Habits

Author: caithzadz
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I wish I do but I don't.

 

Habits

-Sakura-

The first time Sai kissed her, it was only to shut her up.

Both were walking through town from lunch with Naruto, but after the blonde saw Hinata enter Ichiraku's, he abandoned Sai and Sakura to hang out with the purple-haired Hyuuga. So the two had no choice but to walk home together. Sakura was rambling on and on about the last mission they were on, how annoying she found Naruto's constant chatter at the ramen shop, and book suggestions on emotions for Sai to check out.

"… I think you should read her book, I think it's absolutely amazing," she was saying. "And if you're done with that, take a look at the sequel. It's pheno-."

The next thing she knew, his lips were pressed onto hers into a kiss. The pink-haired kunoichi squeaked in shock. Focusing all of her chakra into her fist, she punched him in the gut and he flew towards the nearest tree.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she screamed at him.

The dark-haired shinobi rubbed his jaw before blinking at her. He got up from the ground, dusted his clothes, and fake-smiled at her. "You were talking too much."

With her arms crossed, Sakura cocked an eyebrow. "So?"

Sai continued to smile. "It was annoying."

A vein popped dangerously on Sakura's forehead, but she didn't punch him again. Instead, she glared at him. "Why did you have to kiss me?"

He shrugged. "Kakashi-senpai lent me one of his books and the female character wouldn't stop talking so the male character kissed her and she shut up." He tilted his head to the side in confusion at the death look she was giving him. "What's wrong, Ugly?"

She shakily pointed a finger at him. "You stole my first kiss!" she accused. "And the nerve you have of reading those ridiculous perverted books! Have you no shame?"

Sai simply shrugged and continued to walk home, leaving her behind.

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After that incident, Sai had taken a liking to teasing her by kissing her, but not on the lips anymore. Oh no, he would end up with broken bones if he ever attempted that again. Instead, whenever they finished a mission or accomplished training, he would either take her hand and kiss it or peck her on the cheek or forehead. Also, he only did this when Naruto wasn't around. The blonde was very protective of his sister-of-sorts and any guy who dared ask her out, had to go through him first.

The first couple of times Sai got into this new habit of his, Sakura would slap him across the face, scream obscenities at him, and dared him to try it again. However, no matter how hard she hit him, no matter how many curses she yelled at him, the artist would simply smile in reply and do it anyway.

At first, she hated it. She wanted to wipe that stupid fake smile off his face. She wanted to pummel him into a pulp and kick him off the face of the Earth. She wanted to murder him!

Eventually though, she began to realize how soft and gentle his lips felt against her skin. A tingle of electricity would spread through her body and the spot he planted his kisses on would tingle, even hours after he had kissed her.

Also, when Tsunade sent Sakura and Sai on a mission together a couple of weeks after the kiss, the pink-haired medic didn't know why but she suddenly felt nervous. A mission with Sai meant spending hours with him, changing clothes and taking a bath with him nearby, and the worst of all, sleeping side-by-side in the same tent. They've gone on missions together before, but for some reason, she felt that this one would be different.

And it did turn out different.

The first night of the mission, while getting their tent and sleeping bags set-up, Sai suddenly offered to cook dinner this time. Usually, it would be Sakura but she decided to give his cooking a shot. Bad idea. He put too much water on the beans, making them soggy and added too little salt, making them bland. And he left the rice in the pot too long and it almost burned, if Sakura had not saved it on time.

"How is it?" he asked, pleasantly after she took the first bite.

It's terrible! You shouldn't cook at all! Don't ever touch my kitchen! Sakura screamed in her head.

However, seeing the expectant and excited look on his face, she forced a smile and took another agonizing bite. "It's good, Sai. Not perfect, but good enough."

She didn't have the heart to tell him that she wanted to run to the nearest tree and throw up. Meanwhile, Sai just smiled and began to eat. Whether he knew how bad his cooking tasted, it didn't show. He just finished everything on his plate.

While getting ready for bed, Sakura was taken aback when he pecked her on the cheek. "Good night, Ugly."

"G-Good night, Sai," she stammered.

When both were safely tucked into their sleeping bags and hearing his slow breathing next to her, the kunoichi placed a hand on her flushed cheek, the pleasant electricity coursing through her body.

It came to the point when Sakura no longer minded Sai's kisses. In fact, she started looking forward to them. Now, instead of frowning and feeling the urge to kill him, she would smile softly and even responded with a few light pecks of her own on his pale cheeks. She liked watching his fake-smile turn into a look of utter confusion.

Naruto, noticing the sudden change in the atmosphere between the two, was curious and went as far as to ask Sakura about it when she was tending to his broken arm at the hospital one day. The pink-haired medic just shrugged.

"Maybe we're just starting to get along," she replied, wrapping bandages all over his arm.

Naruto scoffed. "Right. Don't you care anymore that he still calls you Hag or Ugly?"

"A bit, but I think I've begun to realize that the nicknames are Sai's way of trying to create some sort of connection between us."

The blonde tilted his head to the side. "Connection? Like soul mates or something/"

Sakura, in surprise, dropped the roll of bandage and it rolled away. Heat rushed into her cheeks and she shook her head furiously. "T-That's… That's ridiculous, Naruto. How could you even think we'd be soul mates?"

Naruto pursed his lips. "Hmm… Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean, come on, this is Sai we're talking about. The guy can't even feel proper happiness, so he can't have a crush on you, right?"

"R-Right." Sakura didn't know why but she could feel her heart throbbing, painfully at his words.

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Sakura knew that Sai's kisses were mere teasing. They didn't mean anything to the dark-haired artist. He didn't kiss her out of need or because he liked her. He kissed her because he enjoyed watching her fume in anger or flush scarlet red in embarrassment. However, Sai's kisses began to become comforts as well.

The first time he kissed her because he knew she needed support was when they came home from, yet, another failed Sasuke Retrieval Mission. They had a confrontation with the ex-Konoha Shinobi and all three emerged with cuts and scrapes from the encounter. The most fatal scars of all were the ones on Naruto and Sakura's hearts from their failure of bringing their old friend home.

While the blonde was seeking solace and comfort from Hinata, Sakura clung to Sai. Both sat on the ground of Team Kakashi's training field from afternoon 'til twilight. The whole time, Sakura tried to hold back her tears. She didn't want to look weak and helpless in front of the painter. But when she felt his hand on hers and his thumb stroking her knuckles comfortingly, she broke down. Tears fell in torrents down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly.

Sniffling, she hastily wiped the tears with an arm. "Gomenasai, Sai. I don't want you to see me like this. I look pathetic."

She expected a comeback like, "Don't worry, Hag. You couldn't look uglier than you already are."

However, she didn't expect fingers under her chin lift her face up to meet his. Her heart stopped as green met onyx. He had such pretty eyes, they had a certain softness that Sasuke's eyes never had.

Without a word, Sai pressed his lips to hers.

Shocked and confused, Sakura just sat there. His lips… they felt so nice… Why was her heart beating so fast? And why was he kissing her? Was he teasing her again? Or an attempt to make her smile, maybe?

He pulled away and Sakura's eyes fluttered open. Wait, when did she close them?

Sai smiled at her, a smile she distinguished to be one of his rare real ones. He leaned his forehead against hers.

"Don't worry," he whispered. "Everything will be alright."

And Sakura believed him. That was when the truth hit her hard in the face; she was in love.

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Sai had also developed the habit of walking Sakura home after a weary day of tending to the injured and sick. The first time it happened, she was surprised yet glad to see him standing outside the hospital doors.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked, coming up to him.

He shrugged. "I was on my way home when I happened to pass by. I knew your shift was almost over anyway so I might as well walk you home. It's getting pretty dark."

Sakura felt touched with his concern. "I see. Well, I'll have you know, I'm used to walking home by myself." She giggled. "But I guess some company is nice. Thanks Sai."

"Hn."

"Now, since you're here, I might as well tell you all about my day."

They began to walk. "Konohamaru-chan's team just came back from a mission today and boy, was he beaten up so bad! I swear, that kid's going to become a second Naruto…"

And the whole way home, Sai never interrupted her, not once.

When they reached her apartment complex, she turned to him. "Thanks, Sai."

Feeling brave, she leaned into him and pecked him on the cheek. Smiling widely, she entered her apartment before he could say anything. She missed the goofy grin that appeared on Sai's face and as he turned to walk home, he knocked over a potted plant.

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One night, as Sai walked Sakura home and listened to her ramble about her day, he took her hand. Surprised, she stopped talking.

"Why did you stop?" he asked.

"Um… I forgot what happened next," she lied.

"Ah, I see."

They walked in silence now. Besides that time when he comforted her during the failed mission, he never really held her hand. And Sakura was much to distressed last time to feel the rough and strong yet gentle hands of Sai. And her hand fit his just right, like a puzzle. It felt… nice.

"Sakura."

Another surprise. Since when did he call her Sakura? But boy, did it feel great to hear his velvety voice finally say her name.

"May I ask a question?" he said.

"Um… Sure. What is it?"

He paused and gestured to a bench. Upon closer inspection, Sakura realized that this was the bench she fell asleep on the night Sasuke left Konoha. Usually, whenever she saw this bench, her heart would start breaking. But now, it wasn't. It ached, that's for sure but it didn't break.

She sat down and Sai settled himself next to her. Both remained silent for a while, unsure of what to say.

"Did I ever mention that this was the exact spot I told Sasuke that I loved him?" she narrated. "That was also the night he betrayed the village."

Sai hesitated before saying, "Oh?"

She nodded. "Yeah. And I fell asleep right on this bench." She chuckled softly, patting the smooth stone surface. "It's funny. Usually, I could never sit on this bench without breaking down. Now, however, it feels different." She beamed at him, pink tints on her cheeks. "Maybe it's because I'm with you."

Sai looked at her, blankly. "Do you still love him?"

She sighed. "True love means letting that person go if you feel that it's the best not only for him, but also for you. I love Sasuke and I would never give up in returning home; that's my duty as his friend and teammate. But," she looked up into the starry sky. "I'm no longer in love with him. That's why, I'm letting go of my feelings for him. It hurts, but it's for the best."

Besides, I'm in love with someone else, she added in her head.

Sai remained quiet. After a while, he whispered, "What's it like to fall in love?"

Heat rushed into Sakura's cheeks. She tucked a stray strand of pink hair behind her ear. "Um… Well… it's when you care about somebody so much that you can't imagine life without that person. This person can be considered your life as well. You can't bear to see them sad and hurt and when they are sad and hurt, you will do anything just to see them smile and laugh again. Usually, you want the pain they feel to transfer to you. It also means sacrificing everything for that person, your happiness even your own life." She looked into his face, curiously. "Why do you ask?" A mischievous grin played in her lips. "Are you in love, Sai?"

Sai chuckled. "Yes, I believe I am, now that you've made it clear to me."

"Oh really?" Sakura could now feel her heart breaking and tears threatening. She forced a smile. "Who is she?"

Sai only smiled. "I believe I am in love with you, Sakura-chan."

The said Cherry Blossom gasped, her eyes widening. The dark-haired artist was still smiling, as if he hadn't just confessed that he was in love with the teammate he had teased and taunted for the two years he became a part of her team.

Before she could even comprehend her own actions, Sakura launched herself at Sai, arms snaking around his neck and her lips crashing to his into a passionate kiss. He stiffened before relaxing. His arms found their way around her waist as he returned the kiss, eagerly.

His early kisses were simple pecks, dry and closed lipped. But this, this had a lot of tongue action. Whoever knew that a guy who had no clue about emotions most of his life could kiss like he'd done it so many times before?

Feeling the need for oxygen, Sakura reluctantly pulled away, breathing heavily. Sai was likewise trying to catch his breath. Placing her lips at his ear, the pink-haired kunoichi whispered, "Aishiteru, Sai-kun."

How good those words felt as they left her lips. Sai flashed her another heart-melting smile before lifting a hand to caress her cheek. She leaned into his touch as he leaned closer to her.

"Aishiteru, Sakura-chan," he whispered, before pressing his lips to hers.

After that night, kissing his Cherry Blossom under the stars had become a new habit for Sai. And the Cherry Blossom encouraged this habit.

-Sai-
Sakura thinks that he stole her first kiss, that he had taken advantage of her. Sai had to laugh whenever she told this story to anyone who asked. This was because he didn't steal her first kiss. In actuality, Sakura stole his first kiss. She just didn't know it.
It happened while they were on a mission together. It was an Akatsuki-related mission. For some reason, Tsunade didn't want Naruto to be involved, so she sent them both instead. During two-men missions, Sai and Sakura usually shared a tent since it made packing easier and faster when they woke up in the morning. If an enemy had somehow found their camp, they could easily just leave the tent behind and there wouldn't be a problem in their budget; shinobis didn't earn much money. The only problem was though, the tent was small and even if the two were in separate, individual sleeping bags, if they rolled around too much, they could end up sleeping next to each other. That was exactly what happened.
Sai was a light sleeper so when he felt something press into him, his eyes immediately flew open. To his surprise, a fair, slender arm was draped across his chest and a mass of pink lay on his shoulder. A nice vanilla scent met his nostrils. For some apparent reason, Sai's face started getting warm and his heart began to beat faster than normal. This has never happened before.
Slowly, the dark-haired artist tried to disentangle himself from Sakura's sleeping form but surprisingly, her grip on him was strong.
"Sa… Sasuke…"
Sai froze. Did she awaken and thought he was the Uchiha?
But no, she was still asleep. However, there was a new look on her face. Sai brought his face closer to hers, inspecting this new emotion. It looked like she was longing for something, pained by something, broken by something. Although Sai tried hard, he still couldn't understand why Sakura clung to the Uchiha despite his betrayal. Sai had begun to understand bonds, not fully but getting there. But he still wondered why Sakura and Naruto did their best to maintain this bond with the traitor even though they got hurt a lot in the process.
While trying to figure out this new emotion, Sai never noticed that Sakura had snuggled closer to him and the next thing he knew, her lips were only a few centimeters away. Again, heat rushed to his face. But before he could pull away, Sakura had leaned forward and their lips met. Shocked, Sai lay frozen as his pink-haired teammate kissed him. Sai often wondered if her lips were indeed as soft as they looked, and at that moment, he found out that yes, they were.
When Sakura pulled away and rolled to her other side, Sai suddenly felt empty. He didn't know why he had the sudden urge to wrap his arms around her and hold her close to him. He wanted to breathe in that sweet vanilla scent. But Sai didn't. He simply watched her back until promptly falling asleep himself.
The next morning, Sakura went about her usual, gleeful business, not noticing Sai's looks of confusion.
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After that incident, whenever he and Sakura were sent on a mission together, Sai would often find his pink-haired teammate draped all over him. It had become such a habit for Sakura to wrap an arm around him with her head on the crook of his neck, and a leg slung across his. She never seemed to remember what she did the night before since she often rolled away from him some time during the night.
Sai began to look forward to these missions, to be more specific, the nights. He would watch Sakura sleep until she rolled away from him.
When the ex-root member asked him about a certain emotion, Kakashi lent the artist one of his Icha Icha Paradise books.
"I think you'll find some answers somewhere there," the masked jounin had said.
So while he and Sakura were walking home together and she was talking on and on about one thing or another, he remembered this exact same scene in the book. Knowing Sakura's immense strength, he was a bit reluctant at first. But then, he decided to give it a shot. So he kissed her. And ended up flying against a tree.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she screamed at him.
Sai rubbed his jaw and blinked at her. He got up from the ground, dusted his clothes, and fake-smiled at her. "You were talking too much."
Sakura crossed her arms, red in the face. "So?"
He never noticed how cute she was when she was angry. "It was annoying."
She glared at him. "Why did you have to kiss me?"
He shrugged. "Kakashi-senpai lent me one of his books and the female character wouldn't stop talking so the male character kissed her and she shut up." He tilted his head to the side curiously, wondering why she was so affected. "What's wrong, Ugly?"
She shakily pointed a finger at him. "You stole my first kiss!" she accused.
Actually, you stole mine, he thought, but didn't say aloud.
"And the nerve you have of reading those ridiculous perverted books! Have you no shame?"
Indeed, Sai did have shame. He never finished the book. It didn't make much sense to him and he didn't find the answers he was looking for. But Sakura she didn't have to know that. So he simply shrugged and began to walk away. This time, his smile was genuine.
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Sai discovered that he liked seeing her turn red at his expense. He didn't even mind her yelling at him. He never kissed her on the lips again though. He'll save that for another time. However, after reading in a book that kisses are not only signs of affections, they are also signs to show how happy and proud you are of a person, he continued to give her kisses whenever she did something amazing.
Some days after he kissed her, Team Kakashi was out training. When she defeated him in a taijutsu battle, he was impressed. She had smirked at him before flipping her pink hair behind her shoulders. All he could do was stare open-mouthed at her. After Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato left, he took her hand and kissed the top of it.
"Get a life!" she yelled, red-faced.
He continued to smile.
On their way home from another successful mission, Team Kakashi decided to rest and the two were sent to get water for the camp. While filling the water bottles, Sai took her hand and kissed her on the cheek. She slapped him.
"I dare you to do that again!" she screamed.
Sai shrugged, still smiling. "Okay." He kissed her other cheek.
She chucked one of the half-full canteens at him. It hit the side of the head and gave him a bruise. But despite his throbbing forehead, Sai continued to smile.
When they returned to camp, him still smiling and her scowling, Naruto asked what happened to his head. Before Sai could reply, Sakura said, "He was being a jerk."
Both Naruto and Sakura gave him death glares the rest of the night while Kakashi and Yamato looked on, sweat drops on their heads.
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Tsunade sent them on a two-men mission for the first time since Sai kissed Sakura. When he met his teammate at the gates of Konoha, he noticed that she looked rather nervous, as if someone was about to attack her. He wondered what was wrong and got a little worried. But on the other hand, the dark-haired artist was looking forward to the trip. They hadn't had one in months and he missed her late-night hugs already.
The first night of their mission, he remembered that one of his books said that women are impressed with men who could cook. Sai wanted to impress Sakura so he offered to cook that night. She looked surprised but gave him the "okay."
He waited for her to take the first bite.
How is it?" he asked, anticipating.
She smiled faintly and took another bite. "It's good, Sai. Not perfect, but good enough."
His heart swelled at the praise the pink-haired kunoichi gave him. He took a bite and wanted to gag. It tasted terrible! But he maintained his neutral face. If Sakura liked it, then he would have to like it. The dark-haired artist took a mental note to go to the library and take out some cook books.
After setting up their sleeping bags, he kissed her cheek and said, "Good night, Ugly."
He expected a punch, a slap, some cursing. However, when she managed a, "Good night, Sai," he was caught off-guard. And as usual, he simply smiled.
That night, inside his sleeping bag and feigning sleep, he waited. Soon enough, he felt Sakura's arm snaking around his waist and her head settling itself in the crook of his neck. Sai sighed in contentment as he breathed in her scent.
What is this feeling? Sai asked himself. Why do I feel like I must protect her at all cost? That I must make sure that she always smiled?
"S-Sasuke…"
Sai stiffened. He frowned. Why? Why was it always the Uchiha? Why never Sai? He waited. When Sakura finally untangled herself from him and turned away, Sai got up and went out into the cool night air.
He missed the smile that formed on Sakura's lips and her whisper of, "Sai…"
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Sai was surprised. After another training session, he gave Sakura a kiss on the forehead. Instead of yelling at him to leave her alone, she just smiled before walking away. She was no longer angry at him? She no longer told him to crawl under a rock and die? The shinobi was shocked at the sudden change but found that despite the fact that he liked seeing her angry, he liked seeing her smiling and laughing a lot more.
To his surprise one day, after kissing her hand after a job well done while treating Naruto, she pecked his cheek! Sakura kissed him for the first time since that night!
Sai had walked home, his mind muddled. That night, as he sketched by his apartment window, he looked out into the starry night sky and thought of Sakura. His Sakura. Before he knew it, his abstract sketch had turned into a portrait of the pink-haired kunoichi.
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They failed. After another attempt at bringing Sasuke Uchiha back to Konoha, Team Kakashi had failed once more. Sai wasn't close to Sasuke so he didn't feel any remorse at his loss. But he did feel remorse for his teammates. Naruto, Sakura, and even Kakashi were broken again. And all Sai and Yamato could do was give words of comfort that didn't help at all.
After Naruto left to find Hinata and Kakashi and Yamato went back to the Hokage tower to report to Tsunade, Sakura and Sai were left in the training fields. Sakura was staring blankly in front of her. Sai didn't know what to do, so he just sat next to her, staying quiet. After some time, he tentatively reached out and clasped her hand in his and ever so gently, stroked the top of it.
To his dismay, instead of Sakura smiling at him, assuring him that she was alright, she began to cry. Sai wanted to glomp himself. He was making it worse!
She sniffled. "Gomenasai, Sai. I don't want you to see me like this. I look pathetic."
He had a comeback ready. He was going to say, "Don't worry. You're pathetic enough already."
But he couldn't bring himself to say it. He couldn't bear to hurt her more than she already was. So instead, he made a decision.
He tilted his head to meet hers. He looked deeply into her beautiful green eyes. She wasn't ugly. She never was. She was beautiful. So very beautiful.
He leaned in and kissed her pink lips. They never lost their softness. Immediately, Sai felt a course of electricity run through him. He wanted to kiss her forever. He never wanted to let her go. However, he knew that he had to. He had no right to her. He didn't even know what this feeling was. When he pulled away, he smiled and leaned his forehead against hers.
"Don't worry," he whispered. "Everything will be alright."
He would make sure of it. The Uchiha must never hurt her again.
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Sai wasn't lying when he told Sakura he was just passing by the hospital when he remembered that her shift ended at that same time. So, he decided to wait for her. He didn't know why, but he felt that he just had to. When she came out, looking weary and tired, he smiled to himself and waved. Sakura looked surprised. Then, her face broke into a bright smile.
The dark-haired artist could feel his heart beating faster and faster at that smile.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked, coming up to him.
He shrugged. "I was on my way home when I happened to pass by. I knew your shift was almost over anyway so I might as well walk you home. It's getting pretty dark."
"I see. Well, I'll have you know, I'm used to walking home by myself." She giggled. "But I guess some company is nice. Thanks Sai."
"Hn." Secretly, he was pleased that she welcomed his presence.
"Now, since you're here, I might as well tell you all about my day."
As Sakura narrated the happenings of her day, Sai listened and for the first time, he didn't interrupt her. He decided that he liked listening to her. Her voice was so… the only word he could think of was melodic.
When they reached her apartment, she turned to him. "Thanks, Sai."
And to his surprise and delight, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his cheek. He couldn't say anything. Well, he could, but he didn't know what to say. Before he could muster enough courage to say something, anything, she had already closed the door. He stared at the wood before breaking into a grin. He suddenly felt lightheaded, but a good lightheaded. All he could feel was the tingle on his cheek that he didn't notice a potted plant in his way and knocked it over.
Before turning the corner towards his own apartment, Sai turned around and looked at Sakura's window, second floor, third from the left. He smiled genuinely before heading home.
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It had been months since Sakura first kissed him, the kiss that she did not recall because her subconscious was in dreamland, the kiss that Sai remembered clear as day because that was the moment that changed the way he saw his pink-haired teammate. He was very confused. What were this feelings? He spent long hours reading about every possible emotion and all gave him the same conclusion: love.
But Sai didn't know love. He didn't understand it. Of all the emotions he had tried to master since abandoning his Root ways, love was the hardest comprehend. Yamato once told him that the reason Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi never gave up on Sasuke was because they loved him. Shizune told him that the reason why Tsunade-godaime endured the hated paperwork as Hokage was because she loved the village and its people. Sakura told him that the reason why he suffered so much after his brother's death was because Sai loved him. But how was it possible? How was it possible for a person to love someone who had betrayed him? How was it possible for a person to love people she probably had never met before? How was it possible for a person who was trained not to feel still feel something after the loss of someone close to him? And how was it possible for a person to love someone who punched him in the face the first time they met? Sai did not understand love at all.
While he walked Sakura home from the hospital one day, he didn't know why, but he took her hand. Immediately, she stopped talking, a confused look on her face.
"Why did you stop?" he asked her.
"Um… I forgot what happened next."
"Ah, I see."
As they walked together in silence, hand-in-hand, Sai decided to ask her about love. Maybe she could give him the answers he had been looking for. After all, he felt this emotion towards her so she was the best source.
"Sakura." It felt so good to say her name. "May I ask a question?'
"Um… Sure. What is it?"
He stopped and gestured to a nearby bench. As they sat down, he saw a look flash in her face. A look of realization and hurt.
"Did I ever mention that this was the exact spot I told Sasuke that I loved him? That was also the night he betrayed the village."
Sai wanted to beat himself up. He didn't know that. If he did then he wouldn't have asked her to sit at this particular bench. "Oh?"
She nodded. "Yeah. And I fell asleep right on this bench." She chuckled softly, patting the bench. "It's funny. Usually, I could never sit on this bench without breaking down. Now, however, it feels different." She beamed at him, pink tints on her cheeks. "Maybe it's because I'm with you."
The ex-Root betrayed no emotion, even though inside, he was breaking. "Do you still love him?"
She sighed. "True love means letting that person go if you feel that it's the best not only for him, but also for you. I love Sasuke and I would never give up in returning home; that's my duty as his friend and teammate."
Sai's eyes began to burn. Why was he feeling so… Depressed?
"But…"
At this, he turned his head to her. Sakura's attention was on the starry sky.
"I'm no longer in love with him. That's why, I'm letting go of my feelings for him. It hurts, but it's for the best."
He now felt more free, more elated. She no longer loved the Uchiha! She was no longer pining for a love that could never be returned! But then… Where did that leave Sai?
"What's it like to fall in love?" he whispered.
His Cherry Blossom blushed as she brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Um… Well… it's when you care about somebody so much that you can't imagine life without that person. This person can be considered your life as well…"
Sai wanted to be with her always. He would never leave her like the Uchiha did.
"…You can't bear to see them sad and hurt and when they are sad and hurt, you will do anything just to see them smile and laugh again. Usually, you want the pain they feel to transfer to you…"
Sai didn't like seeing Sakura upset. In fact, he hated seeing her upset, it just wasn't her. Sai wanted her to always smile, to always be happy. While she was pining over Sasuke, Sai kept wishing that he would feel the hurt instead, not Sakura.
"… It also means sacrificing everything for that person, your happiness even your own life."
Sai looked at her. He would do anything for her. He would protect her at all cost. She was his Cherry Blossom and he would die before he could allow her to wilt.
Sakura gave him a curious look which turned mischievous. "Why do you ask? Are you in love, Sai?"
He chuckled, happily. "Yes, I believe I am, now that you've made it clear to me."
"Oh really?" She flashed him a smile. "Who is she?"
Sai couldn't help but smile as well, a real smile, a happy smile. "I believe I am in love with you, Sakura-chan."
Sakura gaped at him, shocked. Sai was much too happy to notice her surprise. Everything was clear to him now. He loved her. He was in love with her. He wanted to be with her, he wanted to protect her, he wanted to see her smile always, he wanted to be the reason she smiled, he wanted to be a significant part of her life. He loved her.
Before he knew it, Sakura was in his arms, kissing him fervently. He stiffened, his mind going blank as to what to do. Finally, instinct took over. His arms found their way around her waist as he returned the kiss with much gusto.
When she pulled away, her smile was wide. "Aishiteru, Sai-kun," she whispered in his ear.
How good it felt to hear his name spoken with so much affection, so much love. She loved him! Sakura Haruno loved him!
He rewarded her with another true smile, a smile just for her. He caressed her cheek, her soft skin sending bouts of electricity throughout his body. "Aishiteru, Sakura-chan."
And with that, he kissed her once more.
After finalizing their relationship and assuring Naruto that they were indeed in love, Sai found out that even when she wasn't asleep, Sakura still loved to cuddle. And so, mission or no mission, he and Sakura cuddled whenever they could. Sai loved it. And he loved her.