Sometimes it was hard to remember that she was still a senior in high school. And this meant studying, big time.
The whole kidnapping incident happened no more than two months ago and everything was back to normal.
Sakura groaned as her forehead hit her locker. She was exhausted, and needed caffeine in her body asap.
It was exam week for the lovely students of Konoha High. Endless nights of cramming in every last bit of information that their brain could take in before it exploded was catching up to the teens. Blood-shot eyes and dark circles were beginning to appear. The cadaverous students walked through the halls of Konoha High in a daze, clearly high on caffeine.
A cold hand found its way through the rosette's hair and rested on the base of her neck. The owner's thumb began to caress her neck as he laid a kiss on top of her head. "Tired?"
Sakura groaned, "yes." Pushing herself from the metal lockers, Sakura rubbed her forehead. Sighing, she wrapped her arms around his abdomen and buried her face into his chest. "I'm going to kill myself, and it's only the first day..."
Sasuke smirked. "Don't be annoying, Sakura." He murmured into her pink locks as he held her.
"Don't ruin that mood, you stupid jerk."
A deep, short chuckle slipped pass his lips at the girl's comment. Running his hand through her pink locks one last time, he pulled away. Entwining their arms, he reached for her hand and held it. "Come on, it's only one more exam before we get to go home."
"Thank goodness. If we had to go a full seven hours of exams, I would literally kill myself. I'll even let Akame do the honors." Sakura mumbled tiredly and stupidly.
Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks, unintentionally yanking Sakura harshly to a stop. "Not funny, Sakura." His voice held no sign of amusement, it was far from it. "I could have lost you that day, Sakura. Not funny." The hold on her hand tightened as he looked at her.
Emerald clashed with onyx. Reaching up on her tippy toes, she kissed him. Letting her fingers tangle themselves into his raven locks, she pulled away and looked at him directly in the eyes. "I know. But...I'm alright now. Everything's fine. I'm back, safe and sound. There's nothing to worry about. I'm here in front of you, am I not?"
He didn't reply. Sakura saw the troubling look in his onyx orbs. Biting her lips, she squeezed his hand in a last ditch effort of reassurance. She was going to get down to the problem later. Right now, she had an AP Composition exam to worry about.
His eyes averted elsewhere as Sakura seemed to get a grasp at what was troubling the dark-haired teen. Grasping his chin, "Sasuke, look at me."
Once she finally caught sight of his onyx orbs, she said, "I really don't know what's bothering you but I'm going to find out sometime today. And stop worrying, I'm right here. You're here to be my knight in shining armor, are you not?"
Sasuke opened his mouth to protest but Sakura stopped him. "Sasuke."
Sighing, he bent down and kissed her temple. "Fine."
Sakura smiled. "That's my boy."
Rolling his eyes, he bid her good luck and released her hand.
Emerald orbs followed his retreating form until it disappeared behind the corner. 'Hmm...something's wrong with that boy...'
"Tall, Ice Caramel Frappe!" The tired rosette shouted in the sardine packed cafe.
A girl with terrible, dark bags under her eyes came up with a book in hand. "Thanks..."
Beside her, Sayuki screamed, "Tall Vanilla Bean Latte. Extra Syrup!"
Customers after customers, drinks after drinks, the two girls took turns taking and shouting orders. Both students from the local high school and Konoha High flowed in and out the moment a cup of caffeine was in their hands. Then, they would proceed to lock themselves in their rooms, studying.
Sakura wiped down the last of the tables. Yawning, she pulled out a chair and slumped down in it. "I hate exam week... with a passion." Her voice was hoarse from all of the shouting and screaming from earlier.
"Me too." Sayuki returned with two cups of coffee. "Here. You could use a bit of a wake up call."
"Thanks."
"So...?" Sayuki began with a small smile.
Sakura raised an eyebrow at the silver-haired girl's sudden mood swing. "So what?"
Sayuki groaned as she face-palmed. "Happy Birthday, Girly!"
"Oh...," Sakura breathed. "I totally forgot. It's my...birthday."
"What?" Sayuki exclaimed. "How could you forget your own birthday?"
"Oops?" The rosette attempted to shrug her shoulders and play an innocent smile. Seeing that it wasn't working, she merely sighed. "Well... a lot of things has happen in the past couple of months, you know. Counting down to my eighteenth birthday hasn't exactly been on the list of things to worry about."
"That list can't be that long, Girly." Sayuki sipped at her coffee.
"Maybe not. But... Sasuke's been acting really weird today."
"Really?"
"Yes." Sakura said. "There's something going through his mine and it's not positive..."
"He's probably just worrying about what to get you for your birthday. You know how boys are. Always getting gifts at the last moment." Sayuki commented. Suddenly, the girl leaned in and wiggled her eyebrows. "So... is someone getting it tonight, hmm?"
"Hmm? What?" As the comment finally sunk in, Sakura's eyes widened into saucers. Slapping the girl, she blushed beet red. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Sayuki! That's t-totally not h-happening."
Sayuki broke out into fits of hysterical giggles. Clutching her stomach, she said between gasps of air, "You should see your face! It was priceless."
"Shut up...," Sakura muttered as she began to fidget with the metal zipper of her jacket.
"Oh, okay." Sayuki smiled. Propping her elbows on the table, she asked. "So, what did he get you?"
"Sasuke?" Sayuki nodded. "I don't know. He hasn't given it to me, yet."
"Ohhhh, that boy has something good up his sleeves." Sayuki's smile spread out into a full grin. "You lucky little bitch. Wish I had an awesome boyfriend like that."
At the comment, the rosette just simply smiled.
"Well," Sayuki stood up and untied her apron, "you should get home to that prince of yours hm? He's probably waiting for you, girly."
Gathering up all of her belongings, Sakura walked to the door. "Highly unlikely but alright. I'll see you tomorrow."
Sayuki grinned. "Alright, don't be too excited for another day of screaming at the top of our lungs, Girly."
The two girls shared a light laugh before separating in different directions towards their home.
Unlocking the door to her apartment, the sweet scent of roses filled her nostrils. It was dark inside but with the light from outside, she could make out dozens upon dozens of red roses spread all through out her apartment. Closing the door behind her, she reached to turn on the lights but a single yellow sticky note with a big 'x' on it said no. Confused, she traveled in the path of rose petals leading her into her tiny kitchen. There she found a tiny light. A single flame, burning bright on top of the number eighteen. The wax candle sat on top of a white cake; it as decorated with simple, yet elegant swirls.
A small pile of presents laid neatly beside it on the table. That wasn't what caught her attention though, it was specifically the person behind the cake. There he was, with his elbows propped on the table and small smile on his face, Sasuke looked at her. "Happy Birthday, Sakura." The words came out of his mouth sweet and cool, like the wind on a summer's night.
Her breath was caught in the back of her throat at the sight in front of her. She placed her items down on the kitchen counter and walked to the table. Slipping her hands into the back pockets on her jeans, she asked, "Y-you did this?" A stinging sensation began to tickle the back of her eyes.
"Aa." Sasuke nodded. Smirking, "With a little bit of help from the birthday fairies and magical unicorns, I suppose."
Her lips trembled as a small laugh slipped past them. "It's lovely."
"So are you." Sasuke commented. Looking at the girl's shinning emerald orbs, he rolled his eyes. She was going to cry, he knew it. "Make a wish and blow out the candles. Melted wax on a cake doesn't exactly taste as good."
Smiling, Sakura bent down and closed her eyes. A moment later, she opened them and blew out the flame. It seemed that Sasuke had planned this ahead of time because right after the single flame went out, thousands of little candles lit up all around them.
Her brows knitted together in confusion, "What? How did that work?"
"Hn." Sasuke smirked as he went over to her side. "I told you, I had the help of birthday fairies and magical unicorns."
"Oh, shut up, Sasuke." Sakura slapped his arm. Hugging him, she rested her chin on his chest, "Thank you."
"Hn." Planting a kiss on her head, he slipped his arms around her petite waist. Pulling away from Sakura, he took a step back and bowed. Extending his hand, "May I have this dance?"
"Huh? There's no music." Sakura giggled but suddenly the sound of a piano was heard, a song had begun. "What? How...how did you do that?"
"That shall remain a mystery." Once again, he bowed and extended his hand. "Shall we?"
Sakura sighed and let a smile blossom on her face. Bowing, she took his hand. "Take me away."
Slipping his other arm around her waist, Sasuke took the pleasure in leading her slowing into the living room,where the music was coming from her stereo set. Sakura let herself loose as she swayed to the music. They swayed and moved to the sweet notes of the song. She locked eyes with his onyx orbs about half through the song.
The flickering flames all around them reflected in his eyes, making them impossibly gorgeous. But there was something buried deep inside those dark orbs of his, it was the same look she had spotted earlier in the day. After a twirl, Sakura decided to speak up, "What's troubling you?"
They froze for a split second and Sasuke's body became stiff before he kept up with the music, swaying to the sweet notes. "Hn."
"Sasuke..." Sakura breathed.
"It's nothing Sakura."
"Sasuke... come on."
He looked down at her. Her emeralds orbs were holding him in captive, she wanted the information. Sighing, he opened his mouth but then he closed it.
"If it's about the Akame and Kabuto issue, stop worrying. Ibiki has them under control, does her not? And I'm fine. I'm here in your arms." Sakura said. "Plus you found me. Quicker than I had expected but you found me. Isn't that all that matters?"
"No." His voice was tense. "Sakura... the time period that it took us - me to find you was not quick. You were missing for a week. You and Ino were missing for a week. Seven days. Once hundred and sixty-eight hours. Ten thousand and eighty minutes. Six hundred four thousand eight hundred seconds. That was not quick... at all."
The new information had surely shocked her. All she could remember was being knocked out and waking up the next day. Apparently, she took a longer nap then what she had expected but she smiled. "But you found me. And that's all that matters, Sasuke. You found me."
Sasuke looked at her. Her emerald orbs were shinning brighter than ever, not from the tears forming in her eyes but the happiness that she felt. Leaning his forehead against hers, with their noses touching, his words caressed her lips. "Aa. I love you."
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[A/N]: Happy Valentine's Day everyone~ Sorry for the wait T.T