Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto is the rightful owner of all things Naruto and the term "Prince of Tennis" was coined by Takeshi Tonomi. Nope, this is not a crossover. In fact, I own nothing that's included in any of my chapters - and there are many mentions of 'real world' things - so here's my official proclamation!

Author's Note: This story is set in the modern era, specifically in Japan, and I will be researching the locations to mirror real life as much as possible. Be advised that I am not a medical/tennis/sports management professional or Japanese resident so please let me know if I'm making any grievous mistakes. Also, I will save myself the embarrassment from attempting the Japanese language, so unfortunately there won't be any honorifics and the like. Thanks for understanding!

"NARUTO PUT A RING ON IT?!"

Dr. Sakura Haruno all but exploded, garnering judgmental looks from the other patrons at the cafe.

Her breakfast partner winced slightly at the outburst, trying to emulate a semblance of remorse, but her eyes betrayed her. The thought of changing her name to 'Hinata Hyuuga-Uzumaki' was too much to contain.

Meanwhile, the bubblegum haired woman wasted no time in pulling Hinata's hand closer for inspection. The diamond ring glittered majestically against the morning light filtering through the windows. Sakura could only imagine the time it took for Naruto to save his paychecks for this purchase. Despite being a kick-ass officer for the Tokyo Police Department, a government job still paid more in benefits than in hard cash.

"Oh my God, congratulations! I can't believe it. You. Naruto. You and Naruto. It takes him three weeks to crack a yakuza case yet three bloody years to realize his feelings for you, but now literally after a couple months of dating he pops the question!" Sakura sighed dreamily with a hand clasped over her heart. Her inner romantic melted into a thousand puddles of mush. "AH!"

"Thank you, Sakura, I can't believe it myself." Hinata blushed, in part because she was marrying her longtime crush and in part because Sakura was unperturbed by the weird looks her behavior was attracting. The bride-to-be adjusted her scrubs to give her friend some time to absorb the information.

Both women worked at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital and were frequent meal partners whenever their schedules allowed. Hinata was a skilled nurse in the emergency department, and it was actually due to both her and her fiance's profession that led them to meet. After a successful raid and subsequent drug bust with an affiliate of the yakuza, Naruto sustained a serious head injury that landed him in the ER. Hinata was part of the team of professionals that healed him and the two grew closer during his convalescence at the medical center.

"Sorry, but this is like a fairy tale," Sakura apologized, sobering up. "Hit me with some details, future Mrs. Uzumaki. Make me swoon like a fangirl. I've been shipping you guys since day one."

The pinkette perched her chin on top of intertwined fingers, giving Hinata her undivided attention. She tuned out the ramblings of the other diners, the chattering of the servers, and the noises from the TV above the bar. She envisioned herself watching a movie about the tale Hinata was weaving. It started as a comedy, with Naruto experiencing an unsavory time asking The Hiashi Hyuuga for Hinata's hand in marriage. Then, it turned into a love story of epic proportions when she transitioned into the actual proposal. The beach, the waves, the moon and stars. The miniature castle he built during their picnic by the ocean, the request to be the king to her queen, the ring hidden in the sand. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and tilted back her head, "AH!"

"AH, YES!" The customers at the bar simultaneously shouted, pumping fists into the air. They were glued to the television like Sakura was to Hinata.

Apple green eyes narrowed in disapproval. "Hey, cool it over there!"

Some diners ignored her while others grumbled about double standards. Hinata felt like it was a choice time to distract her breakfast mate from causing more trouble.

"Sakura Haruno, will you be my maid of honor?"

The rosette covered her mouth with a hand and dramatically held up the other to signal a need for a moment to collect herself. She might have been a little dramatic, but it wasn't a question a gal heard every day! In truth, it was no surprise for Hinata to choose her. Although Hanabi was the nurse's younger sister, it was Sakura, with her tenacious attempts to matchmake Operation NaruHina, that precipitated the couple's first date.

The doctor curled her outstretched hand into a fist and drummed the tabletop emotionally. "You have no idea how much you just made my day. My week. My month! Of COURSE I will!"

Hinata smiled radiantly. "You are the unequivocal best."

Sakura's organization-prone anal retentiveness edged back to surface. "Wait, when's the wedding?"

The raven haired woman faltered immediately. "You aren't going to be pleased."

Sakura bit her lip hesitantly. She forgot to calculate Naruto's impulsiveness and fierce devotion to anything he attached himself to. "Don't tell me it's this month."

"It's in November."

Sakura opened her mouth to revolt but realized it was better than what she originally expected. Regardless, like the nurse foresaw, she was not pleased. From across the room, the bar attendants roared in fury, vocalizing her own desire to do so. "That's two months away!"

"The timing is terribly complicated! At first Naruto wanted to elope-"

"-and I would murder him if someone else didn't beat me to it!"

"I know. And… and I've always wished for a beautiful ceremony, which is why I'm positive you're going to be the perfect maid of honor. Between that and our obligation to my family and his friends... Three very important people wouldn't be available past January but we want to marry as soon as possible…,"

The newly minted maid of honor retrieved her glass of water and suddenly wished it would transform into hard alcohol. Unfortunately, she had to start her shift in about half an hour, and getting hammered was out of the question. If only it was her day off. As a side effect of rigorous schooling, Sakura was not above morning drinking. Still, amidst the thoughts of a bachelorette party, wedding themes, cakes, venues, guest seats… oh lord, guest seats. Hinata had an extensive family that was only rivaled by Naruto's amount of friends. Although orphaned, the blonde created a family of his own through his friendships with people from all walks of life.

Sakura shook her head as if to dispel the obstacles proliferating in her head. She was a devoted friend, damn it. And if her best friend wanted a beautiful ceremony, then God help anything in the way of her ensuring that.

Hinata could visualize the wheels in Sakura's mind spinning into overdrive. The latter was a human dynamite, and her involvement would up the caliber from whatever a professional planner could attempt. For better or worse, Sakura poured her heart out into anything she devoted herself to – a penchant not unlike her future husband. Their similarities were one of the many reasons they became fast friends.

"You'll have time and support, I promise." Hinata pledged, cupping her maid of honor's hands. "This means the world to me. You don't have to do everything, even though I can already tell you want to." Sakura stuck out her tongue in response to being exposed. "We're both tied up at the hospital and Naruto's perpetually in the field. We'll all work together, including Naruto's best man."

Sakura raised a curious brow. "And who's that?"

The nurse perked and leaned forward, poised to share an exciting secret. "You'll never guess."

The physician knitted her brows in confusion, unsure what prompted the sudden change in demeanor. "Okay… Kiba?"

"No, but hopefully he'll be one of the groomsmen."

"Shikamaru?"

"Uh uh, he's the other groomsman."

"Chouji?"

"Nope, but good guess. He'll be too busy managing the food since Naruto made an executive decision that Hakushu will be catering. One less thing on your plate, right?"

Sakura smirked at the pun but still pondered who would be splitting the task of planning a huge wedding.

"Do you recall how Naruto was orphaned as a little boy? Coincidentally, he was housed in our hospital's affiliate orphanage. And do you know who else was there? Who Naruto shared a bunk bed with and ever since became childhood best friends?"

Sakura did not have a clue where Hinata was heading, so she shook her head and took another swig of water.

"Well… you and I haven't met him yet because he's been busy competing abroad-"

"YEAH!" The bar attendants rejoiced collectively with the other patrons and restaurant employees. The combined joviality of the cafe piqued the interest of both women and they strained to see the cause of the commotion: the television above the counter.

"Oh, I wasn't aware he was playing a match today." Hinata commented, suddenly joining the celebration with enthusiastic applause.

The video zoomed into a man raising the head of his tennis racket triumphantly towards the sky. The volume was cranked up but Sakura could barely hear the commentator over the deafening ovation in her environment. "Give it up for Sasuke Uchiha, everyone! After a wild five set match against the world number two player, this unseeded prodigy just blew everyone away in the third round of the U.S. Open!"

The doctor choked on her water and coughed violently, to which Hinata gasped and quickly offered a napkin. Sakura accepted it and dried her blouse, still sputtering. When she brought her attention back to her co-worker, she found Hinata grinning proudly.

"That," lavender eyes gazed in the direction of the television screen, "is Naruto's best man. Sasuke Uchiha, Japan's very own Prince of Tennis."

Sakura felt her heart freeze and her stomach drop. That was a name she hasn't heard of in forever, a name she hasn't spoken of for even longer. That was the tennis prodigy who seemed to be achieving his dream, a goal he shared with Sakura almost a decade ago. That was the man who plagued her subconscious for years. That was the love of her life from another lifetime.

That was her ex-boyfriend.

"If you were planning to withdraw from a back injury, you should've done so before exacerbating the problem."

Sasuke glanced up from the couch at 27-year-old Neji Hyuuga, his coach. Although only two years older, Neji had the demeanor of someone much older, sterner, and wiser than twice his age.

"Not my style." He rebutted, shifting his focus back to his phone. His reputation and social media was skyrocketing through the proverbial roof thanks to his manager. Tweets about his favorable performance, news articles summarizing his victory and withdrawal due to a sudden back injury, and videos recording the day's widely speculated match circulated the internet.

As if on cue, a knock resounded at the door. Neji correctly guessed that Sasuke wasn't going to remove himself from the couch, so he strolled over to attend to the matter. Moments later, the young coach returned with bags in his hands and a brunette in tow.

"Hey champ." His manager greeted warmly. Her disposition contrasted starkly with the man helping her.

The tennis victor watched Tenten Long drop a parcel on the coffee table between them. She plopped herself on the couch adjacent to him and shrugged the professional blazer off her shoulders.

"It's cruel and unusual to make anyone wear suits in a heat wave like this." She complained, taking out the contents inside the bags. It was sushi, followed by sashimi, tempura, curry, rice, and a variety of other delicacies that reminded them of home.

Sasuke smirked and raised from his supine position on the couch. "At least you weren't decomposing in the sun for three hours."

"Once upon a time she did." Neji corrected, taking a seat next to Tenten and mimicking her actions with the bags in his possession. The woman grinned, memories of her own tennis career flooding back into mind.

"Hn," Sasuke coughed, looking sheepishly aside. Although also only two years older, Tenten was his manager, one time finalist at Roland Garros, another Grand Slam tournament, and a good friend. Neither he nor Neji voiced it, but they mutually agreed that she was the glue to their coach-and-player relationship.

The retired tennis pro waved it off. "I didn't want you to strain yourself anymore than you needed to. That was one hell of a match. Your legs must be dying."

Sasuke smiled smugly and agreed - it was one of his most difficult matches yet. "Japanese cuisine?" He gratefully accepted the plate extended to him. "New York is expensive for this kind of stuff. Isn't this above our budget?"

The bunned woman passed a pair of chopsticks to Neji. "Yeah, but so is room service," she snapped a pair of her own utensils and smiled brightly. "Come on, dig in, it's on me! We should celebrate your first time playing in a Grand Slam. I thought it was pretty successful, right, Neji?"

Pouring green tea into three cups, the stoic coach pursed his lips. "There's always room for improvement."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. That was the best he was ever going to get out of Neji Hyuuga. Why? Because also once upon a time, Neji was the rising tennis star of the East. He was a prodigy that engendered a tennis fever in Japan greater than Kei Nishikori ever did. Unfortunately, his promising career was truncated by a fatal car crash that took his father's life and the flexibility in his dominant wrist.

The easy silence blanketing the trio was suddenly punctured by Sasuke's cellphone. The familiar name of his childhood friend illuminated the screen. Swallowing his salmon sashimi, he swiped his finger to accept the FaceTime invitation.

"'Sup asshole," was Naruto's friendly greeting.

"Not much, shit head," was Sasuke's automatic reply.

"HI TENTEN! Hey Neji." The blonde shouted.

The tennis victor briefly flashed his phone to face the other occupants in the room. Tenten waved and greeted back in equal fervor while Neji nodded in acknowledgment.

Sasuke refocused the camera back to him and raised a brow at Naruto's giddiness. "Why do you look so suspicious? Who did you just kill?"

It was morning where Naruto was and, judging from his attire, he was getting ready to leave for the police department. "Is that how you should talk to the groom that you're gonna be best man for?"

Tenten's chocolate-colored eyes widened and she ceased chewing. Neji paused from drinking his tea and his perfect posture somehow got even straighter. Sasuke quirked a brow.

"What?"

"Hinata said yes!"

Nobody had to inquire what the question was that Hinata agreed to. Sasuke never met her before, but he received enough unwarranted pictures of the couple to know about her. Even before they dated, Sasuke deduced that his best friend harbored feelings for the dark haired nurse from the frequency he babbled about her. An off-hand question about Neji's family (ever the sensitive topic) confirmed that she was a relative; the pale eyes were a dead giveaway.

Tenten gulped down her food and an exuberant smile blossomed across her face. "Holy crap, Naruto! Congratulations!"

Neji was less enthusiastic. "Hinata has not informed me of this."

Sasuke was nonplussed. "Was she drunk?"

The police officer flipped off his friend while the recipient of the gesture propped his phone at the center of the table in favor of resuming his meal.

"Sorry Neji," Naruto started, scratching his head, "I proposed two days ago and everything's been a blur. Yeah, I asked her dad. No, it wasn't fun, but it's a happy ending all the same."

Sasuke raised a piece of tuna at his phone before popping it into his mouth. "Well, damn. Good job, you idiot. Try not to mess it up."

"This is super exciting news!" Tenten beamed, forgetting her food. "When's the big day?"

Naruto cleared his throat. "Well, I wanted it as soon as possible but as usual, Hinata's voice of reason won. We're planning around the tennis calendar since you're all coming but we won't see a trace of you past January. Oh yeah, Tenten, Hinata hasn't had time lately from her recent double shifts, but she wants to ask if you'll be one of her bridesmaids?"

The brunette clapped her hands in glee. "Obviously!"

"Nice, I'll let her know, but she should be contacting you soon. Anywho, the wedding's tentatively on November 10th. I thought I wouldn't see you guys until later this month but the internet says you pulled out of the championship," Naruto frowned and squinted at his phone. "You okay?"

"It's only a back injury. I just need to lay off it for a little." Sasuke replied nonchalantly.

"In addition to scheduling a doctors appointment as soon as we land in Tokyo." Neji interjected, folding his arms.

"Whatever. Either way, it looks like we're coming back earlier than expected."

"Sorry I'm not sorry," Naruto shrugged, "But I kind of need your help planning this thing."

"He's not getting a free vacation just because you're marrying my cousin." Neji argued, but Tenten shouldered him.

"He'll have a lighter schedule now that it's off season," she reassured, narrowing her eyes at the long haired man. "But he'll need to work around sponsors and charity work. I'm already getting a ton of calls from companies and we could really use the support."

Sasuke remained silent. That was usually how it was: Neji handled his training while Tenten worked behind the scenes in management. The three of them were young and ill-supported, with meager financial means to maintain the heavy costs of professional tennis. Tenten retained some of her winnings from previous tournaments but, like him, was orphaned at a young age. Neji, however, came from a prosperous family yet had estranged relations with the majority of his relatives. Both older tennis players were practically working for Sasuke free of charge and often dipped into their own funds to get him to the top. Their faith in him added fuel to his desire to win.

"Regardless, you can see us as early as this weekend." Sasuke decided. His team regarded him with surprise. "What? It's not like we have any more business in New York. I'd stay longer if I was actually competing."

Neji was the first to agree. "Indeed. The earlier you seek treatment and begin physical therapy, the sooner we can resume training."

The sole woman groaned. "That's great and all, but I need to find a place to live. Gai moved into a smaller apartment months ago." Sasuke heard a gripe about housing expenses and how 'Tokyo charges you to even breathe in public areas.'

"Let me see if anyone I know has a spare room. I'd give you mine but this moron's gonna hog it," Naruto said, gesturing at his best man. "It shouldn't be hard since ya'll never stay in town for more than a couple of months, anyways."

"Thanks," Tenten smiled noncommittally, unsure if she felt comfortable intruding on someone she didn't personally know.

"Alright, well, I have to get to work," the policeman announced. "I'll talk to you folks when you get back. Do you need a ride from the airport?"

"Sure," Sasuke obliged, then switched off his phone.

The rest of the meal transpired without interruption. All three individuals were occupied by their own thoughts. Tenten, with her precarious housing situation and increased workload. Neji, with the inevitability of facing his uncle and the rest of the Hyuuga Clan. Sasuke, with the daunting task of returning to a city he left on less than desirable terms.

Seven Years Ago

"I shouldn't be here." Sakura stated, but her eyes belied her true sentiments.

"You turned 18 today, Sakura. You're an adult now. It's your call." Sasuke reminded, taking a quick second to look up from clearing the kitchen table.

The high school senior curled the corners of her lips from the transient eye contact. For her birthday, Sasuke whisked her away after lunch to celebrate exclusively. He was busy with tennis practice all morning and she had promised her friends a birthday lunch date. In reality, both teens wanted nothing more than to spend the entire day together. Being students at different schools didn't help their situation. It was only during a coincidental field trip to Sapporo when fate orchestrated their meeting. On a particularly snowy day, the pinkette lost control of her skis and plummeted right into Sasuke.

He began their date by visiting the arcade, a natural habitat for his ever competitive and nerdy girlfriend. Then, they slowly wove through the windy cherry blossom trails at Ueno Park. There happened to be a small carnival in the area, so the couple spontaneously participated in the festivities as well. At one of the game booths, Sasuke won Sakura a slug shaped stuffed animal. Seriously, his girlfriend could not be any weirder - of all the cutesy plush toys available, she chose a freaking slug. When the sun began to set, the pair meandered over to their favorite restaurant and ordered dinner to go. They returned to Sasuke's apartment to feast since he was ever-so-keen on privacy and Kakashi, his guardian, was away for the weekend.

"Okay, okay, let me call my parents." She resolved, allowing her boyfriend to indulge her in full princess treatment. The girl didn't want to leave anyways, it seemed like an eternity since they were together.

Sasuke smirked in quiet approval and proceeded to wash the dishes. It wasn't that he had anything perverted in mind, but he genuinely missed spending time with Sakura. Afterall, it was tennis and swim season, and he was frequently out of town competing in tournaments while she was competing against local high schools.

"Yeah, I'll be back in the morning." Sakura confirmed on the phone, ambling circuitously around the living room. Mebuki Haruno accepted her daughter's white lie about her whereabouts and wished another 'happy birthday,' before hanging up the line.

Twirling a long strand of hair, Sakura skipped to her purse which contained the movie they picked to watch after dinner. Since it was her special day, Sasuke acquiesced to her unsurprising selection of a rom/com. The rosette was pleased by how much leniency he was showering her with – if only he surrendered that easily every other day of the year!

In her attempt to find his laptop to play the movie, an unkempt mess of papers on the coffee table seized her attention. Sakura had an awful propensity for organizing, and if she wasn't cleaning through her own belongings, she was rifling through others. It wouldn't be the first time she tidied up Sasuke's apartment that he shared with another male specimen, but really, how can they be such sloths sometimes?

The tennis prodigy emerged from the kitchen, drying his hands. When he entered the living room, he found Sakura deeply preoccupied with reading a letter.

"Why didn't you tell me that you received a full scholarship to play tennis for the University of California?"

A flash of irritation appeared across Sasuke's eyes. "Where'd you find that?"

"I was organizing the coffee table."

The boy glared at the piece of paper and grunted at his girlfriend's annoying habit of cleaning everything. But mostly, the letter. Kakashi must have been responsible for rummaging through the garbage. "I just got that in the mail."

"Okay, and when were you planning on telling me?"

He stalked over to snatch the page out of her hands. "Eventually."

"Eventually?" Sakura repeated carefully, "Eventually when you accepted the offer? Or eventually when you denied it?"

"Weren't we planning on staying in Tokyo together?" Sasuke countered, dropping himself on the couch and discarding the acceptance letter back on the coffee table. To his chagrin, the absence of clutter accentuated the importance of it.

"We never really decided…," Sakura trailed off, unsure what to say. "I just said I wanted to go to Tokyo Medical University because they have a phenomenal program that leads right into med school."

"Right, and I'm sure Keio University has a tennis team to help me achieve my dreams."

"This isn't America, though," the girl clarified, a mix of emotions rising. She knitted her hands together – an action mirrored by her stomach. "There's no competition here. Tennis isn't even a thing."

"You're not exactly an expert in the scene." Sasuke pointed out, but he knew exactly what she was implying.

"I know enough to say that you've already won all the tournaments that you're qualified for." She wasn't prepared to voice the second part of that statement.

"Whatever, can we discuss this later?" Sasuke reached up to pull the standing figure on his lap, but the girl was stiff and looked hesitant to depart from the subject matter. "I don't feel like talking about it right now. It's your birthday." He softly buried his head into the crook of her neck and felt her relax slightly. "We'll figure it out tomorrow."

At his promise, Sakura fully gave into him and looped her arms around his neck. Sasuke was right: they had tomorrow, the next day, the one after that, and beyond to figure out their future together.

An hour or so later, the movie ended pleasantly and they both got ready for bed in a comfortable silence. Soon, they were lying in bed awake, entangled, and content.

Sasuke was holding Sakura against him while she was using his arm for a pillow. He pulled her closer to him absentmindedly - her companionship was something he yearned for before he even knew he wanted it.

"It's 12:01," his girlfriend declared, pointing at the clock. "I'm not special anymore."

He dragged his fingers up her sides, chuckling at her violent reaction. She was heinously ticklish. "You're always special."

Sakura slapped his hand away and retaliated with her own attack. "Was that suppose to be an insult, sir?!"

Sasuke recoiled and pushed her away. "Who the hell picks a slug out of all the options in the animal kingdom?"

Apparently, Sakura had been cuddling the stuffed animal and he didn't even realize it. She smacked him across the face with the plushie before holding it protectively against her chest. The tennis player wryly admitted that he was jealous.

"How dare you talk about Katsuyu like that?" Sakura admonished.

Great. It even has a name now. "I do what I want." Sasuke smirked, then lunged forward with an intent to tickle the girl into oblivion.

Sakura shrieked and summoned the stuffed animal to protect her, to no avail. She opted to fight fire with fire and started nipping at Sasuke's sides again. The couple tumbled around the bed in their respective attempts to gain the upper hand. Although he was a full foot taller than her, she concealed a monstrous power that he fell victim to anytime he pissed her off.

"No, no, get away!" She screamed, stomach sore from laughing. She wound up a foot and struck him hard in the stomach, propelling him off the bed.

"Oh shit, are you okay?" Viridian eyes widened, more in mirth than concern. One minute her drop dead gorgeous boyfriend was tickling her and the next she sent him flying to the floor.

"Damn," Sasuke wheezed, the wind knocked out of him. "You and your freakish strength."

Sakura peeked over the bed and found the tennis player sprawled on the ground, shirt heavily disheveled and sheets tangled over his legs. She dissolved into a fit of giggles and rolled off the side, landing not-so-gracefully on his midsection.

"You're annoying." He growled. Unfortunately, Sakura was too cute and too important for him to regard her with any real contempt, thus greatly reducing the severity of his glares.

Meanwhile, his assailant adjusted her position to straddle him. The city lights from the window imbued a soft glow on her slender figure and Sasuke added the word "hot," to his repertoire for describing Sakura. His vantage point was quickly making him uncomfortably flustered, though, so he sat up abruptly to push her off.

"Hey!"

Sasuke averted his attention to something else, anything - the lamp, the heater, the curtains - and yanked his blanket back on the mattress. "Get up. The floor's cold."

Sakura followed his orders but swung around to knock him back on the bed. He sat on the edge, slightly peeved at how easily a pint sized girl just tossed him around. In the end, he settled that she was merely catching him off guard.

Before the tennis player could recover, his girlfriend reclaimed her position back on top of him. She climbed on his lap and secured both thighs firmly on either side of his. In one fluid motion, Sakura captured his lips and pushed two hands against his chest, sending the two down on the mattress.

The kiss was passionate, unscripted, electric, genuine, and all the terms they used to describe their relationship. From the second they met, their chemistry was undeniable. That was two years ago and the sparks never left.

It was the slightest movement, but Sakura was definitely grinding against him. The same person who previously manhandled him was now shy about getting physical. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the girl's capricious behavior. Breaking the kiss, he beckoned her to stop.

Sakura's swollen lips were parted, eyes heavily lidded, and cheeks prettily flushed from their fervent activity. Both their breaths were ragged and hair equally mussed. Sasuke's heart was racing and another part of his anatomy was throbbing painfully now.

"Do you truly want to?" She questioned, leaning forward once more.

Sasuke tried in vain to look away since everything about her was breaking his resolve. "No." He admitted.

"Then...then don't. I don't want to, either. I have condoms with me."

The boy evened his breathing, fighting to restore his senses. "Yeah, so do I, but you're not ready."

Sakura ghosted her lips over his ears. The soft gesture sent shivers down his spine. "Don't tell me what I am and what I'm not ready to do." Her tongue traced the contours of his ears and started its descent down his neck.

It took an enormous effort on Sasuke's part to remain respectfully considerate, but she was driving him insane. "Sakura… I'm only a man."

Her breath was tantalizing against his skin and she sucked on a wickedly sensitive spot above his collar bone. "Then make me a woman."

At his suddenly rigid body, Sakura abandoned her previous niche and touched her forehead with his. "Tell me I'm special, Sasuke." She whispered.

His hands gripped her waist.

"I'd like to show you instead."

Starring:

Prince of Tennis Sasuke Uchiha

Doctor Sakura Haruno

Ex-Tennis Star of the East turned Coach Neji Hyuuga

Retired Princess of Tennis turned Manager Tenten Long

Officer Naruto Uzumaki

Nurse Hinata Hyuuga

Secondary/tertiary characters:

Supermodel Ino Yamanaka, Photographer Sai Hino, Lawyer Shikamaru Nara, CEO Temari Sabaku, Veterinarian Kiba Inuzuka, Track Athlete Rock Lee, Actor Kankuro Sabaku, Politician Gaara Sabaku, Chef Chouji Akimichi, Researcher Shino Aburame, Accountant Karui Komatsu, Tennis Pro Karin Tojo, Physical Trainer Suigetsu Hozuki, Engineer Kakashi Hatake, Coach Maito Gai, Social Worker Iruka Umino, Computer Science Student Hanabi Hyuuga, Author Jiraiya Otsuka, Medical Director Tsunade Senju, Head Nurse Kurenai Yuhi, Chief of Police Asuma Sarutobi.

There's a couple more key players, but that would spoil the ending, ohohoho! Pretty please review :)