To Love You

Chaper 5: Questions, answers and Sasuke

After a whole week of boring D-rank missions it's finally Saturday. Shikamaru was kind enough to remind me of the semi-promise I made. So, here I am, sitting in a barbecue diner, surrounded by the 8 others that graduated with me. Also, for some reason, Neji, Tenten and Lee have joint the group. There is a strange sort of silence in the group. Everybody is staring at me. I sit there in silence, an emotionless expression on my face. So what are you gonna do, kit? Answer honestly, but without actually giving information. Well, good luck with that! I'm going to sleep. Of course you are. What else would you do? I yawn widely, still ignoring pretty much everybody.

"Hey, don't space out like that! We're all here for you!" Sakura says. The others agree with nods.

Focusing back into reality by blinking quickly a couple of times, I turn my attention to Shikamaru. "Have at me, then." My voice is matching my face perfectly. I see everybody except Sakura and Sasuke shiver slightly, not having seen me like this before and not expecting such a cold voice. Most look surprised at my cold and emotionless demeanor. Shikamaru, who obviously has heard about my sudden changes from Sasuke, also doesn't look surprised.

At that moment, a lady walks up to our table to take our orders. She doesn't even look at me and walks away with the orders from the others. Choji notices this. "She didn't get your order." He comments.

"No, she did not." I answer dryly

"She didn't even look at you!" He exclaims.

"No, she did not." I answer again.

"Did she even realise you are here?"

"No, she did not." I answer yet again.

After a couple more seconds of silence and stares at me, Shikamaru clears his throat. "Well, first thing we would like to know is why you have a hitai-ate. Everybody has seen you leave without one the day of graduation, but the next day you show up with one. An old and battered looking one at that. We're supposed to get new ones, and earn marks on it over time."

"The hitai-ate is mine, as are the marks on it. As to why I received mine after failing the tests at the academy, that has been classified by the Hokage. Two questions left." A silence follows my words. I get a small nod from Shikamaru, who seems to accept the answer without expecting more. Sasuke is still just staring at me. Sakura is looking between me and Sasuke, to see if there is any kind of reaction. The rest is looking surprised that Shikamaru isn't pressing the issue for a clearer answer.

"Okay, the second question is this. What happened to the overly happy, overly loud, overly excited, dead-last boy we've had classes with for the past year and is this emotionless attitude the real you?" Shikamaru asks as his second question. "Two-part question? Fine, then. It was an act. A loud personality is the best way to hide one's true self. And no, it is not. One question left."

What I said did not seem to register all to well with Sakura. "Nobody can pretend to be as happy as you have the last year. Not for a whole year! You always smile and have fun!" I tilt my head slightly at her, earning a faint blush from Sasuke. Really, Sasuke? Guess he's in love with you, kit. Then I slowly rise my hands and put them behind my head. As my hands rise, I put on my smile and take on a relaxed, lightly backwards leaning attitude. I keep the pose for a couple of seconds before I say with my practiced happy voice "Sakura-chan! Don't be like that!" Dropping my hands, I return to my emotionless face and straighten my back. The sudden change of my you personally and back again shocks everybody. In a cold voice I continue. "Smiles and happiness aren't that hard to act out, but tell me, Sakura-chan, have you ever heard me laugh? Have you ever truly looked at me between my loud outbursts and boredom? Did you read between the lines, see the possibilities behind the possibilities? Shikamaru noticed, as did Sasuke. I'm sure others have noticed as well, otherwise you wouldn't all be here. Assuming someone is happy-go-lucky because all you want to see is their most prominently shown emotion is shallow. One question left." At the last words I turn back to Shikamaru.