Cherry Blossoms

🌸Fireworks🌸

"When is it starting? We've been here for hours!"

"Naruto, it's only been ten minutes." Sakura rolled her eyes in response as she rolled out a blanket and sat down in the grass next to Kakashi and Naruto, "besides, look at the sky. The stars are so clear."

"Mhm." Kakashi nodded, his eyes fixated on the page of Icha-Icha Paradise he held in front of him, "hey, Sasuke, are you okay over there?"

"Hn." Sasuke replied bluntly as he leaned against a tree a few feet away from them, "I'm fine."

"Aw, come on, Sasuke!" Naruto laughed, "you're so boring."

"Ah!" Sakura glanced over, "the other teams are here!"

Before they knew it, Team 10, Team 8, Team Guy, and their sensei were setting up their own chairs and blankets on the lawn next to them. All the while, Sasuke watched the scene from his spot under the tree.

"Hey, Sasuke."

Sasuke glanced up at the branch above him and stared, "... Kakashi? How did you--"

"It's the Fourth of July. Don't you think you should be doing something a little bit more... Celebratory?"

"Hn. You should be one to talk. Get your nose out of your porn and look up at the sky."

"I guess you're right." Kakashi hopped down and slipped the book into his pouch, "but I don't have a lover to spend this day with."

"What?!"

"You know, with the fireworks and all, it's romantic."

Sasuke shut his eyes, "you're thinking of the new year."

"Well..." Kakashi shrugged, "same difference. They both have fireworks. Romantic."

"I think there's something wrong with your thinking..."

"No, no, not at all." Kakashi laughed, "anyways, unlike me, you've got someone to celebrate all those fireworks with."

"What? No I don't."

"Look again." Kakashi gestured to the group of ninja Sasuke's age before them, laughing and talking, "she's out there... Or he. Depending on your gender preference."

"Kakashi..." Sasuke groaned in annoyance, and the Hatake just walked off to join the group, laughing.

She's out there... Sasuke scanned the crowd. Tenten, Ino, Hinata, Sakura... What the hell is that man thinking... He didn't realize it, but one of those girls suddenly met his gaze. Sakura... He immediately broke that contact and looked away, but he couldn't help himself from looking back at her. And when he did, she went back to talking. Hn... He turned from the group and walked in the opposite direction. He moved down from the training field they were all currently seated at and found his way to a different training field. There was no one and it was empty and dark, so he sat down on the grass and leaned back on his arms.

"Sasuke?"

He shut his eyes and didn't even need to see her face to know who the voice belonged to, "Sakura."

"Are you okay?"

He didn't answer, only stared out at the clear sky.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Sakura smiled as she went to sit next to him.

Not as beautiful as you... Stupid, tacky, pick-up lines... Sasuke cringed at his thoughts, "sure."

"Heh." Sakura examined his facial expression, "you don't like it, do you?"