𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚎 • 𝚜𝚊𝚜𝚞𝚔𝚎 𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚑𝚊 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

13 - Like a Sister

August, 1992 - Japan

"I'm gonna kick you out. Just call him!" Haruka demanded.

"This is my house!" Sakura answered back.

They were both in Sakura's bedroom. Haruka had a lollipop in her mouth and was reading a manga that Sakura had. Sakura was flying about her whole room, fussing about her wardrobe and other belongings. The conversation had shifted to Sasuke, and since Sakura had promised not to make Haruka organize things anymore, it was up to her to call him.

"All your problems would go away if you just picked up the phone and asked him out somewhere. He'd say yes, and you two could be dating before we get back to school." Haruka said casually, flipping a page in the manga.

Sakura was quiet for a little, but then she said bravely, "You know what? I think you're right."

"Hell yeah I am," Haruka yawned, but then she came to her senses and tore her eyes away from her manga. "Wait, really?"

Sakura nodded. "I'm gonna call him."

Haruka threw everything she had been entertaining herself with to the side, catapulted off the bed, and took the lollipop out of her mouth. "Dude, yes! Where are you gonna invite him?"

Sakura's face got a bit rosy at the attention. "I don't know...I was thinking just the park. He could bring his skateboard."

"That's perfect! Call him right now!" Haruka said excitedly, scampering over to the phone in Sakura's bedroom and handing it to her.

Sakura took a breath, and then she dialed his number. Haruka took a step back and observed.

"Oh my god. I'm so nerv—Oh, hello Mrs. Uchiha! C-could you put me on with Sasuke, you know, if he's...around?" Sakura was twirling the phone cord and everything. Haruka snickered silently in the distance.

Everything was going smoothly until Sakura covered the receiver and whispered, "He asked if it's a date!"

"What?!" Haruka asked in the quietest voice she could muster.

"He just asked me if it's a date, Haruka! What do I say?" Sakura muttered urgently.

"Yes! Say yes! This is it, now or never!"

"Um, no! No we could just go as friends!" Sakura laughed nervously. Haruka sighed and flopped back onto the bed.

When the call was done, Haruka glared at Sakura. "Girl!"

"I know," Sakura sighed. "But at least he said yes to the park, right?"

-

Haruka couldn't help but wonder how things were going at the park. She had told Sakura to call her with the details at a local cafe rather than her house, since she had planned to sit and sketch there.

She was expecting good news. If Sasuke had asked if it was going to be a date, then perhaps that meant that he wanted it to be one.

When the phone rang in the small, cozy cafe, Haruka, who'd taken the seat right by it, answered it at the speed of light. "Hello?"

"Hey, Haruka," Sakura said. There was something in her voice. Something wasn't right.

"Sakura?" Haruka asked hesitantly. "Did it go okay?"

"At first it was fine, yeah. But at the end, he...told me that he only saw me as a sister."

Haruka cringed. "Seriously?"

"Yep," Sakura said bitterly. "He said he wasn't sure if he was interpreting the situation wrong, but just in case, he wanted to make it clear that he didn't like me like that. He wanted me to know before things...before I got my hopes up."

"God, I'm sorry Sakura. I didn't expect this at all." Maybe it had only been wishful thinking when she thought that Sasuke liked Sakura romantically. She suddenly wished she hadn't encouraged her so much.

"Yeah, I didn't either."

"What did you say to him?" Haruka gently pressed on.

Sakura sighed. "I didn't want to look pathetic, so I told him I didn't like him like that anyways and that he was worrying for nothing."

Haruka took a little to process the information. Then eventually she said, "Well...at least you know now. You don't have to chase after him anymore."

"That's just it though," Sakura said desperately, and Haruka could hear how torn she was. "I don't think I can give him up yet."

Haruka faltered. Did he truly mean that much to her? "Really?"

"Yeah." Sakura said. "It's stupid, I know."

"No, it's not. But why do you like him so much?"

"I never told you the story, did I?" Sakura asked with a light laugh.

"Story? What story?"

"Well...I think I was seven and he was eight when it happened. It was raining outside, but I had to walk home from school and I didn't bring an umbrella with me. I think I was so worried that I was crying."

"You're joking with me." Haruka said. She never thought that such cliches actually happened in real life.

"I'm not." Sakura said lightly. "Sasuke was a lot different when he was younger. A lot more outgoing. So he walked me home under his umbrella, even though his house was in the other direction. And from then on I always used to watch him. He was always nice to me even though I was shy, and he didn't mind when I tagged along with him and Naruto. When we all got older, all of the other girls jumped on the bandwagon since he was so handsome, but I was the first."

Haruka listened to her story in amazement, completely unaware that she had liked him for such a long time. "Wow, Sakura...you've got it bad."

"I know," Sakura said dully. "That's why I just can't give up yet. I know he said he doesn't like me...but feelings change, right?"

"They do," Haruka nodded. "But you should be careful. The longer you hold on to him, the more it might hurt you in the end, you know?"

"If there's any chance that his feelings will change, then I'm willing to wait." Sakura said faintly, and Haruka smiled.

"That's kind of insane, but really cool, actually. I'm still rooting for you, just so you know."

"Thanks..."

"Sakura?"

"Hm?"

"Do you need me to come over?" Haruka asked softly.

"No...I think I want to be alone for the night. But thank you."

During the call, it had started to rain. Haruka sat at her table long after she hung up the phone and watched it fall for awhile, lost in thought.

She had been wrong about a number of things. Maybe she wasn't a professional love therapist after all. Sakura's attachment to Sasuke wasn't just a puppy dog crush, as Ino's had been, it was much stronger than that. As for Sasuke, she had misjudged his character to a certain extent. He had a heart after all. He must have one—because how else would he care enough not to lead Sakura on?

Sakura wasn't the type to fall for looks only, so if she cared about Sasuke so much, then he must really be something.

[a/n: apologies that this is so short! It just kind of happened that way.]