Authoress' Note: LOL; my imaginary fans have given up on me. But, I promised myself that I would finish this story, and since I am enjoying it quite a bit, I will :]

Note(s): Psh… zip, nada, zilch, nil, zippo!

Disclaimer: If Naruto belonged to me, Hinata would just jump Naruto already, and peripheral ShikaTema would cease to exist.

life, unwritten

chapter 02: her

The mild silence of the room was suddenly broken when a lethargic Sakura released a graceless moan, before flopping over to lie on her belly. Her young, almost porcelain face fell against the cool paper of a thick textbook, and she allowed her wary eyelids to shut. "This studying stuff…" she sighed, though her voice was muffled by the book. "…seriously isn't for me. Perhaps I should just wing finals, huh?"

The blonde lying atop the bed appeared to have not been paying Sakura any heed at all. She was fully enamored in texting, her cellular phone held above her head. "You're only a sophomore in college, Sakura; it's too early to 'wing' anything… Studying isn't that difficult anyhow, so I don't see why you're so sick of it already."

Sakura seemed taken aback by the girl's statement. Suddenly sitting upright, as if startled, her green eyes glared daggers through her nonchalant companion.

"Because, Ino, in case you haven't noticed, I have a ton of hassles! "My job at the café is just exhausting, but hey, I can't quit because I have to pay tuition for this here 'swanky' college, I can hardly understand half the junk—" Her pale hand slapped the open textbook for added, albeit unnecessary, emphasis. "—in this idiotic, poor excuse for a premedical course book! –Seriously, it's so outdated…" The girl trailed off softly, absentmindedly scanning the pages.

Laughing at Sakura's expense—which earned the blonde an ugly scowl—Ino tore her eyes away from the ceiling and flopped over from her backside onto her belly. She propped her body up using her elbows, and placed her chin in the nook that it formed. "Melodrama suits you, darling. I didn't know that this level of oversimplification existed in you, Sakura. I'm impressed."

The roseate girls scoffed. "Well don't you know so many big words…? It's easy to say that kind of thing when you're not a college student working a minimum-wage job to pay nearly half your tuition…"

"Things could be worse," Ino suggested, her tone now light and frivolous. "I mean, you're job is great. Almost every customer there is someone you know from here, and you get a massive amount of tips everyday… Besides, if I recall correctly, Sasuke offered to pay your tuition for you, and you so politely refused."

Sakura was getting ready to retort something fierce, but stopped short as she realized that it was the truth. Last year, just before she had been employed at the local café, she had confidedher money troubles to him. She had declined him though; she didn't honestly believe that she required nor deserved such generous assistance.

She sighed at the recollection. "Yeah, I remember… but I'm not a charity case. And Sasuke-kun doesn't owe me a thing."

"But, he is loaded. And pretty famous around these parts 'cause of his dad." Ino cocked her head slightly to the side, briefly mulling over the habitually impassive man. "Why that brooding buffoon of a beau is always willing to be so generous to you, I'll never understand."

"I'll have you know that my Sasuke-kun is not a brooding buffoon," The woman then gave a far off look, before whispering dreamily, "Sasuke-kun is but a selfless scar bestowed upon my undeserving breast." She confirmed, endeavoring her hardest not break into an intense smile. Simply bringing up his name sent her into a nirvana that she could not explain.

"Thanks a lot Shakespeare," she commented, ignoring the vibrations coming from her phone.

Mustering the strength to stand from her sitting position, Sakura chose not to regard Ino's gentle joshing, and instead crossed the room and proceeded to shove the large book into her book bag.

"Seriously though," Sakura muttered softly, "I'm curious about Sasuke-kun. He rarely speaks of his family, so I wanted to at least meet his father and brother yesterday; but Sasuke insisted that he go alone… Do you think he's embarrassed of me?"

Ino looked almost offended on Sasuke's behalf. "Are you crazy? The way that that man grabs at you…! Ugh, so shameless, but let's not even go there. No, Sakura, of course not. Maybe he just thinks it's to early for you to meet him… maybe he secretly hates his family… maybe he wants to oo you first. Maybe you're just overanalyzing the situation."

She plopped down on the opposite bed, one of which was covered with iridescent sheets. Out of all of Ino's ridiculous speculation, one particularly piqued her interest. She inquired, "What does… 'oo' mean?"

"What else…?" Ino asked seriously, almost appalled at Sakura's obliviousness. "Intercourse!"

"Are you stupid?! I'm not waiting all the way until after we're married to meet his family! Who can even see that far in the future?!"

"Sakura, how naïve are you?" A rhetorical question, Sakura realized when she attempted to answer. "Don't let some stale tradition dictate when you're ready." Ino turned to once again lie on her back. "You'll know when it's the right time… and when it happens, it happens."

Whilst Ino once again took to texting in the air, Sakura was left pondering Ino's words.

It had been a subject she had shied around for a while now. Although Sasuke had never outright approached her about the matter, it still bothered her. She felt things escalating between them at certain time, but she would never admit it; she didn't think that it was something that actually required attention. After all, the mere mentioning of the subject made her go insane.

In all actuality, Sasuke in himself drove her insane.

From his strange methods of courting her which had turned out to be a drawn-out, hazy blur of events too convoluted to reminisce—to his dismal, brooding tendencies. They made her boyfriend appear even more alluring, though she had yet to decipher the mystery that was Uchiha Sasuke. She had only skimmed the surface.

Maybe then he'd actually trust me a bit more…?

The girl broke into a mortified blush and buried her face into her hands.

Were she and Sasuke actually prepared… for that?

-x.o.x-

Uchiha Itachi stood in the doorway of a den, just one of the many rooms of the remote villa. He scanned the dimly lit room, searching for sign of his father. He heard close to nothing; only the dull cackling from the fireplace. Deciding that the Uchiha patriarch was not currently present, he spun on his heels to continue his search of the remainder of the villa.

"Is there something in which you seek, Itachi?"

Itachi was caught off guard by the booming question, but he could only smirk; his Father always was a rather sly man. The lean man turned around to casually lean his broad shoulder against the wooden doorframe. The potent stench of wood and alcohol mixed and reached his nostrils; it was nostalgic, in an odd way.

Deciding that he'd rather not recall such memories of his childhood, Itachi's dark, brooding eyes stared into the back of the chair positioned in the center of the den, directly before the fireplace. He realized that this was precisely were his father sat.

"Yes, Father. Indeed there is," he confirmed, his smooth voice conveying a level of unwanted amusement. "As I'm sure you already know, you and I are returning to London in the morning, though you have not yet accomplished what you have traveled here for. I've come to inquire as to whether or not we once again return empty-handed."

Fugaku grumbled bitterly, already knowledgeable about the situation. "You say it as though I have a choice. Of course it is not what I desire, but that brother of yours is certainly a persistent one. I wish to retire soon, but Sasuke is prolonging the process with this undying disobedience of his…"

Then, the reoccurring inquisition once again appeared in Itachi's mind: why not entrust him with the company in lieu of Sasuke? Itachi was more that willing to accept the company from his father, and yet, Fugaku had not requested it of him. Of course he was already a renowned attorney, but he would accept company in a heartbeat.

He didn't quite understand it; perhaps he never would.

"Of course you know the source of this disobedience," Itachi then said, with the slightest bit of irritation presence in his tone. "It is stemmed from his resentment of you… as well as of me."

"That should not matter. Sasuke is my son and should do as I say…" Itachi watched from the doorway as Fugaku reached forward and gripped a half empty glass filled with a translucent brown liquid. "Just as you have, Itachi; and is your career not rewarding?"

He felt the room grow colder and colder by every passing moment, but he did not blink. He replied, "It is, Father, but Sasuke is not I. He does not want to be exposed to the same world that I have seen, and perhaps that is his destiny."

"His destiny is one that I have planned; do you question my motives, Itachi?"

He took a moment to ponder the situation. What would actually come of this? He had high doubts that his younger brother would be able to escape this predicament; even with his insight. Itachi did not harbor any ill feelings toward his brother. He only believed that because he had followed the path that Fugaku had paved for him, Sasuke would turn out the same.

Successful.

Influential.

Albeit unfulfilling, his job made him who he was. And for that, he could not scorn his father.

His lids lowered bitterly; sacrifices had to be made for the ones he loved. So, for now, he would assist his father. He wanted to see his brother become a man even greater than he.

"No," he shortly answered, "But how far can you go if he is unwilling?"

Fugaku laughed a wheezing, foreboding laugh; Itachi felt a chill. "I assumed that you would at least be knowledgeable of that. We must approach him on a personal level, Itachi."

"Oh? And what exactly do you mean, Father?"

"As if you don't know…" Fugaku placed the now empty glass back onto the table with a tiny clink. "We must first find the one closest to him…"

Now, Itachi stood straight in the doorway as the direness of the situation began to sink in. Exactly what measures was Fugaku willing to resort to in order to influence Sasuke? "Other than mother, do you speak of Haruno Sakura?"

"Oh, of course," he answered plainly. "Do we have any other options at this point?"

"…No, we do not."

"Very well. Only I shall return in the morning, Itachi. You shall stay here and influence his departure to London. Do not fail me, understand?"

Itachi tensed, though he would never show it. "Yes, Father."

"Very well then. Come, Itachi, let us celebrate the beginning…"

Stepping forward, Itachi decided that until today, he had never tasted anything as bitter.

Authoress' Note: And they enjoyed some alcohol at Sasuke's expense. Hahaha; I'M SO BAD. =]

And OMG. Did I just give Itachi somewhat of a soul? Whaaaaat?

Now, onto other stuffs:

This chapter was short, and so can be considered an early filler. Not very eventful, BUT KEY EVENTS. (Ironic, huh?) :D So, things pick up in chapter tres! Have a great week/weekend, whatever it is when I submit this chapter~!

No SasuSaku in this chap, but review softly in spite, m'kay?