Once Upon a Masquerade

OK the fresh start is finally here. I'm counting down the days and it's about a week left wah! T^T So updating this story might be a difficult task but I shall try hard! *punches fist into the air* Anyway this is the new story that will be based off the Prologue "Medicine." I decided to just cut off my bonds with that story and treasure this fresh start (and partly because that story was created two years ago and I have no idea what my direction was…). Fortunately, I'm still a happy-go-lucky narutard who still enjoys manga dearly and comics esp. dark ones such as Deathnote, Batman, etc. So I'm definitely aiming for this story to be quite "dark" and yet happy and romantic, so don't fear! Haha.

Btw the pairings are Sasusaku and ItaSaku, yes love triangles are fun. I don't know if I'll include other love shapes as well. XD

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Naruto or any of the characters.

Sleeping next to someone you don't really know is just a scary thought. One day in her life, she knew that she would one day, lay herself to sleep next to a man in her bed. A man she loved and promised to devote her life. Like in those cheesy romance dramas and despite the cheesiness, at least you know you're going to be happy right? Yet it was the complete opposite of what was dawning upon her.

There was nothing romantic about the moment she was consumed under. The man that slept across her was none other than the Prince's brother, Itachi Uchiha. She stared at him, finding him so uniquely similar to the Prince himself, Sasuke. Yet there were distinct differences between the royal highnesses. Itachi had apparent wrinkles under his eyes, probably as a result from hard work and he sported long jet-black hair that was kept very well – something Sakura herself envied a lot.

She envied because she had to lose her own hair – Her own identity. Yes, she has to become someone else, not Sakura, not another Haruno, just a stranger in her shadow so that she can save herself from possible murderers. Ever since the day she found out her parents died, trying to uncover evidence against a highly active gang. Unfortunately, neither Itachi nor Sakura herself know the great discovery her parents found and now she's faces the after effects of such an action.

"Can't sleep?"

Shocked by the voice the pierced through the complete silence, Sakura twitched and briefly glances at the man laying next to her. It was only until now that she realizes she was just blankly staring at him in his sleep… or he was suppose to be sleeping.

"Uh.. I-I-I I'm just sca-red," her words jumbled as she tried to enunciate, "I'm confused. I don't want to get caught."

She blushed tomato red as she finished her sentence. Suddenly, with a bold and quick jerk, a cold hand enclosed around her soft creamy arm making Sakura fall forward into his wide and hard torso. It didn't help that she blushed even redder as she felt herself pressed against his chest involuntarily.

"What can I do to make you sleep at ease…" Itachi softly whispered in her ear. Instinctively and not-really-what-to-exactly-do-in-this-type-of-situation, Sakura closes her eyes and tilts her head away from his fresh lips in hopes of concealing her already embarrassed expression hanging on her face. As she done so, she felt her warm cheeks brush against the man's well sculpted chest.

Breathe, breathe, breathe! You need to calm down!

She deeply breathe in a whiff of air, intensely inhaling Itachi's strange scent. He wasn't polished like his brother, that she knew. The Prince was a typical prince yet he was completely kept out of the water from Itachi's dirty work.

His scent smells like… drugs…

Upon this sudden discovery, Sakura unknowingly grimaced leading the older Prince to wonder.

"You want laughing gas?"

"What? You have that?" She whispered harshly and soon after, a pause of silence.

Wait… then again he is a criminal. And it's not uncommon for such prestigious gangs to have such access to these things.

"From the look of your indecisiveness, I'd say you're considering such a feat."

"N-n-no I-I don't want." Sakura attempted to push herself away from such closeness they were tangled in. He let her go, knowing that her actions would be futile if he hadn't. Itachi smirked at the girl's childish quality.

"I want a woman."

Sakura shot up, obviously still flushed from the fact that she's sleeping with a man.

"What?"

"Get some sleep," a cold hand smoothly slid up Sakura's silky backside. With the thought of his hand sneaking under her shirt, Sakura jerked a bit.

Let go and drown in your sleep…

The sleepy young girl felt a sting ripple through her eyelids. Unluckily, she didn't get much sleep after worrying nonstop about how she'll be able to get through life living in a lie – a fantastic, brilliant lie that almost mirrored the truth. She knew she wasn't a great actress but that was not an excuse to stop herself from walking the path she now stepped upon.

She suddenly felt someone rustle underneath the covers beside and then it dawned upon her. With no hesitation, the once sleepy girl was wide awake and had almost forgotten she was sleeping next to an Uchiha, a Prince of this household.

"Awake I see," a velvet voice said.

Sakura looked up and stared at Itachi. He was fully dressed in an unbuttoned white collar shirt, a long marc Jacobs trench coat (yes same one from the last chapter in the Prologue XD) and dark navy blue jeans. It did not matter, she knew the Uchihas did not even have to put a muscle to look like a model out of a fashion magazine.

"Look, I'm leaving soon and I said you're going to take Karin and Sasuke to school."

"What?" Sakura squeaked. I'm not prepared! I'm not even dressed yet!

"They'll wait for you outside."

"Wai-wait! Where are you going? A-and c-can't they just walk?" Sakura stuttered as she desperately rushed to find her clothes around the room.

"Your clothing is stashed in those drawers over there." Itachi points at a corner where a black marble drawer and dark cherry corner wardrobe stood. Sakura didn't give much thought about the beautiful furniture that stored her garments and instead, rashly opened the drawers only to find expensive and definitely unworn clothes neatly folded in the drawers.

"Wh-what? The tags-"

"Yes I brought you new clothes. You like them?"

Flustered, Sakura immediately dropped the newly brought clothes almost as if she abruptly got shocked from holding a jellyfish. Itachi lifted an eyebrow in amusement and approached her.

Looks like it's going to take a bit before she can play her role efficiently.

"Sakura…" As Sakura tried to pull herself together mentally, she felt Itachi's arms slips around her fragile body. She blushed and tried to snap out of it.

"You have to hurry or else-"

As if on cue, a dark raven-haired man abruptly opened his older brother's door with much animosity. Sakura stared at man, trying not to show her astonished feeling on her face.

"Itachi! Karin and I are going to be late for school! Get your "fiancée" in the damn car already!" The young prince glared ruthlessly.

Itachi smiled amusingly and softly traced the girl's flat stomach. She looked up embarrassingly, breath hitched and still experiencing her shock of not seeing the prince for an awhile.

"Sorry we got carried away…"

"Argh," Annoyed, Sasuke grunted and left the room hastily after seeing his brother and fiancée get lovey dovey. He breathe a deep sigh and pondered about the girl in Itachi's room. Pushing his back against the wall, the Prince glances outside seeing the black BMW and a maid dispense Miracle-Gro all over the cherry blossom trees in the front yard.

Those cherry blossoms are going to need more than just Miracle-Gro to withstand the harsh winter…

Before you go. Remember to register yourself for school too. Ok?

Sakura intensely stared at the road before her.

I can't believe that Itachi wants me to register for classes at the same school! Yet again! Ugh… for your life Sakura. You're doing this to save yourself, remember that. I need to play as Itachi's girlfriend well…

"Itachi's girlfriend." The words rung in her head like bells in a wedding ceremony. She couldn't believe what kind of mess she got into. It seemed so unreal to her and yet here she is now, back in the Uchiha household. Not as a maid, a student, or a friend of the Uchihas', but as Sasuke's older brother's girlfriend.

How unreal it was for her to, out of the blue, transform into a different person and her sudden transformation was obviously irritating a certain Uchiha.

Sasuke Uchiha.

He sat shotgun, and she knew that he was watching her in the corner of his eyes. She didn't know what was bothering him so much and it did not help that he was being so silent about his curiousity.

When she drove car and slowly stopped at a red light, Karin was the first to break the silent mood.

"HEY! So you're going to marry the older Prince soon huh? How come I've never seen you before?" Karin blurted.

Sakura twitched in her seat as she saw Sasuke glaring at her, noticeably interested of what Sakura has to say.

No matter what, the fact that she has had her fair share of memories with them both made Sakura fell very uneasy inside. She didn't want to blow her cover and be humiliated in front of her most disadvantageous peers. Karin the blabber mouth, Sasuke the uninformed Uchiha.

Then it hit her. She wasn't Sakura anymore, she was a stranger. She quickly looked at the head mirror and saw her hair was a different color, dark cherry yet her eyes remained bright emerald. She couldn't remember when she had her last haircut but her now long hair did help make her image look completely… deceiving.

I want a woman.

Then she remember what Itachi mentioned late at night. A woman. Then she realized that he wanted her to act mature and to strip away her innocence. She didn't know if she could play the role well enough to completely mask her own hesitations and fears. It was almost like asking her to suck it up and brush everything off. But she knew that wearing the clothes that Itachi picked out for her was definitely working for at least the people that she did not particular have good connections with: Karin, most the her school classmates. And it did make her appear like a woman, not a girl. Her canvas wore a caramel off-the-shoulder garment, exposing a creamy bare shoulder, and light wash-out blue skinny jeans. Sakura would definitely not wear these kind of clothes.

"Hellllooooo?" Karin echoed annoyingly. "Are you going to answer soon?"

"Ah!" Sakura exclaimed. "I-I uh-"

"What's your name?" Sasuke flatly inquired.

Oh no! Itachi forgot to mention my alias! Ohhhh… what am I suppose to do. Argh! I just got to make one up then.

"My name is um… Sa-saki-sakira," Sakura quickly said.

Sasuke turned to look outside the window.

Sakira? It's pretty obvious she's nervous… she looks like she's hiding something.

"Ew! Sakira sounds like Sakura's name huh Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke pressed his chin with his thumb and the side of his forefinger.

Karin's right… the name is uncannily similar. Many that's just coincidence but that alone won't be enough to unmask the stranger…

To Sakura's relief, they finally got to the school's parking lot.

"You guys can go ahead. I'm going to make a call," Sakura offered.

"Suit yourself!" Karin chirped. "Let's get to class Prince!"

Gave her one last glance before he got out of the car. Karin waited outside eagerly.

Sakura quickly glanced to see if both of them were already out of the car when she notices the young Prince giving her a look.

The raven-haired beauty turned his attention to Sakura. Eyeing her intensely.

"You're not going to get away with this."

"Hey dobe."

Naruto lazily looked up at Sasuke who was sitting in the desk near him.

"What is it ?" Naruto said sarcastically, "Trying to get some shut eye here, you know?"

"There's a girl-"

"WHAT?" Naruto raucously exclaimed. He banged both palms on his desk like a judge calling order in a court. "It's about time you talk about it!"

"Quiet down already! Or else you're-"

Unexpectedly, a girl enters the room and in unison the silver-haired teacher quickly stood up to greet the new student by the door.

"Ah class. We have a new student here. I want you to give a warm welcome to Miss Sakira everyone!"

The class automatically welcomed her in response.

"Sakira, why don't you sit in the empty seat next to Naruto Uzumaki," the teacher said cheerfully. "Naruto… behave yourself please," the teacher reminded.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course Kakashi-sensei. Why wouldn't I?" Naruto shooed.

"Because Naruto, you've been the one of having sufficient self-control around beautiful women such as Miss Sakira herself. The classroom is not the place to dream of your wild fantasies. In fact, if you can't control yourself, why don't you do yourself a favor and dream in the comfort of your own home or-"

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto growled. "What about you! Your always reading that book right there!" Naruto immediately stood up and pointed at an orange book sitting near the edge of Kakashi's desk. "And you say the classroom-"

"Naruto," Kakashi quickly interrupted, "if you're really excited to continue this conversation, I'd suggest we finish this in detention."

Feeling defeated, Naruto slumped back into his seat and sulked in frustration.

As the conversation died down, Sakura walked towards the empty seat near Naruto and set her bookbag down. Naruto glanced at Sakura and quickly shifted his seat a bit towards her.

"Hey, pshhh…" Naruto whispered loudly.

Sakura looked at him.

"My name's Naruto Uzumaki."

"Oh. I know-" Oh wait I'm not suppose to know that! Sakura mentally slapped herself. Ugh I forgot, I'm not Sakura Haruno, I'm Sakira and I'm not suppose to know any of my previous friends here at this school. Ugh…

Sasuke looked over, finding her answer pretty peculiar.

"You know my name?"

"Uh… yeah, ah when ah… you know the teacher said your name," Sakura grinned, knowing her success, "My name is Sakira, as you know."

"That's a pretty name, Sakira," Naruto confessed confidently.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Annoying dobe…

Sakura giggled, "Thanks Naruto. You're pretty cute."

As much as you don't like Naruto you have to play his game, it might benefit.

Naruto flushed scarlet and Sasuke lifted an eyebrow and continued to listen.

"R-Really? Hey let's hang out during lunch!"

"Or all three of us can hang out together!" A tall dark figure hovered, chirping lightheartedly. "In detention, unless you two learn to quiet down…"

Naruto immediately zipped up his lips but decides to speak again as Naruto catches sight of Kakashi reading his textbook very intently.

"Kakashi-sensei, I know you're hiding a certain orange book behind that book!"

"Nonsense Naruto," Kakashi said as he slammed his book shut and hits him with it. "It's just your imagination."

"So what do you think of her Sasuke? I think she's still pretty young to be your brother's girlfriend though…" Naruto complained. He continued to walk alongside the Uchiha as they head back to the parking lot.

"Yeah, she is. It's not every day my brother brings home a girl."

"I'd say the same for you too," Naruto teased.

"... I'm going." Sasuke excuses himself and heads for the black BMW that Sakura drove that morning. He rushes to get over as Sakura opens the door to the driver seat. Once she opens it, Sasuke immediately throws him his backpack and let's himself sit down.

"Hey!"

"I'm driving. Get in the passenger seat."

Sasuke glared and it was certain that he wasn't going to give up the seat for her. With annoyance, Sakura stubbornly walks around the vehicle and gets into the car. Without allowing Sakura to get comfortable and wrap her seatbelt around herself, Sasuke aggressively speeds out of the parking lot. Sakura gasps as she tries to get her seatbelt buckled in while crazy driver continues to crazily drive.

"What's your problem?" Sakura demanded.

"…"

"Hey, I'm talking to you!"

"Shut-up. I know why you're here."

Sakura felt her breathe hitch, but she couldn't let that dawn on her face.

There's no way he would know why I'm here.

"You don't have a reason to hate me."

Sasuke ignored her and continued to drive.

"You forgot Karin Sasuke-"

"Don't call me by my first name," he growled. "And she can walk home by herself."

"What? So you want me to acknowledge your social status, Prince Uchiha? You're definitely no prince charming at all," Sakura scoffed.

"You don't know me…" He uttered under his breath.

What seemed like only seconds, they finally arrived at the Uchiha compound in no time. The young Prince parked the car and immediately got out, almost as quickly as Sakura had done so. Sakura walked upon the steps of the compound, hastily pasting the cherry blossom trees but was pulled back as a hand wrapped around her wrist and forced her to face the young prince.

"Hey?" Sakura yelped in pain. He was holding her wrist too tight.

"Tell me… what are you doing here?"

Suddenly, upon their encounter, the raven-haired man loosened his grip as he gazed into the young girl's emeralds. Her eyes were nostalgic and too familiar that he was taken aback a bit. But no later, Sakura gave him a hard slap across the cheek and quickly retired back into the compound and soon after, in Itachi's room.

His face hung downwards and his ebony dark bangs shadowed his face.

Eyeing the roots of a withered cherry blossom tree, Sasuke quietly stood – troubled by his own thoughts.

Sakura…

I just want to remind all the fans and awesome reviews of Prologue: Medicine once again. You guys have been seriously wonderful fans and VERY patient ones indeed. Thank you so much and please keep reviewing, your insight provides helpful and inspiring words for me to keep pushing. A player without a support group is like a person without crutches. Thank you for helping me stand! Thanks again and review~