Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Love Unspoken ❯ Scroll VI: Hard work and Curiosity ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just some characters I created and the plot…

Summary: Naruto and co. are already 17 years at age. They came all the way to become a jounin; they have become closer over years of teamwork and hard work. But as they grew closer, two certain people have uncertainty feelings for each other. Two twins will come to their lives; will there be troubles ahead for the two or the other way around?

Scroll four: hard work and curiosity

"I'm sorry I'm late, Takahiro-san. I got caught up with them… I'm so sorry." Sakura apologized.

"It's okay, it's okay." Takahiro said trying to calm Sakura down from apologizing again and again. He can understand her because he was like that back then; he was never tardy, but one time, he was tardy for no particular reason; he just overslept.

"Ne, Takahiro-san, what are we practicing with today?" Sakura asked.

"Let's see, I'll teach you how to use a katana in case you have to use it, you'll know how to handle it." Said Takahiro as they entered a small clearing.

"This will be our training ground; we will meet here the next time. Here." Takahiro threw one of the sticks to Sakura as he held one for himself.

"Defend yourself!" barked Takahiro.

Sakura looked at the stick in her hand and saw it was shaped like a crude likeness of a sword.

They faced each other for a moment, and then Takahiro charged, swinging his stick. Sakura tried to block but she was too slow in handling it. She yelped as Takahiro struck her on the ribs and stumbled backwards. Without thinking she suddenly lunged forward but Takahiro easily dodged the blow. Takahiro moved again, then he struck another shot to her stomach.

"You didn't have to do that," Sakura panted in exhaustion and pain.

"An enemy wouldn't soften his blows, will they?"

"Now, defend yourself!" he continued, then attacked again.

"Pull your arms in! Keep your knees bent!" shouted Takahiro. He continued to give instructions, then paused to show Sakura how to do a certain move. They slid through forms with motions before returning to their intense training. No matter Sakura tried, she could not hold Takahiro off from the blows he gave her. When they finished, Sakura plopped down to the ground, she was hurt everywhere; Takahiro had not been gentle to her all throughout their training. But still she was grateful that he could help her to become stronger although he had been a tough teacher, she still learned a many things from him. He had been teaching her for almost a week; they spent two days for one lesson and move on to the other. He had been teaching her things that she was not familiar about or not yet encountered. To sum it all up, for Sakura, he was the best teacher she ever had, despite their age gap, he was only two years older than her, yet he had known far more things than her.

"Just keep practicing, you'll get the right stance. You're a fast learner anyway." Takahiro praised her.

"You're too tough for me to fight you…" she trailed off as she pants for breath. She looked up at him and saw no bruises but only few scratches on his clothes but she had a plenty of them especially her back, it aches all over.

"As I told you earlier, you're a fast learner. You can absorb my instructions easily. As long as you follow them along with speed and your tactics, you can be a match for me…" he complimented.

"Thanks for your compliment. Can you help me up? My back aches." She said. He offered her a hand, which she gladly accepts and pulled her up to her feet. They began to walk towards their home; they often walk home together since his home was just three houses away from hers. They walked in silence, until Takahiro brought up a conversation.

"Who's the other guy?" Takahiro questioned.

"Who?" Sakura said perplexed at his question.

"The one who's with you earlier, the black haired one."

"Oh! I forgot you don't know him. He's Uchiha Sasuke; I'll introduce you next time. Why do you ask?" Sakura answered.

"Nothing. He seems to be strong, isn't he?"

"Yep, a lot stronger than me. He's the strongest in our team." Sakura said happily.

He noticed that Sakura seemed very happy about that topic they've been talking about, which made him more curious about the persona of Sakura's friend, Sasuke. "What kind of a guy is he?"

"Well, he's strong. He's mysterious, bent on revenge, cool… he's emotionless, I doubt that he understands love… he's silent…" and the one that I cherished most since that day I met him up to the year before, that New year… she added silently. Her face fell as she tried to describe him; she recalled those painful memories, those words he used which hurt her greatly. The more she thinks the more her heart beats faster; the feeling she had thrown away since that New Year have been coming back again. She didn't know if feeling those again would be the right thing to do because Sasuke had been acting strange to her lately… she feels that… she's falling for him again.

"You like him don't you?" that statement startled Sakura.

"No! No! You mistook it! I don't like him; he's just my friend! Honest!" she protested.

"I don't believe you. You can never lie to me; I can see the truth in your eyes. Something happened between you two in the past, am I right?" he looked at her with suspicion.

"…Ok. I lied. For the past few years, I loved him but… I gave up on him the year before. Since he was being cold to everyone including me… and he hurt me a lot of times… so I decided that I should give up on him because I can't stand to get hurt again…but it's coming back again, the feeling I felt for him in the past…" she admitted. Takahiro heard the word she used; the word 'love' to describe her feelings for Sasuke, that time Takahiro felt a tinge of jealousy welled up inside of him.

"So you like him again?" Takahiro asked again trying to hide the hint of jealousy in his voice.

"Maybe yes, maybe no. I guess I just missed him that's all, we've been away from each other for many months for our missions." Sakura said with angst in her tone.

Again they did not talk after that.At the Ichiraku Ramen…

"A bowl of miso ramen please!!!" ordered Naruto. "Ano sa, ano sa! Make it three for my companions!"

"Hihi, it's been a long time since we ate together. Pity Sakura-chan isn't here…" Naruto bemused.

"Who's that guy anyway?" Sasuke asked, looking a bit angry.

"He's a jounin! Two years older than you two. Matsuda, Takahiro. I heard that he will be one of the new rookie ANBUs selected, they haven't announced it yet so he doesn't know. He's a strong opponent, good in taijutsu, ninjutsu, I don't know about genjutsu I haven't seen him fight yet, I just heard some talking about him. I heard that he's special skill is with his katana. Good enough for being one of the ANBU. He's a talented ninja…" Kakashi described.

"Why is he with Sakura then?" Sasuke asked again. Both Kakashi and Naruto giggled softly, which made Sasuke angry.

"What!" he exclaimed.

"You're jealous aren't you? …" Kakashi trailed off.

"And, you're curious if they have relationship, right?" Naruto finished with a wide grin in his face.

"I…I…" Sasuke couldn't manage a word out of his mouth and turned away from then when a deep crimson blush formed in his pale cheeks.

"Hah, Sasuke you ARE hopeless." Kakashi sighed.

"You know, Sakura and Takahiro are just friends, those two are just training together. Sakura told me that Takahiro would be helping her train since she could not get help from us because we are busy. So Takahiro would be her temporary teacher… that means, you still have a chance Sasuke, why don't you go for it!" teased Naruto.

Sasuke didn't respond. He was a little delighted that Sakura have no boyfriend yet, but he was still confused on what he really feels, and what he would do about it when he figured out his feelings.

"Oi, Sasuke! What happened between you and Sakura-chan last night?" Naruto asked.

"Huh?" Sasuke wasn't paying attention that was in deep thought.

"We were talking about what happened last night, Kakashi-sensei told me that I accidentally kicked his face when I was asleep so he decide to sleep on the floor. So what about you? What happened?" Naruto explained. Sasuke blushed again, remembering what happened last night. Unfortunately his blush hadn't gone unnoticed, Naruto and Kakashi saw it perfectly and clearly. They giggled again and murmured things to each other.

"You kissed her didn't you? If not you slept with her didn't you? In the same bed! Oh, Sasuke you're so lucky!!! I wonder if I have the same luck with my Hinata!!!" Naruto giggled harder making him look like a little girl.

Sasuke didn't know what to say. They guessed correctly, bull's eye! His secret has been discovered. He looked flushed at that moment.

"Sasuke, would you care to state what happened? I presume we guessed right. But we would like to hear it from you. There's no point hiding it from us…" Kakashi said in a low voice with glint in his eyes.

Sasuke gave up and started to tell them the whole story, which brought up many questions to him from Naruto. Every time he became descriptive about the event his blush grew deeper which earned a tease from his companions.

"Don't tell anyone about that, okay?" Sasuke concluded. Naruto and Kakashi nodded.

"Don't tell anyone about what?" a voice came from behind, it was Sakura. The three was surprised by her sudden appearance.

"Sa-Sakura!" Sasuke hissed.

"What's wrong with you guys?"

"You startled them." Takahiro said behind Sakura, which made Sasuke's blood boil.

"Oh, sorry guys. What are you talking about?" Sakura asked.

"Nothing." Kakashi stated.

"Fine then. Oh I totally forgot! Sasuke-kun this is Takahiro-san. My friend and my sensei… hehehe…" Sakura said playfully, flashing a smile to them.

"Aa." His brow furrowed.

Sakura and Takahiro joined them as they ordered their food. They talked for few minutes and ate silently all the way.

"Sakura-chan what happened to your arms?" Naruto asked as he noticed the scratches and bruises.

"Training! My teacher here is very tough. He's teaching me how to use a katana. That's how I got these, I'm beat." She showed them her scratches and bruises under her arms.

"Wow, Takahiro, you sure are tough…" Naruto eyed Sakura's arm with amusement in his voice. "You really are good."

"People, should learn the hard way to gain knowledge don't they?" Takahiro said.

"Can you teach me sometime? We can spar!" Naruto suggested as he poked Sakura's bruises, who winced in pain and smacked him on the head.

Takahiro just nodded.

"Wai!!!"

"I'll leave you guys now, I'll have to meet Hinata and Ino. Bye." Sakura got up and started to walk away.

"Tell Hinata I'll meet her later!" Naruto called after her, who raised her hand to show him that she heard him clearly. Naruto and Kakashi left on their own ways, which leaves Takahiro and Sasuke alone.

"Sasuke, isn't it?" Takahiro greeted.

"Aa."

"Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"You like Sakura don't you? I'm sorry if I am prying to others business but I'm just concerned."

"…" Sasuke didn't answer him.

"She still liked you. She's not aware of that yet but I can guarantee you. We talked earlier; about you. She told me things how she struggled when you hurt her feelings in the past. She even told me other things but I'm not going to let them get spilled."

"What's your point?"

"I can tell that you like her, I noticed that your jealous when I'm near Sakura and you shot me a deadly glare when I near her or spoke to her. It looks like you would strangle me to death of you found out that we have relationship, correct? But let me tell you something, if you won't make a move to tell her your feelings or hurt her one more time, you'll see. I'll take her away from you. I know right now, I stand no chance against you for her feelings but when the time comes… you know what I will do."

Sasuke fell silent seeing this guy beside him talks like that threatening him. He knows Takahiro's words are true and he will do anything to keep those words. He just smirked when he learned the truth about the other's feelings for Sakura. I think I found a nice match, a competitor. Humph!

"I respect your determination but you will not take her." Sasuke assured him.

"I know you'll say that but still, keep my words in your mind. Good day to you. I must go now." Takahiro bowed slightly with respect and dignity and finally took off.

Sasuke still have the smirk on his face looking at the retreating back of the competitor. He felt a burning passion inside him, don't lose, don't lose, he told himself for he will compete for Sakura's feelings.A/N: I hope this is long enough, hehehe finally! I can update more often now!! I'm sorry for the whole week's absence I was too busy to write!!!

I hope you enjoy this chapter! There will two more OC characters appearing which is… the twins! Yeah. Takahiro will only appear for only few chapters…hehe…

Keep reviewing! Just click the button below okay? Bye bye for now! gtg!