to be paid for the crime he is committing, then he accepts it. He accepts the idea of never breathing again just so he can remain where he is, watching that glowing skin of hers and how the back of her neck ends perfectly in her round butt. For that kind of vision, Sasuke is willing to accept any punishment. Especially if this punishment comes straight from her soft hands.

When his nails are already trespassing his pants and when his mouth is already dried out, his eyes capture her next move. Sakura walks forward, slowly moving her hips to the sides until she stops near her studying desk, reaching out for her cellphone. She presses a button and the light from the screen outlines the line of her jaw and the sides of her neck. Since she still has her back turned to the wardrobe, Sasuke can’t really see exactly what she is doing and all that curiosity is making him mad. What on earth is she doing at such a crucial moment? What is crossing her mind? Who is crossing her mind when she’s practically naked? Something is not right, he knows and thinking that there is someone in her head during such intimate moment is just killing him. Sasuke is jealous of someone he doesn’t even know. He is jealous of the one who will receive a text from her at the wee hours of the night.

That shouldn’t be happening, he curses.

There shouldn’t be anyone in her life, he bites his lower lip.

Her heart shouldn’t belong to another man that is not him, he grinds his teeth.

Uchiha Sasuke really hates that person right now, whoever it is. He is not going to lose that girl to another man, even if he has to do something stupid. He won’t lose his Sakura.

And suddenly, his phone vibrates inside his pants, telling him that a message has just arrived. Right now, all his anger turns into a mix of despair and anxiety, and he doesn’t know what to do or what to think.

Is it her?

Did she hear that vibration destroying that perfect silence in which her room was enveloped in?

Was he caught?

Sasuke doesn’t really know, but in the moment he directs his eyes to his pocket and motions to turn off the screen light, Sakura already has all the answers for his infinite questions. She is the answer to all of his infinite questions. And she is about to make him realize so.

His punishment is about to begin.

Feeling a bit more relieved, the Uchiha returns his attention to the girl, just to feel his heart skipping a beat again. The pinkette is standing there, with her eyes and the front part of her body turned to the wardrobe. Her small, round breasts are completely exposed, but his attention is not set on them. His attention is completely set on her eyes. Those burning, forest green eyes of hers that seem to be clashing against those wooden doors, destroying them and that seem to be boring holes into his soul. She’s looking straight at him, there is no way of denying it anymore. She’s looking straight into his eyes, just like she has done during the whole night. And it’s only now, when that teasing smile is visible on her lips that he realizes that he has been the one who was tricked from the very beginning.

She knew he was there even before she entered her room.

She knew he had been watching her all the time.

She could feel his eyes on her, devouring her every inch and she let them. Sakura let herself be watched by the eyes of the one she loves, because, deep inside, the one who was being watched all this time is him. She was in control all this time. Sasuke was tricked by that girl, and instead of being mad or frustrated, the Uchiha couldn’t be any happier.

Being watched by her eyes is certainly delicious.

As she walks towards him, her eyes don’t leave his not even for a moment. Sakura seems to be determined and her next moves will define the end of their little gazing game. If she turns around and leaves, it will be the end of his love. If she keeps moving, then they will both win. Their destiny is in her hands and in those stunning, emerald eyes of hers. At each step she takes, his body responds with a new impulse.

Step.

He starts panting.

Step.

He gets intoxicated by her scent.

Step

He feels her eyes taking over his soul.

Stop.

At first, it seemed he really wasn't. She found the room blissfully empty. She took in the blue walls, the simple furniture, the sole poster hanging form the wall: a painting of a woman by Egon Schiele. It was a clean, simple, but nice room, just like she expected it to be. There was a bed, large and soft; a desk, neatly organized; a bookshelf, filled mostly with books about History and Philosophy, and a wardrobe, large and also well-organized, containing mostly dark clothes.

This wardrobe is the only reason she hasn't been caught yet. When she heard the door open, she ran and hid inside of it. Thus, here she is now, watching her crush through the half-closed doors of the wardrobe, hidden by the darkness, heart beating wildly inside her chest.

-

-

At first, he thought she was only being silly.

He'd already seen this girl around. She was one of his sister's best friends, and she was, well, just another fifteen-year-old girl. She dressed the same, spoke the same, moved the same... Unremarkable, except perhaps for her pink hair, her pretty face, her big green eyes, and her wide forehead. She was exotic looking, and in a good way, but that was all there was to her... or so he wanted to think, because she was his sister's age, and he could not think much else about her. It was kind of illegal.

But right now, he is starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, it would be alright to think more about her – to let his thoughts and imagination go beyond what he's allowed them to.

Because there she is: hidden inside his wardrobe, previously hoping to sneak in and have a look around, thinking he would not come back tonight, and now trapped with him, in his wardrobe, with no one else to see or hear.

Okay. That's it. He cannot deny it ay longer: he is attracted to her. There is something about the way she looks at him, and the way she seems to stand out from the crowd despite dressing, speaking, and moving the same as the other girls. He can't really explain it. She is just four years younger, too; the age gap is not alarming, but it is still pretty exciting to him. Many guys are into younger girls at some point – although he never thought he'd be one of them. Maybe she is an exception to all his rules.

Sakura. That is her name – he finally remembers. Haruno Sakura. He tries to picture her among his clothes in his wardrobe, blushing and trembling with nervousness, as he calmly takes off his clothes, leaves only his lamplight on, and sits on his bed, knowing she is watching him through the darkness, heart beating wildly inside her chest.

-

-

He is naked.

Because he apparently sleeps naked. Dear God. Is it really that surprising? Many people sleep naked, especially during the summer. Dammit, even she sleeps naked sometimes, and of course, having no idea someone was hiding in her wardrobe, she'd do it as freely as he is doing it now.

This is so wrong. That is all she can think of. This is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. She's such a creep – sneaking into his room, hiding in his wardrobe, watching him sleep naked. She deserves to die right here and now. Dying would be much better than being found out, after all.

But death is not the best solution, she knows. Really, she has no other choice but to stay in the wardrobe until he turns off his lamp and falls asleep, so that she can sneak out and end this hell. There is no way she will stay all night here, or come out and be all like, “Oh, sorry, wrong wardrobe!” Only imagining the embarrassment she'd feel in that situation makes her-

“Sakura, I'm getting bored. Come out already.”

She practically chokes on her spit in that moment.

Coughing and gasping, she accidentally falls out of the wardrobe and on the floor. Trying to regain composure, holding on to the last remains of dignity she has left, she hurries to her feet and presses her back to the wall.

Sasuke sits on his bed, body from the waist down (thankfully) under the covers and hands behind his head. He seems casual, cool, unnerved: all the opposite from what she might seem now. Under his heavy dark gaze, she wants to cry. At any moment, she will probably melt off into a puddle of embarrassment.

“I'm sorry,” she squeaks, trying not to notice his bare, muscular chest. “I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm so-”

“What are you here for?” he interrupts. “Just answer that.”

Through the knot in her throat, she murmurs, “Um, I... I wanted to see your room. I thought you would not be back for the night. Your sister said so. I... I was curious. Only that. I swear I-”

“Okay.” Slowly, he leans forward, resting his palms on the bed. “But I did come back. And you got caught. Now what?”

Confusion clouds her panic briefly. “W-what do you mean?”

“You're here,” he explains. “I'm here... naked. What do you want now?”

She doesn't get it. It takes her a long while. And even when she does, she thinks she's got it wrong, so she pretends she still doesn't get it, until he rolls his eyes and motions her over.

For two days, the pinkette had been walking around that forest. She had’t slept at all. She hadn’t eaten anything. She had’t even peed for attending to her body’s natural needs would cost her a long time and she simply could not afford it. The Uchiha had been straight on his letter that it was an emergency and only she could help him at that moment. He asked her to come quickly and, even if she was still mad at him for not sending her a single letter for 3 months, Sakura couldn't simply ignore his words. What if he was hurt? What if he had been stung by something or what if he had been ambushed? She just could not risk his life because of his lack of communication. She could not risk losing him forever. Not again.

Sulking and cursing basically everything that crossed her way, Sakura was carefully observing her surroundings, not letting any leaf pass unnoticed. According to the coordinates he had also included on his letter, the girl figured she should be almost arriving at their marked spot. Her eyes would be wandering around everywhere, looking for the said lake he had described in his words. It should probably be a visible place for during her whole journey until there, Sakura found no signal of water. A whole lake would certainly be something that would stand out in the middle of that green immensity. She was absolutely sure her eyes would see that amount of waters as soon as it came to her view. And, indeed, she was right. Her emeralds did find the lake without any problems. But the lake wasn’t the one thing she saw first. There was something a lot more outstanding than just those limpid waters.

As soon as their marked spot came to view, her eyes had no doubt in what to focus first. It was something automatic for her. Something that did not depend on her own will to happen or something that had been decided by her brain. It could not be called a coincidence for it was something that happened every single time they met. It was something that was beyond their powers. The fact that their gazes would be the first to meet was something, simply, unexplainable. Unexplainable, yet, incredibly comforting for both of those ninjas’ hearts.

Once established the perfect connection between their eyes, both of the teens felt their bodies paralyzing. They were both taking their time to analyze and to get familiar with the physical changes that had affected each other. In her emerald eyes, Sakura realized how much taller he had gotten and how his dark locks had also grown. His outworn poncho was covering his body until his knees and his necklaces were slowly dancing due to the spring breeze that was passing by at that moment. Sasuke was still as charming as ever in her eyes. His whole self had grown more manly and his expression had become more mature. His dark pearls had become deeper and, as always, she was captured by their obscure beauty. The line of his jaw no longer belonged to a kid and, for she wasn’t just a little girl anymore, the Haruno girl couldn't help but to take some long seconds appreciating his changes. All of them mixed together and forming one unique Uchiha Sasuke that was simply more than just handsome. That beautiful lake, compared to him, was nothing but a pretty background scenario. In her eyes, it was as if she was appreciating a perfectly harmonic panting. A perfectly harmonic and stunning painting. That boy was certainly stunning. But she wasn’t that bad herself either. And the raven haired Uchiha was certainly he one to say it.

It was clear that time hadn’t only changed the former avenger during the years he has spent away. Sakura had also suffered from the consequences of getting older and, just like him, her consequences had affected her in an amazingly positive way. In his eyes, the pinkette was a completely different person from the last time he had seen her. Her hair was shorter and the seal on her forehead was proudly decorating her features. Those new clothes she was wearing certainly made justice to the curves of her body and, even if he could identify some exhaustion signs under her eyes, her beautiful emeralds were still shining a lot brighter than the sun. They were still formidable and he still had no idea of how not to get caught in their sweet trap. Her eyes were, doubtlessly, the first image that appeared in his head whenever he thought about her. They were the best definition of light he has ever found. They were his most precious stones and, if he could, Sasuke would spend hours just staring at them without blinking one single time. If he could, he would keep staring at her for the rest of his life. But, just staring, at such critic moment, wouldn't solve his problem. Just staring at her, wouldn’t be enough to calm that stubborn heart of his. He needed to talk to her. He needed to tell her the decision he had, finally, reached regarding his own way of seeing the world.

After their gazing section finally came to an end, the Haruno girl was the first to start walking towards him. Her short and pink hair dancing at each step taken by her feet and the determination always present in her eyes. It was clear that they were searching for any traces of injuries or blood or anything that could threaten his life in the next minutes. Her eyes wandered around his whole body and, for the pinkette’s surprise, Sasuke seemed to be perfectly fine. Judging by the look on his face, she knew he wasn’t dying. So, if not for healing him, then why did he call her? Why the specific need of her presence? She didn’t know. But she was definitely going to find out.

“Sasuke-kun! “ She stopped in front of him. Her heart beating a little faster due to her worrying state. "I came as fast as I could. What’s the emergency? Are you hurt or something?”

“no, I’m completely fine, Sakura.” He nodded, sounding as calm and serene as ever.

“ Really?”

“Yes.”

"Then why did you call me here? Is there anyone else traveling with you who needs to be healed or something?”

“no. I’m still traveling alone. I called you here for another reason that only you can understand.”

“uh?” Her expression turned confused. If not for being able to heal him, then what would be this another so important reason? The girl had certainly no idea. “ What is it then?”

“Hn. Come. I need to show you something.”

Without giving her any further explanations, the boy turned around and started to walk towards a more dense part of the forest, where the branches were almost creating a natural barrier as if to protect a hidden secret. He used his right arm to open the path ahead of him and, standing as close as she could, Sakura silently followed him. The girl knew there was no reason for her to worry or even doubt him anymore. More than all of the people in the village, the pinkette trusted him with her own life and, for that, she wouldn’t be afraid of going anywhere with him. She would follow him into the darkness if she needed to. She would follow him everywhere just to prevent him from walking alone. And, for this and many other reasons, the Uchiha was taking her to the one place where her presence by his side would be more than simply acknowledged.

Once the branches were defeated and the green finally gave them some space to move, both of the teens found themselves inside of what seemed to be a sanctuary hidden in the middle of the woods. The air in that place felt lighter than in the outside and the sun rays that managed to sneak in helped to create the most serene of the atmospheres. The leaves seemed to be sparkling due to the dew and the floral scent that was spread around that place filled the pinkette’s nostrils in the most delicate of the ways. It was certainly a beautiful place to be seen and she was really happy to know he had thought about her when his dark pearls encountered that place. It certainly felt welcoming, yet, she still could not identify any possible emergency in that place. And that, even if it felt somehow relieving, was also leaving the girl extremely uncomfortable. What could that boy be really up to?

Before she could take any further steps towards the unknown, Sakura stopped and watched as the boy continued his way towards a bush full of blue hydrangeas. Just like the ones that decorated the training grounds 3, those were impeccably stunning as they perfectly matched the whole scenario that surrounded them. Sakura watched as Sasuke, slowly, kneeled near the flowers and, with his right hand, caressed one of the delicate petals of those precious flowers. There was something wrong with him, she knew. But wrong was’t exactly the best word to describe his current inner condition. Enlightened, was definitely the word for him at that moment.

“Sasuke-kun… What is going o-“

“These hydrangeas… They are really beautiful, aren’t they?”

“yes, they are but… I don’t see your point in-“

“ It’s impressive to see how they have grown so beautifully without the help of anyone… The Nature is certainly wise in moments such as those.”

“ I agree, but, Sasuke-kun I-?"

“Why don’t you come see them closer with me?”

The blood inside her veins was starting to boil and the one thing crossing her mind at that moment was an image of her hand hitting that boy’s head to see if he would return to his normal self. Sasuke was acting weird. He was talking about flowers and he was inviting her to smell them. He was talking in a too calm way that wasn’t normal even for him. There was something strange going on and, for sure, she was going to find out what.

“Look, these one have just bloomed. Come here, Sakura.”

“No!”

Her fists clenched. Her eyes were focused and she was certainly tired of all of that nonsense that was coming from his mouth. Sakura wanted the truth. She wanted to know what was the emergency. And she wouldn't wait any second more for that.

“Why did you call me here, Sasuke?"

“Hn… To see the flowers, of course.”

“…What? Are you really serious about that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? After some time traveling, I’ve finally found something pretty and I felt like sharing it with you… Is it that much of a problem?”

“… You can’t really be serious…”

“…”

“ Then why did you say it was an emergency? Why did you tell me to hurry?!”

“ well… I am not intending to stay around here forever so… I asked you to come quickly so you could see and then I would continue my own journey.”

Her mouth went agape and the words weren’t simply forming on her head. That boy could’t be serious. He couldn’t have actually made her travel unstoppably for two entire days just to see those flowers. He couldn’t have done such thing to her after spending over 3 months without giving the least sign of life. Sasuke couldn’t have done that to her, right? Right. But the pinkette was already exploding before he could even try to explain himself.

“you have got to be fucking kidding me, Uchiha!”

“Uh?”

He finally turned to face her. His expression as blank as a cloud that floats around the sky. Such expression, certainly, irritated her even more.

“You've spent months without sending me a single letter and then, suddenly, you call me saying it’s an emergency. You make me travel for two days without a rest just to see a bunch of flowers that I can see every day in Konoha!? You really can’t be serious about it.”

" But i thought you would like to see the ones I've found. During all the time I’ve spent away, I had never seen flowers like these ones.”

“ I honestly can’t believe you, Sasuke! You call me… You make me worried because you’ve found something that has been in Konoha since forever!? What kind of sick joke is this!?”

“ tch… sorry if i hadn’t seen it before but… I guess I’ve never really paid attention to the… to the flowers.”

“You bet you haven’t! Damn! This was such a waste of time! I shouldn’t have come.”

“do you regret it…” He looked deep into her eyes with his own and it felt as if they were pleading. “Do you regret having done all of this… for me?”

At that moment, the girl felt her heart clenching for a moment. Of course she did not regret seeing him. She did not regret seeing the flowers but she surely regretted being so easy on him. She shouldn’t have fallen for his trick and she shouldn’t have worried that much for nothing. She shouldn’t have done half of the things she did. Yet, not even for a single moment, she felt regret.

“… I’m going back home. And you better not call me unless you’re dying, Sasuke.”

Sakura turned around before those eyes of his managed to convince her to forgive him. Her hands were still clenched and, at that moment, it was her turn to leave without saying anything unnecessary. She was going to get out of there before she ended up punching him. She was going to leave before he left. But, at that moment, he wasn’t going anywhere. Not unless she took him. And, after all of that flower talk and after the Uchiha realized she was not going to interrupt him any longer, Sasuke realized it was time to tell her what she really deserved to know. What was really driving his heart insane.

“I love you, Sakura…”

The girl stopped immediately after hearing his words. Her heart skipped a beat and all her rage was replaced by a mix of surprise and euphoria and fear. What was really going on with that boy? Even if she tried to express any reaction, Sakura couldn't help but staying stuck on the same spot as she heard his steps approaching her. She could hear the fallen branches cracking and the birds flapping their wings as they flew away. Not even the animals would dare to stay in between those two at such crucial time. Nothing could stop that boy at that moment. Nothing would keep him from saying what had been trapped in his heart for the last 4 months.

“W-What…?”

“Hn. I love you… And, only now I realize that.”

“Sasuke…”

She took a deep breath and clenched her fists once again. She could not let him see her like that. She could not let him see how easily he could shake her whole world and her whole heart. At last, she turned to face him and, instead of gentle eyes, the Haruno girl had fire in her emeralds. She was going to show him that he would better not be fooling her again.

“ If this is a joke, then it’s really not funny.”

“it's not a joke…”

He got closer.

“If you’re playing with my feelings, I swear I am going to kill you.”

“ I’m not playing with them…”

And closer.

“ If you’re making fun of me just because you know how i feel for you, I won’t ever forgive you, Sasuke! I won’t ever look in your face again!”

“Sakura…”

He stopped right in front of her. His eyes not leaving hers not even for a single moment.

“ I am not making fun of you… I am serious this time… I love you.”

Sakura felt her heart almost jumping out of her chest and her knees almost letting her fall on the ground as soon as she saw his eyes. Those eyes so dark and so cold that, at that moment couldn't be clearer and warmer. He was telling her the truth, she knew. He was not joking or making fun of her or playing with her feelings. For the first time in his life, Uchiha Sasuke was being sincere with his own heart. And his heart was full of cherry blossoms.

At the same moment the girl realized how serious his words were, her lower lip started to tremble and tears started to pool on her eyes. Quickly, Sakura covered her nose and her mouth with both of her hands before her crimson blush could be seen by the former avenger. The girl was simply paralyzed at that moment. She was frozen and there was just no way a word would come out from her mouth. She didn’t know what to do or say and, if someone asked her, the pinkette wouldn't even know her name at that moment. At the moment Uchiha Sasuke was confessing his love for her. It was certainly a historical moment in the whole ninja world.

Not knowing how to react, Sakura simply decided not to react. She was going to wait for him to finish whatever more he had to say. She was going to wait for him before she could, definitely, decide how to react.

“… I’m sorry for not sending you any letters during these months and… I’m sorry for dragging you all the way here… But I didn’t know what else to do… At least not until I’ve found the hydrogens…"  

“ What… what do they have to do with this?”

“ everything… “ he gave her a warm smile and she felt her ears slowly getting warmer. Chances were she wouldn't survive until he finished saying what he had to say. “the flowers… It was only after leaving Konoha that I’ve realized how much i liked them… And it's the same with you… It was only after spending years away from home, searching for the world’s beauty that I’ve realized that it was all in you… All the beauty in the world and… the redemption of my sins and… The only chance I will ever have to recover the love I’ve lost… It took me a long time to finally realize it but… now I have and… I needed to tell you… I needed to tell you that I love you, Haruno Sakura… Please, stay by my side…”

She didn't wait a single second to process all of his words before throwing her head on his chest. The tears were streaming down her blushing face and a bright smile could be seen in her lips. Sakura was feeling like the happiest girl in the whole planet and all of that time spent in the woods and waiting for him and trying to bring him back had been worthy in the end. Every single thing she had done for him had been worthy in the end. Every tear and every smile and every bruise. It had all been worthy of the love of her life.

“Sa-Sasuke-kun… I will stay by your side… I promise I won’t ever leave!”

“Hn…”

He placed his hand over her pink head and smiled. At last that weight had left his heart. At last that agony would stop and, at last, he had her in his arms. Sasuke was sure she could feel how fast his own heart was beating and how warm his body was. For the first time in his life, the Uchiha had been nervous because of love. He had been nervous because of that annoying pink haired girl who had become the love of his life. All that nervousness had paid off, in the end. That was certainly the best of the feelings. That was, certainly,  the best of the emotions. Love. That was certainly the one thing they both needed.

“well… are you taking me out of here now?”

“uh? where do you want to go, Sasuke-kun?”

“hn… take me home, Sakura… It’s time to go back.”

A bright smile appeared in her lips as she eagerly held his hand and started to pull him around. She certainly looked like a kid. But that was the kid that would take care of his heart. The kid that would take him home.

“Let's get out of this woods, Sasuke-kun! Let’s go home.”