Sakura sauntered down the street.

The village was abuzz with activity.The Rinne Festival was fast approaching. Vendors displayed their wares in creative displays with the intent to lure potential gift shoppers.

She had already managed to get all her gifts last week. She had something for her parents, Tsunade, Kakashi sensei and the rest of Team 7.

As she was about to approach the craft store when she spotted a familiar figure up ahead.

"Hinata!" she called after her.

"Sakura" she greeted her in her usual soft-spoken voice.She was clutching a paperbag tightly to her chest.

"Ohhh. Are you knitting something?" Sakura enquired.

A deep blush arose on her pale skin and she nodded.

"Mmm. A scarf."

"That's nice." Sakura replied.

"It's for him right?"

Hinata's blush deepened to a beet state

"uhmm...uh...Well.." she fumbled with her words.

Sakura smiled at her reassuringly.

"Give it your best." she said.

"T-thank you Sakura."

Sakura nodded and smiled at her again before they went their separate ways.

She sighed heavily as she watched Hinata walk away, clutching the bag's contents to her chest.What was she going to do? Without a doubt she knew that scarf was for Naruto.Eversince they were at the academy, everyone knew how Hinata felt about him.

The only one who didn't know was him.

She smiled to herself as an image of him popped into her mind.

"What an idiot."

He was an idiot.She continued to muse.An idiot that was always spouting things that many in their harsh shinobi world had considered idealistic.A fool that never went back on his word because that was his Ninja Way.He was an idiot for the ages she was sure but he wasn't the biggest one. That was her.

Her heart sank just a little as she once again confronted the reality of her stupidity. Tears threatened to sting her eyes and her heart ached once more as she walked.

That's right. The true idiot had been her. How could she have been so blind all this time? She had questioned herself many times since the end of the last war.She'd wondered if maybe she  had not just been swept up in the hysteria that had come to surround him after that final battle.Still, deep inside she knew it was more than that, how she felt about him. It was the most real thing about her.

"But..." she muttered under her breath

How could she tell him? She who had caused him the most pain.For years she had cried and agonized over Sasuke.She'd even bound him to that stupid promise to bring Sasuke back.Without hesitation he'd promised her and he never wavered, even when she did. She clenched her fists knowing that for years she never saw him.

"Stupid!Stupid!Stupid!" she chided herself as she walked.

Suddenly her internal conference was cut short when she collided with someone.

"I'm sorry." she offered

A pair of brilliant blue eyes and a dazzling smile met her.

"Sakura chan.Are you alright?"

"Oh.Naruto. I didn't see you. I'm sorry."

He grinned in his usual carefree way.

"It's been a while." he said "Have you been busy?"

She nodded. "I've been working on some new medical ninjutsu." she informed him

"Really?!" he replied with excitement "That's awesome.People like you and Granny Tsunade are essential to the world. Because of you guys I was able to use my arm again." He pulled his bandaged right hand from his pocket and flexed his fingers, giving her a winning smile.

She smiled inspite of herself.

Only he could be this way about losing an arm as a shinobi.

"Alot of people say that about you these days." she told him.

"What? That I should work on medical ninjutsu?"

She made a fist and rapped his forehead.

"Stupid!" 

He rubbed his forehead after she hit him.

"Are you going to keep hitting me forever Sakura chan?"

"If you keep being stupid." she replied. "Honestly. How could the saviour of the ninja world be this dense?" She shook her fists at him.

Naruto looked at Sakura and smiled.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked, her temper cooling

"It just reminded me of old times with Team 7" he replied. "You haven't changed. You were always scolding me, even then."

"Well--that's because you were always doing stupid things. Stupid."

"Thank you Sakura."

A perplexed expression creased her brow.

"Heh? Thank you? For what?" she questioned.

"You've done more for me than you'll ever know." he replied , a simple sincerity in his voice.

She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and quickly turned away from him.

"Hmm?" he looked at her 

"Are you hungry? Let's go find some food."

"I can't now but how about me meet at Ichiraku's later?" 

She turned to him again.

"You do know that there are other places to eat in the village right"

He simply smiled at her .

"See you later." he waved to her.