Author's Note: Took too long again. Sorry about this, guys! I'm really busy with college and all. But, as promised, Chapter 5 is here. Comments and suggestions are still highly appreciated. I don't know when I can upload Chapter 6. I'm really concentrating on the upcoming exams. I'll add the chapter as soon as I finish it. Well... Enjoy! _flyntorres_
_NARUSAKU_
Chapter 5
(Normal POV)
"Sakura. Honey?" Haruno Yuuki peeped inside the bedroom of her still slumbering daughter. The curtains were drawn, blocking the light that was now shining brightly outside. She approached Sakura's bed. "Wake up, dear. You're going to be late for school."
The younger pink-haired female shifted as her mother's voice slowly woke her up. Then rays of the sun entered suddenly through her window, glaring at her fiercely. "Five more minutes." She pulled her white blanket over her head.
"Get up now, young lady. Naruto's already here." At the mention of the boy's name, Sakura's green eyes opened in surprise. The dreams she had that took away a much deserved rest this couple of nights reappeared in her mind so vividly... All of them concerning her last encounter with the blond. "Sweet boy, isn't he?" Yuuki added, smiling approvingly.
"Ha! That's what you think." But Sakura kept that to herself as she got up, stretching her sore muscles. "Give me a few minutes, Mom. I'll be right down." She reassured her mother while she strutted towards the bathroom.
"Alright then." The older woman went out the mahogany door which was left ajar earlier. "Be sure to go to the kitchen for breakfast, dear." She reminded her daughter before completely swinging the door close behind her.
_NARUSAKU_
The elegant and clean kitchen of the Haruno's was filled with loud chatter and laughter when Sakura casually walked in. Her parents were in one side of their island counter while the other was occupied by their visitor this morning. When she eventually caught the attention of those people, blue met green. Sakura immediately grew self-conscious because those were the very same eyes that stared at her so intimately at the storage room of the school.
"Good morning, Sakura!" Jinno greeted. "Come eat." The breadwinner of the family gestured to his only child to take a seat on one of the metal stools beside Naruto.
The girl smiled at her father before complying to his request. She tried her best to avoid contact with the one next to her as she gingerly sat down, fixing her school skirt in the process. Aside from the occassional questions that the adults would pop out for either one of the teenagers and the clanging of their utensils, the room was basked in silence as they ate.
Then a tiny ringing sound resonated around the kitchen. It came from the wristwatch worn by the Uzumaki boy. He pressed a button that made it stop. "We better be heading off now."
Sakura took one last bite of her toast before chugging down what remained of her orange juice. She jogged towards her parents' side, placing a kiss on their cheeks. "See you later!" A pink Prada bag was handed to her by one of the maids.
"Thank you for the meal, Aunt Yuuki! It was certainly delicious." Naruto was already standing at the door, pulling it open for Sakura.
"You're welcome, dear!" Yuuki smiled brightly at the compliment. "Take care, both of you. Behave yourselves!"
Their daughter muttered a quick 'yes' before running out the kitchen door. The blond waved goodbye then followed Sakura to the front porch where his car was waiting. He saw that the pink-haired girl had already let herself in the vehicle when he stepped out the Haruno mansion. Inhaling a large amount of air, Naruto also made his way to the driver's side. The interior of the blond's Ferrari had an obvious tensed atmosphere when he started working its mechanics. Out of the corner of his eye, Sakura was playing with her I.D. cord.
Naruto cleared his throat as the car lurched forward. "I want to tell you something about the storage room, Sakura-chan..."
"I don't want to talk about it." It was a good thing that Naruto had his gaze fixed on the road. He can't see the color that brightened the girl's features.
"But, I f-"
"Please." Sakura pleaded, stealing the his chance of finishing his sentence.
The cerulean-eyed male just sighed softly as he turned the steering wheel to the right. He expertly maneuvered the car pass the more ordinary ones even though his mind was preoccupied by his companion. They never did talk until they arrived at the school.
But by then, they had to put on their show again.
_NARUSAKU_
Ino made a sound similar to a growl. She had her delicate eyebrows set in a furrow while she continued to glare at a certain guy. "If I had known he can be this lazy, I wouldn't have allowed Sakura to exchange seats with him!" She berated herself.
"Shikamaru," The girl said his name like a curse. "At least give me a little bit of your effort in this." As a rule in their math class, they had to pair off with the one next to them in their respective columns. Originally, Ino had Sakura as her partner. But after the 'big' swap, she's stuck with this bum.
The boy, who had his dark hair put up in a high ponytail, frowned. "We both know your smart. You can figure that out by yourself."
Ino was close to losing her cool. "I know that you don't know that I hate math. So help me out here. I don't even know what equation to use." A piece of intermediate paper was on her arm rest, a single algebraic problem written on it.
Unexpectedly, Shikamaru stood up to lean over his partner's form. He snatched the paper from under her palms and began scribbling a solution. "All you have to do is find the value of x using y. Use the substitution method."
While he was busy with the task on hand, Ino was having trouble concentrating on what the Shikamaru is trying to elaborate to her. But, to her defense, she couldn't really help it! His smell was distracting: A mix of soap and mild men's perfume.
She sniffed.
"Are you listening to this?" Shikamaru glanced curiously at the her.
"Uh..." Ino focused on their seatwork. It already has an answer. "Of course!" She acted as normal as possible.
He lingered his critical gaze on her for a bit longer before going back to his seat. "Troublesome woman." He muttered under his breath.
The girl, who hadn't heard what was said, studied the solution Shikamaru had given. "He is smart like they say he is." She pondered.
All the while, at the very back of the class, Ino's bestfriend is experiencing a quite uneventful first period.
Sakura was quiet today, twirling a pencil between her fingers unconsciously while working on their own math problem. What was strange though was that she and her boyfriend weren't discussing about it. They weren't even bickering like they usually do whenever they would have an activity or something. It were as if they were pretending the other wasn't there...
_NARUSAKU_
A-1 is scheduled to use the auditorium for this day's meeting in Science. The group was to go there right after their English subject with Yuhi Kurenai. Some of them were interacting animatedly when Asuma entered the large circular room with a folder tucked under his arm. "Good afternoon, class! You're projects are due two weeks from now. I expect all of you to comply with this requirement. Remember... This is 30% of your total grade." He sat down of the table up front.
One by one, the leaders presented to the class what they decided to work on. And then, the teacher called on a certain pink-haired girl. "Ah, Sakura! I checked on the storage room this morning and let me tell you i-"
"I know, Asuma-sensei." Sakura cut off. "Something came up so I never got to completing my punishment. I'm really sorry! Just... Give me another task to compensate for that one."
The man's mouth was slightly ajar as he listened to his student's rambling. "What are you talking about, Ms. Haruno?" He asked a moment later. "The room is clean. I almost didn't recognize its inside today!"
"But, I-" It was now the girl's turn to look confused.
"Don't tell me you made another person do it...?" Asuma frowned.
"That's not true, sensei." Someone spoke from among the audience. "I was there the whole time Sakura was cleaning. I even offered my help. But she refused. After that, I almost just carried her to the car."
All eyes were casted towards the one who defended Sakura. "If what you said is true, Naruto..." Their teacher had a thoughtful look on while he pulled on his beard. "Then I guess that explains Ms. Haruno's forgetfulness today." A few snickered. "Alright! You can proceed with your presentation, Sakura."
As the other students' attentions were diverted to the center of the vicinity, they failed to notice the secret exchange of glances between the couple.
_NARUSAKU_
"Thanks for sticking out for me back there." Sakura whispered shyly to Naruto who was walking with her in the hallway leading to the main exit of the building.
The boy smiled at her. "It was nothing." He suddenly grasp Sakura's hand that it surprised her. "But we could've avoided the trouble of something like that if you had let me talk in the car this morning." Naruto chuckled.
The girl's emerald eyes widened. "That was what you wanted to tell me?" She said it a little louder than what she intended that it caught the attention of the people around her. She realized her mistake at once so she lowered her voice. "I thought you were going to talk about the other thing..." A bright blush accompanied that statement.
With just one look, the blond got what she was insinuating. "So it really did bother you, huh?" Sakura nodded a few times. "We'll pretend it never happened. Okay?"
She gave him a pretty smile. "Thank you, Naruto."
When they reached their ride, the Naruto's phone rang. He paused from unlocking the door to answer it. "Hello?" Another male voice was on the other line. "Uncle Jinno!" Naruto glanced at Sakura who was also staring at him, both were curious as to why the her father called. "Is something the matter?" After a moment, the blond's forehead creased. "Yes, sir." He then hung up.
Naruto opened the door and slid inside, the girl followed suite. "What did Dad tell you?"
It took just one turn of his key to ignite the engine of the luxurious car. The boy didn't answer right away as he pulled out of his parking slot. "He just wanted me to see him in his office."
"Oh?" Sakura was buckling her seatbelt. "So you're spending dinner at my place?"
There were no other cars on the smooth driveway so Naruto was free to speed up. "No. I'm just going to drop you off."
"Huh? I thought you're going to see my father...?" The pink-haired girl furrowed her eyebrows as she lingered her gaze on the blond.
"I am." He made his Ferrari go faster as he overtook another vehicle. "Uncle Jinno is still at your company's office. He told me." His cerulean orbs looked at Sakura from the side.
The girl now had a faraway look on, obviously analyzing something inside her head. "Why would he want to talk to you there?"
A shrug was the only answer she received from her companion. And then after, they just sat there in silence until they got to the Haruno residence. A male servant was the one to open the cherry red door for her.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura-chan!" It was the last thing the girl heard from Naruto before she was completely out the slick black interior of his car.
_NARUSAKU_
"That bastard!" A loud clunk was heard when a ball collided with a baseball bat.
Ino sighed as her bestfriend motioned her to pitch another. They have been at it since the time Anko, their instructor in Physical Education class, left them to go to the school clinic so she can get a wound she got checked. Well, apparently, Sakura is pissed at someone...
To be exact, at her boyfriend.
Naruto couldn't pick up the pink-haired girl this morning. And when he finally called to tell her that, Sakura didn't have that much to arrive in class on time. Long story turned short, she was late.
"Maybe something came up, Forehead! I mean... He did tell you he'd see you this morning, didn't he?" The periwinkle-eyed Yamanaka reasoned out to a beyond furious Sakura as the former threw another ball at the latter.
"He did!" Sakura swung the bat again, perfectly hitting the object. It was a home run. "What's enraging is that he decided to call at the very last minute! And one more thing," She pointed the sports equipment she had in hand to a group of guys playing soccer on the field, "Naruto is not here today. I thought I could pummel him for ditching me."
Ino grabbed Sakura's shoulder to at least calm the girl. "Relax, Forehead. You can kill him tomorrow. I'll help." She smiled wickedly.
The Haruno heiress laughed as they joined their classmates on the bleachers. "Fine, Pig."
_NARUSAKU_
"Gaara!" A red-haired boy jolted on the sofa where he was contently napping when an all too familiar voice woke him up.
"Damn it!" The frustration showed on his face. "How many times do I have to tell you, Naruto? Don't just enter on your own accord, especially when I'm in the middle of a nap!" He bellowed as he got up.
The blond scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I just needed to ask you for something."
He got a glare from the youngest and most promising child of a leading architect in the world. "This better be good, Uzumaki, or you'll never get out of here all in one piece." And after observing what the intruder is wearing, Gaara let out a breath. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"
Naruto was in a red cotton drill shorts, worn with a basic cream T-shirt and a fine knit cream cardigan jacket with red stripes and buttons. "Well, you're not at school, too. I don't see why I can't be..."
"This is where I study, idiot." The red-haired boy in a maroon V-neck shirt and white border shorts didn't like to be surrounded by too many people. His father then resorted to hiring a private tutor for all his kids.
"Oh, right..." The cerulean-eyed boy stated, finally remembering. "I just didn't feel like going at all. I'll just be unfocused." He paced back and fort in front of Gaara. The other teen was now behind his desk. "Anyways, that's why I'm here. I need your help."
"I can't. My schedule is full for this week." Gaara just shrugged, feeling bored by the minute.
The blond groaned as he slumped down on one of the sofas. "C'mon! Just lend me a hand here." He asked desperately.
The red-haired boy sat up straighter. "Why me? You can ask somebody else out there. How about your girlfriend?"
"I can't do that. She's the reason why I'm here in the first place." Naruto ran a hand through his bright locks. "And I can't just ask anybody else! You're the only one, besides my family and hers, who actually knows the truth about this situation."
Gaara sighed. "What do you need to do anyway that got you this riled up?"
"It was Uncle Jinno and Dad's idea. They said it was the best way to capture the media's attention. I don't know what to do or where to even begin wi-" Naruto's nonsense was put to an end when his friend signaled to him.
"Wait! I do not get it. What is this idea?"
The worried boy took a deep breath and started explaining things slower and clearer. "A real marriage proposal." His tired blue orbs bore into the red-haired's mint green ones. "If I do it when and where other people can watch, my relationship with Sakura would finally be exposed to the public. The media will surely swarm us like bees... The 'News of the Decade' according to my father. And then the possibility of a merging between the companies would not be far from their considerations."
Gaara was now taking in everything that the blond had said. "It's a good plan. What's the problem with it?" When you think about it, all the other aspects that the two families should deal with will fall into place after this proposal.
"The problem with it is that I should make it look like it's... real!" Naruto shouted almost hysterically.
"How is that a problem? She's your friend. The closest even!" The red-haired boy looked like he was about ready to put some sense back into the one he was having a conversation with.
The blond closed his eyes as he allowed himself to lean his head on the sofa. "Gaara, I've only began speaking to Sakura-chan again this year. We've been on bad terms for several years."
"That's because you distanced yourself from the world! Ever since your mother died, you-"
Gaara stopped when the blond suddenly stood up and stalked towards him angrily. "You want me to be happy about it?" Naruto bellowed. "The spotlight they put her in killed her! She wouldn't have left home and those bastards who recognized her wouldn't have thought of murdering her if she was allowed a life of a normal person!" He slammed a hand on the table but the other boy remained unfazed. "The world is the reason why I can't be with my mother right now."
"Sakura's not the whole world, you know. You can let her come into your life again. Try that." The red-haired boy suggested.
Naruto was motionless for a moment, contemplating what was said. "I guess I could." His body lost all the tension it garnered from the heated discussion. "Will you help me now?"
Gaara let out a breath. "Do I have a choice?"
The blond grinned. "Not much."
"Then what do you want me to do?" The Gaara watched Naruto take a seat once more, waiting for his response.
The blond made eye contact with Gaara, smiling deviously. "Call all the electronic billboard operators in the city."
End of Chapter 5. Thanks for reading!