A/N: Wow, who could have possibly guessed who was behind the roses? I, for one, am completely shocked.

--

Sakura dried her eyes with a spare napkin while she rummaged through her locker.

"Sakura." At the sound of a boy calling her name, she jumped and accidentally hit her forehead against the top of the shelf, making her hiss.

"Yeah? What?" She asked, closing the door only to see Sasuke standing there. "Oh. What?"

"I need to apologize." He stoically replied, pulling a white rose from behind his back. "I'm sorry that my fanbase has been such a pain. I will try to convey to them that attacking you is wrong."

Sakura just stared at the flower, then Sasuke, then the flower again, not quite processing. "... Eh?"

"I'm sorry the girls have been harrassing you," he explained irritably, thrusting the rose into her hands. "Itachi saw you trip in the hall on Thursday."

"Oh. That." Her eyes went stone-hard and she hesitantly accepted the rose. "Um, thanks, I guess?"

He gazed at her face while she opened her locker again and placed the rose on top of her Chemistry book.

Shutting the locker again, she sighed and turned to face him. "Sasuke, I-"

He rose an eyebrow when she trailed off.

She took a few moments, trying to collect her words, but she shook her head in frustration. "Never mind. Look, I'm sorry about the whole 'Chicken Boy' thing, okay? I knew you didn't like when people compare you to a chicken... it's no better than you calling me Forehead Girl."

He almost smiled at the mention of the terrible childhood nickname she had, but steeled himself. "Apology accepted, I suppose."

She nodded, an awkward silence resting between them both.

Well, I suppose this counts for my civil conversation with Sasuke, she mused.

"I'd better go..." she trailed off, looking at her watch. "Class is starting soon."

"Yeah." He agreed.

She gave him a strange half-smile before turning and walking down the hallway. He watched her until she turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

--

After school, at their home, Sasuke walked up to Itachi.

"Let me guess," he rose an eyebrow, "you need to throw another party because you didn't identify your mystery girl."

"Well, yeah, actually." Sasuke was mildly surprised at how quickly he guessed it, but shrugged his shoulders and sat down on one of the beanbags on the floor with a heaving sigh.

"Trouble in paradise?" He asked next.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sasuke muttered.

"Oh please, otouto, I can see it on your face." The older of the two smiled knowingly before going back to his book. "Is it about Sakura?"

Sasuke's shoulder twitched.

Silence grew between them for a few moments.

"You never said it wasn't," Itachi reminded, taking off his glasses and placing them on his nightstand. "What happened between you two?"

"I..." His voice gave out and he stared at the rug on the floor.

"Did you take my advice?" He asked, looking up at his younger brother.

Sasuke's cheeks reddened and he glared.

Itachi blinked, before chuckling.

"I... gave her a flower..." He hissed through grit teeth. "And I apologized..."

"That's a good first start, otouto."

"Sh-Shut up..." He grumbled, standing up to leave.

He was almost out of the doorway when Itachi called out.

"Hey, Sasuke."

Said teenager paused, glancing back at his brother.

Itachi winked. "I'll see what I can do."

--

Sakura eyed the rose that Sasuke had given her. "What was he really trying to say?"

"Well, what do white roses symbolize?" Ino gave her a pointed look.

Jade eyes slid back down to the floor.

"C'mon, Forehead, you can't be this dense." The blonde sighed harshly, massaging her temples. "The fangirl club knows it too. Someone saw Sasuke give you the rose, and now they're speculating on whether to strike again."

"Well then we'll have to make it quick," she sneered, giving the blonde a glare. "When's the next party, do you think?"

"I don't know. Did he say there would be one?" Ino rose an eyebrow.

"No, but if I know Sasuke, he's already asked Itachi-san for another party." She slipped her glasses on again and blinked. "And this time, if he doesn't figure it out, I'll expose myself."

"You'd take off the wig? In front of an entire party?!"

"No, you idiot, I'd go to school as Akane!"

"Oh." Ino slowly began to smile. "Hey, how about it?"

"Of course I'd go to school in a wig," Sakura rolled her eyes. "I am not dying my hair again."

"And then you'd take it off in front of the whole school?" She questioned.

"Obviously." She nodded in agreement. "And I'd show off the necklace."

"Sounds kinda half-baked," Ino commented. "Let's try to find another way."

"Well what would you do if the guy who has a crush on your alter-ego has to reveal who you are in front of his entire fanclub?" The pinkette hissed. "In case you didn't know, he still maybe kinda hates me!"

"The only thing I can tell you is to be careful." The blonde placed a hand on her shoulder, frowning into her eyes. "If you end up doing it the wrong way, you may never get another chance."

"How was I supposed to know he would fall in love with me within four hours of meeting me?!" Her arms were flung into the air in desperation.

"I don't know, how about you ask him?" She yelled back, tugging her ponytail in frustration.

"I cut my hair, dummy! I can't go without a wig, and I am not putting that back on!"

"Well you're gonna have to!"

"Fine!" Sakura shouted in her face.

Silence.

Ino couldn't keep a straight face and snorted.

Sakura tried to keep glaring. "Stop laughing, I'm mad!"

Ino began giggling.

"I said stop!"

Ino gently pushed her face away and began cackling.

"What is this, some alternate universe?" She cried, throwing her hands to the ceiling.