The Plan

By Alden Hawke

 Chapter 3: First date... or something like it - Sasuke, you're scaring me...

 

Naruto smiled as hew walked down to Ichiraku, his favourite ramen place. Ramen with Sakura, and just Sakura... And after all this time of wishing for it, even after her and HIM... It didn't mean anything, but he could still spend time with her... While Ino was helping him get her back from HIM.

 Naruto couldn't even think his name without wanting to smash something. The only person he hated more right now was himself. He still felt fake. Kyubi was the only reason he'd graduated... and he was a screwup at everything else. He wasn't even worth talking to...

 "Naruto-kun!" Sakura called out from Ichiraku as he walked towards her. She was smiling and waving.

 "Hey, Sakura-chan!" he called out, waving back. Ist was sunny, and his wet hair glistened in the sun. He then tripped, caught himself, and ended up bouncing to his place. "One miso ramen please!"

 "One miso ramen for me too! Naruto, remember that I'm paying..." she muttered.

 "Okay, Sakura-chan. OH! I found your birthday present!"

 (My birthday was two weeks ago, baka!) "Cool!" Sakura said, amidst Inner Sakura's annoyance. She opened the box... and gasped.

 "Sakura-chan, I know you like pretty things, but can't wear them on missions... this stuff is weapons concealed... and these braclets supposedly help chakra control...OOF!" He said, as Sakura wrapped him in a tight hug. "THANK YOU, Naruto-kun!" (Now I can look pretty for Sasuke during missions! HELL YEAH! Who CARES if he's late!)

 "Hehe... Thought you might like it... Ano, Sakura-chan... Our ramen's here..." He said, pointing at the ramen.

 "Oh!" Sakura let go of him and started eating her ramen. Naruto was too, but kept sneaking looks at her whn he thought she wasn't looking.

 Sakura didn't mind, but when she and Sasuke were together, she didn't like it when Naruto showed too much interest... If it wasn't Naruto, she might be suspicious, bringing a gift, sneaking looks...

 Sakura smiled. Naruto was a nice guy, but a bit dense. Time to make sure he knew. "Ummm... Naruto-kun-"

 "YES!? Ahhh... I mean, yes, Sakura-chan?" he asked, looking at her expectantly.

 "I won't see you tonight, me and Sasuke.." Naruto's face fell, his whole body seemed to droop- for a second. Sakura wasn't even sure if she'd seen it, afterwards.

 "Okay, Sakura-chan. Ano... for punishment, I can't go on missions for a while... three weeks? Or four?" He was thinking...

 (Three weeks or four!? With just Sasuke-kun... AND Kakashi-sensei, the perv...) "Awwww... What did you do?" she asked, looking at him questioningly.

 "Ahhhhhh~... Well, have you seen Nidaime's nose lately?" he gave a weak smile.

 "WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU STUPID ASS!" Sakura yelled, after taking a look at the monument.

 "That's... basically what Iruka-snensei said..." (Without the headache... Sakura-chan, that hurt!) Naruto though.

 At Iruka's name, it jogged her memory... (Ino got in trouble too...)

 "Now I'm stuck in Ino's house, 'cause I've no source of money..." he groaned. "Ino yanked me to the mall, and got me a mountain of clothes..."

 Naruto found himself pouring out his troubles, ever since he moved in. Ino coming in, rearranging his stuff, complaining about the shower... Basically...

 "You idiot! Ino's cleaning up for you! And WHO takes 60-minute showers? Even I don't, and I'm a girl! That's insane!" Sakura was annoyed at Naruto... He didn't even realise what Ino was doing for him.

 "Oh.... I'm have them at home. I like them, they're relaxing... Oh, the time, Sakura-chan! Havta go! Bye!" He rushed off.

 "Bye, Naruto-kun!" Sakura called after him.

 ~~~

 Naruto got home, and went to sleep.

 ~~~

 Sakura laid on her bed, thnking about their odd lunch. Things had seemed strained, like there was something between them. Naruto wasn't nearly that strained... and that look, when she mentioned Sasuke...

 No, she was just imagining it... and the set of shinobi jewelry he got her, WOW, it was nice. Whoever made this set was smart...

 *Designed by Urumaki Naruko*

 RING! "Hello?"

 "Sakura?"

 "Yeah, Sasuke?"

 "We going now?"

 "Sure! I'll meet you at your house!"

 "'kay..."

 ------

 Sakura sighed. Sasuke wasn't the best conversationalist...

 ~~~

 Sakura stood outside, in some pretty, but not fancy, clothes. Sasuke came in slightly-above-average clothes. He looked annoyed.

 "Sakura. What. Were. You. Doing. With. NARUTO!!?!" Sasuke punctuated each word with a heavy breath, as if he'd been running heavily, finally finishing with a yell.

 "Just a lunch! I bought him ramen-"

 "WHY?" Sasuke seemed... jealous!

 "Because I fell on him at a restaurant, from a balcony that broke..."

 Sasuke snorted. "Seems suspicious, but I believe you. Go?" he took her arm.

 She nodded, and smiled. "Go." she said happpily. First date with Sasuke!

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