"Change"

Disclaimer: Duuuuude, If I owned Naruto, I'd be making forts with Ashton Kutcher In some mansion so PUCK YOU! XD

Meow to you too! How is everybody? Missed me? ;D Now before you start throwing eggs at me or throttling me to death, hear me out. Yes I know I haven't updated 'Moonlight' in ages, well I had a reason, Last year of O levels was seriously killing me, I hardly had enough time to sit on the computer and update, hell I couldn't even spend much time on Facebook and believe me when I say, I'm addicted to it, well lately, it's been boring but oh well. Moonlight will be updated shortly, no worries, I said I'll complete it and I meant it! :D muah muah muahhhh xD

Okay so this is my new story, it's a Sasusaku Fiction as usual, that's pretty much all I write about. I actually liked the idea and all and I'm hoping you guys would like it too. I went through Moonlight and I was like 'WTH?' my writing skills were kinda immature back then, I'm working on it though, this story is kinda emotional, not tragic at all, don't worry, I hate tragedies, I'd rather die than write one! xD so yeah…You'll be seeing another update by tomorrow, yeshhhh, I'm going to update quickly!

A levels is going to start soon so I wanna wrap this up before I get super busy with it. Anyways, wish me luck and I hope you like my new story "Change". Can't wait for you bOOtiful reviews 3

To all my lovely reviewers, sorry for my absence guys, my mom threatened to burn my poor PC and Laptop so yeahhh..xD

Chiaki Misa, Narutomadd, nightmare wishes, Darkwolf259, kawaii cookie-chan, Nikki-4, Devil Priestess, Serious Lee and all you beautiful people out there, can't wait to see you all again 3 once again, I'm truly sorry. :*****

With Love…

Angelic101

Summary: It all became clear when she grew up. She had always resembled her in countless ways…but it wasn't until I started losing her to some boy that I realized, she really was her. Maybe...she had that unique quality of bringing a change too…just like her.

Just four years ago, I was a completely different man. I was a rebel, a hard headed, arrogant, independent individual. For me, time was money and money was everything. Let's be honest, everything I had, everything I lived for, everything I was taught to live for didn't come without a price right? All that protocol, respect, that unmatchable pride and honor was all because of what I had in the bank. The feeling of being pampered, adored, worshiped was unfathomable, it made me feel valued, like…if anytime, anything would happen to me, the world might stop revolving, everything would fall into crisis…all because, I wasn't there.

Living life was so…easy. Anything I wanted, anything I needed was there, right in front of me with the freedom of clinging to it or tossing it aside when I felt like it. No one ruled me, I was a free man, and I was self-governing, self-reliant and uncontrolled. Change was not needed; I had planned to spend my days the same way.

Everything, I had everything in the palm of my hands, from the humongous, lavish and luxurious estate to live in, to the most expensive and rare champagne. I didn't have time for vacations or fun and games, I was a busy man.

So being the son of a multibillionaire was truly a blessing. I'd look down upon the low lives that served me; they were worth nothing in my eyes. They lived in dirty little slums with nothing but cheap food and clothing to survive on. It was truly pathetic.

It was only us, me and my younger brother. I, being the heir and the successor of father's company, had to look after everything when he wasn't around; I knew this was all a plan to prepare me for what was to come. Taking strategic decisions, meeting with other potential and possible partners, signing deals were a daily life task. To father, I was his favorite son…the one he expected everything from, the one he'd be handing over the company to, the one he believed would take the family business to heights it never reached before. Several times, I had seen my brother look at me with envy, it was understandable…he may have had all the comforts of life like I did but he didn't have father's love, he may have had mother's support but he didn't have father's trust and neither was he ever thought to be capable enough to lead the company. Even so…we had an unbreakable bond, which was something I realized later…much later.

Expectations were always high, so I never caused disappointment. I was a prodigy, as father put it. If there was one word that described my life, it had to be 'perfect', because it truly was, from every angle until…

Mother was caring, loving and fair unlike father who's life revolved around nothing but business. Her love was never meant for only one of us. She showered us both with infinite amount of love and amity. To her, it never mattered who would be the successor, who was bolder or who was more capable. We were her children; he prized possessions, her sons. That was all there was to it.

Everything went by the way elders wanted it to be. We had no saying what so ever. It was no one's fault honestly, it was just how things went and we just had to go with the flow. We were told that for the sake of the company, for its success, betterment and amelioration, we might have to take certain steps that we may not actually…like or support but, there was no room for arguments. Soon enough, talks and rumors about my bride to be were heard all around. She was the daughter of another rich businessman and it was said that the marriage was arranged due to its boundless benefits to the company.

Did I have a problem? Not at all…

The marriage was six months away when I met her.

Not my bride to be, I had met her on several occasions already.

It was her. Who knew that getting accidentally stuck in an elevator due to a blackout with a pink haired woman would end up to what I am today. I still remember so clearly, she wasn't very tall, probably five feet and four to five inches, her outrageously messy, long pink hair and her shimmering brown eyes. By God, I had never seen a woman with such a…wild appearance. She had been wearing a dirty apron with a huge stain of God knows what, it seemed fresh…also the fact that she had been swearing while trying desperately to rub it off with her hands proved that it really was fresh. She had been too busy trying to wipe it off and muttering colorful words that she hadn't even noticed my presence in the elevator.

To say that I was disgusted was an understatement.

I had been so desperate to get away from that…thing; I literally stumbled when I felt the elevator come to a halt. It was a blackout, it was winter anyway…I figured that the heavy blizzard outside must have been the cause for the sudden blackout. I was stuck with that crazy woman.

When she finally noticed me, she let out this weird cheeky grin that made me want raise my brow at her. Did she know me from somewhere? I doubted that though…but then why was she giving me that weird grin?

She was so…talkative. We had been stuck in that elevator for thirty minutes and she hardly knew me, yet she was talking like there was no tomorrow. Who was this woman anyway? After twenty more minutes of her constant babbling, I found out that she was currently serving as a waitress in this hotel I owned. Her name was Takara, meaning…treasure.

We had been stuck there for almost three hours and in those three hours, when the door finally opened, I literally fell on my face while making a run for it but while leaving, I made sure to inform her exactly how I had felt about her non-stop babbling. When she had finally stopped and was looking at me like I had grown a third eye because of my rushing, I finally said something that I had to regret later on. I had said that she was unworthy of being called a woman; she was unladylike, wild and extremely unsophisticated, I said she had an uncivilized behavior and her dressing sense was even more horrible, the look on her face was priceless when I remarked about her talkative nature and when I turned around, settled myself and got ready to walk away, I felt the weight of someone tackling me to the ground, screaming colorful words in my ear and punching me in the face.

I ended up with ripped clothes, messy hair, a black eye, a sprained ankle and a bloody thumb…that's where she bit me.

The guards had to force her off me, when I looked at her with an unbelievable look, she stuck her tongue out at me, showed me the finger and walked away somewhere with her nose held high. In all my life…I had never been more amused and frustrated. She was either stupid or freakishly brave to pull out something like that. Didn't she know who I was? She was, in reality, working under me, I could've easily fired her and even made sure she didn't get a job anywhere in Tokyo.

But why didn't I?

I was amused. No one had dared raise a finger at me, no one had the courage to speak against me or raise their voice at me, women would throw themselves at my feet yet…this one woman, had not just given me a full on headache with her non-stop babbling, she had the nerve to beat me in public.

Takara was…something.

I had seen her several times after that occasion. She recognized me too and wouldn't spare me with anything but glares. That was until, of course…she found out who I was. The look on her face was priceless! After some business dinner, she even sneaked up to me just to apologize, when I refused to forgive her and claimed her to be ill-mannered and outrageously childish…she threw the leftover pudding at me…

She was mad, I just knew it…but there was something about her, about the way she was, about the way she acted. It was so different than those other women. There was something in her eyes, that kept me asking for more, she wanted to throw pudding at me, I'd let her…she wanted to scream at me and tell me what a big asshole I was, I'd let her, she wanted beat me to a bloody pulp…I'd still let her. Why? I didn't know myself.

She was just so…amusing, so interesting.

I tried making peace one day, it was an epic failure. It didn't matter though, during business meetings and official dinners, we would see each other a lot in the dining area, she was the usual waitress and when everything would end, I'd stay back just to see her, to talk to her and well…possible annoy her. In reality, she was the annoying one…the kind that would make you pull your hair out.

We talked, she'd hit me, we'd laugh, I'd make a remark about her and she's get wild again. We got used to each other…this was unbelievable. I was never this talkative, this…dare I say, friendly. Something about her presence just eased me…since birth I had been pampered, kept far away from all that ordinary children had. She…made me feel like that child, who had been locked away and who ached to have fun and not just...study all day long. She was like an escape…she made me do these things I never imagined doing. Washing dishes or making snow angels or helping out at some far away farm and ending up throwing cow dung at each other…or decorating a Christmas tree. I felt…so, unlike me.

We became friends; best of friends…I couldn't spend a day without being with her even if it was for only minutes.

When father found out though, he was furious. I could understand why, someone of my status and caliber…being acquaintances with the likes of her was completely unacceptable in his eyes. He thought we had an affair or something which was false, we were…friends and I was…supposed to marry someone else…in just a matter of weeks now. I tried explaining to him but he wouldn't listen. Mother had stood up for me but her words were of no logic to him. Brother seemed disappointed too but didn't show it…what was wrong with everyone? We were just…friends.

There were no such thing as friends, father had said that, it pained me…all my life I had seen those other children play and live a happy life with people they could trust and love. I had been deprived of all that but needless to say, it never bothered me until now. I started to question myself…what happened to the old me? Why was it so hard to let go of Takara? Wasn't this money, this respect and status all I ever wanted, all I ever dreamed of?

Suddenly, neither of it made sense to me.

Nothing was the same, when I found out…Takara had been fired and was driven out of the city. We had power so that was possible. Why had father done such a thing? When I had vowed that there was nothing bad going on between me and her. Was he afraid I'd ruin the family status by being friends with her? I felt a hole inside me that night…

I came to realize, I wasn't the same man…I had changed, I wasn't the rebellious, arrogant man I once was, I was…something else. I was a sinner before, I had hurt others, I had been selfish…that's what Takara had said to me one day, she said that I lived with this pride because of all that I had but just for a moment, if I lose it all…would I still be this loved, adored and respected? She had been honest to me. She said I was a coward in reality, I was weak, I was scared, scared of losing all this fortune, all this respect and if I ever landed in the life of a mediocre, I wouldn't survive a day. I realized that night, how right she was. I was a coward, I was afraid of losing…

What was Takara to me? Was she really just an acquaintance like I claimed her to be? Was she really just a friend? If so…why had her absence made such a huge difference to me? Her words, her laugh, her innocence…it was all so…beautiful.

One look at her and I'd feel refreshed, energized, rejuvenated…she was like, a star…always shining so bright, always smiling and laughing. What was she to me?

Then there was my marriage, two days later, I'd be calling a woman I knew nothing about, my wife. Takara had said marriage was not just a bond; it was far more than that. It was a promise of companionship of love and support, of understanding and compromising. It was the most sacred, and beautiful relationship between a man and a woman. She said, it's a new life…a life you don't have to spend all alone, you have someone to share it with, someone who stays by your side and even when the world turns its back on you, you know deep inside that that one person is still there, holding your hand and giving you a smile, and telling you that everything would be alright even if that person is no longer alive…

I believed her.

Was I ready to make that woman I barely knew, my everything?

I thought everything changed that night, when I raced out of the mansion, my father's yells and threats behind me, my mother's tears and my brother's look of disappointment. My heart had finally opened; I realized then, what I had been missing. My father's outrage, my brother's disappointment, my mother's sorrow couldn't stop me. My heart had only one name imprinted on it…

Takara…

This freedom, this love, this feeling…she made me feel all of it; she was the reason I felt so…different. Her words, her expressions, her way of portraying things awed me to an extent where I felt she was everything that ever mattered.

This fame, this fortune, this pride, respect and all these comforts of life, was I ready to let go of them? Was it possible to live a different life…to live like her, so free, so beautiful, so energizing…

I knew where she would go…she had told me a lot about it. She said it was her favorite place since she was just a little girl. She didn't have parents and lived with the old lady that owned that farm we'd usually go to. It was in the outskirts of the city. A part of me was angry, furious at her leaving without even saying something, without even telling me what had happened. My father was an unjust man with a short temper, he could've insulted her, threatened her too, if only she had talked to me.

I found her there, under that cherry blossom tree, sitting on that swing and humming a sad tune. I still remember the look she had when she saw me rushing out of the car to her. She looked at me in awe and for minutes, we just…looked at each other. There was nothing to say, nothing at all…I was furious at her, but then there was a part of me, saddened at her departure, a part of me wanted to hug her and scold her for leaving me like that and then there was a part of me that wanted to just shut up and look at her, look at the woman who had changed me. The woman who had made me drive recklessly, break all the signals in between just so that I could find her, make sure she was safe, she was alright…

This woman made me furious, she frustrated me, and she annoyed me, her way of talking all the time made me want to beat myself with a baseball bat!

This was the same woman that made me want to pour out everything in my heart to her, this was the woman who made me smile and grin uncontrollably…

This was the woman who understood me like no one else, she could speak out the exact words I had been thinking, this was the woman that made life seem so much more…beautiful.

And this was the woman…I wanted in my life.

It took me long enough to understand that.

That night, I thought everything changed…I thought I changed and I did, to some extent.

That night I confessed to her, that night, I cried for the first time in ten years, that night, I didn't care what happened to me later on, I didn't care about the company, my reputation, my status, my caliber…

I only cared for this woman who actually, truly, deeply cared for me too.

That night, I saw her cry too…

That night, I kissed her for the first time.

And that night I found out…about her illness.

Father disowned me, when I went back home after a whole month…when I brought her with me, when I brought my wife with me, he kicked me out. I couldn't blame him, he had his expectations from me, he gave me all his attention and in a way…I disappointed him. I still didn't know why though…Was the company more important than me? Was it more important than my happiness? He cared for me, I knew he did…he was a father after all, he was just, hurt I suppose. With all the spasm of publicity and my sudden marriage to Takara and all the embarrassment he had to go through…I could understand why he loathed me at that moment.

Brother didn't say anything at all…He just looked at me and I knew, there were tears in his eyes. He looked up at me, even though, I was the 'loved' one, he envied me, but I knew he cared deeply for me. In a way, he was hurt…of the embarrassment or of losing me, I clearly didn't know.

Mother showered me with hugs and kisses on the cheek, she always did love us so much, even from the beginning, she had been against my arranged marriage with that other woman…she wanted me happy and that I was, but she was losing me…and she couldn't bear the thought as she hugged to me and cried. She was very happy to see Takara though…she hugged her and treated her gently. She even thanked her for changing me…

I'd say…for making me human.

There was nothing left for us here, Takara cried, she blamed herself for all this mess, I had to laugh at that, she was the one who made me human, she gave me a life and yet she was crying, thinking she had ruined me.

We moved away, far…far away to Takara's hometown, Konoha. It was a brilliant city, so peaceful and lively.

The media had finally moved on to other stories and I was left at peace with my Takara, soon enough, I started working as a manager in a small firm, the people there recognized me but no one really dared say a word about what they had been hearing on TV.

Takara started working as a teacher for a change, it was her dream job actually, she loved to teach, when I asked her why was she working as a waitress before, she simply said she was poor and the salary was good, she had no other option. I was here now, I was with her, and I'd take care of the work and give her the life she deserved.

It was hard…very hard at first, but I managed, for Takara's sake, only for her. I never heard from my family again…though I heard in the news that father had focused himself on brother now and the company was still the same. There were no more talks about the abandonment of the eldest son of the Haruno family.

I had everything…Takara was my everything. I once asked myself…what would I do without her?

The thought was eating me alive…she was sick, she had told me that night I confessed, she had opened herself, she had told me that the reason she left without saying a thing was that she had started feeling strongly for me as well and she was scared…scared because…she didn't have much time…she cried when she told me she had been suffering from leukemia. She said she wouldn't be here for him always…she was broken, she was scared and frightened and I was there to hold her, embrace her and silently cry at my luck.

I finally found my escape from the world I lived in only to find…this out.

The first time I made love to her, she cried silently, letting me feel her. This wouldn't last forever, we both knew…no matter how many times we went to the hospital, to get her treated, no matter how many times I desperately begged the doctors to do something…it was useless now.

That night had been so beautiful, I had seen her entirely, it was the first time I had seen her so nervous…she was always confident and bold about everything but that night…I finally saw how fragile she was, how utterly beautiful, exquisite and angelic she was. Her radiant, ravishing and pulchritudinous charm made my heart pound with amazing speed. There were touches, gentle innocent gestures and lovely kisses. The entire time…she kept apologizing to me…she kept clinging to me, mumbling about how she didn't want to leave, how much she wanted to stay by my side and love me forever…

That night, I kissed her countless times and told her…

She was with me forever and after…

In reality…I had to leave this world one day too and I wanted to live with her in an eternal bliss. She would smile and look at me with such a…loving gaze that I would feel wanted and cherished.

She truly was my everything.

The news…of Takara's pregnancy was too much to handle, I didn't know what to do! I was so happy, jumping around our new house and screaming while lifting her up and thanking her a billion times. She was so happy herself, crying and singing with glee. A new life was to come, someone who'd call me dad and run around Takara calling her mom, the feeling was…indescribable!

I had banned her from work ever since, she'd laugh at me and at my protectiveness at times but I was so happy, I just wanted to be careful. It was funny though, she'd get these midnight cravings and if I refused to get them, she'd run around after me with a hammer. Now she'd never hit me with it but the gesture was enough to frighten me.

She asked me one day…what I wanted, a boy or a girl.

It didn't matter actually, I'd be more than happy with either of them but I truly, deeply wished for a son, someone I could take fishing, which was something we had done even when I was living at the estate, I wanted a boy who'd be my pride, who'd help his father in later days, who'd help his mother and make them proud. I wanted a son to play football with and give him that pat on the back when he'd come home with a trophy! I couldn't wait!

Both of us refused to know the gender of the baby before birth though…we wanted a surprise!

Takara had been a little depressed though, she was becoming a mother but there were a likelihood that the baby might also suffer from the symptoms of leukemia, she was terrified of the thought, I eased her and told her she and our child would be just fine, she'd calm down but it was only a matter of time. I was worried too, I didn't want our child to suffer a disease that might cause its death in an early age, and the mere thought broke my heart…

I was already afraid of losing Takara, losing our child would be…

I couldn't bear the thought…they were my family, I'd lose myself too if I lost them…

Life went on…for both of us, I loved Takara more and more and I knew her love for me was endless. She was my escape from the pathetic life I had been living and a gateway to this bliss. I couldn't be more thankful.

We were both happy, so very happy now…even though, the pain and fear of losing Takara kept eating me from the inside and I knew…it was disturbing her as well but at that moment, she gave more importance to our baby. She wanted it to be healthy, safe and secure.

I wanted that too…but what was life without Takara?

This feeling…

What was it?

Was it…pain? Was it happiness? Was it the feeling of…loneliness? Or could it be the beginning of something more?

Life was so…beautiful…

What happened now?

Why did I feel so…empty?

What was I feeling?

I looked at the bundle in my arms…

Was it happiness?

Was I feeling…happy, now that I have…what I've been aching for?

Those tiny hands…such small feet, swelled face and that soft pink hair.

I shifted my gaze back to the motionless body in front…and then to that little heart monitor next to the bed…

My ears heard nothing but the horrible beeping sound…

My eyes…stuck on that motionless line…

Daughter…

She gave birth to a girl…our baby girl…my daughter…

Our daughter…

But, My Takara…

My Takara is no more…

I looked at back at the little child sleeping peacefully in my arms; wrapped up in a dozen covers…she was, beautiful.

I always wanted a son, I had planned everything for him…all those big dreams, what about them?

They changed.

The moment I held this beautiful girl in my arms, they changed. I remembered Takara's last words…she wanted me to love our little girl, to give her my love and Takara's…the love of a mother and a father. She wanted me to raise her like I had wished…she said she never wanted her to feel empty or deprived of a mother's love. She said, she believed in me…she knew I could do this…she knew our little 'Sakura' was gifted, she said our baby girl was special.

Even when she won't be able to be with her mother, she'll feel her love…she'll grow up to be an amazing daughter, nothing less than a son. My Takara said Sakura would make me proud…she said she'll make us both proud and she'll be that one thing that'll keep us both together always…

Sakura…

Sa-ku-ra…

Sakura…

Like…the cherry blossom…

I'm smiling now…

Not for me…not for my loss…

But for you Sakura…

You are my prized possession and you're your mother's gifted daughter…

You are loved.

From this day on…I live for you, only for you…

I'll protect you…

I promise.

Takara, you won't be disappointed.

Today…I want to smile…I want to cry, I want feel whole, I want to die in emptiness.

I held Takara's hand and kissed it softly before letting the tears fall.

I'm crying again, I can't help myself…

I thought I changed that night…when I gave my heart to Takara.

I thought I changed when I started living the life of a commoner.

I was wrong…

It was today that I actually, truly changed.

Waaaa-laaahhh! There you have it, you'll be seeing an update by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, so love me!

Hope you enjoyed!

With loaaaads of hugs and sloppy kisses!

Angelic101