Redemption |complete| (SasuSaku)

Preparation for the night

Sunday, 28th of March. Sakura's birthday.

"Ok tell me what you want to do for your birthday tonight."

Sakura dropped the spoon in her tea in shock.

"Oh... me? Nothing. I haven't had a birthday party in so long and I am not sure I want one."

"Oh come on now! You're turning 26, we gotta do something." Ino's voice was loud and excited. Twenty-six, Sakura couldn't believe that she was turning twenty-six. She remembered when Kakashi-sensei was this age and back then she thought that he was old. She hoped that people wouldn't think the way that she used to because she didn't feel old at all.

"Ino, I don't feel like doing something for my birthday."

"Why? Because Sasuke is leaving soon? Come on, you managed before, you can manage again." she dropped her chin to her chest.

"Yes but I have a bad feeling about this one..."

"What? That he won't come back? You've said that before and he came back."

"No, I know that he will but my feeling is more like he will come back in a very long time."

"I know how hard it must be but don't you think you should enjoy the last moments you have with him instead of pitying yourself? If he will leave for a long time then you should make the most out of it."

"Easy to say. Ok let's say I'm up for a birthday party, what do you want to do?"

The blonde shrugged her shoulders. "It's not my birthday."

"Yeah but you're the one who organizes the parties and all."

Sakura leaned back against the sofa and let out a sigh. She hated organising birthday parties.

"Ok how about we go where we went for Naruto's birthday five years ago? Not that dancing place, but another one? They evolved them quite a bit now."

"What do you mean by evolve?" the pinsetter frowned her eyebrows.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, since Kakashi got in power, a lot of things evolved around here. He opened more of these dancing places. They're fun, we go there often with Sai."

"To drink?"

"No, I drink, he takes care of me. So how about we go there?"

"I don't know if Sasuke will really enjoy it."

Ino laughed and put down her cup of tea. "It's not his birthday now, is it? Would you enjoy it?"

Sakura thought about it for a second. Music, dancing and a lot of people who is having fun? Yes, she would enjoy that. She hadn't had a night out in a very long time.

"I think so..."

"Then let's settle this! You come to my house tonight and I'll get you ready, alright?"

"Why?" asked Sakura.

"Because I want Sasuke to give you the best birthday gift ever for the after party." Sakura rolled her eyes, Ino hadn't changed a bit after becoming a mother. She always had this crude sense of humour that made the kunoichi roll her eyes. "Speaking of Sasuke, where is our dark and free spirit of the forest?"