RAIKA-CHAN: okay, so this is my first one-shot in Naruto and I've decided to make it as a multi-chaptered story. Guess what AU character Sakura is performing at the moment… Hope you guys enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.
*--THROUGH IT ALL--*
Uchiha Sasuke was livid.
It seems to him that this day is one of the worst days he had experienced. Besides the fact that he was never a morning person, he didn't get any sleep last night because of work. So when his best friend, Uzumaki Naruto, barged in his apartment and started yelling about their supposed plan early in the morning, he didn't hesitate to hit Naruto squarely on his head.
(FLASHBACK)
"Dobe, I'm trying to sleep so go the fuck away."
"Teme! I knew you'd forget about what we've talked about yesterday. You agreed to come with me to the park today!" Naruto whined and pulled out Sasuke's blanket away. Sasuke sat up and glared at his blond friend "What are you, preschool? What the hell are you going to do in the park?" he hissed. Naruto grinned, "I'm going to meet with Hinata-chan today and you said that you'd come with me." He replied.
Sasuke stared at him blankly.
"Fuck you."
Naruto pulled Sasuke's leg as he was about to lie down again. "Te-me! You fuckin' promised me! I agreed not to pester you for 2 weeks!"
(END OF FLASHBACK)
And so, going back to where we ended, Sasuke is sitting two benches away from the two lovebirds. Every person passing by must have felt his deadly aura and let's just leave it like that. 'This is for two weeks of heaven. Two weeks of heaven…' he kept on repeating this in his head. He tried to think of something to do while babysitting the blond Dobe until he noticed a group of kids forming a semicircle beside the huge water fountain. He also stared as a pink-haired woman carries a piano keyboard and a stand. The kids stopped the things that they were doing when the pink-haired woman caught their attention. She started playing the keyboard and started to sing.
You are forever in my life
You see me through the seasons
Cover me with your hand
And lead me in your righteousness…
She continued to sing and he listened, closing his eyes. Sasuke felt relaxed and he opened his eyes when the children started to sing with the woman. He stared at her, noticing how she slowly swayed while singing and playing the keyboard. He stared as she closed her eyes and as she smiled, she looked so peaceful and calm. He stared as she opened her eyes and noticed how green they are.
He realized that they stopped singing and speculated that the woman gave them a little break for the children started running and chatting with each other. He jerked a little as the pink-haired woman saw him staring. She blinked at nodded at him, smiling. The corner of his lips attempted to curve up but he stopped and looked away, as if nothing happened. The woman raised her eyebrows and looked at him curiously and he heard her laugh a little.
A minute later he heard her play the piano again; the sound soothed him and he relaxed. He continued to listen as she played and sing. He felt someone tapping his shoulder and he opened his eyes, "You alright?" Sasuke realized that Naruto and Hinata were beside him. Sasuke blinked and nodded a little, "Yeah."
"Good! Since you've been a good boy, Hinata and I decided to take you with us and eat some ramen." Naruto grinned and slapped his shoulder. Sasuke glared at Naruto and stood up, following them. He paused to have one last look at the pink-haired angel (did he just think that?) and saw her smiling at him, still playing the keyboard.
This time, he smiled back.
… and I, I look to you, oh
And I wait on you…
The next day, he came back the exact time he saw her yesterday. Thinking that maybe he could see her again.
He looked around, trying to find any glimpse of the said woman but there was none. The pink-haired woman was not here; 'A one day activity, perhaps?' he thought. Sasuke shook his head and started asking himself why he came here on the first place, muttering how stupid it was to go back.
As he was about to leave, he heard voices of children. He turned and finally saw her with the children only this time, she did not bring any musical instruments with her. He sat down on the same bench he sat on yesterday and just watched her communicate with the kids. He watched her laugh, talk and smile. He watched as she shook her head or as she looked up in the sky, trying to find the answer to the question being asked.
Sasuke saw one of the kids tug the hem of her pale blue skirt to get her attention. He saw her look down at the kid and as how her eyes followed where the kid was pointing at.
The kid was pointing at him.
Sasuke's eyes widen for a second and looked at the pink-haired woman who was also staring at him with wide eyes. She blinked and just smiled radiantly at him, just like how she smiled yesterday and this time, there was recognition. He nodded awkwardly, wondering how she still remembers him. He also wondered if she always does this to all other strangers who look at her. He suddenly felt protective. Protective about what? She doesn't belong to you.
The same things happened; after talking to the children, the pink-haired woman orders them to scatter. The kids happily left her as they went to their own businesses. Now, she is all alone.
She is alone.
Alone.
Alone.
Isn't this the right time wherein the love-struck young man approaches the lovable woman? Yes, it is; but this is Sasuke we are talking about. He is not love-struck. It was always the girls who went gaga over him, not the other way around. No, that was not his cycle.
But there is this stupid feeling that urges his mind, telling him that he wanted to go to her; he wanted to know her name. He wanted to talk to her and ask her why she always accompanies those kids, why she plays the piano for them. Sasuke shuts the feeling off—he did not go.
Stupid pride and ego.
He was, however, surprised that she is walking towards him, approaching him. Well, that is not something new but he is happy that he did not need to go to her. She smiled the bright smile he lov—acknowledges. She was so naïve to go straight to him, knowing the fact that he is a total stranger.
"Hello there." She greeted him. Contemplating on what to say, Sasuke tries to find the right words to say. 'Why not just greet back? Say 'hi' or something? It's not that hard.' But he IS Uchiha Sasuke so he said what he normally classifies as a greeting:
"Hn."
Yeah, nice one.
The woman giggled at him, "I hope you won't mind me sitting beside you. The other benches are taken." She gently said. Sasuke moved a little, letting her sit beside him. "I noticed you were here yesterday and you were with a couple." She continued. Sasuke looked at her, weirdly. 'Does she really have a good memory or is she just another stalker?'
Like you.
She must have understood his facial expression because she laughed at him. "Oh, no. Please, don't worry; I'm not a stalker or anything! It's the first time I saw you here in the park. I'm usually here almost every day, watching out for the kids." She explained. 'So, that's why. She must have recognized the people who are always staying at the park.' He thought. It is the first time he stayed there; normally, he was just passing by.
"See the old couple over there?" she pointed at the old couple sitting on the bench across them. "They come here every Saturdays and Sundays, feeding the birds. That man over there," she pointed at the man standing under a tree "is waiting for his wife. They are here everyday except on Sundays because there is no office work." The pink-haired woman looked at him "And you, it's the first time I saw you here, along with that cute couple." She finished.
Sasuke shook his head, remembering what happened yesterday. "I was just tagging along, it wasn't even my intention to go here yesterday." He explained. "Oh, I see. It was too bad you did not bring your girlfriend along with you." She shrugged. Sasuke snorted and wiped his face with his hands, "I don't have a girlfriend, and I have no time for such trivial things." He sighed.
"That's nice."
Sasuke quickly turned his gaze to her, she was watching the sky. "It's nice that you still find some time for yourself, you tend to finish big things before going for the things that can be done later." She looked at him and smiled, "But living alone can be a little bit saddening, at least try to find some time to be with your friends." Sasuke sighed aloud and averted his eyes to the ground, 'This girl's starting to be annoying.'
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude your personal life." She apologized to him, Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "How come you seem to always know what I am thinking?" he wanted to ask. "There's nothing to be sorry for." He said and stood up; the woman followed him through her eyes. "I got to go. I have other things to do."
"Alright, then. If you need someone to talk to, I will always be here with the children. You take care now." She waved her hand a little. Sasuke nodded and started to walk away. This really isn't the right time to meet her, he wasn't prepared. He didn't greet her properly and made her think that she was intruding something that must not be intruded. 'She must be thinking that I am a live, walking ice cube.' he thought. Nice going, loser.
He walks swiftly to get out of this place but stop as he remembered something important. He forgot to ask her name. He freakin' forgot to ask her name.
He turned around only to find the bench empty.
Damn his pride and ego.
a/n: Alright! I've updated the oneshot and decided to go for the multi-chaptered idea… So here's chapter 1 for y'all! Please read and review! Thanks a bunch!!
