20PerfectDates
Chapter 2
Date 1 -Sasori
The morning sunshine slowly streamed through the dull colored curtains, brightening the darkened room as the light seeped through and did its job when the blonde stirred, fluttering her eyes open until they were fully awake. She let out a tired yawn as she pulled herself into a sitting position on the couch, quickly rummaging through the depths of her designer purse that was conveniently settled by her feet before pulling out her phone and checked the time.
It was only an early eight o'clock; they still had enough time to get ready. Ino sighed, carelessly tossing the pink phone back into the bag and back onto the floor. She briefly glanced towards the sleeping pinkette, who muffled incoherent words into her pillow.
Ino chuckled softly as she stood up and stretched, another yawn escaped her lips as she departed from the room and up the stairs with thoughts only of a nice warm shower. Leaving behind her friend, who started to wake up from her deep sleep, as she adjusted herself on the couch and rubbed her eyes that were still stinging from her abrupt awakening.
"Ino?" She called, sniffing slightly as she managed to stand from the couch. She noticed some popcorn packets left on the floor from the previous night, when they watched the movie. She inwardly shuddered at some certain scenes replayed itself in her mind, that had definitely put her off horror movies for a while.
Sakura assumed that Ino was probably using the shower, like she did every morning. So she walked towards the kitchen, to help herself to some breakfast. The pinkette made two toasts that were soaked in strawberry jam, while she made another two of buttered toasts for the blonde. She happily bit into her toast as she continued to consume the rest before her friend decided to join her, her hair styled to perfection, but still held some traces of water as she walked over to the kettle to pour some tea for the Sakura and herself.
"Nice outfit Ino, what's your agenda today?" Sakura inquired curiously, as Ino settled into her seat and passed her tea towards her. The blond looked surprised for a moment, before smiling suspiciously.
"Oh nothing, I was just wondering—" Ino started off, but was cut off by the pinkette.
"No Ino. I'm not coming with you." Sakura stated sternly, taking a sip out of her cup. Ino always attempted to drag her along with her to some of her modeling sets, while trying to convince her that she could have a great model career.
Sakura always declined offers that included anything that involved becoming famous, mostly because her life would be overbearing enough that she just couldn't handle all of the pressure from the work, the paparazzi –everything. The only career that she wanted was become a doctor, to simply save lives. A hard yet suitable job for her.
"But Sakura! You have to come today!" Ino cried, her toast laid there forgotten, as she glared the pinkette. She normally skipped eating meals whenever possible, so that she would successfully achieve her goal size.
A pointless goal if you ask Sakura, if Ino wanted to go on a diet, she could stilleat as long as she can maintain a healthy diet that would mainly consist of salads, pastas etc. But Ino assumes that whenever she eats, specifically chocolate –which happened to be one of her manyweaknesses.
Then again, who wouldn't like a nice bar of chocolate?
"Not today Ino, I dohave to work too." Sakura replied, throwing in the last piece of jam covered toast into her mouth as a satisfied smile settled onto her face.
"I could just call in sick for you?" Ino swiftly snapped out her phone, ready to dial the hospital's number. An innocent look flashed upon her face that was always seemed to be plastered on top magazines. Her other hand drummed impatiently on the table as she waited for Sakura to answer.
"Ino that would be the third time you did this! And besides I want to go to work anyway." Sakura shrugged nonchalantly, pushing herself out of her seat as the chair scrapped the floor and wouldn't help but wince at the sound.
"Your point is? It's not like you would lose your job! My father's friends with the boss there anyway." Ino stated in a matter-of-fact tone, while inspecting her turquoise colored nails with a bored expression, as she watched from the corner of her eye to see Sakura scrutinize her expression carefully, to see if she was joking.
"Okay Ino," She sighed, already feeling regret growing as she wandered through the hallway towards her room to change.
"Thanks Sakura!" Ino chimed happily, watching as Sakura's retreating figure disappear upstairs. Well, that was easier than expected. She honestly thought Sakura would have protested a little longer, but she probably didn't want another headache to form like last time. Ino smirked as she hastily pressed the call button and waited for the person to pick up.
Moments later, she heard the person finally answer his phone.
"Ino, why are you calling me?" A smooth voice rang through the phone, instantly making the model blush but quickly shook it off when she came back to her senses.
"You know that favor you owe me, Sasori?"
"No."
Ino twitched, annoyed by his bluntness. But a dark expression lingered on her face as she leaned back against her chair, and continued to speak.
"Well, unless you want everyone to know about your little hobby. Then I would suggest that you meet me by the usual modeling studio in an hour." Ino instructed, flicking her hair over her shoulder arrogantly as a smirk crept on her face.
"Fine." He answered, before the phone went dead. The smirk was still in place as she dialed another number and waited as she tapped her fingernails impatiently onto the table.
"Good morning Ino-sama, how may I help you?"
"Oh Shizune, I just wanted to inform you that Sakura isn't coming in today. She's feeling under the weather again." Ino spoke professionally, Shizune was the main secretary of the hospital and happened to be very good friends with Sakura's godmother –Tsunade, who was the legal guardian of Sakura.
"Sakura-san's still not well?" Shizune inquired skeptically, as Ino heard the rustling of some papers. Most likely she was in the middle of sorting out Sakura's work to be passed onto another working doctor.
"I'm afraid so, but don't worry she'll be fine tomorrow." Ino reassured, slightly adjusting the phone as she absentmindedly picked up her toast and took a quick bite.
"Alright then Ino-sama, I'll be sure to tell Tsunade."
"Bye Shizune!" Ino said before clicking the end call button and dropped it onto the table, along with her half eaten toast. She heard some footsteps coming from the staircase and took one last sip of her warm tea, the liquid slithering down her throat, giving her a burst of energy as she walked out of the kitchen towards the front door.
"C'mon Sakura, we're going to be late." Ino stated, watching as the pinkette was descending down the stairs and shouted in protest. "Ino pig, I haven't even finished my breakfast!"
"Tough luck forehead," Ino rolled her eyes, already retrieving her coat as well as Sakura's, while her friend walked down the stairs with a huff and attempted to make a break for the kitchen.
"No can do Sakura, I'll get you a Starbucks coffee on the way there." Ino opened the door, pushing the reluctant girl out before closing it behind her and securely locked it.
"Make it a Grande Caffé Mocha, and you got a deal." Sakura accepted defeat, if it included Starbucks coffee.
"Stupid Ino. Stupid Starbucks coffee." Sakura muttered under her breath, they were currently at one of the biggest modeling buildings in the country. Where there were swarms of paparazzi by the main entrance, Ino was acting like everything was fine and peachy –but it wasn't. It was probably because of all the acting classes she took up when they were younger, which is why she was one of the most successful models ever.
She never seemed to have a problem, but then again she couldn't express her emotions freely like when she normally did back home. She didn't want to earn the reputation of being another stuck up model, which wasn't true if you genially knew Ino like she did.
"Oh look, Ino'shere."
The said blond, who had just returned back from makeup, was spotted by the famous, yet arrogant Karin. Her red hair, styled in an odd manner was nice and straight on one side, then jarred and sharp on the other. Surprising, instead of wearing contact lenses, she wore slender black designer glasses, her unnatural red eyes narrowed as she looked disgusted with the mere slight of her ex rival.
"Karin." Ino nodded politely, but Sakura noticed her gritting her teeth in annoyance. The red head had switched from being a top model, to a fashion editor. But to Ino's dismay, she still kept her connections with the modeling industry.
"How's life Ino? I hear you're having some troubles lately, there's been some quite nasty rumors being going around." Karin smirked, an unreadable glint flashed in her eyes.
"My life's fine, Karin. In fact, I've been offered lots of modeling jobs." She enlightened the visibly surprised woman, who pushed her glasses back into place as she arrogantly flipped her hair over her shoulder with an angry huff before stamping off somewhere else.
"Nice Ino." Sakura grinned, as the blonde smirked in satisfaction. "Well, if she wants to be a bitch, then I can be one too." She winked playfully, earning an amused chuckle from the pinkette.
"Ino-sama, the photo shoot is starting soon!" A nervous employee called out, as he scrabbled back from where he came from. "Aww he's a cutie! Well I better go now Sakura, I'll see you later 'kay?" Ino waved over her shoulder, gracefully walking around the corner, leaving behind a confused pinkette.
"So...what now?" Sakura mused, shrugging to herself as she walked alone in the hallway with her coffee in hand.
Hopefully there wasn't any model scouts lurking around this floor, the last thing she wanted was for them to constantly bug her about becoming the next top model, which was very much Ino's department –not hers.
Sakura was about to turn around a corner when she bumped into something or someone. "Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention." Sakura bowed her head, as a stream of more apologies poured out of her mouth before she walked passed the person, but stopped when she felt an arm wrapped itself around her waist, preventing her from walking away.
Confused, she looked upwards. Her jade eyes searched through pools of amber as his red hair tickled her forehead; she seemed hypnotized merely by his intense stare.
"Hmm, you're a pretty doll." He stated, while tilting his head to get a better angle of Sakura –who mind you, didn't have the slightest idea what was going on. And just assumed that her luck was turning on her, the male was probably just another model scouts.
"Excuse me?" Sakura blinked, her emerald eyes slightly widening as he stroked her cheek while analyzing her bewildered expression.
"Yes, a very pretty doll." He nodded, finally letting go of the girl as a small smile curled its way onto his lips. "I was supposed to be waiting for this girl, but you seem more...interesting."
"Interesting?" Sakura squeaked out, immediately backing away from the stranger. "No! I'm actually quite boring!" She waved nervously in front of her face, but that didn't seem to diminish his curiosity as he proceeded to advance closer towards the pinkette.
"Boring?" He repeated, arching a slender eyebrow. Making Sakura even more nervous than was she feeling, "No, any girl that had pink hair ordidn't even know who I was shouldn't be boring." He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest in an almost haughty manner.
"I dyed my hair pink." She attempted, hoping that he would fall for the lame excuse. But sadly, it didn't work.
"Oh really?" His impassive expression changed into amused as his eyes glinted "What dye product did you use?"
Sakura inwardly slapped her forehead, how the hell was she supposed to answer that one? "Uh...damn it." She muttered, trying to remember what Ino used..." Clairol's Nice'n Easy." She blurted out, pondering for a moment...did that company make pink hair dyes?
"Hmm, I didn't know they sold pink hair products." He stated bluntly, his bored gaze watching the nervous girl, who started mumbling incoherent words and could only make out some words.
But, one particular name captured all of his attention as it was hissed maliciously out of the pinkette's mouth. It was no doubt that this was the girl that Ino had been ringing him about in the late hours of the night.
He assumed that she had no knowledge that Ino had set her up with him, poor doll he mused. A look of sympathy momentarily struck his face, before its usual impassive took over.
"Well, although you've somehow managed to explain that. How come you don't know me?" He inquired, leaning closer towards the deeply blushing pinkette.
"B-Because I don't read much magazines." Sakura noticeably stuttered, lifting up her hand to cover her flushing face as the male stood towering over her. His playful smirk was no where in sight, but instead a small smile could be detected.
He gently removed her petite hand from her face, Sasori couldn't explain it but, somehow he held a soft spot for the pinkette. She wasn't like the usual fan girls that stalked him endless, which attracted him to her.
"Well, I'm Sasori. And you might be?" He introduced politely, raising her hand to his lips and brushed it softly when it came into contact with his lips. His eyes never left her widened jade eyes.
"S-Sakura." She answered, lowering her eyes to the floor. She had to admit, although he was completely hot –she would never act like a rabid fan girl to any male.
Sasori chuckled, his hand letting down of hers. "Your cute, you know that?" He smiled, inwardly fighting his growing desire to hug her. She had no idea how adorable she was being.
"I've heard it once or twice." Sakura mumbled, her gaze finally returned back up as she glanced at the male before her. "I gotta go, I think my friend's probably waiting for me." She informed, uncomfortably shifting her eyes away from his.
Sasori's face fell slightly; His time with the cherry blossom was already over? "But, uh...don't you want me to get you another coffee?" He inquired, the Starbucks cup laid on the tiled floor forgotten. The warm liquid, now cold was leaking out of the container. When did that fall anyway?
"Uh, you don't have to do that." Sakura declined, walking over to the cup as she picked it up before walking away to dump it in the trash. She could feel the blush that marred her skin slowly fade away, but it quickly returned when she heard footsteps following her.
"Stop following me Sasori." She looked over her shoulder, only to squeak in surprise as she found him standing rather closely behind her. "Leave me alone." She narrowed her eyes at the innocent male standing before her.
"Why? I'm just going to buy you a cup of coffee?" He smiled, indicting to the cold coffee cup in her hand. Sakura glared at him, as she chucked her cup into a nearby bin. "I already said no Sasori."
"I don't accept the answer no Sakura." He smirked, taking her arm as he walked towards the elevator. Sakura struggled against him, but her attempts were futile as he kept a firm grip on her arm.
"You do realize that there isn't any Starbucks around this area." She deadpanned.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to treat you out." He stated in a-matter-of-fact tone, ignoring the pinkette's protests as they finally reached the elevator. He pressed the main floor button, before returning his attention back to Sakura who had stopped her protesting.
"What's wrong Sakura? You actually seem sadthat I'm taking you out." Sasori inquired, concern lacing his words as he stroked Sakura's cheek.
"Maybe it's because you're taking me against my will?" Sakura sighed, slightly relaxing in his hold. There wasn't much point in fighting against him, especially when they were currently in a closed elevator.
"You know you wanted to come." He purred, instantly scaring the hell out of Sakura as he began nuzzling into her hair. "Uh Sasori, can you stopdoing that." The pinkette roughly pushed the red head away, just when the doors thankfully opened to reveal the busy lobby –but some of the bystanders just happened to be girls. But not just any girl – the worse type of all, rabid fan girls were swarmed all around the room.
'Uh oh' Sakura thought, instantly moving out of the way before any of those vicious girls saw her with the male inside.
"Is that Sasori-sama?"
"Kya! He's soohandsome!"
"Sasori-sama, please marry me!"
"No marry me! Bear my children!"
'Wow, it's nothing stranger than fan girls' Sakura laughed nervously, as she edged closer to the main entrance. She quickly flipped out her black phone and called Ino on speed dial, while stepping out into the cold crispy afternoon air.
Instead of hearing Ino's usually chirpy voice ringing through her ears, she had been send straight to her voicemail. Once she heard the beep after the considerably long I'm-not-here message – which she had to remind Ino to change, again - she informed Ino that she had already left due to some unfortunate circumstances and that she would explain when she got home.
Sakura pondered whether or not to take a taxi back home. As cars swiftly passed her, she shivered when she felt the cold air breeze around her. Sakura wrapped her arms around herself, in a poor attempt to stay warm. She should've chosen the thicker coat, but stupid Inowas rushing her into leaving quite early in the morning.
The pinkette sighed, snuggling deeper in her thin layered coat. There she was, standing just outside of the building. Freezing and had no idea what to do next. She couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty over leaving Sasori behind; he wasonly trying to help.
"Maybe I should have just accepted his offer and got it over with." Sakura mumbled, subconsciously biting her lower cherry glossed lip as she lowered her eyes down. The guilt lingered for a moment, as it washed Sakura's other emotions away.
"You really think so?"
"I guess...I should have been nicer..." Sakura trailed off, only realizing there and then that someone rather familiarhad answered her. "Sasori—" Sakura spun on her heel, only for him to hastily cover her mouth.
"If you want those fan girls to find out that I'm here, I would suggest you carry on." He glared, taking Sakura's arm as he dragged her along until they got a taxi.
'Huh, for some reason all that regret is gone' Sakura twitched in annoyance, as she tried to swat away Sasori hands away from her. "Stop it Sasori!" She whined, but that wasn't enough to stop him –although he does admit, he found it absolutely adorable - as he changed his tactics and began tickling her.
"Ah, young love." The driver smiled, watching the 'couple' laughing.
"You eat a lot for a girl like yourself." Sasori commented, watching the pinkette finish her meal. He couldn't help but feeling slightly attracted to her, it was definitely a change from being around fan girls.
"Well what can I say? I didn't have much for breakfast." Sakura replied, smiling at the red head, who in return felt a faint blush appear across his cheeks. "Thanks for today Sasori, you actually turned out to be a nice guy."
The said male smiled back "What do you mean by 'turned out to be a nice guy'?" He inquired, curious for her answer as he leaned forward slightly.
"I read some articles about you; they mentioned something about being a 'cold hearted guy." Sakura recited, using quotation marks.
"I thought you didn't read magazines." He teased, watching the pink haired girl flush slightly. "I said muchmagazines, and besides my friend always brings them home." She shrugged nonchalantly, her gaze momentarily flickered towards her phone. She surprisingly hadn't touched it the entire time they arrived at the restaurant.
Sakura quickly looked through it, to notice a couple unanswered calls –from Ino, and some text messages from Ino. She quickly read one of the messages, averting her attention from the red head in front of her for a moment.
It read:
5:45
From Ino-pig
Sakura? Why haven't you replied? You're not on another date without telling me again!
That's mean of you Sakura-chan, very mean indeed.
Let me remind you that you've got work tomorrow, and Shizune is starting to get suspicious.
Now, get your arse back here before I call Tsunade. Who really mind the fact that your dating (she's still waiting for you to give her grandchildren you know)
Bye Forehead!
Ino x
Sakura stared at the message blankly, before sighing. She looked towards Sasori who seemed a little bit love struck at the moment...which was reallystarting to freak her out.
"Uh Sasori? I have to go now...why are you still staring at me?" Sakura inquired, leaning back slightly as she slowly stood up from her seat. As did Sasori, who hadn't spoken a word since she checked her phone.
They walked in silence as they exited the restaurant, Sakura could've sworn she felt glares boring into her back as she walked out.
'Stupid fan girls' Sakura rolled her eyes, as Sasori opened the taxi door for her. She smiled, before going into the car –only to be pulled back into a hard chest, confused she looked up to Sasori, who held an unreadable expression.
"Sasori—?" Sakura's voice was lost as he crushed his lips with hers, her eyes' widened as she pushed him away. Inwardly angry with herself for falling into his planned trap.
"Goodbye Sasori." Sakura said, not trusting herself to speak as she looked away.
He smiled softly at the girl, who he had grown attached to. He wrapped his arms around her, taking her scent in as he pushed a piece of paper into her open handed before closing it.
"I'll see you soon Sakura." He nodded, motioning for her to get into the taxi, she obliged as she settled herself into the chair as he swiftly shut the door sending her a playful wink as the taxi drove away.
Sakura watched as Sasori's smiling face slowly faded away, she turned her head as she lowered her eyes to the paper that he had given her. She opened it, to find his number written neatly with his signature below with a small message scribbled at the very bottom.
'I love you'
She smiled as she gripped the paper and shook her head her. Idiot, she mused. But that didn't stop her happy mood as the thought of Sasori smiling at her lingered in her mind.
A/N2:Wow, I think this is the longer chapter I've written so far xD I thought Sasori was really sweet in this chapter, but don't worry he's probably pop into another date –which Sakura is still unaware of :D
So who's going to be next I wonder?
Remember to vote for the person you want Sakura to meet in the next chapter! I'll make a new poll now ^^
Please review if you liked it!
~Saku-Chan