Hey guys! It's been a while. How are you coping with this global-scale problem that we are all facing? Really hoping that you guys are doing well!

I'm not sure if I mentioned that I wouldn't add to this book anymore but I wanted to post something to somehow cheer up my fellow SS fans so here's a new one shot🙈 Honestly, this has been stuck as a WIP since last year. I have more plans to it but since it's been a lot difficult to write lately due to some personal stuff, I decided to just polish this and put it out as a one shot. Who knows if I get to add more to this soon? But for now, here's a short fic about genin SS if they started admitting their feelings to each other even before Sasuke left the village😁

Enjoy!

–A

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Sakura and Ino parted ways after their attempt to visit the injured Sasuke in Konoha Hospital. Much to their dismay, they were dismissed upon learning that the Uchiha was nowhere to be found and even if they wanted to help in looking for him, the hospital authorities insisted that they would take the matter in their own hands.

Worried, Sakura kept walking while staring at the flower she was holding. She was supposed to give it to Sasuke, hoping to uplift him somehow and let him feel that he wasn’t alone after everything that has happened in the Chunin Exams. 

She was sure that being stuck in there wasn’t something that he would enjoy, which apparently resulted in him breaking out of the hospital without anyone knowing. So right now, she could only hope that he’s safe wherever he was.

Moments later, Sasuke suddenly appeared at the far end of the street she was in, with his hands on his pockets and his eyes fixed on Sakura while pacing closer to her. 

“S-sasuke-kun?!” Sakura blurted out when she lifted her head. For a moment, she was frozen in place, until she remembered that her teammate had just escaped the hospital so she rushed to meet him halfway. “How are you feeling, Sasuke-kun? You’re not supposed to go out yet! Wait...do you need me to help you go back to the hospital? H-how’s the bruise f-from Oroch—?”

“Sakura, it’s okay. I’m okay.” Sasuke sighed and stopped right in front of her.

Blinking twice, she stared back at him, eyes starting to be glassy with tears. “I-I’m glad.” Unable to stop herself, Sakura took a step forward and flung her arms around him as tears began to flow down her cheeks. “I’m so, so glad you’re okay.”

Sasuke tensed, not because he didn’t appreciate the gesture, but because he was startled with the consistent expression of Sakura’s concern to him. It wasn’t the first time that his kunoichi teammate initiated such physical closeness, but this was the first time that Sasuke felt something incredibly warm about it. 

He soon relaxed when he remembered why he wanted to meet with her in the first place. He has been thinking about it for quite some time, but he often opted to brush away his thoughts on the matter. But while he had no choice but to be stuck for a few hours in a hospital room, his brain finally zoomed in on the idea. 

For contrary to what he initially thought, his ties with Sakura has not made him weak, in fact, it made him even stronger. And he saw that truth during the Chunin Exams regardless of how it ended.

Sakura pulled away and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “S-sorry, Sasuke-kun. Uhm...” She then looked down at the item she was holding and grinned as she handed it to Sasuke. “This is for you! I didn’t see you at the hospital but I’m glad I still got to meet with you so I can give this.”

Sasuke was just staring at Sakura the whole time, eyes softening at the effort this girl has been giving for him. When he accepted the flower, he simply nodded and returned to fixing his gaze on Sakura’s face.

Which Sakura noticed.

Starting to be self-conscious, she bit her lip and looked down while the avenger’s eyes were trailing on her. Is there any dirt on my face? Is my hair not evenly cut after Ino fixed it? Am I annoying him agai—

“Sakura.”

Her head snapped up. “Y-yes, Sasuke-kun?”

There was a beat of silence after Sasuke spoke again, “Sakura, what do you...what do you feel about me?”

That was one question Sakura didn’t expect to hear from her childhood crush. For a moment, she evaluated the past few minutes and wondered if the Sasuke in front of him was under a substitution technique or if she was stuck in a Genjutsu. 

But no, it was very clear that this was Sasuke Uchiha – the Sasuke she has always had her eyes on, the Sasuke that was surprisingly wearing a soft expression on his face right now. 

“Sa...sasuke-kun?”

The Uchiha looked away. Albeit waiting, he couldn’t avoid feeling embarrassed with his question as well.

Sakura hesitated, however. It wasn’t as if she didn't know the answer to that. During the first part of the Chunin Exams, her feelings for the Uchiha avenger slowly solidified. She knew it wasn’t just a mere crush anymore, yet she was still shy in declaring that, especially to the object of her affection himself.

Sasuke was starting to get worried with Sakura’s silence. So he uttered the query again, “I need to know, Sakura. What do you feel about me?” He was almost irritated, but the soft expression on his eyes was still there.

Need? Sakura wondered. She has always thought that her feelings appear shallow for Sasuke, but knowing her teammate to be one that only speaks about what matters, she realized he surely has a reason why he asked such question out of the blue. And so she decided to be completely honest to him about what's in her heart despite not knowing if she would end up rejected or what.

“I...I care about you. I want to be there for you always and share with your burdens no matter how heavy. I see you as more than...more than a comrade, Sasuke-kun. I...” She clutched her hands close to her chest, hesitating on releasing her next few words. Her voice lowered to almost a whisper after a beat and then she finally said, “I love you. And I’d be very glad if...if you feel the same.”

With his dark eyes widening at the sudden revelation, Sasuke's heart began to gallop against his ribcage. He has always known that Sakura felt a certain fondness for him, but to the point that she would fall in love with him? He didn’t understand. 

But right now, after all that the Chunin Exams had allowed them both to encounter, it didn’t matter anymore if he didn’t understand it yet. Somewhere inside him, he has always known that there’s a space in his heart that only Sakura could fill. And he’s willing to accept that now.

He took another step closer to her, and stared at her adorable, blushing face. “Well, I...I do.”

Sakura gasped with the unexpected declaration. And then in a second or two, she fainted in Sasuke’s arms.

–-

April 2019 © AriannJS

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Hope you guys enjoyed this! Don't hesitate to share your thoughts 😄 Also, if you haven't read my other short book for SS called "Happy", go and check that out too!🙊

Let's keep on fighting to cope every single day🙏🏻❤️  Stay safe and healthy in all aspects✨

Much love,
A