Disclaimer: I do no own Naruto…
F.Y.I.: Sasuke and Sakura are fifteen.
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Chapter 1: A Maid For Work
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Knock knock!
The quiet knocking of someone at the door both interrupted and startled everybody in the room.
"Young master, were you expecting someone this evening?" one of the people in the room asked with confusion.
The boy who he talked to frowned and shrugged.
"I don't know. I don't think so…" he mumbled, as he got up to answer the door.
"Oh, sir! You don't have to-" the host began to say, but the boy quickly opened the door.
Behind the door was a shy, pink-haired girl, who patiently waited for an answer.
She seemed to be the same age as the boy.
"Yes?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe.
The girl immediately looked up and blushed.
She found the boy in front of her very attractive.
She instantly got herself together.
"Excuse me…" she said as she bowed to the boy, "But… is this the… uh…"
She stood up and took out a folded paper.
"Uh… Mikonomi residence? 4319 Middleway Drive?"
The boy raised an eyebrow.
"No, I'm afraid not… are you lost?"
The advisor who talked before came up behind the boy.
"Is there a problem?" he asked the boy, who didn't seem to be listening.
"I've been searching all day for this place. I'm supposed to be starting a job as a maid there in the morning…" the girl explained, "I'm sorry to have interrupted you. Good night-"
"No, no, wait a minute!" the boy exclaimed. Turning to the advisor, he whispered, "The poor girl is lost, so I'm going to help her out. I'll meet you at the palace! Bye!"
Before the advisor could comment, the boy grabbed his cloak, and closed the door behind him.
Taking the girl's hand, the boy ran down the road, not stopping until the house was out of sight.
He placed his hands on his knees and breathed heavily.
The girl leaned against the wall of a nearby building.
After a few moments, the boy stood up straight and looked at the girl.
"Sorry about that," the boy said, apologizing, "Let me see that address again…"
The girl took out the crumbled paper and handed it to the boy.
"How unfortunate," the boy began again, "Tell me, did you just so happen to pay someone to find you this job?"
"Yes. Why?"
The boy sighed and crumbled the paper up again.
"I'm just visiting this part of town, but I've been here long enough to tell you this name doesn't fit the address. In other words, it's a scam."
He threw the paper on the ground and stepped on it.
The girl looked to the ground and put her hands over her face in shame.
"I really need that job!" she explained, "My father just lost his job and my mother is busy taking care of my sister. She's going to college to be a doctor. So we need to get money. I had to travel and get a job…"
The two remained silent for a little; one trying to figure out what to do, the other trying to find a way to help.
The boy finally had an idea.
"I know!" he exclaimed, putting a hand on each of her shoulders.
"You can come work for me! At my palace!
She looked up at him, confused.
"But… you and I… we are the same age…? How can I go work for you…?"
Then, for the first time that evening, the clouds in the sky revealed the shining moon, which hit the boy's face just at the right angle.
"Forgive me. I forgot to introduce myself," the boy began, "My name… is Uchiha Sasuke. And what might yours be…?"
The girl fell to her knees and turned her view to the ground.
"Prince Uchiha! Forgive me! I though you were someone else!"
She immediately got down on her hands and knees in an apologizing manner.
Sasuke pulled her back up to her feet, though she refused to make eye contact.
Sasuke put his hand under her chin and pushed her head up, so that they were looking at each other face to face.
"What's this sweet girl's name?" he asked again.
"H…Haruno Sakura, Uchiha-sama…"
He smiled softly.
"Well Sakura… this Prince Uchiha, or Sasuke-sama, or Uchiha-sama, I have never heard of. In my presence, I only go by Sasuke. So to you, I am Sasuke, and to me, you are Sakura. That is what I go by. And if you need, you will come to my palace and work as my personal maid to help your family. Will that work for you…" he leaned in a bit closer to her face, "…Sakura…"
Her name slipped smoothly off his tongue, even causing her to blush.
"Y-Yes Sasuke-sa-"
She quickly cleared her throat.
"Sasuke…"