As soon as my evil words left my mouth, I heard the sound of a bag hitting the ground. Startled by the sound, I turned around and saw Sasuke walking away from our direction.

Did...did he see us just now?!

I quickly let go of Gaara's hands and ran up to the bag that was on the floor.

"Sasuke, you-!"

"Shut up."

I shook at his sudden cold and heartless tone. Why's he so upset...?

"But your bag-"

"Just throw it away."

Not once did he stop to look back at me. He continued to walk away, never saying a word.

I stood there speechless, confused by his sudden change in attitude towards me. Unable to figure him out, I decided to open the bag to see what he wanted to throw away. That's when I saw the newest flavored ramen that I had been dying to get my hands on for the past week.

Why...? Why would he want me to throw this away? Why did he even have this? He doesn't even like this type of stuff.

I felt my heart begin to ache as I heard the cracks in my heart begin to form.

Am I doing the right thing...?

"Is everything okay, Naruko?" asked Gaara while he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah..." I quickly stuffed the ramen back into the bag to hide it from him.

"What's that?" He asked as he glanced at the bag in my hand.

"It's nothing. Just trash," I replied while hiding the bag from his view.

"Oh okay." He then reached for my hand and tried to intertwine his fingers with mine.

I shook at his actions and quickly removed my hand from his. This doesn't feel right...

"I-I'm sorry...I'm moving too fast, aren't I?" Gaara asked timidly; the expression he carried was enough to tell me he was hurt and embarrassed from my action.

"N-no! I just need some time, haha..."

He nodded, giving me a loving smile. "I understand. I'll wait until you're ready."

I stared into his loving eyes and felt my heart ache again. I'm sorry Gaara...

***

Sasuke P.O.V

Why?! Why did she suddenly choose him?! I didn't know she was in love with Gaara! I'm such an idiot!

I continued to walk aimlessly in frustration. I was upset at her for choosing him, but I was also upset at myself for not having the guts to do what he did. He was brave enough to do what my pride never allowed me to do, and that was how he took her away from me.

My feet had taken me to the place where it all began. I stared at the academy in sorrow before closing my eyes. With a click of my tongue, I turned away and sat on the nearby swing.

Why did I have to fall for you...?

I chuckled to myself as my memories answered my own question. I really fell for an idiot, huh? A really stupid dork that always smiles at me with her hand reached out to save me. She's a loser that doesn't know when to quit, and that's why I love her...

I sighed sadly as the pain in my chest worsened. I should have just told her...

I sat up from the swing and began to walk away. The lake was always the place I went to be alone, and so I went back to my childhood's safe heaven.

***

I stared at the dock, remembering all the memories that came from it. I would come here to practice my jutsus, to be alone and think, and the one who would come by to bother me, eventually saving me from my hatred and loneliness, was Naruko.

I gazed at the lake as I began to make my way down the dock, sitting at the edge to stare at the water.

I'm an idiot...I'm an idiot for being in love with an idiot. If she wouldn't have come into my life the way she did, I wouldn't be in this unfortunate situation...

I sighed again as I let my back fall onto the harbor. I laid down on the wooden dock and stared up towards the sky.

Even after seeing you with him... I can't stop myself from loving you. I'm not mad at you,  but mad at myself for not taking the chance to do what Gaara had the balls to do. Why am I always so weak when it comes to you? Why can't I ever express what I feel for you like he did? Why am I unfortunately yours?!

"Damn it!" I yelled angrily as I felt my eyes start to tear up. Why am I unfortunately in love with you?!

I quickly covered my face with my hands as I felt the cracks in my heart begin to deepen. My heart was crumbling, and soon there would be nothing left of it like before.

"Hey Sasuke."

I jumped at the sudden call of my name and quickly wiped my eyes. I sat up and looked behind me to see Shikamaru. He stared at me with his usual nonchalant expression as he yawned while his hands rested in his pockets.

"I'm surprised to see you here," he stated while beginning to make his way towards me. "I like to come here to be alone, and then I saw you laying there, looking all sad like some little heartbroken girl. Tch, what a drag..." he said with a sigh as he sat next to me.

I remained silent as he spoke. His perception of me was spot on. I was acting like a heartbroken child, but how else would you expect me to act after seeing Naruko get swept away by the crazy red-head?

I sighed again as I glared at the sunset in annoyance. If I was still the Sasuke from two years ago, I wouldn't be acting like some heartbroken idiot...Tch, she's made me weak...

"You seem annoyed," he mentioned with a yawn, "Did you and Naruko fight again?"

"Hn." I felt my fists tighten at the mention of her name.

"That bad, huh?"

"What do you know?!" I yelled angrily.

He stared at me completely shocked by my sudden outburst.

Damn, I'm losing my cool...

I clicked my tongue as I looked away from him and back at the body of water.

"Listen man, I don't know what happened between you two, but it looks like this a problem you guys need to talk about."

I grunted angrily at his words. He says it as if it's the easiest thing to do...

"You two are idiots..."

I glared at him as he called me an idiot.

"All I'm saying is that this happens every time you two fight. You guys never say a word to each other about why you're mad, and then both of you are left confused and hurt thinking about what to do next. Then one day you guys magically make up because deep down inside you both know you can't live without each other." He then sighed loudly before resting his back on the dock, "What a troublesome and unfortunate love you guys have."

"Shut up! You don't know anything!" I yelled infuriated by his truthful words.

He shrugged his shoulders while he focused on the sky. "Alright...let's say I really don't know anything, but that doesn't change the fact that both of you guys are hurting right now."

She's hurting...?

"I saw Naruko walking with Gaara to meet Lady Tsunade. She looked hurt so I guessed it had to be something to do with you. But something about them seemed super weird. Gaara was looking all in love with her and she was giving him these fake smiles and laughs." He then shivered at the thought of what he saw.

I placed my hand over my heart as I felt the pain deepen. She's smiling at him...Heh, that's more than she's done for me in the past week.

He yawned again as his eyes watched the clouds disappear. "What exactly happened between you two? Why was she with him, Sasuke?"

"We didn't fight...And the reason she's with him is because they're a couple..." I mumbled sadly as I felt a few fragments of my heart hit the abyss.

"What the hell?! A couple?! How?! I thought you and Naruko were in love with each other!" He yelled as he sat up.

"You too, huh?" I remarked with a sigh.

"Ugh, what're you doing here then? Shouldn't you be trying to get her back?!" he yelled angrily.

I shook my head no, thinking about what he said. "She chose him...She never wanted to be with me anyway..."

He stood up and hit me over the head. "Are you stupid?! This mission was the one way everyone thought you guys were finally going to become a couple, and now you're telling me Gaara stole her away from you and you're going to do nothing?! Both of you guys really are idiots!"

He began to pace around until he finally decided to speak again. "I've made a mistake like you...I let the one I love go because I was stupid enough to think I wouldn't be good enough for her. Don't make the same mistake as me...damn it, this is such a drag! I just wanted to take a freaking nap!"

He placed his hands back into his pockets and began to walk away. "Sasuke, if I were you, I would run my little ass over to the Hokage's office right now. Because if what you told me is true about them being a couple, Lady Tsunade is going to get some great idea of separating you two and having them be together for an alliance of villages. You don't have a lot of time so choose wisely."

With those last words, he was gone.

I slowly turned back towards the sunset, still trying to process what he had told me.

What am I doing...?

I clenched my fists and then quickly stood up in anger.

I need to get her back.

***

Naruko P.O.V

I walked into the Hokage's office with Gaara at my side. Lady Tsunade stared at us two in shook and quickly cleared her throat to speak.

"What can I do for you?" She asked awkwardly as she pretended to look at her papers to hide the fact that she was staring at us.

Gaara took my hand in his and smiled at me happily. "Lady Tsunade, Naruko, and I would like to get married."