Birthday or Festival?

It's the morning of the 9th October and Sakura is on her way to the Yamanaka flowershop. Not that she wanted to buy anything or would even has a reason to buy some flowers, no all she wanted to do is have a nice chat with Ino.

"Hi Ino-pig", she said when she entered the shop and saw her friend standing behind the counter.

"Hi forehead, what do you want?"

"Oh I just came by to talk to you a little, I mean we haven't met in like a month or so."

"Yeah I know that... and I'm still angry because of that! Normally you show up here almost every two or three days. You don't know how boring it was without making a little fun of you, forehead", the blond said in a mock angry voice.

"Haha, very funny Ino-pig. But seriously how are you?"

Ino didn't know what to answer. Sakura knows that it bores the hell out of her to sell these flowers without having a nice chat with her bet friend, yet she asks how she is when not showing up for over a month?

"Well I'm pretty fine, thank you, but what about you? What were you doing this last month?" She was really curious, even more so as she got the answer.

"I was training with Naruto-kun and it really was not a walk in the park", the pink haired kunoichi admitted but wanted to hit herself as she noticed what exactly she just said.

"Naruto-'kun'? What kind of training was it? Mattress Sport (If you don't get it, because I don't know if that's used outside Germany too: it is a funny expression for sex)?"

"INO! It's not that! But Naruto-kun an I became really good friends. I think you could call him my best male friend. That's why there's the honorfic. I mean it's the same with you and Choji, right? You two are not a thing but you refer to him as Choji-kun", replied Sakura.

"Well as if that would be any of your business. But anyways: You already have something to wear tomorrow?", the blonde asked, but Sakura didn't know, what she could mean by that.

You really don't know?

No, I really don't know! But it seems you know, so why don't you enlighten me? We still share the same body.

I know, but I think you should remember yourself or get anyone to tell you, but that could be embarassing.

Oh girl, of what use is a second personality when she is like that?

Hey! I heard that! I was just thinking I could give you a hint but forget it, not after that...

Damn it... why must she be so similar to me and yet so different?

"HEY! FOREHEAD! Are you still on Earth?"

"Oh heheh sorry Ino, kinda got carried away by my thoughts... Well I gotta go now, see you around.“ With that the pink haired kunoichi went for the door and got out of the shop, directing herself to her home.

Back inside the shop Ino just shook her head. Tomorrow was a special day for two reasons and her best friend doesn't even remember one of them... Hopefully she remembers in time or someone could be heartbroken.

When Sakura arrived home, nobody was there. She found a note on the kitchen-table that her parents were out until late this night, so she couldn't ask them. She decided to do, what appears to be the bigget mistake she did in some time. She went to Naruto's to ask him what was so special about tomorrow.

Naruto was in his small kitchen having Instant Ramen. 'Oh boy this last month sure was hard work. I mean Sakura is a great shinobi and really strong, but I would have never thought that she could stick up with me so easily... It seems that training with Tsunade-baa-chan didn't just got her this monstrous strength, but a good stamina, too.' He thought while almost inhaling his meal.

Shortly after he finished there was knock at the door. Naruto was really surprised, because nobody ever visited him in his apartment. He went to the door and looked through the spy, but he would have never thought, whom he would see there. With an expression, as if the end could go down by any second, Sakura stood right before his apartment. Without hesitation he opened the door and stepped aside, giving her the possibility to enter his 'kingdom'.

"Come on in, Sakura, and have a seat on the bed. Sorry I don't have anything else to sit on, but the couch was too old and broke down a few days ago", he explained, a little embarassed to have not only a girl, but his best friend and secret crush in his apartment.

"Oh that's not a problem, Naruto, I didn't want to stay for long. But I have a question and my parents aren't home and Ino won't tell me... Ino asked me if I already picked something to wear tomorrow, but by all means, I just can not remember what there is tomorrow to pick something special o wear... Do you have any idea?", she asked, not noticing that Naruto became really sad and hung his head. When she did notice it and asked what was wrong, he looked up saying: "You really don't remember, huh? OK I'll tell you: Tomorrow's the day that 16 years ago the Yondaime Hokage defeated the Kyuubi and saved the village."

"Oh my god, of course! How could I forget that... there is this huge festival on the townsquare, right?", she asked, oblivious to this second event that took place 16 years ago.

"Yeah, right. So if you don't have anything to wear, why don't you just go and buy something? I'd like to accompany you, but I have some stuff to do, sorry."

When Sakura was back home and got her money to buy a new dress, something got through to her mind.

Yondaime defeated Kyuubi? But Kyuubi was sealed into Naruto when he was...

Just then, realisation struck her.

Oh my god! Kyuubi was sealed in Naruto when he was just born. I am so stupid how could I ever forget the birthday of the guy I call my best friend?

Finally you remembered. But just think about what Naruto must now think of you, after he had to tell you this.

NO WAY! Damn I'm not only stupid, this is worse than stupid. How can I ever make up for it?

Well I'v got an idea. Lemme tell you...

Sakura thought the idea was great and instantly made the necessary phone-calls and went shopping afterwards.

The next morning she was up at 8 am, making her way to Naruto's appartment again. As he opened the door, it seemed like she woke him up, he was only wearing boxers and a light shirt. Sakura begged him to get dressed, because she wanted to show him what she bought yesterday. At first Naruto didn't want to go, but you know what it's like when the one you love asks you a favor, you just can't say no.

After 10 minutes of walking Naruto noticed that they didn't head for Sakura's home.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Hm?"

"Where are we going? This is not the way to your home."

"Oh you noticed? Well let's say I promised to take you somewhere first."

When the two were standing in front of the Hokage Tower Naruto was wondering if baa-chan had a mission for them or something. But as soon as he entered the Tower, all the former Rookie 9 minus Sasuke, Team Gai, their Jo-nin instructors, as well as Sai, Yamato, Iruka, Konohamaru's Team, Tsunade, Shizune and Jiraiya were there and a great 'Happy Birthday'-sign hung from the ceiling.

Naruto turned around to see Sakura sobbing lightly. Before he could ask what was wrong she hugged him and gave him a slight kiss on the lips.

"I'm sorry that I almost forgot your birthday. Can you ever forgive me? I couldn't think of a life without you because I... I truly love you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto felt like he was in heaven. This was all so unreal and yet he knew that if it was a dream he would never want to wake up.