A hospital bed was not the most comfortable place to wake up, especially when Sakura wasn't the one sleeping in it. Her whole body cramped as she uncurled from her sleeping position, sitting on a chair with her head slumped over the side of the bed. Blearily, she rubbed her eyes, squinted at the pale sunshine coming in through the window, and scowled at the time on her phone that told her it was too early, considering when they had come to the hospital late the previous night.

Tenten was already awake, and she chuckled hoarsely when she saw Sakura's expression..

"What?" Sakura demanded, turning to look at Tenten while keeping her voice low so she wouldn't wake Hinata sleeping in the chair in the corner of the room.

"You look like someone peed in your cheerios." Tenten giggled.

Sakura mock-scowled back at her, "I see you're feeling better now if you can make fun of me."

"Ehn," Tenten rubbed her stomach absently, "Doctor said some kind of food poisoning. I didn't eat anything weird yesterday except -" She broke off suddenly and shot Sakura a look.

"What?" Sakura asked anxiously.

"Well... I did eat the snacks that you brought to the game. You sure there wasn't anything weird in those?" Tenten asked.

"Uchiha-senpai bought those from the convenience store like twenty minutes before the game-"

"Ah-hah! I knew it!" Tenten crowed

"Knew what?"

"Ambrosia is not meant to be eaten," Tenten replied with a perfectly straight face. It took Sakura a moment to realize that Tenten was making fun of how Uchiha-senpai was often called a living god, and by then, Tenten had already broken into giggles again.

Sakura missed her pillow. It just wasn't as satisfying to whomp Tenten with the tiny ones the hospital provided.

"If it had been the snacks, we'd all be sick. Be reasonable." Sakura whispered as Hinata snuffled a little, no doubt disturbed by their horseplay. "Are you sure you didn't have anything else to eat? Drink?"

"Well...," Tenten pursed her lips. She was thinking so deeply, she didn't notice a bleary-eyed Temari coming back into the room, tucking her cellphone away in her pocket. "Nothing special, except I tried that weight-loss tea that Yakumo-chan was promoting-"

"You what?!" Temari shrieked.

Tenten winced, "Shh! We're in a hospital and it's too early for that kind of sound!"

"And you're too old to fall for that kind of snake oil!" Temari didn't bother to keep her voice down, "If you're lucky, those kinds of teas are just laxatives and you end up temporarily losing some water weight. If you're unlucky, you end up with liver failure!"

"It can't be that serious. Yakumo-chan's a legit influencer, she's got hundreds of thousands of fans."

"Just because she has fans doesn't mean she knows the first thing about nutritional supplements, nor if they're safe!"

"But she looks fantastic and thin. I just..." Tenten looked down at her hands, unable to finish her sentence.

Sakura leaned over and gave her friend a squeeze for support, "I think you're beautiful the way you are."

Temari also rubbed her shoulder for support, but she obviously wasn't prepared to let the topic go. "Her whole job is looking good for social media. She probably has her own coach, nutritionist, chef - a whole damn team to make sure she looks good enough to sell shit like this. I doubt she even uses the supplement; I bet she just got paid."

"She's not that kind of influencer!"

At this point, Sakura knew that her presence in this conversation wasn't productive any more. Even if she personally agreed with Temari, she didn't want Tenten to feel ganged up on. That was bound to make her dig in her heels just for the sake of an argument.

Instead, she grabbed their water bottles and went looking for a fountain. The hospital was about as quiet as hospitals got; the hallways were deserted, but Sakura could still hear the voice of low whispers and people moving around in the private rooms. Through an open door, she caught a glance of a doctor catching a nap on the table.

As she moved away from the patient wing and in the liminal time between nighttime and morning, Sakura's world faded to the sound of her own footsteps on cold linoleum. Without sunlight, sound, or the shadow of anyone else, she had the eeriest feeling that she was alone in the world.

In that moment of absurd fear that made her want to shrink from the world, Sakura wanted to see Meister.

"Sakura."

I must be hallucinating. Sakura shook her head at her own foolishness. Just because you want to see him, he'll be there? Yeah right.

"Sakura," this time, a familiar hand caught her before she walked into a familiar chest. Befuddled, she blinked, processed, then stared.

Then she had to look one more time, from the hand gently holding her own, to the lightly muscled forearms shown off by the rolled down cuffs of his dress shirt and sweater set, to the broad chest she'd crashed into more than once, up his sexy neck to that face - no, I guess I'm really not hallucinating.

What in the world is Uchiha-senpai doing here?!

(￢‿￢ ) ( O . O )

"I'm sorry!" Temari said for the hundredth time. Her three roommates sat in the back seat of Uchiha-senpai's car, Tenten in the middle as she dozed off on Hinata's shoulder. Temari was sitting right behind Sakura in the passenger seat, and Sakura knew she was trying to be discreet, but she could just tell from the way his lips kicked up that Uchiha-senpai could hear, and he'd enjoyed surprising her like that. Temari wasn't very quiet, after all.

"Oh my god, Temari, stop apologizing," Tenten moaned. "Just because you and Shikamaru-senpai are always exchanging sweet nothings - hey! Your elbows hurt!"

Jab harder, Sakura thought. She wished she could blame Tenten's tactlessness on the lack of sleep, but no, that was just Tenten. Before she could say anything else embarrassing, Sakura decided to try and distract Sasuke senpai with her sparkling wit first.

"Thanks for picking us up this morning; I hope you weren't up too late last night," Real witty, Haruno. You sound like a jealous girlfriend probing for information.

"Pretty late," Uchiha-senpai humoured her anyways.

"Shika was too hung over to come get us when I called him this morning, so when he said he'd arrange a ride, I was expecting him to just call us a taxi or something. Not..." Temari trailed off as she eyed Uchiha-senpai.

"He stayed over in our dorm last night. I overheard and told him I'd pick you up."

"Ah," Temari mumbled awkwardly. The car went back to its former quietness as the three girls in the backseat tried to catch up on their sleep. Despite her drowsiness, Sakura was too wired to join them. She was sitting next to Uchiha-senpai, after all.

"Mm," Hinata winced, breaking the silence.

Tenten glanced at her blearily, "Whazzat?"

"M-My breath smells bad. I-I wish I brought my toothbrush."

"We all smell bad, but who cares? Uchiha-senpai's Sakura's hubby, after all!" Tenten declared breezily.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Sakura turned around and glared at her, but Tenten had already flopped onto Temari's shoulder and gone back to sleep. Sakura glowered, but all she got were stifled giggles from Temari and Hinata, who were both pointedly not looking at her.

Why couldn't I have roommates that weren't so determined to embarrass me?

As they turned off the main street, Sasuke caught her quizzical look and explained, "I ordered breakfast; we'll pick it up before I drop you off."

"You don't have to do that," Sakura said automatically.

"It's what I should do," Sasuke flashed her an impish smile as he parked the car, "It's the least I can do for my dear wife, after all." He got out and closed the door before she could gather her scrambled wits to say something, anything.

"Pfhahahahaha," Tenten and Hinata burst out laughing, clutching each other for support. Temari looked between them and Sakura, eyeing them like she was stuck between a pair of hyenas and a quivering, stunned bunny.

"Th-that's what Meister-san calls Sakura in game," Hinata explained, "MDW."

Temari made an O of understanding while Tenten wasn't about to let such a good opportunity to tease Sakura go, "I thought you were used to it, being an old married couple and all."

"It sounds different outloud," Sakura muttered, rubbing her head. "I still need to get used to the whole Meister being Uchiha-senpai thing."

"Poor you, your online husband is actually your offline idol. However will you survive?"

"Shut up," Sakura pouted. It did seem petty, when she put it like that. She couldn't explain why she was still struggling to think of Meister when she was faced with Uchiha-senpai.

It only took a minute for Uchiha-senpai to come back. When he did, he offered two bags to Tenten in the back seat.

"I can take that," Sakura said quickly, but Tenten already took the bags.

She made a face at her and hugged them protectively, "You can leave the food to us, go flirt with your hubby."

Sakura was struck speechless again, but Uchiha-senpai actually nodded in agreement. "Listen to your friends."

The absurdity of the situation finally caught up with her, and she burst out laughing. She kept giggling even as Uchiha-senpai got back into the car and drove away.

Sakura realized something, "Uchiha-senpai, Tenten and Hinata also play Way. Hinata is Sola and Tenten is Sharp."

"Hn," Sasuke nodded at them in the rearview mirror, while Hinata waved.

Tenten, however, blurted out, "Hey, Uchiha-senpai, if you and Sakura are dating now, when are you going to take us out for dinner?"

Sakura glowered at her, "You already have breakfast, now you want dinner too?"

"It's a tradition!"

"You just want a free dinner."

"So what?"

"Ah!" Hinata interrupted their bickering when she suddenly sat up in her seat, extremely distressed.

"What's up, Hinata-chan?"

"I-I wanted to go to the resume review session th-that the CS students society is putting on today, but...," Hinata trailed off, looking down at her hands. The session was only this morning, but they were all so exhausted, they were ready to sleep until noon.

"I'm sorry," Tenten said guiltily.

"I know the person who's doing the resume sessions. I can arrange for you to do an afternoon session, if you want." Uchiha-senpai said from the front seat.

Hinata perked up, "R-really? I-I would really appreciate that." She was more stressed about finding a summer job than Sakura was, even though neither of them had a summer internship yet.

"No problem. He'll probably be more awake then, anyways." Uchiha-senpai said nonchalantly as he pulled up outside their dorm.

"Maybe I should go too...," Sakura mused.

Uchiha-senpai looked sideways at her, "I thought we had an appointment."

Sakura flushed, remembering the awkward moment at the basketball game yesterday. But still... I should prioritize my internship...

"I-I can take your resume for you and bring you back the notes," Hinata offered. Then she hesitated and looked back at Uchiha-senpai to ask, "I-If that's okay with the reviewer."

"No problem," Uchiha-senpai promised. I wonder what makes him so sure about that. He must have been reading her mind, because he then added, "You know the reviewer a little - It's Old Ramen Man."

"Ohh," Sakura realized. That's why he's so confident. They seemed close yesterday. Still, she felt a bit uneasy with all the favours Uchiha-senpai was going to owe because of her.

"Th-then thank you both in advance," Hinata relaxed. She followed Temari and Tenten in getting out of the car.

However, when Sakura was about to get out as well, Sasuke stopped her, "Do you have a minute?"

Sakura was about to reply when Temari, waiting at the dorm entryway with the other two, urged her, "Hurry up, Sakura-chan!"

Uchiha-senpai leaned across her seat to signal wait out the passenger window, and Sakura was ready to faint, he was so close. She could smell his light scent and feel his warmth. She almost missed Temari tapping her watch and signalling back a number.

"Looks like we only have three minutes before she comes to get you; I'll make good use of it," Uchiha-senpai withdrew, leaving her feeling a bit bereft.

Sakura took a minute, processing what he said, then asked, "What's the matter?"

"What are your plans today?"

"I still need to study this afternoon, but I definitely need a nap," She stifled a yawn, then frowned "The library's going to be full, though. I guess I'll have to stay in. Sorry," She flashed him an apologetic smile.

"We could go somewhere else."

"Where?"

"I promise it'll be deserted and quiet, but have everything you'll need. I'll pick you up at 1?"

"Oh.. okay?" She watched him vigilantly, "But I'll need to tell one of my roommates where we are!"

Sasuke smirked at her, "Worried I'm going to kidnap you?"

I would be okay with that, Those words almost came out of her mouth, as befuddled as she was by his good looks when he smiled like that. Instead she blurted, "Three minutes are up, I gotta go," and bolted out of the car.

Sasuke watched her go, a helpless smile on his face. That's progress. At least she managed three minutes before running away from me again.

(￢‿￢ ) ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=┌( >_<)┘

Six hours later, Sakura sat up in bed, much better rested, slightly peckish, and entirely unable to eat anything because of how nervous she was about meeting Uchiha-senpai that afternoon. She still got butterflies when she remembered the way he looked at her that morning.

I'm going on a date with Uchiha-senpai. Is it really a date though? Study date? Does it count? Isn't it a bit of a lame first date? I wonder if he'll think I'm lame for suggesting studying as a first date. Wait, is it even the first date? Maybe yesterday counts as the first date.

"Sakura, stop wool gathering and come eat something," Temari called when she noticed her. They'd all been too tired to eat the breakfast that Uchiha-senpai had dropped them off with, so they were reheating it now for lunch.

"We're going to be eating this for days," Sakura goggled when she saw just what he'd ended up picking up for them - there were several varieties of dimsum, so much that it practically covered their entire center table.

Tenten spoke around a mouthful of food, "Who are you pretending for? You know we'll finish it all today."

Sakura grinned, "True, but sometimes I like to pretend we don't eat like starving wolves." Both Tenten and Temari snorted dismissively at that, while Hinata hid a smile behind her hand.

They ate in companionable silence, each minding their own business, when Tenten suddenly yelped. "I can't believe this bitch! Look at what she wrote about you, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura took the phone that Tenten shoved in her face, read the post, then burst out laughing, "We're not twelve, she can just say boobs."

"Let me see," Temari put down the turnip cake she was eating and reached for the phone. Her brow furrowed as she read and scrolled, then scoffed and tossed her phone back to Tenten, "How trashy. Those passive aggressive digs are so childish. Who is this girl anyways?"

"She's a pretty influential blogger on the forums; despite her name, she mostly does aesthetic pics. cafe and restaurant reviews, and vlogs, that kind of stuff. I follow her! I trusted her!" Tenten scowled.

"I like the picture," Sakura smiled as she looked over Hinata's shoulder. Hinata had just started reading the article. Someone had snapped a picture of Uchiha-senpai catching her hand and pulling her towards him to whisper in her ear.

"I-It's a good picture," Hinata agreed.

"Sakura-chan! Take this seriously!" Tenten complained.

"If I take her seriously, she wins. It's just the jealous nonsense of a petty woman; the only people whose opinion about this thing," Sakura gestured wildly with her hands, "between me and Uchiha-senpai that I care about is mine and Uchiha-senpai's. And he certainly doesn't seem to think I'm vapid or just my boobs or second place or anything."

"That's right," Temari slung an arm around Sakura, "That's the spirit, Sakura-chan. Who cares about irrelevant people?"

"Fine," Tenten grumped. "But I still want to take her down a peg."

"Don't waste your energy," Sakura advised.

When they finished eating their lunch, their dorm phone rang, and Sakura habitually moved to pick it up as the other girls started cleaning up. "Hello?"

A smooth, sexy male voice she'd know anywhere responded, "It's me."

Despite the ambiguous response, Sakura would know Uchiha-senpai's voice anywhere, "Hi."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Mm! I hope you got some rest too."

"Some. Once I kicked Naruto out of bed to do the resume review session. That idiot snores like no one's business."

Sakura laughed. When they weren't face to face, it felt like they were bantering in game again. "What's up?"

"Naruto can see your friend in the CS building concourse for the resume session any time this afternoon. Tell her to look for the guy in the obnoxious orange jumpsuit and blond hair."

"Oh, thank you," Sakura put a hand over the speaker as she relayed the info to Hinata, who immediately started to pack up her stuff and get ready to go. "She'll be there soon. We really appreciate this, Uchiha-senpai."

"Mmm. Are you ready to go?"

"Me?"

"Do you still want to study?"

"Oh! Oh, yeah, uh sure. Where-?"

"I'll pick you up. Can you be ready in 20 minutes?"

"Sure."

"Good. See you soon."

"See you?"

Sakura hung up, still a bit befuddled. Hinata paused in her frantic rush to get out the door to look at her in concern, "S-Sakura-chan, are you okay?"

"Guys," She looked at them a bit pitifully, "What do you wear to a study date?"

Σ(°ロ°)!

I hope I don't keep him waiting too long. Hinata worried as she made her way towards the concourse in the CS building. She bit her lip as she tried to look for the person Sakura-chan had mentioned, but just as she made eye contact with the young man in the orange jump suit and with blond hair, she realized one very important thing.

What was his name again?

Just as she was panicking, he was already bouncing over with his hand outstretched, "Hi, you must be Hinata-chan!"

"Y-Yes! Y-you are u-uh... R-Ramen-san?" Flustered, Hinata could only think of his gamer tag, so she called him what she normally would in Way.

He stopped, dumbstruck. Hinata was about to go find a hole to burrow into when comprehension dawned and he made an O of recognition, "Yeah! I didn't realize that was you!"

"A-Ah?" Hinata blinked, just as confused as he'd been a minute ago.

"That was you, right? We collided in front of the convenience store and we swapped instant ramen packages?"

"A-Ah, y-yes that was me." Now that he mentioned it, she also remembered the incident. It was the night after Tenten had injured herself in class with Neji-niisama and the whole duel in Way.

"Name's Uzumaki Naruto, though. C'mon, there's an open office over there. Let's take a look at these resumes."

Hinata followed, a bit nervous. As they started going through Sakura's resume, though, she started to relax. Despite his careless