It was half an hour before midnight when Sakura walked with a cake lit with candles. It was a simple cake with white frosting, nothing too fancy for the young Uchiha. Sakura held the cake in front, towards Sasuke who looked at it with a questioning look. It was the first time he received such thing since he was a kid and his parents were still alive. His mother would always buy him a cake and Sasuke remember he would wait for the cake every time he celebrated his birthday back when he was a child. Then after that night, when everything went bleak, Sasuke had never received anything on his birthday. Each year he would turn a year older all he received was hatred and vengeance.
But now everything has changed. Sasuke stare at the frosty dessert. The candles dancing around. Sasuke was savoring the moment until he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head beside to look at Naruto.
"Sasuke, you're suppose to blow the candle," Naruto said, glancing at the still candlelit cake.
Sasuke had an irkmark on his forehead as he glare at his yellow haired friend. "You think I don't know that, dumbass?"
"Hey Naruto! Don't ruin the moment!" Sakura hissed. If she wasn't holding the cake she would've already sent Naruto flying.
The two started bickering. The pinkette was on the verge of punching someone while Naruto was being his usual goofy self. Sasuke sighed before closing his eyes. By then Naruto and Sakura, including everyone, stood in silence as the Uchiha silently makes a wish.
Before the clock ticks twelve, Sasuke blew the candles, along the smoke that came along with it was Sasuke only wish. His wish for the future generation to live in peace.
Once Sakura placed the cake on the table, Ino started slicing it and distributed to their friends who wanted one. While Sasuke and Sakura went back to sit on the table.
"Sasuke-kun, what did you wish for?" Sakura asked curiously before taking a bite on the cake, it wasn't that sweet and the juice from the berry melted with the frost in her mouth.
Sasuke stare at Sakura, briefly looking on the side of her mouth that has a frost from when she took a bite of the cake. He leaned in, surprising the pinkette as her eyes widen, before lifting his hand and wiping the frost with his thumb. Sakura looked at Sasuke, mouth agape.
"Wouldn't it not come true if I were to tell you what I wished for?" He asked, though despite the seriousness in his voice there was a hint of playfulness that lingers along with it.
The night ended like that, soon the dawn breaks and Sasuke and Sakura were out cold in her apartment. Both were snoring away the busy night of Sasuke's birthday celebration. It was also decided when the two went to Sakura's apartment that they'd be sharing a bed. Sakura couldn't protest and just push Sasuke to sleep on the couch. Besides, why else would she be embarrass to sleep beside the man who was practically her husband now?
They let half the day passed, still laying on the bed, savoring the comfortable feeling and cozy blanket. When afternoon came Sakura decided to get out of bed and prepare dinner.
And that became their routine day after day. Until three days had already came by since Sasuke's birthday.
"Where are you off to?" Sasuke asked first thing in the morning when he saw Sakura wearing her boots near the door.
"Oh Sasuke-kun! Good morning!" Sakura greeted, smiling at Sasuke who just got out of bed. The Uchiha was guilty of getting out of bed a little too late than he was accustomed of. But no one could really blame him, he's been out to his journey and hardly gets any sleep.
"I'm going to the hospital. I left breakfast in the kitchen." Sakura stood up, her hand on the doorknob when she suddenly turned around and did something that even surprises her.
She gave Sasuke a peck on the cheek, it was too fast that Sasuke, despite being a strong shinobi renowned for his visual prowess, was still surprise at what she did that he was frozen in spot.
Blinking away his surprise, Sasuke looked at Sakura. "I'll be back later this evening," she said.
"How late?" Sasuke had to ask and it was Sakura's turn to freeze. Still not accustomed to this kind of things, the pinkette sure was starting to get flustered.
"I'll be here before dinner." Sasuke nodded and Sakura went off to the children's hospital. It has been a while since she went to the hospital and the pinkette wondered if any of the children missed her.
Her wondering thought was instantly answered right when she stepped inside the hospital and children started running towards her, greeting the pinkette with hugs and kisses like they've never seen each other in ages.
_____
Sakura was so preoccupied that she didn't notice the sun had already set and it was already nighttime. She has to get back by dinner. Before she forgets, Sakura made a mental note to buy some food in the market on her way back home. She was tidying up her desk when a knock came on her door.
The door opened and came in her fellow doctor and junior, Nami.
"Sakura-sensei, someone is here to pick you up," Nami said, her smile evident on her face as she gave Sakura a weird look.
"Who was it?" Sakura asked, eyebrows frowning. Nami squealed like a teenage girl as she linked her arm on Sakura's arm.
"He was handsome and hot! And he has such a mysterious air surrounding him that makes him more handsome and hotter."
Sakura stare at her junior. Clearly her head was on cloud nine. Apparantly the man that Nami was talking about was none other than Sasuke, who was waiting outside.
"Sakura-sensei, you didn't tell us you have such a handsome boyfriend," some of the doctors said and Nami squealed even more. Upon hearing that sound Sasuke looked up and saw Sakura.
"I'll leave you two now. See you tomorrow Sakura-sensei!" Nami waved and went inside the building.
The two started to walk together. The utter gesture of Sasuke picking her up in the hospital made Sakura happy that she forgot to stop by in the market and buy ingredients for dinner. Her refrigerator was empty and they had no dinner.
"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura called before emerging from the kitchen.
"What do you say we go out to eat dinner?"
Sasuke shrugged his shoulder and stood up to walk towards the door. He really doesn't have a choice.
In the end they settled on a barbecue house. By coincidence the restaurant was offering free beers because apparently it was their tenth anniversary. Sakura was hesitant to take the offer but when Sasuke said he doesn't mind drinking some liquor, Sakura gave in.
And then about nine glasses of beers later, Sasuke was in no shape to walk home on his own.
"I'm not drunk," he said, it's taking him everything to keep his eyes open.
"You said that five times already, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said, eyeing Sasuke in worry. Tonight Sakura decided that liquor was Sasuke's worst enemy. How many times did the pinkette see the Uchiha drunk?
Sakura sighed and went on the pay the bills. Since Sasuke was literally falling off the table, Sakura decided to pick him up. She has enough physical strength to pick a grown man like Sasuke on her shoulder. (See pic above for reference >•<)
"I shouldn't have accepted their offer," Sakura muttered as she walk back to her apartment.
She heard someone mumbling incoherent words until she realized it was Sasuke who was talking, mumbling an apology.
"I'm sorry," Sasuke mumbled. "I'm sorry I drank those beers."
"It's fine Sasuke-kun."
"I'm sorry I'm a mess. I'm really sorry."
Sakura sighed, it seems Sasuke was so drunk by tomorrow she knew he would've forgotten everything.
"I'm sorry I can't walk. I'm sorry you have to carry me. I'm sorry I'm heavy."
"It's fine Sasuke-kun, you don't have to apologize."
"I'm sorry about before," Sasuke mumbled, his apologies took a drastic turn.
"I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sor–"
"Sasuke-kun I get it! Please just sleep," Sakura said, her voice a little louder. She sighed when Sasuke finally stopped mumbling.
"I'm sorry," Sasuke mumbled again.
"愛しています."
"Aishite imasu."
.
.
.
.
.
"I love you,"
Sakura wanted to hear those words when Sasuke is sober. But she knew the Uchiha would be too embarrass to utter those words. Beside, Sakura knew the moment a person succumb to drunkenness, his real self would surface. Sasuke's self no one else knew but Sakura herself.