Goodbye Apathy
Sasori didn't feel anything, just rage.
Oh, did anyone know how much he wanted to go up on stage and pull Sakura away from that brat and take her with him? But of course, that thought never cross his mind. It was just a part of his inner-self that wanted to do it, but he was too sick to even think or stand properly, how could he even walk through those crowds and climb those little stairs?
"There, is it enough?" Deidara grinned happily and waved at everyone offstage. Sakura just stood there in shock, still seeing stars above her head.
There was an awkward silence before a clap could be heard from a corner, then everyone started clapping, cheering, whistling along. Someone even shouted that they will start a DeiSaku page on Facebook soon and everyone cheered even louder.
That's outrageous. Sasori could already imagine himself reporting the page to the Facebook's authority. But like before, it was just his deep inner-self thinking about the plan; his mind was just a complete blank.
The blonde grabbed Sakura's wrist, and without further ado, he pulled her down the stage, pushing everyone aside and headed to the exit. Sasori was just standing close to the exit, yet both of them just passed him by as if he was really invisible. Not that he's really invisible but it was just that no one had thought he would come here.
The door then closed behind them.
0o0
As the door shut, the volume of the music decreased and Sakura could almost hear her heart beating. There were a few bugs flying around the lamppost that was right beside them and no one had made any movement.
"Hey, you alright yeah?" Deidara started talking.
Sakura stared straight at Deidara's eyes, preparing to eat his soul.
"Ok, look. I'm sorry." Deidara said, completely not sorry at all. In fact, he still had that cheeky grin stuck on his face for the past three minutes.
"Sorry? Sorry and what? Time travel?" Sakura gritted her teeth and clutched onto her dress.
"How am I suppose to face the school tomorrow?" Sakura groaned, rubbing her temple. Everybody will be crowding around her, demanding for an answer to all of their stupid questions. There'll be no end to it unless another person did something stupid and their attention was distracted from her.
"If I could time travel, I wouldn't have come here." Deidara scoffed, he crossed his arm. "I have some credit for getting that crown on your head yeah. I could have expected a better reward than a kiss."
"Can you repeat your last sentence again?" Sakura glared at Deidara, showing her fist.
"What? It's not like it is your first kiss." He looked at her and yawned deliberately.
Sakura froze on the spot, her knuckles turned even whiter from clenching her fist hardly.
"Did I say something true?" Deidara whispered softly to Sakura, standing firmly and not scared of Sakura's fist at all. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breathe before putting down her arm.
"Hmph!" Sakura stuck out her tongue childishly for the first time before whirling around and stormed off. "This thing is over! I'm going home!" Sakura took the crown off her head and walked down the empty pavement.
"Don't tell me you're going home like that yeah. What if you got raped in the middle of the street?" Deidara shouted out. The clacking from Sakura's high heels stopped once he finished his sentence.
"How dare you curse me?" Sakura turned and looked dagger at the blonde who was staring at Sakura stupidly. "Then I hope you get knock down by a car!" She yelled back, turning once again and head off angrily.
"Seriously, this girl." Deidara muttered, trudging forward quickly and walked beside Sakura who was surprised to notice a figure suddenly popping out from nowhere.
"Stop following me."
"This isn't your mother's road yeah. I can walk here whenever I like."
"Oh whatever."
0o0
"Hey you're back honey, I thought you'll be partying out till midnight." Sakura's mother said, picking up her watering can on the grass patch.
"Not really, after that commotion." She spat, gazing at Deidara who was still following her. He just stared at her mother innocently and smiled.
"This guy is?" The older Haruno asked.
"He is-"
"Good evening. My name is Deidara. I'm Sakura's date for today. I was worried for her safety so I brought her home. I hope it doesn't cause any inconvenience for you."
"Oh my, I should be the one saying that."
'This guy… he can be an actor already! He sure had two side of personality doesn't he? Acting so nice the first time we met outside the hospital and in front of my mother. Yet he's so irritating just now!'
"Oh look at me, letting you standing outside of our house. Do you want to have some cake before heading home?"
"S-"
"Oh no no. He's a very busy person." Sakura wagged her finger at Deidara before looking at her mother. "I can finish the whole cake myself."
"Sakura, I'm not asking you." Her mother sternly said before giving a warm smile at Deidara.
"Actually, it's alright. I have some when I was there yeah." Deidara bowed politely before glancing at Sakura. "I shall get going."
"Bye!" Sakura waved, just as enthusiastically as Sasori when he was getting rid of both of them at the hospital.
Deidara mildly shook his head, waving back to her mother and walked away into the shadows.
Sakura sighed heavily, helping her mother as she took the watering can from her hand. The older woman glanced suspiciously at Sakura before heading back to the house.
"Are you going to throw away the little box you've kept years ago? That box where you put so many photos and things inside, shrilling 'Sasuke-kun' whenever there's something to add in your collection." She finally spoke, closing the front door behind her.
"Mum." She turned to face her mum who was chuckling lightly. Sakura made a face and rolled her eyes, putting the can on the table and walked to the sofa.
"I'm thinking about you Sakura-dear." The older Haruno said.
"Thanks but no thanks" Sakura pouted, adjusting her dress before slumping back onto the seat.
"Move on Sakura, move one. That little crush of yours would never work out. I find that fine blonde man much better." She said.
"Whatever Mum." Sakura threw a pillow back on the chair and stood up, placing her crown lightly on the small coffee table in front of the sofa. "I would rather pick Sasori if I had no choice but to forget Sasuke."
"Did I hear a new name? Sasori?" Her mum raised an eyebrow.
"Oh you heard nothing, mother." Sakura rolled her eyes again, storming back to her room. She shut the door loudly behind her as the other Haruno stared at the crown on the table.
"This girl… planning to show off to me?" She chortled slightly before sitting down on the sofa and picked up the newspaper and started reading.
0o0
"Sakura, do you know I just joined the DeiSaku fan page?"
"Er… thanks?" Sakura gave a confused laugh.
"Thanks to you Sakura, I have enough cash to afford a new phone with the amount of money I won from the bet."
"Bet?"
"The bet on who would be your partner for yesterday's dance. Everyone in the school lose. Who would have thought you'll be going out with a guy from other school?"
Sakura gave a small fake laugh before excusing herself back to her classroom. Come on, like seriously. Did they have nothing else to play? Like their Barbie and Ken set at home or something? Using her as the bet, that was outrageous! How she wished her dance partner was actually Sasori, then that frigging guy could have lost his entire saving for the year.
"Sasori?" Sakura spoke aloud from her thoughts after standing outside of her almost empty classroom. She almost had forgotten about the redhead after the dance.
The classroom was pretty much empty, only a few that were either chatting at the back of the classroom or sleeping. The first bell had not rung yet and the rest were still slowly walking back to their classroom. Sakura strolled in, putting on a huge smile just like everyday and went back to her seat, thanking Kami that her classmate didn't come over to interview her about the dance yesterday.
Sakura placed her bag on the table and slumped on her chair, looking around to see that Sasori had not arrived yet. She sighed heavily, patting her bag and was actually counting the seconds to tick by. The pinkette had actually brought a surprise for Sasori who was absent for yesterday dance, but he hadn't come yet.
'Wait a minute…' Sakura paused tapping onto the cloth of her bag and straightened her posture. She suddenly remembered Deidara mentioning that Sasori was actually sick.
Oh darn oh darn! Yesterday she even blamed that Sasori had abandoned her! If only she had listened to Deidara carefully that time. Furthermore, she never even called him to see if he was all right.
Sakura wanted to secretly pull out her phone and use when the first bell rang. And in a second, all the students and the teacher came into the classroom at once together and Sakura didn't even got the chance to on her phone. She rolled her eyes angrily, putting it in her pocket and reminding herself to call him during lunch break.
0o0
"Darn it! Should have known better and hide in the toilet during break time." Sakura groaned, walking tiredly out from her school.
Immediately when she wanted to head to the canteen, a group of people that she didn't recognize crowded around her and she could hardly breathe.
"I can't believe you know Deidara! Do you know any other guys that is good-looking and still single?"
"Hey Sakura, don't be so selfish and revealed all the guys behind the closet. I know you have more!"
"Sakura…" A few whined in front of her.
"Sakura!" A few ordered her to tell them.
Back then, the pinkette really wanted to shout out Sasori's name and to shut all of them up. But the thing was, she could hardly even gasp for help when the people were pushing her and even punched her in her stomach when someone accidentally fell on her.
But if Sakura were to say Sasori's name, the girls might not even care. If they even cared in the first place, everyone would have skipped school and rushed to Sasori's house to get him medicines. Just like the day when Sasuke got sick and the entire fan-girl club when to visit him during school hours, and the Uchiha had to order some police to get them all out of the estate. Wasn't that horrible?
Speaking of good reputations from KonohaHigh…
But honestly, Sasori was so damn good-looking and handsome and could even compete with Sasuke. Sakura didn't know why no girls were even attracted to him.
Wait...W-What did she just say?
Sakura shook her head inwardly, walking towards the school gate. Yes, she admitted but so what? Sasuke was s-still the best!
"Sakura!"
Sakura stopped at her feet, looking up to see the girl with two buns on her head rushing up to her.
"Tenten?" Sakura said in surprise.
"I seen everything yesterday, you were amazing!" Tenten gave a thumbs up. "I wanted to congratulate you today but everyone was clustering around you like some mad ants." She sighed before cutting Sakura's attempt to say welcome." Anyway, that isn't important!" Tenten shrilled, pointing at the gate. "He's waiting for you outside!" She said excitedly.
Out of the sudden, Sakura just randomly spoke. "Sasori?" She didn't even know why she said his name. But it was perhaps that she was thinking about him all day long that his name was stuck in her head.
"No, not him." Tenten waved her off. "It's Deidara! That cool kid from Iwagakure!" Tenten shoved Sakura's back and pushed her towards the gate. "You better get him! Other girls are starting to flirt with him!" She yelled at Sakura for no reason.
"He's not my-" Sakura sighed, admitting defeat as Tenten was still pushing her to the gate hurriedly.
"Deidara-kun. You aren't free this weekend?"
"Nope. Not at all." He gave a polite smile back.
"That two-face idiot." She muttered under her breathe before walking towards Deidara.
"Hey Sakura!" He gave a huge wave.
"Hi. How's life. Mine's good. Bye." Sakura walked off, not even caring when others were talking about Deidara and her.
"Hey where are you going? I was waiting for you here yeah." He grabbed Sakura's arm as everyone around them started making weird and childish sounds.
"I thought you were busy flirting, so I'll be on my way."
"Jealous, Haruno?" He smirked.
"Ew. Please. No." She made a disgusted look, attempting to walk off.
Deidara scoffed, stepping forward and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him, standing no less than a few inches away from him.
"Well, I thought you wanted to visit Sasori yeah." He whispered into her ears, sending shivers down her spine.
Sakura shook her hand, stepping back and glared at Deidara. "That is one thing. But this is another thing. You should not even be here in the first plac-"
"Ah, whatever Sakura." Deidara grabbed her bag, pulling her away from the cluster of girls. "We are going to a convenience store before going to Sasori's house."
"Wait!" Sakura yelped helplessly, feeling herself being dragged on the road. She waved to get a few of her schoolmates but all she could see from a far were a few girls shouting curses at her and a few supporting her like some mad fans.
Seriously, why was life so hard for her?
0o0
There was a soft knock on the door, followed by a louder one again. Sasori glanced up before tiredly stood up from his seat and shuffled his feat to the door. He didn't have any visitor in mind so he just assume it was some salesman introducing wok and pans.
Sasori swing open the door, ready to shoo off the salesman when he stood there in surprise, looking at the person who knocked the door.
"You- how did you get here?"
"Hi!" Sakura beamed, raising a small plastic bag. "I bought some pills for your cough, fever and flu. I just presume you had these three illness." She raised an eyebrow at Sasori.
"How did you get here?" He hoarsely asked, still standing at the doorway and ignoring the pills or whatever medicines in her hand. Who was she? A stalker?
"It wasn't just me." She turned back and frowned. "Deidara! Why are you so frigging slow?"
'Deidara?'
"Hey yeah." Deidara skipped slowly behind, holding onto tons of plastic bag as he tried his best to lift one of his hands up. "Deliveries!" He gave a bright grin.
A small hint of disappointment immediately appeared in his two chocolate brown eyes as he stepped aside, welcoming them in without speaking anything. He thought he would just be expecting Sakura, Sakura alone.
As both entered, Sasori looked at the bag that Sakura was holding before turning his attention to Deidara. "Are you having a party?" The redhead asked. He tried his best not to sound as sarcastic as he usually was.
"No silly." Sakura said, obviously missing out the tone in Sasori's voice. "These are for you. Deidara said you were sick."
Sasori closed the door without looking at her.
Sakura placed the small bag on the dining table and looked around in bewilderment. She had this feeling that his house would be in ship-shaped condition and tidy without any mess. Sakura had always thought Sasori would be a neat and well-organized person. Guess she was correct.
But the thing that surprise her was how bright and well lit up his house was. The curtains were tied up and all the sunlight could enter the room freely. Sakura love this kind of houses the best, it gave a feeling as though she was in heaven.
Deidara placed the heavy bags on the table, sighing in relief after feeling that his hands were free from burden. Sakura walked towards Sasori who was still walking sloppily towards them after closing the door.
"Sasori. Let me show you something." Sakura dug into her bag and fished out the bright and shining crown that she was awarded and swung it in front of the redhead's face.
"How is it?" Sakura grinned from ear to ear.
He tried to look surprise when he saw it, but the fact that he knew about it yesterday didn't help much with his acting.
"Oh. Congratulation."
"Can't you be any happier?" Sakura looked upset. She was thinking of cheering Sasori up with it. Too bad, he's one hard guy to please.
"Well I'm sorry for that." He said, not feeling a tiniest bit of regretful at all. He had a headache since yesterday night when he tried to go home after the dance. The particular scene that kept repeating in his mind didn't much help him.
What scene, you asked?
Oh, you clearly know what he was talking about.
Sakura pulled a face, slipping the crown back into her bag. She wasn't even intending to show off, she just wanted Sasori to be happy for her, since he did helped her a lot.
The pinkette and the blonde decided not to tell anyone about the kiss they had, even though thousands of people had already witness it. It would be better if one person less would know, even though they didn't know that Sasori was one of the audiences.
"Here are the pills. Eat one after your breakfast, lunch and dinner. I preferably guess you didn't skip meals. Do you?" Sakura looked at Sasori in suspicion. He looked away, not bothering to answer.
Sakura sighed, crushing the empty plastic bag. "Well, it's unhealthy for you."
"Anyway, here are some sweets to soothe your sore throat." Deidara was busily rummaging through the plastic bags as he scooped out the box. Sasori glanced at the packet that Deidara was holding, expecting it to be the one Sakura gave it to him last time, but it wasn't. He inwardly huffed, just like a 5-year old kid.
"I'm not going to pay for all these things." Sasori glanced at the bags disapprovingly because he didn't get the sweet he wanted.
"Nobody asked you to." Deidara drawled, shaking the box and going back to their conversation. "You should be grateful that I manage to get this. There's another kid who was eyeing on this last packet yeah."
"Aha." Sakura giggled. "I have to admit, you are brave to fight that little boy for it even when his mother was there."
"Oh heck it. That boy could have asked properly for it, but he gave me that finger. Too bad he was short, he can't even reach me."
"He gave us revenge. Too bad Deidara got it." Sakura suppressed a giggle when Deidara shot her a glare. "I told you not to mention it yeah."
"He slipped and fell on the puddle of milk that the kid poured from the drink section."
Sasori observed the two exchanging their jokes at the supermarket. He was listening attentively most of the time, but when it comes to Deidara, he practically shut his mind off.
Yes, Sasori and Deidara were best friends. But he seriously didn't want to hear him talking about how fun their trip was at the store. Not him as the character of the story.
"Thanks for the story, I was so overjoyed and enthuse about it." He gave bored look. "I'm seriously enjoying every part of it." He repeated, leaning against the kitchen table.
"Do you have to be that sarcastic yeah?" Deidara sighed. Sakura gave a small nod and agree.
"I'm sick here. And I want some peace and sleep for the entire day. I'm sorry if you didn't notice that before."
"Come on… We can tell you some funny jokes I heard from the Internet, it can cheer you up yeah." Deidara said
"Tell him the penguin one." Sakura brightened up.
"Well, go home and continue with your riddles, jokes and sweet talks. Mine doesn't welcome you two." He stood up, gesturing them out of the door.
"But..." Sakura stood up reluctantly when Sasori dragged her.
"Come on, at least we bought all these for you yeah."
"Well, I never told you to do that." He grumbled, picking Deidara up as well.
"Remember, take those pills after meals. Don't skip any of it. Breakfast is very important." Sakura said in a hurry.
"And if you had some leftover food, bring some over to Kakuzu's house next week yeah." Deidara added quickly too as both of them were pushed out of the door.
Sasori just nodded huffily, pushing both of them out and closed it behind them. He could still hear a few muffles but he completely shut their voice out. A few seconds later, there were no noise outside. Sasori supposed they had left.
He turned and shuffled back to the dining table, sitting down on a chair.
Of course, you stupid pink-head…
Which guy would ever tolerate hearing how enjoyable you day was with another man?
He sighed, ruffling his crimson red hair and started coughing once more as he search in the bags if there were some snacks he could eat since he was a little hungry.
0o0
"Hey Sasori."
The blonde turned and adjusted the sound of the music playing in the car and watched if Sasori was even listening to him from the start.
"What?"
"Do you like Sakura?"
If Sasori was driving the car, he would have brake and let Deidara flew out of the car window.
Forget it. He just tensed at the question, that's all.
"No." He gave Deidara a stare, an expressionless stare before frowning. "Why?"
"Just asking yeah." He shrugged playfully and gave a huge grin as he continues driving.
"Why?" Sasori repeated his question, ignoring Deidara's attempt to shrug off the topic.
Deidara gave an inward sigh, not even thinking twice and just answer. "I think I like her."
He didn't know what to reply, all Sasori did was to open his mouth slightly before closing it firmly shut, refusing to say anything.
"Hey, what's with the silence yeah?" Deidara glanced nervously at Sasori.
"I don't care about it. I thought it was something even more important." He glared at the other side and out of the window, watching all the lampposts passing by like the wind.
"Mind you, that's important." Deidara made a face, making a harsh turn to let Sasori jerk out of his seat; as if it was a sort of revenge for Sasori.
The redhead shifted his position and glared at the blonde before looking in front. "If you like her, then just go with it. As long as you don't intend to drag me along with your romance, I'm fine with it." Sasori mumbled.
"I was planning to yeah."
"No."
Deidara purposely made another harsh turn, surprising Sasori once more. "You better stop making these crazy turns. I know you're doing it deliberately." Sasori scowled.
"Aren't we the best of friends yeah?" Deidara scoffed, slowly stopping at a red light.
"I just want to know how she feels about me." He beamed excitedly and added.
"Ok." Sasori said, and yawned.
"Come on." Deidara reached out to Sasori's pocket as the redhead jerked suddenly, surprised when Deidara took his phone. The blonde threw the phone on his friend's lap before started driving when the red light turns green.
"Message her."
"No." Sasori plainly said.
"Pretty please? I'll give you ten bucks for each message."
"You can try that on Kakuzu." Sasori muttered.
"Come on, seriously Sasori. Just do it yeah."
Sasori clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes in frustration and started typing in the message, a little furious.
How do you feel about Deidara?
He sent the question without even letting Deidara see what he sent. Heck, why the hell did he care anyway? This was his phone.
A soft vibration and a melody played in Sakura's pocket as she stared weirdly at it before fishing it out. After she had that fight with Ino, she had saved thousands of messages, now she was always wondering who would send her a message or call her whenever her phones rings.
She flipped opened her phone and pressed onto the button to see the message. Sakura scanned trough the question and raised an eyebrow, also noticing it was Sasori who sent it.
It really surprises her when Sasori's name appeared on her phone screen, and it even shocked her with the question he asked. But she never preys on it further, Sakura just replies his question, since beating around the bush didn't really please him, she noticed.
He's okay. Sometimes a little annoying, but he's kind of funny and amusing. It's fun to be with him.
"What she says?" Deidara stretched his neck to look at Sasori's phone when it vibrates to alert the owner of any new message. Sasori just tiredly showed the screen to Deidara after reading it himself as the blonde raised an amused eyebrow.
"Annoying?"
"Glad you know." Sasori said.
"That hurts." Deidara gave a sidelong glance. "But she likes it when I'm with her."
Sasori rolled his eyes, wanting to put his phone in his pocket when Deidara stopped him. "Ask her! Ask her if I'm her ideal type yeah."
Sasori gave an inward sigh, pulling out his phone and began typing.
Then do you like him?
Sasori avoided beating around the bush, sending the message straight away without Deidara's approval again.
A short melody was played again as she looked at her phone, scanning through her message and widened her eyes in disbelief at the screen. She was about to reply when a voice called out, immediately distracted her from her phone.
"Sakura!"
The said girl almost dropped her phone in surprise as she turned around to see who was calling her. And in her greatest shock, it was the blue-haired lady that she had lost contact after the dance.
Sakura widened her eyes, looking at the blue-haired lady walking towards to her. She put the phone back into her bag and gave a wave.
"Konan-san!"
"Sakura, are you free this afternoon?"
Deidara looked at Sasori's phone for the fifth time that same minute.
"Why isn't she replying? What did you sent her yeah?"
"I asked her if she like you."
Deidara widened his aqua blue eyes and frowned, looking at Sasori as if he really wants to strangle him but obviously he couldn't. "You scared her off yeah." Deidara frowned unpleasantly as he continues to focus on driving the car.
"I'm so sorry. Do you want me to bow down in front of you for you to forgive me?" Sasori said sarcastically, putting his phone back into his pocket.
"But I really want to know the answer yeah." Deidara sighed.
The redhead gave a sidelong glance at him before staring out of the window in daze. Not only Deidara, but Sasori was also eager to know the answer too.
0o0
"I'm a little nervous. You sure they will welcome me?" Sakura asked.
"They might look fierce or scary, they are actually nice." She assured her.
"But anyway, this is Kakuzu's house. I'll introduced them to you later." Konan said, turning the door handle and swung it open.
The door flung open, sending them a small breeze brushing across all of their face. Their attention immediately focuses on the two girls at the door.
"Brat?" "Sakura?" Sasori and Deidara said in unison.
"What are you doing here?" Sasori beat Deidara in asking the question.
"You two know her?" Pein commented.
"Sakura and Sasori came from the same school." Deidara explained.
For once, everyone was shocked; except for Konan.
"I just saw her at the pavement of the road, wanting to go home. So I just ask her if she wanted to join us." Konan explained
"Sasori, you never mentioned that you have such a cutie in your school." Hidan smug.
"Come on, Sasori introduce your friend here." Kisame said.
"That is Sakura." He pointed at the pinkette who looked embarrassed as she tugged onto her jeans. "This is Itachi, Kisame, Hidan, Kakuzu, Pein." Sasori drawled, pointing at each of the members before looking away.
Konan shook her head, pulling the daze Sakura who was still trying to register the quick introduction into her brain. Konan lead her to an empty seat on the floor that Pein had specially reserved for her. Since Sakura just joined unexpectedly, they moved their position a little for Sakura to settle down.
"How did you two even meet?" Pein asked out of curiosity, he turned to look at Sakura, wanting her to speak up.
"Sasori brought me to find Konan-san before. She was there to help me with the dance preparation." Sakura glanced shyly at Pein.
"That was a surprise." Kisame spoke, looking at Sasori. "When are you so kind?" Kakuzu added, knowing exactly why everyone was surprise with Sakura's words.
Sasori rolled his eyes. "If I doesn't, she'll annoy me to no end." He drawled.
"Hey!" Sakura grumbled.
"When I annoy you to buy a bottle of coke when you are in the head of the line, you wouldn't even do that yeah." Deidara complained.
"Too bad." He shrugged.
"I know why Sasori would help her." Everyone looked curiously at Konan, even Sakura and Sasori.
"Because she's too adorable and nice to refuse." Konan giggled, pinching Sakura's cheek lightly.
"Oh fuck. I didn't know you swing that way." Hidan looked bewildered.
Pein looked surprise and shock as he stared at Konan for her response.
"Sakura is just like my small little sister." Konan shot Hidan a look.
Sakura widened her bright emerald eyes and beamed. That moment when Konan acknowledge her, she felt so happy inside. She just gained so many friends in an instant: maybe friends, but she'll look at the situation first.
And furthermore, she might have earned a trustworthy good friend too.
"Anyway, how was the dance last week?" She stared at Sasori before glancing at Sakura who was speechless.
"Pretty boy go to the dance?" Hidan roared with laughter while Kakuzu just jabbed his elbow into his stomach to stop him from adding to the noise pollution.
"I didn't go."
It silenced the entire group members.
"Deidara went for me." Sasori muttered bluntly.
Everyone turned to stare at the blonde before looking at Sakura, confirming with her. Sakura just nodded.
Konan gave a sidelong glance at Sasori. She thought her plan was going smoothly for Sasori and Sakura, when did Deidara barge in all of the sudden?
"Then how's the dance?" Pein asked, seeming to understand what Konan was thinking.
Sakura gave Deidara a glare, warning him about the promise he made. About not telling those people who didn't witnessed or know about the kissing incident.
"I could have yawn to death there yeah."
Should Sakura be offended for what Deidara had said or should she be happy that Deidara didn't let the cats out of the bag? Well, whatever. She'll just take the first one.
"At least you can dance with a hot babe." Konan snickered.
"Maybe." Deidara stared at the thick dictionary lying on a table.
"Whoa." Kisame manage to catch Sasori who was almost glaring at Deidara when he made the comment. Kisame couldn't tell if the redhead was glaring or just staring, but his knuckles were indeed white from clutching onto his shirt too hard.
"Love triangle..." Kisame mumbled softly, even though every single one of them could hear it.
"Huh? It's not like what you think!" Sakura protested, not even knowing both of Deidara and Sasori's reaction.
"Right…" Kakuzu softly commented.
Sasori rolled his eyes, turning around to make his back facing everyone as he lay at the corner of the room. He started closing his eyes and was about to a nap in the air-conditional room when Hidan's shouts nearly gave him a heart attack.
"Look at him." He pointed at Sasori who was sitting at the corner of the room.
"He's fucking jealous!"
Sasori glared at him. "Hidan. Don't start it."
"Start ranting on how fucking cute you were when you are jealous?"
"Oh yes Kisame. I suddenly remembered." Itachi speak for the first time, and everyone including Hidan stopped and stared at him curiously. "There was once when Hidan fell into a hole because a youngster pushed him in."
Sasori smirked, realizing Itachi was actually bailing him from Hidan's ranting. He laid his head on the bed and spoke out loud. "Yes, that was very memorable." Sakura turned to stare at Sasori before turning to look at Itachi again.
"It took almost a day before anyone noticed his shouts." The Uchiha continued.
"Don't you dare talk about it, you blind fuck." Hidan scowled.
"Ah… He was noticed because everyone thought he was a kitten trapped underground." Kakuzu said.
"Those days…" Pein spoke, closing his eyes and gave a peaceful smile.
"You fuckers."
Sakura chuckled. "I'm proud of that youngster."
"I don't need your comment, Pinky."
It was just like that and Sakura started to speak up more with Sasori's friend. She got to learn all of their embarrassing and funny moments, and even Sasori's for crying out loud.
She secretly has a personal favorite. The one when Sasori and Itachi got caught going to a women's bathroom because they were running away from a gang fight. She's a woman herself, and she knew it was really ridiculous to be laughing about it, but the two coolest men she find in the group had did something so such hilarious thing.
"Shut up." Hidan point a middle finger at Pein. "Kakuzu! Kakuzu is also involved in that bowling incident!"
Sakura wiped a tear as she hugged her stomach in pain. This was the first time she laughed so much in her life. It was really fun to have them around when you were upset over something; they were the best to cheer you up.
At first Sakura was having doubts coming over. Well… they were from Akatsuki after all and no one could blame her for that.
The group from Akatsuki has mixtures of people. Like funny ones… Hidan and Deidara were both good examples. Kakuzu can also slightly relate back to Sasori, they were both equally good at sarcasms. Pein and Konan definitely make a cute and kind pair, and Sakura definitely ship them. Lastly, Kisame and Itachi knows how to make funny comments on almost everything; which was also one of the important factor one why Sakura was still laughing so hard.
Now, Sakura had to ponder why Sasori was so distant and quiet at the start when he had so many out-going and hilarious friends.
After trying to control her laughter again, she stood up abruptly, glancing apologetically at everybody.
"I guess I have to go now." Sakura looked at her phone's clock. "I had night shift at the bakery."
"Need a lift?" Deidara stared at Sakura.
"There's actually direct bus that I can take just across the street." Sakura stared back.
"Need me to sent you to the bus stop, chick?" Hidan smirked.
"Sasori. I believe you can safely take Sakura to the bus stop." Konan tugged onto her friend's shirt.
There was a moment of silence as Deidara, Hidan and Sasori stared at her. What? Did Konan mean that Hidan and Deidara could not take her safely to the bus stop? They didn't show it, but it surely did hurt their ego.
But then, Sasori didn't even volunteered to send her off, so why did Konan had to make him move from his cozy position when he didn't even offend her or do anything wrong and stupid.
"I find myself sitting very comfortably here."
"I can go back myself, Konan-san." Sakura gave an assured smile.
No one knows what hit Kakuzu's head, but he sure sided with Konan too; not obviously, but it was certain that he did.
"Go and get a few cans of beer on the way, here's the coupon for a dollar offer." Kakuzu waved the money and coupon in front of Sasori. "The store is near the bus stop."
No one had ever defies Kakuzu when he ordered someone to do something, except for Hidan. Kakuzu's glare was already scary enough; his voice had to add in the creepiness too.
0o0
The bright orange light bathes their skin as they took their own sweet time to the bus stop. Both of their shadows were long and dull, and Sakura love the small garden near Kakuzu's house, it gives her a small, happy feeling that she couldn't describe.
If she lives nearby, she'll jog around the town every single day.
"I just seen your message before Konan called out to me and brought me to Kakuzu's house." She tilted her head, looking at Sasori before continuing.
"Why the sudden question?"
"If you don't want to say, I won't force you."
"Alright, fine." Sakura gave up, knowing that there wasn't any method to force him to speak. He's one stubborn guy.
"If you really want to know I'll tell you." She said again, wanting to see what was Sasori's reaction. But the problem was that his face was just expressionless all the way.
"I don't like him." She paused, continuing. "Sure, he does tease me and tell jokes and he's really fun to be with. But I just take those affections as a good friend. I have no interest in him, so you can keep your mind at peace."
Sasori nodded slowly and gave a very small smile that goes unnoticeable. He was really feeling that his mind were at peace like what Sakura had just said.
'What?' He then frowned deeply and looked at Sakura.
"What… keep my mind in peace? I was just asking for fun." He muttered, keeping he face stern.
"I was still thinking of what Hidan said. Are you really jealous?" Sakura teased.
"I was thinking of pushing you to the road." Sasori gave a glare that could freeze hell.
"I was just joking!" Sakura gave a light punch on his shoulder while he gave a pissed-off look at her. He took a few steps away from her and pointed at the space in between them. "Keep this distance, Haruno." He said angrily.
"You aren't angry, are you? I mean how could you be jealous of Deidara because of me? Hidan was just making a fool out of himself back then." She laughed, ignoring Sasori's threat and walked even closer to him.
There was no reason to be jealous. That's why Sasori was still offended when Hidan said he was. That religious freak's motive of living was just to embarrass him in front of everybody.
And Sakura knew that Sasori would never be jealous. He's such a cool and calm person, how would he have fallen for a hyper and random girl? That's the reason why she dared to joke in front of Sasori just like Hidan.
Sasori silently walked, planning to just drop her off at the bus stop right down the road. He just quietly listened to Sakura's blabbering while she was just talking about many random things to him. Random things like how she saw a cat sleeping in a very weird and awkward position outside the school yesterday.
They finally reached the bus stop. And deep down, both of them felt that the distance from Kakuzu's house and the bus stop was very short.
"Alright. You can go now. Thanks for accompanying me." She gave a smile.
Sasori gave her an of-course-if-not-what-do-you-want look before he trudged off, leaving the pinkette alone sitting at the bus stop bench. She gave a quick sigh, quickly taking a book out from her bag, which she would bring everywhere when she was going out.
Sakura gave a stiff yawn, flipping to the page of the book where she had made a mark by folding at the corner of the page. She was not even reading, but just skimming through the words. It was her favorite book of the month, yet she felt that talking to Sasori was much more interesting than reading this romance novel. She sighed, flipping to the next page after glancing through the last sentence.
The pinkette continued kicking her legs into the air, grabbing onto the bench just in case if she kicked too hard and fall from the tall bench. She didn't even notice a figure standing a few meters from the bus stop, watching her under a tall tree.
Sasori didn't plan to return to Kakuzu's house with the drinks he had just bought from the convenience shop, not until when he saw her board the bus from afar.