A/N: Yosh, here it is… finally!
I have to warn you guys, this chapter came out a lot longer than expected. But hopefully none of you will complain. I plan on finishing this story in a couple more chapters so a lot had to be included in this instalment. I'm tackling NaNoWriMo again this November and I want to get this story finished or as close to that as possible before then.
My muse sort of decided to go a tad crazy thus, you can expect some Akatsuki fanservice in this chapter sprinkled with a dose of crack!pairing extravaganza. I'm actually happy with how it turned out and I hope you guys feel the same.
It was really funny to read your reviews and notice how many of you were actually worried about Sakura's shoes… I had some really good laughs. C'mon guys! Of course I'm not going to forget about the shoes!
But enough is enough… on with the chapter!
Chapter 10 – Executive Bash
"Sakura, if you stay in there any longer, you're going to go to the party looking like a prune," Ino said annoyingly as she flipped yet another page of the magazine she was browsing through.
"I know, I know… I'm coming out already," came a reply from inside the bathroom. The slight anxiety in Sakura's voice was easy to discern even through the door and Ino found herself smiling wickedly as she remembered the flustered afternoon they'd just gone through.
She'd come to an agreement with Temari: if she was going to take care of the dress, then Ino would take care of the shoes. She knew how much her best friend loved to go shoe shopping and the blond simply wouldn't pass on the opportunity to go out with Sakura on an extensive afternoon at the local mall looking for a pair of high-heels to match her gorgeous dress. After knowing her for years, Ino knew that her friend was a helpless romantic deep down inside even if she didn't show it. She'd caught her more than once eyeing the magnificent dresses at some of the most posh stores. The look in her eyes as she glanced at the gowns simply couldn't be denied and Ino knew that the pink haired girl was actually living one of her long held dreams right now.
Sakura was going to a party wearing a dress even more beautiful than any of the ones they'd ever seen in the company of one of the cities most sought-after bachelors.
'Even if he isn't exactly a ray of sunshine,' Ino thought dryly.
It was clear that after Gaara had given Sakura her dress, they'd become much closer. They'd shared a kiss on that day, certainly, but her friend hadn't wanted to go into details and Ino hadn't pressed her. The redhead had actually showed up at the flower shop a couple of times and the blond was absolutely confident that he'd given Sakura a ride home after work almost every day. His disposition wasn't exactly the friendliest; in fact, he'd almost made Hinata jump out of her skin when he came in the first time and snapped at her when he didn't see Sakura behind the counter. But that was something they were willing to overlook especially with the way their emerald eyed friend would smile giddily whenever she saw him.
Sakura hadn't been this in love in a very long time. Being her closest friend, Ino knew this very well. Thus, she was content with letting Gaara's iciness slide, counting on Temari when she said that her little brother might be a social retard but that deep down inside, he was a good guy.
Despite the fact that she wanted to know everything going on between them, Ino held her curiosity in check. Being aware of how Sakura sometimes craved her privacy in personal things, she realized she had to be patient. She knew she'd be getting an inside scoop whenever she was ready, there was no doubt about that. This was the first relationship her friend was getting into in years and despite her usually harassing manner, Ino knew when to give Sakura her space. Therefore, she was being supportive in other ways, like scheming behind her back with Temari and taking her shoe shopping. The day Sakura found out that this whole thing had been perfectly planned would definitely bring quite an earful; the blond was sure about that. She just hoped when the time came for the pink haired girl to blow some steam, she would have the lovely experiences of the party to remember and would be lenient with her helpful friend.
This was for her own good, truly. Hopefully she'd realize that too.
Ino glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table and sighed softly. They actually didn't have much time. Sakura needed to get ready soon or else Gaara would arrive to pick her up to find still in her bathrobe. She'd insisted on bathing before dressing, wanting to have the delicious smell of her bath gel all over her skin. The blond had rolled her eyes and kept the insinuating comments that came to mind about why she wanted her skin to smell nice to herself. A shower would've been much more efficient but that was alright. This was Sakura's night after all and she deserved to pamper herself.
Still, there was a limit on how much time she could spend in there.
"Ok, I'm going in there to get you out or else! I need to get started on your makeup and we still need to curl your hair," she shouted.
"I'm out, I'm out," the pink haired girl replied, opening the bathroom door. As expected, she was wearing her comfy bathrobe and had her towel wrapped around her head.
With her victim out in the open, Ino threw the magazine she'd been perusing on the bed and proceeded to make her way over to Sakura. As she did so, she picked up the small stool the her friend kept in her room for just this kind of occasion and placed it in front of the bathroom mirror.
"Alright, you know the rules: your back to the mirror," the blond said, while rumbling through Sakura's small makeup bag and placing her own next to it. "You can't see yourself until I'm done."
"Fine," she replied, sitting down. She really was extremely glad that Ino was here to help her. Her friend had been applying her makeup for special occasions for as long as she could remember. Having lived with two sisters all her life, Ino was very adept when it came to these kinds of things and had lots of experiences with makeup and hair. If you actually thought about it, the blond would've definitely become a stylist if she hadn't agreed to help her mother with the flower shops. Thus, Sakura had complete confidence in her and knew she would come out looking as dazzling as if she'd gone to a professional salon.
"Alright, we'll do your hair first then," the blond said as she plugged in the hair curler to allow it to heat.
Since Sakura's hair was short, they'd decided that it would definitely be better for her to wear it down. Her tresses possessed such a uniquely bright colour that it would be a shame for her to cover it up by tying it in some kind of bun. But a change was definitely in order since she simply couldn't go to the party looking the same as she usually did. Consequently, they'd come to the decision to curl it, giving it a bouncy and energetic appeal that went with her personality. Curled, Sakura's hair would reach just above her chin, allowing her neck to be sensually exposed when she put on her appealing dress.
'That redhead won't know what hit him,' Ino thought maliciously, smirking a little before she proceeded with the task at hand.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Sakura remained mostly silent and passive while Ino did her work. She had so much to think about that she welcomed the chance for her friend to concentrate on other things instead of trying to talk. Holding her hands clasped together on her lap, the pink haired girl tried to get them to stop their slight trembling.
She'd been able to put things aside for most of the day, especially with the enjoyable afternoon of shoe shopping she'd shared with Ino. Having successfully kept herself busy, it was easy to maintain the imminent events of the evening at bay. But now here she was, getting ready for her date. Gaara would be coming over to pick her up soon to take her to the party she'd been looking forward to all week. Sometimes during work, she'd felt as if though she were making things up; as if this whole circumstance had been a product of her imagination. On many occasions, she'd felt as if her whole meetings with Gaara had been something surreal… almost dreamlike. It would've been easy to convince herself that she'd imagined everything.
But then he would call or he would come over and Sakura would re-realize that it really was true, that he really was real. After the first kiss they'd shared, things between them had changed… in a good way. Even though the redhead hadn't been exactly subtle when it came to expressing his attraction towards her, he hadn't been blatantly obvious either. However, after their lips had met in that passionate encounter when he'd brought her dress, it seemed as if he'd taken that as the cue to make his advances much more evident.
Not that she was complaining.
Gaara had driven her home after work this past week more often than not, specifically when she had the afternoon shift and would have to walk home after dark. This would usually mean that she'd invite him in for dinner or they would pass by a restaurant on their way to her house. If she found herself doing the morning shift, he would also insist to drive her home but she would vehemently refuse. Sakura knew he was busy and she didn't want him to go out of his way for her this much. He'd grumbled and complained that it wasn't a hassle for him in the least; he was the vice-president after all and could take all the breaks he wanted. Nonetheless, the pink haired girl wouldn't budge, much to his aggravation, and after a couple of tantrums which she'd handled amazingly well, they both agreed that they would meet for lunch.
Sakura loved spending time with him and therefore, if he insisted on seeing her, she wasn't about to complain. As long as it was moderate and he wouldn't take too much time off for her. It was exhilarating to suddenly see him almost everyday for a few hours after she'd only bumped into him at random intervals on the street. During this week, she'd gotten to know him a whole lot better than before and even though he wasn't the best conversationalist ever, he would answer her questions as best as he could and would listen intently whenever she spoke. It was mesmerizing to realize that she had the complete attention of such a handsome and important man whenever she found herself talking vividly and more often than not, she found she simply couldn't stifle a blush when she caught his intent jade eyed stare.
He seemed to love the effect his gaze had on her for whenever he found her cheeks colouring slightly roseate, Gaara would smirk shamelessly before leaning in for a quick kiss.
Which led to another matter altogether: she was addicted to his kisses.
Sakura had kissed a number of boys before but none of them could even compare to the way the smouldering redhead used his lips and tongue. Whenever she found him leaning towards her, which was often, her heart would leap inside her chest in anticipation before she found herself melting underneath the fervour of his kiss. It was utterly intoxicating and the pink haired girl had already realized that she was completely at his mercy whenever she felt his tongue brush against her lips.
The redhead wasn't shy about revealing his affection for her to the world either. He'd surprised her the first time they'd gone out to dinner by taking her hand when they got out of his car and walked up to the Italian restaurant they'd picked. It was a habit he seemingly liked since he repeated it every time he found himself walking beside her. While waiting at the table, he would lift his hand and caress her absentmindedly on the arm while she talked. It was as if he craved to have physical contact with her as much as possible, as if he were stating his claim.
She had the impression that he was letting the world know that she was his and being extremely clear about it. Initially, Sakura had been surprised by such gestures since she hadn't thought he would be prone to motions that might make him appear as a caring man. She knew he cared, deep inside, but his personality wasn't the kind to show affection in such ways. This meant there had to be another reason behind it. Consequently, it seemed she'd guessed correctly when she had concluded that he did it to not only make their relationship extremely clear to others but also to remind her of it as well.
'As if I need reminding,' she thought in exasperation.
For the time being, Sakura would let such possessive impulses slide but knew that in the future, she would most likely have to set her foot down or else there would be trouble. She was completely certain that Gaara was the extremely jealous type and she would have to make things clear before he got out of hand.
Nonetheless, she was enjoying his attentions right now and there was nothing better than to be in his presence. Still, just because she'd become completely comfortable around him didn't mean that she wouldn't be nervous about tonight. She would be attending the party of the year arm in arm with one of the countries most eligible bachelors… a bachelor who'd been given her his rapt attention all week and had actually ended up having a staring contest with her cat.
Giggling softly, Sakura tried to stay as still as possible while Ino kept curling her hair. The blond pinned her with an inquisitive look but decided to keep concentrating on her task instead of questioning her.
It was simply too much for her not to laugh. After that day, Kiri seemed to have taken a liking to Gaara, much to his irritation. Sakura had learned that he'd never had a pet in his life and that having an animal around in such close proximity sometimes made him edgy. Thus, he would jump slightly in startlement whenever her feline companion leaped into his lap or brushed affectionately against his leg. Jade eyes would narrow whenever she did that and he would glower openly. Naturally, Kiri wasn't the least bit intimidated by his antics and kept on annoying him. Sakura was almost sure that her black and white cat did it on purpose just to irk him but she wasn't about to voice that out loud. They would have to learn to get along with each other and the sooner Gaara accepted Kiri's presence the better.
It was now that she thought about it that Sakura realized that they actually had something in common: both of them had a tendency to growl.
She let out another laugh.
"Could you stay still, missy?" Ino reprimanded.
"Sorry."
"What are you laughing at?" the blond asked as she finally finished with Sakura's hair and put the curler down.
"Nothing… I guess I just realized that I'm compatible with feline personalities."
"Feline personalities?" Ino murmured, raising an eyebrow and shaking her head.
If this had something to do with Gaara, she definitely didn't want to know.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"Ino?" Sakura asked, her voice trembling with emotion and startlement. "Is that really me?"
Her friend laughed and simply nodded her head.
They were standing in the pink haired girl's room, staring at the full length mirror she had behind her door. The sparkling red rubies of her dress glittered as Sakura moved slightly to try and admire herself from every possible angle. Her makeup was flawless as was her hair. The cherry curls framed her face gracefully and she loved to move her head from side to side just to see them bounce happily. Turning around, emerald eyes widened as she took a look at her exposed back.
She had to admit, the dress really did accentuated her figure flawlessly. Never in her life had she thought she'd be able to look this beautiful.
"You'll be turning heads all over the place tonight," Ino said as she brought up the equally sparkly shawl and put it over Sakura's shoulders. "Those rich snobs will want to get their hands all over you."
"I don't know about that," she answered with a laugh, "there's just one particular snob that I'm interested in."
"Trust me, that moody redhead won't be able to keep his hands to himself," the blond replied with a wicked tone.
Sakura swatted her playfully but didn't deny the claim. She was really looking forward to seeing the look on Gaara's face when he saw her wearing the dress he'd given her.
"Now I'm off!" Ino exclaimed suddenly, picking up her purse. "He'll be here any minute."
Taking her own small bag, the pink haired girl followed her friend down the stairs. It was a purse they'd purchased this afternoon as well and that Ino had found with uncanny ease. She'd mentioned something about a specific store and funnily enough, they'd found a petite purse that matched the exact same crimson of her dress. Sakura was going to say something about the price but before she knew it, the store assistant had already placed it in a bag and Ino had paid for everything. Much to her chagrin, the blond wouldn't even hear Sakura's remarks about paying her back. She decided she'd slip the money in her wallet the next opportunity she had while she wasn't watching.
Sakura saw Ino to her door, barely able to contain her bubbling excitement. They embraced quickly and the blond surveyed her one last time before heading out.
"You have a blast, do you hear me?" she said with a wide smile.
"I promise I will."
"Good!" Ino replied. "And I want a full recount tomorrow!" With that, she stepped out the door and headed over to her car, laughing happily.
"Bye!" Sakura said before she closed the door and was alone in her living room.
She stood there for a couple of seconds, trying to get heart to calm down. But it was simply impossible… there was too much excitement running through her veins. The urge to jump around or race up and down the stairs in an attempt to vent some of her energy suddenly overcame her but she held it in check. It wouldn't to spoil Ino's perfect preparation of her appearance.
Deciding that it would be better to stay calm, she headed over to her living room couch and sat down. She knew Gaara would be here any moment; he was incredibly punctual and if he said he would be there at a certain time, he meant it. Therefore, her nervous waiting only lasted around 5 minutes before she heard her doorbell ring.
Sakura stood up and breathed in deeply. The time had come.
She walked up to the door and opened it, a smile already on her lips.
After all the thinking she'd done about his reaction when he saw her wearing her dress she hadn't actually thought about the effect his dressed up presence would have on her.
For the first time in her whole life, Sakura explicitly gaped at a man.
There he was standing, wearing a sleek black tuxedo and a perfectly folded bowtie. His crimson hair was combed back neatly, in complete contrast to its usually tousled appearance. The colour of his locks contrasted perfectly with the dark suit he was wearing, making his eyes stand out even more than they usually did. He looked just like one of those gorgeous men that you came across in designer adds while flipping through a magazine. The width of his shoulders was appealingly accentuated by the cut of his suit and when the alluring scent of his cologne reached her, there was nothing she could do to prevent from feeling weak in the knees.
It was belatedly that she realized that he was staring intently at her as well. Both of them stood there, in the threshold of the door, awestruck and silent while staring at each other in transparent admiration.
Miraculously, it was Sakura who recovered first.
"You look incredibly handsome," she said, blushing slightly as she smiled.
He blinked but remained silent.
Sakura didn't register when he actually moved.
Before she knew it, she was caught in his tight embrace and felt him pull her against his hard body. His lips were on hers before she could even realize what was happening and once more, his dexterous tongue started to relieve her of her senses. She moaned loudly as she felt his hands roam down the exposed skin of her back, all thoughts of the party they were supposed to attend leaving her mind.
His fingertips left a hot trail of sensation wherever they touched and Sakura couldn't help but cling to his neck as he continued to ravish her mouth. The smell of his masculine scent was all she was inhaling and mixed with the feel of his muscled frame running all the length of her own body, it was simply inevitable for her to melt in his arms.
Their kiss continued for an indefinite length of time, for both of them were suddenly blissfully unaware of their surroundings. Nonetheless, it was Gaara who managed to return to the present first, pulling away ever so slowly and running his tongue over her lower lip for good measure just before he lifted his face to look at her.
"That's how utterly stunning you look," he said, his trademark cocky grin coming to his lips. His jade eyes stared at her fixedly and Sakura found a not so subtle glint of lust coming from their depths.
She could only lower her eyes and smile at the statement. To think that it was her appearance that had made him react like that when he knocked on her door was truly exhilarating. Who knew what other tempting interactions were waiting for her this night.
Looking back up at him a moment later, she confessed that she truly couldn't wait to find out.
"If it were up to me," the redhead said, running his hand down her bare back once more, "you wouldn't leave the house wearing that dress, much less keep it on. But unfortunately, we've got previously arranged appointments tonight."
Sakura felt her cheeks flush at his directness and at the implied meaning behind his words. But she wasn't one to feel intimidated by such and she rose to the occasion.
"Yes, it is a pity," she replied, lifting her hand to fidget idly with his bowtie, "if a tuxedo like that looks so good on a man, he's usually hiding something even more appealing underneath."
His feral grin intensified to such a degree that Sakura thought she would turn into a puddle of goo right there and then.
"Mark my words, you'll get to see it," he said, completely sure of himself. He took her hand and brought it up to his lips before continuing. "The night is young and you must keep in mind that the party is being held at a luxurious hotel… just in case we get bored quickly and find the need to retire early."
"And what do you think are the chances of that happening?" she asked boldly, her eyes glistening with mischief.
"Extremely high," the redhead replied, releasing her hand so she could step back and take her keys from the small table next to her.
"What if I like the dancing?" Sakura said as he stepped out onto the small path outside while she locked her door.
"I can assure you that the dancing will only make you want to retire even earlier," Gaara said as he offered her his arm, "especially since you'll be dancing with me."
Giggling as she wrapped her shawl securely around her shoulders, she stepped up to him and took his arm happily. "So I take it that you're a good dancer then."
"I wouldn't go as far as to say that," he replied, walking her up to his car. "But you'd be amazed at the liberty that being lost among a throng of dancing people can give you."
Sakura let out loud chuckle at the lascivious tone in his voice. They'd reached the car by then and the redhead opened the passenger door for her. Stepping inside, Sakura arranged her dress around her legs neatly as Gaara closed the door and walked over to the driver's side.
When the redhead had started to drive away, the pink haired girl lowered the visor turning on the small mirror light as she did so. She took a quick look at her face and giggled slightly.
"What's so funny?" Gaara asked, looking at her from the corner of his eye.
"Oh not much… I'm just amazed at the quality of this makeup Ino lent me. It seems that my lipstick survived a close encounter with you quite successfully."
He was about to reply with a quick remark about what other kinds of close encounters she'd be having with him before something occurred to him.
"Sakura, did some of your lipstick get on my lips?"
She exploded with laughter at the anxious tone of his voice. "I don't know, I can't see very well," she teased.
"Sakura," Gaara growled menacingly but this only made his pink haired companion laugh all the louder.
"I think the lipstick matches your hair perfectly," Sakura replied, amidst a giggling fit. She was happy to find that all the anxiety she'd been experiencing previously had successfully dissipated now that she was in his presence.
Lifting his hand up, the redhead turned the rear view mirror down so he could take a look at himself. Luckily, there were no signs of lipstick anywhere. Imagine the embarrassment if he went up to greet one of those stiff necked Hyuugas with bright red lipstick on his mouth. He'd never hear the end of it.
The redhead narrowed his eyes and glared slightly at her but this did nothing to deter her merriment.
Despite his sour expression, lost among the delightful sound of her laughter, Gaara was extremely grateful that he'd gotten the opportunity to have her with him.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"Is this your first time riding a helicopter?" Temari yelled over the din of the spinning blades. They were standing on the roof of Suna Corporation's building, dressed in formal regalia. The helicopter had landed just a couple of minutes before and it was time for them to board it and be on their way.
Sakura simply nodded at the dark blond's question, her heart racing as Gaara took her arm once again and led her towards their means of transportation. She truly wasn't afraid of flying, not at all, but it wasn't everyday that you went out on a date that required you to fly to get to the main event of the night.
Temari chuckled at the evident delight in Sakura's face and led the way. She was wearing a gorgeous strapless gown of dark teal; the fabric hugged her figure nicely and matched her eyes perfectly. Her dark blond hair was tied up in a bun and a delicate necklace of diamonds decorated her elegant throat. She wore matching stud earrings, giving her an appearance of simple but graceful beauty that would certainly catch the eye of many men this night.
All in all, the older woman truly looked the part of Suna's Corporation president.
Once more, Sakura found herself momentarily overwhelmed by the realization in whose presence she would be attending the annual Hyuuga party. It wasn't enough that she was going to one of the most important social gatherings of the business world, she was also going to attend in the company of some of the most successful young entrepreneurs in the country.
Her incredulity must've shown on her face for Gaara squeezed her hand slightly and looked at her with a questioning look as one of the helicopter's pilots opened the doors for them.
The pink haired girl smiled reassuringly in answer, dissipating his worry.
"Are you sure we'll be alright?" an anxious female voice shrilled behind them.
Sakura turned round to take a look at Kankurou and his date, Suzu, a young brown haired girl with eyes the colour of dark honey. It was evident that she was having second thoughts about riding the helicopter.
"There's no need to worry, we've ridden this thing everywhere. Our pilots are the very best. Nothing's going to happen!" the tattooed man assured her.
Gaara simply shook his head impatiently at the girl's antics. Holding out his hand, he helped Sakura into the helicopter and climbed in after her. There were six seats in the small chopper, not leaving much space to move around. The pink haired girl headed towards the back and sat down. Taking the seat next to her, the redhead helped her get her seatbelt on without ruffling her dress too much.
Kankurou and Suzu took the seats in front of them; finally, Temari climbed up by herself and sat right behind the pilots, looking completely in her element. When Sakura had noticed that she was alone, she'd asked her if she wasn't bringing someone. The dark blond had smiled mysteriously and said that she'd be meeting her date at the party.
"We'll take around 25 minutes to get there," Temari informed them with a wide smile. "Is the wind in our favour?" she asked, speaking to the pilots.
"Yes ma'am," one of them answered her. "The wind's blowing southeast, which is exactly the direction we're heading. But the forecast said that it's due to a brewing storm."
"A storm?" Suzu shrieked.
Temari creased her eyebrows. "When will it be hitting?"
"We've got plenty of time," the pilot on the right answered her. "We'll be landing in approximately 27 minutes, which is more than enough to avoid the storm. You'll be on the ground and dancing before the rain hits."
"Alright then, let's go," Temari said.
With that, the propellers of the helicopter started spinning faster and a few seconds later, they were airborne.
As they rose into the air, Sakura felt a pit in the bottom of her stomach for a moment but the feeling was gone quickly. Gaara placed his hand on her knee and she threaded her fingers through his.
Bright emerald eyes looked out the window and at the tiny lights of the city beneath them as they flew. It was a wonderful experience and the pink haired girl was basically bubbling over with excitement as she watched the thousands of glimmering car lights underneath them.
Gaara looked at her and at the radiant happiness on her face. He couldn't help but grin at her and at the almost palpable giddiness emanating from her. In truth, he was extremely pleased with having been the one who could show her this kind of experience. Riding a helicopter came as second nature to him thanks to his profession and it was something he took for granted most of the time. To find that Sakura was having such a good time doing so only increased that tight feeling in his chest that emerged whenever he found himself in her presence.
In complete contrast to the pink haired girl's enthusiasm, Suzu wasn't handling the ride so well. Sakura noticed her pale face and decided that she needed some distraction. Thus, she pointed to things out the window, indicating all kinds of different land marks in the city. Happy to help distract his date, Kankurou joined in happily and pointed out different buildings himself.
The redhead sat back and listened to them talk, amazed once again at his girl's kindness. If it had been up to him, he would've left Suzu back on the roof. He simply didn't have patience for such meaningless antics.
Naturally, he ignored the little voice inside his head that told him that if Sakura had been this nervous, he wouldn't have gotten her into the helicopter until she was comfortable.
The flight passed by uneventfully and when Sakura saw the city disappear in the distance, she realized that they were getting close to their destination. As if reading her mind, the helicopter started to descend in wide circles and she could hear the pilots talking to someone through their headset.
"We've been cleared for landing", one of them said, as the chopper veered even nearer to the ground.
They finally landed on a hill located in one of the back gardens of the luxurious Equinox Hotel, one of the most lavish establishments in the country. It was the preferred getaway destination for celebrities and elite businessmen worldwide and it offered all kinds of comforts to its guests.
Sakura couldn't even begin to think how much renting a room in this place for a night would cost.
They climbed out from the helicopter only to find an elegant red carpet covering the stairs and walkway leading into the back entrance of the hotel. Temari said something to the pilots that the pink haired girl couldn't hear; their chopper waited for them to walk down a little bit before lifting back up into the air.
Taking Gaara's arm once again, Sakura began to walk next to him behind Kankurou and Suzu. Temari, as expected, was leading the way and as they reached the doors, the pink haired girl belatedly realized that there was a throng of photographers and journalists standing on either side.
She gulped visibly but Gaara's steady presence next to her calmed her. Luckily, it was Temari who answered all the questions and did all the talking. It became evident that she possessed an innate knack for flourishing in these kinds of situations and being the president of one of the most successful electronic firms, it was only natural for her to do so.
Sakura was momentarily blinded by the flash of many cameras as they finally managed to walk by and enter the hotel. She was happy that they wouldn't have to deal with such antics all night and that it was over. It was truly a relief to see that the Hyuuga family's security wasn't allowing any of them into the building.
"Temari-san, Kankurou-san, Gaara-san," a steady voice greeted as they entered a luminous vestibule. "It is an honour to have you here tonight."
"The honour is all ours," Temari answered formally as she bowed towards a tall raven haired man with silver eyes. "It is always comforting to know that the Hyuuga Clan holds us in high esteem, Hizashi-san."
Her brothers, each one standing to one side of her bowed low in respect. Following their lead, Sakura bowed to one of the heads of the Hyuuga clan, unable to stop thinking about her friend Hinata as she did so.
'She should be here with me,' she thought bitterly. 'This is her family too.'
But she remained silent and bore the appraisal of Hizashi-san's cold eyes stoically. Temari exchanged a few more words with him but he eventually moved on to greet another group of incoming guests.
"I hate that tight-assed bastard," Gaara murmured to her as they walked away, heading for the main hall of the party.
Sakura couldn't help but smile at his comment. "I know what you mean," she said in agreement. "One of my best friends is part of the family."
"Really?" he asked, startled. "Will she be here?"
"Oh no! She's not invited. Her branch of the family broke relations years ago."
"I'd heard about something like that," Gaara commented speculatively. "A problem with the distribution of shares between the Clan heads. They kept it real private, though. Being the kind of people they are, it really wasn't a surprise that they didn't let any of their internal conflicts leak too much."
"I don't know the details," Sakura said, taking note of what he'd mentioned. Hinata had never gone into details about what had happened with her relatives. "I just know that it was really tough for my friend and her immediate family."
Jade eyes narrowed for a moment. "Now I remember. Your co-worker at the flower shop. She's the one you're talking about… the mute girl."
"She's not mute!" Sakura exclaimed indignantly, swatting him on the arm.
"Well, she didn't seem capable of forming a coherent word when I asked her where you were."
"That's because you snapped at her. She's really shy," she replied, standing up for her friend. "I mean, who wouldn't be scared voiceless if a cold stranger walked into your shop glowering at you and snappishly asked for your friend."
"I didn't glower," the redhead said defensively. "I was just annoyed that you weren't out front when I got there."
"And that gives you the right to openly lash out at people?" the pink haired girl asked but there was a playful undertone in her voice now.
"Sakura, trust me," Temari said then, intervening in their conversation. "He thinks he was born with the right to do just that. It's like second nature for him."
Sakura burst into laughter, joined a bit more discreetly by Kankurou a few moments later after he tried to hold in his mirth and failed.
Deciding to ignore his brother's outburst Gaara simply glared at his sister openly, his jade eyes cold.
"See what I mean?" the dark blond murmured as if she meant for only Sakura to hear. Naturally, she kept the volume of her voice loud enough for it to reach the redhead.
He was about to reply sharply but Temari chose that particular moment to raise up a hand and wave at a few acquaintance some distance away. She effusively went over to greet them and Gaara was sure that she was doing so in retreat.
He turned to Sakura then. "Don't listen to her," he said sullenly.
The pink haired girl chuckled as she raised a hand to caress his cheek fleetingly. "I think your sister is great."
"That's precisely the problem," he replied, narrowing his eyes once again.
They were standing a few paces from the doors of the main hall where the Hyuuga celebration was being held. There were a number of people coming and going all around, dressed in expensive gowns and designer suits. It truly was like the footage Sakura had seen on TV. She'd been afraid for a moment that she would feel completely out of place at a gathering like this but luckily, Gaara and his siblings had more than made her feel welcome. Despite her surroundings, she felt completely at ease and she was confident that she'd be able to survive the night without any hassles.
As they waited for Temari to rejoin them, Kankurou and Gaara greeted a few of the passer-by's politely. It seemed that they were acquainted with all kinds of businessmen, young and old. A couple walking by who the redhead turned to greet solemnly caught Sakura's attention. Both of them were dressed elegantly, as the occasion merited, but the woman's blue hair drew her eyes immediately. She was wearing an ornamental flower in her azure tresses and as she stopped in front of them, the pink haired girl realized that the blossom seemed to be made from an exotically patterned paper that matched the design of her dress.
For her to be wearing a flower in her hair was enough for Sakura to like her instantly.
"Pein-san, Konan-san," Gaara greeted formally.
As the man turned to talk to the redhead concerning some business venture, Sakura was drawn to his strange eyes. There were strange ripples in his pupils and as he talked to her companion, she felt as if his mind was scheming something even as he formed words with his lips. On the contrary, the blue haired woman gave off an aura of tranquillity, as if she always managed to stay serene despite any circumstance. Somehow, Sakura knew that she was the calm that served as a base for her husband's, from what the rings on both their hands were saying, apparently aggressive nature.
The emerald eyed girl suddenly found that the woman was looking at her and smiling softly towards her.
Sakura returned the gesture with a smile of her own and a quick nod of her head.
"I'll talk to you later then, in private," Pein told Gaara, a tone of finality in his voice as if he'd just decided something important. It seemed that despite the fact that this was a celebration, business was always the main priority.
The redhead simply nodded in agreement before the rippled eyed man took Konan's arm once more to start making their way into the party hall. In that instant, he seemed to take notice of Sakura standing there and looked her over for a moment.
She'd never felt so nervous under a stranger's gaze. It was as if he were sizing her up to see where she fit in the schemes of his mind. She just wanted to shrink and become as inconspicuous as possible in that single moment.
'Come on girl, show some backbone!' she thought.
Lifting her green eyes to him, she smiled softly while lifting her hand to Gaara's arm, as if unconsciously seeking his solid presence.
Pein noticed this immediately and a sudden comprehension dawned in his eyes. With that, he simply grinned slightly at her and nodded her way before walking away with his wife. Sakura didn't know why but she felt as if she'd just passed a test.
"You did well," Gaara said to her, covering her hand with his own reassuringly. "It isn't anyone who can come out of a first encounter with that man unscathed. You should've seen when I met him… it was a disaster."
"Who is he?" she asked, eyeing the receding backs of the couple as they passed through the large double doors of the hall and beyond.
Since it seemed that Temari wasn't coming along anytime soon, Gaara started leading her the way the two of them had just disappeared.
"That was the co-owner of Akatsuki Corporation," Kankurou answered, stepping up to them with Suzu in tow. "He's the public representative for the group since the other co-owner actually prefers to stay in the shadows; no one really knows who he is, actually. His wife, Konan, is also a mayor shareholder and member of the board."
"I see," Sakura said. She knew she'd heard that name before somewhere.
An usher came up to them as they crossed the large doors and led them quickly to their table after the redhead provided their names. The immense hall was decorated extravagantly and there were tables situated around a large dance floor were people were already enjoying the music. Everyone present was dressed for the part but it was difficult to distinguish any particular person from among the crowd. The pink haired girl noticed the flower arrangements immediately but she was distracted as they walked by, trying to remember where she'd heard the name of Akatsuki before.
Gaara seemed to notice her confusion as they made their way to the table and knew very well that she was still pondering about what his brother had said. "Akatsuki is the main arms dealing company in the world," he supplied. "They sell weapons to many of the world's armies and their investigation department is the most advanced warfare laboratory is existence."
"Oh," the pink haired girl said as understanding dawned, realizing until now who she had been dealing with a few moments before.
"Pein-san was one of my teachers while I was in business school," the redhead continued. "Ruthless in the classroom as he is in the business world. He'd taken up a job as professor to see if he could hire some of the best graduates from the university and he did. He left when he'd already had enough to fill his board. Naturally, he doesn't do anything that doesn't bring benefit to him or his company."
"He was your teacher?" Sakura asked, slightly shocked. "He doesn't look that old."
"He isn't," he replied. "The man's a genius so he graduated from school quite early. He became an honorary professor in record timing."
Kankurou chuckled as they reached their seats and helped Suzu into a chair. "Well, he certainly thought the same of you."
Gaara furrowed his brow at this comment but remained silent, doing the same with Sakura.
"What do you mean?" Sakura inquired as the redhead sat next to her and signalled for a waiter. Luckily, their table was located sufficiently away from the dance floor for it not to be necessary for them to scream across the table to be heard.
"When he attended university, Gaara made quite an impression on Pein-san," Kankurou explained, eyeing his brother out of the corner of his eye. "Their personalities clashed almost immediately and their discussions in the classroom were infamous for being quite… heated."
"In other words, both of them were equally stubborn," Sakura supplied.
Kankurou chuckled at the girl's perceptiveness. The redhead was about to protest angrily but the tattooed man beat him to it. "Indeed they were and still are. But despite their apparent dislike when they debated, Pein-san approached Gaara just before he graduated and offered him a high post in his company."
"Really?" the pink haired girl asked in surprise, turning to the jade eyed man for confirmation. He simply nodded in response.
The waiter arrived then and they ordered their drinks quickly: two whiskeys, a cranberry vodka and a piña colada. Kankurou resumed speaking when he was gone.
"Of course, Gaara here refused since he was going to business school only to assume the reins of our father's company beside our sister. Also, the philosophy of being lucrative by selling artefacts made for the sole purpose of killing people didn't sit too well with him either. He made all of that clear. This, to put it nicely, didn't make Pein-san very happy."
"Which means he basically used every kind of persuasive measure to get me to join his board," the redhead said, shaking his head and scowling. "And some of those measures weren't exactly what you could call non-violent or legal."
"Indeed," Kankurou chuckled darkly as the waiter came back to hand them their drinks. "It seemed that he believed that if he couldn't have Gaara's business skills, no one could... literally. Trust me, coming from an arms dealer, his threats were anything but idle."
"He threatened you?" Sakura exclaimed in shock, her emerald eyes wide as saucers.
Gaara nodded, feeling somewhat flattered at the worry in her voice. "Yes but I put a decisive end to it. I simply walked straight into his office and told him to fuck off."
The pink haired girl blinked. "You did what?"
Kankurou laughed at her expression. "Ironically, it was exactly that attitude that saved his rear. Pein-san seemed to realize that he wouldn't be able to have Gaara no matter what he did so he changed tactic. He offered him large amounts of money if he would help him out with certain key business deals from time to time… kind of like functioning as a consultant for Akatsuki."
"And did you accept?" Sakura asked, turning to Gaara then.
"I did. It actually worked out perfectly. Pein-san is satisfied and he finally got off my case. Or well, at least most of the time. As a matter of fact, he wants to meet me later to talk about the next deal he wants me to go over with him."
The pink haired girl was about to say something when a tall silver haired man wearing a strange beaded bracelet wrapped round his right wrist approached Gaara and slapped him on the back.
"Well it was about fucking time you guys got here," he said, seemingly oblivious to the murderous gaze the redhead suddenly turned his way.
"Hidan," Kankurou greeted as he lifted his whiskey glass his way. "How long ago did you get here?"
"Not long," the man said, turning for a moment to look around the room as if searching for someone. "But being in the sole company of Kakuzu at our company table was getting on my nerves. I see his face fucking face in close proximity every god dammed day! Of course I'm going to get restless! I made my escape as soon as Pein-san and Konan-san showed up. Where's your sister, by the way?"
"She's coming along," Gaara said, making an evident effort to keep his voice at a civil tone. "Temari was greeting some of the senior members of the Trade Council out by the doors."
"Those old farts? She shouldn't waste her time," Hidan replied, waving his hand dismissively, the beads of his bracelet making a sound. "She'd be much better off spending time with me instead."
The redhead simply glared at him. It was evident that he didn't agree that particular statement.
It was then that the pink haired realized that this was Temari's supposed date. And from what she had just heard, he was also part of the Akatsuki Corporation.
"And aren't you going to introduce me to these lovely ladies?" he said, turning a flashing smile Sakura's way. He walked up to stand in between her and Suzu, who were sitting next to each other on the round table.
Kankurou chuckled at his antics while Gaara simply eyed the hand Hidan had placed on the back of Sakura's chair as if he would like nothing better than to chop it off.
"Girls," the tattooed man said, "This is Hidan. Hidan, this is Suzu and Sakura."
"Nice to meet you," Sakura replied. Despite him being a bit too bad mouthed for her tastes, she found that she liked his outgoing and expressive manner.
"A pleasure to meet you too," he said with a smile. It was then that the pink haired girl caught a better look at his bracelet and realized it was actually some kind of rosary wrapped around his wrist. "If either of you need a break from these two fuckers, just let me know. I'd be more than glad to have a dance or two with you beautiful ladies."
Sakura was about to make a joke with him while Suzu blushed but luckily, she noticed the seething expression on Gaara's face and decided against it. It was evident that the redhead was just barely containing all kinds of violent impulses. She settled for taking a sip of her vodka instead and lifting a hand to softly caress his leg reassuringly.
That seemed to help somewhat and the redhead managed to let out a deep breath, releasing some of the tension. Hidan hadn't noticed anything and was now chatting amiably with Kankurou. It was then that Temari finally made an appearance, coming up to them with a smile on her face. The silver haired man greeted her with a quick peck on the cheek and Sakura grinned behind her glass.
Strangely enough, they made a good couple.
Both of them excused themselves for a moment and Hidan led Temari to another table where they greeted some mutual acquaintances.
"About time he left," Gaara said moodily, taking a long sip of his whiskey.
"He was nice enough," Sakura said as he turned narrowed eyes at her. "He makes a great match with your sister," she added quickly, making sure he didn't come to any wrong conclusion.
The redhead seemed to think this over and turned to look at where Temari was standing with Hidan some distance away, laughing happily. "I guess you're right but still. Him being a religious fanatic doesn't sit very well with me."
"Gaara's only sour about Hidan because he has to see him when he goes over to Akatsuki's main offices," Kankurou said. "I'm sure he'll shout at you down the hall one of these days yelling 'yo, fucking future brother-in-law!'
He laughed out loud with that, so did Suzu and Sakura; it wasn't hard to imagine the silver haired man doing exactly that.
"That's precisely the problem," Gaara said, not in the least bit amused. "I'm sure he's been about to do so but thankfully, I haven't given him the chance… and I don't plan to."
They went silent for a moment before Suzu turned to Kankurou to ask him a question about some of the businessmen he'd been talking to at the entrance. Sakura took the opportunity to look around the large hall and survey all the people attending the celebration.
She admired their outfits while also making a note of the beautiful flower arrangements. Making a comment or two to Gaara, she explained about the technique that had been used to create a table piece with the form of a swan using a large array of all kinds of white flowers.
The redhead listened to her intently, happily noticing the latent excitement in her voice when she spoke about the things that interested her. He asked a few questions about certain flowers and she answered with great detail, making it clear that she truly loved her job. They talked for a while, ordering more drinks when the ones they currently had were finished.
An interruption finally came when another acquaintance of Gaara and Kankurou approached the table to greet them and both of them stood up to talk to him.
Sakura turned in her chair to take a look at the dance floor then, noticing all the different tones of dresses the women were wearing. She was happily tapping her crimson high-heels in time to the music when she felt a thrill run up her spine, making her extremely uncomfortable. She felt as if she were being watched.
She lifted her face to take a look around but didn't see anything. She was about to dismiss the feeling to a momentary lapse into paranoia when she turned her face towards her right slightly and noticed a familiar figure wearing a golden dress standing on the edge of the dance floor, arm in arm with a man who had a face like a snake.
It was Maemi.
The pink haired felt a wave of apprehension run all over her. She couldn't believe her luck.
The dress she was wearing was terribly classy and accentuated her supermodel figure perfectly. The woman was whispering in the ear of the serpent-like man with the dark hair and smiling seductively. Laughing at whatever she was saying, the man wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him as he signalled to a nearby waiter.
Sakura thought she hadn't been noticed and was about to turn her eyes away when Maemi turned her face towards her. Amber locked with emerald and the hate the pink haired girl saw reflected in the banshee's eyes simply made her skin crawl. But she wasn't one to be intimidated so easily.
She kept her head high, not turning her eyes away. Maemi was the one to break contact first but only to turn towards Gaara, who was standing next to Sakura with his back to the black haired harpy. She ran her feline eyes over his handsome frame, a look of barely contained lust on her face.
Sakura felt her blood boil before she could help it and she fisted her hands on her lap in anger.
To her aggravation, Maemi proceeded to lick her lips slightly while still looking at him before turning a condescending smirk at the pink haired girl. With that, she turned back to the snake-man, flipping her long ebony hair over her shoulder.
'So that's the game you're going to play, you little scamp,' Sakura thought furiously. 'I'd like to see you try.'
For the life of her, she didn't know why she was so enraged. She knew for certain that Gaara didn't harbour any feelings for the good for nothing hag and he had actually thrown her out of his house while Sakura had been present. Still, having her ogling at the redhead in front of her inevitably provoked an instinctual response from deep within her. She was more than ready to fight tooth and nail for Gaara without caring about who got in her way.
Luckily, she realized that the redhead hadn't noticed the encounter she'd just had as he sat back down again. Sakura managed to keep her anger under control as he looked at her suspiciously for a moment. Blaming her flushing complexion on the vodka, he simply chuckled at her before leaning in for a quick kiss.
She preferred for him not to know. Any business that she might have with Maemi was strictly between the harpy and her… and she meant for it to stay that way.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
The party passed by in a flash, turning into one of the most pleasant evenings Sakura had ever had.
Dinner was a lovely affair and the dishes the Hyuuga family offered were simply exquisite. Sakura swore she hadn't eaten such delicious food in her entire life. It was followed by a long and somewhat tedious speech by Hyuuga Hizashi himself but afterwards, the guests were allowed to mingle without any further interruptions. As the night wore one and the levels of alcohol in people's blood increased, it became quite an amusing affair.
Gaara danced with Sakura all through the night, only surrendering her to Kankurou for a song or two just because he was his brother. Temari and Hidan had been dancing nearby as well but the redhead didn't even give the silver haired man a chance to even ask the pink haired girl for a dance.
All in all, Sakura found that her handsome date was a good dancer; after the comment he'd made back at her house, she hadn't known what to expect. But to her pleasure, he turned out to be more than proficient and they had a blast dancing all over the place with each other. She wondered where he'd learned to dance like that and after she asked him, he simply grinned wickedly and told her it came as part of the job description of attending such events with regularity. Sakura wasn't sure if she believed him but let it slide.
Fortunately, she didn't come face to face with Maemi all through the night. She spotted the banshee a couple of times but didn't have another staring contest. The woman was busy seemingly seducing the man she'd come to the party with. If Gaara noticed her, he didn't mention it. Thus, Sakura decided that it was best for her to keep quite as well. It wouldn't do to spoil the happy atmosphere of the party by bringing her up. She simply wasn't worth their time.
At one point, one of the other family members of the Hyuuga Clan made an announcement and Sakura saw Suzu turn pale a few paces away as he did so. It seemed that a serious thunderstorm was hitting the city at the moment and that, for the time being, the guests who had arrived in helicopter wouldn't be able to fly back. Naturally, for those in such a predicament, the Clan had made arrangements for them to be able to stay at some of the hotel's best rooms if the storm didn't clear out for the night. They would be keeping them posted.
"We've got to stay," she heard Suzu murmur to Kankurou in a pleading voice.
"Looks like we'll be able to use the hotel's premises after all," Gaara distracted her by whispering in her ear.
She giggled and faked a yawn just to tease. "It's a good thing too. I really am looking forward to getting some good sleep."
"Sleeping is the last thing you'll be doing," he murmured, leaning even closer to her. His breath tickled her and brought a chill of anticipation all over her skin. She turned round to kiss him full on the lips, the alcohol in both their veins kindling their desire even more quickly than usual.
They danced for another couple of songs before returning to the table with Kankurou and Suzu. The poor girl was distraught with the news of the storm and Sakura attempted to calm her down somewhat. As the night wore on, they chatted happily at their table, alternating with trips to the dance floor. The pink haired girl was tempted to take off her shoes at one point but decided against it. She really did need to maintain a certain degree of glamour at this gathering. Of course, if she'd been anywhere else, her high heels would've flown out the window ages ago.
At one point, Temari and Hidan joined them. The silver haired man ordered for a whole bottle of whiskey to be brought to the table along with glasses for everyone. Sakura took a couple of sips of the golden liquid but simply couldn't stomach it. Hidan laughed at her but ordered some vodka for her instead. Gaara was more than happy to finish her discarded glass for her.
They conversed good-naturedly for some time as the hours passed and as long as Hidan kept his attention solely on Temari, the redhead was tolerant enough towards him. It was after a while that an usher approached their table with three envelops.
"Temari-san," he said formally, "the keys you requested."
"Keys?" Sakura asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah, since I saw that Suzu was so stressed about the flight back I thought it'd be best for us to leave in the morning when the weather's all cleared. So I asked for rooms for all of us."
"Temari-san, you didn't have to!" the hazel eyed girl said, blushing.
"There's nothing to it, dear," she replied, handing an envelope to each of her brothers, "they had already been reserved by our hosts. And how many times do I have to tell you? Just Temari will do."
"Thank you," Suzu replied with a shy smile.
As the usher left, Sakura leaned towards Gaara with a sly grin on her lips. "Who says I want to share a room with you?" she whispered teasingly.
"There's isn't much of a choice is there," he replied, matching her crafty smile as he twirled one of her pink curls round a finger. "It's either that or you sleep out in the hall."
The pink haired girl gapped before laughing at his impertinent answer. She was about to reply tartly when a blond man with long hair approached the table.
"I'm sorry to be the one to interrupt the merriment, hn" he said, his deep voice carrying a slight undertone of humour. "Hidan, Gaara-san, I'm afraid that Pein-san wants to meet with all of us now."
"Fuck it," Hidan cursed loudly. "Can't a guy have a fucking break from work once in a while?"
"Stop your complaining already, it's all you do," Deidara said, rolling his eyes impatiently.
Gaara was already lifting his glass to finish the last of his whiskey. He opened the envelop Temari had given him and took out one of the key cards inside. Giving the other one to Sakura, he leaned in for a quick kiss before standing up.
"I don't know how long I'll be," he told her. "But go up to our room when you get tired. If you want any room service, feel free to order whatever you want. But don't get too comfortable in that bed by yourself."
She smiled at him as she chuckled, her eyes bright. "I'll try my best. Good luck with the meeting."
He nodded and turned towards Deidara. They started walking away side by side passing between tables, neither of them waiting for Hidan.
"For the love of Jashin! Can't they let a man finish his fucking whiskey in peace?" the silver haired man exclaimed before standing up in a hurry and attempting to straighten out his dishevelled clothing as he went.
Temari laughed at his receding form before turning back towards the table. "Sakura, how about we hit that dance floor?"
"You're on!" the pink haired girl said as she placed the card key Gaara had given her in her purse.
They danced for a while accompanied by Kankurou and Suzu. The number of people at the party was lessening by the minute, either leaving by car or going up to the rooms reserved for them by the Hyuuga Clan. It wasn't long before all of them started to get tired, their feet complaining over the non-stop abuse they'd received all night long.
Temari decided to call it a night after a while and Sakura realized that it was probably a good idea to do the same. After Kankurou decided to get one last drink at the table with Suzu, both women picked their things from the table and headed out the door.
The pink haired girl wrapped her shawl round her shoulders as they headed towards the elevator, looking forward to finally be able to take her shoes off.
As they both stepped into the lift, Temari simply couldn't take it any longer herself.
"My feet will meet a premature end if I don't take these damned shoes off," she exclaimed, leaning against one wall as Sakura pressed the button for the floor of their rooms. The dark blond lifted her foot and then the other, ridding her feet of the painful constriction of her high heels.
"I agree with you there!" Sakura replied, doing exactly the same. She flexed her abused toes, feeling as if the blood was reaching them again after an eternity.
"I usually wear high-heels to work but these dress shoes are ridiculous," Temari said. She looked at the digital number of the floors they were going past. "Trust the Hyuuga Clan to reserve all the best suites for their family. We didn't get the best rooms in the place but hey, at least they're something."
The pink haired girl smiled politely, murmuring that she truly didn't mind. How could she? The room she was going to be staying at was probably three times the size of her own bedroom back home.
They finally reached their floor and they made their way down the decorated corridor with doors on either side of them, relishing in the feel of the soft carpet underneath their bare feet. When she reached her room, Sakura opened her purse and looked for the key. Temari continued to walk by.
"I'm just down the hall, Sakura," she said, "Good night!"
"Good night Temari and thanks for everything!"
"No need to mention it," the dark blond replied offhandedly as she stopped a couple of doors down on the other side of the hall and looked for her own key.
The pink haired girl placed her card in her door handle and heard the soft click of the door opening. Happily, she went inside, throwing the shoes she was carrying in her hand on the floor with a thud. She closed the door behind her and she went a few steps inside, passing the threshold of the room while trying to find the light switch on the right wall as she went. Finding it quickly, she turned on the lights and lifted her face to survey the room.
It was then that she heard an eerie female voice from somewhere nearby.
"You're too easy, amateur girl. Only an idiot like you would come into the room without him."
Maemi.
Sakura froze completely before some kind of cloth landed on her face and she couldn't see anymore.
I know you're going to KILL me for stopping there but sorry guys, it simply had to be done. (hides under her desk)
In an attempt to avoid too many death threats from you, I'll be updating shortly since I really need to get this story done soon.
Thanks for reading!