A/N: Hola! I noticed most of you guys liked my story, and I already got 65 hits, 5 alerts, and 2 reviews!! Thnx a lot you guys! XD So I want to dedicate this chapter to the following pplz:
animequeen100: Thnk you very much for being my first reviewr cough even if I asked you to, cough!!
Azul Garnet, Luvedbydarkness, loveless kunoichi, and qUeStIoNmArKk, and T.A. Raskelt: Thnk you for alerting my story, even if I did think it was bad at 1st! lol
T.A. Raskelt: Thnks 4 being the 1st to fav. my story!!
Please continue reading!!
Summary: Sakura Haruno is a woman who's been in relationships that end, well... badly. She now doesn't believe in love, and thinks relationships are only supposed to be lived in the moment, then soon breaking it off. Can a certain raven-headed musician change her opinion? Main: SasuSaku Minor: NaruHina, ShikaIno, NejiTen
"Yo," - talking
'Yo', - thinking
'Yo,' - someone's Inner, (A/N), or lyrics
Yo - stressed words OR flashback
Chapter 2-
In the Band
Sakura climbed out of her now fully gassed car, and walked up to the entrance of Konoha Hospital. She greeted the receptionist, while she clocked in.
"Ohayo, Sakura-san," the younger girl said, "Tsunade-sama wanted me to send for you when you arrived."
"Oh, of course," Sakura replied with a smile, "I need to speak with her anyway," She then
walked off toward Tsunade's office, wondering what she was needed for. When she arrived, she knocked lightly on the door. As soon as she did, she heard snoring. Sakura sighed, and knocked again, but louder. However the already loud snoring started to get louder. She became agitated, and pounded on the door, hard. Shuffling was heard, and then a gruff, "Come in!".
Sakura slowly opened the door to the messy room, filled with stacks and stacks of paper. She found a blond, older lady, with two, loose pony-tails going down her back. The lady, Tsunade, looked up with an annoyed expression.
"Yes... Sakura?" she grinded through her teeth, "How can I help you?"
"Um... you called me here... Tsunade-sama," she answered, sweat-dropping at the older lady's memory.
"R-right. I-I did, because I have something to discuss with you," she stated with a serious expression adoring her face.
"Yes?" Sakura asked, already knowing what was going on.
"Sakura," Tsunade sighed out, "... You're a very good doctor, oneofourbests, but... " she trailed off, looking out the window, "But I know more than anyone, that you have to do the paperwork!" Tsuande stood up, and threw a stack of paper on her already cluttered desk. Sakura sighed long and hard, knowing that she hadn't turned in her paperwork for the past two months, meaning she was behind.
"Tsunade-sama--" Sakura started, but her mentor, as well as the head doctor, held up her hand, signalling for her to stop.
"... When I was your age, I didn't want to do the paperwork, either," Tsunade started on her long story, noticing Sakura's sigh as she plopped herself down, waiting to be bored.
"... and I didn't," she finished, "So, now,I'm stuck doing the paperwork I didn't do when I was that young." She looked Sakura in the eye, "Sakura... do the paper-part." Tsunade sat back down, motioning for Sakura to leave. When Sakura was at the door, she called her name.
"Oh, and Sakura," she said, picking up a stack of supposed magazines, "please put these in the children's waiting room . They're running low."
After Tsunade also told her to take the rest of the off working ONLY on paperwork, she took the magazines and headed off to the children's waiting room. She walked into the colorful, jungle decorated room, and looked at the kids playing in the toy sections. She smiled softly. Some of the younger doctors and nurses didn't want to work with children, because they didn't like the hassle (A/N: That's me! Ill NEVER EVER EVER NEVER make babysitting my career. I learned that the easy way... through my sis! xD), but if you don't learn how to deal with them when you're young, you won't be ready when you have kids. That was Sakura's motto, anyhow.
She walked towards the book basket, while interestingly glanced at the cover of the top magazine. 'Uchiha family, eh?' She put them in the basket, and made three steps away when she suddenly stopped She flung herself around and raced toward the basket.
She picked up the one on top, and screamed, "Why, that jackass--", but she stopped when she noticed she was still in the children's room, with all the kids looking at her with curious eyes, and moms glaring at her for using that language.
"... is a donkey... because... yeah..." She trailed off, not knowing what else to say. She looked around the room, and saw a little girl whisper something in her mother's ear, although, Sakura could hear it clearly.
"Mommie, what is a... jackass?" she asked innocently. The mother tried to shoot Sakura a glare for putting her in this predicament, but found she was gone, with no one there, but more off springs asking their birth giver's the same thing. (A/N: I felt like I was saying, 'kids', 'moms' 'mothers' and 'children' too much, so I thought I'd switch it around a little! lol)
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She ran right passed her friend and secretary, Hinata, and into her office. She slammed the door, and leaned her back against it, trying to steady her breathing. Her cheeks burning with embarrassment at what happened, and anger at what she saw on that cover.
'He's hot and rich? Why, if I weren't so pissed at him, I'd take him now!'
'Do you even hear yourself?! You're so perverted... '
'Hey, if I'm perverted, then you are, too, because we're one!' InnerSakura declared happily.
'Ugh. I don't even know how I got youfor my Inner... ' Sakura said in a thoughtful, yet uninterested way.
'Aww. That hurt, Saku-chan' shesaid, then feigned hurt. Sakura decided to ignore her Inner, and got started on her papers.
After a little over three hours, she looked at her computer's clock. She sighed as it read 1: 34. She would be leaving shortly, so she decided to get the clothes that she brought with her on. While she was getting the bag, she was buzzed in by Hinata. Sakura rubbed her eyes, obviously tired, and answered, "Yes?"
"Um, Sakura-chan?" Hinata Hyuuga'squiet voice rang through the small machine, "Are y-you... okay?" Sakura sighed and smiled softly at her friends concern.
"Yes," Sakura replied to her friend, "Of course. Why wouldn't I--" But she soon remembered the fiasco earlier, and her cheeks got a pink tint to them.
"Oh, you mean that?" Sakura askedknowingly, "Yeah. I'm fine. Here, let me get dressed, and I'll come speak to you in person." she told Hinata, and grabbed the duffel bag, and started to get dressed.
She walked outside, fully clothed in the outfit she pick out that morning. (A/N: I didn't know if you remembered or not - bcuz I know I wouldn't! lol - so here's the description: a pale pink blouse with thin, vertical blue stripes going down it, sleek, black dress pants that flared a bit and the ends, and some black wedges.) She walked over to her friend, hugged her, and looked at her outfit.
"Wow, Hinata-chan! You look nice," she said, making her blue-headed friend blush and look down at her shoes.
"Y-you really think so? Thank you," The twenty-six year old woman looked down at her ensemble, including a knee-length navy blue skirt, with a matching cardigan sweater and a white silk camisole. On her shoes were new, brown penny loafers. Sakurasmiled at her friends modesty. She was always shy, and used to stutter a lot from grade school all the way through high school, and tried to keep the peace in the four people group. The group contained Ino Yamanaka, Tenten Hiroshi, Sakura Haruno, and Hinata Hyuuga herself.
"Do you want to go out to lunch with my mother and I?" Sakura asked politely, "I have to help her set up the wedding tables."
"O-oh! That sounds fun!" Hinata replied, with a smile on her face.
"Good, because there might be tension that only you can solve!" Sakura said, giggling when her friend blushed again.
"S-sakura-chan..." she said, embarrassed by the comment.
They walked out together, and Sakurainsisted that they both rode in her wine red Sonata.
"Fine," the younger girl said, sighing, "but only because it would save gas. I d-don't want to impose on you, Sakura-chan," Sakura pouted at this.
"You're not imposing on me. It's my joy to drive you there, even if you didn't have a good reason!" They drove to the Minty Leaf Cafe (A/N: Sounds yummy, ne? xD) and waited a few minutes before the older pink-haired lady arrived. She had her fiance in tow, and he was wearing a scowl. Sakura noticed this, and became worried.
"What's wrong, you guys?" Sakura wondered. Her mother looked at her daughter, and Hinata.
"Oh, hello girls! He's just upset that he's missing the game!" her mother said, rolling her eyes then turning to Sakura's petite friend with a cheery smile, "Hinata, I assume you will be joining us?"
"Yes ma'am... i-if it's not a trouble!" she added, while waving her hands in front of her.
"Oh, no! It never is!" Masumi stated, "The more the merrier!"
They took a booth in the front, by a window, and looked at the menu. When the waitress came, they all ordered the appropriate food, and had small talk while waiting for the food.
"S-so, I hear you arranged another wedding rehearsal," Hinata said while drinking her plain water, appointing the question to Masumi.
"Yes, that's right," Masumi stated, "It'll be tonight at 7 P.M. You are invited to attend, of course. Oh, and bring some family members if you want, but make sure you tell me so I can add their name to the guest list and get them a table."
"Yes, I'll try," Hinata said with a very light blush on her face. She was still not used to Tozou's presence, even though she had known him for a while. She was the one who introduced the two lovebirds, Tozou being one of her father's fellow business men. He was over one night for dinner, and she was ordered to show him the door on the way out once the meal was over. While opening the door, Masumi was knocking on it, trying to find where Sakura was. Since it was raining, Tozou drove her home. It was love at first sight, but Sakura disagreed. Though, she never the one for believing that, anyway.
"Sakura, have you written a speech yet?" Touzo asked, curious, but only trying to make small talk. What he didn't know, was that that one question could cause an argument.
"Well, I have a couple more paragraphs to write, and then I'll be--"
"Paragraphs?" Masumi interrupted, "Sakura, this is my wedding. The speech is supposed to supposed to come from your heart, not your note cards!" Tozou, now realizing his mistake, and also noticing how Hinata started to fidget, interrupted.
"O-oh, looky! O-our food is here, Honey," he told Masumi, "Let's dig in." He stuck a fork-full of salad into his mouth and began chewing, "Mm-mhm! Delicious!"
Masumi stopped talking to Sakura long enough to look at her husband. She started to giggle, and he was confused. Wasn't she about to bite Sakura's head off a second ago?
"Oh!" she said in between giggles, "You have salad hanging off your chin!" She apparently found this hilarious, but Tozou let her wipe it off, as he smiled at her. He loved this woman, and she was about to be his legally.
The rest of lunch was ate in a comfortable silence, with a couple of compliments on how the food tasted. Sakura asked Hinata to tell Tsunade that she was taking the rest of the day off. Hinata was unsure, but Sakura told her that she would get chewed out by Tsunade later. Sakura said that she was going to drop Hinata off, and that she would meet her at the church.
There was a comfortable silence in the car until Hinata broke it, "You know, Sakura-chan, he seems to r-really love her... " she stopped when she noticed her friends grip on the wheel become tense.
"Yeah," Sakura mumbled, "He better..."
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After dropping off Hinata, Sakura found herself staring at the church, with a beautiful garden spreading around the entrance. She was awed at how beautiful it looked. Where had she been all week?
"Sakura!" she turned around, now facing her best friend, Ino Yamanaka, who was standing at the doors with a smile on her face, and waving, "Hey, Sakura! What's up?" Sakura laughed. She was still the same Ino, even if she moved to the states with her husband, Shikamaru Nara, she was still as hyper as ever. She had long blond hair, that, when tied in the usual pony-tail, was back-length. Her baby blue eyes gleamed with happiness, as if she had a secret. Sakura decided she would wait to pry, for she was too happy about her friend being back.
"Ino-pig!" she yelled as she ran with a huge grin. She tackled her into a bear-hug, and they laughed like crazy, saying a million things per minute.
"Sakura! You let your hair grow out!," she exclaimed, while admiring her pink locks.
"Yeah," Sakura replied, lamely, "I guess I needed a change."
"By change," Ino teased, "I hope you mean maaaaan!" Sakura fumed. She chased after her, screaming, "You pig!" all the while. Before long, she was in the backyard of the church, where the wedding would be held, and spotted her mother talking to what seemed to be the caterer. Masumi was talking animatedly, having a heated discussion over what looked like pigs-in-a-blanket. Sakura chuckled, knowing what the situation was.
Xx-FLASHBACK-xX
Masumi was in the kitchen, ordering a pizza, as usual, since she couldn't cook. She was dialing the numbers, when a miniature her came in, dragging a blanket behind her. Sakura looked up at her mother with those wide, innocent eyes.
"Mommie?" she asked in a sweet voice, "Can I ask you something... important?" Masumistopped dialing, put the phone down, and kneeled down to the height of the girl in front of her.
"Honey, I told you already, those girls are jealous that your forehead is larger than theirs!" she said with a smile, hoping to save what little bit of self esteem her daughter had. Sakura was always picked on for having pink hair, and a larger forehead, and whatever else a 7 year-old can conjure up their head, so, she usually came to Mausmi for advice.
Sakura's eyes became teary, "I wasn't going to talk about that, but is it really larger than theirs?!" she said, pitifully. Masumi gasped, and tried to fix the problem she made while trying to fix a problem that she thought was the problem, but it really wasn't the problem... wait, what? (A/N: It takes a minute or two to figure it out, but I'm sure you will! x3)
"No-- NO! It's NOT, I-I was just trying to... um..." she looked around, and found the pigs-in-a-blanket that she had ordered that morning still on the kitchen counter, and grabbed the first one she saw, and glanced back at Sakura, "Pig-in-a-blanket??" she said as she accidentally flung the food at her daughter, causing Sakura to jump, landing on it as gravity pulled her back down. As soon as she did, the weenie was squeezed out, and it flew right into Masumi's mouth. The woman started choking, but soon pounded her chest, making the sausage fly out of her throat, and fall harmlessly on the floor.
Xx-END FLASHBACK-xX
Sakura giggle at the memory, and noticed the woman her mother was talking to was gone, and her mother was looking smug. Sakura rolled her eyes, with a smile on her face, and walked over to Masumi. The older woman noticed her right away, and got excited.
"Sakura, dear!" she yelled, even though Sakura was only a couple feet away, "Please, come arrange this table." Masumi pointed to a table near the stage, but soon ran off, hugging and talking to a woman whom she supposedly hadn't seen for a while. Sakurasighed, but smile tiredly at the scene. She looked down at the guest list, and saw they were in alphabetical order.
'Hmm, mom sure knows how to party...' she thought, as she skimmed through the names.
'She sure does! I mean, look at all those RICH people!' her Inner exclaimed, 'There like, bagizillion-airs!!' Sakura just rolled her eyes, as she continued to look at the list. It seemed to go on forever with people she didn't she didn't even knew, until she came across one name that was familiar:
Sai Arikigashi...
Sakura's heart started to beat faster, not because she was excited, but because that was one of her hardest breakups. She could feel the tears in her eyes, and immediately wiped them away before they could fall. She had cried enough over him, and wasn't going to continue. What she couldn't believe was that, on the paper, it said who had invited him:
Guest of Haruno, Masumi
Her mother knew what had happened between them, but she had still invited him. Didn't she know that he--
"Move," she heard a gruff voice behind her, pivoted, and gasped.
'Sai?!' No, it wasn't Sai. His hair was longer, and wasn't as black. The man had a tint of blu-- Oh no. It was that man from the other day. The one who had called her 'Pinky', AND insulted her father.
'Oooh, the NERVE of him!' InnerSakura stated, 'Showing up at our mother's wedding of all things! How dare he, that bast--' but her rampaging was cut off by his voice.
"Listen, either, move, or I make you move!" he growled at her, "And stop gawking at me, you pathetic fangirl!"
'Fangirl? He thinks I'm staring at him because I'm a-- Wait. I was staring at him? Damn my Inner!' she thought, now wearing a snarl, which kind of unnerved the man, but he showed no change in what he said next.
"Fine," he said with a smirk, "You asked for it!" He suddenly picked Sakura up underneath the shoulders, pulling her out of her thoughts, and setting her aside. She gaped at him as he calmly got some food from the refreshment table she didn't realize she was standing in front of. Sakura tapped him on the shoulder, but he didn't budge.
"I'm not giving you an autograph," he said, like he was trying to block out the voices in his head, "so... scram." Sakura had had enough. She took hold of the shoulder part of his charcoal gray button-up, and roughly pulled it to where he was now facing him. His eyes had widened a smidgen, (AN: I LOVE that word! lol heh, smidgen... :3) but quickly changed to normal size.
"Listen, Bub!" she said through clenched teeth, while poking him in the chest, and subconsciously stepping towards him, making him step back, "I don't know if you remember me, and I sure as hell don't care, but I don't ap-pre-ci-ate," she poked him with each syllable, "you saying those things you did! Especially when we don't even know each other!" He looked down at her, and held out his hand. Sakura was confused, and shook her head.
"Sasuke Uchiha," he said, "Now that you know who I am, is it 'especially' anymore?" There was now a smirk on his face as he put his outstretched hand in his pocket, and walked away. Sakura stood there with her mouth slightly open. He just... left. Like he had no concern about her problem concerning him. A vein popped out on her forehead, and she strode over to where he was going, and noticed he was heading to the small stage was.
'What's he...?'
Sakura's unfinished question was soon answered as Sasuke walked up the steps leading to the stage mount, and picked up a dark blue guitar with white flames going down it. It was much different than what she had seen him playing the night Sakura first saw him. She scrunched her eyebrows together, trying to make sense of this, when Masumi came over to where Sakura was looking at the stage. The mother of the two smiled as he started playing a couple chords.
"Isn't the band marvelous?" Masumi asked in a dreamy kind of way, "Can you believe Ino's husband heard about my wedding, and since he manages this band, and offered to play free? I was so giddy, I didn't even ask what they played!" Sakura's faced turned to shock as she turned to her mother, and then back to the stage, realizing there were more people. Sasukeobviously played what she assumed was the lead guitar, a blond with sunshine yellow hair was taking practice mats off the drums, while another man with long chocolate hair, pulled back in a loose pony-tail, was playing a guitar also, but he had it turned upward more so. Sakura also noticed the brown pineapple-headed man, Shikamaru, was at the keyboard, playing a scale. Sasuke then plugged a cord into a box that resembled a speaker, (A/N: Okay, I know what all these music things are, but remember, this is SAKURA'S position, and she isn't as familiar with all this stuff, so bear with me, and if you have any Q's about them, ask me inthe review that I'm SURE ur going to write... RIGHT?! lol :D)looked back at the other men, and nodded. They nodded too, and suddenly, the blonde drummer started hitting his drumsticks together. As soon as they got the beat right, Sasuke started playing.
(Turn on Three Days Grace: Time of Dying)
(Sasuke)
On the ground I lay
Motionless in pain
I can see my life flashing before my eyes
Did I fall asleep
Is this all a dream
Wake me up, I'm living a nightmare
I will not die (I will not die)
I will survive
(All)
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
I feel alive, when you're beside me
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
In my time of dying
(Sasuke)
On this bed I lay
Losing everything
I can see my life passing me by
Was it all too much
Or just not enough
Wake me up, I'm living a nightmare
I will not die (I will not die)
I will survive
(All)
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
I feel alive, when you're beside me
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
In my time of dying
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
I feel alive, when you're beside me
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
In my time of dying
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
I will not die, when you're beside me
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
In my time of dying
Some people clapped, while others just stared at them, kind of freaked. I mean, who writesthese kind of songs? Sakura looked at her mother with a look that said, 'You were saying?'.
"Uh-um..." Masumi was at a loss of words, as she scurried toward the stage. She said something to Sasuke, who was at the leading microphonene, and he nodded, then moved to the side, making room for Masumi.
"Well," Sakura's mother started into the mic, "wasn't that song... romantic, in a way?" All the snooty, rich guests looked around at other snooty rich people, who then shrugged and nodded, soon making the other snooty, rich people who were looking at them, turn back to Masumi, and nodded. Masumi smile couldn't get any bigger as she turned to Shikamru, who was still at the keyboard, and mouthed, 'Thank you', then stepped off the stage, and turned to Sakura with a smug look on her face. Sakura just rolled her eyes, and smiled at her mother's childish antics. She then made her way up the stage, and approached Sasuke, who was now turning knobs on his guitar. (A/N: lol TUNING!)
"Well," Sakura said, "That was interesting." She now got Sasukes's attention, but he looked down when he realized who it was.
"Hey!" Sakura turned around when she heard a voice coming from the back. She saw it was the blond drummer, and put on a smile.
"Don't bother talking to Sasuke-teme!" the blond, who Sakura also realized was loud, said in a... loud voice, (A/N: Insert sweatdrop. lol) "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm going to be the BEST drummer in the world! I'm even going to be better than Hendrix!" (Once again, insert sweatdrop)
"You idiot," she looked to her left, and saw the other guitar player looking at Naruto, "Hendrix was a guitarist. Besides, even if he was a drummer, which he ISN'T, he'd be better than you!" Sakura giggled as Naruto began to pout, and knit his eyebrows together, probably trying to come up with a good comeback.
"By the way," Sakura looked back to the guy who was just talking, "my name is Neji Hyuuga." He reached out his hand, and she took it, trying to figure out why his name was so familiar.
'Neji Hyuuga... HYUUGA!' she thought gasping, 'It's Hinata's brother!'
"I'm sorry," she apologized, knowing she had been lost in thought, "I just... well, Hinata never told me she had a brother." Neji's eyes widened at the mention of her name.
"Oh," he said, "You know... Hinata?" Sakura started to worry. Was she not supposed to know? Neji noticed her nervousness, and started to smirk.
"Don't worry," Neji assured, "It's not a secret. The fact is just... well hidden." Sakura nodded dumbly, and realized they didn't know her name.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she stated, "I'm Sakura Haruno, the bridesmaid for the wedding, and the daughter of the bride." She turned to Shikamaru, and smiled as he had his head resting on his hand that was propped on the keys.
"Hey, Shikamaru," she said in a friendly way. He just raised his head, and smiled slightly at his wife's best friend.
"Sakura," he said, acknowledging her by nodding, "How've ya' been?"
"Fine," she kind of lied, but she decided it was better not to look at all the details. She then remembered why she was up here in the first place. She looked over at Sasuke, and glared.
"Well?" she asked irritated.
"Well... what?" Sasuke asked confused, and very pissed. Sakura just looked at him like he had three heads.
"Well," Sakura started again, "Are you going to apologize for what you said to me?" It was Sasuke's turn to look at Sakura weirdly.
"You know what I mean, so don't act innocent! You-- you insulter!" she screamed, pointing at him. Sasuke thought for a moment, and realized what had happened.
"Oh. Hn."
"Hn? That's all?!"
"Hn," he smirked. It was amusing getting her riled up. Sakura was just too easy.
"Well," she said, grinding the words through her clenched teeth, "I don't suppose you'll tell me why you acted that way... will you?!" He sighed at looked at her with a glare.
"Listen," he said, "I was a little buzzed when you came. Now that I think about it, you'rethe reason I was out in the rain in the first place, so don't think it's all my fault!" Sakura was taken back. The pieces fell into place. He was out there, because she had missed the rehearsal, and, him being a band member, had to stay behind and wait along with her mother. She had caused all this on herself, but he didn't know it was her then, so he shouldn't have been rude in the first place.
"I'd still like an apology!" she yelled. His eyes narrowed, and said, stubbornly, "No." Sakura let out a feral growl, and launched at him, ready to attack, but stopped when she heard her mother calling. She paled, as she remembered that her mother invited Sai. She said bye to everyone on stage, excluding Sasuke, and jogged down the steps. She had to get to the bottom of this situation, even if it meant seeing his eyes again.
Author's Note: YAY! Second chapter!! Plz review, pplz!! Tell me what you liked, disliked, or just plain hated! sniffle Well, I hope no one does that, but you get my drift! lol x33
No worries,
Special-Squirrel94.