Disclaimer: No owning.

The Tokyo Bubble Project

Chapter 2

The pristine white room remained motionless, as the young man remained unmoved on his spot on his bed, his fists clenched. This was all too much for him to hear. To know that his brother, the one he always looked up to, even if said person always get on his nerves, is now dead.

"Uchiha-san, the one who was here moments ago, came to gave you this letter." A nurse burst in, while he contemplated about what the man, now he knew he was called Madara, told him. The petite girl neared him and gave him the paper folded into three before bowing politely.

And now, he didn't know what was better. To have known that your parents were lost in the middle of nowhere, or to have known that your parents abandoned you.

"Sasuke-chan," the letter started.

"Sasuke-chan,

How are you feeling now?

I trust that you already know what happened. It was so unfortunate. He was a wonderful son to have, and I know as a brother he was a great loss too.

Mother and Father will be leaving you for a while, 'kay? Is that alright with you? We need time to mourn for the loss of your brother. Please understand. Please, Sasuke.

We left a good amount of money in your account. It's enough for your college fees. Please look after my garden, water them everyday, 'kay?

Itachi was supposed to work at a cafe. Could you please visit that cafe, and tell them that Itachi won't be able to make it. I don't think I could do it.

Take care of yourself, son.

We love you.

Mother and Father

(.wonderwall.)

"This will be your room." The blonde girl ushered her inside a decently-sized room, with a bed beside the wall across the door. A window was situated above the bed, with no curtains, just an empty clay pot. There was a dresser attached at the adjacent wall, a few steps away from a door she assumed the shower room.

Her roommate, the blonde girl, stepped inside the room, hauling one of her suitcases inside. When she stepped inside the room, she noticed a small plush chair at the corner of the room, at the far end of the wall the door was attached to. Near the bed was a table and a chair.

"The comfort room is there." Her companion pointed at the door beside the dresser. "It's also the shower room. Kinda small actually, but it's better than a communal one. You'll discover soon enough how lucky you are with having your own bathroom." She winked at her playfully.

"Uhm, so can we use the kitchen...?" She jerked her thumb, pointing behind her where they were just moments ago.

"Oh! Yeah, sure. Though I honestly don't use it." She grinned. "Lack of culinary skills. But," She raised her index finger, as if motioning her that there was something good she was about to say. "It's just alright not to cook during breakfasts." She grimaced her face for an effect. "You know how mornings are usually rushed, and kind of, you know, stressing, tiring and well, it's too troublesome to cook something up when your classes starts at 8.10 and it's already 7.35 or something."

Sakura just raised her pink brow at her, not really getting where she was wanting to convey.

"So..." The blonde dragged her 'o'. "The Tokyo Bubble Project, you know, the cafe just at the block after our place, is there. They serve the best pancakes ever. And oh! The coffee—I'm not a coffee drinker myself but I heard from them, others I mean—is just wonderful. The home-brewed iced tea there is heaven, I tell you. And for a very affordable price, too." She nodded her head, agreeing to herself like she just mentioned something spectacular.

"Oh, really...." Sakura's eye twitched.

"Yeah, really..." The blonde replied knowingly.

"So do tell me, " The pink-haired girl paused. She forgot to ask her roommate's name!

"Ino. Yamanaka Ino." The bloned extended her hand for a handshake, beaming.

Sakura looked confused at first before extending her hand. "Yes. Right. Ino-san. Are you, the owner of this cafe?"

Ino gasped over-actingly. "Oh no. It was actually owned by a sweet lady. I was a waitress there. If you're looking for a job, we are in need of extra hands in the cafe." She grinned. "And you can call me Ino. With no formalities. It doesn't fit me, you know."

After three hours of travel, Sakura had finally made it to Konoha. At the bus stop, it was very nice of her landlord, an old friend of her mother, to fetch her and bring her to her boarding house. There, she was met by her to-be roommate and it was kind of her to tour her around.

Ino, as she observed, is a very hyper, very active and very sociable person. She introduced Sakura to all people they bump into that she knows—which is practically everyone. She was also very hospitable and very accommodating.

"So tell me, why did you decided to move here into the city?" They stopped their introductions at the park to eat some ice cream. Apparently, Ino said it was part of the initiation. Whatever initiation she meant by that.

"Hmmm, well..." Sakura looked at her cone, the pink blob of ice cream almost melting as she remembered why she really wanted to move out of the province. "I wanted to grow up, I guess. I wanted to do something great, big. Something new. Something that could probably change me into someone better."

"Wow. Big words there, young lady." Ino joked. "Metamorphosis, huh? Your parents' idea?"

"No..." An image of a young man with raven hair appeared in her mind. She shook her head almost immediately to vanish the vile thought. No, this is not about him. Not about him.

But she knows that this is all about him. Because all her life, only his opinion matters. Only his happiness matters. She could very well be miserable in her life if it meant that he'll spare her a glance.

"Oh. Really. Maybe..." Ino started, hoping down the head of the bench they were sitting on. "There is a guy that you wanted to change for!" Her blonde locks dancing in the air as she twirled around, a dreamy sigh escaping from her. "Oh how lovely!"

Instantly, Sakura's face flared. "..."

Noticing Sakura's lack of response, Ino stopped her twirling only to find her companion blushing. "Oh my. Am I right? This is all for a guy?"

"No, not really. Only a part of it." The whole part of it. She looked away, embarrassed.

"Really, a guy?" Ino gawked at her. "Sakura-dear! That's just so romantic! Tell me more about this guy!" Ino skidded towards her roommate, a big grin plastered on her face.

"Heh, there's nothing much to tell, you know." Eating the last of her cone, she threw away the tissue at a nearby bin.

"His family owns everything my eyes land on, from the view at the top of the windmill in front of our house." She could still remember the times when they were children, when their heights barely pass the tall wheat grass, and he would be invisible to her big, green eyes.

"Wow, so he's rich?"

"Yeah. Very. But he doesn't live in our province. It was their clan's ancestral seat, but moved the seat of their business here in Konoha."

"So you're following him here?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. He hates stalkers. He absolutely loathes them. Actually, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he's gay." She giggled at a memory, where he was scowling and she was giggling madly. "He's not comfortable with too many squirming, giggling estrogen-filled females."

"So what about him that made you move out?" Ino inquired.

"Well..." Her eyes started to sitting and she had to swallow the tears back. "He's not particularly kind. He always say mean things to me. Like me being weak, useless, pathetic. And I knew that maybe he was right about those things. But he has no right to tell me those things. He has no right to spit it in my face.

"He always see me as an annoyance. He always thinks he's so high and mighty. Jerkface." Sakura made a face. "If he weren't so gorgeous, or maybe if he didn't just came back when I was nine and I fell in a deep part in the river and he saved me, maybe then I wouldn't have looked at him differently."

"Awww, that's just so sweet. So he's your knight in shining armor?"

"More like, knight in blue shirt, actually." She giggled at the memory. Walking down the memory lane sure is fun.

(.)

She was soaking wet. Her tiny hands were shaking with the cold, as the skin began wrinkling from too much exposure to water. She was sitting on the ground, holding herself to add up some warmth to her tiny body. Today, she learned that jumping into the river won't make Sasuke-kun stay in Kumo. It will just drown her.

Very good realization for a nine-year-old.

"Told you not to jump there." The small kid in front of her told her. Of course, he would know! He's always the intelligent, smart-ass one, right? Tch. At nine, who would expect that this kid is already so sure of himself.

"Hmf." Sakura glared at him before turning her tiny head, pink with her long locks, sharply away from his direction. "I told you I would jump if you still insisted to go back to Konoha."

"And I told you I wouldn't change my mind." He replied sharply. He was standing in front of her form, a few steps away, catching his breath.

The heat of the day was at its peak, perhaps it was already past one in the rocks beneath his unprotected feet were beginning to get hot. It's time to bring back his ward to their house. He always assumed that he was supposed to take care of her, always treat her like a kid.

"Come on, Sakura. We need to get you home now." Sasuke said as he started walking to the direction of Sakura's house.

Sakura's head snapped back at him, only to see he was already walking back. "Wait."

He did not stop even as he heard her call out to him. He continued walking, as if to say that he is not planning on staying on the river any longer.

"Are you going back here next year, at least?" She called out after him. He was already a few meters away from her, and she feared that he may not hear her silent plea.

"Sasuke-kun..."

"Yes. If that brings us to your house faster, then yes." He remained facing the direction of her house, but at least, he stopped walking. That and his answer made her smile, her young heart bursting in happiness. Somehow, he made her feel that she's not going to lose him anytime soon.

"And the year after that too?" She beamed, standing up and running towards him, him who started walking again upon hearing the soft shuffling of rocks under her small feet.

When she caught up with him, she almost tripped twice. She tried grabbing the hem of his blue shirt, yanking it because she wanted his attention. "Whatever makes you go home."

And in his own kid-language, Sasuke just wished her to keep smiling, because he will always try to make her happy. Even at the expense of his comfort. But she doesn't need to know that. Yet, anyways.

She was a valuable person to him. Not a friend, but more than just a neighbor. She was his source of entertainment in his dull stay here. And truthfully, she started making his life a little more bearable. In his young, young age, all he ever does is study, keep up with Itachi, make his father proud. And somehow, he felt like he was wasting his childhood.

And ever since he met her, her clumsiness, her carefree attitude, annoying presence, somehow, he felt like he's just nine, and he's meant to be a little more playful and less serious.

(...)

Madara, as he later on knew because the man decided to grace the young Uchiha his presence before Sasuke moved out of the hospital, was a distant relative of the Uchihas. Madara was almost the third cousin of his father. And because of this blood relation, he was made the legal counselor of the Uchiha Family.

Before he finished packing, Madara reminded him of his duty to a certain cafe before he took off. Which was weird, if you ask him. What was the big deal with this cafe anyway?

When he arrived at their house, he was surprised to find his self-proclaimed best friend, waiting for him in front of their big gates. Before he even made it in front, the blonde idiot already noticed him and started to get up.

"Yo, Sasuke!" For the life of him, he could not ever comprehend how he got friends with this loud-mouth who apparently, has no manners whatsoever. He doubt if Naruto even know what the word 'etiquette' was.

Tossing aside the matter of Naruto, he began to wonder again about the current turn of events. It was like, one day he was still enjoying the warmth of his mother's smile, and the hope that maybe his father will start to acknowledge him, when all of a sudden the Fates suddenly decided to collect all the good things in his life. Money, and riches be damned.

"Heard about what happened. Man, I'm really sorry." Naruto's blue eyes was forever sincere. If there could be one sensible reason why God let this container of stupidity roam around this blue Earth, that would be because of his sincerity. The man was born, and will probably die, an optimist. He maybe loud and annoying all of the time, but when he becomes serious, something good actually comes out of his system. He was so good with empathizing with people. Even with people he barely knew, Naruto always know what to say to lift their spirits up.

And with that, he just realized that the two closest, non-blood related people to him were both loud and outgoing. And both annoying too.

"Anyway, this Madara-guy came here. Actually, he just left minutes before you came. He was reminding you to go to some Tokyo Cafe." Naruto scratched his cheek with his index finger, the way he does whenever he wants people to think he was actually thinking. "What's up with that? Your new hang out place?"

Sasuke pushed Naruto as he walked towards what used to be his house before the tragedy happened. "It was Itachi's death request."

Naruto followed him inside the gates, closing them after him before running to catch up to his friend. "HA! Even at death he never fails to ask for favors, huh?" Naruto chuckled.

Sasuke snorted. The door to the Uchiha mansion was big doors made from oak, with small rectangle-shaped wood embossed from the door frame. Each rectangle has engravings, which according to his father, depicts the history of the clan throughout the times. He tapped one of the rectangles, the one where he knew his mother would always place a spare key, before Naruto even came near him. By the time Naruto came up behind him, he already slotted the key on the keyhole.

"Hey, when will you go to this cafe place?" The blonde asked as they walk inside the spacious mansion.

"I don't know." Sasuke listlessly replied. His room was at the second floor, the third one from the left. In any case he gets lost, for whatever reason, he just have to remember the two flower pots that his mother put on display on either sides of his door. "Truth is, I don't really care much about it."

Naruto, knowing his bes friend well enough to know that Sasuke was cooking something up in his mind, narrowed his fractionally. "What exactly are you thinking about, Sasuke?"

By that time, Sasuke had already opened his bedroom door, and of course, Naruto let himself in once again. But before Sasuke bee-lined for his bed, he turned to Naruto. "I'm going to find where my parents are."

"But that's not as easy as you make it sound! You don't have any idea where the hell your parents could be!" Naruto exclaimed. Given how rich the Uchihas are, they could go to wherever place they want, whenever they want. They could even afford to go to the moon if they feel like it. So Sasuke's plan was simply impossible even to his ears, at this point.

"I know!" Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him. "I know that, damnit!"

"So what are you planning to do now?" Sometimes, he have to hand it to Sasuke for cooking up plans that really work, no matter how impossible things maybe.

"They were at the hospital. They dropped off a letter at Madara. Go figure." The raven-head then turned to drop his duffel bag at his bed before zipping it open and started unpacking.

"What's he got to do with your parents? I don't get it."

"They had to meet him for him to have the letter."

"That may have been true, but don't you think that your parents may have told him to shut his mouth about their whereabouts? They're your parents. Maybe somehow, you got your attitude from them." If Sasuke feels like hiding, well hiding is what he really does. No one could ever find him, if he wanted it.

"I know. I didn't say I'd be asking him directly."

"Wait. Can I give a suggestion? Why don't you visit the cafe first? It seems very odd that Madara and your parents singled it out, out of the many establishments your brother could be affiliated with. After all, it's just a cafe. And Itachi's a Med student. It doesn't connect."

In front of Naruto, Sasuke stopped unpacking, before turning to Naruto with a smirk. And finally, he realized why he could put up with his boundless idiocy. "Where did you buy the brain?"

Naruto just mock-punched him.

(..)

It was her first year in college. And truth be told, she was freaking nervous. This was also the first time she was away from her parents. From the place she was most comfortable.

But as they say, success is just right outside your comfort zone.

She sighed, waiting for her order. Today, she would try Ino's most beloved cafe, just to see if it were really that good. Tokyo Bubble Project. It's a weird name for a cafe, but is very interesting.

The café was located two blocks away from their place, and just a block away from the Academy. Ino said, some students spend their free time in their café, hanging around or studying for whatever exam. There are also specific times when Med students hang-out there, for study groups, and occupy almost the whole of the cafe.

When she reached the 7th Avenue where the café was, she found herself standing in front of a typical-looking café: big glass walls, which serve both as barriers from the outside world, as well as window. You can see the interior from the outside. However, what caught her attention is that, instead of dark brown walls or dark shades that you could normally see in a coffee shop, this café has a play of yellow and green colors. The seats were not the usual square blocks and edgy, rather they were designed with modern touch, and a play on the geometry of chair. You could hardly see a corner on the chair.

She entered the café, the door chimes, still shaped abstractly, clanged. There weren't much people at this time. It was only 10.00 am, so regulars must have been on their classes. Sakura chose to sit on the farthest corner, giving her somewhat privacy and a good view of the café

The counter was right in front of the door. On her right, the stairs wound up to the second floor of the cafe. There was a small table of condiments below the stairs, and another just after the long counter.

She hadn't been inside for long when a girl with chocolate hair, wound up in two buns approached her to take her order. "Hi, my name's Tenten. Could I get your order now?"

"Your bestseller, I suppose. I'm not really familiar with the menu." She offered the girl a small shy smile.

"Oh. I thought you'd already read the menu. Anyways, it's there." Tenten pointed right at the table. And true enough, the menu is printed on the table itself. It looks like the menu was handwritten with a marker, but when she touched it, it did not smear. "Oh. That's... interesting."

"Yeah. I thought so too." Tenten remarked, eyeing the menu as well. "It was one of our first projects here. When I first applied here, Kaa-san asked us to write the menu on the tables, she thought it was fun because kids always love to vandalize on anywhere possible." Tenten grinned.

"Kaa-san?" Sakura wondered.

"She's the one who owns this place. She's really cool and kind. I would have been a delinquent, smoking pots if she didn't hire me here." Tenten stuck out her tongue playfully.

"Ah. My roommate also works here. She also praises your manager."

"Really? What's her name?" The chocolate-haired girl sat in the seat beside her, completely forgetting her job.

"Yamanaka Ino."

"Oh yeah! Ino! She's our cashier here. Been here for almost two years now. She started when she was in second year high school. Cool girl, only a man-magnet."

A door with the "Authorized Personnel Only" sign located at across the stairwell opened, revealing a man in business suit talking to a young woman who was so bold to only wear a mesh shirt under a beige-colored jacket.

"--The lady wants her son to temporarily take over. She is with her husband taking a vacation, as I had been informed. They are currently grieving for the loss of their eldest son. It was most unfortunate, indeed."

Both Sakura and Tenten got caught up with the presence of these two people that they just looked at them for a while. "That girl's Anko, by the way. Our manager. You'll be seeing her a lot here," She pointed at Anko, before turning to face Sakura with a playful gleam in her eyes. "If you're planning to be a regular here, that is. Which in my opinion you'd no doubt be. Anyway, your order?"

Sakura was stunned at how confident these people are. Ino also had that characteristic. She was very sure that Sakura will like this cafe. It seems that they are very devoted to the Tokyo Bubble Project. But if the cafe were really that great, how come that at this time, she is the only customer here?

"Your bestseller, I suppose I had already given it to you." She reminded Tenten with an impish smile.

"Oh yeah, my bad. Sorry." Tenten grinned before she walked away from towards the counter, to where the two figure they saw earlier retreated.

The sound of the door chimes distraacted Sakura from Tenten's absence. Tenten was a very good waitress. Very accommodating. Perhaps it isn't so bad to hang out here. Besides, the ambiance here is better in the library. The books there are a distraction too. Imagine, thousands of books there, tempting you to read them instead of focusing to your homework at hand.

Her eyes scanned the place again. The guy and the Anko person are still speaking over the counter. There was also this blonde boy and another person who she cannot see. The guy in business apparel was blocking her view to whoever it was. They must be the ones who entered the cafe.

They were too far for her to hear what they were talking about. She noticed Tenten go out from the counter, with her frappe in a serving table. Just when Tenten maneuvered around the group talking, the guy moved giving her the chance to see the other person.

And it was the last person he ever wanted to see her in Konoha.

Of course, she knew that they were bound to bump into each other one of these days. Konoha isn't exactly small, so she was thinking it would be a matter of months before she sees him. But is it her, or is the world just keep on getting smaller?

Tenten walked over to her table, with a smile on her face. "Here's your frappe. Enjoy!" She must have noticed Sakura's gawking and followed her line of vision.

"Cute, isn't he?" Tenten smirked.

Sakura just sipped her frappe quietly, hoping to God he wouldn't see her.

(.starstruck.)

After many hours of nagging from Naruto, Sasuke finally decided to check out the cafe her mother had told him to visit. Because of Naruto's pointing out, he pondered why that cafe had to be taken special attention of. If he were in his parents' shoes, he would rather look out for their mall, or their Telecom Company, instead of the measly cafe. Or maybe, he wouldn't just leave his youngest son alone, to fend off for himself. That would be the better step, if he were his parents.

But the world just sucked, and his parents decided to leave him.

It wasn't as if he wasn't mourning. It maybe true that he was always pissed off at Itachi. But no matter how much you turn the world inside out, Itachi will always be his brother. There will always be familial affection due for his brother.

And that brings him back to the thought of what is in this cafe to have his brother attached to? His brother never cares for anything not worth his precious time and attention. There must be some reason for him to give attention to this cafe.

But what?

The black convertible pulled at the parking space of the cafe. Tokyo Bubble Project. This is the weirdest name for an establishment he had ever heard of. Very much weird. Very much Itachi.

Naruto opened the glass doors, and he followed suit. The blonde idiot was just here for the free tastes. His obsidian orbs looked around him, but missing the pink-haired girl seated on the far corner of the establishment.

Just at the doorway was Madara and a girl with mesh shirt. The girl regarded him for a little longer than normal. He was used to people looking at him a little more than what could be considered not rude. It was always like that. He knew people find his feature interesting, but most of the times he would just like them to keep the staring to themselves. Have they not know the word subtlety?

Madara immediately noticed his presence and introduced him to the girl. "Ah! Perfect timing! Anko, this is young master Sasuke. Sasuke-sama, this is Anko. She is the current manager here. She'll guide you to everything that you need to learn to handle the cafe."

Sasuke extended his hand to Anko. "Pleasure to meet you." He ignored ithe slight coloring of Anko's cheek before retrieving his hand. He looked around him, noting the unique furnishing of the cafe. Apparently, Itachi's weirdness seeped out into this establishment, as he noticed the tables were full of scrawls. The counter was relatively normal. "This place is very unique."

"Oh yes. Your mother was very modern, so to speak. The concept of the cafe was inspired by Itachi-sama's fondess to cafe at Kyoto during his brief stay there. Mikoto-sama mentioned briefly how this cafe was significant for both Itachi and her. I think she used 'Mother and Son bonding'." Anko provided.

Of course. Sasuke thought. Itachi was also his mother's son. It would make sense that his ever loving mother put up something like this if it meant Itachi's happiness. He could still remember their conversation about his future. His mother only wants them to be happy and content.

But she should know that leaving him right after his older brother's death would not bring him happiness.

He continued looking around the place, nearing one table as he read the scrawls. They were menu of the place. "Anko, why is the menu written in the tables?"

"It was Kaa-san's idea. It was pretty cool if you asked me." A voice answered for him. He turned to his left to see a girl with two buns, almost hugging a brown tray to herself while grinning. "I'm Tenten, one of the waitresses here."

"Sasuke." He did not bother extending his hand. He could clearly see that this girl is insignificant. He turned his attention again at the table.

"Well, you see, Kaa-san thought that every teenager loves vandalizing everything that could be written on, that's why she asked us to place the menu on the table using permanent markers."

He was still looking at the menu on the table when his peripheral vision caught something pink. He immediately snapped his attention to that direction when he saw her, seating on of the seats, a mocha frappe in her hands.

"Sakura?!"

A/N: Long chapter, to make up for the very late update. Also, this installment is very crucial for the whole story. I tried my best to put all the significant stuff here. The basics, at least. And I know I write pretty slow. Sorry. I'm working on it though.

If I receive a relatively good response for this, I'd update sooner. (I don't want to sound like a review whore so I'm not asking for a review limit. Besides, I'm not that great yet. I'd do the review whoring if I'm good enough. :D )

Please leave a comment. :D