Author's Note: So, looks like this project might turn out better than I expected. I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I have no idea why. It's really nice to be writing shorter chapters though. With all my other stories I try to fit in 3000 words or more but with this one I'm happy to leave them at around 1000. It's kind of nice to have a break from writing so much to writing a little. :) Oh, and for those who care, the last chapter of THMC is coming along quite nicely. I'm pretty sure I'll make my deadline of February 20th and I hope that it'll satisfy you all! The reason it's taking so long is because I'm kind of hitting a road block when I get to the SasuSaku fluff. I'm actually pretty terrible at writing it. -.-' So if there are any kind Samaritans out there, a PM with a few suggestions or advice would be so completely awesome. Thanks and I hope you enjoy chapter 2 of Taking Chances!

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything.


Taking Chances

2. Rooftop

Don't know much about your life and don't know much about your world...~

Bored out of her mind, Sakura fell back on her bed and threw her arms over her sore eyes. No one had ever warned her how tough University studies would be; she was already sacrificing her late Saturday nights to keep up in all of her medical work. Her music wasn't coming along nearly as bad as she had thought, but as her sensei kept reminding her, there was always room for improvement.

Deciding that she had focused enough on schooling for that day, Sakura turned to her window that overlooked down-town Oto and opened it. Closing her eyes to the cool breeze and the typical evening-city noises, Sakura found herself in a state of semi-peace. The open window wasn't soothing her as much as she had hoped and she knew exactly why.

The open air and the sounds of the city were always associated with a sense of home. But this breeze was too cold to be one flying around Konoha and the noises were too musical, too harmonic. They weren't the busy, out-of-tempo hustles that she was so accustomed to hearing. In Oto, everything seemed to have a rhythm to it, Konoha operated on a much looser and disorganized level. And while neither one was exactly better or worse than the other…

Oto just wasn't home.

That was when Sakura heard a noise that sounded very much like it belonged in Konoha.

Straining to find that out-of-place sound, Sakura leaned closer to the world beyond her window. She could have sworn that she – Yes! There it was again! Someone nearby her window was lightly strumming a guitar in a seemingly random pattern that held no melody or tempo. Sakura was even sure that one or two of the strings were out of tune. Out of tune strings in Oto: the City of Music??

Scanning the roadside, Sakura was unable to pinpoint the source of the wonderful symphony. Curious and intrigued, Sakura carefully made her way outside to a fire escape. Once outside, it was clear to Sakura that the strumming was coming from somewhere not below, but above her. Whoever was playing was situated on the roof of the building.

'Well,' Sakura thought, 'I guess I'm heading up.'

Climbing up and reaching the roof, Sakura took a moment to observe the scenery beneath her. The lights of the city below were beautiful and the expanse of the night sky crowning the tallest buildings took her breath away. Sakura was amazed at the view. The city had never looked that breathtaking from her apartment.

"It's not often I get visitors."

Startled, Sakura turned around only to be greeted with a reminder of why she had climbed up in the first place. There was a handsome guy – maybe a year older than her –sitting just a few feet away from her, towards the center of the rooftop. He was perched on a fold-up chair and had an acoustic guitar in his lap. Embarrassed and a little shy, Sakura scratched her neck and focused on his odd style of hair instead of his dark eyes.

"Sorry. I uh… didn't know anyone was up here." 'Oh good one Sakura, the first thing out of your mouth is a flat-out lie.' And judging by the smirk on the guy's face, he knew it too.

"I see. Came up for the view, huh?"

"Um… Sort of."

He laughed then and as Sakura felt her cheeks warm with a blush she absently thought, 'He has a really nice laugh.'

"Well, if you're gonna keep me company why don't you pull up a chair?" He motioned towards a corner of the roof where a number of fold-up chairs were propped. Nodding and quickly arranging a seat for herself, Sakura sat and scratched her neck again.

"So I take it you're new to town?" He started.

"Yeah," Sakura replied, relieved that he had started the conversation, "I come from Konoha, just south-east of here."

"I know. I used to live in Konoha myself."

"Really? I don't remember seeing you around."

"That's because I moved here when I was about twelve years old." About to ask why he moved, Sakura was surprised when he continued, "Some family issue or other." He smirked at the surprise written on her face. He found that he liked her face. It was an expressive one – easy to read what was on her mind.

'And right now,' he thought amusedly, 'she's wondering if I'm some sort of mind-reader.'

"You're not some sort of mind-reader are you?"

Chuckling at the accuracy of his prediction, the guy replied, "Not exactly. I read faces and expressions – not minds."

The expression she wore then was odd. It was as if she were frightened that he were some sort of maniac but also slightly fascinated that he could tell what she was thinking just by her facial expressions.

"You… can tell what I'm thinking just by my face?"

He nodded. "It's really not so difficult once you take note of people's habits and practice watching them a lot."

Smiling, Sakura teased, "So you're some sort creep who likes to watch people and freak them out by telling them what they're thinking?"

He chuckled again and Sakura absently let another thought go by, 'I like making him laugh.'

"That depends. Is it worse to be a girl too curious for her own good that she goes climbing fire escapes in search of a suspicious noise?"

Blushing in embarrassment, Sakura went for her neck again and averted her gaze. So he did know she was lying earlier.

"You do that a lot don't you?" Sakura looked back to him. He was focusing on her hand rather curiously. "That scratching your neck thing."

Blushing deeper and scratching faster, Sakura said, "It's a habit. Whenever I get nervous or embarrassed I get this itch on my neck that doesn't go away."

"You don't say."

"No, really. And the more nervous I am the worse my itch."

"So judging by the way you're scratching right now, you must be nervous as hell."

Sakura gave a shaky giggle. "I've always been a bit wary of meeting new people."

He shrugged. "Don't be. It's not like I bite."

Sakura nodded with a smile and slowly, her scratching lessened before stopping altogether. It wasn't long after that when she widened her eyes in surprise.

"I just realized that I never told you my name!"

"No, you didn't." The already-familiar smirk made another appearance on her friend's oh-so-pretty face.

Reaching for her neck once more, Sakura said, "Sorry about that! I tend to become forgetful when I'm nervous and it -"

Rolling his eyes at her repetition he said, "What on Earth do you have to be nervous about?" Smirk. "Am I that good-looking?"

Sakura nearly choked on her spit and spent the next minute gaping like a fish and stuttering out odd sounds. The guy laughed again. Sakura found his laughter to be contagious and giggled along with him. Stopping suddenly, Sakura sweat dropped and asked, "I still haven't introduced myself have I?"

"No, you haven't."

"Right… I'm Sakura Haruno."

"It's nice to meet you Sakura. I am Sasuke Uchiha."