Before I knew about pairing fandoms I was truly under the impression that every fan of Naruto was rooting for him to eventually win Sakura's heart. Although when I started paying attention to pairing fandoms it was already after the Summit arc, so maybe those events influenced the opinions of many. For all I know maybe more people where expecting Naruto and Sakura to end up together before that arc.
To me NS was extremely obvious up to the Summit arc, then my expectation were completely shaken. Karui brought Sakura's feelings for Sasuke back into the light in a way I hadn't thought about in all of part 2, not even during the first reunion in Orochimaru's lair. Then Sai tells Sakura about Naruto's feelings. I would've thought that would be a good thing, but the way it turned out seemed so sad. Then Sakura becomes determined and I wondered what she would do. Before her confession to Naruto I was imagining that something like that could happen given her new determination, but it just didn't feel like it would be right given how so many complicated feelings about Team 7 were so suddenly revived.
And then when the confession happened it did in the way I was imagining it would, based how I saw the situation so far. I'll admit that the whole development during the Summit arc is very heartbreaking. It's like Naruto and Sakura didn't know what to do with each other, and don't act in the best way the can. Sakura tries to take all of the burden from Naruto while he only becomes more anxious to the point of collapsing. Even Kakashi's resolution to kill Sasuke was sad given how he made mention that regardless of Sasuke's darkness he still loved him, just like Hiruzen still loved Orochimaru despite his defection.
It seemed that part of the purpose of the Summit arc was to show all of Team 7 at their worst possible point. You have:
- Sasuke completely immersed in his darkness to the point he's senselessly sacrificing comrades
- Kakashi and Sakura forsaking their bond with Sasuke despite how much they care and love him
- Naruto not knowing what to do with Sasuke to the point he had a mental collapse
The Summit arc turned out to be one of the most emotionally darkest arcs in Naruto. Maybe that's one of the reasons not a lot of people liked it. I guess in that aspect it was a good thing to keep Sakura's feelings for Sasuke intact so far. If she wasn't in love with Sasuke then the impact of the deconstruction of the Team 7 bond that happened during the Summit arc wouldn't be as grand.
Team 7 can grow and change, but until there's resolution with Sasuke they'll always be drawn to the old ways. In the beginning of the story we had:
- Naruto trying to reach Sasuke and wanting Sakura's love
- Sasuke trying to prove his superiority to Naruto at any chance he could
- Sakura loving Sasuke despite his indifference and slowly growing to care more for Naruto despite initial hate
Absolutely nothing has changed. Team 7 has shown incredible character growth (be it good or bad), but they still hold the same positions as it was in the beginning. And I don't think anything extremely significant will change their positions until we are finally in the final confrontation. Even if something happened in the current battle with the Juubi that could imply NS (which I'm secretly hoping for) there won't be any true resolution of their positions until the very end.
The Naruto and Sasuke bond is the most significant story wise, but the Team 7 bond and the position they hold with each other as a whole is where the whole tension lies. That's also one of the reasons I would dislike for Naruto to stop loving Sakura now. If Naruto didn't love Sakura then the Team 7 connection wouldn't be as tense in order to keep up the emotions for the finale.
The events that lead to the final fight and what happens in the aftermath is what will finally shift the positions of Team 7. And those events won't begin to take place until Sasuke shows up in this war. So for now Team 7 hold the same positions as they always have.
That could also be the reason Sakura's confession went the way it did. It might be that she consciously knows she feels something for Naruto, but that her heart feels stronger for Sasuke. It could be that she wants Naruto to be the one that makes her feel that way (which is why she confessed the way she did), but since the Team 7 conflict is not resolved her feelings for Sasuke are going to remain as they have. Naruto seems to be aware that until Team 7 can be at peace with each other that the way any of them feel won't change, which is why he rejected Sakura's confession.
Even if Naruto can accept Sakura has growing feelings for him he's not foolish enough to think she can just let go of Sasuke as the situation stands. Also, it seems that after the Summit arc that Sakura has accepted how she feels and that until everything is resolved that it will just have to be as it is, which could be the reason for that moment in chapter 540. She can be in love with Sasuke, but it doesn't mean she wants to. She just is for now.
I pretty much agree. Especially on that part where you said that if there's no love triangle, there's no tension. And I agree with Team 7 seen at their worst, I think you put it better than I had though.
Now, with Sakura, given this situation and a chat I had with James the previous days, I finally get to understand her why she is still thinking at Sasuke and not letting go of him up to a certain point as well as, in the same time, being in love with Naruto.
Basically, the thing is, she is in love with Naruto, however, the fact that her feelings for Sasuke haven't been resolved, they've never talked about it, they didn't come with a resolution to all this drama, is what still keeps Sakura loving Sasuke.
And why I say that, is because I have a similar story with her...somehow. My first relationship, that first love we all have, started at 12 years and a half old. I know, young as hell. We've been through many things together. Back at that time, I was some sort of Sakura, loved him so so much, he was a popular guy... Now, the negativities in Sasuke/Sakura "relationship" similar to mine, was that well, he used to cheat on me. But I was too in love, got past it, he still stuck with me. For fun at first, later, he got in love, but it was too late, kinda.
Anyway, long story short is that, in time, we broke up, but very badly, not talking, not having the resolve part of our relationship. Because of him, I ruined some 2 relationships given the fact that I still had something for him, though the guys with who I was, were great. Tipically, you'd say, Naruto style. But he was the Sasuke guy. So these relationships were broken because of the fact we didn't had the resolve when we broke-up.
Now, you know when we had our resolve, like, finally? 2 years ago. And I'm currently turning, soon, 24. We broke up first at my 15's, then he came back around my 16's - 17's and ruined those relationships I've been telling you about, broke up again, unspoken things. And every since my 17's up to my 22's, every year, at the same time, 1 week non-stop, I was dreaming him. It was like he didn't let my life go on. At some point in time, I was in a pretty serious relationship, my and my boyfriend at that time were sleeping and stuff and I was dreaming him. Imagine, only, that stuff.
Now, last 2 years (keep forgetting we're in 2013 now), I knew I had to contact him, talk with him as the dreams and the anxiety the dreams were giving me, kept coming more frequent. Long story short, we met, talked like two adults, finally said what was between us, and ended it up everything. In the end, he had kids now, a family. Problem is, that over time, he did fell in love with me but it was too late when he did, so he was having those kinda same dreams as me, even now, after years of breaking up and having a family and a kid. That's the freakish part of our story. Don't judge, please^^
Anyway, after we met, we were both at peace because we talked and came to a resolution with our relationship. It ended all there. He went on with his family and I went on with my life. Ever since, I am more calm, I stopped dreaming about him. And now, it's all a memory and I can love freely whoever I want because that memory of his, it's not in the past, my heart is in the present.
The reason why I told you this is because... me and Sakura are quite similar. Fun story, she's an Aries like me, she's born on 28th March, me, on 29th. Characters, just the same. I used to beat up boys, I am loud-mouth when something doesn't adds up to me, I am respectful with the people around me, I get agressive if a dear one of mine is hurt, I cry a lot.
So, anyway, the reason I told you is because maybe some will understand why Sakura still "loves" Sasuke and cannot move, yet, to Naruto. She needs her resolution with Sasuke in order to freely move to Naruto. Yes, she loves Naruto, I can assure you that, as I, myself, have loved those 2 in the relationships that got broken because of the former. But they were broken because I hadn't come to a resolution with him, even if I loved them. So, in order for Sakura to fully be with Naruto, she first needs to have the resolution with Sasuke by any means.
Don't doubt she loves Naruto, in that romantic way, yes, but don't expect her to be able to be with him, until the matter with Sasuke is closed.
Anyway, sorry for the long rant, I wanted it to be shorter, but I hope you get the idea even though sometimes I am hard at explaining myself.
Edited by Chatte, 12 January 2013 - 04:16 PM.
I love this pairing way too much. I can't share their sentiments but I've seen the most frequent being the following:
The best thing about similiar shippings is that they can either get along so amazingly well it's unreal or they can end up killing each other. There is no inbetweens. NaruSaku is obviously the former. 
This topic is locked
