Flawless cotton-like blanket of softness rested onto the January stone ground. The crisp, white luminous beams projected onto raspberry coated strands, tightly pulled back into a fixed ponytail reaching a slim waist. Emerald eyes stared into the reflection of Haruno Sakura. Scanning for any visible blemish, the corners of her rouge lips curled up, though she was never one for much make-up in her teens, now being a 24 year old adult, she had altered her views drastically. Even going as far as to abandon her 'honourable' Haruno sign choosing the upper-class' attire of fabulous brands instead. Smiling at her current stunning white blouse, and elegant pencil skirt with a buckle of gold accompanying them, a simple 'perfect' sounded from the female. A creamy silk overcoat wrapped itself around Sakura's petite form; her plump lips pouted, as she applied gloss, her orbs of hypnosis darkened by her dark-black makeup, emphasised by her ghost-like skin. Unlike the popular belief of darker skin being the 'it' in America, Sakura chose to abandon the trend, accepting fully that she was known as the 'vampire of business'.
Following her usual morning routine, Sakura raced through her compact apartment, bidding it farewell with a slam of the green wooden front door, a piece of toast compactly shoved in between her plump lips, her leather gloves lingering onto the handle as she smacked the tinging keys into her purse cussing silently simultaneously. Quickly glancing at her silver watch, she paced through the thin corridor hurriedly, still buttoning up her long cream coat.
Her footsteps led her to the path which she knew like the back of her hand. The pebble ground beneath her feet made her take her shoes off and sprint, and simply let go. But she couldn't be doing that. She had a reputation to up-hold here. What would the public think if they say that a major corporate lawyer was seen dancing like a child in the crisp morning of October? Sakura ignored the pain of wearing heels whilst filled with such little energy, attempting to concentrate on the road she was walking on instead. 'Coffee, coffee, coffee', she screamed in her head, needing the steaming substance like an alcoholic needed their liquor. Sakura had quickly become addicted to the little perks of being in the modern world of America, that including coffee, international food such as pasta – what a weird name for a weird food. They would have never had it in Japan, she was sure.
Ding ding. The sound of the door opening was heard as Sakura entered; warmth radiated from the walls of the café, allowing the Haruno to unfold into the depths of what she'd like to call home. The small café was where the female had always reverted to whenever something had occurred, whether it had been something as simple as a stress-filled day, or her having a nightmare. The employees had known her for as long as she had been in America, leading to a strong bond being created between them.
"Fancy seeing you here, Sa-ku-ra!" A thick English accent boomed through a small eerie cafe, its bare contents barely standing, its crusted green walls illuminating the lonesome tables. Of course all that the male had received as a response was a shoddily forged smile; the guy had known her since she was but a child, he knew her like no other, and here she was thinking- supposing that she may deceive him like she does others? Heh. What fool she was undeniably. His scornfully sincere eyes plainly ogled the female, no words spilling from his slightly chapped pink lips.
To say that Haruno Sakura was in shock was an understatement. She had believed that he was in England, so what on Earth was he doing here?! Inner-Sakura screamed in aggravation, her fists juddering in rage, knowing that things would be changing soon. No. Everything would be the same. She would take her coffee and go. Her visible reaction to encounter was a smile, of course, she was here for business matters, and she would leave like that.
The air of the cold autumn rushed throughout the café undisturbed.
"As much as it is nice seeing you here, I would like my order please..." Sheepishly grinning, the male's bronzed burly arms entwined into his luminously dazzling hair; his old posture slipping into place. With his beautiful blue eyes compacted to slits, he rapidly muttered an apology, unintentionally permitting his old nickname to escape from his lips. Swiftly a deafening stillness beamed among the two of them, their orbs connecting in astonishment, as the world had stopped to a chord; it's music vanishing out gradually, patronizingly, almost as if it was torturing their internal mentality purposefully.
Clearing her throat loudly, she failingly attempted to destroy the silence that laid between them. "Sakura I'm sorry-." The male attempted to utter out, desperately grasping to what was left of their friendship, of what remained of their emotions. His eyebrows knitted together as he did all he could but hug Sakura once again.
Calmly holding her pale palm up to stop further conversation, Sakura's eyes finally connected to his. Emerald met oceanic blue once more. Her orbs pierced into his slowly, as if she was about to patronize himself once more for something he had done. "It's okay, Uzumaki." The female announced their distance by simply using his surname. She needed to get the message across that they were done. That nothing was left of them. He needed to let go of the past, just as she had done.
"So now I'm Uzumaki to you, Sakura?" Naruto's husky voice boomed into the silence. "Have you really given up on us?! ON ALL OF US?!" The male sprayed his hands onto her shoulders, gripping her body like a drowning man would to a raft. "Did you forget what Kaka-sensei had taught us?! Those who break the rules are trash, but those-"
"Naruto I don't have the time for this childish talk." The Haruno abrupt him swiftly, rolling her large eyes at his attitude, shoving the male slightly backwards as to leave some space between them.
"Childish talk, huh?" The male enquired, his head downcast, his bright strands shaking slightly, a bittersweet smile gracing his lips. "We're family, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, drawing himself closer to her, his oceanic eyes now linked to hers stubbornly, inching closer and closer to the female. His voice became hushed suddenly, his breath now fanning her porcelain face, pouring every emotion that he had been feeling for the past five years into his voice. Sakura's heart skipped a beat, a blush creeping onto her as she gulped loudly at the proximity of their position. "All of us… You, me, Kaka-sensei, Sasuke-tem-"
"Don't you dare speak that name in front of me, Uzumaki." She said coldly, her body immediately cooling, with her eyes hardening to stone.
The sentence lingered in the air, as the front door was slammed shut, the light ringing of the bell bellowing through the room, Naruto's mouth agape.
The silence was shattered by the click of the 24 year olds Louboutin heels, the smooth red lining shining in the forced light of the office. Sakura's leather gloved hands applied pressure against the glass door frame - it's beige wooden showing it's expensive cost - revealing the many familiar faces that she had come to despise. Her body halted, her heart-shaped face positioned like that of a Queen's, showing her clear elegance she had developed. Swiftly, her dilating pupils roamed round the modern room overlooking New York, absorbing the beauty and core detail which it held; the sea foam green eyed beauty abruptly cut her way through the pale room - each detail complementing each other's presence, from the still black and white pictures on the furthest door, to the cream leather chair that swivelled from the black ceiling, to the glass windows which rose from the stripped floor, that laid beside the Italian couch. The sleek office was enviable by all those who worked here, but it was enough to drive her crazy. The dramatic atmosphere depriving her of peace that she so desperately needed. Her hard stare raced around the newly built office, intimidating the stone walls with chills of fright electrifying through them. Something did not seem in place, something was almost... missing, despite the countless of times people had assured her that everything was not even glanced upon before her arrival.
Sighing, she placed herself into the leather chair, her body attempting to relax, as the work began to reveal itself onto her new desk. She glanced at the heaps of paper, exhaling through her nose slowly. Damn it. Outstretching her arms infront of her, Sakura began working, her mind too pre-occupied with something else.
'Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.'
That quote impregnated itself into her, stirring her emotions to something she had not felt in years; nostaligia. She felt the bitter feeling consume her whole, even the cases of stupid finance mistakes, of complex fraud seemed too bland right now, she couldn't concentrate. Sakura sealed her eyes for a brief moment, groaning in frustration at the images of the past in her mind, allowing her large forehead to bash into the desk repeatedly, failingly attempting to force the thoughts out of her vision.
Swiftly, she broke out of her position, slamming down all of her items, stomping out of the building gingerly, her fellow employees staring at her insanely.
She hated that job. She hated everything about it. There's a limit of how interesting the cases of business could get. It was repeativie - most of it concering suing for not adding the smallest of stupid details. Gurgh. Couldn't they just deal with it, and make her life easier? She should be grateful for that, she supposed, as she'd be unemployed without their brainless blabbering.
Sakura inhaled the sweet scent of hustling and bustling of the Big Apple, loving how distracting the rushing faces of the crowd lead her into. Some of confusion, some of joy, some just that of pure nothingness - she loved those the most. Sakura stood in the midst of all of this, basking in the feeling of unimportance once more before she knew she had to return to work. No-one was judging her here. No-one cared about her enough to do so. She was just isolated in such a compacted enviroment. It was amazing.
"Sakura..." A haunting voice boomed, piercing through the air like lightning, reminding her of why she was here in the first place. It came like the wind. An unintelligent sound came from the female, as she whipped her face in the direction of the voice, but nothing; she furrowed her eyebrows, confusion racking through that chilly voice once again. What in the name of Konohaga- No. She would not think of that forbidden place. It was set at the back of her mind, it had to be. She had moved to America to get away from that life. No, she was fine with this place.
New York gave her a new beginning, a new life, one without the constant battles of life and death, one without the setbacks of her old friends, one without the painful memories that surged her mind when no-one was around. No, she was happy. Happier than she was back then. She was no longer the 'annoying, weak' Sakura. She was now a successful lawyer. One which had worked its way to the top of the chain.
This was exactly the moment the man had hoped for; he walked past her casually, appearing as but a stranger, but as he suspected, his aura still gave a feeling of familiarity to her. He watched her gawk at her; the innocence of her emerald large orbs showing her curiosity. Curiosity killed the cat. He turned his head slightly, allowing a glimpse of his pits of endless black to consume her whole. Smirk.
Mission accomplished.