KYAAAAA! OMG OMG OMG! At the point of this, 59 reviews for last chapter! NEW RECORD for me! Okay, I've been hearing various hints about story length, and I thought I should shed some light. This story has twenty chapters plotted. According to the plot, and the labels, we are still on chapter 4, which is Go The Extra Mile. Still several more parts before this one is complete, and then we'll move on to the supposed chapter 5. The most awesome reviewer for the last part of Chapter 4 will receive the name of chapter 5 ahead of everyone else (^_^)! Now onwards to the rewards!
Most Awesome Reviewer: Doujin-Maker (you are so funny! haha made me grin like crazy) So this one's for you!
Reward for 1st Reviewer goes to: amaterasu018
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AND THE REWARD FOR MY 300th REVIEWER GOES TO Pyra Sanada! You will be PMed! (^_^)!
Special shout-out to wolf girl and SomebodyLost for the constructive crit and guidance. And to answer your question SomebodyLost, yes, I do collabs. Never Turn Your Back and When The Time is Right are collab fics. Anyone interested in collabbing with me, please PM (^_^)!
Saving the best for last - Sorry to take so long to update, but I got promoted to GENERAL MANAGER'S ASSISTANT (I don't have a hot boss but I'm still psyched), and also part of my delay in updating is cuz I was in a music video… *giggles* no lie! The other part is the most detestable streak of writer's block known to mankind…. (T_T)
"There will always be a side to your employer that you never imagined…"
- Uzumaki Naruto -
Friday
7:17 pm
"Right, so this part of the beach I think would be perfect to set up the restaurant, because it's on the longest strip of beach," Sakura was saying, tucking a lock of pink hair behind her ear as she pushed her tablet closer to Itachi.
"I agree. It seems to be the part with the furthest distance from the water as well, which would be necessary for any building plans," he concurred.
"Well, that's the last of the photos," Sakura said, just as Itachi swiped his finger across the touchscreen to move on to the next picture.
It was not the last picture.
One of Itachi's eyes widened at the picture of Sakura and Kisame's faces pressed cheek to cheek as they laid on the sand. She was looking up at the camera and laughing, while Kisame's gaze was turned in her direction, a lopsided grin on his face.
Silence descended upon both of them, and then Sakura pulled the tablet away and cleared her throat.
"Right," she sputtered cutely. "I'm actually going to go now. Have a good night, Itachi-san," she said, closing her tablet case, sliding it into her satchel and standing. Itachi watched her quietly, desiring to probably have a meal with her but unsure of what her reaction would be… or if it would be… appropriate. Besides, she seemed to be getting really cozy with Kisame.
Which bothered him.
As her employer, he was really not supposed to want her, but he really did. But such things were frowned upon. And for a good reason too. There were so many cons to office relationships that he could understand why such a thing was a bad area to step into… but it wasn't really of his own accord, was it?
He hadn't had much control over his deepening regard for Sakura.
"Konbanwa," she said softly. Itachi had not even realized she'd already reached the door. She slipped out and closed the door behind her before he'd gotten the chance to call to her.
8:12 pm
Sakura strolled down to the poolside, her large purse over her shoulder. She'd scraped her hair up into a messy bun and foregone her makeup.
"So pretty," she murmured, taking in the pool, which featured lights running along the floor to illuminate the water. It was absolutely beautiful. She rested her bag in the hotel cubby near the pool and slid into the water, swimming easily over to the poolside bar.
"Strawberry daiquiri, please," she said when the bartender looked over in her direction.
"Ah, another Konoha native!" the girl seated next to her exclaimed. Sakura turned to face a bright-eyed brunette and grinned.
"Are there not many here?" she asked with a smile, nodding at the bartender when he handed her her drink in a tall, well garnished glass.
"Not really," the girl moaned. She extended a hand. "I'm Keiko, by the way. I came over here to do lifeguard training. It's part of my bodyguard course," she said with a grin. It was then that Sakura noticed the well-defined muscles in her arms.
"Ah, haha, and I'm Sakura," Sakura said, immediately liking the cheerful girl… or rather… woman. She shook the proffered hand. "We're in a similar field. I'm a personal assistant-"
"Yosh! We're both protective people then, aren't we?" Keiko mused, pursing her lips and looking up at a random spot in the sky.
"Aa," Sakura agreed, staring off in the same direction. The two women dissolved into giggles and turned back to their drinks.
"I'm actually going back to Konoha on Sunday, thank Kami. I finally managed to land an interview. I would tell you where, but that would defeat the whole purpose of secrecy, now wouldn't it?" Keiko chuckled.
"Never worry. I understand perfectly," Sakura said, taking a sip of her drink. She opened her mouth to say something else, when Keiko slapped a hand over Sakura's forearm.
"Eye candy alert. I repeat, eye candy alert," she whispered covertly. Sakura stifled a giggle behind her hand and looked over in the direction Keiko was indicating.
Sure enough, there was eye candy.
Familiar eye candy.
Itachi-san.
He'd caught his hair back in a low ponytail and was wearing a simple V-necked T-shirt and loose cotton trousers. One hand was shoved casually into his trouser pocket and he strolled calmly over to the section of the bar that faced the wooden landing. His voice was a low murmur when he ordered his drink, but the Konoha accent was clear.
"A Konoha man," Keiko swooned. "Maybe I'll see more of him when I get back home…" she continued, her voice clearly hopeful. "Should we go talk to him? He looks kind of… aloof… but then, that's hot," she whispered furiously.
Sakura, for one, was at a loss for words.
"A...Ano...I-I'm not sure-"
"Oh dear Kami, he's looking this way," Keiko murmured urgently. Sakura's gaze shot back up only to see Itachi-san's mouth turn up at the corner in a small smile. He lifted his drink slightly in greeting and Sakura sent a wavering smile back.
Keiko, on the other hand, waved him over brazenly with her hand.
He didn't respond to her directly, but handed his glass to the bartender and said something softly to him.
Then he proceeded to take off his shirt.
Slowly.
"Oh. Kami," Keiko breathed, openly ogling. Sakura, on the other hand, tried to focus on her drink. She failed, since she kept taking peeks at him. Itachi-san shucked his trousers as well, revealing the beach shorts that were underneath. After folding his clothes and resting them on a table, he slid into the water and waded over to them.
Realizing his intent - belatedly - Sakura shook her head vehemently behind Keiko's, hoping Itachi-san would see and change his course.
No such luck.
He only smiled and stayed his course.
"Hello," Keiko said, right off the bat when he approached them. He nodded politely in response before taking a seat on the other side of Keiko.
8:23 pm
Now that he was close to them, Itachi was not entirely certain what he was supposed to be doing. He hardly ever had time for such frivolities, but he'd seen Sakura and…
"So, a Konoha man, are you?" the girl sitting beside Sakura asked, grinning widely at him. He wasn't certain how to take her blatant cheerfulness… or blatant appreciation for him, so he only nodded.
Surprisingly, the conversation flowed from there, but Itachi quickly realized that Sakura was saying little, if anything at all. She was acting like she didn't know him, which was a bit confusing. But, she was on her own time. If she wanted to pretend as if they didn't know each other, he'd respect that. What rankled was her air of disinterest, as if she didn't want to speak with him at all.
So he forced his attention to Keiko.
"I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow," Sakura said after a moment, sliding from her stool and back into the water. "Have a great night, guys," she continued with a smile, dipping her head in a small bow.
"Sleep well, Sakura. Hey, we should exchange numbers," Keiko chirped.
"Ano… my phone is over by the cubbies," Sakura said, glancing over in the direction of the hospital cubbies.
"Ah, I'll follow you over," Keiko said. She turned to face Itachi and grinned. "Don't go anywhere, handsome," she said cutely before slipping into the water and following Sakura. They were a few feet away from him when Itachi realized he didn't have Sakura's personal mobile-phone number.
He smiled and slipped off his stool. He allowed them to get out of the pool first, and then followed them.
"Oh, Itachi-san, you came too?" Keiko asked with a grin, looking up at him. Itachi nodded his head in Sakura's direction.
"I should exchange numbers with her too," he said. He watched Sakura's green eyes widen. He raised a brow, and she spun away from him and began to rummage around in her bag.
"You're right," Keiko said after a short moment, her smile a little tighter around the corners than it had been before. "We're all from Konoha, so maybe we could meet up later on." She paused, and then her smile brightened again. "Oh yes! You should take my number too!"
Itachi deadpanned.
Keiko was a bit annoying. There was no way he wanted her to have his mobile phone number.
Sakura turned back around just then, her phone in her hand. She glanced from Itachi, to Keiko, then back again. The air didn't have a chance to grow awkward, because just then, her phone rang.
"Hello," she said, holding up her index finger and turning around for privacy. Itachi watched as her back straightened and her entire posture changed. "Yes… yes…" she said. One of Itachi's brows rose at her grave tone. Then she was turning, and darkened green eyes met enquiring obsidian ones.
"Yes he's actually standing right next to me. Would you like to speak with him?" Sakura asked the person on the other end of the line. "Okay. Yes, sir," she said and removed the phone from her ear. The air grew still and heavy with expectancy as Sakura hung up.
"What is it, Sakura?" Itachi asked, ceasing his earlier pretence in light of the way the mood had changed.
"It's your father," Sakura said, her voice heavy. "He collapsed at home today. Apparently it was due to cardiac arrest, and the doctors are unsure of how much longer he has."
9:36 pm
Though the words were leaving her lips, Sakura could hardly identify with them. She didn't know what to say or how to help, because even though she had received marginal training on this, she'd never had to console her boss on the illness of a close family member before.
"Would you like me to bring the car around?" she found herself asking. "I can book the earliest flight back to Konoha," she said, immediately reverting to her professional mindscape. Itachi-san did not respond for a few moments, but Sakura felt his withdrawal.
"That will not be necessary. We have work to complete here in Nami."
"B-but, Itachi-san," Sakura started. She was cut off with an icy stare from her boss.
"If Father desires my presence he will request it," Itachi-san said. "Please, excuse me," he added, tipping his head in a short bow before turning on his heel, wading back through the pool and picking up his things once he got to the other side. Sakura watched wide-eyed and stunned as he stalked back towards the hotel elevator.
"What was that about?" Keiko asked when Itachi was out of sight. Sakura turned slowly to the other woman.
"He's my boss," she said simply before grabbing her bag and running off in the direction Itachi-san had taken, leaving Keiko standing with a shocked expression on her face and her mouth hanging open.
As she ran towards the elevators, Sakura's mind reeled as she attempted to come up with some strategy to deal with what she perceived as the current crisis. Instead of answers, though, all that came to mind were memories, red flags that Sakura was certain she should have picked up on had she been more observant.
Sakura rounded a corner in the halls of the UC building, lost in her thoughts. She was unsure of how she should word the presentation she was working on, and it was frustrating her. A muffled grunt caught her attention, and she looked up to see Fugaku-san leaning against the wall.
"Ah, sir," Sakura said, smiling bowing respectfully. He gave her a tight smile in return.
"Sakura-san," he responded. He didn't return her bow, but then he rarely ever did, so Sakura didn't think twice about it. He leaned away from the wall and stood to his entire height. Sakura was about to respond when her phone vibrated as a text came in.
It was from Itachi-san.
- I am ready to resume. Are you on your way? -
Sakura quickly sent a reply.
- I am almost there. Will hurry. -
She gave Fugaku-san another smile and a bow. She thought she heard him sigh as she passed, so she looked back, and thought it strange that his fists were clenched until his knuckles were white. Shaking her head as she hurried down the hall, Sakura wondered who it was the idiot that angered him to that level.
9:42 pm
Thinking back on the incident, Sakura was convinced that Itachi-san's father must have been in excruciating pain. She had not even asked how he was. Guilt pooled in her gut as she pushed the button and waited for the elevator doors to open.
Sakura failed to see or hear the people passing behind her, and failed to feel the mild coolness of the night air. In fact, her body felt next to frozen from the shock of it all. Her hands were shaking without her even noticing, and memories of how she felt when her parents had been taken swamped her. Their death had been sudden, so Sakura still could not claim to understand the fear Itachi-san must have of the possibility of his father's death. Still, having experienced the end result of fatality, Sakura could definitely understand the pain.
Another memory came to mind without her permission.
They were having another argument. Sakura could see from the flashing hands, red faces and enlarged neck veins. She could see from her mother's red eyes and her father's frustrated expression as they pulled into the school grounds.
Otou-san's fault again.
Sakura sighed, wondering what it was this time. She suspected from her father's snarling face that maybe he'd actually leave this time. He threw his hands into the air spittle flying from his lips as he yelled. Sakura looked around warily, her eyelids drooping as she hoped none of her friends were there to see her parents quarrelling. She was embarrassed enough by their blatant discontent which they couldn't even manage to hide when the others came over. They used to have light arguments once, Sakura could remember, but somewhere along the line, they began turning more and more acidic.
She could read her father's lips from her favorite hiding place under the tree at school.
'Fine, Mebuki. Have it your way. Forget that Sakura is waiting for us. Let's go back for the damned purse. Since your credit card is more important than your daughter.'
Then he was reversing out the school gates, his angry eyes pinned to his wife's face.
'Kizashi, don't be st-'
But her mother never had a chance to finish, because the oncoming car plowed into the blue sedan.
Sakura shook away the memory, pressing her hands to her face in an effort to dispel the scene that plagued her to this day. The elevator doors swished open and almost closed again before Sakura noticed. Shoving her hand in the way to re-open them, Sakura stepped inside and curled her fingers into fists after punching in her floor number.
She stared blankly at the shiny elevator doors as the machine ascended, stepping out into the hall numbly as soon as the doors opened. She walked absently to Itachi-san's room door and stared at it for a good ten seconds before raising her fist to knock. Her hand fell limply to her side before it had a chance to make contact with the door.
What was she supposed to say?
Deciding that maybe she could be a source of comfort by just being there, Sakura raised her hand again and tapped it firmly against the door. There was no answer.
"Itachi-san?" she called, rapping on the door again. There was no response. Deciding not to give up, Sakura walked around to her room and opened the door that led directly to the beach. Taking the key she'd used to get into Itachi-san's room earlier that morning, Sakura opened his room door and stepped inside. The room was dark. Was he not in?
The thought had Sakura turning around and looking back the way she'd come.
The moonlight reflected over the beach and the waves, its pale bluish light resting like a gentle blanket on the scene… and on the figure seated on the sand staring out at the sea.
Sakura stared at the lonely figure for a moment, knowing instinctively who it was. Itachi-san. The sea breeze teased his hair, sending the inky strands flowing to the right. Heaving a slow sigh, Sakura made her way from the boardwalk and down the beach, scarcely feeling the sand beneath her feet. She stopped when she was right beside him, and although he didn't acknowledge her presence, she knew he knew she was there.
Neither of them spoke. Sakura barely even so much as breathed.
Both of them watched the waves swell, break, crash to the shore, retreat. Rinse and repeat.
Sakura's knees trembled beneath her as she stared out at the majesty of the ocean, and so she sat, her arm close enough to feel Itachi-san's warmth but far enough that they didn't touch. If she could feel his warmth, then maybe he could feel hers, and maybe he'd forgive her for not having the words to say.
Daijoubu desu didn't feel appropriate, because it certainly wasn't okay now, and Sakura had no idea if it would be okay or not...And she didn't promise things she was unsure of. Still, she didn't feel right, didn't feel content to just sit there helpless and in silence, so she turned to him and opened her mouth, even while having nothing to say. Whatever words were going to surface met an untimely death, because Itachi-san had not been staring at the sea at all.
Not like she had.
He'd been looking at her.
"What?" she asked, her voice raspier than intended. He didn't answer, but blinked at her for a long moment before turning his head and staring out at the sea. Sakura eyed him, nibbling the inside of her lip. She literally watched the focus drain from his eyes, until it was obvious he wasn't seeing the scene before him at all. Her brows furrowing with worry, Sakura tried to slow her suddenly rapidly beating heart with a slow breath.
She leaned over just enough for their arms to brush.
"Will you be okay?"
Again, no response. He turned to face her though, and their eyes met.
"Growth occurs when one goes beyond one's limits. Realizing that is also part of training," he said after a moment. The sound of the sea was all that was between them for a few moments.
"I don't suppose you've ever really failed at anything," Sakura said with a ghost of a smile. "Maybe you'll do as you've always done… and excel."
"Hn," he grunted in response. He was looking at her again, disorienting her.
"What?" Sakura asked.
"Sometimes being successful isn't all it's made out to be…" he said, his dark eyes cloudy.
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.
"Being the 'who's he' means there aren't any expectations. I've never experienced that, but I've observed it." There was the faintest trace of longing in his tone, and Sakura was just about to ask how it linked to the current situation when the answer came to her.
No doubt, because of his excellence, his father's duties would rest on his already burdened shoulders.
"But the expectations are what made you who you are now. I've observed that when there are no expectations, you take what you get, and what you get is more often than not less than what is needed," Sakura replied. "I'll help you fulfill the expectations. That's what I'm here for, isn't it?"
He looked at her for a long moment before he gave a short laugh. There was no mirth to it, really, but before Sakura could take the time to try and figure it out, he'd grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger.
And then he was kissing her.
At first, his lips were only pressed to hers. But then just that alone wasn't enough. Yes, she was under his employ to be of assistance. But the type of assistance he suspected she was offering was not a part of her job description.
He'd already made up his mind. He had no time for relationships - for romance. Should his father die, he would inherit Uchiha Conglomerates fully. And while he was prepared for the work, it didn't mean he was ready for it.
This was going to be the last of his … whatever it was … with Sakura. After this, there would be no more. No more kissing. No more touching. No more stolen looks, because the time for that had passed him by and he'd wasted it. But he couldn't end it all without this.
So he kissed her.
And then the dampness of her mouth was all he wanted. Her body heat pressed against him was all he desired in this moment. There was more… more that he didn't dare even think of much less allow himself to want… but he deserved this much at the very least.
So he gave in to the urge to wrap his arms around her. He didn't stop her from sinking her fingers in his hair, and while he kissed her he hoped she understood what it meant. And he curled his fingers into her back because although he was in the act of doing it, he really didn't want to let her go.
When they pulled apart, Itachi knew his kiss was as eloquent as his words usually were, because Sakura ducked her head in a paltry effort to hide her tears. Silly Sakura.
He'd tasted them.
Saturday
8:12 am
Sakura could admit that after that sort of goodbye kiss the night before, she had no clue what Itachi-san was going to act like this morning. However, upon approaching him in the hotel lobby, it was obvious that her wildest suppositions had not been wild enough.
He was neither embarrassed, nor was there a feeling of kinship or bonding. He did not look at her tenderly and he wasn't appearing to pretend as if the night before had not happened. His eyes were not red-rimmed, and he didn't look like he'd lost sleep, that is, not any more than he usually did.
He looked exactly like he did when she'd first met him.
Cold.
"Sakura-san," he said when he noticed her arrival. "Let us go." Direct. To the point. Sakura blinked, a little dumbly, but he'd already walked away. It wasn't until she began to hurry after him that she realized he'd called her 'Sakura-san'. She'd gotten used to him calling her 'Sakura' and had barely even realized.
By the time Sakura got to the waiting car, Itachi-san was already seated inside. The top was down, and he was looking stoic and gorgeous in his plain white shirt, dark grey jeans and shades. He'd tied back his long hair, and was looking steadfastly ahead.
Seriously.
He didn't even glance in her direction when Sakura sat down in the passenger seat. He put the car in Drive and pulled away from the hotel entrance. The entire ride was uncomfortable and silent, and Sakura figured she should take his cue and act as professional as she used to, but somehow making the transition was not as easy as it sounded. When had she dropped her professionalism?
And why did it hurt?
'We keep doing this. Somehow we keep doing this,' her Inner snapped, but sounding just as dejected as Sakura really felt. 'Why couldn't he have drawn closer instead of pushing us away?'
Sakura didn't have the answer to that question, but at the same time, she felt it was best to give him his space. After all, she was just his assistant. So, she turned her head to the window under the guise of looking at the beautiful Nami scenery… but she scarcely saw a thing.
When they arrived at the location for the second of the proposed sites, Itachi-san pulled the car to a stop at the side of the road and turned the engine off.
"We're here," he said simply, before opening the door and stepping out of the car.
9:22 am
As hard as Itachi had tried not to notice Sakura, he'd failed. Not looking at her hadn't helped him concentrate on the task at hand. It had made him think on memories of her. It had made him notice how she smelled. It had made him hear her breathing and her little sighs.
She was not unaffected by last night. He could tell that he'd shocked her, but that was needed for this to work. He had no time for romance. He had no time for dalliances. It was going to be expected of him to take on more now that his father was ill, and things like noticing Sakura were not going to help in any way.
Now was the time for the focus and dedication he was known for.
If the situation was different, if Sakura was not his assistant, but his love interest… then things could still take the path they had been going on. But this was not a time for him to be selfish. He would be under scrutiny now, and dalliances with his assistant would only stir up a flurry in the press and create scandal. And there was nothing his father hated more than scandal. This would be the worst time for such a thing to occur. It was in situations like this that Itachi envied his little brother, because Sasuke could undoubtedly escape scot free if he tried the same stunt.
"Itachi-san," Sakura said, pulling Itachi from his musings. He tilted his head in her direction. "Should we change clothes here or further down on the beach? As it is open beach, there will most likely not be any place to change off."
"Hn," Itachi responded, but gave a slight nod for her benefit. The morning sunlight was warm as against hot, and it bathed the two of them in its soft light. When he heard shuffling coming from behind him, Itachi found himself turning.
And what he saw took his breath away.
Sakura was peeling off her top, revealing perfect skin, lightly tanned from her time at the beach the day before. Itachi's eyes followed the smooth curve of her back, broken only by the black strings that tied her bikini top. She shook out her pink hair when the blouse cleared her head and folded the garment. Next, she bent over and shucked her skirt, leaving a modest, but undeniably sexy bikini bottom.
Itachi turned back around and stifled a groan of despair.
There was no way he could not notice Sakura. So he had to go to Plan B. He couldn't let her find out that he still noticed her.
Itachi clenched his teeth and pulled his shirt over his head, grimacing inwardly at his pale skin. He still had his muscle definition, but it was obvious that he needed to spend more time in the sun.
Itachi and Sakura walked down the slope from the road and to the beach in silence. Sakura looked around as she walked, and sighed… although Itachi couldn't really tell if it was a happy, sad or frustrated sigh. And he forced himself not to think about it.
The last thing he needed to feel now was guilt.
But he really should never have started something with Sakura. They'd not gotten very far, but he'd started something. The memory of that moment when they'd shared their first kiss in his car hit him like a ton of bricks, and Itachi felt his chest tighten with disappointment. Not in himself. Not in her. No, he was disappointed because of this Kami-forsaken situation.
And he was still not ready to fire her just so he could have her.
That would be far too selfish of him.
9:58 am
It had been quite a walk to get from the road to the beach, which was good, because that meant there was ample space to build the actual resort without damaging the natural resources too much. They had finally gotten down to the beach, where white sand stretched for miles. There were a few people on the beach, but remarkably few of them were tourists. Sakura supposed that might have been due to the seclusion of the actual spot.
"This is the report we got from the scouts that had come last week," Sakura said, reaching into her knapsack and withdrawing a dossier, which she handed to Itachi-san. Even though she was trying to revert to her professional side, things like accidental contact with his arm while walking, or smelling his scent when he was a couple steps ahead, or when she allowed herself to eye his back as they walked, threw her out a little. Despite her Inner's budding dislike for the way they had been apparently dropped, the little spitfire was still a mass of gooping fangirly bubbles.
Itachi-san took the dossier and flipped through it.
"We should inspect all these spots before five in the evening so that we can go back to the hotel in time for dinner before our flight tonight," Itachi-san said. Sakura's eyes widened. He'd changed the flight?
"What time do we have to check in?" Sakura asked.
"The flight leaves at 10:15pm, so we have to check in by 8:15pm at the latest," Itachi-san said. Sakura blinked a bit to digest the new information. That put a new spin on things. She immediately supposed that today would not have been as fun as she'd hoped.
"Very well," she responded, a little blankly. "Well, the first location of interest was the beach, which we can already tell is suitable," Sakura said, "So the next point should be the scuba-diving locations near the coral reefs." Itachi-san nodded in response.
"According to the scouts, some of these people here are coral divers, and should be able to act as scouts. So, it should just be a matter of picking one out…" Sakura murmured, looking around. One of the cleaner of the men that were doing various things on the beach looked up as they passed, and grinned, flashing white teeth. He stood up and approached them.
"Good morning," he said, openly checking Sakura out. "How are you doing? What a lovely couple," the man said cheerfully.
"We're not a couple," Itachi-san said immediately. "Would you be able to direct us to a guide to the reefs?" The man did a double-take, but recovered.
"As it turns out, you're in luck! I was just going to boat out there and do some pearl-diving. For a small fee, I could take you with me," he said, pushing his untidy black hair from his face. Sakura was just about to reach into her knapsack for her purse when a loud yell caught their attention. The man paled and took two steps backwards, his gaze pinned on someone behind them.
Sakura and Itachi turned to see none other than Hoshigaki Kisame storming towards them.
"Baku, you thieving crook! I let you off last time, and you're back here pulling your nasty tricks again?" Kisame roared as he approached. The pearl-diver backed away, hands up.
"I've got to make a living," he whined. Kisame came to a stop between Sakura and the man, blatantly protective.
"Then make a clean one," the large man declared, jabbing a strong finger into the man's chest. "Now get out of here."
10:08 am
Kisame turned to a still shocked-looking Sakura and scowled.
"That little creep has been frequenting this strip of beach and ripping off unsuspecting tourists. He makes them pay him to take them out to the reefs, then he threatens not to take them back in to shore if they don't give him more money," Kisame spat, his distaste for the man's crooked tricks apparent in his voice.
"Thank you then, for ridding us of him." Kisame turned to Itachi and blinked. It would be a lie to say that he hadn't noticed Itachi there… but in some sense, Kisame supposed he'd forgotten along the way…?
"Ah, you're welcome." There was a moment of silence before Itachi spoke again.
"What are you doing here?" the Uchiha asked, a barely noticeable bristle to his tone. It would have been unnoticeable by anyone who didn't intimately know him, but Kisame had had a long and deep friendship with the Uchiha, so he picked up immediately. He had a feeling Itachi's attitude had something to do with Sakura, but he wasn't about to show up his friend in front of his pretty assistant, so he pretended he didn't notice.
"Ah, I'm going out to film a documentary," he responded instead. "I've got my gear up in my truck, so I can take you guys diving if you like. I've got extras." He found his gaze pinned to Sakura as he spoke, even though he was directing his words at Itachi.
Ever since they met back when he and his father visited the Uchiha Conglomerates building, Kisame's interest in Sakura had only grown with every moment he had to do with her. And here he was at this point, wondering if she'd be up for a... playful encounter with him. Nothing serious, really, but she looked like she could use some fun.
Kami only knew, if she was stuck in an office day in day out with a stuffy bunch of Uchiha.
The woman in question's eyes glittered playfully.
"We wouldn't have to pay an exorbitant fee for the service, now would we?" she asked, her lips tilting. Kisame chuckled.
"Kitten, I'm the one paying the fee for your company. I'm afraid that's priceless, so all I can do is offer you guys a ride in return," he said, giving her a wink. She grinned and slapped his arm. Kisame felt the subtle death-glare Itachi was sending in his direction, but the man was not exactly defending his territory, so she must be free. As far as Kisame was concerned, Itachi could stew in his jealousy all he wanted, because if the Uchiha wasn't making a move on Sakura, then the adorable pinkette was fair game.
"We have to move quickly. We have more to see after," Itachi said coolly from the side. Kisame spared him a look.
"Oh, goodie," he said and grinned. "I guess you'll be seeing a lot of me, because I know this area like the back of my hand. I'm going to get my gear," he continued. Giving Sakura a parting wink, Kisame trotted back up to where he'd parked his truck on the slope. Reaching into the open tray, he piled the gear onto his broad shoulders and then trotted back down the slope.
Kisame wasn't a pervert, but he was a man, and he had eyes. And that was the reason he slowed to a walk when Itachi and Sakura came back into his field of vision.
Sakura.
It wasn't like she was the hottest woman he'd ever seen. Or the prettiest. She didn't have a model body. But something about her worked for him, which was saying a lot, because he liked boobs… and that was something Sakura did not have a lot of. But there was something about her that Kisame couldn't seem to get enough, and yesterday had been the verification of that. Somewhere along the line, something had changed from harmless appreciation to wanting more of her time.
Kisame gently laid his gear down on the sand - he took care of his stuff -and beckoned Sakura closer, giving her a grin as she approached.
"Let me get you geared up. You can swim, right?" he asked. She nodded confidently when she came to a stop before him.
"Yeah, I'm actually a qualified lifeguard. It was part of my training," she added. Kisame gave her an appreciative once-over.
"That's my girl! Gorgeous and useful," he chuckled, narrowly avoiding her answering slap. "Alright, the water is perfectly warm this time of year, so we can forego the wetsuits. But for safety's sake, I'll use most of this other stuff," Kisame said. He gently, and very slowly, helped Sakura put on her gear, maximising the amount of times he could manage to justifiably touch her. To his credit, he made sure to check to ensure she wasn't turned off by his approach.
There were many things Kisame would do, but to force his attention on someone was something he'd never do. Seeing the things he'd seen growing up had turned him off of that properly. After ensuring that Sakura was properly outfitted, Kisame then began to outfit himself. He looked to Itachi and tipped his chin in acknowledgement, knowing Itachi knew what to do. After all, they'd gone scuba-diving enough times together.
"Let's go," Kisame said, wading out into the water. "I usually swim out, but for let's take my boat," he said, pointing to his yacht, which was anchored in the deeper water. The large white boat had an image of a Great White surging upwards with jaws open wide, and the words Samehada in gritty text. It was Kisame's pride and joy, and named after the pet shark he'd showed at the Akatsuki Reunion.
10:37 am
Itachi was more annoyed than he could remember being in a while. Kisame was showering Sakura with his attention, and while she was not exactly basking in it, she wasn't telling him to stop either. If this was her way to punish him for the way he'd acted this morning, she was a smart woman.
Itachi glanced to the side where Sakura was standing, the wind sending her pink hair fluttering behind her. Her eyes were open, staring out into the sea, and a peaceful smile was on her face. Itachi felt his chest squeeze.
He looked away.
Of course, Itachi didn't really think she was punishing him. He doubted she knew how much he liked her. But still, she must have some idea that this bothered him. She couldn't think she meant nothing, and that allowing his childhood friend to flirt shamelessly with her wouldn't bother him.
Itachi clenched his teeth even as the boat came to a halt in the water that, although deep, was remarkably clear. He could see the sea-floor and the water must be at least forty-five to fifty feet deep.
Kisame bounded from cockpit, a grin in place, and the sunlight gleaming off his tanned skin. Itachi felt his gaze slide to Sakura, who looked up at Kisame with a grin. His fists clenched at his sides, as his words to Sakura from the night before taunted him.
"Growth occurs when one goes beyond one's limits. Realizing that is also part of training."
He wasn't beyond his limit yet when it came to Sakura, but Itachi was not looking forward to it.
"Ikuzo, ne!" Kisame hooted, climbing up onto the edge of the boat. With a grin and a shout he was backflipping over the side of the boat and landing in the water with a remarkably small splash considering his large size. Itachi resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Now Kisame was just showing off.
"What a show-off!" Sakura called when Kisame resurfaced, her laughter taking the sting out of the comment. Kisame laughed from in the water and waved them in. Itachi and Sakura jumped in after him.
After that, Itachi allowed the amazing underwater scenery to pull him in and take him away from his current concerns. Schools of fish swam past, vibrantly coloured and moving in perfect synchronization. The underwater flora moved with the pull and and push of the currents. It was all going perfectly, the peace of underwater, the distraction that nature posed, until Itachi realized that Kisame had out his GoPro camera… and he wasn't taking documentary of the underwater scenery… but of Sakura.
Itachi swam over to Sakura, grasped her by the arm, and pulled her off to the side under the guise of showing her some corals. Anything to avoid having to witness Kisame… Itachi didn't finish the thought, but the frustration lingered in his gut.
He should never have acted on his appreciation for Sakura. But then if one was to split hairs, she'd kissed him first.
12:48 pm
Sakura sighed and leaned back against the smooth rock. It was hot against her back, as was the warm water gushing through the holes in it.
"This place is paradise," she moaned. After scuba-diving for over an hour, they'd come back up, had drinks on Kisame's boat, and then he'd taken them to the rock spa. After what had happened the night before, Kisame's attention was a welcome distraction.
"You guys are going out to Kaizoku Island after this, right? Now that's paradise," Kisame said from beside her. And not to mention the falls in the centre of the island… We can really only stay here for a half hour if you guys have to get back in soon. We can eat on the Samehada, and then head out there."
"Sounds good," Sakura replied, doubly thankful for Kisame's presence. Itachi had been in a strange, silent, brooding mood all day, and even though it was understandable due to his father's illness, it still made Sakura uncomfortable.
When it was time to get up, Sakura groaned reluctantly.
"Do we really have to go?" she moaned. Kisame looked like he'd allow her to stay longer, but Itachi cut in.
"Sakura-san," was all he said, but there was enough chiding in his tone for Sakura to remember that they were really here for business and not pleasure. She got up, pouting a little when he couldn't see her. Kisame caught her look, though, and sent her a grimace in response… which made her grin.
Sakura understood what Kisame was talking about when they got to Kaizoku Island. It was fairly large, and well forested in the centre, petering out to gorgeous white sand beach at the coasts. There were no cliffs on the coasts, but a river flowing from a mountain spring in the centre of the island flowed outwards, breaking the coastline in two places.
They swam out to the island and when they got on shore, Kisame bent and waved Sakura over.
"In there is a little wild, and I don't want you to get scratched up. Get on," he commanded with a grin. Sakura rolled her eyes, but decided to get on for the heck of it. Kisame's waist was trim, but his back and shoulders were muscular and broad, giving him a rather defined classic V shape. Sakura's Inner did not mind in the least.
"Itachi-sama has got him on looks, but this bod rocks," Sakura's Inner said lecherously. Sakura imagined wiggling brows. But she couldn't help but agree. She couldn't deny that she liked Itachi-san more than she should, but if Kisame was there to distract her from how disappointed she was that Itachi-san had chosen this route, then he was doing a good job.
He stood effortlessly under her weight and began the trek towards the waterfall. Sakura could sense Itachi-san's displeasure, but, quite frankly, she was not on work hours, and Kisame was her friend.
'To hell with his brooding right now. He can be the boss of us from Monday to Friday," her Inner declared. Kisame and Sakura chatted cheerfully the entire trek, most of Kisame's comments earning him playful slaps from Sakura. But his cheerful flirting went a long way towards making her day better.
They started walking alongside the river, Sakura marvelling at the clearness of the water, Kisame agreeing, and Itachi-san continuing in silence. It was not that Itachi-san was ever really talkative, yet Sakura could tell that something was wrong.
When they got to the waterfall after about fifteen minutes of walking, Sakura had to gasp in amazement. It was absolutely gorgeous. Water, white from the air trapped in it, jetted off of a rock face and into a deep pool, dark green because of the reflection of the surrounding trees, but absolutely clear and untarnished. Kisame waded out into the water with Sakura still on his back, until the cold, fresh water covered her legs. After that, Sakura slipped from off his back and swam out into the water.
"Agh, this place is perfection!" Sakura squealed, laughing and splashing water in Kisame's direction.
"This location is far more suitable than the other option," Itachi-san said, clearly appreciating the scenery as well.
"I know! For the relative surface area, this location has many more possibilities for profit than the location I visited yesterday," Sakura agreed, spluttering when Kisame sent a wave of water her way. She laughed, eyed Kisame evilly, but then sent a wave of water in Itachi-san's direction instead. His eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in determination.
"Are you sure you are ready for this, Sakura-san?" Itachi asked, drawing closer to Kisame. "You have set both us men against you."
"Ah…" Sakura backpedalled, raising her hands in the air. "... That really wasn't my intention, you see…"
"The cute act won't work on me, Sakura," Kisame chuckled, cupping his hand right beneath the surface of the water. Without much warning, a wave of water was sent in her direction, catching her directly in the face.
"Oh Kami, you two are actually going to team up against a girl?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes and staring up at them with wide eyes after she'd wiped off the majority of the water.
Neither man responded, because neither seemed to know what to do.
"We've still got it," Sakura's Inner cackled.
6:43 pm
Itachi zipped his suitcase shut and then scooped his hair back, securing it with a tie. Somehow he'd managed to get through today without embarrassing himself. He'd had to watch Kisame spread sand, with his hands, all over Sakura's legs, back, stomach and shoulders, and rub it in.
That had been beyond difficult for him to witness, so he'd closed his eyes and laid back and acted as if he were relaxing… when inside he was more tense than he'd ever remembered being. He knew his aunt Katsumi would be displeased with him, which was precisely why he wasn't going to tell her that this was what he'd chosen to do.
He'd survive this, somehow.
Lifting the suitcase, Itachi carried it to the door and phoned Sakura. She picked up on the third ring.
"Have you completed your packing?" he asked.
"Yes, Itachi-san," she responded. "I'm waiting for you in the lobby."
Fifteen minutes later, they were driving to the airport to check in. They had already decided they would get something to eat in one of the various restaurants that the airport hosted, and eat before the flight.
They checked in together, and when asked if there were any liquids in her carry-on, Sakura slapped her hand to her forehead and gave the woman behind the desk a sheepish grin. Itachi waited until Sakura bent to transfer a bottle of lotion from her carry-on to her luggage to be checked on, then asked the receptionist to put them in adjoining seats.
She gave him a knowing smile, and giving in to the sudden desire to let people think they were a couple, Itachi reached around Sakura when she stood, and took up her ticket for her. He could have reached it the other way, but the motion pushed Sakura closer to his chest.
"Are you ready?" he asked her, and Sakura, completely oblivious, looked up at him and grinned.
"Yes," she responded.
"Good. Let's find something to eat, then," Itachi answered her, nodding at the receptionist and leading the way to the security check so they could go upstairs and get something to eat.
10:34 pm
Itachi noticed Sakura's wavering focus and realized that his assistant was exhausted. Her eyes were unfocused and her lids drooping, and it was obvious that she wanted to sleep. He knew that if she had the window seat, she would be asleep already, but he was seated there this time around.
Try as he might, Itachi found it impossible to avoid wanting a repeat of the last time he'd sat beside Sakura in a plane ride. And after the way things had gone in Nami, he couldn't help wanting some last bit of contact. Just so he could close his eyes and imagine that it didn't happen. That his father wasn't ill. That he didn't have to act like an heir and set his personal feelings aside.
True to his predictions, Sakura fell asleep some five minutes afterwards, her head dropping to his shoulder. She nodded forwards, but Itachi put one hand over to keep her head in place. He took up one of the plush blankets offered in first class and spread it over her when he noticed her shiver. He leaned forward a little, brushing his thumb against her lower lip and remembering the feel of them pressed to his.
Sighing a little in defeat, Itachi leaned back, closed his eyes, and wished he could sleep.
The plane landed in the Konoha International Airport on schedule, at 2:34 am Sunday morning. He'd leaned Sakura over so that she was sleeping against the headrest. It wasn't that he didn't want her to know she'd slept on his shoulder again. He just didn't want her to be embarrassed.
Right?
Heaving another silent sigh, Itachi nudged Sakura awake while they waited for the chute to be attached to the plane. He got up and retrieved their stowed carry-on luggage and waited for Sakura to stand before handing her her bags. She looked drowsy and adorable, and it was all Itachi could do not to tug her to his chest and ask her to forget the whole day and start over.
Instead he clenched his fists and allowed her to go before him as they disembarked the aircraft.
After going through customs without event, Itachi and Sakura said their good-nights and separated at outside, each going to pick up their cars from the airport parking. As Itachi watched Sakura drive away, one thing became clear to him.
He was not looking forward to Monday.
FINALLY! Please forgive me for the lack of credits. I really wanted to use your comments and suggestions, but in order to rid myself of my writer's block, I had to go where my inspiration took me.
Please note the introduction of Kisame's POV. This will carry on throughout the rest of the story.
As usual, please review! Maybe we can beat last chapter's record? *hopeful expression*
