The Perfect Princess
summary- "Sasuke, you have seven days to find a bride, or you lose the crown." Well, this was gonna be a royal pain in the ass.
disclaimer- dewn't ewn.
notes- OHEMGEE DID YOU GUYS LIKE MY HALLOWEEN STORY? lol I hope some of you read it, cause I liked writing it! :3 Anyways, I apologize for the lateness (as usual) but I'm glad you're beack for round 7! This is actually the halfway or so point of the story :O I know right! lol I hope you like!
The Perfect Princess
Chapter 7
6:30 p.m.
"That looks stupid, get the red one."
"Dude, should he wear new undies or just keep the ones he's got on? He might get lucky."
"Idiot, the girl's not that dumb."
"I can't believe she even said yes in the first place!"
"You wear those pants all the time Sasuke, wear these instead."
"Has anyone combed his hair?!"
"Okay, why does Sasuke smell like a girl?"
"Dammit! I told you guys to get the green bottle!"
"Green? I thought you said lean!"
"Lean is the one with the orchid scent! Great, now he smells like my aunt!"
"You say that as if smelling like my mother is a bad thing."
"If you're a girl, great! Despite our debates, Sasuke's a guy!"
"I still can't believe she said-"
"ENOUGH!" exploded Sasuke. He pushed his friends away, tearing whatever buttons and bows had been so carefully arranged about his body. His date wasn't until eight, but Itachi, Shisui, and Naruto refused to leave him alone! For over half an hour, they'd primped, bathed, fluffed, brushed, buttoned, zipped, pulled and chattered until Sasuke had decidedly had enough.
"I'm tired of this! You make me want to punch each and every one of you in the throat! I can do this myself!"
The three males stared at him blankly. Really, they'd just been trying to help, but the proud idiot wouldn't accept it. Lord knew that this was, in fact, Sasuke's first date and that he needed help in order to make a good impression on the girl that might just save him the crown.
"Sorry, teme," Naruto lamented. He directed his sapphires to the floor, before peering up at his friend shamefully. "We wanna help you, that's all. You really need to be good on this date, 'cause you've really screwed up every other time with Sakura-chan."
Sasuke buffered. "Sakura-chan? Since when did you become friendly enough to call her Sakura-chan?"
"I don't know, maybe in the ten mintes you were out cold." shrugged Naruto. He walked to Sasuke's closet, pulling out a navy blue sleeveless shirt like the one the prince was wearing earlier, only cut much higher, and a red scarf. The blonde also picked up a pair of black pants that came halfway down his shin, cinched at the opening. "Here. Your mom actually told me what you should wear, but once Itachi and Shisui got to you, it was too fun to stop."
Snatching the clothes from his hands, Sasuke headed for the door of his room. With all these idiots in his room, he dure as hell wasn't going to change in there.
"Oh, and Shisui? I'm not gonna change my underwear."
7:45 p.m.
"Remember not to talk too much!" shouted Naruto, cupping his hands around his mouth.
Shisui waved him off. "Don't put your foot in your mouth!"
"Pay the bill!" Itachi added.
"Get dessert!"
"Ask about her!"
"Drinks!"
"AND GOOD LUCK!" the three boys added in unison.
Sasuke shook his head. He had to admit, his friends were pretty great, albeit annoying. They did take the time to prepare him for the date, after all, and gave him tons of advice to get this gir to like, no strings attached.
Now if only he executed it properly. The Uchiha seriously hoped that his luck would be much better this time around; it wasn't as if he could make a third first impression. Sasuke's sandals clicked on the cobbled road, and the lights of the village came into his view.
He breathed in deeply, putting his hands into fists and relaxing them again in an attempt to slow down his heart rate. His walk wouldn't be much longer, an there wasn't really any detours hecould take. Besides, it would be rude to keep Sakura waiting too long.
Oishi Sushi
Sasuke groaned when he read the sign. He was prince, the son of one the most powerful rulers in the land of fire, the five great nations!
And he quivered at the thought of being alone with a girl for an hour.
Truth was, although the prince was one coveted by many, he had never showed any real interest in girls. Not lke that, mind you, but he just found them all so annoying. They clung to him, asking for autographs and whatnot, trying to plant kisses on his face, it was brutal. Sasuke decided to just wait for that one girl who just, you know, didn't do all those things.
Maybe that was her.
He took another deep breath, and opened the door.
Sakura waited patiently for her date. Earlier, after she punched hm in the face as payback for, well, everything, he'd asked her out to dinner. He said he was sorry for the things he had done, and even told her to pick the place.
How could she say no?
Before she even went home, Sakura just had to visit Tenten and tell her the news. The brunette seemed really excited up until the point when Sakura told her his name; Sasuke. As in Prince Sasuke. Prior to this, she had no idea what the prince looked like, sounded like, even acted like until Tenten herself said so, since she worked for him.
That's just pure dumb luck.
He was late. Given, Sakura actually came twenty minutes early, but as her stepfather constantly told her, being five minutes early still means you're late. Everytime she heard the little bell at the door chime, Sakura would look over, hoping that he was here. It was 7:56 already, and the worst thing she could imagine was being stood up on the first actual date of her life.
Sure, Sakura had had many boyfriends, but those never lasted more than a couple weeks becasue of her job, and they never actually took her anywhere, just some quick cheek kisses and a flower at the river or something. Besides, he even offered to pay.
The fourteenth time the little bell chimed, Sakura didn't even bother to look up. She might as well order some sake or something until he showed up.
"Excuse me-"
"Sakura-"
Green eyes fluttered in surprise. "Oh, Sasuke! Your-you're here!" she exclaimed. "I, um, well..." the pinkette blushed, twiddling her fingers nervously. She pulled out a chair for him, but he didn't sit down.
Instead, he smirked, going over to her side of the table, pushing her chair in and pulling it out again. "Please, allow me." he said , gesturing to the seat.
Sakura sat down, her sunny personality suddenly shyed by this person's, well, everything. He was inexplicably handsome, his dark hair perfectly messy, shading his dark eyes in a way that would make any girl melt. His arms were toned and a little tan, the shirt he was wearing hugged his chest and waist...
CHA! Girl, pull yourself together!
Have you seen him?
I'm not blind! You gotta play hard to get, girl! Look at you, all hot and dressed up tonight! Make him drool, not the other way around!
O-okay...
Now, it wasn't as though the pinkette herself didn't turn heads. Tenten had a few younger siblings, and was always doing their hair, so she offered to style Sakura's hair for the night. It was in two braids, a large white flower tucked behind her right ear, matching her lacy white dress. It was in a short kimono style, a minty green obi tied in a large bow in the back.
Sasuke sat down in front of Sakura. The restaurant was a sushi bar, a conveyor belt traveling around the entire room holding plates and plates of sushi, rolls, drinks and desserts. Not all the foods were included on the belt; foods like Sakura's favorite, anko dumplings, and certain alcoholic drinks along with their wide varieties of ramen. The cost of the meal(s) was decided on the color of the plate of food you chose, as they were each designated a price.
The prince grabbed some mochi balls, picking it apart with his fingers and popping a piece into his (perfect) mouth. "So, um, what do you...like?"
"Well, um, I like trivia games, and reading." responded Sakura as she drank her complementary water. A california roll eased by, sitting on a dollar-fifty blue plate, and she took it, immediately picking one up with her chopsticks and eating it. She swallowed before asking, "What about you? Favorite color? Food?"
"Red. My favorite food is my mother's onigiri with tomatoes."
"Wait, your mom cooks? I just thought she let the others cook while she, you know, was busy being queen." said Sakura.
The Uchiha shook his head. He ate another mochi ball. "She likes to; only lets Kotane cook on weekends and big events." he replied.
"I see." the pinkette gulped the last of her water. "My mom's a good cook. I like her anko dumplings the most. Oh! And her tuna rolls! But, the soup she makes...ugh! I have such a hard time deciding!"
Sasuke laughed, but only a little. He certainly couldn't be seen laughing like a maniac in public; it would ruin his reputation! "And your favorite color?"
"It's kind of a tie with pink and green. Which, if you think about it, would probably be a really ugly color."
The corners of Sasuke's mouth couldn't help but turn up into a smile. This girl was interesting, already she had made him laugh and smile? Only a select few could do that.
"Can I ask you a favor?" asked the raven haired teen.
Sakura nodded. "Sure."
"Well, I'd like it if we...started over. Pretend like the past two days didn't happen. Would you do that?"
"Of course!" smiled the Haruno. "Let's do that, right now.
"Hi there, I'm Sakura Haruno."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Sasuke Uchiha."
9:23 p.m.
plip. plip. plip. plipplipplipplipplipplipplip plip-
"Oh no! It's raining!" Sakura exclaimed, trying to shield her hair from the oncoming shower. "Ooooooh, my mother told me to bring an umbrella!"
Sasuke himself didn't mind the rain, he actually found it quite nice. It was August, and the dry season had settled rather uncomfortably. At least now with the late rains coming in, his mother would start growing tomatoes again. But, he didn't want to seem like a total jackass, so he took off his scarf, laying it over the green-eyed girl's head.
"There." he said.
Sakura tied the long ends into a bow under her chin, now forming some kind of cover for her braids and flower. "Thank you."
They walked to the pinkette's home in a comfortable silence, choosing instead to listen to the rain. The date had gone nicely. They learned many things about each other: Sasuke was something of a cat person, the last time Sakura had short hair she was seven, neither of them had good penmanship, and they both liked peppermint tea much better than green.
As soon as Saksuke realized he and Sakura had much in common, his fears were, well, gone. He actually felt extremely comfortable around her, it was almost like hanging out with his friends. The prince had made jokes and smiled, and even complemented Sakura on her eyes.
"Here we are." stated Sakura, standing in front oof her door. "Thank you, again, for the scarf and dinner and just," she shrugged. "thank you."
Sasuke smirked. "You weren't too bad. Do you want to, maybe, erm..." He scratched the back of his head nervously. It was harder asking her out the second time, since they were on good terms now. Why, he didn't know. In fact, it should've been much easier, but now that he actually knew her and maybe even liked her a little, his heart fluttered.
Tomorrow! Just say tomorrow!
"T-tomorrow?"
You hear that smack? That was me facepalming at your akwardness. Seriously, stuttering? What happened to us? We used to be great.
A bright smile crossed Sakura's features. Her eyes crinkled at the corners, and there were dimples on her cheeks. "Tomorrow. I'll see you right her at noon, okay?"
The prince nodded. He turned to leave, until a hand gently landed on his shoulder. Sakura turned him around, balancing on the tips of her toes and placing a quick kiss on Sasuke's lips.
Holy shit, I just got electrocuted.
"Bye, Sasuke."
"Good night, Sakura."
He walked away, to Sakura's cheerfully waving hand. Once he was out of sight, she let out a breath she didn't know was trapped in her throat, before sinking into the door. Sakura peeked inside her window, and saw the clock reading past nine-thirty.
Nine-thirty! Oh no, she was late! Surely Sai was worried about her by now. It was a good thing the rain had stopped, so Sakura could freely run down the opposite direction of the street, to a small building connected to a jewelry store.
There was an entrance at the back of the building, leading to a small apartment right above the jeweler's. Sakura opened the fading green door, flying up the steps to meet yet another door. It's paint is a soft purple, a single number 1 embossed near the top. She placed a hand on the pretty golden doorknob, turning it and revealing the apartment she had rushed to.
The windows were large and wide, irony to the fact that Sai was trying to keep a low profile. White paint coated his walls, making the colored furniture seem more vibrant. A plush mauve couch sat in the middle of the hardwood floor, next to it a green stand, and a pink-sheeted bed was pushed against the far left wall.
Laying casually on the couch was a slim, black-haired boy known as Sai. As always, he was busily drawing in a worn sketchbook, an array of colored pencils and paints on the nightstand.
Without looking up, he said, "You're late today, Sakura."
She nodded, plopping down on the bed. "I know, I was busy tonight. How are you? No more posters lying around? Did Naoki threaten to throw you out again?"
"I'm doing well. I did see some near that tea shop you work at, but it's always good to have a charcoal pencil, and not today she didn't." Sai sat up a little straighter, his expression becoming even more focused. His pencil scratched against the thick paper, forming what could've been large curves and lines or perfect, minute details that the picture wouldn't be complete without.
"I-I didn't get too bring you anything today, but I will soon, okay? Also, I'm sorry about the sheets, but I haven't had the chance to buy you new ones." said Sakura, crossing her legs. She felt unusually akward around her friend today; usually she was chatting up a storm about anything and everything.
"Hey, Sai? I know you don't like talking about it, or really talking at all, but could you tell me about your life back in Toryo no tochi?"
"Hm." the artist sighed, adjusting the sketch pad in his lap. "I was born into the Atisuto family, as you know. We lived in a very large house, with many maids." Sai drew as he said this, and presented a drawing of a beautiful house, lined with windows and elaborate frames around them
"As a child, I was tutored in many arts. My mother firmly believed that as a royal child I be able to play a variety of instruments, to have good posture, and to be able to dance impeccably."
He'd flipped to a new page, and covered it with pictures of violins, pianoes and a rendition of two people dancing what appeared to be a waltz.
"Oh. Wait, you were... royalty?" asked Sakura, faintly surprised. She could certainly see it, since Sai spoke very properly, did indeed have very good posture and dressed in such nice clothes. The fact that he was born in a small land near Konoha explained his unfamiliar way of dress. He often wore nice white button up shirts and black pants, often kept spotless.
"Our royalty isn't quite like yours; from what I've heard, the royal family is quite... scandalous, with all due respect."
"No, I understand. The princes aren't controversial, they just act like, well, like teenage boys is all." the pinkette said.
"I see." Sai replied, and continued with his tale. "Anyway, as time went on, I grew tired of the routine lifestyle and constant need of perfection. Invariably I begged my mother to let me pursue something new and different. I strived to pursue art. For years I had watched my father paint scenes that captivated me, scenes that either changed my idea of something or established a new love for it. I wished wholeheartedly to be able to do that.
"My mother, on the other hand didn't understand that. Instead, she pushed me harder, to excel in all the things I didn't like.
"So, I ran away."
This time, there was no bright, cheery picture to accompany the most recent section of the story. Sai presented a gloomy drawing of a young boy sitting in the rain, below a tree.
"Granted, I was sixteen at the time, so this drawing isn't entirely accurate. But, it's been two years of inconsistent housing, clothing that doesn't fit, and sometimes long periods of poverty, and I have never been happier."
A blank look crossed Sakura's face. Homelessness? Small clothes? Being broke? Happiness? Those words never went together in a positive thought. "Happier? Why?"
"Well, I am living my life. I do what I love, and spend time not with countless tutors and adults, but with myself, and my friend." said Sai, a small smile curving his lips. "Stay still for a moment, won't you?"
The petal-haired girl did as told, breathing as slowly as possible and doing her best to not move even an inch. A few minutes passed, before the black haired teen allowed to move. Sakura stretched out her arms, before being handed a drawing.
It was of her.
Every single detail was spotless in her eyes... the texture of her hair, the petals of the flower curving oh-so perfectly, even the lace on her dress was depicted just right. The expression of Sakura's face was so natural; her lips barely pursed and looking to the right, almost ike she was thinking.
"Oh, Sai... you made me way more beautiful than I am." breathed Sakura, looking at the picture admiringly. "This, I can't..."
Sai shook his head. "I can't do you justice; that drawing does not compare to you. Please, keep it. I mean it."
Sakura held the picture close, a soft grin on her face. She stood up from the bed, hugging Sai tightly as she could. "Thank you, really. It's absolutely beautiful." She approached the door, pulling it open and waving him goodbye. "I have to go, but I promise I'll bring you some fruit or something tomorrow. Goodnight, Sai."
And she left.
notes- Is this long enough to make up for the missed update? *twiddles fingers* Watcha guys think about Sai? He's gonna be kind of a big deal later, hint hint. Oh, and don't forget the big date! Sorry if it was a little akward, I'm not real experienced in writing kisses and shit :P Hey, also if you guys need or want a beta, I'm always up for that, or even if you just want help or something ^-^
Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!
~Love!
