CHAPTER TWO: BREATHE AGAIN
all those words came undone and now I'm not the only one facing the ghosts that decide if the fire inside still burns
out of breath, I am left hoping someday I'll breathe again
"Sorry." Sakura's voice is slightly breathless as she makes her way towards the man standing under the ubiquitous green sign of one of the many Starbucks scattered along Nathan Road. She stops in front of him so abruptly that she almost gets hit by a surly teenager on a bicycle, who swears under his breath in rapidfire Cantonese before riding off. "The surgery ran late."
(She selectively omits the fact that she'd stood in front of the hospital doors for a full fifteen minutes afterwards, paralysed by indecision, before finally pulling herself together enough to meet him here.)
Sasuke's shoulders move in an almost imperceptible shrug as he stuffs his hands in his pockets, slouching further against the wall. "It's fine."
"Shall we then?" Sakura asks, gesturing towards the door.
"Hn."
As they make their way into the cafe, Sakura has to force herself not to touch her face self-consciously. She hopes the thick layer of concealer under her eyes isn't betraying her. The last thing she wants is let on that she had tossed and turned fitfully the whole night, unable to deal with the Ghost of Childhood Past who'd materialised before her eyes the day before.
"Can I help you?" the girl at the counter asks Sakura, but her attention (and megawatt smile) is blatantly directed elsewhere – specifically, at the Mr. Tall-dark-and-still-ridiculously-handsome behind her. Inwardly, Sakura rolls her eyes. Some things never changed.
"Yes, I'd like a tall green tea latte please, no cream. Under the name Sakura."
Sasuke crosses his arms, and when he speaks Sakura doesn't even need to turn around to know he's smirking. "No strawberries and cream frappe with extra cream and syrup?"
Sakura shoots him a dirty look. "I'm twenty-five, not fifteen, Sasuke," she returns. "Though I'm surprised you still remember that."
"Sakura, you had one every day. More than one, if you could get away with it."
"Oh, shut up. It's not like it was any worse than Naruto with his fricking ramen."
His brow lifts, but the girl at the counter clears her throat deliberately before Sasuke can respond. The annoyed impatience is evident on her face, so Sakura hurriedly digs through her bag for her wallet, muttering a quick apology. For a moment Sasuke looks like he's about to protest, but one look from her silences him.
The hopeful gleam returns to the barista's eyes when it becomes obvious this isn't a date. With all the subtlety of a wrecking ball, she leans over the counter just a fraction more, displaying a generous amount of cleavage in Sasuke's direction.
Sakura pretends not to notice. Everything about the situation is bringing back way more memories than she's willing to deal with at the moment. Drink paid for, she heads towards an unoccupied corner of the cafe, leaving Sasuke to his own devices.
"I'll go find us a seat."
—and my burden to bear is a love I can't carry anymore.
(Sara Bareilles, 'Breathe Again')
