Merry Christmas!

I was losing my SasuSaku vibes so I decided to make a one-shot fanfic... It's sort of a Christmas gift to the people who like a SasuSaku Facebook page I'm an admin of too! :)

Well, hope you like it! Happy Holidays!

Forever

Sakura's POV

Well, it's that time of the year again.

The time when the breeze turns even colder and everything is covered in layers of dissolved white flakes falling from the sky, when the streets are covered in bright twinkling lights, and everywhere you look you see happiness all around...

Yup! It's Christmas.

And aside from all the hardship I go through every time I have to shop gifts for my friends, I think I actually like this holiday!

Gifts. I sigh at the thought of my wallet once again being abused this Christmas season. I put a lot of thought into what I give my friends every year. I want my present to be something they'll remember and appreciate -in a good way, of course! I don't want to be the one to give that lame gift that gets you faking a smile and pretending you like it for courtesy's sake. So I guess it's my fault I get broke every year this season comes.

I'm seated down by the fountain at the center of the shopping district, with all the presents I've bought by my side. I've been resting here for a few minutes now since my legs started feeling numb from all the walking I did. And an hour from now, this is where I'm meeting Sasuke to exchange presents with him. I really didn't want him to get me anything, but he insisted on it since he knew I was going to give him one.

It's been about three months since we started dating... and honestly, I still can't believe that we are dating! I mean, it only feels like yesterday I was still that desperate girl crying her heart out for him. And now, he's got me right in his arms and I never ever want to break free.

I've been walking around the shopping district for hours and I think I've found a present for every single one of my friends, but the funny thing is... I haven't found one for Sasuke. I just didn't know what to get him! It's my first time to buy him a present. I wanted to give him one last year (and the year before that... and before that... and... well, you get the point.) but I didn't think he'd accept it. I mean, it wasn't like we were friends! He knew my name, my face, and my huge crush on him but that was it. We didn't even talk!

And since this is our first, I want it to be special. I want it to be something he'll remember forever. But I just don't know what! And it sure would've helped if he weren't so darn picky!

I sigh and look around me to see if I can get any ideas. I catch a little boy playing with his new toy airplane, and I smile at the thought of that blue-eyed blond childish ramen addict. I got him a realistic ramen display made of plastic. It's not edible, but it'll be a nice piece of decoration in his horrifying disaster of a home. Hopefully, he won't be too mad at me after he stupidly tries to eat the thing.

After a soft laugh, I immediately shake the thought of Naruto. "Sasuke's present," I say, reminding myself.

"I'm never gonna find one," I say with a defeated sigh as I close my eyes and bow my head.

"Perhaps you would like to buy one for your friend, young lady?"

A bit startled, I look up to face the speaker of the hoarse voice.

It's an old woman, her clothes looking old and dirty and her skin wrinkled as ever. She holds out an opened box to me. Confused, I raise my brows, and she holds it out closer to me. I take the box and set it on my lap to examine its contents.

They're all jewelry. Pendants, to be exact.

There's a rhinestone-encrusted heart pendant, a silver cross pendant, and basically a few other common styles. But there was one that did catch my attention. It's a silver pendant the shape of half a heart. I take it gently and examine it closer in thought. Doesn't this come with its other half? From what I know, this is a couple pendant wherein you and your partner each have half of the heart. But for some reason, the other half is missing…

"Where's the other half…?" I ask, a bit hesitant.

"Someone has already taken it," she answers.

Her response catches my attention. Someone bought half the heart but didn't take the other half? That doesn't make any sense…

"You see, those two are special ones. If you take one, and someday you meet someone who has taken the other one, then it means that you two are destined to be with each other forever," she explains, as if reading my confused mind.

Forever

What if I'm not the one who'll be with Sasuke that long?
What if these three months are the last three months?

I immediately shake off my thoughts and return the pendant to the box and hand it back to the old woman with a smile, and start for the shops behind the fountain.

I just wanted to walk it off. I never liked to think about things like that… I don't like the thought of losing Sasuke… or that, maybe in the end, it won't be my arms wrapped around him as he takes his last breath. I waited so long for this. And now, he's finally mine. I don't wanna see it all go away that fast.

I stop walking and calm myself down. I sit on a bench nearby and glance at my wrist watch. Only twenty minutes until Sasuke comes to see me… and I still don't have a present for him. I divert my attention to a crowd of middle school students in front of a store. Two girls are dragging a girl by her arm. At first, they look like they're just goofing around… but later it seemed like she was getting hurt. I stand up and make my way to them as quick as I could.

"Hey! Leave her alone! What do you girls want from her!?" I try my best to sound intimidating without making a scene.

"Whatever! You're no fun!" One girl says and the other follows her walking away.

Looks like I did it.

"Are you alright?" I ask the girl they were bullying.

She looks at me with gentle hazel eyes and tucks her unkept chestnut brown hair behind her ear. "Yeah," she says in a voice so sweet, though it didn't seem like she was trying to sound as such.

"So what are you planning this Christmas?" I ask her, Miya, as we sit on the bench next to each other.

We've been chatting for a while now and it turns out the two girls picking on her are her step-sisters.

"Hmm," she looks down at her feet and make her legs go up and down alternatively. "I'm not sure!" She says, smiling back at me.

"You're not sure?"

That's odd. A young girl like her looking so happy has no plans for the holidays?

"Mama's at the store and Papa's at work, and my sisters already have plans…" She continues to play with her legs, but after a moment, she settles them down and looks at her feet.

"I can spend time with you!" I say as I offer the sweetest smile I could do.

She looks at me in shock, as if I told her I was actually a ghost or something. "Really!?" She says, leaving her mouth hanging open.

"Yeah! I'm meeting somebody in a while though, so…"

"That's alright! Actually, all I wanted to do was to watch…"

She looks straight –probably at the scenery– in complete awe. She's alone in such a wonderful holiday… but she's not bothered at all. In fact, she likes it. She's strange… no… she's different, unique, special…

"Watch?" I repeat.

"Everyone… everything…" She answers, still observing the joyful view. "Every year, I come to watch the shopping district just like this. I don't know why, but I just like it! It gives me this warm feeling inside that I see everyone so happy…"

But you're all alone… I wanted to tell her that, but that won't sound right at all.

"But I'm all alone…" she says, to my surprise, as if reading my mind. But she didn't sound sad. She sounded monotonous, like she really did just repeat what I thought to myself.

My eyes widen a bit in surprise, and she starts to laugh. My eyes narrow down in confusion.

"I don't really care that I'm alone… so long as everyone else is happy, it's completely okay!"

As if she had a bullet of realization and shot me right at the face, I realize something from what she had just said.

I don't really care that I'm alone… so long as everyone else is happy, it's completely okay!

Her voice echoes in my mind like church bells sounding off simultaneously.

I've already found the perfect gift for Sasuke!

"Thank you!"

I wrap my arms around hers, and it appears that I've taken her by surprise. She stays still and I hear her laugh softly until I let go.

"What are you thanking me for?" She laughs, her pearly whites flashed at me.

"Everything." I respond ambiguously and start to make my way back to the fountain as fast as I could. I hear her say 'huh' as I stood but continue leaving anyways.

"Merry Christmas!" I tell her as I run.

I stop in the middle of the square –just in front of the fountain– and eye around for the lady selling the jewelry. I check the surroundings carefully but quickly… but she doesn't seem to be around.

"Looking for somebody?"

I hear a familiar hoarse voice and immediately spin around to find the old woman, still holding on to her box of jewelry. My face instantly lights up and I take the box from her, almost forgetting my manners. She seems a bit surprised, but not angry that I just snatched her goods.

I take the half-heart pendant and look at its sparkling surface.

This is it! This is what I'm getting Sasuke.

Earlier, I was afraid that I might not be the one to find the other half of this heart if I give this to Sasuke… but now, I don't really care. Miya made me realize this. She's right. It doesn't matter. If I truly love Sasuke, then I should be happy for him no matter what. And I want him to find happiness in who he'll spend the rest of his life with forever… even if it isn't me.

"I'll take this." I tell the old woman, still examining the pendant in my hand.

"It's all yours." She says.

I take one last look at the pendant before facing her, but to my surprise… she's gone.

I look around immediately to see if she's around, but she's nowhere to be found. How did she disappear so fast? Was she even there at all? The thought creeps me out, but it gets even creepier when I notice that her earlier full box of jewelry is now empty.

And strangely enough, the half-heart pendant is still in my hand.

But before I could move to try and locate her, I feel someone embrace me from behind, putting what seems to be a necklace around my neck. I touch the surface of the pendant briefly without looking at it, and stay still until he releases me from his embrace.

"Merry Christmas," greets a voice so familiar.

My face lights up.

"Sasuke!" I greet back with a smile. "Merry Christmas!"

He smiles, and I catch him eye my hand.

"What's that you got there?" He asks me.

"Oh…" I try to stall. For a moment there, I was sure I was gonna give him the pendant but suddenly I have the feeling to decide against it.

He frowns, and snatches the pendant from my hand ever so easily. "Sasuke, wait!" I try to stop him, but he doesn't listen and I prepare myself to explain the pendant's so-called 'magical powers' to him. Is Sasuke even the type of person who likes stuff like this? Oh God, why didn't I think of this before!?

And as if I were a TV contest contestant waiting to find out if I either get a million dollars or nothing at all, I close my eyes as Sasuke takes a first look at the pendant. About a second later, I open my eyes and see his wide open in shock.

Why is he so shocked!? Is it so bad he's shocked that I would even think of giving him something like that!?

"Actually, it has a special purpose…" I start, nearly in a panic. "The old lady I bought it from–"

I stop to check if his reaction has changed… and it has. Now he looks even more surprised! I try to keep myself composed and continue, "she, uh, said that–"

But before I could finish, he leans closer and presses his lips against mine.

My heart races.

Yes, we have been together for months. But it is only now that we…

… that we have our first kiss. And it's much more than I imagined it would be.

We part after what seemed like forever, and he smiles at my confused face.

"You like it?" I ask, surprised.

"Well, your lips felt really soft," he says, and I feel my cheeks heat up in a blush.

"That's not what I meant!" I yell in embarrassment. "I meant, the pendant…" I say in a softer voice.

"I think you should take a look at your necklace, princess." He smiles at me and I feel myself melt despite the cold atmosphere.

I touch the necklace he put around me earlier and bow my head to take a look at it.

It's the other half of the pendant!

I wanted to slap myself to check if I'm really awake. But before I could, I suddenly feel something heavy in my eyes, and I look down to let the rivers flow. I hear Sasuke chuckle, and I run to his arms and resume crying on his shoulder.

"I don't believe it," I try to say despite the unexplainable feeling in my chest.

"Well, believe it. Haven't you learned enough from that dobe?" He jokes, and I break free and punch him for ruining the moment.

I don't know if I'm going to believe this one bit, but I do know one thing for sure… this Christmas will never be forgotten. It'll be with me forever.

"I love you," he says under his breath as he kisses me one more time.

"Merry Christmas," I respond, kissing him back passionately.