Friend (Sasuke Uchiha Two-shot)

(A/N: This is AU by the way...hehehe...I just don't feel like I should go witht the original plot...)

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PART ONE

By the way, why am I confused again? Oh, right. It's because of a certain Uchiha. I never really get him. One minute he's nice, the next one, he's back to being a jerk.

But the big question that rings in my head is: How in the freaking world did I get to be his friend? Oh, yeah. I am his childhood friend before he is orphaned.

Sasuke Uchiha. He was once a sweet, kind, and caring child. He used to drag me along with him and his brother, Itachi, whenever he felt like it. He used to walk together with me to school every day. But that all changed when his parents died in a car accident. He would have lost his brother, too, since Itachi was also with his parents at that time but luckily, he was spared from any serious injuries. But it was actually Itachi who had been driving at that time that's why Sasuke became distant from his brother.

But why did he become distant from me as well?

"_."

I somehow flinch when I heard his voice. Currently, I am sitting at one of the benches outside the school's cafeteria savoring my lunch. I look up to Sasuke only to see him sitting on the seat across mine at my table.

"The fan girls will bug me if they see me sitting alone," he simply states.

I just nod at him. What am I suppose to say? The only signs that he's being nice to me are when he's thanking me for something, when's he's praising me about something, and when he helps me with something…but that's it…no too much words exchanged.

"Uhm…excuse me," a voice comes from my side.

I look up to my right and see Sai, the new transferred student. Ever since we got partnered in our club activities, he keeps sticking around me, not that I mind. It's partly my fault for bringing up his interest about what I keep saying about friendships and bonds.

"_-chan? May I sit here?" he asks politely with a smile…as always, though I highly doubt that it's genuine. It's somewhat..lacks emotion.

"Hai," I reply.

From the corner of my sight, I see Sasuke just watching us quietly as we exchange words. I think I can see something flickers in his eyes when he looks—glares—at Sai. Anger, perhaps?

"Who's this? Your friend, _-chan?" Sai asks as he smiles at the Uchiha.

"Uh…yeah..sort of…" I utter and now the glare is on me. "By the way, Sai this is uhm…my childhood friend, Sasuke. Sasuke, my friend, Sai."

Sai smiles as he greets him while Sasuke just raises an eyebrow at me when I said 'childhood friend'.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=Fast Forward—School's over=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Walking home is never boring as anyone thought. I always find it a free time to think of the things I got to do when I'm back at our house.

Hm…What should I make for dinner tonight? I think Mom won't mind if I make a gratin for the main dish and oh! As for desserts…

"_."

I stop dead at my tracks with that voice. I tilt my head a little only to notice Sasuke standing beside me. He must've been walking with me the whole time though I didn't notice!

"Oh, it's just you, Sasuke," I try to smile though I want to frown and ask him straight out: Why the hell are you trying to talk to me again? I thought you are now the anti-social emo-prince?

"I'll walk you home," says he then starts walking slowly ahead. "Let's go," he adds.

I just sigh, again.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=At the House=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

"Welcome home, dear!" Mom cheerfully greets then she is surprised to notice Sasuke with me. "Oh, Sasuke! It's been so long! Come on in and join us for dinner!" and she doesn't even give him a chance to answer but just drags him inside.

Again, I sigh. I've been sighing these recent days. What's up with Sasuke anyways?

It has been a week since he has started to act…differently. After five years of not talking to me, not even looking at me, and avoiding me, he began getting near me again. He began acting like we've been friends the whole five years!

Once inside the house, I go up to my room and immediately change my clothes and races downstairs to cook since it's my turn to cook today.

"Cook something nice and tasty, dear! We're going to celebrate for Sasuke's first visit after five years!" my Mom beams at me from the couch.

I can see Sasuke tenses up at the word 'five years.' Seriously, what's up with him?

I then face the kitchen and quickly cook. Gratin, spicy curry, and some sushi. I have such weird menu, huh? But then I remembered a certain childhood memory of Sasuke and I. We were kids at that time and his brother took us for a picnic to make up with his absence on the past few days. And the star in his basket was: Spicy ramen! Though Sasuke kept on boasting that he would finish five bowls, he didn't even get to finish a bowl because he complained that it was too spicy. I smile at the memory. I then cook up a spicy ramen to see his reaction.

Should I make desserts? Oh, right. Sasuke hates chocolates! Time to get him back for the five years cold-shoulder he has given me! I'll make him eat my chocolate fudge cake!

Once dinner is ready we all seated ourselves. My Mom on one side of the dining table while me and Sasuke on the other. And we start eating. But before I can even have my second slurp from my ramen, the phone rings.

"_," mom says.

I sigh and stand and picks up the phone in the living room.

"Hello," I timidly greet.

"Hello, _-chan?" the voice from the other line seems shivering.

"Sai?"

"Uhm…You know that I just moved in this town, right? Well…I got lost."

"EH? How the hell did you get lost? Where are you by the way?"

"Well, I'm…"

=.=.=.=.=.=.=While in the dining room (SASUKE'S POV)=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

"So Sasuke," her mother asks. "What's bothering you?"

He just blinks at her.

"You only came here when something's bothering you or as you always said five years ago, to see _."

He just looks down. What's bothering him? The guy that _'s always with. That's what's bothering him. Ever since that guy transferred last week in their school, she's always spending her time with that guy. What's his name again? Oh, right. It's Sai. And what's up with her saying that he's just a childhood friend? Aren't they still friends?

"Sasuke, you know, _ has always been alone ever since you started to avoid her," her mom speaks again. "I know that it's hard to lose your parents. Even _ knows what it feels like to lose a parent ever since…ever since her father died a year ago."

Sasuke's eyes go wide. Her father died? How come he never knew? Nor did he notice? Oh, right. Whenever he tries to ignore her, she'll always smile at him. He should've known that something was wrong!

"You should talk to her," the mother says again. "She doesn't have much friends in school, I am aware of that, even though she won't tell me. So please, at least be back to being her friend."

"Am I not still her friend?" he speaks without thinking.

"A childhood friend. She sees you as that which means you're just part of her childhood—her past not her present."

He just nods. So that's why she called me that.

"Mom! We've got company!" _calls out.

Both he and the mother look at the doorway to see _ and…Sai come in.

"This is Sai, by the way. Sai, my mom," _ introduced. "I picked him up around the block since he's lost and it's cold outside so I thought he might like some ramen."

'Him again?!' Sasuke think fiercely. 'Just when I thought I can have my friend back…'

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=NORMAL POV=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Seriously, what's up with him?! After Sai left, he just got the idea of sleeping over at our house! Not that my mother mind. But still!

Again for how many times this day, I sigh.

"You've sighed so many times today," a voice comments behind me as I wash the dishes.

I just remain silent. What can I say? We never have any proper conversations for five years!

"And most of the time you sigh, I'm around," Sasuke adds as I feel him walk near.

I just nod and focus on the dishes. My fingers tremble slightly from nervousness.

"_," he says firmly.

"Hm?"

"We're still friends, right?" he asks.

I look at him from the corner of my eye only to find his face emotionless as he stares at me. Again, I sigh. I finish washing the dishes and finally face him.

"Sasuke, it's been five years," I say. "You stopped talking to me, you even avoided me the whole time. What do you expect from me? You were my friend, yes. But now…I don't know."

"Why? Is it because of that Sai?" he growls lightly, looking directly to my eyes, searching for an answer.

"It's not because of that," I try to explain. "It's just that…I… I don't think that we are close to be called friends anymore. We're more like acquaintances."

Just that and without another word he leaves the kitchen and goes upstairs. I can clearly notice that his fists are clenched. I just shrug it off and go up to my room.

However when I got to my room, I see him waiting for me at my door.

"I'm just here to tell you something and I want you to listen," says he as I get close.

I nod at him.

"Look, I didn't talk to you and avoided you because I thought that I needed some time alone. And every time you approached me and tried to make me open up to you once again, I ignored you since you make me remember the times when…they were still alive.

But then, when I was sure I have moved on, I've just realized how distant you are now from me. I know that you don't have much friends and I'm also aware that you are always alone. I tried to approach you but I don't know how. And when you started hanging out with him…" he grits his teeth. "I can't help thinking that he's stealing you from me so I need to man up and find a way to unite with you again."

I am speechless at his words. So that's why!

"Good night," Sasuke dismissively says as he turns his back and starts to walk away.

"Sasuke," I call.

He stops and tilts his head a little to me. "Just so you know, I want you back. And I won't let that guy steal my only friend away from me." And he leaves to his room.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=Fast Forward=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Ever since that night, Sasuke made sure that we will walk to school together as well as we will walk together back to our houses. And I've notice that it irritates him to no end when Sai will show up to hang out with me or ask for a little detour around town since he is still new here. Sai doesn't mind Sasuke's presence at all. He even says that it will make him easier to understand about friendship and how to make friends and I will just chuckle at his odd thinking.

The downside though is that Sasuke's fan girls now targeted me as a thief for I stole Sasuke from them. Sometimes when they annoy me too much, I want to yell at them and tell them that I've met Sasuke before they even landed their eyes upon him. The only fan girl that can nearly pull my last straw is Karin. Sakura and Ino are quite easy to handle but Karin? Never. Like now…

I am just by my locker, getting my books and notes for the next class when she suddenly leans on the locker next to mine.

"He will choose me over you, you know?" she smiles 'sweetly' at me.

I just roll my eyes at her. Sure I am not a really bad girl but she is the only person my nerves can't handle. "And so? If you're sure that he'll choose you, why tell me? Shouldn't you be happy now?"

She just gives me a glare then she smiles again. "By the way, a party is going to be held at our house and I'm inviting all students to come," she hands me an invitation. "Please do come, don't worry. I'll be on my best behavior on that night. I only want to show our differences, that's all."

With that she walks away with a ridiculous grin.