CHAPTER TWO

Sometimes, I hate going to my class with Maito Gai as my P.E. teacher. I preferred his lectures more than this ridiculous training regime he had been planning or so he said. Apparently, he made us run 5 laps around the field. Fortunately, I was used to gruesome trainings that I endured during my gangster years so running around felt almost like a routine for me. Half of my classmates are already down on the ground, heaving a deep breathes or chugging down one bottler of water after another.

I finished my laps in just two minutes and I took a seat in the nearest bench. I wasn't sweating that much but I still wiped a few sweats off my forehead. I glance around, noticing another class from another field. There are a total of 12 fields which are the basketball courts (2), volleyball courts (2), tennis courts (2), baseball fields (2), soccer fields (2), and track and field (2).

I wasn't a sporty type of person, however, I do know how to play basketball. I practiced it sometimes whenever I was in the park and some streetball players helped me with my form.

"Hey," a hand was placed on my right shoulder.

I turn around and sees a familiar face. It was Nara Shikamaru, the certified genius yet lazy guy. I study him from his head down to his feet. He was slouching, hands buried inside his pockets, head turned towards another direction, his aura was the epitome of boredom. However, the way his eyes glint in curiosity and wonder, I can immediately tell that he wants to find something from me. What does he want exactly?

Pretending to be naïve and completely clueless, I ask him. "Hai?"

"You're..." he pauses and stares straight into my eyes, searching for something. I hold down my own stare, not backing away. Compare to other people I have met, his intense and calculating gaze was nothing. I can see a flicker of awe and interest before it disappears in a flash and replaces with a lazy glance. "You're Haruno Sakura, correct?"

What kind of question is that? Of course I am Haruno Sakura. No one had a pink hair except for me. Just tell anyone of my physical appearance and they will recognize me quickly.

I hold back the urge to sigh and simply nod at him.

He looks a bit surprised but nevertheless proceeds to tell me what he came for. "I know what happened last Saturday."

I momentarily froze from my spot, tensing and my entire posture stiffed as a card board. I dared not to look at him and opted to stare blankly at nothing in front of me. I wasn't sure how to react. Did Hinata break her promise to me? No, she was not the type of girl who easily blurted out someone's secret. If so, why would she do it?

"It was you, right? Hinata didn't tell us directly who the person that has saved her but I could tell the way she glanced at you from time to time. At first, I wasn't certain but after observing for a while, I knew my assumption was right," he said.

I frown at his words. Shikamaru is too keen for his own good. He doesn't know how to keep it to himself. Tsk.

"Let's say I did save her last Saturday, what would you gain from confirming your assumption?" I questioned.

"Nothing."

His simple reply made me confuse for a bit.

"I just wanted to clarify it to satisfy my curiosity. I was wondering why Hinata was stalling and indirectly answering our questions," he shrugged.

I let out small chuckle. "I am sure you are quite aware that curiosity kills a cat."

"And I believe that you know that satisfaction brings it back," he retorted.

"You're making such a big deal about this, Nara," I told him, blankly.

"I needed to make sure you weren't a threat to a friend of mine," he stated.

I smiled pointedly. "Cease your foolish concerns, I won't do anything to her. If I had, I wouldn't even save her and her sister from the start."

"As a friend, it's my job to shield them."

"Then, you have completed your job, Nara," I say casually. "Don't bother me ever again."

He narrows his eyes but otherwise doesn't say anything and he returns back to his friends. I risk a glance towards their direction, only to find them sneaking glances at me from time to time. I caught Hinata's apologetic look and didn't bother to acknowledge it, I simply turned my head into another direction, pretending that nothing has happened.

Ugh, this is the reason why I don't like to be involve into something or someone especially when it is a heiress. It won't give me any benefits at all.

I yawn then stretch my upper body upwards, enjoying how my bones crack and soothes down. I have changed back into my uniform and it was lunch time. I was in the library this time, at the second floor, reading a book. Actually, I wasn't reading a book, I was merely staring at it while I zoned out from the real world.

I had been thinking about the conversation I had with Shikamaru. Needless to say, it was a very uncomfortable moment in my life. Although it didn't really matter much to begin with, I just hoped that he forgotten about it and moved on. I don't want to be bothered by nonsense talking.

Heaving a deep sigh, I put down the book that I was holding and folded my arms together then buried my head on it. I plan to sleep these troublesome thoughts away. I don't like dealing with it for the mean time.

"What the f*ck?! Stop pushing me, you freaking stitches!" a deep voice yelled.

"Be quiet, you fool! You're inside the library, show some respect!" another voice said with annoyance and irritation.

"Why did he even suggest to come here?" a voice asked, drowsily. "I was supposed to finish my art."

"Aw, I still wanted to stay inside the art room, yeah," a high-pitch voice whines.

"It's so boring here. I wanna fight someone," a very deep voice said.

"Later, we have unfinish business with our leader," a smooth voice says.

"I'm hungry - let's leave these assholes - No, we cannot do that," two voices blended together.

I sit up straight and peer down on the first floor, my eyes widening at colorful hairs from below. I knew those figures from down there. My eyes narrowed. They are the Akatsuki. Hearing their group name, enemies flee from sight and abandon their thought of fighting against them or even attempting to fight them. The Akatsuki was feared in the Underground, I would know because I encountered them 2 or 3 times and not even once I saw them lose from their opponents. Their families are very influential and wealthy people, that's also another reason why others can't go against them. Wherever they went, they were worshipped for their looks, skills, and status.

The leader of the group is Pein Yahiko, an orange haired lad with a goofy attitude and bright personality. At first, he might seem harmless but don't be fooled, he is very intimidating when he gets mad. Don't get me wrong, that's what I heard from the gossipers. His girlfriend is Ameka Konan, a beautiful, blue haired woman with a curvaceous body that is to die for. I heard from other girls that they were jealous of her.

Next is Uzumaki Nagato, the older brother of Uzumaki Karin and the older cousin of Namikaze Naruto. Cold, polite, and a bit quiet, he has this cool and suave aura surrounding him, making him look like cold prince like the rest (i.e. Uchiha Itachi and Akasuna Sasori). He is quite hard to approach as well. And he is like the second leader when Pein-senpai is not around.

I hurriedly look away from their group when the older Uchiha turned his head towards my direction. Fudge. I hope he didn't catch me looking at them, I don't want to be accused of spying when I was merely staring at them. It wasn't spying!

"What are you looking at, Itachi?"

"I thought someone was in the second floor."

"What? Are you sure? Shall we go and check?"

"Hn."

I slowly move out of my seat, quickly yet carefully positioning the chair back to its rightful place. I crept towards the hidden place somewhere in the corner, between two shelves. Good thing I had a lithe body so I was able to fit in and hid my whole body from their view. I made sure to back up more from my hidden place.

I listen carefully at the footsteps moving upstairs. It was quite difficult because it was almost as if their footsteps were silent as well.

"No one's here, Itachi."

"Hn."

There was a rustle and movement.

"What'cha got there? Is that a book?"

"Hn."

I almost gasp. Sakura, you're such an idiot! How did you forget the book? Now, they'll know that I was here the whole time! I really wanted to slap my head or hit my face for forgetting a crucial evidence of finding out my whereabouts. Ah jeez, I was thinking a lot of things that I have forgotten to hide evidence of me being here. Great. Just great.

"Itachi, where are you going?"

"Hn. Be quiet, Kisame."

Fudge! The voice of Itachi was almost near to my hiding place! Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t, sh*t, sh*t! No, no, no, please don't let him notice me. Please don't let him come closer. Please don't let him find me. Wait a minute, why was I hiding in the first place? Oh right, because I couldn't afford to deal with them. I don't want to and I never want to.

"Let it go, Itachi. Someone might have forgotten this book here. Plus, it's not like we have started yet."

"Hn."

"Itachi! Kisame! Nagato texted me, we're going to a different location!" Deidara's voice echoed.

"Deidara, you idiot! Why did you shout near my ear?!"

"Ack! Gomen nasai, danna!"

Where was the librarian when you needed her the most? Why wasn't she scolding them for being too loud? However, I was grateful for Deidara's interruption.

"Let's go, Itachi."

There was another movement then I could hear their faint steps moving away from my place. I let out a sigh of relief and move out of my hiding place. I make sure that my steps are quiet like them and walk towards the railing, I peer down and notice all of them leaving the library with Zetsu, the schizophrenic man, closing the door behind him.

I breathe out another sigh of relief.

That was a close one.