Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

A new era in Konoha

Chapter 5

Truth unveiled

''Sakura-Chan, I thought you said you were working.'' Surprisingly looking at her knowing Sakura loves her work.

''Shizune Sama gave me the day off.'' She reluctantly answered.

''Good. Cause I really need to take this off my chest.''

''Do you wanna tell your dating Hinata now?'' Sakura gave him a disappointing look. He really didn't see it though.

''No. I settled things with her last night. We settled our feelings for eachother last night and now we're better friends.''

Sakura wanted to scream in joy that he still was single. She thought he might be here to tell everything that happened to him and Sasuke.

''But that's not what I'm here for. Remember when our team was just formed?'' His attitude switched instantly.

''Yes.'' She answered.

''And when Sasuke was sitting on the bench near the academy with you? And tried to kiss you?''

''WERE YOU SPYING ON US?'' Sakura yelled.

A sudden depression hit Naruto knowing he would have done that in his old prankster days. Just before Sakura raised her arm to punch him, the sight of him being depressed stopped her.

''Sort off. But not in the way you think. Just hear me out. Did you never wondered why Sasuke acted nice to you once and later treated like he used to?''

''But still where are you going with this?'' Wondering all the questions he was asking.

''That time Sasuke complemented your forehead. It was me.''

A strange silence filled the air. Naruto was preparing himself in every way for a Sakura outburst but no mather how long he waited, nothing happened.

''What?'' Was all Sakura could say.

''I henged as Sasuke to get you talk to me.'' He said.

''I made you believe you were special to Sasuke while all the time it was me acting like him.'' He stared at the ground cause of his disgrace.

Sakura coudn't say anything. Her mind shocked by this revelation. All these years she'd spent chasing a guy who always neglected her. That one moment was her one of her biggest leads of love towards the Uchiha.

''Naruto. Why now? Why after all these years? How could you not tell me? For all these years I actually held some hope that it was Sasuke who said those words to me. That he truly felt something for me. And only now to find out it was one of your stupid pranks?'' Sakura enraged by this confession.

''Sakura-Chan. I wanted to know what you thought about me. If I went as myself you would have never said anything to me. By henging into Sasuke I could ask you without even suspecting anything.'' He stared at her face.

''But why? Even if you were henged as Sasuke you should have never tried to kiss me!'' Sakura reacted furiously.

''I know Sakura-Chan. Out of all the things I did, I regret that one the most.'' Bowing his head in shame.

''And now your telling me? If you told me a few hours after that I would have hit you but that was that. You've been keeping this a secret for years?'' She started to cry.

''Yes.'' As much as he wanted to comfort Sakura right now he coudn't do anything now. It's gonna be her desicion to forgive him or not.

''Do you realize how much heartache it would have saved if I knew it was you as him? I thought you changed. I thought we didn't have secrets for eachother anymore!'' Tears kept felling to the ground.

''Then hit me. Take out all your frustration and anger you have from that one lie. I deserve it.'' Closing his eyes and imbracing for impact. A few fearfull seconds felling nothing. He was waiting for the hit of a lifetime but there was nothing but tears dropping to the ground.

''No. As much as I want to, it won't be worth it.'' She stopped sobbing.

''You've changed so much since then. You already paid your sin by enduring all my beatings. Hitting you now won't settle things from all those years ago.'' A strange silence fell between the 2 of them. You could only hear the wind on top of the hospital roof.

''You want to know what happened between Sasuke and me?'' Naruto broke the akward silence.

''Not now. I need time to take this all in first.'' Confused about recent events.

''I understand. Talk to me when your ready. Just send me a note about when or where and we will discuss everything whenever you're ready.''

''But Naruto. How could I...''

''I'll give you all the time you need.'' He looked sad towards her.

''I'll ask Shizune to give you some some days of to think about it.'' Naruto said.

''Shizune Sama already gave me the week off. I just need to think right now.'' She said.

As Naruto was leaving to his home he wondered if he did the right thing.

''I knew this was gonna get ugly but I needed to do this. I just hope she can forgive me and at least still be friends with her. But even if she is gonna spend the rest of her life with me, she has the right to know about what happened at the academy. I just hope it doesn't turn out as bad as I hope it will.'' Naruto thinking before walking towards his appartment.

Meanwhile Sakura was thinking about different things.

''Where to go from here? Is my trust in Naruto completly shattered or am I actually happy to find out it was him and not Sasuke. All these years, all of Naruto's sufferings, just because I thought it was Sasuke instead of him. Was I so blind to praises that I just would believe it was Sasuke? I need someone to talk about this. But if I do woudn't that shatter his trust in me?'' Sakura was walking towards her home knowing another night of no sleep was coming up.

End of chapter 5