Hey guys! Surprised by this really fast update? Yeah, I've been procrastinating, been cramming, been not sleeping, just to get things done. And so, I am happy to tell you that I have shot out this chapter for you (plural)! ^^ Hmm...I should change the story from like Romance/Angst to Romance/Drama, cuz this story is going to be pretty drama-ful. Again, don't expect any fast updates, just because I've updated a little earlier than I have, doesn't mean this will be a continuous cycle of fast uploads. My postings are erratic, I kid you not. Speaking about erratic, I ran for CIBC Run for the Cure! My heartbeat was freaking...dying on me, I kid you not.

ANYWAY, now to this chapter! No updates till 35 reviews!

P.S. There will be a very hot and steamy lemon to come in the next few chapters ;) Stay tuned!

DISCLAIMERRRRR: I not own this series but the plot for this fanfic, I do. Now it sounds like a marriage proposal. Lololol.


"What in the world is that racket?" Reina complained as she stepped into the room.

She too, froze, when she saw her husband kissing her younger sister. Izuki released Sakura and faced his wife, only for him to be pushed roughly away as Reina landed a vicious slap across her little sister's face, a resounding ring echoing in the spacious room.

"How dare you!" Reina raged at Sakura. "How dare you just waltz back here and do such things! Have you no shame after you ran away?!"

Sakura stood there, her left eye closed and her left cheek already red and somewhat swollen. Izuki stood dumbfounded as Reina yelled nonstop at her. Sasuke finally stepped out of the shadows and caught everyone's attention. His already activated Sharingan was directed at Reina and she instantly fell into a deep slumber. Within seconds, Izuki was thrown out of Sakura's room with a punch from she herself and the door was slammed in his face after Sakura spoke a few words to him.

"Don't you dare attempt anything of this sort again. Next time, it won't only be your jaw I'll be cracking." She snarled.

She rushed to Sasuke as he raised his hand to his eye and staggered back. Fresh blood trickled down his left eye and stained his hand. Sakura held him steady as he panted heavily, his vision blurring. She quickly moved him towards the door of her room and opened it, grateful that Izuki had scrammed. Sasuke managed to follow her quick footsteps and they soon arrived at the onsen he had stormed earlier. The heavy steam rushed over Sakura like a wave, and she instantly wished she had worn something lighter than a heavy kimono such as hers.

"Sasuke, can you undress yourself?" Sakura professionally asked.

"…"

"This bath has healing properties. It doesn't really help if you have your clothes on." She blushed and only hoped that Sasuke would think it was due to the warmth of the room.

"Hn."

He shrugged out of his loose black shirt and let it fall to the ground. Sakura went into the bathhouse to grab a few towels and to give him some privacy as he took off his lower garments. When she got back, Sasuke was already soaked up to his chest in soothing hot water and he was leaning on the rocks. She hiked up her kimono and kept it around her knee area by securing the fabric on buttons on the underside of the kimono. She did the same with her sleeves.

As she knelt down, Sakura quietly dipped one of the towels with the hot water and wrung it until only a tiny bit of water dripped. She gently wiped away the blood that dried on his face. With another wet towel, she then placed it over his eyes, so that the water could heal the damage done. Lightly, ever so lightly, Sakura placed two of her fingers of both hands on the towel just directly over his eyes. Letting her chakra flow into him, she just concentrated on fixing the damaged nerves in his eyes and nothing else.

--------------

Sasuke slid into the near-scalding hot water and leaned against the rocks. Tiny vibrations could be felt as Sakura made her way back to him. A warm towel was then on his face, lightly dabbing away at the blood stains. He liked being in her presence; it made him feel so calm and…perhaps content was the emotion for the way he was feeling. He started dozing off when he felt tiny touches and a towel cover his eyes. The touches fluttered hither here and there.

As she neared him to ease the numbness of his eyes, Sasuke lightly breathed in her scent and almost stopped breathing. She smelled so sweet, just like cherry blossoms but even better. How could he let her know that the small weakness he had was just her? She was capable of protecting herself and others, but what would she think if he told her that he might like her even a little. After hearing the story she's told her maids, it's apparent he's changed a lot as much as she has. Such matters of like and love confused him. It was just too complicated for him to comprehend.

--------------

Sakura quietly left after she was done healing his eyes. It didn't make sense how his eyes would have suddenly bled again without him having done anything rash. Something honestly needs to be done about his Mangekyou. When she reached her room, she found an unconscious Reina still lying on her bed. Heaving a sigh, she lifted Reina from her bed and returned her to her own room. Her left cheek stung as she walked, and she wistfully thought of the snow that covered the entire country and the ice that would bring down the swelling.


She locked and barred the door of her room and fell asleep on her bed after she pulled the duvet covers up to cover almost her entire head. Finally, sleep is an option in this never-ending cycle of helping others.

The next day appeared much too soon and the maids could be seen whispering to each other more than usual. Apparently Reina would not leave her room and only issued out her orders from there, while Izuki was too busy attending to things elsewhere that would 'benefit' the kingdom. Which leaves Sakura to do whatever she pleases with whomever she wants.

A knock on the door alerted someone's presence to a still drowsy Sakura. Tenderly holding her left cheek, she unbarred the door and opened it, only to reveal Izuki. Upon seeing him, she immediately slammed the door back in place and barred it once again. She didn't need to have her day spoiled so early in the morning. She'd rather wrestle alligators than have to go through with this crazy man.

His voice penetrated the thick wooden door. "Sakura, won't you listen to my reasoning?"

"No, because you're here while you should be consoling your wife. I will listen after everything's over. Leave."

Footsteps went faint as he walked away. She grabbed whatever kimono she could find in her vast wardrobe and routinely put it on. Another knock on the door after five minutes almost drove her nuts. Her head ached; did she mention her cheek did too?

She wanted to yell at the person on the other side of the door, but once again, stupid royalty complex. "I'm not feeling very well, what is it that you need?"

"Sakura-hime?" Keiru's petit voice resonated through the heavy wooden door.

Sakura opened the door to let Keiru in. The moment Keiru saw her, she almost dropped the basin of water she was holding, and Sakura had to nimbly catch it before it clattered onto the floor and splashed water onto the floorboards.

"How bad is it?" Sakura winced; her voice sounded a bit muffled every time she tried to talk.

Keiru led Sakura to her bureau mirror and she could hardly be surprised at the colour and welt that it brought up.

"Who–" Keiru started.

"It's not important. I'll heal it right away."

With her hand, Sakura gently channelled chakra into the big bruise and mended all the blood vessels. Seconds later, the skin was unmarred and pale as before she was struck by Reina.

"I never knew you were a medic kunoichi!"

A third knock on the door alerted the two of another's presence. Yuuki's voice floated through the door.

"Sakura-hime, the tailors have arrived for next week's ball. Please be ready in fifteen minutes, for she will be taking your measurements."

"Oh, okay. Thank you."

Sakura waited until Yuuki's footsteps too, drifted away. Turning to Keiru, Sakura sighed before she started her little statement.

"My being a medic kunoichi does not interfere with anyone's business in this country. I'm helping people under the table, because I believe it is better than showing people of this country of what I am capable of doing."

"But why–?"

"Because I don't belong here is the reason why." Sakura simply answered as she walked out the door.


"What colour do you want your dress to be, hime?" The dressmaker asked.

"It doesn't matter. Any colour will do."

"Green, white, or red?" she insisted.

"Are you finished with my measurements?"

"Yes, but–"

"Then I am leaving."

"But Hime! We are not finished here!"

"The dress design is already confirmed along with my sizes, what else is there to do?" Sakura nearly sighed.

"The colour, Sakura-hime! We cannot fit you into a dress that makes you distasteful!"

"White. I'll take my leave now."

"Erm, okay. I'll send the dress to you a day in advance, so if you want to make any changes, there will still be time. See you then!"

"Yeah, hopefully never." Sakura muttered under her breath.

From the tailor room, she strolled around the castle and began to reminisce the memories she had shared with her twin brother. Before she knew it, her walking brought her to Takato's grave outside of the castle. The royal graveyard was powdered with a light dusting of snow and it brought on a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Kneeling down in front of her brother's grave, Sakura sadly looked at it as she lightly traced Takato's name on the tombstone.

"Hey, nii-chan. What would you say to me if you saw the me now? Would you say that I'm still the same as ever, or so different that you can't even recognize me?"

"You're still the same, Sakura." Izuki startled her as he approached.

She quickly stood up and backed away from him. "What do you think you're doing here. No one's allowed in this section of the graveyard except for me and the ones who I allow to be here."

"I had to find you – to give you an explanation."

"I don't need any explanations. The only explanation you need to give is to Reina!" Sakura seethed.

"I already decided that I would annul our marriage."

She could not believe what was happening. The ex-lord chamberlain's son was talking about a marriage annulment with the Queen and Ruler of the Country of Light? Something must be wrong with his brain. All he would gain would be heated looks from the villagers and he would be labelled as a man whore if he flocked to her next, not that it's bad, but it's just not good for the family name and she herself.

"Are you insane…?" Sakura whispered.

"I can't let you go once you've come back. I've waited for you for so many years. I just can't when you're so close." Izuki pressingly said.

"Izuki! Don't you understand?! I never loved or even looked at you that way!"

"Then can't you start now?!"

"No."

"…"

"Why should I love you that way, when you didn't even do anything to protect the person I loved most? Why should I, when you didn't even see me for the person who I really was back then? Why should I, when you helped Reina restrain me from embracing my dead brother for the last time? Why would I love such an ice-cold and unethical man?!" Sakura threw at him.

"But I love you…I know how your personality is and how to make you happy." Izuki persisted.

"You don't know anything." A voice came from behind both of them.

Izuki stiffened at Sasuke's tone and turned around to face him. "I don't see how this is any of your business. You are not permitted on these grounds, leave immediately."

"Reina requests a meeting with you. I was told you would be here, and you are indeed. You are to see her now." Sasuke nonchalantly said.

"Sakur–" Izuki began.

"Sakura. Ikugou." Sasuke ordered. (A/N: Let's go.)

"You can't d–"

Sakura quickly caught onto what Sasuke was trying to do. His eyes must be hurting him again for him to do something such as saving her from the clutches of this ballistic man. Nimbly appearing at Sasuke's side, Sakura made to leave with him, before a tight grip on her wrist stopped her.

"You are not leaving until I am finished talking with you." Izuki said through gritted teeth.

The next few seconds went by in a flash. Sasuke grabbed Izuki's arm and jerked on it as a small and muffled "pop" sound could be heard. A grunt of anguish escaped Izuki's lips and alerted Sakura that his arm was dislocated. Sasuke looked down at Izuki with a look of disgust.

"Repulsive. She won't ever love men like you who only dote on beauty. Her personality is completely different than what you think. I can see your thoughts and they are far from the person she really is." Sasuke loathed.

He spun on his heels and walked out of the garden with Sakura beside him. Izuki was crouched over in front of Takato's grave holding his dislocated arm. Once they were back in the castle, Sakura shook off the snow that clung to her pale green kimono and made sure her slippers were dry as well before she tramped further in. As they made their way down the same hallway to their separate rooms, Sakura sensed that Sasuke's chakra was stronger than it had been yesterday. Maybe the onsen really did help.

"What were you doing outside? Did Reina really summon him?" She pried.

"None of your business."

"You know, faking someone's orders is a serious offense." Sakura lightly added.

"Hn."

They arrived at her door and Sasuke merely gave her a glance as he continued on his way. Sakura longingly looked at his retreating back before she asked him a question within the echo-y corridor.

"Sasuke, you came to me for your K.G., didn't you?" (A/N: The maids are supposed to be stupid, so they won't know what K.G. stands for. But, we are smart! We all know it stands for kekkei genkai, right?)

"…"

"You're free to go in whenever you like."


She walked into the onsen a few hours later, only to find it already preoccupied by someone with dark midnight hair. Carefully tiptoeing, she neared the water until she could see Sasuke's chest rising up and down habitually as a sign that he was sleeping. Whispering his name several times with no response or shift in his chakra whatsoever, Sakura took off her kimono and slipped into the bath silently and stirred not even a ripple.

Sakura laid her hands over Sasuke's eyes again as she neared him. It would be best if he didn't know of the treatment, because he would surely not agree to be helped directly by her. Their bodies were so close, and the lust was clearly there from her to him, but could there possible be love between them one day? It just seems too unrealistic and fantasy-like.

On the other hand, even though she managed to get his eyes in healthier conditions, the fact that his eyesight will leave him soon regardless worries her so. Even her healing abilities won't be able to help the permanent damage. Well, it may not be permanent, but the fact that if he uses his Sharingan repeatedly before it's fully healed, then it won't heal at all. There's only one way, but is she willing to do such a thing?

-----------

She was so close to him this time that it almost stifled him. Her arm had accidently brushed against his shoulder as her hands went up to his eyes. The skin was so soft and smooth that he longed to run his lips over it. Sasuke knows that Sakura doesn't know he's actually not asleep. He only pretends to be, so that his dignity would not be in jeopardy if he so willingly lets Sakura help him. If it wasn't for his deteriorating vision, he would refuse this treatment altogether.

The way she handled him seemed much more than how she would a patient. The lingering but yet fleeting touches left Sasuke wondering if she still loved him that way. The story alone that she gave to her maids already made him feel slightly hollow, the first time he'd ever felt emotions after he left Konoha was that time. His life was wasted on a sole mission that had no meaning at all. To state it bluntly, he was just a cold-blooded murderer who killed his best friend and brother.

He would have usually fisted his hands by now and bled red from his eyes, but if he did so, Sakura would immediately stop and flee. Hence, the session where he could somewhat happily enjoy the presence of his pink-haired teammate would come to an end.


"Sakura-hime! Your dress has arrived!" Yuuki gleefully yelled through her door.

Sakura groaned. It was still too 'early' in the morning to do anything. The sun rose four hours ago and she had only gotten into bed perhaps five hours earlier. Five hours are a lot for a kunoichi, but the many healing sessions she has had with Sasuke tires her more easily than training. Speaking of which, she finally figured out how to heal Sasuke's eyes so he wouldn't go semi or even permanently blind. She can only hope that it will work.

The tailor from a few days ago barged into her room with a simple 'Sorry' and Yuuki and Keiru immediately pulled her out of bed. Her hair was then quickly combed through and her breakfast given to her before her makeup – barely any – was done. With a hot curling iron, her hair was then twisted into elegant curls, then tied into a low ponytail and then slung over her right shoulder. Her bangs were then quickly trimmed into a side sweep that made her appear more stunning and beautiful than before.

As the dress was taken out of its protective bag, her jaw almost dropped. But her opinion about it changed, when the corset was being fitted and tied.


Review, my beloved readers! No updates till 35 reviews! Thanks so much for your support thus far. :)

- Kanryu out 08/10/09