FicWad

(6.1)

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"/It's been a while since we were able to talk like this."/

/Noir/

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~/Hum-Hum—Humhumm~/

A young woman with rose gold hair and green eyes - wearing a celadon silk empire waist dress - walked along an arcade that was decorated with roses, purple orchids, camellias, stephanotis and peonies.

~Hum-Hum—Humhumm~

She gazed up at the ceiling that was embellished with white and violet draperies.

~Hum-Hum—Humhumm-Hum—Hum-Hum—Hum—Humhumm~

She eventually reaches a three way fork and takes the left path.

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Sakura found herself walking into a wide garden that overlooks the town. In the center of the garden was a huge tent that was set up for the wedding. The decorations continue all the way up to the wedding altar.

She made her way to the viewing platform at the very end of the property. After reaching the very edge of the deck, she turned around and gave herself a moment to marvel at the huge ancestral house from which she had come from – the Uzumaki ancestral house that stood on that very ridge.

…

("Careful with those!")

("Yes Sir!")

Sakura turned to glance at some men that seemed to be setting something up.

FLASHBACK

"Fireworks?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Karin.

Karin nodded. "Let's go see it together."

"We're working this weekend, remember?", said Sasuke, turning away from Karin.

"We're working every weekend Sasuke-kun!", Karin muttered as she followed him. "At this rate we'll never get to watch even one firework display this summer."

Sasuke walked towards the service hatch to place the order slip on the counter. "It can't be helped."

Tayuya received the order slip.

Karin also handed her order slip to Tayuya. "Well, can't we ask Orochimaru-san for a weekend off just this once? And then we can just not have our day off next week instead.", she told Sasuke.

"This place is packed during the weekends."

"But-"

"We're not the only ones who are going to miss it. Everyone else will be working that day too."

"Everyone but Sakura." Karin pouted and pointed at her.

Sasuke glanced at Sakura who had been tending at the bar, watching them all along.

"Her day off is on Sunday and she's probably gonna go see it with Sasori.", Karin added holding on to Sasuke's arm and shaking it like a child.

Sakura executes her task all the while listening to them.

"Naruto's planning to go.", continued Karin.

"…"

"Don't you want the three of us to go together like old times?"

Sasuke sighed.

Karin's face brightened up. "There it is~

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You're considering it, aren't you?"

Sasuke deadpanned.

Karin put her palms together.

"Just this once."

Karin grinned.

"I'll ask Orochimaru."

"Yay~!", Karin beamed. "It's a date!"

"Naruto better be there Karin or it's off."

"Hehe."

"Are you listening to me?"

"Hai~!", Karin grinned. "Sasuke-kun and I are gonna go see the fireworks together~!"

"Oi-" Sasuke ended up glancing towards Sakura again.

Sakura gave Sasuke a knowing look that made him uncomfortable.

…

"Here you go!" Tayuya came back to them with a plate of yakitori and two servings of sushi.

"Thanks.", said Sasuke.

"No wait I got it." Karin offered. "I'll take both of them."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah!

"Don't work too hard."

"I'm going to clock out after this anyway. Table 12 right?"

"A-Aa."

Karin cheerfully left Sasuke and went on to serve the food.

"Well, someone's ecstatic.", Tayuya commented.

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"Did you see that?!", Sakura sneered. "Why won't he just tell her that he already has a girlfriend?!"

"…"

"Suigetsu?" Sakura turned to look at him.

Suigetsu was placing the cocktails that Sakura had just prepared on his tray.

"Suigetsu. Are you listening?"

"Huh?! Oh. Yeah."

"Wh- What's wrong? You're acting like nothing happened?"

"I… Uhm. It's not my place to say… anything about it."

"Oh~ So, you can say Karin is 'bitchy' because you thought she sees Sasuke-kun like he's just some piece of meat but you have nothing to say about Sasuke-kun leading her on despite being already… involve with someone else?"

Suigetsu looked her in the eyes as he said; "No comment."

"Wh- … You're totally on his side!"

"Not really.", Suigetsu shrugged. "Not on this one. But… like I said, it's not my place to speak."

"Four umeshu tonic and six beers." Sasuke came over causing the both of them to flinch in surprise.

Sasuke looked at Suigetsu. "What's going on?"

"Nothing!"~

Sasuke looked at Sakura who hadn't moved at all.

Sakura pressed her lips together and blinked her eyes away from Sasuke to Suigetsu.

Suigetsu cleared his throat and averted his eyes from the other two.

Sasuke started tapping his fingers on the bar top.

"R-Right." Sakura immediately got to work.

Sasuke looked at Suigetsu again.

Suigetsu let out a sigh as he faced him. "Chill man! I know my place. But just so you know… if it were me, I'd definitely go for it.", Suigetsu told him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means~" Suigetsu held out his hand and rested it on top of Sakura's head.

Sakura was taken aback. "Er…"

"I'm supporting Sakura on this one." Suigetsu grinned and gave her a wink.

"If it's not any trouble…"

The three of them turned their heads towards Sasori who was sitting in one of the bar stools close by.

Sasori smiled at Suigetsu. "Can you take your hands off of her head?"

"Totally forgot he was here.", Suigetsu remarked as he drew his hand back. "Well if you'll excuse me, I got drinks to serve."

Suigetsu picked up the tray and left the three of them on their own.

"Me too. Just so you know.", Sasuke implied.

"Oh! Hold on!", Sakura quickly got back to work.

"Hey.", Sasori greeted Sasuke.

"Hey.", Sasuke greeted back.

Both of them kept their eyes on Sakura who was feeling a bit uneasy as she started putting ingredients into the shaker.

"I hope you~ all don't mind me taking up a space in the bar while waiting on Sakura to get off work.", Sasori started.

"You are a paying customer after all."

"Even though… I've only had one bottle of soda the whole time?"

"You mean… that's all she wants to serve you."

Sasori chuckled. "I'm driving her home after all."

"Of course." Sasuke shifted from where he stood. "Since the last time she served you something with alcohol, for some reason, you ended up walking out on her."

Sasori chortled. "Trust me. You do not want… to go there."

"Don't I?"

"You-"

"I'm almost done!", Sakura interrupted. "But uhm… d-do you want to serve the beers first?"

The two boys ended their conversation after exchanging one last irritated glance at each other.

Sasuke nodded at Sakura.

…

"Here." Sakura laid some napkins on the tray with six beer mugs.

Sasuke picked up the tray and took his leave.

"Well wasn't that awkward?" Sasori joked.

Sakura exhaled heavily before pouring the cocktail mixture into glasses. "Please don't make it hard for me to work here."

"What did I do?"

She rolled her eyes then proceeded to garnish the drinks with cherries.

"You're mad?"

"No. I'm not."

"Yes you are. And I'm sorry. But can you really blame me?"

Sakura looked at him. "Sasori. It's Friday. One more day and then it's my day off. Then…it's just four weeks to go. Four weeks. That's all I'm asking."

"Four weeks and then everything goes back to the way it used to be?"

"Yes!"

Sasori nodded. "I'll endure."

"Thank you." Sakura let out a sigh of relief.

Sasori reached for her hands. "Anything for you."

They smiled gently at one another.

"Ahem~ Excuse me." Suigetsu appeared, ruining their moment. "Sasuke sent me to get these."

He picked up the tray that Sakura had prepared earlier. "Sorry about that. Carry on then."

"That guy's timing is… impeccable.", Sasori commented.

Sakura giggled. "Tell me about it."

"Excuse me." A young woman approached the bar.

"Yes ma'am." Sakura turned to her. "What can I g-"

"A few seconds of your time would be nice.", said Rin.

Sakura moved away from Sasori, took a towel and began wiping the bar top all the way towards Rin. "Listen if you're worried about… word getting out, it won't. I won't tell anyone about it. I couldn't… even if I want to anyway because one; I already decided to support Sasuke-kun and two; I want either you or him to tell Karin the truth yourselves."

"I knew it." Rin murmured and let out a sigh. "I believe we got ourselves caught up in a complicated situation."

"Yes, it… seems."

"I don't know how much you already know. Sasuke-kun…" Rin glanced at Sasuke who was too busy to notice her presence in the bar. She then looked back at Sakura. "He said he'll be the one to explain things to you but I don't think he fully understands the situation himself."

"…"

"I haven't told him about-" Rin took a glimpse of Sasori. "The things we talked about inside my car and at my apartment will remain between the two of us."

"T-Thank you. I… appreciate that."

Rin nodded. "So, did Sasuke-kun talk to you already?"

Sakura shook her head. "We've been busy and… There's no time."

"I see. I- Oh how I wish I could do something about this situation but my current circumstance puts me in a position where… I have to act in favor of Sasuke-kun."

"That's understandable."

Rin shook her head. "There are so many things I can't disclose at the moment. I'm not certain how much I'm allowed to tell you-" Rin faltered. "…that won't end up compromising Sasuke-kun any further."

"You don't have to tell me anything. I'm not- Sasuke-kun never judged me for being romantically motivated so~"

"Sakura. I- Allow me to say this at least."

"…"

"Whatever happens…" Rin reached for Sakura's hand. "Don't blink. Or you'll end up missing it."

"…"

Rin drew her hand back and made a bee line for the exit.

Sakura watched her as she walks away.

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Sakura walked into the genkan, closing the door behind her.

"Tadaima!", she yelled back as she removed her shoes.

"Okaeri~", her father yelled from the living room.

"Did Sasori drop you off?", asked Kizashi, turning away from the television.

"Yes.", Sakura answered as she made her way towards the kitchen.

"Still not coming to introduce himself properly after all this time?" Mebuki spoke from the dining area. "Is he ever going to show his face to us one of these days?"

Sakura walked towards the sink. "And what would you do if you meet him?"

Mebuki stopped writing and looked away from her record book. "Tell him to stop putting ideas, like moving to Tokyo, inside your head of course."

Sakura made a move to get a glass of water. "Why is it that me going to Tokyo is such a big deal? Most people prefer to live in Tokyo."

"Most people can afford to live in Tokyo."

"I'll figure something out. I'll find a part time job. It's common."

"Right. Maybe you can work for a bar in Tokyo while you're studying medicine there."

Sakura sighed.

"Mebuki." Kizashi joined them. "Let it go. Aren't you glad that she's not shutting herself inside her room and burying herself in her books for once? It's the first summer that she's active and she's not even doing anything wrong by bartending. She's not neglecting her chores either. She helps as much in the bath house during the day."

Mebuki threw her hands in the air. "Go ahead and side with her. Let her do what she wants. Whatever. If she ends up doing something stupid because of this, then… it's on you."

"Sakura's not going to do anything she will regret. Won't you Sakura?"

Sakura approached the table and picked up the food left for her. "I'm just gonna eat this up in my room."

"Don't you want to heat it? It's gone cold.", asked Kizashi.

"Nah. I'm fine. I wouldn't wanna /raise the bills/."

"Don't you be a smart ass with us young woman!", Mebuki snapped at her.

"Okay~" Sakura used a sarcastic tone. "I'm going to my room now." Sakura excused herself and quickly ascended the stairs.

…

Sakura stopped just above the stairs and listens to her parents' conversation.

("That child! I swear!")

("Calm down Mebuki. Don't you ever get tired of having an argument with your own daughter?")

("You think I like treating her this way?! You think I enjoy playing the role of the bad parent?! Everything I do and say to her is for her own good.")

Sakura leaned her back on the wall and lowered her head.

("Your daughter is a smart kid. But she won't learn the most important lessons in life if you don't give her a chance to live her life at all.")

("Are you suggesting we just let this… Sasori take her away?")

("No.")

("What if things don't turn out the way they want it to? What if they end up breaking up one day? What if… they're not even really meant for each other? How will Sakura cope up with that huh?! If every decision she makes and every move she takes now is based on impressing him?")

("That's not-")

("I just don't want our daughter to one day find herself, in a position where she'll end up regretting the fact that she wasted her entire life for that boy.")

("But you want her to one day find herself, in a position where she'll end up regretting the fact that she wasted her life for US?")

("Kizashi? What are you saying? I would never-")

("I get it! You don't want Sakura to make the wrong decision. And right now… the fact that she's devoting herself to Sasori could very much end up being one of the biggest wrong decisions she'll make in her life. But that's not how Sakura sees it. Because at the moment… Sakura feels like anywhere is better than here with us.")

"…?!" Sakura was surprised to hear this from her father.

("Don't you get it Mebuki? Our daughter is not stupid. But she rather end up getting hurt by other people than stay here and end up hating us for the rest of her life. And I believe that deep down… you know it too.")

("Kizashi.")

("Now, I don't know about you but… I rather be the guy my daughter runs to after some bastard hurts her or make her feel sad, than be the guy she runs away from. And I especially don't want to be the guy who made her run away with some bastard who'll end up hurting her just because she can't stand being near me in the first place.

If it's okay with you, I'd like to spend as much time with my baby girl before she's all grown up and ready to leave me for the world? … I hope it can be easier for her to be here at home while she's still living with us, if that's not too much to ask?")

…

Sakura quietly moves from her position and makes her way to her bedroom.

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Sakura rested her hands on the railing of her balcony. In between her hands was her phone which she had been staring at for a while now.

Her phone suddenly rings and she immediately picks it up.

"Hello."

"Hi Sakura. I just got home."

"Sasori?"

"What is it?"

"I just… thought of something."

"Uhuhm~"

"I get off of work early on Saturdays so… How would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Come over~ to your house tomorrow night?"

"Yes."

"Are your parents going somewhere tomorrow night?"

"N-No! They will be here at home."

"You mean… you're asking me to have dinner with you and your parents?"

"Yes"

Sasori chuckled.

"I'm serious."

"Oh. OH. Er… I don't know if I'm up for that. I mean… your parents~ hate me."

"They don't /hat/e you."

"They're not fond of me either."

"They just haven't met you yet."

"Would meeting me change that?"

"I think it would."

"I think… if given the opportunity, your parents will end up asking me to talk you out of moving to Tokyo no matter what."

"Er… But what if… they somehow change their mind? What if we could get them to understand? What if they eventually give us their blessings?"

"They could change their mind. They could understand. They could end up giving us their blessings. But will that make them happy? Is that what they would really want for you?

"…"

"Sakura. I don't want to hold onto the false hope that your parents will eventually come to accept me. I don't want to find myself face to face with them while they put on fake smiles and tell me that I have their blessings when deep inside all I'll ever be is the guy who will take you away from them.

"Sasori."

"I rather they see me as a disrespectful, gutless boy who could never bring myself to face them than to see my own reflection in their eyes as they look on with disdain."

Sakura let out a sigh.

"D-Does that makes sense? Or am I just being overly dramatic right now?"

"…"

"Sakura?"

"No. I- I completely get it. I- I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate."

"You're not inconsiderate. It's normal for you to want me and your parents to get along. It's just that… Why would their opinion even matter anyway, right? They clearly never once tried to understand you."

"That's- I…"

['I was wrong.']

"Even if your parents never acknowledge me as long as you want to be with me then that's enough reason for me to fight for you. You and me; It's all that matters. And… we're going to be together soon, right? "

['It's probably too late anyway.']

"Yeah."

"How about~ we, just the two of us go out for dinner tomorrow night instead? Like a real date for once. I'll take you to this fancy restaurant."

"…"

"Sakura?"

Sakura let out a sigh. "Hm~"

"Say yes."

"All right. Yes."

"That's great. I'll see you tomorrow then okay?"

"Yeah."

"Good night."

"Good night Sasori."

Sakura ended the call and was about to head inside when she noticed she had one unread message.

…

I tried calling as soon as I read your message but your number was busy.

-she read.

Sakura hesitated but started typing a reply.

Wrong send. Just ignore it.

Sakura sent the message and went back inside her room.

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Once inside she went to lie down on her bed. That's when her phone rang.

Sakura sat up when she read who the caller was and answered the call. "Sasuke-kun?"

"Aa. Uchiha. Not the other Sasuke(-kun)."

"What?!"

"You said you sent the message with my name on it to me by mistake."

"Eh?"

"Your message was; Sasuke(-kun), please call me when you get the chance. You're the only one I can~"

"…"

"That's it. Now the way I see it, you either sent an incomplete message or you weren't able to delete all of the parts that you realized you didn't want me, or should I say this other Sasuke, to read."

['Damn it.']

Sakura's left palm made contact with her face.

['Wait?!']

"I typed in 'Sasuke-kun'?"

"Did you mean to write Sasori?"

"Y-Yes~" she didn't sound convincing.

"Then I hope you didn't end up sending him that very same text."

"Er…"

"Because if you did, this is the part where I laugh at you and you should start feeling extremely embarrassed."

"Okay! I lied!" Sakura flopped back down on her bed. She kept her left hand covering her blushing face. "That text was in fact intended for you."

"I figured. … Your number was busy until a while ago so I supposed you were just on the phone with Sasori?"

"Yes." She turned to her side.

"Then whatever it was that you wanted to tell me, you already discussed with him?"

"Not quite."

"But for some reason you feel that it's no longer necessary to tell me."

"Uhm…" Sakura bit her thumbed making her voice sound muffled. "More like I sent that message on the spur of the moment but after talking to Sasori, I realized that it did… concern him more than it did you… Er…"

"I see. You don't have to tell me then if you already decided that it's not really any of my concern but… Why was I the one you thought of messaging… on the spur of the moment?"

"Oh. Because… You're the only person who knows about the real issue I have with my… /parents/.", she whispered the last word.

"Was it about them?"

"Y-Yeah."

"…"

"Uhm… you still there?"

"Aa."

"Why did you suddenly… get quiet?"

"I was considering whether or not to press you on the matter."

"Oh."

"I…"

Sakura reached for her blanket and pulled it over her head.

"My parents maybe considering letting me move to Tokyo.", she just went and told him anyway, with a lowered voice. "And letting me date Sasori as well… when the time comes that is."

"They told you that?"

"No. I sort of heard them talking and it sounded like they were finally coming to terms with what I want to do with my life. That or… they just finally decided to let me be the bad daughter so they don't have to feel like they were the bad parents. "

"How is it that you always arrive to a bad conclusion when it comes to your parents?"

"I told you! The damage has been done to me. I can come up with multiple negative reasons why they're suddenly having a change of heart."

"Like?"

"What if it's just… reverse psychology? What if it's just a plot to make me give up on my dream all on my own by making me feel guilty?

"Or you could just be feeling really guilty right now? … Well, what's the worst case scenario?"

"A calm before the storm. A last minute effort so we can go our separate ways with a few good memories of being a happy family. Maybe they just accepted the fact that things won't get better between us. That regardless of whether I get their support or not, I'll end up walking out of the door anyway. What if they're okay with the idea of me not wanting to come back? What if for them, me leaving will be like… /Good riddance/?"

"How about this? Maybe they found a way to compromise. Maybe there was another option all along. Sakura they're your parents. Parents do that. They find ways to support their children. I find it hard to believe that they haven't been doing anything at all to figure a way out to help you the whole time."

"Do you really think so?"

"I do."

"What if you're wrong?"

"Then at least… you get to walk away from all of this with the knowledge of being right all along about your parents. And you can finally stop feeling guilty for wanting to leave them all this years."

"That doesn't make me feel better at all!" she threw her hand and her legs in the air, sending her blanket to slide off her bed.

"Sorry. My bad."

"Don't apologize." Sakura let her body relaxed into the mattress, smiling. "I lied. It did make me feel better."

"Hn."

"Thank you."

"Aa."

"I just realized… it's been a while since we were able to talk like this."

"Aa."

"By the way, aren't you still at work?"

"Aa."

"Are you on break?"

"Aa."

"Oh, then I won't keep you longer. Thanks for calling me Sasuke-kun. I'll see you at work. Bye."

Sakura hung up and put her phone aside.

She rested both her hands on her chest as she stared at the ceiling.

['Enough.']

…

/"I know I've been very invasive when it comes to your relationship with Sasori. I know I've had a huge influence in your decisions over the years and I feel really guilty. I value our friendship the most. I would do anything to protect the both of you. Of course I'd be happy if the two of you ended up together but …

I don't want either one of you to give up on your happiness. And I especially don't want either one of you to put yourself in a situation that you'll end up regretting someday.

I guess what I'm trying to say is… I want you to be happy and be with someone that will make you fall in love for real. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to love and be love. And… So does Sasori.

I don't want either one of you to hinder one another of the chance to find someone that will truly love each one of you."/

/"Ino."/

/"I love you Sakura no matter what. I'll always be your friend. Same goes for Sasori. Neither of you will be completely left alone so~"/

…

['Enough of this already.']

…

/"You don't deserve them! … Not Sasuke! Not even Sasori-sempai!"/

…

Sakura brought up her forearms and laid them over her eyes.

…

/"…I'm not sorry for liking someone. I'm not sorry for confessing my feelings. I'm not sorry for falling in love. And I'm not sorry for the friends I've made; no matter how much any of you think I don't deserve it."/

…

['I'm the worst. I'm the /absolute worst/!']

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