Sakura Haruno had lost the bet against Rock Lee, so she had to go on a 'date' with him. She had a funny feeling it was a bad idea to train with Lee, let alone make a bet that if he won he would take her on a date.

She finished getting ready, then left the house. Her parents were hardly ever around anymore with all the missions they went on. She missed saying goodbye to them before leaving, even if it meant including the usual interrogation from dad.

She began to miss Naruto and Sasuke. They were her teammates, her closest friends. Sasuke was taken away from her due to Orochimaru, and Naruto to Jiraiya-sama. At least Naruto was coming back in a year's time, or so she had heard from Tsunade.

She realized that Lee was running right towards her as she continued walking towards their designated meeting place.

"Hello, Sakura-san!" he smiled at her, "Now, are you ready to take a hike?"

"Huh?" she asked him, not sure what he meant.

"I'm going to show you, the Lotus blossom of Konoha, the most beautiful view of the night sky you have ever seen!"

He whisked right behind her and blindfolded her, also tying her hands back. Then, before she could protest, he picked her up from underneath and held her in his arms.

"Hey! Lee-san!! Put me down!" she protested, trying to free herself, "What is this, some kind of sick joke?!"

"Don't worry, you can trust me," he smiled at her, "Now, we're off!"

Rock Lee dashed as fast he could towards the forest, and towards the rolling hills.

Placing her gently on the large branch they were now sitting on, he used his kunai to cut off the cloth tying together her hands. Sakura immediately ripped off her blindfold, as Lee held her to keep her balance, and looked up into the sky. She was speechless over the view. She could see every single star in the sky, and the full moon illuminated them.

"Wow, this is amazing," she marveled.

Lee put his arm around Sakura, in a daring and bold move. To his surprise, she didn't flinch or tense up. The view of the night sky was just as he had pictured it, he thought, smiling contently.

"So, I guess this will teach me a lesson not to lose to you," she mentioned.

"W-what do you mean by that, Sakura-san?" he asked, moving his arm.

She stopped him by touching her hand on his.

"You can…leave it there if you want," she blushed. She had no idea why she suddenly enjoyed Lee's touch, and since this was a date she might as well try to make it romantic.

Lee began blushing himself as he put his arm back around her, his hands resting on her arm more comfortably.

"But, what did you mean by what you said, Sakura-san?"

"Well, so you won't have to tie me up and blindfold me…"

"Oh no, I just didn't want to spoil the surprise!" he explained, shaking his head, "Perhaps Gai-sensei's idea was too dramatic?"

"Um…most of what Gai-sensei does is too dramatic," she said, a sweat drop rolling down her forehead.

"But isn't Gai-sensei the greatest? His strength…stamina…"

"Um…yeah, he's cool, I guess," she said, not wanting to hurt Lee's feelings.

Lee felt himself frowning. He knew she wasn't sincere in what she had said, but decided to let it go. Not everyone could love his idol as much as he did, he supposed. Even Ten-Ten questioned Gai-sensei and his sanity. He didn't care.

"So…" she continued, "I don't want to sound greedy but, did you happen to bring anything to eat?"

Lee inwardly kicked himself in the rear. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of that! Of course she would be hungry! This was a date, and she probably hadn't eaten!

"Oh, it's fine if you didn't," she reassured him, "We could just go to that Ramen place after this and…"

"I'm sorry, Sakura-san…"

"It's alright Lee-kun, really, it's fine."

Lee blushed when Sakura called him 'Lee-kun'. His heart began to flutter all over again, just like the first time he had ever met her. Suddenly he remembered something.

"I have…some trail mix in my pack if…"

"Oh, that sounds good. Thank you Lee."

He pulled out the little packet of trail mix he had made this morning for when he got hunger pangs during training. There was only enough left for one person.

"Help yourself, Sakura-san."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course. It's the least I can do."

"Thank you very much," she smiled, taking the mix from him.

Their hands brushed one another again, and Sakura couldn't help but smile. She wondered what it would be like to have Lee touch her with his bare hands…but then remembered all of his scarring. She had heard from Ten-Ten that he trained so vigorously over the years that his hands were scarred.

"Lee, please don't get mad at me," she began.

"For what?"

"Well…can I ask about," she motioned to his hands and wrists, "Your bandages?"

He grew slightly uncomfortable and was silent a minute. He took his hands away from hers and folded them securely near his lap. Sakura ate some of Lee's trail mix, which tasted delicious, and regretted opening her big mouth.

Lee took in a deep breath and breathed it out through his nose.

"Okay, Sakura," he said, "For you, I'll answer any questions."

She was touched. Even something he was so uncomfortable with talking about, he was willing to entrust her.

"Well…I've heard that you have scars…"

"Would you…like to see them?" he asked, seriousness outlined in his face, "If I show you, you must promise to tell no one. I don't even let Ten-Ten take a look at them."

"Then how did she know?"

"She was the one who told you?!"

"Uh, no, no," she quickly defended, "I just assumed…"

"Oh, well…I guess it would be obvious…heh…but then again some people wear this just for the look…"

"Not many, Lee-kun," she said, trying to turn up the charm to put him more at ease.

It seemed to work as Lee's shoulders loosened and he started leaning closer to her.

He slowly took off his bandages, revealing cuts all over his arms and wrists. Sakura gasped quietly, then covered her mouth because she knew she was over-reacting. Lee looked away, ashamed and even embarrassed.

"They aren't fresh wounds, Sakura-san. Just…scars."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I won't utter another sound."

He continued unwrapping his bandages, the memories he was tormented with emerging. This was no time to get emotional.

When he had reached his hands, Sakura took part of the bandage.

"You don't have to show me anymore, if you don't want to."

"Are you that disgusted by it?" he asked, clearly insulted.

"No, no…I just see…your tears…"

Lee used one of his hands to check for what she meant. Sure enough, he was tearing up slightly.

"I'm fine, Sakura."

"Lee-san, the scars are nothing to be ashamed of," she softly comforted him, "They are a tribute to all of the hard work you do."

"If that's what you wish to think," he trailed, "I view them as something a bit more than that…"

"What?"

"I don't want to tell you now…maybe…on another date?" he smiled, hoping to get lucky.

"The only way I'm going on another date with you is if you defeat me again in a battle."

Lee grinned.

"Well then, it looks like that date will be very soon."

"Well um, maybe another week…"

"I challenge you, tomorrow afternoon…and if I win, our date will be the very next night."

Sakura sighed, not wanting to turn down a challenge. She could set aside her pride and just go out with him, even just for now, but she didn't want to give that pig Ino the last laugh.

Lee began to re-wrap his bandages, since Sakura had given him permission. He was so glad he was able to trust her that much not to stare, laugh, or cry over his scars. It was a fear he had been scared to conquer for many years. Now, he wasn't as afraid. If they were ever to become intimate, he wouldn't be afraid. He envisioned touching her face with his bare hands, Sakura sighing in pleasure. He stopped his fantasy before he carried it further.

It was hard to stop the fantasy when he looked at Sakura in the moonlight. She looked so mysterious, pink, as if she were a fairy. She would probably knock him off of the tree branch if he spoke a word about his vision, so he enjoyed it himself.

"It's getting late…" Sakura trailed, taking Lee out of his thoughts.

"Oh, it is," he agreed, although truthfully he didn't want the night to ever end, "We better start heading back."

While Sakura was distracted, he managed to blindfold her and tie her hands again. A repeat performance of what he had done earlier in the date occurred.

"Put me down, Lee! This is absurd!"

"I'm the only one who knows the way here," he grinned, "I wouldn't you running off here with anyone else!"

With that, he began to run back to the village with Sakura in his arms.