Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
It had been a month since Sakura had seen Sasuke when Ino pulled out the first edition hardcover and started reading it.
Sakura glanced at the book, "What's that?"
Ino looked at her and gasped, "Oh my god! You haven't read it yet?"
"No," Sakura answered flatly.
They were at Ino's flat. It was meant to be a girl's night out but Ino was so entranced with her new book that they hadn't even left yet. Sakura was all dressed, unlike last time, she looked her best. She wanted to leave. She wanted to dance with strangers and drink far too much wine.
"You're usually not much of a reader," Sakura stated.
"I know! But I swear this book changed my life!" Ino exclaimed.
Sakura rolled her eyes, "What's it about?"
"It's about this boy… and this girl and these things happened and then this-,"
"Let me just read the blurb," Sakura interrupted and took the book from her friend. She flipped it over and read the back. She smirked when she finished,
"Sounds cute."
"It is. It's breaking my heart, Sakura! My heart!"
Sakura rolled her eyes, "It can't be that amazing. It's just the new fad. It'll go away."
"Don't say that until you actually read it," Ino said.
Sakura sighed, "Who wrote it."
"This guy called S. Uchiha."
Sakura choked on air. Ino looked at Sakura like she had gone insane until she realised that Sakura wasn't stopping any time soon. Ino put down her drink and pounded her friend on the back until she took in a huge, shaking breath.
"Sakura, are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine," Sakura stuttered and grabbed the book again. She could see it now, the small inscribing of his name on the cover, just below the title.
"It's a stupid title," Sakura snapped.
"What? Cherry Blossoms? No, you see, it makes sense if you read it"
Sakura rolled her eyes and opened the book. There was a picture of Sasuke on the back cover and it made her heart drop into her stomach when she saw this 2D representation of the real thing. Instinctively, her fingertip's brushed his frozen face.
"He's quite handsome, isn't he? And young too," Ino remarked.
"Yes, he's beautiful," Sakrura muttered.
Ino snorted, "Beautiful? Men aren't beautiful."
"He is."
Ino rolled her eyes, "Seems just like you. To fall in love with an idea."
Sakura closed the book with a snap, "Maybe I should just go home."
"No! We'll go out now." Ino exclaimed.
Sakura twirled the book in her hands, "Can I borrow this? After you're done, I mean?"
"Sure," Ino shrugged, "I'll give it to you when I'm finished."
Sakura nodded and stood up. The book fell from her hands and on to the floor.
"Sorry," Sakura said as she picked it, only to catch a glimpse of her own name. She frowned and opened the book again. This time to the title page where she saw the words:
For Sakura.
"Oh god," She muttered.
"What?" Ino said eagerly and peered over her shoulder to what Sakura was looking at.
"Wow. That's a coincidence."
Sakura threw the book with all her might at the wall, "That fucking bastard!"
"Sakura! What the hell!"
"I can't believe him! Why would he do that?" Sakura screamed like she was in pain.
"It's just a coincidence! Calm down!"
"This isn't fair! I haven't seen him in a month and he's still here!" Sakura screamed. She felt sick. She felt out of control of weak.
"What are you talking about?" Ino yelled.
"I don't think I can go out tonight, Ino," Sakura said, her voice was now small.
"Sakura, what's wrong?"
Sakura looked at her friend then said, "I'm so sorry I freaked out."
"It's okay. Just tell me what's wrong."
Sakura shook her head, "It's like he's gone but he's still here. I-I need to go home."
Ino watched her friend leave, unsure what she should say. Sakura hurried home and sat down heavily by the phone. She stared at it for a while as if she was willing it to ring then she picked up the receiver and dialled his number.
She listened to the dial tone and just before she could lose her nerve and hang up a voice answered,
"Hello?"
There was silence as she breathed then she said,
"Sasuke?"
"Sakura?" he asked. Sakura could almost see his expression through the phone.
"Yeah… I just wanted to…" She trailed off. Why was she calling?
"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked.
"Of course I'm okay," Sakura smiled.
"Okay."
"I'm sorry, Sasuke, I shouldn't have called."
There was silence then he said,
"No. I'm glad you called."
"I was afraid of that,"
Silence.
"Can I come over?" He said suddenly.
"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Sakura asked.
"No," Sasuke muttered slowly.
Silence.
"I just wanted to say I saw your book," Sakura said suddenly.
"Hn."
"I haven't read it yet. I will… soon,"
"I don't want you to," He snapped.
Sakura sighed, "Then I won't."
"Okay."
Silence.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Sakura said suddenly.
"Why?"
Sakura bit her lip, "I don't know," She admitted.
"Sakura, please just say what you want to say."
"You dedicated it to me,"
Silence.
"Of course I did," Sasuke said.
"Why?"
"It… It seemed to fit." He said.
"Oh?"
"Yes."
"Goodbye, Sasuke." Sakura said sadly, "I'm sorry I called."
"It's okay. I'm glad you did. Maybe… maybe later we can get together and talk more? Face to face?"
"Do you really think that would be a good idea, Sasuke?" Sakura asked.
"No," He sighed, "Goodbye, Sakura."
"Bye," She said biting her lip then hung up.
Sasuke was outside a television studio when he got Sakura's call. He stood there, leaning against the wall, as he spoke to her. When she hung up, he held the phone to his ear as if he was hoping for her voice to return to it. He closed his eyes.
"Sasuke?"
When he heard Kakashi voice he opened his eyes and looked at the older man.
"They're waiting for you."
"Hn."
"Try to answer the interviewers questions with a little more words," Kakashi said as he led Sasuke inside.
"Hn," Sasuke grunted and Kakashi sighed in exasperation.
In less than half an hour, Sasuke found himself on live television in front of the perfectly prim talk show host.
'Are you nervous?" Asked the talk show host.
Sasuke shook his head but it didn't seem like the talk show host had even noticed.
"Just relax. I've done this a million time."
A camera man spoke, "And we're rolling in three… two… one,"
"Hello! And welcome to the show! Today we have a very exciting guest. Sasuke Uchiha! The author of the instant best-seller, Cherry Blossoms! How are you, Sasuke?"
"Fine," Sasuke answered flatly
Off-stage, Kakashi rolled his eyes.
Sakura sat on the couch and, without anything better to do, she turned on the television. She was immediately shocked to see Sasuke's face.
She groaned, "Do you have to be everywhere?"
She was about to change the channel when the talk show asked,
"So, your book has received tremendous praise but there is also a shroud of mystery. You haven't published a word in three years and to come back with such an explosion is something of a miracle so I must ask, what possessed to write a book of this magnitude?"
Sakura could tell, just from Sasuke's concealed expression, that he was getting irritated with the whole show. She watched as Sasuke and said,
"I found a muse."
Sakura eyes widened, "No. Sasuke, please."
"A muse?" said the talk show host.
"Yes."
By this time Sakura had stood up and she was glaring at the television screen.
"No Sasuke. Don't you dare."
"Is your muse the mysterious 'Sakura' to which the book is dedicated to?" Asked the television host.
"Yes," Sasuke said and there was a long 'oooo' from the audience.
"Well, this is interesting," The talk host smiled, probably thinking about all the ratings he was going to get from this.
"Stop it, Sasuke, stop it." Sakura said as if he could hear her through the television screen.
"And where is your Sakura now?" asked the talk show host.
Sasuke looked up at the camera and for a split second, it looked like he was looking straight at her before he looked down and said,
"She doesn't exist anymore."
Sakura gasped. She stood still, staring at Sasuke through the television.
"What do you mean, Sasuke?"asked the talk show host, watching his ratings rise before his eyes.
"She's gone and I'll never get her back."
Sakura wanted to yell at him. She wanted to tell him that they wouldn't understand what he meant, they would never understand him the way she did.
"Did she die?"
"No! She didn't die, you idiot! She's just doesn't exist for me anymore!" Sasuke yelled.
There was silence, even from the audience, until the talk show cracked on of his perfectly false smiles and said, "The plot thickens…"
Then he turned to the camera and said, "And if Sakura would please step forward, I'd very much like to meet her…"
Then they suddenly cut to commercial break and showed some animated character trying to sell poison to children. Sakura sat down heavily on the chair and closed her eyes.
After a while, she fell asleep.
From then, everywhere she went, whenever someone found out her name, they asked her if she was the Sakura. Soon, she started avoiding giving out her name unless she absolutely had to. Ino was delighted, of course, and told everyone she could that she was indeed the Sakura. No matter how much she tried, Ino could not get the whole story out of Sakura. The only person who knew all of it was a lowly drug dealer who hadn't bothered to read the book.
One day, she was getting her post when she noticed an expensive looking envelop. She opened it up and read that it was an invitation so some major award ceremony for writers. She was wondering why on earth she was invited until the penny dropped.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" She screamed, making her elderly next door neighbour stare disapprovingly. Sakura ignored her and scrunched up the invitation and threw it in the bin. She walked three feet before a tiny voice in her head said: Sasuke will be there.
She battled with herself mentally for three whole minutes before surrendering to her destructive desires and diving in the dustbin to retrieve it. Her neighbour saw her and glared at her scornfully. Sakura blushed and ducked into the apartment.
She looked at the envelop and shook her head, "What am I doing to myself?"
(A/N): okay, I know not much happened in the phone call between Sasuke and Sakura but I just wanted to show how they can't stay apart but can't get together. Also, Sasuke and Sakura are in their early twenties or so. I think there's about two-three chapters left. Please review and stuff.